Master Gardener Foundation of Your County
This is the summary page of the things the Foundation Funds. It is tied directly to the ‘Educational Outreach’ page on the Extension site. Depending on the Outreach you offer in your county, you would add to or delete from the list below. The page has been written such that the first paragraph describes the program and the second paragraph points out that the Foundation provides the funding. Text: Central to the Master Gardener Mission is to provide horticulture and environmental stewardship education within our community. In order to reach as many people as we can, we provide this education free of charge.
As a land grant University with many federally funded programs, Washington State University is restricted in what activities they can fund. Hence the need for this Foundation.
Below is an overview of the programs we fund here in Your County.
Ask a Master Gardener
Have a gardening question? Ask a Master Gardener at one of our in-person or on-line plant and insect diagnostic clinics. We staff three clinics across the county with trained volunteers who will help you get the answers to your pesky gardening problems.
Our Foundation funds all the research materials and free handouts required to make our Ask a Master Gardener clinics a valuable – and free – gardening resource in Pierce County.
Demonstration Gardens
We operate demonstration gardens in xxxxxxxxxxx. These are our living classrooms where we deliver several of our programs such as our xxxxxxxxx, our Youth Gardening classes and we staff an Ask a Master Gardener clinic in each. In addition, our gardens are a place where you can informally tour to pick up on gardening ideas, we demonstrate composting, raised bed gardening, flower walls and much, much more.
Our Foundation funds all the expenses it takes to run these fully functioning gardens. Everything from tools to seeds and soil, from pots to irrigation infrastructure. It takes a lot to run these gardens, but we believe that getting hands-on with gardening is the best way to learn.
Community Gardens
It is in Community Gardens that many people get their first experience with growing their own produce. In order to speed the learning process, Master Gardeners staff Community Gardens throughout the county to offer free gardening advice.
Youth Gardening
We create Youth Gardening programs and host the classes through our demonstration gardens in both xxx and yyy. Individuals and school classes full of future gardeners participate in these programs throughout the spring and summer.
Because kids like to get their hands dirty, we provide a hands on experience for all who participate and our Foundation funds the materials so we can offer these classes, free of charge.
Speakers Bureau
Master Gardeners prepare and deliver presentations to Garden Clubs, the Your County Library System, Home Owners Associations and basically any organization hungry for the latest science backed developments in horticulture and environmental stewardship.
These presentations are offered for free (but our Foundation is more than happy for any donation you feel is warranted!) and the expenses to develop and deliver the presentations are covered by our Foundation.