Being a gardener may seem simple — you just need a plot of land, some seeds and a lot of effort. But the Illinois Extension Master Gardeners go beyond the basics, not just in botanical skills, but in community service as well.
The Master Gardeners are a statewide volunteer force organized by county and trained through the Extension office. Participants learn specialized gardening techniques from Extension educators and experts and give back to the community through volunteer work.
Public outreach for volunteers includes the creation and maintenance of a wide variety of gardens across Illinois, used for educational and recreational purposes.
One of the oldest of these is the Idea Garden. The garden, created in 1996 by Master Gardeners and maintained by them since, showcases various garden designs and native plants to inspire the public and their own gardens.
“I think one of my favorite things about being a Master Gardener … (is seeing) the community that comes there and are just blown away by how beautiful this little island is in the middle of the community,” said Laura Hayden, membership committee chair of the Champaign County Master Gardeners.
Hayden says the gardens create a public space that draws community members year-round, such as for local students during homecoming dances and sporting events, or serving as a backdrop for wedding photos.
In Champaign County, prospective Master Gardeners must first complete training, either in person or online, to gain important gardening skills and become familiar with possible volunteer projects.
The training is based on the Master Gardener Manual. According to Ryan Pankau, horticulture educator for Illinois Extension in Champaign, Ford, Iroquois and Vermilion Counties, chapters in the manual beyond the core set are chosen based on the needs and interests of the volunteers.
“My goal is to prepare our volunteers to be ready to do all those different things, whether it’s maintaining a garden, writing a social media post, writing an article … I’ll select from those other chapters what is most applicable in the county we’re teaching the course,” Pankau said.
The course is designed for even those with little gardening knowledge. Pankau said the variety of topics taught allows everyone to learn something new.
After the course, prospective Master Gardeners must complete 40 hours of volunteer work over two years to become certified active Master Gardeners.
Volunteer work is diverse across the county. Organizations like libraries and schools often request presentations or workshops from the Master Gardeners, allowing the gardeners to directly interact with the community.
The Champaign Master Gardeners also host community events, including the Garden Walk in June, where the public can tour private gardens of community members and Master Gardeners alike. The tour also includes a marketplace that showcases local vendors and garden-related products.
Mary Knight is a Master Gardener and co-chair of the Garden Walk. She said that the Garden Walk is a massive undertaking, requiring volunteers across gardens who act as hosts and answer questions.
“We have over a hundred people the day of the walk and leading up to it that volunteer their time to make this happen,” Knight said. “So it’s a real group effort.”
Hayden also volunteers as part of the Garden Walk as a photographer, and notes it as a particular highlight of her work.
“I get the absolute thrill and pleasure of being able to photograph other people’s gardens,” Hayden said. “It’s really fun to be able to capture that and then share those photos with homeowners.”
With a large volunteer force and a passion for plants, the Master Gardeners support communities across the state. But Pankau also emphasizes how the program not only supports a community, but creates its own.
“It’s that camaraderie, that social aspect of our program that really brings people in and keeps them part of the program for a long time,” Pankau said.
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