HELP ! Need Info on starting a Garden Club

20 years ago

A small group of gardening addicts want to start a Garden Club here. We have no clue how they usually opperate, what all they do, Is there usually a membership criteria. Does anyone belong to a Garden Club in their area to mentor us in getting started?

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Lavoie Boho

18 years ago

I started my own small, informal garden club with no dues and no officers, just a group of garden buddies for sharing. There are no "meetings" to take us away from our busy schedules, either. I contacted potential members by mail by jotting down addresses of houses where it was obvious a gardener lived there. Now we bring each other plants when we divide them, and visit each others gardens whenever we want. I have also contacted the newspaper to request they do an article about my garden (with photos) and invite new members. Good luck.

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Comments (10)

JohnW_Mo
20 years ago
Try checking with your local county extension office or your local Master Gardeners Chapter. A club may already exist. Where are you located? good luck.John
denisew
20 years ago
Look at the information at the National Garden Clubs, Inc. website below. You can look for garden clubs in your state or contact them directly to get the name and phone number of your state president who can help you get things started. They are very helpful. Once you get the state information, you can get a copy of the by-laws, information on starting a garden club and setting up monthly programs. You will eventually want to create a membership brochure and charge between $15-$20 for annual dues. I started a garden club several years ago and it is still going strong - growing slowly, but we are almost to 30 members now. You can get speakers through your county master gardeners organization, local nurseries, other garden clubs in your area, etc. Decide if this is going to be for people who are able to meet during the day or for those who work during the day and can only meet in the evenings or weekends. Look for a place to hold your meetings that won't charge anything. We were lucky enough to be able to meet at one of our local nurseries for the first couple years for no charge and it was good advertising for them. Consider meeting in each others homes at first if you can't find a central location. Invite neighbors, friends, etc. and put up signs at local nurseries, library, churches about forming a garden club. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about forming a garden club. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: National Garden Clubs, Inc.
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I sure do wish you good luck on your endeavor! I've attached a link to the National Garden Club site, from which you can visit all sorts of state sites. You certainly do NOT have to join these large organizations to have your own club, but some of them might have some good tips for you. I've been a frequent speaker at the garden clubs in coastal SC, where they are saturated with these organizations. ALL of the chapters were state and national members. All paid dues. (If you charge dues, what will the money be used for?) Most of them took turns meeting at members' homes, although the larger groups required facilities. If you are interested in getting together with neighbors only, I would avoid the hassle of being too organized. However, if you do your homework, you may be surprised at the response. Your local newspaper will be helpful in getting the word out...call them and ask that a reporter to a story on the subject. Here is a link that might be useful: National Garden Club
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Missouri
20 years ago
Where are you in Missouri and do you accept new members?
susan_z5_mo
20 years ago
Hi,
I live in St.Charles, MO. I started a garden club in my neighborhood 3 yrs ago. We are called the Katy View Garden Club because we live by the Katy Trail.
We are affliated with the Federated Garden Club of America. I believe their web address is www.gardenclubsofmissouri.org. or headquarters@gardenclub.org. They are having a huge convention this spring in st.louis MO that will include speakers and tours. It's kinda of nice being affliated because our club receives invites to garden tours, they have a list of speakers we can use (which are usually free)
and they also offer ribbons on completing certain projects,;ie. creating a butterfly garden, or setting up so many birdhouses. The Federation Club will also provide your club with a mentor (a long standing club) who can help you get started and answer any questions. If you have any questions you may e-mail me. Your welcome to join are club if you live close by.
susan
webkat5
18 years ago
Anybody in the KC area?
janicesgarden_wa
18 years ago
So you need help starting a gardening club... May I suggest going to this web site and nationalgardeningclub.org.
Look at the web site and you should be able to find something through the web site. If not e-mail me, and I'll do some checking into it further for you.
bigred
18 years ago
I started a small garden club 3 yrs ago. We're informal neither affiliated or sanctioned by any organization. We meet every second Tuesday,8 months out of the year. The other four months are special events.

Except for special events,weekends or evening meetings don't work for us

We have officers and collect monthly dues for the 8 reg. meetings. Our dues are for field trips,buying supplies for special events,advertizing(newspaper,flyers,etc) and doing special things for club members when the occassion arises. Flowers to memembr in the hospital,birtdays,etc. This passed fall we planted a special tree at one our members church in her memory after she passed away in Aug.

It just depends if you want to be a formal or informal club.

Peggy
Barbara Dishaw-Talerico
8 years ago
I am new to the reading pa area...I attended a meeting of my local gardening club..I think..lol I live in a nice well groomed neighborhood..older people competing with leaf blowers..I really didnt seem to fit well..Gardening is a dirty job most of the time..Not A Fashion show

I had hoped to meet women similar to my own age.share and exchange of different techniques and idea. Share plants etc weekly or monthly question exchange..something more home spund..I guess..Do I have high hopes in the wrong town..
petersuzanne2
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Our garden club in Florida has been growing strongly since we became its leaders, and we hope yours does as well. Over 1,300 gardening families around Naples and Fort Myers have already become members of this group, called Gardeners of Southwest Florida. Everything in the club is free: instant membership, gardening classes, light foods, soft drinks, etc. All expenses are paid by the group’s leaders, Peter Kacalanos and Suzanne Cherney, to encourage all Floridians to become better gardeners. Two-hour classes are held in the gardens of different group members each time, usually on weekends, two or three times a month. The class hosts show how they care for their favorite plants and
demonstrate their gardening techniques.
Over shared snacks and drinks, from 10 to 83 members and guests have attended the 123 past gardening classes. Everyone is taught, often by horticultural experts, about the best plants to add to their gardens in this semi-tropical environment. Topics include flowers, vegetables, fruits, cactus, succulents, bromeliads, orchids, bonsai, native plants, tropical plants, flowering shrubs and trees. Other classes teach subjects like organic gardening, water gardening, vertical gardening, butterfly gardening, wildlife gardening, landscaping, composting, fertilizing, pruning, indoor plants, invasive plants, pest management, and permaculture.
As shown in these photographs, occasionally classes take place in the group leaders’ own garden in Naples (Zone 10b). It includes a wide range of bromeliads, flowering shrubs, productive fruit trees, a small pineapple plantation, a desert garden, and large fish ponds with water lilies, papyrus and other aquatic plants, plus hundreds of goldfish and other species. Everyone is welcome to join the Gardeners of Southwest Florida group for free, and to attend the classes to meet other local gardeners. A few who attended a recent class in the screened enclosure of the leaders’ garden are shown below. Full details are on the group’s extensive and informative web site at www.meetup.com/FloridaGardeners.

HELP ! Need Info on starting a Garden Club

Lavoie Boho

Comments (10)

JohnW_Mo

denisew

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