Dottie Bayne wasn't born with a green thumb; it was something she cultivated over a lifetime. And she's quick to credit others for her knowledge about gardening.
Likewise, she's made it a priority in her life to share her knowledge of gardening - and love of gardening - with the community.
As president of the Central Missouri Master Gardeners, she oversees the club's programs, which include everything from the annual plant sale to demonstration gardens to educational partnerships with local schools.
"We're promoting our love of gardening while doing some public service for the communities we're part of," Bayne said.
The main goal of the club is to educate, and many of its projects involve beautification and education throughout the community. The club helps to beautify public buildings, parks, the local library and schools, among other places.
The club, which has around 200 members, always has projects on the horizon. Missouri River Regional Library recently asked the club if it would take over the herb garden project outside the library. Meanwhile, the club is working to replace its flooded-out demonstration garden on the north side of the Missouri River with ones that will be at Riverside Park.
The goal, Bayne said, is to make it so it's not standoffish - something children can see and touch.
"It's exciting to see a project through from the planning stages, so see some nice plants and things the public will enjoy there," Bayne said.
Each year, the local gardeners eagerly anticipate the club's annual plant sale early in May. Bayne said the club hopes to have it as a multi-day sale at the club's greenhouse this year as a way to safely hold it during the pandemic.
Bayne, who will celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary next year, has three grown daughters. She works full time managing laboratory services at Capital Region Medical Center. The COVID-19 pandemic has "pretty much ruled my life" over the past year, she said.
When she's not working, she enjoys sewing, quilting and traveling with her husband. However, gardening is the main relaxing hobby that balances her stressful job.
"I love my flowers, I love the beauty of flowers; I have a ton of flowers. You need that work-life balance, and for me gardening is one of the things that brings that to my life," she said.
A California, Missouri, native, she's gardened most of her life. Her father struck agreements with people who had extra space in their lots - he would garden there, giving them a portion of the crops.
"We grew up knowing we were going to work in the garden," she said. "When the Moniteau County Fair came in August, he always joked that we had to have all the potatoes dug before we could go to the fair."
The club also is working on its next multi-week program to train the next batch of master gardeners. That could happen this spring.
"If anybody has ever entertained the notion of doing the master gardeners program, I would strongly recommend it," she said. "Even if you decide not to do the master gardeners program, try growing a tomato plant or flowers on your porch or on your deck because there's a lot of enjoyment to be had from that. I think there's something for gardening for everybody. Even for people who think they can't remember to water things, there's always cactus."