View Presentation Application

Which Tour Type is Best for Extension Gardens? Final Results from a Pilot Study.

Horticulture & Turfgrass

Jamielyn Daugherty
Florida-Friendly Landscaping/Urban Forestry
UF/IFAS Extension
The Villages

Abstract

Issue: Extension gardens are widely used across UF/IFAS, yet few systematically compare tour formats or capture evaluation data, leaving managers uncertain which approach best advances the educational goals of the garden. Objective/purpose: To determine which tour format best improves participant knowledge when comparing docent-led, audio-guided, and signage-based tours using the nine Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) Principles as a central theme. Additionally, this research aimed to generate a replicable evaluation framework for Extension gardens. Target Audience: Adult garden visitors and program participants engaging with UF Extension programming in a public garden setting. Materials and Methods: At the Discovery Gardens, interpretive programming was developed using TOP model planning and the nine FFL Principles as the central theme. Three parallel tour formats were implemented: docent-led (Extension agent or trained Master Gardener Volunteer), self-guided audio, and signage-based. Tours were offered 1–2 days per week in Spring and Fall 2023 on a rotating schedule. Participants completed matched pre/post surveys; 6-month and 1-year follow-ups were attempted to assess educational gain and behavior change. Each themed garden was assigned two FFL principles to ensure coverage across formats. Data was analyzed using the Chi-Square statistical analysis in tandem with the Bonferroni Correction. Results: In total, 150 participants completed pre/post instruments. All formats produced self-reported learning across all nine FFL Principles. Docent-led tours yielded statistically higher knowledge gains for the Right Plant, Right Place and Water Efficiently principles. This coincided with the higher mention frequencies (8 and 10 mentions, respectively) of these principles. Across principles, lower impacts were observed for Recycling Yard Waste, Reducing Stormwater Runoff, and Protecting the Waterfront, this may correlate to the lower number of mentions (3, 3 and 3 mentions, respectively) during the tours. Follow up response rates at 6 and 12 months were insufficient to confirm behavior change. Evaluation and Impacts: For Extension programs, all three tour types are statistically similar options. This enabled managers to select the best tour type based on local limitations such as budget, time, and space. Findings also suggest that repeating priority messages (>7 mentions) may improve learning, leading to more efficient use of Extension gardens for water quality education. Authors: Jamielyn Daugherty, Kimberly Moore, Sandy Wilson, Laura Warner , Mica McMillan
  1. Jamielyn Daugherty Florida-Friendly Landscaping/Urban Forestry, UF/IFAS Extension Sumter County, Florida, 32162
  2. Kimberly Moore Associate Center Director & Professor, UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Florida, 33314
  3. Sandy Wilson Professor , UF/IFAS , Florida, 32611
  4. Laura Warner Professor, UF/IFAS Agricultural Education and Communication , Florida, 32611
  5. Mica McMillan Assistant Professor, UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Florida, 33314