Arkansas Master Gardeners of the Year announced at 2025 state conference
By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture
June 20, 2025
Fast Facts:
- Angelia Hudson, Joanne York named 2024 Master Gardeners of the Year
- 2025 state conference held June 5-7 at Harding University
- Projects of the Year include Master Gardener newspaper column, restoration of Hawkins House flower garden in Rogers
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(‘Angelia’ is c.q.)
SEARCY, Ark. — Angelia Hudson and Joanne York were recently named the 2024 Arkansas Master Gardeners of the Year in honor of their contributions to the volunteer organization, which trains members to lead horticulture education and beautification projects throughout the state.
The Arkansas Master Gardeners held their annual state conference June 5-7 at Harding University in Searcy, hosted by the White County Master Gardeners. The conference included tours of local members’ gardens, community gardens and commercial flower and berry farms. Members also attended educational seminars on floral design, sustainable landscape principles, seed saving techniques and more.
“Arkansas Master Gardeners are making huge impacts on their communities all over the state, and we are so proud of what our award recipients have achieved this year,” said Randy Forst, extension consumer horticulture educator and Master Gardener coordinator for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “It is a joy to recognize and celebrate their work.”
The organization’s awards were divided into program size, with smaller programs having 50 or fewer members and large programs having 51 or more.
2024 Arkansas Master Gardener Award Winners
Rookie of the Year
- Small program: Samantha Hendricks, Madison County
- Large program: Jann Gibson, Garland County
Mimi Cox Mentor of the Year
- Small program: Kathy Davenport, Crittenden County
- Large program: John Sparks, Benton County
Extension Agent of the Year
- Small program: Tyler Caston, Stone County
- Large program: Brandon Yarbery, Pope County
Individual Friend of the Master Gardeners
- Small program: Jack Woods, Madison County
- Large program: Brian Fisher, Garland County
Business/Organization Friend of the Master Gardeners
- Small program: Cabot Public Library and Friends of the Library, Lonoke County
- Large program: Washington County Historical Society – Headquarters House Gardens, Washington County
Newsletter of the Year
- Small program: “Green Garden News,” Greene County
- Large program: “Crystal Reflections,” Garland County
Excellence in Education
- Small program: Cabot Public Library, Lonoke County
- Large program: Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks – Butterfly House, Washington County
Project of the Year
- Small program: Bi-monthly newspaper column, Madison County
- Large program: Hawkins House Memorial Garden, Benton County
Master Gardener of the Year
- Small program: Angelia Hudson, Lonoke County
- Large program: Joanne York, Benton County
Providing mentorship, resourcefulness
For small programs, Angelia Hudson of Lonoke County was recognized as Master Gardener of the Year for her “deep and meaningful” contributions, according to her nominators. Hudson completed her Master Gardener training in 1995, making her a lifetime-plus member.
“Angelia sought to become a Master Gardener after moving to a new community and was seeking an opportunity to give back while learning new things,” her nominators wrote. “Angelia has held every office as a Master Gardener, chaired many projects and serves as a mentor.”
In 2024, Hudson served as chair of the Recognition Committee and as chair of the Bylaws Committee. She currently serves as the county’s vice president.
“Seeing a need for improving retention, Angelia planned a spring tour of gardens in Lonoke County for the members,” her nominators wrote. “She hosted members at her home garden and encouraged two other members to open their gardens as well.”
While working full-time as a nurse at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Hudson logged 117.5 volunteer hours and 55 education hours in 2024.
Joanne York of Benton County, Master Gardener of the Year for large programs, completed her Master Gardener training in 2012. A former teacher, York’s goal was to “educate the public about gardening,” according to her nominators. York has been project lead for the Mentoring Committee and has served as a mentor for 10 members.
“Joanne is everywhere promoting the successes of the organization,” her nominators wrote. “She can be found on the Good Morning NWA show and the Rockwell Farms Nursery YouTube channel. Joanne gets her hands dirty on numerous projects, including plant sales, school and library education projects, county fair booths, the food donation garden, and floral bouquets for assisted living residents.”
In 2023, while serving as vice president, York took over the president position when the then-current president stepped down. She served as president in 2024 and continues in 2025. In the last two years, York has logged more than 400 volunteer hours and 125 learning hours.
“Joanne is resourceful,” her nominators wrote. “She has gathered donations for her local Master Gardener program and the state convention. She has even been known to dumpster dive — always on the lookout for resources that can be used for the group.”
Community education, beautification
Both 2024 Projects of the Year focused on improving Master Gardeners’ communities.
In Madison County, seven members contributed more than 130 hours in 2024 to research and write 70 editions of “Ask a Master,” a bi-monthly newspaper column in the Madison County Record. The Record is the only newspaper in the county, with more than 7,000 print and online subscribers. Since Madison County members initiated the column in 2021, Master Gardener membership has increased by 50 percent.
In each article, members provided relevant, current gardening information and answered frequently asked questions. Members based each column on seasonal gardening needs, local interests and specific conditions of the county. According to the county’s nominators, the column evolved to also inform the public about Master Gardener community projects and outreach activities, including the organization’s partnerships with the Watson Primary School Garden and the Huntsville Public Library.
“This is an interesting and very creative project that really requires a lot of organization, dependability and hard work,” the judging panel wrote of the project. “It’s always particularly good when you can feature kids involved in horticulture because it motivates them to continue growing plants.”
In Benton County, Master Gardeners partnered with the Rogers Historical Museum and the City of Rogers Park Department to restore the neglected garden at the Hawkins House, a historic home built in 1895. Members researched historic plants to create the Vera Key Memorial Garden, a period-appropriate Victorian flower garden.
Work began in 2023, and in 2024, the museum partnered with mosaic mural artist and Benton County Master Gardener, Stevie Stevens, to design and install a mural for the garden. Members plan to install rock pathways and a water feature in the garden in 2025.
“The new garden is a place of solace and education for daily visitors,” the project’s nominators wrote. “Brides, new graduates, and others sharing life celebrations come to the garden for photographs. Residents, workers and high school students often come just to sit and eat lunch. The Hawkins House project started because two Benton County Master Gardeners noticed a neglected garden, had a vision, and took the initiative to make it happen.”
To learn more about the Master Gardeners, visit the Arkansas Master Gardener Program webpage or contact your local county extension office for information about the next available training.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
Rebekah Hall
rkhall@uada.edu
@RKHall_
501-671-2061