Zone 4 Guelph/Kitchener and area        

ZONE 4   located in Southern Ontaro and includes the Master Gardener groups; Cambridge, Guelph and Wellington County, Huron, Kitchener, Oxford and Stratford

Our group was started in 1987.  Maryanne Weiler spent a year with Stratford MG's and then brought the program to the Kitchener Hort. Soc.  We are still associated with Kitchener Hort. Kitchener. The geographical area is Waterloo Region. 

We have a hot line and web page.  In the spring we are at nurseries if requested.  We have speakers available and have organized gardening courses/seminars.

Website address is kitchenermg.mgoi.ca

Hotline telephone number- 519-745-4669 

Contact: Mary Ann Gilhuly  519 746-8456

Huron Master Gardeners 

Huron County is directly north of London and next to Lake Huron .  It is 1,316 sq mi with a population in 1996 of 59,701. Our group was born in 1996; ironically the year OMAFRA would no longer fund any Master Gardeners program.  We began as `Tri-County MG’ or Bruce, (north & south,) Grey and Huron. In 1999 because of distance we split and became HMG. Shortly thereafter we joined Zone 4.

What distinguishes our group is the ability to tailor our philosophy to an agricultural perspective:  except for a few scattered industries Huron County is farmland.  Whenever possible we include other family members in our projects.  Our summer, July meeting is to a spot of horticultural interest to which members invite friends or family who are interested. Our members are dedicated, fun loving gardeners who want The Sun Coast and farmland to the east to remain a happy, healthy area.

Contact information: 

Coordinator: Deena Rodney   1-519-527-0234      

Oxford County Master Gardeners

Mary Yeoman of Burgessville first spearheaded a committee for the formation of an Oxford County Master Gardener group in 1991 and it was approved in November of that year. We currently have 10 members from Woodstock ,Tillsonburg, Otterville and Burgessville, thus representing the whole county.

Our Master gardeners work closely with the Horticultural Societies in the county having a table and Q&A periods at meetings.

Our biggest and long running event is the Outdoor Farm Show where we maintain a permanent site.

Coordinator   Rose Roi (519)539-1061  

Guelph and Wellington County Master Gardeners

Guelph and Wellington County Master Gardeners were established in 1996. Two members of the Kitchener group, Mary Beverley-Burton and Maria Hilts, preferred a setting closer to home and were met with overwhelming support for a new group, based in Guelph and serving Wellington County . Now, more than 10 years after inception, the group boasts 35 members, including 8 original members.

We have strong ties to the Guelph Turfgrass Institute - from there, our hotline is generated and monthly meetings and special events are held.  The University of Guelph and the Arboretum provide excellent educational resources, especially for research and speakers at our monthly meetings.

Our community connection, in Guelph and the surrounding county, is strong. We donate scholarships to a local high school and to the University.  We provide monthly articles to the Puslinch Pioneer newspaper and garden advice at the Guelph Farmers’ Market, the Harriston June Festival and the Wellington County Museum Herb Fair.   Locals mark their calendars in anticipation of our February seminar “Day in the Garden’ and our May plant sale.  Always open to new members.

Contact us via our website: http://www.gwmastergardeners.mgoi.ca/

Our hotline :519-824-4120 x 56714           Our helpline:  mgguelph@hotmail.com

Coordinator Susan Mason

Stratford Master Gardeners

Stratford Master Gardener group was started in 1986 with the help of OMAFRA and Stratford Horticultural Society. We cover Perth County , which is one of the largest and most prosperous agricultural areas in Canada with farm gate sales of over $500 million yearly including, dairy hog, cash crop, vegetable and a small greenhouse industry.

As of July 2007, the group has 18 Master Gardeners and one MGIT. Members come from Listowel, St. Marys, Tavistock, Stratford , Sebringville, Shakespeare and Atwood.

At each monthly meeting, one of the MGs gives a short talk on a horticulture subject of interest to them and then answers questions.

As well as sharing in writing a bi-weekly gardening column for a local newspaper, members give talks to local meetings on many topics. A small fee charged to cover administration costs plus traveling expenses.

One of our busiest times is each March when we give advice at our booth at the annual four-day Stratford Garden Festival. We also sell garden coir as a fundraiser for our education fund. Each year we staff an advice booth at the St. Marys Garden Show, as well as answer questions at each stop in annual Garden Tour hosted by the Stratford & District Horticultural Society. Recently we had a large display in the education booth when the International Plowing Match was in Perth County .

Coordinators:  Jim Fitzgerald  (519) 273-5974  

                        Eric Hewison 519-291-2519

Cambridge Master Gardeners

Our group was started in 2004, by Lorraine Bridgman, Donna Slater and Liz Stacey, members of the Galt Horticultural Society.  We are fortunate to be located in a rich geographic area with our temperatures moderated by the Grand River and in close proximity to stands of Carolinian Forest.  We are close to University of Guelph and the Royal Botanical Gardens.  We teach sessions at Conestoga College and speak for interested groups.  We have a perennial plant sale in June.  We are always happy to welcome new members who wish to learn more about horticulture and the environment.