Demonstration Gardens
We operate four demonstration (demo) gardens in Cowlitz County. These are our living classrooms where we deliver several of our programs, such as our fruit tree and grape vine pruning, and our Youth Gardening classes. In addition, our gardens are a place where you can informally tour to pick up on gardening ideas. We demonstrate composting, raised bed gardening, Hugelkultur, native plants, flower walls, and much, much more.
Demo Garden at the Fairgrounds
Discover a living classroom packed with inspiration! The Fairgrounds Demo Garden is a hands-on learning space where visitors can explore sustainable gardening in action. Currently under renovation, the garden features a wide variety of specialty areas, including waterwise and native plant gardening, a Japanese garden, a Scent Garden, accessible raised beds, hugelkultur, blueberries, an apple orchard, a grape arbor, compost and worm bins, and more.
Demo Garden at Mt. St. Helens Visitors Center
A living showcase of Pacific Northwest natives. The Native Plant Garden at the Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center, created in partnership between Master Gardeners and the Park Service, showcases the beauty and resilience of Pacific Northwest native plants. This living landscape demonstrates how homeowners can design gardens that are both stunning and sustainable—supporting local pollinators, birds, and wildlife while thriving with low maintenance in our regional climate.
Demo Garden at the WSU Extension Office
Inspiring waterwise gardening for our community. Our newest demonstration garden surrounds the WSU Extension office and was designed with water conservation in mind. Since the site receives full sun throughout the day, we chose to create a low-maintenance, waterwise landscape that thrives with minimal irrigation once established. In collaboration with youth from the Cowlitz County Juvenile Detention Center, we selected drought-tolerant trees, shrubs, and perennials. Several areas were seeded with a mix of native and non-native wildflowers suited for dry meadow conditions. We invite the community to visit and see firsthand how easy it can be to create a beautiful, sustainable garden with the right plants and thoughtful planning.
Longview Library Rose Garden
A living classroom where roses—and gardeners—grow.
Cared for by a dedicated team of Master Gardener volunteers, the Longview Library Rose Garden is both a beautiful community space and a living classroom. Volunteers plant and maintain the roses while offering public classes on rose selection, planting and transplanting, pruning, and year-round care.
