WSU Extension Master Gardener Advanced Education Conference at a glance

The WSU Extension Master Gardener Advanced Education Conference attracts Extension Master Gardeners and gardening enthusiasts from 39 counties and one tribal location across the State of Washington and beyond, providing them with an opportunity to enhance their educational and gardening skills.
This conference offers continuing education credits for WSU Extension Master Gardeners through plenary sessions and advanced education classes. Notably, the event is open to the public. The virtual conference is scheduled to take place on September 26-27, 2025.
Anticipated attendees include approximately 500-550 WSU Extension Master Gardeners and gardening enthusiasts seeking education in research-based horticultural and environmental stewardship practices.
About Extension Master Gardeners
The Master Gardener Program is a Washington State University Extension Program within the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS). Founded in 1973 by WSU Extension agents from King and Pierce Counties, the Master Gardener concept has been replicated across the United States and Internationally. Today, there are 100,000 certified Extension Master Gardeners.
From the outset our mission has been to engage university-trained volunteers to empower and sustain diverse communities with relevant, unbiased, research-based horticulture and environmental stewardship education. Through our efforts, we teach best practices for creating sustainable landscapes to enhance and protect natural resources and to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities.
As a land-grant university, Washington State University has responsibilities to teach, research, and extend knowledge to all people. The Extension Master Gardener Program, launched in 1973 by WSU, is one way that land-grant universities fulfill those purposes.


Partners to Further the
Mission
In collaboration with the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program and
the commitment of WSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers, the
Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State organizes an annual
Advanced Education Conference. This conference is a key initiative
aimed at advancing the training of volunteers, keeping them updated
on cutting-edge horticultural science.
Our commitment to hosting this educational event is driven by the goal
of providing communities with Extension Master Gardeners who can
offer innovative, unbiased, and scientifically supported advice. By doing
so, we ensure that individuals reaching out to their local Extension
Master Gardeners receive the highest quality guidance and expertise.
2025 Keynote Speaker
We are pleased to announce our 2025 keynote speaker, Larry Weaner! Larry Weaner – LWLA (Larry Weaner Landscape Associates)
Larry Weaner is the principal and founder of Larry Weaner Landscape Design. He traces his success to a lifetime of observing nature. As a child, he observed the wild vegetation along the railroad tracks behind his childhood Philadelphia home. His observations over the ensuing 40 years inform an array of influential projects, from small residential properties to major public spaces.
Larry founded LWLA in 1982 after receiving his associate’s degree in Ornamental horticulture from the Pennsylvania College of Technology and has gone on to design prestigious public and private landscapes. He served on the Board of Directors and as the
Environmental Committee Chair for the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. Larry’s New Directions in the American Landscape educational series, established in 1990, is credited as the town square for ecology-based landscape design.
Larry’s book, Garden Revolution: How Our Landscapes Can Be a Source of Environmental Change (Timber Press, 2016), is a literary reflection on his life’s work and foundational ecological principles. It received the American Horticultural Society Book Award in 2017.
Larry has been recognized with numerous awards throughout his career, from an Honorary
Membership in the Garden Club of America (2015) to the American Horticulture Society’s prestigious Landscape Design Award (2021).
When he’s not engaged in garden design, you may find him composing music. A self-taught composer, Larry’s contemporary and jazz compositions often mirror his landscapes, incorporating elements of improvisation, innovation, and emotional connection.

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