Midland College plants first Earth-Kind® gardenSeptember 13, 2021

By Jeff Floyd, MC Grounds Supervisor

Midland College Professor of History Dr. Jaime Águila and staff in the Midland College Grounds department have worked together to create the first Earth-Kind® garden at Midland College.  The new landscape is located in the Marie Hall Academic Building (MHAB) courtyard.  

In fall 2020, Águila contacted us to discuss enhancing the courtyard.  Dr. Águila lives close to Midland College and frequently jogs and takes walks on campus.  His office is located in MHAB.  

“I enjoy being outside, and I take great pride as many of us do about our campus.” Águila said.

Midland College has a tradition of stakeholder support dating back to its founding in the 1970s.  In those days, residents frequently donated plants to help landscape the campus.  Almost 50 years later, we strive to maintain those original plants and refresh the campus landscape through cutting edge horticultural practices such as Earth-Kind®.

The Earth-Kind® environmental landscape system was developed by Texas A&M Professor and Extension Horticulturist Dr. Steve George.  His method combines the best of traditional and organic gardening to create beautiful low-maintenance landscapes.  Two key components of Earth-Kind® include extensive soil management and proper plant selection.  

The garden in the MHAB courtyard consists of salvias collected on the roadside from several Texas counties.  Observing their performance will provide an opportunity to determine which salvia grows best in our region with the lowest maintenance.  Crockett, Gillespie and Val Verde Counties are represented at this time.  Another salvia in the garden was first collected by Texas horticulturist Greg Grant.  It is now grown and sold internationally as Henry Duelberg.  We’ve also installed a particularly tough variety of catmint that was originally discovered growing in a garden in Ireland.  The catmint, known as Walker’s Low, was named perennial of the year in 2007.  

Dr. Águila actively helps to maintain the new Earth-Kind® garden in the MHAB courtyard.  

“Working in the new MHAB garden serves as stress relief from grading history essays and allows me to help keep our campus beautiful,“  Águila stated.

We invite all to see the new garden as you enjoy the Midland College campus and the cooler fall temperatures.