MADISON – Do you grow impatient trying to grow impatiens in your lawn? Are you bored with monotonous green in the shade? Master Gardeners of North Alabama can help you solve the dilemma.

Master Gardeners have scheduled the workshop, “Color in the Shade and Winter Gardening,” for Sept. 19 from 10 a.m. to noon. Participants will meet at Huntsville Botanical Garden’s Anderson Education Classroom at 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.

“Don’t let those gardening gloves get dusty in the winter. Gardening isn’t just for warmer months,” Master Gardener spokesperson Nareatha Studdard said.

“Activity in the garden can be a year-round event. Come and learn how to garden in the winter and how to add color to your shade garden,” Studdard said.

Melissa Kirkindall, who has worked as a Master Gardener since 1998, will facilitate the discussion about colors in shady areas. Each participant will first decide if his or her garden has any space that receives little or no direct sunlight.

“You can learn about the degrees of shade and how this (setting) changes through the year and day,” Studdard said. Kirkindall and other Master Gardeners also will state the inventory of plants that will grow and even thrive in shady conditions. 

Elouisa Stokes, a Master Gardener for 39 years, will present the segment on winter gardening. Stokes will explain the tasks that gardeners need to complete in wintertime. “You can learn how to keep your garden looking great even during winter months,” Studdard said.

Master Gardeners of North Alabama Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, has supported the Alabama Cooperative Extension System since 1988.

The “Color in the Shade and Winter Gardening” workshop is free to the public. However, seating will be limited. All participants should register by visiting mginfo.org/workshops.

On the fourth Saturday of each month, Master Gardeners complete testing of soil pH from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Madison County Farmers Market, 1022 Cook Ave. in Huntsville. On other Saturdays, the gardeners will answer questions or hand out information about upcoming courses.