How did the Master Gardener Program get started?
The first Master Gardener program began in Washington State in 1972. The Extension agent for horticulture in those counties was overwhelmed by the volume of requests for information about gardening coming into his office. He came up with the idea of trading specialized training in horticulture for a commitment to spend a specified number of hours doing volunteer outreach work. He sought and obtained the help of Extension agents, specialists, and administrators at the state university in planning and testing both a training program for volunteers and a format for plant clinics at which they would provide information to the public. The program quickly spread to every state and several foreign countries.
