HISTORIC TIMELINE

Each year we achieve major milestones and enjoy experiences that have created us to be the organization that we are today. The following is a highlight of those events.

1983

• Grow Info was the winning title for the Master Gardener Association of Wayne County (MGAWC) newsletter

1984

• Alumni from Master Gardener classes form the Master Gardener Association of Wayne County (MGAWC)

• Trip to Hidden Lakes in July

• Trip to Cranbrook in October

1985

• MGAWC members visit Niagara Falls and Royal Botanical Gardens, Hamilton, Ontario

• Let’s Go Gardening program first discussed

• First annual holiday party held at Moross House, Detroit, MI

• MGAWC becomes a 501(c)3 non-profit organization

1986

• MGAWC members planted knot herb garden at Venoy Center, Wayne, Michigan, 173 ½ volunteer hours including cleaning perennial beds

• MGAWC volunteers begin growing plants in small greenhouse and use sale proceeds to purchase misting system

1987

• MGAWC members visit Longwood Gardens, Kennet Square, PA, and Baltimore, MD harbor

• MGAWC members attend first national Master Gardener conference in Washington, DC

1988

• MGAWC volunteer arranges for Let’s Go Gardening program to take place at six Frank's Nursery stores

• MGAWC commits to $10,000 donation to support trial gardens at MSU

1989

• MGAWC members attend second national Master Gardener conference in Portland, OR

• Half-day Basic Gardening Seminar, predecessor to Growing with Master Gardeners, held in Wayne, MI

1990

• Gardening in the 90’s: Basic Gardening Seminar expands to all-day event

• MGAWC donates $10,000 to MSU Display Garden at Plant and Soil Science Building, East Lansing

1991

• Gardening in the 90’s educational program held in Plymouth, MI

• MGAWC and Windsor, Ontario co-host International Master Gardener Conference in Detroit, MI

1992

• Growing with Master Gardeners (GMG) name first used for annual educational program

1993

• MGAWC members attend International Master Gardener Conference in San Antonio, TX

1994-1996

• MGAWC collaborates with Oakland Master Gardener Society and Oakland MSUE to bring local Advanced Master Gardener classes to southeast Michigan

1994-2003

• Annual Garden Walks for MGAWC members to visit public and private gardens in southeast Michigan

1995

• Gardening in the 90’s held at Mill Race Historical Village in Northville, MI

• MGAWC members attend International Master Gardener Conference in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
  

early / mid-90’s

• MGAWC purchases tables for MSU Extension Temple office for Master Gardener classroom

mid-90’s

• MGAWC creates Leo Blum Memorial Scholarship for college students working toward botanical or environmental degrees

1995-1999

• Gardening in the 90’s name used for annual educational conference

1996

• First annual August picnic for members and guests

• Gardening in the 90’s held in Dearborn, MI

• MGAWC members attend Northeast Regional Master Gardener Conference in Portland, ME

• MGAWC volunteers originate Junior Master Gardener program in Wayne County

1996-2003

• MGAWC organizes and funds Junior Master Gardener programs in Wayne County

1997

• MGAWC members attend International Master Gardener Conference in Sacramento, CA

1998

• First annual February Feeding Frenzy

• First annual Christensen’s Plant Center Night

• Gardening in the 90’s held at Henry Ford Community College with addition of second keynote speaker

• Butterfly Program at Detroit Zoo’s new Wildlife Interpretative Gallery

• Field trip to Westcroft Azalea Gardens, Grosse Isle, MI

• MGAWC members attend Northeast Regional Master Gardener Conference in Hartford, CT

• Tenth annual Growing with Master Gardeners conference with keynotes by Barry Burton and Janet Macunovich held at Henry Ford Community

1999

• Tree Day educational program held at 5454 Venoy, Wayne, MI

• Picnic for Bob Bricault, Jr., held at Mill Race in Northville, MI

• MGAWC members attend International Master Gardener Conference in San Antonio, TX

• Growing with Master Gardeners conference with keynotes by Bob Bricault, Jr and Nancy Szerlag held at Henry Ford Community College

2000

• Growing with Master Gardeners moves to U of M Dearborn in collaboration with the Natural Areas Department, now the Environmental Interpretative Center

• February Fun Day educational program held at 5454 Venoy

• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Herbarium Tour with Anton Reznicek, PhD

• MGAWC members attend Northeast Regional Master Gardener Conference in Wheeling, West Virginia

• MGAWC sponsors Search for Excellence Awards at NE Master Gardener Conference

• Annual GMG Above and Beyond Conference Helper of the Year award initiated

• Growing with Master Gardeners conference with keynotes by Dean Krauskopf, PhD and Scott Kunst held at the University of Michigan-Dearborn
  

2001

• GMG sells-out with over 300 pre-registered participants

• Presentation Skills Workshop for Speakers Bureau at 5454 Venoy

• Earth Day educational program with Marion Jarvie from Toronto held at the University of Michigan-Dearborn

• MGAWC members attend International Master Gardener Conference in Orlando, FL

• Growing with Master Gardeners conference with keynotes by Dean Krauskopf, PhD and Janet Macunovich held at University of Michigan-Dearborn
  

2002

• First volunteer orientation for GMG

• MGAWC members attend Northeast Regional Master Gardener Conference at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY

• GMG Volunteer Recognition Tour of Jens Jensen Landscape, Henry Ford Estate, Dearborn

• Growing with Master Gardeners conference with keynotes by Susan Gruber and Nancy Szerlag held at the University of Michigan-Dearborn

2003

• First annual Spring Day, educational program on native plants, a collaboration with the Henry Ford Estate

• MGAWC members attend International Master Gardener Conference

• Growing with Master Gardeners conference with keynotes by Fred Case and Dean Krauskopf, PhD held at the University of Michigan-Dearborn

• MGAWC participates in Adopt-A-Highway

2004

• MGAWC monthly meetings moved to Environmental Interpretative Center on the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus

• Second annual Spring Day, educational program on herbs, a collaboration with the Henry Ford Estate

• Growing with Master Gardeners conference with keynotes by Nancy Lindley and Dan Ballnik held at the University of Michigan-Dearborn

2005

• Third annual Spring Day, educational program on trees and shrubs in the garden, a collaboration with the Henry Ford Estate

• MGAWC members attend International Master Gardener Conference in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

• Growing with Master Gardeners conference with keynotes by Janet Macunovich and Ralph Heiden held at the University of Michigan-Dearborn

2006

• Fourth annual Spring Day, educational program on the travelling gardener, a collaboration with the Henry Ford Estate

• Growing with Master Gardeners conference with keynotes by Kim Roth and George Papadelis held at the University of Michigan-Dearborn
  

2007

• Fifth annual Spring Day educational program on gardening for the young at heart, a collaboration with the Henry Ford Estate Gardens

• MGAWC awards two college scholarships and introduces three free Intro to Gardening sessions

• Volunteers answer questions on Saturdays in May at quality garden centers for the twentieth year of Let's Go Gardening

• MGAWC members attend the International Master Gardener Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas

• Nineteenth annual Growing with Master Gardeners conference held at the University of Michigan-Dearborn for the eighth year with keynotes by Dean Krauskopf, Ph.D., and Norm Lownds, Ph.D., and several tours including the newly planted rain garden at the Environmental Interpretive Center
  

 2020

• Moved to online meetings on Zoom during the Covid-19 pandemic