25 years and growing

Jo Ann Glenn and Gay Larson

John Green

When they started, they called themselves The Dirty Dozen.

Tarrant County Master Gardener Neil Collins spoke with then Parker County Extension Coordinator Jon Green, and the two began spreading the word among fellow TC Master Gardeners who lived in Parker County about the possibility of starting a local group. 

Eleven others were recruited, and because they would be digging in the dirt a lot, in 2000 they called themselves the Dirty Dozen.

They were Neil Collins, Ann Anderson, Marlene Deaton, Jackie Hoover, Gay Larson, Debra Limbocker, Bill Newart, Alyce Preble, Jo Ann Glenn, Esther Proctor, Jim Saunders and LaDanna Stockstill. Of the original Dirty Dozen, a few have passed away and others have retired from the group after years of planting, but Glenn and Larson are still digging and teaching.

Glenn and Larson joined dozens of Parker County Master Gardeners last month to celebrate 25 years of growth. Glenn estimates there are about 80 Parker County Gardeners, and with 24 current interns in-training, the membership will soon be more  than 100.

"My sister, Ester Proctor, and I got certified in Tarrant County in 1998. Those of us in Parker were certified with Tarrant County until we got our certification and we became Parker County Master Gardeners," Glenn said. "The party was really nice. It was a good celebration. A lot of us were there and the members that put it on did a really nice job."

Parker County Master Gardener public garden projects include Azle Central Park, The National Vietnam War Museum Gardens near Mineral Wells, Chandor Gardens in Weatherford, Town Hall of Annetta, Aledo Community Center, Weatherford Public Library, Parker County Extensions garden in Weatherford, and Willow Park Gardens. The public gardens are also used as hands-on education for Master Gardeners in-training.

Larson was crowned Mother Nature in August 2023 during a laughter-filled pompous coronation ceremony. Her husband, Rolf, was made an honorary PCMG member for his ceaseless labor helping Gay and the Master Gardeners.

The group is part of the Texas Master Gardeners, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and have won several state-wide awards over the years.

State Coordinator Jayla Fry extended her congratulations to the Parker group in a letter.

"With over 25 years of dedication to the program, the Parker County Master Gardeners have left a profound mark on the community," Fry said. "By freely sharing their expertise, time, and resources, they have fostered a culture of environmental respect and responsibility."