UW Cooperative Extension Service

Bobbie Holder, Cody office, 307-527-8560

Joyce Johnston, Powell office, 307-754-8836

Master Gardener Program

The Master Gardener concept originate in the state of Washington in 1972. In 1982 the University of Wyoming held one of its first Master gardener training classes for Extension Agents at the Natrona County Extension Office in Casper.

From the mid 1980's the Park County Extension Service led by agent H. Barbara Richardson sponsored "Annual Garden Seminars" in Powell. After many years of interest in the program, the Park County Master Gardener Program began with the first Master Gardener training sessions held in Powell in 1997. Some volunteer projects today are:

assisting the horticulturalists in the Park County Extension offices
teaching Master Gardener training classes
providing teaching displays at the Arbor Day activities
assisting the Cody Conservation District, if needed, with the "Living on a Few Acres" classes
participating in the Cody Conservation District Tree Sale
writing and contributing articles and photos for the PCMG "The Sage" monthly newsletter
occasionally writing gardening newspaper articles for the local papers in Cody and Powell
conducting library talks in Powell and Cody for the public on a full gambit of gardening subjects
informing the community in education and maintenance of the West Park Hosptical Serenity Garden
teaching Scouts how to plant flowers in the Krisin Lamb Memorial Garden
manning a Q & A tabel at various local festivals and Park County Fair
growing plants in a teaching setting and teaching local elementary school students about various plants and beneficial worms and insects at the University of Wyoming Greenhouse in Powell
advising resients about new community teaching gardens, and
attending State, National and International Master Gardener Conferences.

Park County Master Gardeners' largest project came in April 2008, when they hosted the University of Wyoming State Master Gardener Conference in Cody. The conference was very successful and received numerous compliments.