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October 17, 2018
Good News! Washington’s View Saved
The Garden Club of America celebrates news from Mount Vernon that the iconic view from George Washington’s beloved home has been saved. In a statement released on October 16, 2018, Dominion Energy announced it will not construct a natural gas transmission compressor station across the river from George Washington’s historic home.
October 10, 2018
Glasshouses Don’t Throw Stones
Growing plants in environmentally controlled areas is a phenomenon that dates back to ancient Roman times. What gardener doesn’t love the thought of an endless growing season?
October 09, 2018
The GCA Praised for Protecting the Environment
Save The Bay, the largest regional organization working to protect, restore and celebrate the San Francisco Bay, recently featured The Garden Club of America in its blog. Executive Director David Lewis was quick to praise the GCA for “its perseverance protecting the environment.” He went on to share: “Garden clubs have a long history of involvement in conservation. They made a huge push to advocate for the creation of the Clean Water Act, and their members have continued to be leading advocates in local communities.”
October 04, 2018
Freitag Lauded for Vision and Grace
The life of Christine Freitag (1934-2018), President of The Garden Club of America from 1993-1995, inspired many including Michael Douglas, Editorial Page Editor of the Akron Beacon Journal. In his Op-Ed (September 8, 2018) Douglas reflected on what he called “a life lived so well… through the ethic of conservation and stewardship she made Akron better.” He noted, “Few have achieved as much.” This touching editorial is a testament to the life of a leader who had a significant impact on her community and her country through steadfast vision, intelligence and grace which inspired others to follow her in the mission of preserving and celebrating natural beauty. Take a moment to read Michael Douglas's editorial "Christine Freitag and a Better Akron"
October 02, 2018
This Month in GCA History, October
Since its founding in 1913, The Garden Club of America has often used the power of the written word as a means to promote its message on a wide range of gardening and conservation-related issues. From the creation of the Bulletin in 1913 to the addition of its more recent publications, the GCA has utilized the expertise of its club members to reach a broader audience through publications and books.
September 27, 2018
GARDEN CLUB OF DENVER SUPPORTS CURRICULUM ON NATIONAL PARKS
The Denver Garden Club, in a joint initiative with History Colorado, made news with a new elementary school curriculum designed to build awareness of Colorado’s national parks and monuments and encourage stewardship of the state’s natural resources. The program was developed in conjunction with the centennial anniversaries of both the U.S. National Park Service and the Garden Club of Denver. Suellen White (President, Denver Garden Club) and April Legg (History Colorado) were featured this past spring on the Denver NBC affiliate (KUSA).
Click here to watch the video.
September 24, 2018
Help Solve A Garden Mystery - The Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens
Do you love gardens and the thrill of the hunt? Pictured is "Bloomsbury Garden" from an unknown location in 1990. 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 labeled. Regardless of how it happened, they are a mystery!
September 05, 2018
From the GCA Collection at the Archives of American Gardens: Floral Clocks
Floral clocks started appearing in outdoor public spaces at the turn of the twentieth century. The clocks were large-scale timepieces placed amongst richly colored and contrasting carpet plants in elaborate patterns. Some worked like sundials, dependent on the sun to mark time, while others were fully functioning timepieces. These floral clocks are not to be confused with botanist Carl Linnaeus’ flower clock which laid out a variety of flowers in a clock-like design according to the hour of the day they opened and closed.
September 04, 2018
GCA Clubs Are Changing the Landscape
Did you know that legendary Wisconsin football coach Vince Lombardi was a member of The Garden Club of America? He wasn't. But he should have been. It turns out that Lombardi knew a lot more about The Garden Club of America than most would give him credit for. "Individual commitment to a group effort," he said, "is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." That's The Garden Club of America in a nutshell.
August 29, 2018
Neighborhood Action for Conservation
Hancock Park Garden Club was distressed over the breakdown of their century-old neighborhood aesthetics and diminished ecosystems so they decided to take action. After a comprehensive study, they produced Your Next Front Yard a booklet addressing the challenge of managing individual aesthetics and neighborhood character, as well as rebuilding healthy ecosystems.