News Stories

Seven California Master Gardener programs will be honored for their creativity in developing innovative teaching programs at the UC Master Gardener statewide conference May 31 to June 3 in Santa Rosa.

The programs – hailing from the counties of Marin, Orange, San Joaquin, Sacramento, Contra Costa and Fresno – will receive the biennial “Search for Excellence” award. The first-, second- and third-prize winners will give brief presentations about their projects at the conference. All applicants are invited to set up poster displays to share their programs with the Master Gardeners from California who will gather in Santa Rosa.

In addition, first place will receive a $500 award, second place $300 and third place $200. Funding for the awards was supported by donations from non-profit Master Gardener support groups in Fresno, Santa Cruz/Monterey and San Diego counties. The winning teams also receive plaques at the conference to be housed in their local UC Cooperative Extension offices.

“Master Gardeners are all doing great things,” said statewide Master Gardener academic coordinator Pam Giesel. “The winning programs reflect the time and effort that is spent developing and implementing educational tools all around the state. They are the essence of our mission as Master Gardeners - to educate the public. We salute them for a job well done.”

First place:  Marin County Water Walks – The Bay-Friendly Garden Walks program is a partnership between Marin Master Gardeners and the Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD).  Started in 2007, the program provides home visits to improve landscape water efficiency.  Specially trained Master Gardener teams conduct home visits to evaluate irrigation equipment, lawn use and maintenance, landscape plant placement, and watering techniques. Master Gardeners share tools and empower local gardeners to improve their gardens, conserve water and save money.  Homeowners receive a written summary of the evaluation, with suggestions for improvement.  A statistical analysis is in progress.  Master Gardeners in any county could adopt this program.

Second place: Orange County Farm & Food Lab at the OC Great Park - The Farm and Food Lab is a one-acre demonstration garden located at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine. The garden consists of 12 themed beds (pizza garden, ethnic garden, edible garden, square foot garden, etc.) as well as an espaliered fruit tree orchard, blueberry container orchard, compost and vermicomposting exhibits, outdoor classroom area, and seasonal exhibits. Created to inspire and educate the public about the history of agriculture, basics of nutrition, and the origins of their food, the garden demonstrates best practices and sustainable home gardening techniques. It is designed, planted and maintained by Master Gardeners, who hold garden workshops (15 each season), act as docents in the garden, staff special events, and participate in organizing tours for schools and other groups.

Third place:  San Joaquin County Garden Notes – The Master Gardeners’ writers group developed Garden Notes, a quarterly electronic newsletter, which is distributed through an ever-growing email address list. This tool provides the widest dissemination of sustainable gardening information for the least cost. The current distribution to nearly 1,200 residents has broadened the Master Gardeners’ reach and influence, leading to a more informed gardening community and greater acceptance of earth-friendly practices.

First runner-up: Sacramento County 2011 Gardening Guide Calendar – Sacramento County Master Gardeners create an annual calendar that blends research, members’ experience and UC resources to address a broad spectrum of gardening issues and problems.

Second runner-up (three-way tie):  Marin County 2010 Fair Demonstration Garden – Marin County Master Gardeners have created a demonstration garden that is the backdrop for a sustainability lecture series at the county fair.  In 2010, they reached more than 7,000 people.
Contra Costa County Our Garden – Contra Costa Master Gardeners have partnered with the Contra Costa Times to create a large edible demonstration garden, where they hold seasonal weekly classes and maintain a help desk.  All produce is donated to the local food bank.
Fresno County Smart Gardening Conference – Fresno County Master Gardeners have created a full day conference, held every two years, that helps gardeners see the value of making sustainable choices through presentations featuring best practices and current research-based gardening trends.