15 Mar 2026 Growing a legacy
By Judy Riley
Janet Carson’s story began with a love of plants, then a degree in urban horticulture and landscape design from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Her professional career began in 1980 as the very first full-time female county extension agent of agriculture hired by the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service (UACES) for Pulaski County. She became well-known in Central Arkansas with a Saturday morning call-in radio show and was first published statewide in 1985. Her prolific writing did not stop in 2019 when she retired. She has written for the Arkansas Times, Democrat-Gazette and Arkansas Living.
Carson helped pioneer the Master Gardener Program (MG), which began nationally in 1972 in Washington State. Arkansas’s program began as a four-county pilot program in 1988. “We charged each participant $25, which gave them the notebook, a full-day class, once a week for five weeks, and lunch every day at the Arkansas 4-H Center. In addition to Pulaski County, we included Garland, Jefferson and Saline counties,” she said. “The county agents that helped me get the program started were Berni Kurz, Joe Ivy and Tom Leslie.
We drove to Tulsa in 1986 to learn about their MG program and returned to get one going in Arkansas. The program is now offered both in person and online, or some combination, depending on the county. Regardless, all volunteers are required to continue their training and work on volunteer projects.”
Carson is humble about her accomplishments, as are most effective leaders. Her followers tell a different story. “She spent over 30 years building one of the strongest volunteer groups in the state and one of the top 10 Master Programs in the nation. It was her knowledge, compassion, determination, drive and outgoing personality that made the program so successful. Carson is living proof of the MG mission statement: to extend research-based information through demonstrations and educational programs using horticulture best practices to strengthen communities and families,” said Randy Forst, her eventual replacement.
When asked what surprised her the most about working with volunteers, Carson said it is their passion. That is a direct reflection of her passion not only for horticulture, but the volunteers involved.
“As a horticulturalist, her knowledge and experience are limitless. And wherever I travel with her, not just in Arkansas, but other states, she is recognized for her knowledge and common-sense approach to gardening. As a friend, she is steadfast, always available and fun! She is talented at bringing a diverse group of people together over a meal, and we spend hours laughing and telling stories. Carson is truly an Arkansas treasure,” said longtime friend and advocate Carol Mendel.
In addition to the required hours of training, MG volunteers must contribute to horticulture projects in their communities. There are few public meeting spaces across the state, from libraries to courthouses to community parks, that don’t have the mark of Master Gardeners. “Janet is a very ‘hands-on’ leader. She doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks the walk. That is one big reason she has such a following. She jumps in to physically help with our projects,” said Jane Burrow, who is part of the MG advisory group County 76.
To honor Carson at her retirement, County 76 created two statewide scholarships. One is awarded to an outstanding high school senior who plans to major in horticulture at a college or university in Arkansas. The second is awarded to an MG program that exhibits innovation and creativity in a community project.
The future of horticulture and the MG program is bright. “There was increased emphasis in growing things during COVID. We saw more young people wanting to grow edibles, and more volunteers wanting to beautify their public spaces. Gardening continues to be the No. 1 hobby in the U.S.,” said Carson. From those humble beginnings with a handful of people to its current roster of more than 3,000, the Master Gardener program is here to stay. At the heart of it all is Janet Carson, a force that could not be denied. She continues to stay involved as a public speaker and through her writing. Her newest venture is organizing horticulture educational tours in the U.S. and abroad.
