KEMG was founded in the late 1980’s by Dr. Mary Witt, University of Kentucky Professor and Consumer Horticulture specialist. In the 1990’s and 2000’s, the program was coordinated by Kentucky Extension Specialist, Sharon Bale.
Early programs were in Lexington, Louisville, Ashland, Northern Kentucky, and Paducah.
As of 2023 there were around 1,150 active Extension Master Gardeners in Kentucky. They contribute an average of 35,000 volunteer hours each year.
Woodford County Master Gardeners
Richard Durham, Ph.D.
State Coordinator
Kentucky Extension Master Garden Program
Dr. Richard Durham (Rick) is a Kentucky native from Lincoln County. Dr. Durham joined the faculty of the Department of Horticulture, University of Kentucky, as a Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist in 1999. He has worked with KEMG since 2002 and began directing the program in 2010.
His state-wide extension responsibilities include all areas of home horticulture and he coordinates the Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program. He also teaches several Horticulture classes at the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
In his spare time, Rick engages in backyard gardening, growing orchids, and he and his family enjoy hiking and other outdoor activities.
Nurturing the Commonwealth
Master Gardeners cultivate our communities
1,151
Active Extension Master Gardener Volunteers*
63
counties with KEMG programs**
170,481
KEMG volunteer hours**
$5.5M
labor value for Kentucky**
*2023/**In the past 5 years
UK Cooperative Extension uses the knowledge and experience of Master Gardeners to meet the increasing demand for horticultural information from our citizens and neighbors throughout Kentucky.
For details on how an Extension Master Gardener program runs, please see our program guidelines.
History of Extension Master Gardener Program
The Extension Master Gardener program began in Washington state in the early 1970’s. Extension agent Dr. David Gibby was inundated with requests from home gardeners for horticulture information.
In Washington, as in much of America, life had become more urban and transient. Land that once was a single farm was now divided into several subdivisions. The Extension agent once dealt with the questions of a few hundred farm families. Now they served many times that number.
In addition, many of these families were unfamiliar with the grasses, shrubs, trees, and diseases that comprise the microenvironment of their new home. They often would call their local Extension office for advice on what to plant and how to care for it.
Dr. Gibby developed a plan for Extension personnel to train garden volunteers. In return they would commit volunteer hours to serve their community. In 1973 the first Seattle area Master Gardeners graduated.
Over the decades the program has spread to all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and internationally to South Korea and several Canadian provinces.
Kentucky Extension Master Gardeners 