• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Texas A&M Forest Service
  • Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostics Laboratory
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Research
  • Texas A&M College of Agrculture and Life Sciences
Texas Master Gardener Program
Texas Master Gardener ProgramVolunteers Supporting the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service since 1978
  • Menu
  • Home Page
  • TMGA
    • Annual Reports
    • Association/IRS Public Records
    • Bylaws
    • Chartering Information
    • Directors Meetings
    • 2025 TMGA Executive Committee
    • Emeritus Members
    • Outreach – Counties by District
  • Resources
    • 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Status
      • Group Exemption Information
      • State Sales Tax Information
      • Conducting Business In Meetings
      • Parliamentary Procedure
    • Association Member Eligibility
    • Forms
    • Logos and Brand Guide
    • Management Guide
    • Members Only
      • 2025 Committee Chairs and Members
      • Financial Documents
      • Officer/Director Rosters
      • Scholarships, Educational Contests, and Grants
      • Texas Gardener Magazine
      • VMS Training
    • Micro Grant Program
    • New Officer/Director Reference Guide
    • Past Presidents
    • Rules Of Order
    • Service Milestones
    • Social Media Guidelines
    • Speciality License Plate
    • Texas Floral Certificate
      • Texas Department of Agriculture – Floral Certificate
    • Volunteer Agreement
  • Conference
    • 2025 International Master Gardener Conference
    • International Call for Speakers
    • 2024 Conference Information and Registration
    • Archived Conference Photos
  • Awards
    • Awards Program
    • 2024 Awards Winners
    • 2023 Award Winners
    • Janet Laminack Extension Personnel Award
    • Wayne Rhoden Excellence in Service Award
    • Archived Awards
      • 2022 Award Winners
      • 2021 Award Winners
      • 2020 Award Winners
      • 2019 Award Winners
      • 2018 Award Winners
      • 2018 Award Winners and Photos
      • 2016 Award Winners and Entries
      • 2015 Award Winners and Entries
      • 2015 Award Winner Photos
      • 2014 Award Winners and Entries
    • David Gibby Search for Excellence (SFE) Awards
  • Endowment
  • Newsletter
    • E-blasts for Texas Master Gardeners
    • Newsletter Guidelines
    • Association Member Newsletters
      • A-C (Newsletter)
      • D-F (Newsletter)
      • G-I (Newsletter)
      • J-L (Newsletter)
      • M-O (Newsletter)
      • P-S (Newsletter)
      • T-V (Newsletter)
      • W-Z(Newsletter)
  • Events
    • Events Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Merchandise
    • Letter to Vendor
    • Years of Service Pins
    • Apparel and More
    • Advanced Training Lapel Pins
    • Emeritus Pins
    • Ribbon Pin Holder
    • Name Badges
  • Contacts
    • State Office Personnel
    • Member Associations (by county)
      • A-C (Contact)
      • D-F (Contact)
      • G-I (Contact)
      • J-L (Contact)
      • M-O (Contact)
      • P-S (Contact)
      • T-V (Contact)
      • W-Z (Contact)
    • 2025 TMGA Executive Committee
    • Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
    • Texas AgriLife Extension Horticulture
    • Master Gardener Coordinators (by state)
  • FAQ’s
    • Membership Application Questions
    • Membership Liability Questions
  • Agents Only

Marian Buchanan – Dallas County

marian buchananIn her Speakers Bureau biography, Dallas County Master Gardener Marian Buchanan mentioned that she grew up with “an insatiable love of the outdoors—plants and critters both.” Perhaps that is what inspired her to take the Master Gardener class in 1988 after her children left for college. One day Horticulture agent Stacy Reese told Marian that a request had come in for a presentation, and he “didn’t know nothing about potpourri;” so she took his comment as a sign that she should specialize in herbs, or HERBS (emphasis on the “H”), as she would tell students in Master Gardener class. What an exemplary educator she proved to be, for me and for so many others.

