The passion and purpose behind local Master Gardeners
Photos by Jamie Plain
Master Gardeners are more than just plant enthusiasts — they’re dedicated volunteers who educate the community with science-based gardening knowledge. In Daviess County, 106 members receive updates about annual meetings, though about 40 consistently engage in the hands-on work of local gardening events and outreach.
The next Master Gardener course, offered through the University of Kentucky, will run from September through December 2025. Joyce Riney, an integral part of the local association since earning her Master Gardener certification in 2014, said participants are given a manual to follow covering a broad spectrum — everything from plant diseases to landscaping techniques.
“It’s what you would expect … science-based information with professors presenting,” she said. “An etymology professor came to teach and brought samples of bugs on boards. Anytime there is a professor [on one of the topics], they come.”
After passing the test, volunteers become interns who gain practical experience. They could be working to figure out how much fertilizer would be required for land of a certain size, how to read labels, or what chemicals to recognize in gardening products.
Local residents often turn to Master Gardeners with questions about hydrangeas, pruning schedules, and plant health concerns. Last year’s hot topic? Brown, struggling shrubs.
“The manual is our Bible,” Riney said. “The success rate [of those taking the class and passing the test] is pretty high. You learn a lot about plants, pruning … it’s a neat thing to learn for yourself and yard.”
After completing 40 hours of community service, which can range from speaking to hands-on demonstrations, interns become a Master Gardener. Volunteer hours are monitored through an app that keeps track of public interactions and how the program helps the community financially.
Master Gardeners come from diverse backgrounds and interests ranging from vegetable gardening and to arranging flowers.
Riney’s journey had humble beginnings but quickly blossomed into a passion. She was named Kentucky’s Outstanding Master Gardener of the Year in 2024. After retiring from teaching, long-term substituting, and caring for her mother, Riney decided it was time to do something for herself.
“My husband is a city-boy-turned-farmer, but I had no knowledge,” she said. “Our house had a garden, but we have pecan trees that have changed the garden size because of the sun and shade.”
Riney began by dabbling but became interested because of the reward.
“I love gardening; it’s sort of a break from everything,” she said. “The solitude lets you think and brings you full circle and thinking about the miracle of it beginning with a seed.”
Local Master Gardeners work out of the University of Kentucky’s Daviess County Extension Office, where a sample of raised beds has been created on-site to showcase what the program can offer. Riney said they began with sod, added a fence, and made raised bed boxes with different materials, including blocks and bricks. Some of the beds are ADA (The Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant, while others are vertical or elevated to grow green beans.
“It is a garden to showcase all of the ways you could have raised beds,” Riney said. “They are there for demonstration and [what is grown] is donated to public pantries or where there is need.”
Daviess County’s Extension Office also fields many calls, offering free services such as testing soil before planting a garden or landscaping.
Meanwhile, local Master Gardeners are a fixture at major events. They volunteer at the Owensboro Home Expo and multiple Western Kentucky Botanical Garden events and share expertise through six community partnerships, including Habitat for Humanity and the Daviess County Lions Club.
“Our main goal is education and the components of gardening and how to grow flowers and vegetables,” Riney said.
The Extension Office is similarly committed to providing information to the public. They’ve increased their digital presence, posting instructional videos on topics like Monarch weigh stations, proper deadheading techniques, and even selecting the perfect Christmas tree.
Meeting speakers have included experts on canning, dehydration, and nursery management, with topics carefully chosen by a committee. Additionally, the Master Gardeners oversee the Seed Library at the Daviess County Public Library.
“We are the best-kept secret, but we don’t want to be,” Riney said. “We want people to know how involved we are.” OL
