Education
King County Master Gardener Education Events
CLASSES FOR ALL
The following classes and workshops are open to the public and to Extension Master Gardeners. Some events may require advance registration and/or fees. Fees for these education events provide the financial support for the WSU Extension Master Gardener activities in King County including these events. See each event for details.
- Growing Groceries. This yearly educational series begins in January and focuses on teaching how to grow healthy food using research-based sustainable gardening practices. Talks are sponsored by the Master Gardener Foundation of King County. Register now for the 2023 Growing Groceries series.
- Bellevue Demonstration Garden Online Saturday Workshops. These Saturday online workshops are offered many Saturdays from January to October. Workshops are sponsored by the Master Gardener Foundation of King County. Register now for the 2023 BDG Workshops page.
- Cool Plants & Hot Topics, the MG Fall Plant Sale & Speakers. Watch for this annual fall event. Details about the sale and speakers will be posted in August.
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS AT BDG
2023 Great Garden Picks for Children
Bring your children and discover the botanist, gardener, scientist, horticulturalist, soil engineer … and the child within. Explore, discover, create, and learn about different garden topics of interest every month, the first Wednesday of the month. Please share the program flyer.
Registration is required for parents and youth and limited to 16 youth participants for each session. There is no fee to register and participate. Registrations will be posted here in February.
March 1 — Meet the Marvelous Blue Orchard Mason Bee (BOB)
April 5 — Seeds Are Promises Ready to Sprout
May 3 — Flowers–They Are More Than Just a Pretty Face with a Wonderful Perfume! Flowers Make Seeds
Time: 3:00 PM-4:00 PM
Location: Bellevue Demonstration Garden. 15500 SE 16th St, Bellevue, WA 98007. Meet at the BDG shelter. Dress for the season.
Find more about Extension Master Gardener nature activities for children and youths, including Teaching Kits.
King County Master Gardener SPEAKERS BUREAU
Would you like to schedule a Washington State University Extension Master Gardener to speak to your gardening club or other group on a variety of gardening topics? Details about scheduling are posted here: https://extension.wsu.edu/king/king-county-master-gardeners-speakers-bureau/. Find details about how to request a speaker and topics that are currently available to schedule at https://extension.wsu.edu/king/king-county-master-gardeners-speakers-bureau/.
Other GARDENING WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
- UW Botanic Gardens offers a wide variety of adult education programs for home gardeners and horticultural specialists. Visit their website for the current offerings at https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/education/adults/classes-workshops/ .
- Bellevue Botanical Garden Society offers classes on a variety of topics at Bellevue Botanical Garden. Learn more about classes at BBG.
- The Saving Water Partnership sponsors free Savvy Gardener classes, mainly in the spring and fall to help you have beautiful, healthy landscapes while using water wisely. The entire list of their classes and links to local nurseries with classes can be viewed at https://www.savingwater.org/lawn-garden/gardening-classes/.
- PlantAmnesty regularly offers classes for their Master Pruner series. Visit https://www.plantamnesty.org/classes-workshops/ to find information about their class offerings.
WSU MASTER GARDENER ADVANCED EDUCATION CONFERENCE
WSU offers a multi-day, state-wide conference for Master Gardener interns and veterans alike most years. The host site for this conference moves around the state to different counties It is an opportunity to meet other Master Gardeners, explore advanced education sessions, hear talks about statewide issues, learn about updated policies, and the latest research-based information about soil, common plant pests and diseases, and gardening skills.
Mark your calendar. The 2023 Washington State University Master Gardener Advanced Education Conference, September 27-30, 2023, will be in Tacoma, WA. Save these dates.
INTERNATIONAL MASTER GARDENER CONFERENCE
Plan now for IMGC 2023, June 18-22, 2023 in Kansas. You will Celebrate, Educate and Grow with extension master gardeners from around the world.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
What counts as CE for Extension Master Gardeners? Those classes that will improve a volunteer’s knowledge and skill base for performing work as a horticulture adviser and serving as a resource on issues of sustainable gardening for home gardeners.
A large part of the Master Gardener experience is sharing our knowledge with others and continuing to learn with other members. Learning takes place in many ways, and the Master Gardener Program is offering more ways to learn and keep us current than ever before including its community gardens, plant clinics, Ask-a-Master-Gardener Email Clinic, workshops with Master Gardener’s and expert horticulturalists, online learning through WSU Extension and our websites, Diagnostics Lab and more.
Special Notice
For Extension Master Gardeners attending this year’s Northwest Flower and Garden Festival: WSU Extension Master Gardeners may receive Continuing Education credit for 90+ of the 2023 NWFGF seminars. Please see this list to confirm your selected seminar is eligible for CE credit: Approved Seminars for WSU Extension Master Gardener Continuing Education
Online Continuing Education
Several sites offer online education that can be counted for CE credit for Master Gardeners. The Online Continuing Education web page offers a list of approved, pre-recorded, on-demand opportunities that count as continuing education for Master Gardeners, including classes, webinars and online workshops offered by King County Master Gardeners along with accredited institutions/horticulture organizations.
Where else to find up-to-date information about Master Gardener training and Master Gardener advanced continuing education classes?
INTERESTED IN BECOMING A MASTER GARDENER?
The Extension Master Gardener Program in King County conducts annual training for new Master Gardeners. Find more information about becoming a Master Gardener on the WSU Extension Master Gardeners web page: https://extension.wsu.edu/king/gardening/become-a-master-gardener/.
What is the Education Committee?
The WSU Extension Master Gardener Program Education Committee is interested in planning workshops and events of interest to Master Gardeners. The Master Gardener Foundation of King County supports the WSU Extension Program Coordinator in providing educational opportunities for Master Gardener education. If you are a certified Master Gardener who would like to be involved in this activity, contact the Program Office at king.mg@wsu.edu about becoming involved.
Last updated February 2023
