KIRKSVILLE, MO --  

Students in the Adair County Extension Master Gardener Program spent the afternoon in a flower garden.
    
Each year the Extension Center trains anyone 16 and older who has an interest in gardening.
    
This year's class of eight toured the Sam and Sandy Fleak home in Kirksville to learn about flower production.

“He's got probably hundreds of flowers here and I have several friends that have wonderful flower gardens and have been through the master gardening class also and so it's just very inspirational,” said Student Velda Dougherty.
   
The students are taking a 12 week course to earn the title of master gardener, and will have to complete volunteer service with the Extension Center every year.

“The Veterans Memorial is a good example of one of the projects that the master gardeners have. All the flowers at the Veterans Memorial were designed by the master gardeners here in Kirksville. And then the Brashear Park plantings around the gazebo and the southeast corner were designed and planted by the master gardeners here in Kirksville,” said Horticulture Specialist Jennifer Schutter.
    
Next week the group will learn about vineyard production at the Truman State University Farm.
    
There are 35 members in the Kirksville Master Gardener Club, and over 200 members in Northeast Missouri.