The county’s newest horticulture extension agent, Laura Ponder, joined our center on March 1st. Laura grew up in Charlotte and got her horticulture degree from NC State.

Before settling here in Rutherford County in 2020, Laura and her family lived in California, four different African countries and 2 European countries. She has almost lived and gardened in any micro-climate or soil type you can think of. Most of her professional life has been spent in residential landscape design, ornamental plant
nurseries and teaching horticulture.

Laura’s current position serves all of you who garden and grow: everything from
houseplants to ornamental trees to fruits and vegetables for home or local markets. She will be responsible for training all of Rutherford County’s new Extension Master
Gardener Volunteers each year and overseeing the community programs they are
involved in.  If you have questions about growing, planting or planning your small farm, garden or landscape, or want to know about becoming an Extension Master Gardener℠ Volunteer, reach out to her at 828-287-6015 or lponder@ncsu.edu