Master Gardener Program

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Our Vision

We envision a healthier world through environmental stewardship.

Our Mission

We support the University of Maryland Extension (UME) mission by educating residents about safe, effective and sustainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes, and communities.

Our History

The UME Master Gardener Program began in 1978 as a means to extend science-based knowledge to the general public by providing horticultural and pest management expertise to help protect and improve Maryland’s natural resources.  UME Master Gardeners are volunteers who combine their love of plants, people, and the environment to help residents in their communities solve problems and make environmentally-sound decisions.  

The Cecil County Master Gardener Program is composed of local citizens whose common goal is to promote safe, effective and sustainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens.  Master Gardeners are volunteer representatives of the University of Maryland Extension and are supervised and supported by University of Maryland Extension staff.  

Gardening season is considered by many to be a year-round hobby!  Catch the fever!

Upcoming Master Gardener Events

Cecil MG Upcoming Programs flyer

Holiday Swag Workshop

Holiday Swag Workshop

Cost:  $10

Join the Cecil County Master Gardeners for a Holiday Swag Workshop.  Create your own swag using fresh and fragrant natural materials.  Class includes all materials, but feel free to bring that special decoration to include in your swag.

Saturday, November 23, 2024  |  10 AM

Cecil County Administration Building, 200 Chesapeake Blvd, Elkton, MD 21921 (use the rear entrance)

Register Online

 

Gardening with a Twist

Gardening with a Twist

11 December 2024  |  6:30 PM

Cecil County Administration Building, 200 Chesapeake Blvd, Elkton, MD 21921 (use rear entrance)

Want to explore a different approach to gardening?  Want to learn about different gardening strategies?  At this workshop you will learn about less traditional gardening approaches, the pros and cons of those approaches, and will receive reliable research sources on these approaches.

Register Online

Iris Folding Cards Workshop

Iris Folding Cards Workshop

Saturday, 14 December 2024  |  10 AM - 12 PM

Cecil County Administration Building, 200 Chesapeake Blvd, Elkton, MD 21921 (use rear entrance)

Cost:  $5

Join the Cecil County Master Gardeners for an exciting workshop where you'll learn the fundamentals of iris folding and create your own beautiful cards!  Iris Folding is a technique that layers paper strips across a cutout shape to form a “swirl” shape similar to the iris of a camera. It looks complicated, but is so easy and a fun way to make beautiful greeting cards.

Register Online

Cecil County Master Gardeners Award Winning Video

Checkout our award winning video on the UME Bay-Wise Program.

Master Gardener Training

Master Gardener Training

The Maryland Master Gardener Program is an exclusive program of the University of Maryland Extension (UME).  The principal goal is to train qualified residents to become certified Master Gardeners and serve as volunteer horticulture educators.  The program's mission is to educate Maryland residents about safe, effective, and sustainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes, and communities.

More Information

Bay-Wise Program

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Baywise Certified Landscape
Cecil County Resident's Landscape Bay-Wise Certified in 2020

Most Maryland residents live within a half-mile of a storm drain, stream, or river. Most of those waterways eventually drain into the Chesapeake Bay.  What we do to maintain our own landscapes can affect the health of our local waterways (drainage ditches, streams, and rivers), the Chesapeake Bay, and our environment.  We all need to do our part to take care of our waterways and environment.  By changing a few simple landscape practices, you and your family can help keep Maryland communities healthy.

Our Master Gardeners, who have taken the 9 to 12 hours of advanced training in Bay-Wise Landscape Management, form a committee to plan Bay-Wise activities in and around our county. They:

  • Perform one-on-one site visits to help county residents qualify to have their landscapes certified as Bay-Wise using the MD Yardstick,
  • Hold classes and lectures for community groups,
  • Teach youth in schools/community projects,
  • Staff information booths at community events.

More Information

  • Cecil County MG FB image

    Check Us Out on Facebook!

    Learn about upcoming events, gardening and pest alerts, and horticultural education opportunities.

  • Cecil County MG Youtube image

    Check Out Our YouTube Channel!

    Check out our videos on home gardening, insects, the Baywise program, botany, native plants, and more!

  • Ask Extension MG logo

    Ask A Gardening Expert

    Get answers from our team of Maryland Certified Professional Horticulturists, Extension Faculty, and Master Gardeners.

  • MD Grows Blog logo

    Learn timely tips to manage your lawn, ornamental plants, and food gardens, with advice from University of Maryland experts and certified horticulturists.

  • HGIC logo

    The HGIC develops and delivers science-based, sustainable gardening and integrated pest management education for better human and environmental health.