Dr. Joy Fox Anderson is the Ag agent in charge of the MG program in DeSoto County. THe next class will be sometime in the fall, and probably already has a waiting list for it and the spring as well. You can get an application by calling the office in Hernando. TN classes are similarly booked up.

Don't mistake it for actual university level classes though. It's mostly a giant overview of how to look up information, and doesn't really get in depth into anything. Most of the forums here at GW offer more information, actually. A lot of the volunteer projects involve your labor in maintaining the display gardens rather than actually interacting with gardeners who need advice. And don't underestimate the difficulty of getting in those 40 hours of volunteer time needed to gain certification. That's where I've fallen by the wayside, especially since my husband developed health problems and I had to go back to work.

The most positive thing about the program is the other gardeners that you meet, but you can find lots of opportunties for that as well. I'm pretty sure that the library is hosting a new gardening club, or I read something about it in the DeSoto Appeal. I don't know the level of experience of any of the folks in that group though. If you are interested in specific plants, there are all kinds of local societies, from daylilies to hostas to roses to join. The Memphis Horiticultural Society also meets at the MBG as well. All of these are good resources for gardners who want to expand their knowledge base.