Kim Baxter: A lifelong gardener and Whidbey Island based Master Gardener since 2021, focusing on home vegetable gardening with an emphasis on drought tolerant adaptations.

Lisa Phillips:

London-born botanist and gardener Dr. Ross Bayton gained his PhD at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, studying the classification of tropical palms. He’s the author of several books on horticulture including New Trees: Introductions to Cultivation (with John Grimshaw), Plant Families: A Guide for Gardeners and Botanists (with Simon Maugham), and most recently The Gardener’s Botanical: An Encyclopedia of Latin Plant Names, as featured in the New York Times. Formerly the Gardening Editor of the UK’s best-selling gardening periodical, BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, he is now the Director of the world-renowned Heronswood Garden in Kingston, Wa., and is developing a 5-acre garden at home in nearby Bremerton.

Debby Purser is a Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribal member. She began volunteering at Heronswood in 2016, soon progressing to a permanent role as gardener and volunteer coordinator. In 2022, she originated the S’Klallam Connections Garden, designing and planting together with Heronswood’s other tribal staff, and now manages that garden. Her primary interest is in connecting tribal members with the garden, so we can promote and expand tribal knowledge of plants and how to use them sustainably throughout her community.

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Shannon Bly is the Executive Director for Whidbey Island Grown Cooperative, a member-owned local food system amplifier that includes a Food Hub, place-based marketing brand, and rentable storage facilities. She is a member of the Agriculture Resource Committee of Island County, and co-founder of the Washington Food Hub Network. She has a degree in Natural Resource Economics, and has worked in many areas of the local food system including building school gardens, working at farmer’s markets and on small farms, growing her own market garden and CSA, working at Skagit Farmer’s Supply, and providing outreach for Whidbey Island Conservation District. Shannon is a third generation north Whidbey Islander raising a fourth generation in Oak Harbor, and believes in the benefits of food systems work to keep local communities healthy and resilient.

A Certified Professional Horticulturist (CPH), June Davis is one of WGW's popular instructors on all things gardening. She is a garden consultant—The June Garden—with 25 years in the nursery industry. As Sales Manager for Skagit Gardens, she worked with breeders to introduce new plants to the market. She gardens on Whidbey Island.

Sue Milliken and Kelly Dodson met as members of a seed collecting expedition to Yunnan in 1997. This shared passion for plants that are important botanically and of merit to collectors and niche gardening led to them combining their life efforts on 6 acres in Port Townsend WA in 2000 and the rare plant nursery Far Reaches Farm came into fruition shortly thereafter.

They have participated in a number of overseas plant hunting expeditions in collaboration with the Rhododendron Species Botanic Garden thanks to a continued connection from Kelly’s years there as Propagation and Nursery Manager.

Carol Anne, an Island County Master Gardener, has a passion for gardening, landscape and floral design. Much of her botany, horticultural and design knowledge was gained during her undergraduate years at Cornell University. Her gardens and floral designs have been featured in numerous garden tours and fund raising events. As a basket weaver and stone scupltor, Carol Anne found making kokedama a new and relaxing way to use many of her design and contruction skills.

Barb Faville: An environmental enthusiast, Barb has been a Master Gardener since 2018, a volunteer docent at Meerkerk Gardens since 2022 and a Meerkerk board member since 2023. Her interest in natural ecosystems has led her to gardening and using native plants to enrich her home environment. She has taken many horticulture and related classes, which she now uses to pursue her retirement interests.
Cathy Lofton-Day: A scientist by profession and an amateur gardener throughout her life (as time permitted), Cathy has tended small ornamental, vegetable and fruit gardens in various locations across the US. Retirement brought her love of science and passion for gardening together through the Master Gardener program. Now she is working to improve her gardening skills and her own little ecosystem in Northwest Washington.

Sue has been a Master Gardener here on Whidbey since 2018. She has grown strawberries in 7 states from hot weather to Alaska. Her gardening experience includes home gardens and indoor planting in all those states. As Executive Director, Sue enjoyed (and learned a lot) overseeing the development and maintenance for the new community garden and trail with small plots, large fountain area, butterfly segment, dry gardens and 474 roses on the 11-acre property at Rosewood Retirement Community in Bakersfield, CA. Retired now, her best efforts have been installing her small home beauty and bounty landscape here on south Whidbey (with lots of strawberries!).

Jenny Rebecca Glass is the Extension Coordinator/ Plant Diagnostician at the Washington State University, Puyallup Plant and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory. She earned her M.S. in Plant Pathology at Oregon State in 2000. Her current work involves diagnosing plant and insect problems, managing the WSU Puyallup Plant and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory, and teaching plant pathology, diagnosis, and integrated pest management to various audiences in western Washington. She enjoys spotting (minor) disease and pest pressure on plants while out walking and loves to read. Jenny can be reached at jennyglass@wsu.edu.

