Local program cultivates masters while teaching research- and science-based gardening

After retiring as an anesthesiologist, Cynthia Jones needed a way to stay busy. Her daughter, Nicole — who loves gardening — suggested Dallas County Master Gardener training. Nicole wasn’t sure flowers alone would be enough of a draw for her mom, so she emphasized the science behind the program.

Jones took the bait, and the class, and became smitten with gardening. So much so that, after becoming certified as a Master Gardener, she took on leadership and education roles with the organization.

“We really want to teach people research-based, science-based gardening and sustainability,” Jones says.

Dallas County has more than 400 certified Master Gardeners, who form a team of volunteers committed to conservation, outreach and homegrown beauty.

Master Gardener programs trace their roots to a 1970s resurgence of interest in home gardening. University extension agents couldn’t keep up with the questions and brainstormed ways to extend their reach. The program began in Washington; Texas joined in the late 1970s. Today Texas has the largest state corps, with more than 7,000 Master Gardeners.

While many students come into the program with some experience, don’t misunderstand the name: You don’t have to be master level or even close to it in order to enroll. “We’re going to assume that you’re starting from scratch,” says Jones, who was a gardening novice herself when she became a student.

Anne LeSenne, urban horticulture extension agent for the Dallas County office of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, is the primary instructor for the Dallas school. But guest lecturers, including A&M professors, help carry the load. This year’s 71 students are getting “the very best and most current education,” Jones says.

Jenna Ahonen is among those who arrived with little gardening experience. She and her husband recently purchased their first home, in Lakewood. “After every lecture, I’m just left so excited and inspired to put all of this back into practice,” Ahonen says.

She has a flexible work schedule that allows her to devote every Thursday to the class for a few months. But the 33-year-old is an outlier in terms of her age — most Master Gardeners are retirees.

Jones says the group is actively looking for ways to include those who work full-time. A pilot program this year allows students to listen to recorded lectures on their own schedules and then get hands-on experience every other Saturday.

Students should come into the program ready to work, says Cooper Koch. Before enrolling, he mostly worked with houseplants in his North Oak Cliff home. He’s inspired by what he’s learning about soil amendment and the outdoor possibilities in his future — though in February, he was still trying to be patient. “The average [last] freeze date is March 12, something I now know,” Koch says.

Kelly Meltzer appreciates that hyper-regional aspect of the training. She and the other students don’t just learn about freeze dates; they learn about North Texas freeze dates. Same with soil composition, pests and more. “There are so many variables down here that are really strange to other parts of the country,” Meltzer says.

While classwork is comprehensive, students can focus on the aspects of gardening they find most appealing. Koch, for example, will do his final project on container gardening.

That’s the thing I’m passionate about,” says Koch, who likens choosing a focus to choosing a college major.

Students hone their interests by helping Dallas Master Gardeners care for more than a dozen gardens throughout the county. Some have a special focus —shade, for example, or pollinators. Others have a specific purpose, such as the Temple Emanu-El Jill Stone Community Garden, which provides fresh produce to the Vickery Meadow Food Pantry.

“We love that we can share what we grow,” Jones says. “Tons, literally tons, of food every year.” 

A pilot program is underway to help a firehouse start a garden that should eventually contribute to firefighters’ meals. “We are all about educating the public [on] what you can do with your space,” Jones says.

Ahonen was nervous the first time she showed up to help at the Lakewood Elementary garden. “I don’t know if I should come yet, because I really don’t know what I’m doing,” she told the others. But she found the Master Gardeners to be invested in her success, and she left relaxed by the experience of spring pruning.

Every project has a lead gardener, but there’s no heavy-handed hierarchy. “The word ‘master’ does not mean we know everything, for sure,” Jones says. “We do know usually where to get the information.”

Kelly Meltzer first completed Master Gardener training three decades ago. She maintained her initial certification for about five years, then the busyness of life with little ones took over. Now she’s back to recertify, and her husband, David, has joined her as a student.

“It’s so much information,” David Meltzer says. “But when you start it, it’s just so interesting.” He approaches his weekly reading assignment “like a kid at Christmas.”

“You just want to pull more weeds,” he says, laughing.

The Meltzers find themselves promoting the program all the time without even meaning to. People are just interested. “It’s a rabbit hole every time you mention it,” Kelly Meltzer says.

More than that, it’s a satisfying way to be part of the community. “We know where to put our hands to good use,” David Meltzer says.

It’s a great way to connect, agrees Jones. “This really gave me a chance to be an educator. Being a Master Gardener is not just about gardening. 

Dallas County’s Master Gardener School runs once each year, with the application window typically open in the fall. Information is available online at dallascountymastergardeners.org.

Classes meet for a full day each week for about three months. In addition to 80 hours of training, students complete reading at home, are tested on their knowledge and present a final project. Those who have completed the class are certified after finishing 50 hours of volunteer service on approved projects.

To maintain certification, Master Gardeners annually complete a minimum of 10 hours of continuing education and 30 hours of volunteer work.

Immerse yourself in the work of Dallas County Master Gardeners during the association’s 2026 garden tour. The event is Saturday, May 9,10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and features five private gardens in addition to two public parks (all located in North Oak Cliff). You can purchase tickets online at dallascountymastergardeners.org; adult tickets are $18-$20, depending on when you buy. Proceeds support volunteer projects in local communities.

Dallas County Master Gardeners also showcase their gardening skills throughout the year at multiple community, school and demonstration gardens across the county, including:

• Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park
• White Rock Lake Bath House Pollinator Garden
• Raincatcher’s Garden of Midway Hills
• Farmers Branch Community Garden
• Juliette Fowler Communities
• Oak Cliff parks: Kidd Springs, Kiest Memorial Garden and water rill, Lake Cliff, and Founders
• Temple Emanu-El Jill Stone Community Garden

Master Gardeners regularly field questions from the public through a virtual help desk and social media pages. A team of volunteers maintains the group’s website content. Others coordinate occasional programs, such as Earth Day outreach.