Master Gardeners
The Georgia Master Gardener Program? is an Extension volunteer training program offered through county offices of the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Through this program, individuals are trained and certified in home horticulture, gardening, and related areas.
These individuals, in turn, volunteer their expertise and services under the direction of their County Extension Agent to help others through educational projects that benefit the community. Master Gardener Extension Volunteers bring the latest horticultural information and practices from the world of research to their communities, landscapes, and gardens.? Making life better for Georgians!
Mission Statement:
To assist Cooperative Extension in providing unbiased horticultural information through volunteer community service and educational gardening projects using applied research and the resources of the University of Georgia.
Master Gardener Extension Volunteer in Rockdale County
The Master Gardener Extension Volunteer (MGEV) Program is designed to develop knowledgeable and skilled volunteers who support 海角官方首页 Cooperative Extension’s mission of community outreach and education. Participants receive 50 hours of horticultural training from Extension professionals and, in return, commit to 50 hours of volunteer service during their first year. To remain active in the program, volunteers contribute 25 hours of service annually thereafter.
MGEVs in Rockdale County support a wide range of community-based projects, including:
- Rockdale County Community Garden
- Plant-A-Row for the Hungry
- Pollinator and High Tunnel Projects
- Youth Education and School Garden Programs
- Community Presentations and Events
Volunteers play a vital role in extending research-based horticultural knowledge to the public and enhancing the quality of life in their communities.Learn more about the application process and how you can get involved with the Rockdale County MGEV Program.
The Rockdale County Master Gardener Extension Volunteers Association - Master Gardener organizations (MGOs), also known as associations, have formed to enhance the MGEV experience, connecting people within the program and working in partnership with 海角官方首页 Extension to support the MGEV program.? The association meetings are a good place to meet other master gardeners, get updates on projects, and enjoy educational speakers.? Joining an MGO is not a requirement to participate in the 海角官方首页 Extension Master Gardener Program.? The RCMGEV Association is not an independent organization, but operates under the 海角官方首页 Extension Office guidance and policies.? Master Gardeners sell plants to support their programming needs and set their budget following Extension policies and procedures.? Ultimately, all monies and assets are the responsibility of the 海角官方首页 Extension Office.
2025 Officers:
President –Isabel Wagner
Vice President - Millicent Maxwell
Treasurer - Sheron McBride
Communications Sec. -Alexis Alexander
Recording Sec. - Safa Alaji
Past President - Karen Fitzpatrick
Become a Rockdale County Master Gardener Extension Volunteer
Are you interested in sharing your passion for gardening while serving your community? The Rockdale County Master Gardener Extension Volunteer (MGEV) Program offers a unique opportunity to receive in-depth horticultural training and give back through educational outreach.
Application Period:
Applications are accepted annually from?September through mid-October.
Training Schedule:
Classes are typically held on?Mondays for 12 weeks, beginning in?January.
How to Apply:
- Complete and submit an application to the Rockdale County Extension Office.
- Selected applicants will be invited for an interview.
- Final candidates must successfully pass a?University of Georgia Volunteer background check—this is a required step for all MGEVs.
- Upon acceptance into the program, a?registration fee of $175?is due to complete the registration process.?
Master Gardener Extension Volunteers support a variety of educational programs, including youth outreach through 4-H, school gardens, and community events. As representatives of 海角官方首页 Extension, volunteers are expected to follow all university policies and procedures.
Are applications not currently open?
Join the?Rockdale MGEV Interest List?to receive a reminder when the next application period begins.
Applications are Now Open for the 2026 Training Program.?
We are now accepting applications for the?2026 Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Training Class.
Application Period:?September 2 – October 15, 2025
Training Schedule:
- Dates:?January 5 – March 30, 2026 (Mondays only; no class on MLK Day)
- Time:?9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Meeting Locations:?Sessions will be held at various locations, including?Henry County,?Rockdale County, and the?海角官方首页 Griffin Campus. A full schedule with?class dates, locations, and topics?will be provided upon acceptance into the program.
- Cost:?$175 (due only after acceptance into the program)
How to Apply:
Submit the following three documents as your application packet:
Submission Options:
- ?Submit by Email to?philip.hensley@uga.edu?and?amy.smith@rockdalecountyga.gov
- In-person drop off at the Rockdale County Extension Office, Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
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Our Projects
Memorial Arboretum
The Rockdale County Master Gardeners' Memorial Arboretum was started in 2005 by project leaders Cesare Matrundola and Mimi Soileau. The City of Conyers has generously given a long term lease on five acres within the Georgia International Horse Park to the Rockdale County Master Gardener Association.? In 2023, the garden was registered and accredited with ArbNet, an international arboretum accreditation and networking program.? Arbnet | Rockdale County Master Gardener Association’s Memorial Arboretum
Members have spent over 500 hours clearing underbrush, identifying trees and making 2,300 feet of walking paths.? This retreat away from the traffic and noise is a serene oasis, a peaceful place to visit, reflect and meditate. Simply, nature at its best.? Visitors can request to plant a tree from an approved list, or adopt one of the 37 species found in the arboretum.?? Wooden posts with ID plaques are installed near the chosen tree and dedicated in honor or memory of a loved one, friend, or group.