Marilyn Glenn has been a WSU trained Master Gardener since 2012. Marilyn’s MG volunteer time is primarily spent at Hovander Homestead Park in Ferndale, WA. She and her husband Steve have planted close to 200 modern daylilies in the Hovander Demonstration Gardens. They also have a four season ornamental garden in Bellingham, WA that is an official display garden for the American Daylily Society (ADS). Marilyn encourages all to visit the Hovander Demo Gardens for peak daylily bloom in late July. You may schedule a tour of her home garden by appointment. Marilyn was honored to receive the ADS regional service award for Region 8 in 2024.

Eva Gordon has a degree in Zoology and Master’s work in Biology. She is a science educator who taught AP Biology, Anatomy, Physiology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science for twenty years. She was instrumental in bringing Biotechnology to the SFUSD and San Mateo County School Districts. She has also taught STEM programs from elementary to high school level. Eva is acting Education Chair for the North American Mycological Association, is currently an author of fantasy fiction, and a Master Naturalist and is working on a non-fiction book titled, "Animal Mycophiles."

Loren is the Master Gardener program coordinator for WSU Extension in Island County. Loren also operated a small family farm on Whidbey Island for 20 years growing a variety of heirloom and open-pollinated vegetables and raising grass-fed beef cattle.

Chris Kelley is a broadly trained licensed geologist with over a decade of experience in surface water – groundwater interactions, contaminant transport, soil and groundwater remediation, and groundwater management.  He received a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Geological Sciences from Central Washington University and a Master’s and PhD in Geology with Hydrogeology Focus from Washington State University.  After college Chris and his family moved to Helena, Montana for 8 years where he worked for the Montana Department of Agriculture and private consulting with Tetra Tech.  In 2022, Chris and his family relocated to Whidbey Island to escape the brutal Montana winters and be closer to family.  When not working Chris and his family spend their time fishing or working on their small hobby farm where they have a big garden and keep chickens, ducks, goats, two mini-cows, one old horse, and a growing number of bee hives.

Gary Ketcheson moved to Whidbey Island in 2011 after a career as a Hydrologist with the US Forest Service, managing soil and water resources. To cultivate his interest in growing plants, he became a Master Gardener in 2013 and is a regular volunteer at the Greenbank Demonstration Garden. He shares his knowledge and interest in soil conservation by teaching soil classes for Master Gardener trainees and is a Board Supervisor for the Whidbey Island Conservation District.

Don Krafft is a WSU Island County Master Gardener and former Master Composter in Santa Clara County, California. He is focused on practicing and teaching soil and water management and composting for home and community gardeners. In addition to the Master Gardener and Master Composter trainings, Don has completed the comprehensive Soil Food Web and Microscope Soil Analysis courses and is currently managing composting piles at home and at the South Whidbey Tilth Community Garden.

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Paul Kusche is a two-state Master Gardener, having completed training first in Bonner County, Idaho in 2015 just after retirement and again in Kitsap County, Washington in 2019 when he relocated back to the Northwest. While growing dahlias is his passion (see the Papa Paul’s Dahlias cover story in the "July 2020 West Sound Home & Garden Magazine"), he has also been involved in researching and teaching other gardening subjects.

Paul graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a BBA and MBA. He is a former Marketing and Marketing Research Instructor, a frequent speaker at garden clubs and Master Gardener seminars, and a writer for the American Dahlia Society’s Bulletin. As a Kitsap County Master Gardener, he is a Clinic Lead, President of the Foundation, and speaker for Clean Water Kitsap – Septic Sense and Pierce County Septic Seminars.

Paul Kusche
Master Gardener since 2015
Growing Dahlias since 1990

Seth Luginbill currently serves as the Noxious Weed Program Coordinator for the Island County Noxious Weed Control Board. Seth's background is in botany and natural resource management.

Collin received a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Fairhaven College at Western Washington University, where he focused on Coast Salish ethnobotany, human ecology, and evolutionary biology. Collin earned a Master of Environmental Studies degree from The Evergreen State College and conducted his thesis research on the behavioral ecology of freshwater turtles in the jungles of Belize. When Collin isn’t working to promote environmental resilience, he can be found hiking in the woods, cooking a scrumptious meal, playing folk music, or volunteering with community wildlife research groups.

