When the term "Master Gardener" was first coined in the early
1970s to describe a new Extension program in Washington State,
few could have predicted it would spread into Texas and blossom
into one of the most effective volunteer organizations in the
State.
The Texas Master Gardener program had its beginnings in 1978 in
an Extension horticulture training at A&M University when Dr.
Sam Cotner (Extension vegetable specialist) described the
success of the movement in Washington state. At that time,
county agents in the Texas Agricultural Extension Service were
experiencing overwhelming demands for horticulture information,
much like their colleagues in the Pacific Northwest.
The first Master Gardener class was held in 1979 in Montgomery
County and drew about 25 people. The 50-hour course was held in
the evenings and taught by Extension agents and specialists from
Texas A&M using a manual compiled from Extension publications
and news articles. Volunteer service was optional, but class
members were encouraged to work on Extension projects.
Two more counties, Galveston and El Paso, started programs in
1981. By the end of the decade, five more counties had Master
Gardener programs: Harris ((1986), Dallas (1986), Tarrant
(1987), Bexar (1989) and Denton (1989).
The Texas Agricultural Extension Service made an official
commitment to a Texas Master Gardener program in 1987 with the
hiring of a statewide coordinator. At that time, guidelines were
developed for the program, including a minimum of 50 hours of
formal training and 50 hours of volunteer service to become a
certified Texas Master Gardener. The 500-page training handbook
also was completed then.
In the 1990s, the Texas Master Gardener movement exploded,
fueled by the program's success and visibility. In 1991, a
statewide, non-profit organization was formed and called the
Texas Master Gardener Association. As of January 1998, there are
54 county Master Gardener programs with over 4,000 certified
Master Gardeners statewide. In 1997, they contributed more than
182,000 hours of volunteer service.
Some projects are common to all Master Gardener programs.
Answering homeowner's questions by phone is at the heart of most
Texas programs. Classroom gardening is another popular project.
Some programs add different twists such as cylinder gardening
(Harris, El Paso, Galveston), vermicomposting (Smith) or
butterfly gardens (Denton). Other common projects are speakers
bureaus, community gardens and information booths at local
events.
Many projects that Master Gardeners are involved in directly
reflect their communities. Examples are the Big Tree Contest
(Orange), Wetlands Reclamation (Galveston), state historical
part landscaping (Paris, Grayson) and State Capitol landscaping
(Travis).
A love of gardening and search for knowledge is central to why
Master Gardeners join the program. They remain Master Gardeners
to enjoy the camaraderie and friendship of others who share
their interests, to gain and share horticulture knowledge, and
to give back to the community.
On the other hand, the 54 Master Gardener programs are as
individual as the gardeners who inhabit them. Size of overall
programs varies from 1 Master Gardener (Madison and Leon) to 8
Master Gardeners (Lamar) to 478 Master Gardeners (Bexar).
Regardless of the size program, there is always a waiting list
of individuals wanting to enter the Master Gardener program.
Though Texas Master Gardeners are united in name, the program's
strength lies in its ability to meet the diverse needs of the
individual communities it serves. By combining statewide
guidelines with local direction and administration, the program
offers the flexibility necessary to keep it a vital and
responsive organization that serves all of Texas.
