Master Gardeners Love Digging in the Dirt

Karin Peacock Wendy Johnson Kathy Kubitz

L-R: President Terri Ellis and Master Gardeners Wendy Johnson, Kathy Kubitz and Carley Borcherding

Three Master Gardeners, Karin Peacock, Wendy Johnson, and Kathy Kubitz spoke to our Club on Friday, May 8, 2026. A Master Gardener is a volunteer who has become certified by the Master Gardener program.  They explained that they may not have all the answers but they know where to look or who to ask.  They present only research-based information not your “grandma’s methods” on a variety of horticultural topics in their communities.

Karin Peacock talked about the classes that must be completed to become a Master Gardener and the annual 24 volunteer hours and 10 hours of continuing education necessary to maintain your certification. In 2025, there were 2,668 Master Gardeners in the state of Wisconsin, who volunteered 104,900 hours, and completed 27,100 hours of continuing education.  Gardening has many positive impacts on our lives; it gets us outdoors, helps lower blood pressure, lowers hypertension, relieves stress, and strengthens muscles. Karin also shared some humorous stories of knowledge learned by making gardening mistakes.

Wendy Johnson, a Master Gardener since 2011, takes care of the beautiful flowers that we all enjoy outside the Mining and Rollo Jamison Museum here in Platteville, as well as the prairie planting along Virgin Avenue.  She shared that she is assisted by many volunteers including her biggest volunteer – her husband.  Wendy is also in charge of the Grant County Master Gardener Association’s annual plant sale held on the Saturday before Mother’s Day each year. Proceeds go toward UW-Platteville Horticulture and Master Gardener Scholarships.

Kathy Kubitz, a Master Gardener since 2009, volunteers at Katie’s Garden.  She has been working with the fairy gardens for 13 years.  She began with one fairy garden plot and now maintains three plots. Kathy grows her plants from seeds, starting as early as January each year. She likes to research and find unusual plants.  One of her latest additions is dark maroon foliage plant that produces cotton.  Kathy is able to harvest cotton seeds for the next year’s planting.  Check it out at the front edge of the fairy garden.

Thank you, Karin, Wendy, and Kathy for sharing your passion for gardening with our Club.  We appreciate all you do to educate people and for all your hard work making our community a place of beauty for all of us to enjoy.