Who are the Master gardeners?

Master Gardeners Volunteers are educators of the horticultural arts and sciences. With training from UF/IFAS Extension Master Gardeners Volunteers are active in their communities, offering leadership and guidance in gardening projects of all types and sizes. 

The Florida Master Gardener Volunteer program has been around since 1979, and each year, approximately 4,700 Master Gardener Volunteers contribute a total of 420,000 hours of service, helping to make their communities better informed, more sustainable, and more beautiful. 

What do Master Gardener volunteers do? 

Once you've successfully completed training you're required to volunteer a minimum of 75 hours the first year to achieve Master Gardener Volunteers certification. Master Gaden VOlunteers work closely with the public, answering questions and providing guidance over the phone or in person, participating in the community and school garden projects, writing newsletter columns, recognizing Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM yards, and many other activities.

Many Master Gardeners Volunteers far exceed the required service hours and continue in the program well beyond the first year because of their passion for gardening and willingness to help others in their community. UF/IFAS Extension provides advanced training to keep Master Gardener Volunteers up to date on the latest horticultural information. 

You can learn more about master gardeners by visiting the Master Gardener  and Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program web sites.

How to become a Master Gardener Volunteer?

Click here for information about becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer or email Lisa Strange at the Taylor county extension office.