Her husband had recently died, and her
together—that’s the most rewarding part
retirement from Calhoun City Middle
of being a Master Gardener.”
School was right around the corner. But
As a former teacher who worked with
Betty H. Holland had already decided she
students for more than three decades,
had to stay busy.
Holland understands how to reach
“I had a vision of starting something that would help people, especially the older people in my church,” she says.
different people, no matter what their age or background. “Being a teacher for all those years—it
“I really like flowers, so I thought, let’s
helps me to relate to people. I just know
plant flowers. Then, my friend Donna
how to feel out the different personalities
Cole, also a widow—the wife of former
when people have questions about
Calhoun City Mayor Tom Cole—told me
flowers,” she says. “I can come up with
about the Mississippi Master Gardeners.”
different ways to teach different people
The program, overseen by the Mississippi State University Extension
the same information.” Even Holland’s Extension contact for
Service since 1991, trains community
the Master Gardener program, Stephanie
volunteers to answer questions and help
Hitt, was in one of Holland’s middle-
with common gardening and horticultural
school classes.
challenges. Master Gardeners spend at
“Stephanie was my student, and she
least 20 hours annually sharing their
was a good student,” Holland says. “We
expertise with other members of their
get along quite well, and she does a great
communities.
job sharing Extension’s programs.”
Holland attended trainings offered by
Even a cancer diagnosis 2 years ago
Extension’s horticultural experts, and,
could not stop Holland from continuing
since she completed her certification
to participate as a Master Gardener
in 2005, Holland has continued
volunteer. In fact, Holland relied on her
volunteering as a community resource to
participation in the program as part of
Calhoun County friends and neighbors
her therapy, and, with her cancer now in
with gardening questions or concerns.
remission, she’s continuing to find ways
“When I first started, I went to the older people in the church, and I bought them plants and planted them in their yards,” she explains. “And they actually grew! “One lady I planted flowers for said
to assist community members with their gardening questions. “Master Gardeners helps keep me going; it helps me to relax. My whole body and soul relaxes when I’m with
she would sit on the porch and enjoy
flowers. And I look forward to the
them most every day. That made me
trainings—we meet once a month—and
happy,” Holland remembers. “Meeting
the experts who come in,” Holland says.
and greeting and sharing—sharing
“There’s always something new to learn,
ideas, sharing plants, just sharing time
and you can never learn too much.”
Extension M A T T E R S 17