In a way, garden clubs are an act of peaceful resistance. It is the perfect way to encourage communities to turn to the earth for positive engagement. Limited funding for a planting to brighten up an area in need of a facelift? Try partnering with a local garden club. Enlist the youth, a science club, an organization like the Boys and Girls clubs, or even the Scouts to play a role in the effort. Remember, after the projects installation, there will be ongoing maintenance. Choose partnerships that are invested for the long term.
Garden clubs have super powers. This has been proven over time, since they have been around for quite sometime. Many communities considered these groups to be out of reach for the common person. In some circles, one had to be invited to join by an esteemed member.
I bet there are some garden clubs existing today which might still abide by these rules. There are also some garden clubs which accept new members who are eager to get their hands in the soil to beautify or just to be a part of something beautiful. I am a firm believer that garden clubs are an essential part of community engagement and connectivity.
As with many civic groups, the membership will ebb and flow due to the generational divide in the community. If a community has mostly Seniors, the need for low impact, but fun opportunities are a good idea for engagement. A younger community might consider adding art, forest bathing, outdoors yoga, or plantings with a purpose. These activities generally appeal to a younger, or even an active midlife demographic.
Choosing a curriculum which encourages residents to come out, get involved, and explore their surroundings is very important . Offering art livens up the community canvas, painting a uniquely diverse picture of inhabitants. Purposeful plantings, add life and interest to an otherwise plain palette.
Garden clubs offer beautification projects, youth garden projects, floral arranging, floral judging, and more. There is one garden club known as Our Garden Club of Philadelphia and Vicinity. They are celebrated for the unique ways they engage with the surrounding communities throughout Philadelphia. Such a unique group of garden enthusiasts that have been around for over 80 years.
Sowing seeds that helped build their community evolved from noticing a need. It all started by gathering in the home of Bertha Rhodes. This garden club exists today with a common goal of encouraging other like-minded community members of all skill levels to get excited about gardening. Beautification, continued education, and the importance of conserving our natural resources are all important issues for the members of this group. They serve as an example of the power of garden clubs in community.
In today’s world, as communities become more financially challenged, the need for garden clubs is more important than ever. Sustainable practices, becoming more aware of conservation efforts, and recycling are all things we might hear mentioned quite regularly. Garden clubs are a user friendly way to educate and inform community members. They are also a way to beautify, as well as demonstrate which plants thrive in a specific area, zone, or even introduce new plant offerings. The role a garden club can play in uplifting a community is priceless.
Provide a place where the younger generation can take ownership in making a community more visually appealing. With the guidance of garden club members, opportunities for a collaborative effort will unfold and encourage others to get involved!
As one who loves being a part of a garden club, I am observing some of the smaller clubs connecting with other clubs to enjoy meaningful experiences. Connecting is like sowing seeds of opportunity to other like-minded people with a common goal in mind. There is beauty in education, expanding the hands on knowledge of gardening, and gathering.
I’m attending the 2025 National Garden Club Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. After listening to the various ways garden clubs bring value as well as beauty to communities, my heart is full. I am realizing that I am not just a crazy, old garden club member. Instead, I am an Ambassador to encourage garden clubs to form and become positive forces in communities everywhere
I love playing with words and creating something meaningful. Choosing the word garden, a few items came to mind.
G is for gathering like-minded people interested in gardening.
A is for accepting people of all levels of garden experience and sharing the knowledge.
R is for recognizing beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
D is for learning how to design appealing gardens and floral arrangements
E is for educational opportunities offered by Garden School programming
N is for navigating the next generation of garden clubs and garden club members. NOW is the time to get involved.
As a past garden club president, it is a daunting task to step into the role as an organizer of something so beautifully radical as a garden club. Delegating is encouraged to ensure everyone interested in the success of the group has a role. Creating rules of engagement on how your entity wants to improve and engage the community is key. Understanding how starting small allows you to reach dedicated community participants.
The seed of a sunflower is often quite small compared to the plant that many love in the late summer garden. From one small seed, a plant with astronomical proportions offers a smile to the young, as well as the old.
Starting something as beautiful as a garden club to get out in nature, connect with the soil and perhaps ground the spirit is truly an act of resistance. Many people are intensely focused on growing food, totally forgetting about the power of flowers. Flowers in the garden or in a vase, can be a visual break in an otherwise stress filled existence. As I walked through my garden on a rainy evening, two red hibiscus blooms caught my eye. I purchased these to go in my window boxes, perhaps to notice a hummingbird or two. Yet on the ground, those blooms welcomed me into my own garden. I needed these bright spots of encouragement on an otherwise grey day.
It is the little moments in the garden that remind us to have hope, brighter days are ahead…and to believe in the power of flowers. The joy found in the garden and in garden clubs is often underrated.
As we face the unexpected upheavals in life, connect with your garden. Consider joining a garden club or creating your own local garden club. There are state level clubs and national clubs that offer many opportunities to engage.
I love being a part of a garden club. It adds joy to my life and is a great way to stay connected to community. Here is a link to connect to National Garden Clubs www.gardenclub.org
Resist getting caught up in the spiral of negativity and instead, engage in making your surroundings beautiful!
I’m watching the weather, and excited to hear about opportunities to beautify my community! Perhaps I could be acknowlededged for uplifting and beautifying my community.
Sitting here dreaming of the possibilities and how I can sow seeds of positivity in my garden club.
Teri, Cottage in the Court
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