Penn State Extension - Lehigh County

05/27/2026

Discover how individuals of all backgrounds and experience levels can contribute to real scientific research during this engaging webinar led by Penn State Extension educators. This introduction to community science—also known as citizen or participatory science—explores how volunteers, researchers, and communities work together to advance scientific knowledge, monitor environmental change, and inform management efforts.

Explore community science and how volunteers contribute to real research. Learn simple ways to get involved and make a meaningful impact in your local environment.

05/20/2026

Order now, and plant in the Fall! https://extension.psu.edu/master-watershed-steward-watershed-friendly-native-plant-kit-sale

05/14/2026

REMINDER ⏰

If you ordered from our Natives for Nature: Perennial Plant Presale, pickup starts on May 15th! Please plan to pick up your plants during one of the following times:

🗓️ Friday, May 15: 4:00–7:00 PM
🗓️ Saturday, May 16: 9:00 AM–12:00 PM

📍Location:
Lehigh County Extension Office
4148 Dorney Park Road
Allentown, PA

05/13/2026

ASK A MASTER GARDENER 🪏

As we move into the warmer months, you can find your Lehigh Valley Master Gardeners at local farmers' markets ready to answer your questions and help solve your gardening problems. Here's our upcoming schedule 👇

📍 Easton Farmers' Market
🗓️ 3rd Saturday of each month, May - October

📍 Saucon Valley Farmers' Market
🗓️ 3rd Sunday of each month

05/09/2026

🌿 Lehigh County Extension Demo Garden Update
Our Lehigh County Extension Office Demo Garden volunteers have been hard at work this spring and sent us an update on the progress happening at the garden, along with an updated plant map for visitors exploring the space.

Final Score: W**ds 0, Master Gardeners 7
by Andy Neely, Andrea Cameron, and Gina Kormanik
Photo credits: Andrea Cameron

We all know that a w**d is just a plant not in the right place, but the Master Gardener team responsible for Native Landscaping/Demo Gardens at the Lehigh County Extension Building really showed those w**ds who the boss was during a productive w**d "relocation" session on the evening of April 23rd. The task primarily focused on cleaning up and maintaining the Native Plant Garden west section, including taming the monstrous goldenrod that was clearly showing off!
Master Gardeners and MG Trainees for this session were: Andrea Cameron, Andy Neely, Victoria Beers, Susan Caserez, Judith Savadelis, Karen Kitabwalia, and Brandon Desnoyers.

🌱 Feel free to visit our Native Plant/Demo Gardens anytime and bonus points if you pull some thistle 😉

Check out our MG team photos below. We have also included a detailed Native Landscaping site map developed by the group and updated on an ongoing basis to help visitors explore the garden.

📍 Lehigh County Extension Office
4184 Dorney Park Rd
Allentown, PA

05/06/2026

This Wildflower Week and Garden for Wildlife Week, we’re highlighting native plants that support birds, pollinators, butterflies, moths, and the entire ecosystem around us 🐝🦋🐦

Not all plants provide the same ecological value. Research shows that certain “keystone plants” support dramatically more wildlife than others by serving as host plants, pollen sources, shelter, and food for countless species.

👉 Swipe through to learn about a few powerhouse native plants for Pennsylvania landscapes.
Even small spaces can help:
🌱 Foundation plantings
🌱 Raised beds
🌱 Containers
🌱 Small backyard gardens
Every native plant added makes a difference.

💬 What native plants are thriving in your garden right now?

05/01/2026

They say April showers 🚿 bring May flowers 💐 and these are some of the native flowers you can expect to see blooming in Pennsylvania this May.

🌱 Wild Blue Phlox, Eastern Red Columbine, and Eastern Bluestar are some commonly recognizable natives, but there are many, many more.

Share photos of your May-blooming natives in the comments! 👇📸

04/30/2026

Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Program wins Recognition Award from the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin.

Penn State Extension’s Master Watershed Steward Program received the 2026 Special Recognition Award from the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin.

