Growing, showing and sharing horticulture has been a lifelong passion and commitment of Marshall Master Gardener, Barbara Miller Ray, a native of Benton. She has been sharing her love for living plants for over 60 years. She began by following her grandfather’s footsteps in the family garden where he taught her all his gardening secrets. Ms. Ray is a member of the Marshall Master Gardener Association, a program of the Marshall County Cooperative Extension Service, where she currently serves as the vice president of the group. In recognition of her contributions to the local Master Gardener program, she was recently awarded the 2018 Outstanding Master Gardener Award for the State of Kentucky. She was presented the award at the Kentucky Master Gardener Conference held in Paducah in October.
Ms. Ray, a former Midwest Garden Columnist, American Rose Society (ARS) Consulting Rosarian, ARS Rose Judge, ARS Arrangement Judge, and National Council of Federated State Garden Clubs Inc. Flower Show Judge, now shares her years of plant knowledge in a monthly radio gardening program. Her gardening program airs live on two local radio stations, WCBL and WCCK, where listeners are encouraged to phone in gardening questions. Ms. Ray helps area residents grow healthier plants, vegetables, trees, and shrubs with less insect and disease problems.
In her free time, Ms. Ray donates coats to people in need. The program entitled “Miss Barbara’s Coats” is a free giveaway of new, like new and “lovingly used “coats. In just two years she has given away 1,067 coats to anyone needing winter warmth in our Marshall County community. She volunteers at Marcella’s Kitchen. She also collects outdated flowers from a local big box store and gleans, conditions and hand delivers them to people needing something cheerful. She targets special needs adults, four nursing homes in the area, widowers, hospital staff and first responders with her gifts of happiness she calls, “Ray’s of Sunshine”. Recipient’s reactions range from tears to laughter and is always followed by a big smile.