Master Gardener Volunteers Wanted

What is a Master Gardener?

A master gardener is a citizen that is interested in gardening and can fulfill the training and volunteer hours necessary. Requirements vary by county and state,and the course is tailored for that specific region. You will receive special education on the soils in your area,the types of native plants，insect and disease issues，basic botany，and other information pertinent(相关的)to your gardening zone.

The educational opportunity to learn specifics about where you garden will not only help you be-come a better gardener but is then passed along to the general public in lectures,clinics,and through newsletters.

What Qualifications Must You Meet?

Anyone can apply to be a Master Gardener——you don’t need to be an expert or have a degree. You do, however, need to:

●Have certain experience or know a little about gardening or landscape management.

●Be willing to share horticulture(园艺学)information with others.

●Be willing to attend a training program and can devote time to volunteering and continuing education.

Besides,to become a Master Gardener volunteer, each applicant needs to complete an application,prepare background screening paperwork and schedule an interview with Extension staff.

What Does the Training Involve?

Training sessions are offered one day a week over a three-month period and are led by expert educators in the region. Approximately 60 hours of classroom instruction and field study and 50 hours of volunteer internship(实习)work are required to complete the program and become certified. In order to remain a certified Master Gardener,30 hours of volunteer work and 10 hours of continuing education or advanced training are required each year.

Four books that will inspire you to travel the world

There's truly nothing like travel when it comes to gaining perspectives and exposing yourself to other cultures. To get you in the adventuring mood, we asked Amazon Senior Editor Chris Schlep to help you come up with a list of books that transport readers to another time and place. Below, see his list of four books that will inspire you to travel the world.

ITALY: Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

This book by the popular author Jess Walter is a love story that begins on the Italian Coast in the early 60s and eventually concludes in contemporary Hollywood's screen. As the settings shift from Italy to Edinburgh and Los Angeles, you will find yourself longing to go as well. Buy it on Amazon. Price: $28.90

SEATTLE: Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Maria Semple's first novel is not exactly a love story in Seattle, but if you read it, you just might want to come here to see if people are really as self­involved as the characters in her book. What really shines through is the strange storytelling and the laughs. Buy it on Amazon. Price: $26.60

ENGLAND: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

You can't travel to Thomas Cromwell's England without a time machine, but reading Mantel's prize­winning novel is the next best thing. It will make you long to see the ancient buildings and green grass of the English countryside, most of which are still there. Buy it on Amazon. Price: $25.10

NANTUCKET: Here's to Us by Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand has built a writing career out of writing about her hometown island of Nantucket. Her latest book is Here's to Us, which, perhaps not surprisingly, is a great beach book. Buy it on Amazon. Price: $30.80

Call for entries: young women writers competition

Guardian Weekend magazine is launching a writing competition for UK women aged 16-21 on the theme of conversations．

All you have to do is submit a 700-word personal essay that shows off your talents——on the theme of conversations．Did you have an unforgettable conversation with your grandmother about her youth that changed how you viewed her? Do you find having certain conversations really hard, and if so, why? Is there a conversation you regret, or one you regret you never had? We're keen to hear about your personal experiences．

All entries must be sent to weekend@the guardian．com by midnight on 9 March．

There will be one winner and two runners-up．The three winners will each receive £250．The winners will be notified（通知）by email or telephone on or before 30 March 2021 and given details of how to claim their prizes．As part of the editing process, the three winners will participate in a video call with a Guardian Weekend editor to discuss and edit their essay for publication．The one overall winner will also receive a 1-1 work shop with a Guardian editor．

Follow all rules carefully to prevent disqualification．

■Only one entry is permitted per person．Entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted and joint submissions are not allowed．

■The Competition opens at 09:00 on 22 February 2021 and closes at 23:59 on 9 March 2021．Entries received outside this time period will not be considered．

■Your entry must not be copied, and must not contain any third-party materials or content that you do not have permission to use．

■You must include your name, age and contact details, including your email address and phone number．