04/30/2026

🌿 April may be coming to a close, but gardening season in the Lehigh Valley is just getting started…

Throughout National Gardening Month, we’ve been spotlighting the incredible Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens across Lehigh and Northampton Counties. (Scroll through our page to recap the posts.) While we didn’t get to feature every site just yet, we’re not done—this series will continue through the growing season 🌱

Here’s a look at the gardens that make up our local Master Gardener network:

🌼 Northampton County Extension Office
📍 Nazareth, PA
A demonstration garden showcasing practical techniques for home gardeners, including seasonal planting, maintenance, and pollinator-friendly practices.

🌼 Lehigh County Extension Office
📍 Allentown, PA
A hands-on space combining vegetable production and native plantings, with a strong focus on education and community impact.

🌼 Governor Wolf Historical Society Garden
📍 Bath, PA
A historic herb and pleasure garden featuring espaliered apple trees, traditional plantings, and a connection to early gardening practices.

🌼 Oscht Garden (Lower Macungie Historical Society)
📍 Wescosville, PA
A thoughtfully designed native garden reflecting plants early settlers may have encountered, paired with educational materials for visitors.

🌼 Saucon Rail Trail Garden
📍 Hellertown, PA (Reading Trailhead)
A vibrant native plant garden along the trail, designed for continuous bloom and pollinator support from spring through fall.

🌼 Easton Cemetery Victorian Gardens
📍 Easton, PA
Community-tended grave gardens blending history, symbolism, and horticulture, with a focus on container gardening, deer-resistant plants, and plant symbolism.

🌼 Louise Moore Park Pollinator Habitat
📍 Easton, PA
Our first certified Pollinator Friendly Habitat in the county, designed as a fully functional ecosystem and demonstration of native landscape design.

—
🌿 Coming Soon / Updates:

🔸 Locktenders Garden
Currently closed due to road construction—we’re looking forward to highlighting it once access reopens.

🔸 Burnside Plantation Garden
A historic site we look forward to featuring later this season.

🔸 LVHN Muhlenberg Healing Garden
Originally created by Master Gardeners and still a beautiful space to visit, though no longer actively maintained by our program. We’ll share resources for those interested in learning more.
—
📸 We’ll continue visiting, photographing, and spotlighting these gardens throughout the season—especially as everything comes into full bloom.
If you haven’t visited one yet, now is the perfect time to start exploring 🌿

Which garden have you been to—or which one is on your list this year?

04/27/2026

🌿 Easton Cemetery Victorian Grave Gardens
Easton, PA

We continue our Master Gardener Demonstration Garden Spotlight with a unique and meaningful project at the Historic Easton Cemetery.

Spanning 84 acres, this site is more than a cemetery. It is one of Easton’s largest greenspaces, functioning as an arboretum, sculpture garden, and a place for recreation, mindfulness, reflection, and community connection.
Within this landscape, community volunteers and Master Gardeners care for individual Victorian grave gardens. Each space reflects a blend of history, creativity, and horticulture.

🌸 What you’ll find:
• Individual grave gardens adopted and maintained by volunteers
• Native plant selections alongside historically inspired Victorian plants
• Symbolic plantings, such as bleeding heart, representing meaning and tradition
• A wide range of container-style plantings within each grave space

🌱 These gardens serve as living examples of:
• Container gardening in small, defined spaces
• Deer-resistant plant selection in a high deer-pressure environment
• Seasonal planting, maintenance, and long-term care

🌱 Community volunteers adopt a grave garden and tend it throughout the year by planting, w**ding, and watering.
Master Gardeners use this space as an educational opportunity, sharing knowledge on:
• Deer-resistant plants
• W**d identification
• Invasive plant awareness
• Gardening in challenging conditions, including walnut intolerance

Volunteer days, including large events like Day of Caring, bring in community groups, many with no gardening experience. These moments create opportunities to teach, connect, and improve the landscape together.

🌱 Supported by 7+ Master Gardeners and a newly formed Arboretum Committee.
🌿 Visit anytime to explore
Peak bloom: mid-June through early October

📍 Easton Cemetery
401 N. 7th Street
Easton, PA

🌱 Part of our Master Gardener Demo Garden Series