Who are Master Gardeners?
Master Gardeners are members of the local community who take an active interest in their lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers and gardens. They are enthusiastic, willing to learn and to help others, and able to communicate with diverse groups of people. What really sets Master Gardeners apart from other home gardeners is their special training in horticulture. In exchange for their training, persons who become Master Gardeners contribute time as volunteers, working through their Extension office to provide horticultural-related information to their communities.
The Gregg County Master Gardener program is a non-profit organization that was started in 1998. Our goals are to increase knowledge of gardening to our members and to the general public, and to support the Texas AgriLife Extension Service by educating our community on evidence-based gardening practices.
Our projects
Shade Garden
Started in late 2016 and completed in 2017, this garden is behind the Gregg County Extension Office. This garden displays a variety of shade-loving plants and shrubs.
Longview Arboretum and Nature Center
Gregg County Master Gardeners volunteer their time assisting with the care and maintenance of the Longview Arboretum. The Arboretum was opened in November of 2019, devoted to revealing the unique eco-system of East Texas in a beautiful and thoughtful manner.
First Baptist Church Community Garden
This garden was started in 2009 by First Baptist Church of Longview. An award winning garden, it is currently managed by Gregg County Master Gardeners. The garden produces a variety of fruits and vegetables that are distributed to the elderly and homebound, House of Disciples, and Newgate Mission. Additionally, children and youth groups visit the garden to learn about where food comes from.
JR Curtis Jr Garden for the Blind
The JR Curtis Garden for the Blind was created with the goal to promote learning, recreation and a healing environment. The garden, located at Maude Cobb, has an assortment of plants that evoke the senses of taste, smell, touch, and sound. A variety of other features include raised beds, water features, and sculptures. This garden is maintained by the Gregg County Master Gardeners.
Learn, Grow, Eat, Go/Jr Master Gardener
This program is the new evidence-based curriculum project of the International Junior Master Gardener Program. This curriculum project combines the best of plant and garden learning, food exposure, brain and body boosting physical activities, and novel, effective parental engagement. The Gregg County Master Gardeners have partnered with two local schools to help implement this curriculum.
Sterne Fountain/Mead Park
Gregg County Master Gardener volunteers began working in 2018 to improve and maintain the landscape around these historical landmarks in Jefferson, Texas.
Jubilee Garden
The vision for this garden, which began in 2022, was borne out of a need to replace and improve the front of the Gregg County Extension Building. The project is made possible with support from Precinct 2 Commissioner McKinney, our AGNR Shaniqua Davis, the landscape design of Master Gardener Alethea Reese, and the sweat equity of numerous Master Gardener volunteers.