catalyst park
A demonstration and food bank garden serving the community
Master Gardeners Foundation of Mason County
WSU Extension Office
303 North 4th Street
Shelton, WA 98584
360.427.9670, ext 688
www.masonmastergardener@gmail.com
https://extension.wsu.edu/mason
www.facebook.com/masoncountymastergardeners
Catalyst Food Bank Garden
Something wonderful is happening at 8th and Harvard in Shelton.
In a tucked away corner of town, Master Gardeners are growing vegetables for our local food bank.
Elsewhere in the garden, people are learning to grow their own vegetables in community beds with guidance from Master Gardeners.
At the far end, garden exhibits demonstrate unique ways of growing flowers, fruit, and herbs.
And, in its place of honor, our beautiful new greenhouse provides year-round growing opportunities.
A lot is happening at 8th and Harvard. It’s a busy place, and we’d love it if you came to visit.
Visiting Catalyst Food Bank Garden
Catalyst Demonstration Garden is open from April to October. If you would like to visit, Master Gardeners are there on Tuesdays from 9 am to noon. We are located at 8th and Harvard in Shelton. To arrange a group visit, call or email the WSU Extension Office (see contact information above). COVID restrictions may still be in place.
Garden Exhibits
Within the food bank garden we have a Learning Garden with educational garden exhibits.
On our entrance trellis, we demonstrate the space-saving concept of vertical growing.
Within the garden, we demonstrate two unusual gardening concepts—Hügelkultur and Keyhole gardening—both ideas imported from other countries.
There is a lasagna bed, rich and productive and usually full of happy worms. In a garden “bed,” you’ll see plants that can be used safely on a septic field.
Next to this is a small model of a mole and vole proof raised bed.
Watch butterflies, bees, and other pollinators in a bed dedicated to them.
In our herb garden, find some unusual herbs, both culinary and medicinal.
Finally, with native plants used throughout the garden, see how beautiful and durable they can be.
We’re happy to share information on any of these exhibits with you.
Nursery Garden
With Covid happening in 2020, we were unable to sell our natives and perennials in our plant sale. We decided to hold them over at the Catalyst Park site. Several members got together and moved plants from the lower garden to the upper garden and also collected plants from members. The idea of possibly creating a nursery garden materialized. We are currently working out plans and details as our current inventory has been troughed in with lots of manual labor hoping to be sold in an upcoming sale.
Plants were sorted into groups, given plant tags, cleaned up and soil added when necessary. Temporary homes were found in some of the community garden beds. Our hope once COVID restrictions are lifted is to expand, open to the public and demonstrate and educate around native and perennial gardening. Stay tuned!