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Deb earned her B.S. in Horticulture from South Dakota, so not a lot of her degree applies to the Pacific Northwest other than basic botany. She spent 20 years in the Navy, traveling the world and learning different ecosystems, and she appreciated that the Navy funded her explorations. She has been a Master Gardener since 2006, and also has a teaching certificate in the sciences, hence her love of teaching. Deb appreciates feedback and is always seeking to enhance her classes.

Anza Muenchow has perfected the art of culinary horticulture by growing food at her two-acre Maha Farm for the past 15 years. But beyond her farming expertise, she is also passionate about improving fresh food access for her community, especially low-income families. And, as a Master Gardener since 1992, she is the go-to expert for other Master Gardeners who want information on crop varieties and maximizing their harvests. Anza also volunteers for Master Gardeners at South Whidbey Tilth.

Tobey Nelson has a B.S. in Landscape Horticulture from Michigan State University and is a Certified Professional Horticulturist. She has been designing, installing, and maintaining gardens for over 29 years. Tobey focuses on "horticulture for a healthy planet" encompassing environmentally responsible approaches, such as drought-tolerant plantings, planting for pollinators, building soil health, and using sustainable floral design methods.

Bobbi Peskuric is from Coupeville WA where she is retired with her husband, two dogs and cat. She became a Master Gardener in 2012 at which time she developed an interest in vermicomposting. She manages the worm bins at the Greenback Education Gardens and keeps several of her own. Besides tending worms, Bobbi enjoys playing the violin and paddling dragon boats.

As an Island County Master Gardener and a Sound Water Steward, Jim Peskuric spends much of his time volunteering to restore and protect northwest habitats that support native pollinators and other native wildlife. His work at the Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship (PRI) contributes to the recovery of Garry Oak Savannah forests, northwest native prairies and the recent Washington State delisted, Golden Paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta). At home he is working to convert his lawn into a native plant garden that provides food, water and shelter for wildlife.

Christina is a horticulture educator who has enjoyed a long career in landscape horticulture. Tuned to the art and science of horticulture, her work centers on sustainable techniques that tap into the cycle of the seasons so that our efforts become more of an enjoyable experience and less of a battle. She holds horticulture degrees from Michigan State and the University of Washington, is an ISA Certified Arborist and co-author of Pacific Northwest Month-by-Month Gardening.

Lisa started beekeeping on Whidbey Island over 20 years ago. She has worked with large beekeepers and other hobby beekeepers. Her bees have been all over the island, pollinating farms and small orchards. After becoming a Master Gardener Lisa embraced native pollinators as fiercely as her honey bees. Now she plants her gardens with an eye towards helping the pollinators in her yard.

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Dyanne is a Restoration Ecologist who has been at the forefront of balancing growth of the built environment with natural resources and habitats. She has written numerous publications, including Wetland Management by Local Governments, and helped craft the first edition of the Wetlands Rating System for Western Washington.

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Joaquín Swett-Fosmo is a biologist from the University of Costa Rica and Executive Director of the Whidbey Audubon Society. As a Whidbey Island native, he is passionate about conservation and protecting birds and other wildlife in the Puget Sound area, and is thrilled to have the opportunity to share with Master Gardeners the tools to foster a healthy ecosystem starting in their own backyards!

Bill Thorness is a writer and gardener who’s been doing both in Seattle since the mid-1980s. He is the author of Cool Season Gardener: Extend the Harvest, Plan Ahead, and Grow Vegetables Year Round and Edible Heirlooms: Heritage Vegetables for the Maritime Garden, and writes for many regional publications, including The Seattle Times. He is also a King County Master Gardener.

Diana Wisen has been a WSU Master Gardener for 34 years. She has been a Skagit County Master Gardener trainer for 20 years, served as Chair of the Outreach and Education Committee and of the Speakers Bureau, and regularly teaches gardening classes to a variety of audiences.

Cynthia Woerner has spent her lifetime developing her artistic eye. Her photography journey started as a child who spent her time photographing the world around her. After graduating from college with a BFA in photography, she started her commercial freelance photography business and has been capturing all the smiles, events, and gorgeous scenery for over 25 years. In addition, she has worked for Meerkerk Gardens and the Skagit Valley Tulipfest promoting the gardens using her beautiful images. Her love of the garden and capturing the magic of the growing world has always been her passion!

Kevin is a professor with Washington State University, where he has been a faculty member since 2007. Before that he was a research scientist at the University of Washington. Kevin is based in Snohomish County and coordinates the Extension Forestry program in five Puget Sound area counties, working with people who own forested property. Kevin has two forestry degrees from the University of Washington. His research interests include forestry education, forest health and ecology, and native trees. Kevin is also a Certified Forester and author of the book Native Trees of Western Washington.