Colorado Master Gardener Mission & Vision
Our Mission
The Colorado State University Colorado Master Gardener Program volunteer network strives to enhance Coloradans’ quality of life by:
- Extending knowledge-based education throughout Colorado communities to foster successful gardeners;
- Helping individuals make informed decisions about plants to protect neighborhood environments.
We are committed to using horticulture to empower gardeners, develop partnerships and build stronger communities.
CSU is an equal-access and equal-opportunity University.
Our Vision
CMG Vision StatementThe Colorado State University, Colorado Master Gardener Program strives to lead educational efforts to nurture Colorado’s natural environment and communities by:
- Collaborating with the green industry, public agencies and nonprofits to provide current research-based information to the public;
- Developing educational programs for local needs such as water issues, alternative pest management and ecosystem characteristics, to encourage environmentally sound horticultural practices;
- Reaching out to new audiences through a variety of technologies;
- Providing lifelong learning opportunities and a variety of meaningful volunteer options for Colorado Master Gardeners, resulting in a committed, active network of horticultural educators who serve communities across the state;
- Cultivating long-term support and securing abundant resources from diverse constituencies for the Colorado Master Gardener Program by showing the differences that this program makes in Coloradans’ quality of life.
Statewide Reports
2020 National Report (Filter for Colorado)
We are committed to using horticulture to empower gardeners, develop partnerships and build stronger communities.”
CMG MISSION
History of the Colorado Master Gardener program
The Master Gardener program was founded in Washington state in 1973 and quickly gained momentum, spreading to other states because of its success. In Colorado, the program took root in 1975, launching in Denver, Boulder, Jefferson, and El Paso counties. Today, the program has grown to over 1,500 Colorado Master Gardener volunteers who serve in 46 counties across the state.
From the rural eastern plains to urban Front Range, from Colorado’s highest mountain communities to the arid southern region and the western slope, CMG volunteers support gardeners across the state. They extend the reach and amplify the impact of Colorado State University Extension’s horticulture programs through their passion for plants and dedicated volunteer service.
Each volunteer begins their journey with rigorous training in core topics such as soils, plant growth and development, managing landscapes, lawns and trees, growing fruit and vegetables, and managing insects, weeds, and plant diseases—all grounded in sustainable, practical, and science-based gardening practices. After completing their training, volunteers give back to their communities in diverse and meaningful ways. They may teach public gardening classes, answer questions from home gardeners, staff booths at farmers’ markets and community events, support youth and community gardening initiatives, maintain research and demonstration gardens, and create educational blogs, videos, and other Colorado specific gardening resources. These efforts all support the mission of the Colorado Master Gardener program: to use horticulture to empower gardeners, develop partnerships, and build stronger communities.
What makes this work truly exceptional is the motivation behind it. CMG volunteers give their time not for compensation, but out of a personal commitment environmental sustainability, gardening success, and resilient communities. With a blend of scientific expertise, community engagement, and decades-long service, the program has fundamentally changed how Coloradans think about their landscapes and gardens. Driven by volunteers whose passion inspires lasting impact, the CMG Program make a difference one garden, one homeowner, and one community at a time.
