Master Gardener Course

The Victoria Master Gardener Association offers an interesting, ambitious program for avid amateur gardeners - an intensive program of 31 three-hour sessions combining classroom instruction, field trips, home study, assignments and in-class projects, over a 16 week period. The course is taught by a Master Gardener supplemented by local experts.

You will learn the most current and reliable home gardening information available, for use in your own garden and to share with the gardening public on a volunteer basis, helping educate your community about environmentally responsible gardening practices.

What do Master Gardeners advise about plant health?

Master Gardeners advocate a multifaceted approach to gardening problems and emphasizes the promotion of plant health, the use of an environmentally responsible approach, and the employment of integrated pest management (IPM). This statement reflects an underlying philosophy that we are stewards, not owners, of the land and that we can only work with nature, not control it.

The Master Gardener course has an intensive curriculum combining classroom instruction, field trips, home study, assignments and in-class projects.

The primary text is the Washington/Oregon Master Gardener Handbook. The course is taught by a Master Gardener and supplemented by local experts.

You will receive up-to-date, relevant information covering gardening basics including:

• botany
• soils
• plant health
• plant identification
• pruning
• turf
• fruit trees, berries, vegetables
• weeds
• plant pests and diseases
• Basic principles of design and the use of ornamentals in the landscape
• See Course Outline for the complete list.

The course is wrapped up with a mock "clinic" to prepare students for volunteering.

Completion of the program requires a minimum of 80% in each of the following categories: class attendance, homework assignments, an open book final exam and the fulfillment of 60 approved volunteer hours within the 18 months following the course.

Anyone interested in taking the next course must have attended a free information session before signing up.

Victoria Location, at the Glendale Gardens & Woodland
You must attend the information session (Thursday, January 14th, 6:30 PM) prior to taking this course;
to schedule for the 2010 course, call Jane at (250) 479-6162.

2010 Schedule:
The 31 sessions will commence Thursday, January 28th and run every Sunday from 9:00am to 12:00 noon and every Thursday from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.


$770.00 all inclusive. - A non-refundable registration fee of $75.00 is required to secure your place. To Register call (250) 479-6162 Or email  info@hcp.bc.ca