I love gardens of all sorts, from beautifully created containers to haphazardly designed perennial borders. And I am always, and I mean always, up for a conversation about plants and techniques. And if you’re reading this blog, it’s more than likely that gardens hold a place in your heart as well. And this is why you might want to consider joining a garden club.

Garden clubs have been around for a long time. In 1891, a group of twelve women from Athens, Georgia met in the parlor of Mrs. E.K. Lumpkin and formed the first garden club in the United States. The membership of the Ladies’ Garden Club of Athens was open to every lady in the city who might be interested in learning to grow anything from a cabbage to a chrysanthemum. The group was re-organized as the Garden Club of Georgia in 1928 and has been passionately planting gardens ever since.

The first national garden club, the Garden Club of America was established in 1913, and by the 1930’s, there were garden clubs forming in communities all over the United States. One of the first in our area was the Shorewood Hills Garden Club, founded in 1936. And these groups didn’t confine themselves to improving the private gardens of their members. The campaign to rid our highways of a bazillion unsightly billboards began with a project fostered by a garden club.

In recent years, garden clubs have helped to continue the conversation of environmental conservation. They offer educational programs, plan projects and raise awareness about protecting the environment. They’ve spearheaded programs to combat the decline of pollinators and other significant issues that affect our gardens and our world.

So why should you join a garden club? The first reason that comes to mind is the opportunity to tap into some very local knowledge. I’ve often found that most gardeners are eager to share their experiences and expertise. Another good excuse to join is to save a little money on plants. Many garden clubs and friends of public gardens groups have annual plant sales. One of my favorites is the UW Arboretum’s Native Plant Sale that is held every second weekend in May. Olbrich Botanical Gardens hosts a similar sale that same weekend. You could make day of it!

Of course we all lead very busy lives, but if you have some time to get involved in a community project, garden clubs are great resource. You’ll find lots of ways to volunteer with beautification projects, conservation efforts and educational opportunities. If you’re ready to take the plunge, The Wisconsin Garden Club Federation has a great list of state clubs. You can also join the Federation itself. https://www.wisconsingardenclub.org/membership-clubs/join-a-club/

And speaking of educational opportunities, don’t overlook Wisconsin’s wonderful Master Gardener Program. The University’s Extension organizes Master Gardener Programs in most of our counties. I took the Dane County series back in the mid-1990’s. I learned so much and the knowledge jump started my career in horticulture and made me the plant geek that I am today. You can get the scoop by following this link.   https://wimastergardener.org/being-a-master-gardener/

Gardens bring people together. Join up, and you’ll have a whole group of new friends bound together by a love of gardens, gardening, and people who love gardening. In garden clubs, no matter what your gardening interests may be, you’ll find a place to explore them and people to share them with.