by Carolyn Williams
The term “Master Gardener” was coined in the early 1970s to describe a new Extension program in Washington State. The program was officially founded in 1973 by Dr. David Gibby of Washington State University to help overwhelming demands for horticulture information by the public.
The Texas Master Gardener program began its program in 1978 with an Extension horticulture training at A&M University when Dr. Sam Cotner (Extension vegetable specialist) described the success of the movement begun in Washington State. At that time, county agents in the Texas Cooperative Extension were experiencing overwhelming demands for horticulture information, much like in the Pacific Northwest.
Texas Master Gardener classes were first held in 1979 in Montgomery County with about 25 people. The 50-hour course was held in the evenings and taught by Extension agents and specialists from Texas A&M. Class members were encouraged to work on Extension projects.
Galveston and El Paso counties started programs in 1981, quickly followed by Harris and Dallas (1986), Tarrant (1987), and Bexar and Denton (1989).
In the early 1990s, then-Travis County Extension Agent Ted Fisher was requested by Texas A&M to get an association started here in Travis County. Mr. Fisher came to meet with Berry Lovelace (class 1), Don Freeman and Dick Peterson (class 2), with this idea. They formed a panel including Ron Miller (class 1) and agreed to form bylaws using other Master Gardener associations as a model. This included assigning dues and electing officers and the decision to have four meetings a year. It was then proposed to a group of about 25 people. Not everyone present was agreeable and about half walked out, but the group that stayed started working on forming the association.
In September 1993, TCMGA was officially formed after its third Master Gardener class. It was debated whether a new garden club was even needed, but the small group went forward with plans, and the TCMGA was formed with Don Freeman agreeing to serve as its acting President. Ron Miller, Treasurer, (who kept what money they collected in a shoebox that stayed with him), and Will Walker, Vice-President also signed on. Soon afterwards, this organization applied to be part of the Austin Area Garden Council (AAGC), and was assigned the first Wednesday of each month as a meeting time.
In 1996, Peggy Stewart transferred into TCMGA from Virginia after meeting Bud Kane (class 1), who was having a garden tour at his house in the fall of that year. Bud not only would talk about veggie gardening but also something new he had installed himself, a rainwater collection system. At this junction the leadership skills of Don Freeman, Ron Miller, Peggy Stewart and Hugh “Bud” Kane, working together, proved to be formidable with important decisions and the growth of TCMGA.
In early 1999, these members began to think about how nice it would be to have a greenhouse. A new Horticulture agent, Skip Richter, had been hired and membership was about 45 (the bank account was “at best” $3,500). Basically, they had little money, no land, and few members. So, they went forward!
At Don Freeman’s suggestion, they submitted a letter in April 1999 as a request to the AAGC Horticulture Committee to build a greenhouse on Zilker property. TCMGA would build, pay for and manage the greenhouse. Since it was on the City of Austin/Zilker land, the building would belong to them.
The agreement went on to state that TCMGA would raise plants and donate them to Zilker Garden, have youth programs, such as using the Plant Mobile, and other Master Gardener projects. The greenhouse would be used to educate master gardeners in plant growth and propagation. Plants would be raised to sell at Zilker Festival and Herb Fest with these funds used to maintain the greenhouse. The proposal was approved by the Horticulture Committee of AAGC.
In June 1999 the request was submitted to the city under their “Adopt-a-Park” program, with formal approval of the design, specs and specific location of the greenhouse before the building could be started.
The application wound slowly through the city system. The city was concerned about the footprint of a 90’ x 30’ greenhouse and related water runoff problems. They suggested a 30’ x 30’ building with Ron Miller adamantly stating, “No!”
This was solved when Bud Kane stepped in, who, along with Dick Peterson (class 1) and head of the city department that included Rain Water collection, came up with a water collection system for the greenhouse that would solve the run off problem and foster water collection.
Also, the city had at this time a reimbursement system for 50% of costs for rain water collection systems. It was applied for in advance in October 2000, formally approved, and while Bud designed the system, Dick approved the system and submitted the bills to the city for a rebate of approximately $2500. Next the bigger challenge: money to actually buy a greenhouse.
At this time, they decided to seek the advice of other master gardener programs with greenhouses. Skip Richter, Don Freeman, Ron Miller, Jamie McDonald and Peggy Stewart then visited Bell and Montgomery Counties to see their greenhouse operations. It was decided with their financial situation, that the best option would be to purchase a kit greenhouse. They had no doubt that the master gardeners would be willing and able to assemble the thing. Now, the money, or lack thereof, was staring them in the face!
