Our Gardens
What is the Smith County Master Gardeners (SCMG) program?
The Smith County Master Gardeners program is a volunteer-led initiative that began in 1994 to serve the public in Tyler and Smith County. Operating in partnership with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, the program provides research-based horticultural information and community support through a variety of local projects.
What gardens does SCMG maintain?
The volunteers currently maintain four public gardens in Tyler, Texas:
- Three demonstration gardens located at the Tyler Botanical Garden.
- One historical home garden located at the Goodman Museum.
These locations serve as educational, tranquil settings designed to teach local residents and visitors about successful regional gardening.
Would you like to book a tour of the Tyler Botanical Gardens?
If your group or organization is interested in a free tour of the Tyler Botanical Gardens, click HERE for more information and to request a tour.
The Smith County Master Gardeners Heritage Rose Garden at the Tyler Botanical Gardens
The Tyler Heritage Rose Garden showcases numerous rose varieties, with a strong focus on hybrids from diverse historical backgrounds. Within this space, the Heritage Garden highlights a collection of heirloom roses that have survived for generations. These resilient plants grow on their own roots, completely free from modern hybridization and the pests or diseases that often plague newer varieties.
The Smith County Master Gardeners actively maintain this specific plot in the southwest corner of the Tyler Rose Garden. To complement the historic roses, volunteers planted a variety of perennials that deliver a continuous display of vibrant color throughout the entire growing season.
The SCMG IDEA Garden at the Tyler Botanical Gardens
Established in 1999, the IDEA Garden serves as an innovative thinking ground that inspires both casual visitors and seasonal homeowners to transform their own landscapes. Keith Hansen, a former Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service horticulturist, and Sue Adee, a Smith County Master Gardener, co-created the space. Its name outlines a clear mission: Innovate, Demonstrate, Educate, and Apply.
Step inside the IDEA Garden to explore a realistic backyard setting that mirrors a typical neighborhood residence. Tucked into the southeast corner of the world-famous Tyler Municipal Rose Garden, this multipurpose demonstration garden actively sparks creative landscaping solutions you can take home. At the entrance, a massive perennial display dubbed the “rainbow border” flashes year-round color. Anchored by a black metal fence and towering arbors, this vibrant border merely sets the stage for the rest of the garden experience.
The SCMG Shade Garden at the Tyler Botanical Gardens
Nearly one thousand linear feet of paved pathway meanders through a two-acre grove of mature pine and hardwood trees, linking the IDEA and Heritage Rose Gardens.
Hundreds of azaleas, camellias, and Japanese Maples anchor the landscape, while an abundance of shade-tolerant woody shrubs and herbaceous perennials rounds out the display. Smith County Master Gardener volunteers rigorously maintain the Shade Garden and regularly introduce new varieties, guaranteeing that every plant featured will thrive in East Texas landscapes.
A bubbling fountain, strategically placed benches, and a bluebird nature trail create an enchanting, peaceful sanctuary where visitors experience natural beauty in every season.
The Goodman-LeGrand Historical Gardens, maintained by the Smith County Master Gardeners
This Smith County Master Gardener project was created to organize and coordinate research, planting, and maintenance of the gardens at the Goodman-LeGrand historical house.
Our purpose is to advise and assist the Goodman staff to facilitate a landscape that reflects the home’s time period, its importance to the City of Tyler, and its landmark status. We seek to create and maintain a garden that accurately reflects the house and its occupants from 1880 to 1930. We also provide educational information and occasional tours to visitors about this garden and early 20th-century Southern American gardens as well.
