I’m totally unqualified. In the gardening world, my B.A. in psych too laughable to mention. So I resort to calling myself as a "lifelong self-taught gardener" and it’s getting old. But that’s all going to change. I just enrolled in the Master Gardener program in D.C. and I’m totally psyched.
First, I get to learn all about botany and other stuff that might actually be useful. I get to meet all the teachers and 34 other MG wannabees. Then I get to do my 50 hours of community service with my friend Judy Tiger, head of Garden Resources of Washington. They create and support community and youth gardens throughout D.C. and she wants a "design volunteer". Goody.
In the end I get to say I’m a Master Gardener with a straight face. Meanwhile, I’ll come close and call myself a Mad Gardener, with the help of my official certificate from David Hobson.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Alice 11.19.05 at 3:26 pm
Congratulations (in advance), Susan. I’m sure you’ll gain so much knowledge but, even better, will be the sharing and communication with other gardeners, all doing something they are passionate about.
Heather 11.22.05 at 12:06 pm
I’m jealous. Been looking into doing the MG program here but I work and it’s on weekdays. Shmucks. I’m so annoyed!
Pam J. 11.22.05 at 2:51 pm
Sounds like so much fun! And it just could NOT be more perfect for you. (The name “master gardener” reminds me vaguely of an old Sat Night Live bit w/ Jon Lovitz—Master Thespian. Do you remember the flourish with which Lovitz would proclaim himself to be “Master Thespian!!”? very funny. From the web:
[Lovitz] got his first real break as a regular on TV’s Saturday Night Live, where his characters such as Tommy Flanagan of pathological Liars Anonymous, the great Shakespearean ham Master Thespian (which is an imitation of a professor he had at the University of California-Irvine) and the Devil himself became quite popular
Garden Decor Lover 12.11.06 at 10:36 am
Your post about the Master Gardener program in Washington D.C. revealed something that perhaps hundreds of thousand of self-taught gardeners would like to do: upgrade their gardening knowledge and skills by enrolling in a master gardener class! With a little bit of time and effort, I would imagine that these programs could be found in virtually every state in the country! Gardeners of the world unite and get educated