18 Jul 2026 Where good things grow

Posted at 8:06 PMh in Features by

By Carol Rolf

As Master Gardeners gathered for the 2026 Arkansas state conference in June, “Gardening for Good” was highlighted. Faulkner County hosted the event June 2-4 at the Conway Expo and Event Center, along with tours of public and private gardens.

Robin Trent, Faulkner County Master Gardener, said she “could hardly believe it” when she was named 2025 Arkansas Master Gardener of the Year. Left to right: Mary Savin, horticulture department chair for the Agricultural Experiment Station; Robin Trent; and Randy Forst, extension consumer horticulture educator and Master Gardener coordinator for the Division of Agriculture. (Photo by Jimmy Fielder, Faulkner County Master Gardener.)

“Our focus on planning the conference was to show gardening is good … good for individuals, the community and the environment,” said Krista Quinn, Faulkner County extension agent for horticulture with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture which sponsors the Faulkner County Master Gardeners (FCMG). Quinn is their local advisor. “A lot of the educational sessions were related to these topics as well.”

The Ouida Garden. Arkansas Master Gardeners welcomed the shade-garden tour at Ouida Wright’s home in Conway. Lush oakleaf hydrangeas, ferns, coleus and tropicals line the winding paths around her two-story, Southern-style home. Photos by Makenzie Evans

The hosts were brimming with expectations and working to pull every weed and fertilize every bloom, despite unpredictable rain showers in the days leading up to the conference. It was last held in Faulkner County more than two decades ago. FCMG registered 499 people. “Our goal was 500,” Quinn said, laughing. “I think we exceeded that number on June 2, which was our awards night, when many Master Gardeners (MG) brought guests.

“The conference moves around the state and we were asked to host,” Quinn said. “We’ve worked on this for about two years, and 121 members volunteered their time. This is a way to give back to the state Extension Service,” Quinn said. “Master Gardeners enjoy getting together. We learn from each other. It’s fun to feature Faulkner County and see the many garden tours and feature our projects.”

Quinn said the local group did not sponsor its annual plant sale this year to plan for the state conference. Funds from the plant sale are normally used for scholarships. “The plant sale is always our biggest fundraiser,” she said. “So we had to look for ways to fund the conference. We had many sponsors and attendees did pay a registration fee and secured their own lodging.”

“I am so impressed with our Master Gardeners,” Quinn said. “They really put their time and energy in making this an amazing event.” 

She refers to the local Master Gardeners as “horticultural-trained volunteers.” “Master Gardeners extend research-based information through demonstration and educational programs using horticulture best practices, strengthening communities and families throughout Arkansas,” Quinn said. 

Legacy Gardens. This sun-loving garden is open year-round to visitors and is located near Antioch Church in Conway. The tour groups viewed daylilies, roses, coneflowers and other pollinator plants that butterflies and bees adore.

Last year, FCMG contributed 9,967 community service hours and 8,693 continuing education hours, according to Quinn. The value of this community service, provided by 246 Master Gardeners, amounted to $694,652. They worked on several community landscaping projects, including the Faulkner County Courthouse and Museum, five public libraries and the Cooperative Extension Office. 

They also sponsor two demonstration gardens in Conway, including Legacy Gardens at 110 Amity Road and the library’s vegetable garden at the Conway branch. Additionally, they sponsored four outreach projects, including youth education, community outreach, the Faulkner County Fair and Faulkner County Master Gardener training.

Quinn said the first FCMG class completed training in October 1996, which means 2026 is the 30th anniversary of the local program. The state program was started in 1988 by Janet B. Carson of Little Rock, emeritus horticulture specialist, University of Arkansas. It began in four counties — Garland, Jefferson, Pulaski and Saline — with 40 members. It is now in 65 counties with more than 3,400 volunteers.

Carson was among the first Master Gardeners to attend one of the garden tours on June 3 at the Conway home of Dee Dee Allen. “It’s nice to be a tourist,” she said, smiling. “Faulkner County is doing an amazing job as host of the state conference. This garden is lovely.”

Sara Jordan and Cindy Strauss, both of Little Rock and past presidents of the Pulaski County Master Gardeners organization, were found at the cottage-style home of Ouida Wright, Faulkner County Master Gardener of the Year in 2009. “Faulkner County has done a fabulous job with the conference,” Jordan said. “Everything is just beautiful and the people are so friendly.”

Strauss said they started the morning garden tour at Hendrix Village and then crossed Harkrider Street to the Wright home. “I’ve been coming to these tours for 10 years,” she said, looking at Wright’s shade garden. “This has to be among the most favorite gardens I’ve seen.” 

The Shockley Garden. Master Gardeners discovered surprises around each bend of Carol Shockley’s sun garden in Conway. She has nestled birdbaths, statues and bird feeders among roses, lilies, poppies, foxgloves,
coneflowers and more.

Robin Trent serves as president of the FCMG. “It’s been an honor to host the state conference,” she said. “Faulkner County has pulled out all the stops in anticipation of this event. We had top-notch speakers,” she said. “We had wonderful vendors and many garden tours, which were optional for the attendees. They had to pay extra for the tours. We had a bus that held 50 people and took them to the various gardens. There were morning and afternoon tours.”

Faulkner County Master Gardeners receiving both local and state recognition were Robin Trent, who was named 2025 Faulkner County Master Gardener of the Year as well as the Arkansas Master Gardener of the Year; Krista Quinn, 2025 Faulkner County Extension Agent of the Year as well as Arkansas Extension Agent of the Year; and the Urban Farm Project, under the direction of Shawn Standley, which was named 2025 Business Friend of Faulkner County Master Gardeners as well as Arkansas Business Friend of the Year.

Other award-winners from the 501 are Sheila McLarty of Hot Springs (Garland County), Mimi Cox Mentor of the Year; Ric Bentz of Hot Springs, Individual Friend of Master Gardeners; and Gardening with Master Gardeners in Pulaski County, Christy Bolling, chair, and Joellen Beard, assistant chair, Excellence in Education. Additionally, Serinity Simmons of Judsonia (White County) received a $2,000 Janet B. Carson High School Senior Scholarship; Simmons will be an agricultural education major at Arkansas State University at Beebe. And the Park Magnet Elementary School in Garland County was named a County Sanctioned Project recipient by the County 76 advisory group for Arkansas Master Gardeners.

Despite the loss of possible scholarship funds from the plant sale, FCMG awarded five $2,000 scholarships for the 2026-27 school year. They include Haley Carter of Greenbrier, a junior agriculture education major at Southern Arkansas University (SAU); Anna Whitley of Greenbrier, a third-year student pursuing a degree in landscape architecture at the University of Arkansas; Haden Richardson of Mayflower, a junior majoring in agricultural education and communications at the U of A; Luke DeSalvo of Morrilton, who will major in agriculture business at SAU this fall; and Abby Ralston of Enola, who will attend Arkansas State University at Beebe in the fall semester and then transfer to A-State in Jonesboro to finish a degree in agricultural education.