By: Rachel Melvin, Horticulture Educator and Master Gardener Coordinator with University of Maryland Extension-Queen Anne’s County

After nine grueling weeks of intense training the University of Maryland Extension-Master Gardener Program is proud to announce the class of 2011. 15 residents from throughout the Upper Shore took the Master Gardener training program offered by the University of Maryland Extension- Talbot & Queen Anne’s Counties. The Maryland Master Gardner training program is a rigorous 40+ hour course that is designed to give participants basic horticultural and environmental information in preparation for volunteering as a Master Gardener representative of the University of Maryland Extension. Topics included ecology, botany, soils, propagation, diseases, insect pests and control measures, among others. This program emphasizes community involvement and outreach as well as environmental stewardship. The University of Maryland Master Gardener vision is a healthier world through environmental stewardship. In keeping with this vision, University of Maryland Extension Master Gardeners volunteers work on a variety of projects in cooperation with local schools such as Kennard Elementary in Centreville, Chapel District Elementary in Cordova; help maintain various public gardens such as the rain garden at the Centreville and St. Michaels Libraries and at the Talbot Ag Center, volunteer at local Senior Centers and Assisted Living facilities working with therapeutic gardens and hands-on gardening programs, host an annual community Garden Affair on the grounds of the library in Centreville and Historic Wright’s Chance, provide community education through free workshops and classes open to local residents, visit home and public gardens as part of our Bay-Wise certification program…and more. University of Master Gardener volunteers for Queen Anne’s and Talbot County provide more than 8,000 hours annually in services that help save taxpayer dollars.

For more information contact Rachel Melvin, Horticulture Educator with University of Maryland Extension-Queen Anne’s County at (410)758-0166 or at rmelvin1@umd.edu or Heather Buritsch, with University of Maryland Extension- Talbot County at (410) 822-1244 or buritsch@umd.edu

University of Maryland Extension programs are open to everyone without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, or disability

Picture Attached:
2011 Intern Class- Back Row (Left to Right): Richard Doughty, George Yurek, Dave Brooks, Lawrie Dudley, and Pete Gerdom
Front Row: Rachel Melvin (Queen Anne’s County Master Gardener Coordinator), Katrina Kern, Jane De Briyn, Sarah Bradham, Pat Gannon, Connie Metcalf, Kathleen Lash, Carol Sargeant, Madeline Berger and Heather Buritsch (Talbot County Master Gardener Coordinator)