SEQUIM — Five Clallam County Master Gardeners have been recognized with lifetime achievement awards.
The Golden Trowel Award was presented last week to Irma and Tom Colvin, Judy English, Janet Oja and Sally Tysver, who have contributed more than a combined 7,100 hours to gardening education and community service.
A stone with each of their names will be placed in their honor at the Master Gardener’s Woodcock Demonstration Garden at 2711 Woodcock Road.
“We want these members, who have given countless hours of hard work and dedication, to remain as lifetime members, as we all benefit by their expertise and knowledge,” Marilynn Elliot, co-chairwoman of the Golden Trowel event.
Irma Colvin, who completed Master Gardener training in 2004, has co-chaired the Petals and Pathways Home Garden Tour and managed the color garden at the Master Gardener’s Woodcock Demonstration Garden.
Tom Colvin, a Master Gardener since 2005, has managed the small fruits and berries section at the Woodcock Demonstration Garden.
The Colvins have served on the Master Gardeners of Clallam County Foundation board and worked on the foundation’s garden tours, plant sales and bylaws and policies committees.
Their garden was featured on the 2013 Petals and Pathways Home Garden Tour.
English, a Master Gardener since 2005, is a speaker, writer and educator on a variety of gardening topics, but she has developed a particular expertise in growing tomatoes on the Olympic Peninsula.
English is lead editor for the “Get It Growing” column in the Sequim Gazette. She appears monthly on “Garden Talk” a live gardening show on KONP radio.
Oja was named the Master Gardener Intern of the Year in 2005. She manages the grass garden at the Woodcock Demonstration Garden and has written articles and given presentations on ornamental grasses.
She co-authored garden calendar articles for gardening columns in local newspapers for four years.
She organized the first “Class Act at Woodcock Garden” educational series and helped implement the Growing Healthy project, which teaches people to grow and use fresh vegetables to prevent or manage diabetes.
She served two years on the foundation board and chaired the foundation’s fall plant sale.
Tysver started her volunteer work with Master Gardeners in Kitsap County in 1991.
She managed two large herb beds in Kitsap County and has continued to contribute her time and expertise to the herb gardens in the Woodcock Demonstration garden since moving to Sequim in 2009.
Tysver has given presentations on medicinal herbs to youth and adult age groups. She is a member of the Master Gardener’s Youth Enrichment Program team that teaches second-grade students about plants and growing.
The Golden Trowel Award recognizes Clallam County Master Gardeners who have contributed more than 750 hours over five years or more for service in promoting education and environmental stewardship through plant clinics, continuing education, youth outreach and demonstration gardens.