The next sequence of events proved that a willingness to work through adverse conditions sometimes gives positive results. First, they asked the TCMGA members to pledge monies varying from $25 – $250 for construction of the greenhouse. The members who stepped forward with pledges are listed on the plaques in the greenhouse. They knew they had over $4,000, but they needed $12,000 for the cost, and $3,500 for wiring and fixtures.
The Bexar County Master Gardeners were to be hosts for the 1999 International Master Gardener conference to be held in August. They asked Travis County to help them with some of the aspects of running a conference. TCMGA was to take on 20% of the responsibility, do 20% of the work, and stand responsible for 20% of the loss if there was one. Texas A&M promised to pick up the first $10,000 for any losses, so TCMGA grabbed the chance, working hard to make the conference a success—and it was successful beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. The 20% of the profits exceeded $11,000 and was paid in late 1999. With the $4,000 in pledges and $11,000 from the hard work on the conference, they were ready to go forward (or at least ready to hear from the city). Finally, on October 2, 2000, the City of Austin granted their approval. Ron Miller and Don Freeman immediately ordered the greenhouse, which was delivered on a huge flatbed truck with many, many pieces of endless variety.
The City of Austin came in and leveled the area. Interesting note is that at the end of the year, the city billed Zilker $10,000 for their help with the leveling. After some negotiating, they took the money from Zilker’s yearly budget, but the final agreement still was not signed off from the city. One of our former members, Tommie Clayton’s husband, was in charge of city permits and when it was failing to pass in a timely manner, came forward, took control, and the final agreement was formally signed. Construction would begin on the weekend of December 8 and 9, 2000, with a barn-raising consisting of the majority of the membership, complete with a cookout for all. Ron Miller and Don Freeman orchestrated all the details, working 40 hours a week. Bill Boytim (former TCMGA member) was an expert in electricity, and although he had a full time job, worked at least 20 hours a week on the greenhouse. The husband of another TCMGA member was a graduate engineer from MIT and worked tirelessly to make sure everything was correct.
Table tops were built, and in January 2001 plants were moved in preparation for Zilker Festival. Without a heating system, plants were nurtured and sold that spring. We were up and growing!
Soon the organization was low on money again. Along came Dolores Leeper (former member) and the Executive Committee to save the day with the idea and publication of the first “Garden Guide for Austin and Vicinity.” This publication was a financial success from the start, and funds were now available for completion of the greenhouse. The kitchen was added and worked on by Roxanne Smith (former member), and production, research and operation had begun.
The citrus project was started and chaired by Bob Tagtow, (former member). The purpose was to determine the winter hardiness of selected varieties of citrus.
The rose project was started and chaired by Ron Ciani, (former member). The purpose was to raise and propagate roses suitable for this area. Numerous rose pruning classes were given free to the public by Ron, Don Freeman and other TCMGA members.
Bud Kane and Venkappa Gani worked to install the rain water collection system at Zilker Botanical Garden, which is still in use today.
Bud Kane started the extension office phone bank, volunteering each Monday for years. This was long before the internet, so between asking questions to the agent and researching books, he filled a real need for public assistance.
Ron Miller attended night classes at Texas State Technical College in Waco, Texas, to earn a degree in Greenhouse Management.
Both Don Freeman and Peggy Stewart served in numerous leadership roles that lead our association from the start, with smart business savvy and exceptional organizational skills.
In the current year of 2020, our membership is up to 174 active members with 21 interns, and our Extension Agent is Daphne Richards.
Here is a list of some of our current projects and achievements: the demonstration garden at the extension office, Speaker’s Bureau and educational seminars, East Austin Garden Fair, email responders, Inside Austin Gardens Tour, tcmastergardeners.org with online
Compost Bin articles published monthly, “Broccoli to Butterflies” school gardening program, plant clinics, fairy gardening, phone desk, and our current award winning Garden Guide for Austin and Vicinity in its 5th edition, along with our yet to be published, revised, Gardening in Drought and Deluge – The Resilient Texas Garden.
To our members and interns, I do hope this history provides you with incentive and inspiration to follow in their leadership roles, forming your own path down areas that interest and inspire you, and give you the opportunity to give back to the community.
I want to give thanks and appreciation to several people for helping me with this project. Don Freeman for sharing so much information with me, Liz Caskey and Frankie Hart for their Compost Bin article from January 2011, “History of the Greenhouse: One Woman’s Recollections,” by Peggy Stewart, the Texas Master Gardener Program (https://mastergardener.tamu.edu/history/), and Travis County Horticulture Program Asst., Sheryl Williams.
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