A popular feature of the Arboretum is the one-mile public trail used for walking and riding horses. It is located between the Arboretum and the Yellow River. The Arboretum is unique in that it was founded and is maintained by Master Gardeners.? A dedicated group of volunteers committed to sharing their knowledge and love of trees with the greater community.
The garden is open to the public during business hours of the Conyers Horse Park and located at the back of the park.
As of 2023, there are 120 plaques of honor that have been installed for loved ones. You are invited to create a living memorial by either adopting an existing tree or purchasing and planting a tree from the approved list.
How to dedicate a tree:?Application
Entrance sign of the Memorial Arboretum
Master Gardener dedication at the Memorial Arboretum
Informational Series at Ace Hardware Stores in Conyers, GA
Each year from March through September, Rockdale County Master Gardener Extension Volunteers (MGEVs) host a monthly information table at local Ace Hardware stores in Conyers, GA. These sessions are designed to provide the community with timely, research-based gardening information in a convenient, accessible setting.
On one Saturday each month (March through September), MGEVs are available to answer questions and share practical advice on a variety of seasonal topics. Past topics have included spring planting, composting and mulching, invasive plant management, food preservation, fall gardening, and the use of native and perennial plants in the landscape.
This outreach effort is part of the MGEV mission to extend horticultural education and support sustainable gardening practices in the community. All information shared is grounded in research from the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.?
Having fun educating our community at the Informational Series.
Master Gardener Extension Volunteers answer gardening questions at ACE hardware stores in Conyers.
Three of our MGEV at Ace Hardware with educational materials to give to the community.
Plant-a-Row for the Hungry (PARH) Garden
The Plant-A-Row for the Hungry Garden (PARH) in Rockdale County is a community service project run by Rockdale County Master Gardener Extension Volunteers (RC-MGEVs).? Volunteers spend countless hours preparing the site, planting, harvesting, and managing the garden to support residents in need in Rockdale County.?
The fresh produce from the PARH garden is donated to Rockdale Emergency Relief Food Bank (RER).
Project Leaders Karen Fitzpatrick and Ronnie Peden, Master Gardeners and GA Power retiree, Lee Cronan have dedicated countless hours to making this garden successful by producing 25,000+ pounds of fresh produce over the past 11 years.? Altogether, the RC-MGEV’s have volunteered thousands of hours in the garden producing tomatoes, corn, okra, bell peppers, squash, cucumber, eggplant and hot peppers during the summer and cabbage, collards, turnips, kale, broccoli and sweet potatoes in the fall garden.?
The PARH Garden is located near the tennis courts on Parker Road in Conyers.? Residents who enjoy the Olde Town Conyers walking trails on Parker Road or play tennis will be able to see the garden grow and the great work the MGEV’s are doing for the community.
PARH Garden Workday
High Tunnel Project
The High Tunnel project began in early 2022 to provide a structure where we could grow plants in a more controlled environment and therefore being able to extend the growing season in fall and start seedlings in late winter. We acquired the structure through a grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA and initiated by James Murphy, Ag Agent at the time. Construction began in February 2022. James and Paco Candal (RC-MGEV) assisted NRCS personnel which were essential to putting the structure together; these were: Ryan Burgess (District Conservationist), Sherman Green and Jesse Landers. The Rockdale Soil & Water Conservation District purchased the shade cloth to cover the structure in the hottest part of the summer.
The three main purposes of our greenhouse at the PARH Garden are:
1. Plant Sale (fundraising) - to protect plants from cold weather in spring and fall and improve the quality plants we sell.
2. Extend the growing season in fall or to begin to grow plants earlier that would not otherwise survive in the local climate.
3. Start seedlings in late winter or early spring for late spring and summer growing season.
High Tunnel Greenhouse established in February 2022.
Pollinator Garden
The pollinator garden was established in 2018 to attract pollinators for our PARH vegetable garden and support the pollinator life cycle by creating a habitat with flowers throughout the seasons. Somewhere between 75% and 95% of all flowering plants on the earth need help with pollination – they need pollinators. Pollinators provide pollination services to over 180,000 different plant species and more than 1200 crops. That means that 1 out of every three bites of food you eat is there because of pollinators.?
In 2021, the garden was expanded to include more host plants that support butterflies by providing necessary plants to lay their eggs and support the caterpillar stage of life.
In 2022, we became certified as a Monarch Waystation from Monarch Watch, joined the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail, and the garden became a butterfly certified garden through the North American Butterfly Association (NABA.)
Additional pollinator and native plant information:
(see GSU website for native plant sale dates)
