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The purpose of The Garden Club of America is to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening, to share the advantages of association by means of educational meetings, conferences, correspondence, and publications, and to restore, improve, and protect the quality of the environment through educational programs and action in the fields of conservation and civic improvement.
Founded in 1913, The Garden Club of America is a volunteer, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization comprised of 200 member clubs and approximately 18,000 club members throughout the country.
The GCA, Seed Your Future and the Power of Plants
BLOOM! Campaign Announced
The Garden Club of America is pleased to be working with Seed Your Future to connect youth to the power of plants. Why? In 2019, 56.6 million kids are enrolled in K-12 schools across the country. The majority of them don’t know anything about plants — how to grow them, how they impact lives, and how they are critical to the future of the planet. Without plants, there’s no future. And that’s why we are working hard to turn this around. In 2018, Seed Your Future, the GCA, and partners around the country helped reached almost 1 million kids with a middle-school BLOOM! campaign. What’s happening in 2019?
This Month in GCA History - February
A tradition of advocacy in action
Since the inception of the GCA in 1913, members have exerted their influence to help safeguard our environment. In the early 1970’s the GCA advocated for the environmental laws on Clean Air, Clean Water, Endangered Species and the National Environmental Policy Act all of which helped form the foundation of environmental protection in America.
The GCA Promotes Horticulture Careers
Offering 28 merit-based scholarships and fellowships...
Every year, The Garden Club of America offers 28 merit-based scholarships and fellowships. Last year, the GCA awarded over $300,000 in grants to young scholars around the country whose work ranges from the study of coastal botany to landscape design. We're pleased to be working with Seed Your Future, a national movement to promote horticulture education and careers, which has just announced the launch of a new online career exploration resource.
Help Solve A Garden Mystery - The Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens
Picardo garden, unknown location, c. 1980s
Do you love gardens and the thrill of the hunt? The Garden Club of America Collection at the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens has images of numerous gardens across the United States that need a bit of sleuthing to be positively identified. Some images belonged to slide lectures that were dismantled over time or simply never were labelled. Regardless of how it happened, they are a mystery! If this garden looks familiar to you, let us know by contacting the Archives at aag@si.edu. To view more mystery gardens, please visit the Archives of American Gardens Mystery Page.
Boxwood Blight on the Move in the U.S.
GCA Clubs Share Best Management Practices
Member clubs of the The Garden Club of America (GCA) are taking action to educate their members and local communities about boxwood blight—a devastating fungal disease that is on the move in the United States. Caused by Calonectria pseudonaviculata, the blight was first reported in the United Kingdom in the mid 1990s. It is now widespread in Europe and has emerged in New Zealand. In October of 2011, the blight was found in North America in both North Carolina and Connecticut and is now reported to be in more than 22 states and at least 3 Canadian provinces. Importing shipments of infected boxwood from surrounding states has proven to be a problem. In May 2018 boxwood blight arrived in Indiana through a shipment to home and garden stores—on the move again. Learn about the resources GCA clubs are sharing with their members and communities about the best management practices.
MONARCHS RETURN!
We're working hard to restore healthy populations of monarchs.
As much of the northern US endures record cold, there is good news from farther south. The monarch butterfly count is up—and up dramatically. In a new graphic posted by GCA Honorary Member Chip Taylor, head of Monarch Watch, the total forest area now covered by monarchs overwintering in Mexico has grown substantially; up 144% since last year. This means the number of monarchs that successfully made the trip south for the winter has jumped, indicating efforts to save the monarch may be having results. For more than a decade, the GCA has worked hard to restore healthy populations of monarchs.
THE GCA ANNOUNCES ITS 2019 PLANT OF THE YEAR: ARISTOLOCHIA MACROPHYLLA
Aristolochia macrophylla, (also known as Isotrema macrophylla) commonly known as Dutchman's Pipe, is the winner of the 2019 Montine McDaniel Freeman Medal: GCA Plant of the Year. Annually since 1995, the GCA has identified a stellar North American native plant to receive its Montine McDaniel Freeman Medal for Plant of the Year. Native plants are important because they adapt to local environmental conditions, they require far less water, saving time, money, and perhaps the most valuable natural resource, water. In addition to providing vital habitat for birds, many other species of wildlife benefit as well.
The Garden Club of America offers 28 merit-based scholarships and fellowships in 12 areas related to conservation, ecology, horticulture, and pollinator research. In 2018, more than $308,400 were awarded to 65 scholars.
Follow GCA Scholarships on Twitter for the latest news about pollinators, coastal wetlands, native bird habitats, and much more. Connect to a larger world of horticulture and conservation through the Garden Club of America scholars. Learn more about the GCA Scholarships.
Annually since 1995, the GCA has identified a stellar North American native plant to receive its Montine McDaniel Freeman Medal for Plant of the Year.
Aristolochia macrophylla (Dutchman's Pipe) is The Garden Club of America's 2019 Plant of the Year.
Nominate a Plant - recognize a plant that is under-utilized but worthy of preservation, propagation and promotion.