Her experience teaching junior high school prepared her well for public speaking, so joining the Speakers Bureau was a great fit, and she soon became a perennial favorite. Some of her most popular topics included “Butterflies and Herbs”, “Falling in Love with Herbs”, “Wild about Herbs”, “Wicked Plants—A Walk on the Wild Side of the Garden”, and “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme—Herbs can Make your Heart Sing!”

Even before the evolution of the Speakers Bureau, Marian was the quintessential Master Gardener who found creative ways to fulfill our mission to educate the public on research-based gardening practices. She scheduled her own talks, and her reputation for excellence quickly spread by word of mouth. She welcomed school children, tour buses, senior groups, clubs and nearly anyone who wished to visit her stunning backyard herb garden.

Marian’s credentials are almost as impressive as her infectious enthusiasm. She was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where she majored in Spanish and history. In addition to being a Dallas County Master Gardener for 25 years, she served as chairman of both the North Texas and the Hill Country Units of the Herb Society of America. She won the Search for Excellence Award of the International Master Gardener Association for her horticulture therapy program. In 1997 she won third place in the category of Outstanding Personal Achievement on the state level, and in 2007 she was recognized as the Dallas Master Gardener Speaker of the Year.

In November of 2018, an intrepid group of Master Gardeners, friends, and family braved the frosty weather to honor Marian as we dedicated the Marian Buchanan Herb Garden, which is part of the Rory Meyers Children’s Garden at the Dallas Arboretum.

In June of 2019 Marian was bestowed the distinctive honor of Texas Master Gardener Emerita by Texas AgriLife Extension Service for her meritorious contributions to the Master Gardener program in Dallas County and beyond. To date this honor has only been given to 53 Master Gardeners statewide, with 4 from Dallas County—Robert Hagen, Jerrold Johnsen, Rosa Schachle, and Bunny Williams.

Gertrude Jekyll accurately summarized Marian’s horticultural mission, when she said, “The lesson I have thoroughly learnt, and wish to pass on to others, is to know the enduring happiness that the love of a garden gives.”  May her mission live on in the Marian Buchanan Herb Garden and in all of us fortunate enough to be inspired by  the wisdom and grace of our extraordinary friend, mentor and a truly masterful Master Gardener.

Upcoming Events

Jul 18
10:00 am - 11:00 am

ONLINE – IPM Basics (pesticide alternatives)

Jul 21
8:30 am - 11:00 am

Harris County – Open Garden Day!

Jul 22
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

ONLINE: Tarrant County – Companion Planting

Jul 26
9:00 am - 11:00 am

Galveston County – Herbs for the Health of It

Aug 9
9:00 am - 10:30 am

Fort Bend County – Cool Season Vegetables & Herbs

View Calendar

Web Links

  • Aggie Horticulture
  • State/Province Extension Master Gardener Listings
  • Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service
  • Texas A&M Forest Service – Trees of Texas
  • Volunteer Management System (VMS)

Resources

  • Horticulture One-Pagers
  • Growing and Nurturing Garden Course
  • Aggie Horticulture – Problem Solver
    • Earth-Kind®
    • Resources
      • Fruit and Nut
    • Tomatoes
    • Vegetable Variety Selector
    • Watermelons
  • Dr. Bill Welch
  • Earth-Kind Roses
  • Earth-Kind Landscaping
  • Home Lawn & Garden Resources
  • Insects in the City
  • Our Gardening Guides
  • Pollinators
    • The Secret Life of Bumblebees
    • The Trouble with Bees
  • Texas Superstar Plants
    • Tycoon Tomato named Texas Superstar

Admin Only

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M University System Member
  • Compact with Texans
  • Privacy and Security
  • Accessibility Policy
  • State Link Policy
  • Statewide Search
  • Veterans Benefits
  • Military Families
  • Risk, Fraud & Misconduct Hotline
  • Texas Homeland Security
  • Texas Veterans Portal
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Open Records/Public Information