A message from the president of the Pioneer Garden Club

Tricia Evans, president, Pioneer Garden Club

The Pioneer Garden Club’s theme is “Gardening & Growing, Together.” What does that phrase mean to me as president of the Pioneer Garden Club? First, it means continuing the efforts and good works of our membership over 90-plus years in this community.

It means our involvement with Silver Springs State Park: decorating the entrance for the holidays, helping to maintain the gardens there and participating in events like Springsfest, Trunk or Treat the Holiday Craft Fair.

It means our involvement with the City of Ocala at Tuscawilla Art Park: planting daylilies and other native plants at the park, hosting a Florida Arbor Day event each year, planting trees to celebrate that day and helping to maintain the gardens there.

It means extending ourselves: Pioneer Garden Club will be hosting the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs District V meeting Oct. 14. We are supporting our own Marge Hendon as she continues her term as president of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs. Her theme, Worlds of Wonder, will be highlighted at the FFGC convention April 18 – 20, 2023 in Kissimmee, Florida.

And on a personal level, it means enjoying the gardens in our city, county and state including small plantings on street corners and business entrances. It also means creating and keeping gardens in my own yard. I love seeing blooms all year so my yard gardens include Magnolia trees, peace lilies, agapanthus, azaleas, camelias, poinsettias, wax hoya, several kinds of irises, Blue Daze, caladiums, roses, hibiscus plants and a gardenia tree.

The key to continuing these efforts and good works in our community is to maintain and grow our membership. We invite all interested friends to join us as members of the Pioneer Garden Club. It is an exciting way to meet people, gain information and enrich the community.

Membership involves attending circle meetings and Pioneer Garden Club General Meetings, special events like Fun with Flowers, Friendship Events, enjoying educational and informative programs, hearing horticulture advice from guest speakers, taking field trips to nearby gardens and other related places and learning good gardening tips and techniques from other members.

Pioneer Garden Club funds all of our activities as well as a special scholarship at the College of Central Florida, the Pioneer Garden Club Marge Hendon Scholarship Trust, by holding an annual Poinsettia Sale. Members will be taking orders from individuals and from businesses in September for delivery in December. Details and contact information will be on our website soon.

Pioneer Garden Club is a vital part of our community and we encourage interested people to find out more about us by visiting our website:

www.pioneergardenclub.org.