Our Achievements
Digging Deep, Blooming Bright: Celebrating Our Successes!
DCMGA is proud to serve our community with a vision to grow a healthier, greener Denton County. Our mission is to educate and inspire residents through research-based horticulture, promoting eco-friendly gardens and enduring landscapes that enrich our communities. We’re excited to share some of our members’ remarkable achievements in pursuing this vision and mission!
DCMGA's Volunteer Impact
In 2025, the Denton County Master Gardener Association (DCMGA) made a remarkable impact, contributing 44,975 volunteer hours! Their efforts were part of a larger contribution by Denton County AgriLife Extension Service volunteers, who gave an incredible 103,086 hours valued at $3,586,362. DCMGA’s dedication accounted for 43.6% of those hours, equating to $1,563,331in value to the community! The volunteers’ hard work and commitment were even recognized by the Denton County Commissioners Court, highlighting their vital role in making Denton County greener, more knowledgeable, and more connected.
Growing Excellence: DCMGA Blooms with Three Wins!
We’re thrilled to share that DCMGA won top awards for all three of our entries in the Texas Master Gardener Association’s “Search for Excellence” awards for accomplishments in 2025! Competing in the 200+ member “Live Oak” category, our amazing volunteers stood out. We received 1st place for: the “Workshop-Presentation” award for our work at Josey Ranch Pocket Prairie (Carrollton), 1st place for the “Teaching Site” award our outstanding efforts with Friends of Shiloh (Shiloh Field Community Garden, Denton), and for the eighth time in our history, DCMGA won 1st place as the “Outstanding Association” for our dedication to a greener Denton County, with the final tally for 2025 volunteer service hours totaling 48,559. Amazing! An extra special thanks to the DCMGA Awards Committee and our supportive community. Together, we’re making Denton County more vibrant and sustainable. Let’s keep growing and educating for a brighter future!
The president of the Texas Master Gardener Association, Susan Blakey, presented the award plaques including for Outstanding Association.
Our Friends of Shiloh project won for their year-round work feeding individuals and families in need by growing 4,760 lbs. of fruit and vegetables and 4,001 dozen eggs at Shiloh Field Community Garden, Denton.
Josey Ranch Pocket Prairie, Carrollton, shows off the hard work of DCMGA members to make this an inspirational showcase accessible to everyone.
Celebrating Our 2026 Horticultural Scholarship Recipients
The Denton County Master Gardener Association is pleased to annually award Academic Horticultural Scholarships to deserving students in Denton County. Our goal is to support the development of future leaders in horticulture and environmental stewardship.
The 2026 scholarship program focuses on Denton County high school students attending districts with horticulture programs. DCMGA is partnering with the independent public school foundations of Denton, Northwest, and Lewisville to award three $1,000 scholarships.
This year’s scholarship recipients are Zariana Santos of Denton High School, Caitlynn Shadden of Northwest High School, and Kadence Hansen of Marcus High School.
We congratulate these outstanding students and wish them every success as they begin their college experience!
Unveiling Beauty, Learning, and Community at Our 2026 Garden Tour!
What an incredible day we had on Saturday, May 9, at our annual Garden Tour based in Carrollton. Mother Nature blessed us with perfect weather after high winds and heavy rain bracketed the day! Three stunning Master Gardeners’ home gardens and two public gardens – The Grove and Josey Ranch Pocket Prairie – were explored by 1,604 visitors. We were very pleased that 74 of those visits were by children who benefit in a myriad of ways by being introduced to gardening and Nature. This year our Education Fair at the public gardens featured live demonstrations from viticulture experts, beekeepers, and tree experts as well as hands-on activities for kids, educational booths, and so much more! A huge thank you to the homeowners for opening your gardens to the community. And let’s not forget the Garden Tour Team and all the dedicated DCMGA volunteers who made this event possible. One hundred and twenty-five volunteers on Tour Day ensured every visitor had an incredible experience. Our members dedicated almost 4,500 hours over several months preparing these inspiring educational experiences. Thank you to our visitors and members for making this event unforgettable! See you next year!
Master Gardener members were on hand at each location, ready to answer questions and inspire our visitors with their expertise and passion.
The Sage & Serenity garden exemplified the principles of Earth-Kind® landscaping design within an English style retreat. Visitors also learned about drainage solutions, pollinator plants, and how Square-Foot Gardening allows big harvests in small raised beds.
Visitors to the Rooted Together garden learned about Texas Superstar® plants, proven to stand up to the extremes of our Texas climate. Also featured were thoughtful tree care and the delights of touch and fragrance in the owner's sensory garden.
Rhapsody in Green's visitors experienced a soothing shade garden, plus beautiful roses and tips on composting, all with insights into the owners' musical passion showcased with garden art and a tuba fountain!
Josey Ranch Pocket Prairie's beautiful display of native plantings was a peaceful oasis in this urban setting and also had a beekeeper showing off the hard working honey bees that inhabit the gardens and many properties around the metroplex.
The Grove at the Sandy Jacobs Government Center highlighted the variety of fruits that can be grown in North Texas with viticulture and tree experts to educate and inspire.
The 2026 Plant Sale: Records broken again!!
Excitement was in the air as customers poured in to select from over 10,000 plants!
Succulents have grown in popularity so much that we've expanded from 3 to 10 tables full of interesting plants in a huge variety of containers.
The day before the sale, our dedicated members unloaded, sorted, and placed over 8,000 plants - a remarkable team effort!
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