About

Who Are We?

The Haliburton County Master Gardeners (MGs) are a group of community volunteers who, combined have a wide breadth of experience. Master Gardeners formally study horticulture and receive certification. Haliburton MGs continue to upgrade their knowledge with a specific focus on understanding the challenging growing conditions of this part of the Canadian Shield, that close to 100,000 of us call home or cottage. We are expected to keep abreast of the latest in horticultural science. You will find information specific to northern growers on our site that you won’t find on any other gardening site.

What Do We Do?

Our programs can vary from year to year as we respond to the needs of our community and advances in horticultural science. Please peruse the event calendar to see what programs might interest you and be sure to check out the resources section for information specific to northern gardeners living in the highlands. Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned gardener, we’ll have something for you.
Look for our monthly column in the County Life, a local weekly paper and listen to our Gardening Tips on Canoe Radio.

With over 600 lakes in the County of Haliburton and many more in neighbouring regions it’s no surprise that waterfront property owners find our resources on native plants, shrubs and trees particularly helpful in naturalizing their shorelines and properties.

Many more gardeners are discovering the benefits of an edible landscape incorporating vegetable and fruiting plants among their native and non-native ornamentals. There are resources on gardening for food and DIY information on How to Prune.

History and Organization

The Haliburton group is part of a charitable organization with over 29 groups across the province. Interestingly, Master Gardeners of Ontario was originally created by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and OMAFRA to address the specific needs of home gardeners.