Portland Garden Club Beautifies Downtown

One of the most satisfying things for a gardener to see is the sprouting of a tiny seed and then the growth of that plant through the year to full flower. What started out small can become much more. That is how things started for the Portland Garden Club. The long time mainstay civic organization had small beginnings all the way back in 1969 with two local women Genevra Van Dyke and Madeline Franks maintaining flower plantings near what was then called Burman Square downtown. That duo sparked the idea to form a club and all these years later, the club is still going strong.
The club was officially established as a non-profit organization in 1987 with Van Dyke as the first president. Since then the garden club has grown to over forty members. A number of whom have gone through the Master Garner training program from MSU Extension. That training comes in handy as the club cares for the planting beds throughout downtown Portland including Scout Park, the clock, library fountain, as well as planters on Maple and Bridge Streets. Members also share and hone their skills with guest speakers, garden and green house tours. They are also active through a variety of local happenings including Porch Extravaganza, Portland parades, and fall fireside chat events.
The Portland Garden Club is perhaps best known for it’s long standing geranium sale which is th groups’ only fundraiser for the year. Red, white, dark pink, light pink, and salmon colored geraniums are available for pre-order for $2.50 each on the Portland Garden Club website throughout the month of April with pick up always the Thursday before Mother’s Day.
Membership is open to anyone interested in gardening. Annual dues are $10 or $15 for couples. The club meets on the first Monday of the month in the basement community room of the Portland District Library. To learn more about the club and find a full calendar of meetings and events visit their website or Facebook page.
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