CMGA Mission Statement

The purpose of CMGA shall be to provide means by which graduates of the Extension Master Gardener program may:

* Extend their knowledge of, and interest in, gardening and related topics.

* Meet and associate with others who have similar interests.

* Share their knowledge and expertise, and offer help and assistance to the public through gardening and horticultural programs.

CMGA may not engage in any activity which is not in furtherance of one or more of the above purposes.

1978First Connecticut Master Gardener class graduated. The classes were held in Wallingford (New Haven County), Bethel (Fairfield County), and West Hartford (Hartford County). Some of the original attendees were Marie Dube, Dorothy Cheo, Roberta Levandowski, Shirley Mitsko, Joan Lehn.

1987The Connecticut Master Gardener Association was established. Forty five people attended the first CMGA meeting which was held in the Haddam Extension Center office. Bob McNeil was elected the first CMGA President. The first CMGA newsletter was published with Jean Chasnow as the editor.

1987   The first National Master Gardener Conference was held in Washington DC with twenty Connecticut Master Gardeners in attendance.

1990CMGA had 197 paid members and a checking/savings account balance of $1,225.

The first CMGA Symposium was held at the West Hartford campus of UConn.

2000A formal program for Advanced Master Gardener certification begins. Informal AMG programs began in the 1980s.

2005  The CMGA 12th Annual Symposium, Gardeners In Print, held on March 19, 2005, was a sell-out success with 400 attendees. At the Open Board Meeting held in November, the following officers were elected to serve one-year terms: Chairman - Paul Grimmeisen; Vice-Chairman.

2006There are now over 780 paying members of CMGA. 200 Master Gardener interns are currently in training at eight Extension Centers around the State.