June 4, 2007

Master Gardener College celebrates 20th anniversary

About 300 Virginians will take another step in their Master Gardener education by participating in this year’s Master Gardener College at Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg campus on June 19-24. This is the 20th anniversary of the program.

Master Gardeners are women and men who enjoy horticulture and want to improve their communities through volunteer service. They promote the responsible use of natural resources in an environmentally, economically, socially, and psychologically sustainable manner.

Participants have received more than 50 hours of specialized training in environmental horticulture through the Virginia Cooperative Extension office in their areas. As part of their commitment to be certified as Master Gardeners, they agree to give at least 50 hours of their time to teach others about environmentally sound horticulture. They work with water quality, yard-waste management, erosion control, and other related issues. To maintain their status as Master Gardeners after this initial training period, they must complete 20 hours of volunteer work and 8 hours of continuing education each year.

Master Gardener College attendees may take classes on topics such as water gardens, floral arranging, human insect pests, irrigation systems, beekeeping, youth gardens, and riparian restoration. There also will be field tours of several research facilities at Virginia Tech, including the Insect Identification Laboratory and the Urban Horticulture Center.

Ecologist and environmental historian Kent Mountford, co-author of John Smith’s Chesapeake Voyages, 1607-1609, will discuss the voyages of Captain John Smith. In addition, Tony Avent, owner of Plant Delights Nursery and author of So You Want To Start a Nursery, will give a presentation on “Garden Creatures from Mars: A Look at Hardy Aroids.”

Additionally, Lelia Kelly, horticulture specialist for Mississippi Cooperative Extension, and Homer Richardson, vice president of the Mississippi Master Gardener Association, will give a keynote presentation on “Operation Rejuvenation: Restoring Mississippi’s Coastal Master Gardener Programs.” Laurie Fox, horticulture associate at the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center, will discuss protecting water quality and landscape design. Holly Scoggins, associate professor of horticulture, will give a presentation on “Thinking Outside the Muffin: Bodacious Plants for Your Consideration.”

More than 4,000 certified Master Gardeners work in most cities, counties, and municipalities throughout the commonwealth. According to the most recent reports, Master Gardeners contributed more than 296,000 volunteer hours and made more than 629,000 contacts with Virginians during the 2006 calendar year.

Cost for the Master Gardener College is $125 for the education program. The schedule includes leadership sessions, a selection of tours, and an awards ceremony for volunteers that have reached service milestones. Contact David Close, at (540) 231-2714 or e-mail him for more information.

About Virginia Cooperative Extension

Virginia Cooperative Extension (www.ext.vt.edu/) brings the resources of Virginia’s land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, to the people of the commonwealth. Through a system of on-campus specialists and locally based agents, it delivers education in the areas of agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community viability, and 4-H youth development. With a network of faculty at two universities, 107 county and city offices, 13 agricultural research and Extension centers, and six 4-H educational centers, Virginia Cooperative Extension provides solutions to the problems facing Virginians today.

Contact: David Close

State Master Gardener Coordinator

Virginia Cooperative Extension

(540) 231-2714

dclose@vt.edu

Contact: Michael Sutphin

Writer

Communications and Marketing

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Virginia Tech

(540) 231-6975

msutphin@vt.edu