Master Gardener College 2019

Join us in Norfolk Virginia, September 19-22! For the first time in 31 years, Master Gardener College will be held in a new location. The Extension Master Gardener State Coordinator’s Office is proud to announce that next year (2019), Master Gardener College will be held at Hilton Norfolk The Main, a conference center and hotel […]

Join us in Norfolk Virginia, September 19-22!

For the first time in 31 years, Master Gardener College will be held in a new location. The Extension Master Gardener State Coordinator’s Office is proud to announce that next year (2019), Master Gardener College will be held at Hilton Norfolk The Main, a conference center and hotel located in downtown Norfolk.

We’re very excited about this opportunity to draw volunteers from the eastern part of the state and those who may not have been able to travel to Blacksburg for previous colleges, and we’re also excited about the venue we’ve chosen and the different speakers we’ll have access to as well. Holding Master Gardener College in Norfolk offers new opportunities for tours, workshops, and educational speakers who have never been featured at Master Gardener College before.

– Dave Close and the State Coordinator’s Office team

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College 2019 Updates

  • May 15 – Registration now open for current Master Gardeners
  • March 5 – Anticipated registration dates released, see Registration Information for more
  • November 27, 2018 – John Goolsby, Research Entomologist with USDA Agriculture Research Service confirmed as speaker
  • November 12, 2018 – Registration prices announced. See registration information for more
  • November 10, 2018 – Carl Hershner, Director of the Center for Coastal Resources Management at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), and Bryce Lane, Lecturer in Horticultural Science at NC State confirmed as keynote speakers
  • October 2018 – EMGC 2019 dates announced: September 19-22, 2019
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About Master Gardener College

Extension Master Gardener College is a four-day event (with an extra day for those participating in Steward Training) traditionally held at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia that includes gardening seminars, tours, workshops, and popular speakers from the horticulture and arboriculture fields.

Each year since 1987, nearly 250 Master Gardeners have attended this event. Master Gardener College is organized and administrated by staff in the office of the Master Gardener Coordinator state Office and by the Master Gardener College Advisory Team.

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The Main

Hilton Norfolk The Main, our venue for Master Gardener College 2019, is located in downtown Norfolk and offers premium conference space, accommodations, and quick access to all the amenities of Norfolk!

We’ve already reserved a block of rooms at The Main and if you would like to book your room today, you do not need to wait for College registration to open. Click here to learn more about The Main.

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Norfolk, Virginia

Our 2019 location offers access to attractions, dining, and shopping in downtown Norfolk, Virginia. Nearby sites include the Norfolk Botanical Garden, Town Point Park, and Nauticus, a maritime-themed science center and museum. In addition, Virginia Beach is only a 40-minute drive away.

Norfolk also offers dining and shopping options. To learn more about Norfolk, click here.

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Water Steward Training

2019 Master Gardener College will feature Advanced Master Gardener Training for Water Stewards.

Advanced Master Gardener Water Stewards receive the benefit of a high level of training which is both technical and programmatic in nature. The advanced technical training provides in-depth water quality, conservation and management knowledge. The programmatic training enables the Advanced Master Gardeners to truly extend the reach of Extension because it is meant to prepare the EMG to research community water needs, then to design, implement and evaluate a program meant to meet those needs.

The Advanced Master Gardener identifies resources for the program, recruits and organizes volunteers to assist, administers the program activities, and reports impacts to the agent.  Advanced Master Gardeners work with their Agent and the community to develop a cohesive program that meets community needs and then implement the program.

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Thanks to our 2018 Master Gardener College Sponsors

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Program Supporters

Bedford Master Gardeners
Central Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association
Danville Master Gardener Association
Eastern Shore of VA Master Gardeners Association
Fairfax County Master Gardeners Association
Fluvanna Master Gardeners
Franklin Master Gardener Association
Gloucester Master Gardener Association
Hampton Master Gardener Association
Heart of Virginia Master Gardeners
Henrico Master Gardeners Association
James City County MGA

Loudon County Master Gardener Association
Master Gardener Association of Central Rappahannock Area
Master Gardners of Prince William County
Northern Neck Master Gardener Association
Piedmont Master Gardeners
Prince George Master Gardener Association
Roanoke Master Gardener Association
Rockbridge Area Master Gardener Association
Virginia Beach Master Gardener Association
Virginia Master Gardener Association
Virginia Master Gardener Association
Washington County Master Gardeners