Why Become A Master Gardener?  What are the benefits?

The answer is simple.  Members benefit from the collective experience and wisdom of other Master Gardeners  -- from the Massachusetts Master Gardener Association (MMGA) Associates, to Massachusetts-wide Master Gardener peers, to Master Gardeners nationwide, to professionals in all walks of horticulture and environmental science.  But the most often described benefit from Master Gardeners themselves is that of being part of a large community of like-minded individuals with whom they can share knowledge and experiences.

Becoming a Master Gardener also helps to support our affiliates, The Massachusetts Horticultural Society (MHS) at Elm Bank in Wellesley (where we are based), the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc. (GCFM), a collection of 12,000+ gardeners who belong to over 190 garden clubs across Massachusetts, and the gardening community in general.

MMGA participates in Massachusetts flower shows, provides community support, and hosts socials throughout the year. Master Gardeners also receive quarterly newsletters that cover a wide variety of topics.

Yearly dues allow the organization to offer outstanding continuing education opportunities for its Associates. MMGA hosts regular, bi-monthly meetings featuring horticulture presentations, organizational and member news, and time to socialize with fellow Master Gardeners.  Special continuing education presentations are offered for novice and experienced Master Gardeners that cover a wide range of topics including soil science, growing organically vs. using chemicals, fertilization techniques, vegetable, fruit, flower and water gardening, landscape and garden design, turf, garden pests and much more.

If you'd like to be part of this growing community, MMGA provides a top-notch training program for potential master gardener candidates.  Go to Master Gardener Training Course Fall 2010 for information about our next training course.