Gardeners at the top of the craft have awarded a grant to who are just now learning those skills at Madison Public Library.

The Master Gardeners of North Alabama selected the Madison Children’s Garden – A Living Library to receive the Jane R. Parks Memorial Grant, which was founded to award money in support of ongoing educational, horticultural projects in Madison County.

Parks was an educator, accomplished master gardener and community volunteer, Rose Berry said. Berry serves as chairperson for the master gardeners’ grants committee. “The master gardeners association continues to pursue volunteer projects in horticulture in our community that Jane was so involved in.”

In its first year to offer the grants, the master gardeners association awarded three grants, Berry said. Madison branch manager Sarah Sledge will accept the $500 award at the Master Gardener Christmas Social on Dec. 13.

“Madison Children’s Garden – A Living Library fit the criteria for the award. They are an existing horticulture project in Madison County that had a need for the grant and has volunteers to maintain the project,” Berry said.

To select recipients, a committee “judged the applications by whether they were existing projects, what they were requesting the money for and how their project would benefit the community as a whole,” Berry said. Examples of undertakings are a garden at a school for students to have hands-on planting, community gardens and library gardens.

In coming months, garden volunteers, young patrons and library staff will create a root display, a raised bed filled with soil for vegetables, root vegetables, bulbs and flowering plants, which will allow children to view the growing process.

“The garden still looks great here at winter’s door,” Berry said.

Liz Butler serves as liaison for the children’s garden.

The Master Gardeners of North Alabama organization supports several service projects that help restore and beautify areas in communities and partner with organizations to nurture and teach sound horticultural practices to residents.

For more information, call Berry at 256-461-8107, send email to roseb@knology.net or visit mginfo.org.