Teaching garden at Northern, Bullhook Blossoms' featured 'yard'

Press release

The Bullhook Blossoms Garden Club yard of the month isn't a yard at all, but an outdoor classroom.

While enjoying the Havre summer, people can take some time and visit the astonishing teaching garden on the Montana State University-Northern campus. Although the brainchild of faculty botanist Terri Hildebrand, Ph.D., the garden began formation in the winter of 2014 and spring of 2015. After receiving a go-ahead to construct the garden, and under the direction of Grounds Supervisor Kino Detrick, students on the Northern grounds crew amended the soil on the east side of Hagener Science Center with five pickup-loads of compost and 22 bags of peat moss. Repeated tilling worked components into the existing soil and removed rocks from the 645-square-foot garden bed, resulting in a nutrient-rich foundation for plant growth. Maintenance Supervisor David Hildebrand installed a timer and irrigation system that provides water on a weekly cycle.

In 2017, the teaching garden provides an even more lush and colorful display. A two-rail fence in Northern maroon provides support for the towering Delphinium, some of which now reach heights of more than 8 feet. Additional plants have been added, including prairie smoke and cow parsnip, native plants of Montana prairies. A potted feature near the entrance door includes such striking features as passion vine and rich, black velvet petunias. The garden continually changes as it moves through the Montana summer, as some plants complete their lifecycle to form fruits and seeds, while others explode with a burst of bright flower colors in the mid- to late-summer.

Hildebrand uses the garden in her botany, biology and ecology courses. Students observe living specimens of various morphological forms, growth habits, and sun regimes. Other courses are encouraged to use the garden as well, for example art students may produce detailed drawings of the plants. Hildebrand continues to teach at Northern, adding evening courses that community members may enjoy, such as Rocky Mountain Flora and Medicinal and Edible Plants of Montana.