Master Gardener Volunteer Association

The New Hanover County Master Gardener Volunteer Association has more than 300 members who volunteer thousands of hours each year, providing information to the community and helping make the Arboretum gardens beautiful.

Master Gardeners answer questions in the Plant Clinic and on the clinic’s hotline; provide gardening education to groups through the Speakers Bureau; help maintain the demonstration gardens by planting, weeding, mulching and pruning; and hold major plant sales that help fund educational projects at the Arboretum. The association also has monthly meetings with educational speakers.

The Plant Clinic provides accurate, research-based information to consumers on topics including how to select the right plants for your site, how to identify weeds, insects, and plant diseases, and how to avoid overuse of garden chemicals. In 2013 the Plant Clinic served more than 6,000 people.

The clinic, which has served the community since the late 1970s, can be reached by calling 910-798-7679 or 910-798-7680 , or by visiting the office in the Hutaff Building of the Arboretum, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Master Gardeners also provide seasonal plant clinics at the farmers’ markets in downtown Wilmington and at Carolina Beach.

Classes for those who want to become Master Gardeners are conducted each year in February and March. If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener, call or visit the Plant Clinic or contact Danyce Dicks at ddicks@nhcgov.com or 910-798-7662 , to be put on a list for future classes.