The most useful tool in a local gardener’s arsenal isn’t a trowel -- it’s a radio.

The staff members of the Memorial University Botanical Garden are now offering advice and expertise twice a week on local AM radio channel VOWR 800. Tune in on Wednesdays at 12:45 p.m. and Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. for timely tips about gardening in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The show will feature the botanical garden’s knowledgeable employees along with a wide range of special guests.

“There are so many great local organizations with information to share,” said Anne Madden, education co-ordinator at the botanical garden. “Our volunteer group, Friends of the Garden, will also help out, and believe me, they’ve got some of the most impressive gardens in the city.”

The botanical garden staff are taking over the segment from another gardening dynamo, Ross Traverse of Traverse Gardens, who recently retired from the show.

“We plan to pick up where Ross left off, answering questions and helping gardeners make the most of the growing season,” explained Ms. Madden.

It’s a good fit for the botanical garden, which is located at 306 Mount Scio Rd. in St. John’s.

“Our mission is to inspire understanding, appreciation and conservation of plants," said Ms. Madden. "The radio show is a natural extension of our other educational programs, including our summer camps, workshops and school programs.”

VOWR can be heard on the AM dial at 800 (on the Avalon Peninsula), online by visiting VOWR’s website (www.vowr.org/), on Rogers digital television on channel 945 and on Bell Aliant digital cable. 

Questions and feedback for Garden Time can be emailed to bgprograms@mun.ca. Please provide a return address with your question so you can receive a small token of appreciation from the Memorial University Botanical Garden.