By Gary R. Bachman

MSU Horticulturist

Coastal Research & Extension Center

Many gardeners try to give their landscape the feel of an informal cottage garden. This garden concept has a loose, flowing feel, kind of like you just let plants grow wherever they happen to pop up in the landscape.

I had a professor way back in college who had a unique cottage garden planting method: He would walk through the landscape and just toss plants over his shoulder. We planted them where they landed. And you know what? His gardens looked awfully good.

Making good decisions and persuading others to agree with them are valuable skills in life, just ask the 17 eighth-grade students from across Hancock County who have been selected to participate in a program that focuses on these leadership skills and more.

Founded in 2012 by the Hancock Resource Center, the middle school program of the Hancock Youth Leadership Academy (HYLA) fosters leadership skills in students who show potential in this area but haven't yet had the chance to develop as leaders at their schools.