This year, the Island County Master Gardeners will be hosting their annual Whidbey Gardening Workshop on Saturday, March 10 at Oak Harbor High School.

This workshop is open to the public and there will be over 30 classes offered for new and seasoned gardeners of Whidbey Island. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet local gardeners and learn more about gardening on Whidbey.

Master Gardeners is a national program of trained volunteers who work with their county extension office to share gardening information with our community. Island County has over 80 Master Gardeners volunteering through the WSU Extension. In addition to hosting this workshop they maintain a public display garden at Greenbank Farm and the Children’s Garden at Navy Youth Center, host plant clinics around the island and have a class of 23 interns training this winter.

The classes at this year’s workshop include “Gardening 101,” “Not Tonight Deer,” “Pruning throughout the Year” and much more. The classes are taught by seasoned gardeners from around Whidbey Island and include botanists and nutritionists. There will also be gardening vendors and educational displays.

A highlight will be a keynote lecture by Lorene Edwards Forkner, a renowned gardener and author from Seattle. Forkner has written many books and will discuss her newest book, “Handmade Garden Projects,” with workshop attendees. Forkner will be sharing insights into gardening design and how to personalize your garden.

The workshop is open to the public and the cost is $35. There are scholarships available for full-time students. Online registration is in progress at http://

islandcountymastergarden ers.com/wgw_2012. Or, call  678-7837 to request a registration packet by mail.