What garden clubs or societies do you belong to?

It's the beginning of the year and I am renewing my annual dues to my various garden clubs...

And I was wondering what clubs/societies everyone belongs to?

Last year I joined (for the first time):

The American Hosta Society
The Greater Cincinnati Hemerocallis and Hosta Society
The American Hemerocallis Society
The Cincinnati Civic Garden Center
The Cincinnati Horticultural Society
And, of course, Dave's Garden!

I learned a LOT from all the newsletters and magazines and I really recommend them, especially if you're a beginner like me!...

I've been thinking about joining a club here for a while, but I just haven't gotten around to it. There's another Rockford DG'er who I've talked to a few times about it. There are a couple of good ones here. I read a lot of books and magazines, but I get most of my questions answered here on Dave's.

I've seen some of your posts and pics - your garden is gorgeous!

Stacy

I belong to several regional horticultural societies but my all time favorite is the American Horticultural Society; I love their magazine. There is always something new for me to learn in it.

Be sure to carry the membership cards for all the horticultural societies you belong to when you travel; so many of them have reciprocal agreements with botanical gardens and you can often get free or reduced admission.

Thanks for compliment, Stacy. That gives me some encouragement to keep going and correct all of my mistakes (that don't show in the pics) next spring! I like to join the local groups because they share plants and open their gardens to visitors if you give them a call.

Ardesia--thanks for bringing up the American Horticultural Society. I forgot about that one, but I often use their website and I noticed they have very good articles. I would like to join that this year. Thanks for reminding me.

I belong to the Georgia Native Plant Society, the Georgia Hosta Society (gotta join the AHS this year), and the Hydrangea Society. I was a member of the Georgia Iris Society, but they only seem to focus on the tall bearded irises. I'm also thinking about the Daylily Society (not the right name).

My only membership is with the Northstar Lily Society located in Minneapolis, but to be truthful, I'm only in it for the 10% discount during their Spring and Fall bulb sales.

I had forgotten about the discounts available if you belong to certain plant groups. That can add up. I noticed our Civic Garden Center membership provides discounts at a lot of local garden centers besides deals at the civic garden center's annual sales.

I know the Ohio Lily Society had a great sale this year too.

I want to join an Iris Society around here but I can't seem to identify where it is. And the Daffodil Society used to have a website but I can't find it now...oh, well...

I am a Master Gardener with the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service. We have so many things going on it is impossible to have time for anything else. Jessamine

Hey sstateham, you might want to check into WildOnes. I think they have a local chapter over your way in Rockford.

Hey Jessamine! Big open armed hugs to you. I am so glad to see you posting. I have missed you very much. I have missed hearing about all the projects you had going on and all the work you do out in the community volunteering.

Lauren
editing to add link for Stacy
http://www.for-wild.org/

This message was edited Jan 17, 2006 4:57 PM

Hi lauren--

I took a peek at the 'Wild Ones' website--a very interesting group and I wonder if they have a club in our area--are you a member?

Natural landscapes are becoming so popular now---it seems like everybody wants to know more about how to incorporate their concepts into home gardening...does DG have a natural gardening forum now? I haven't checked since the big revision...

Hi, jessamine--

I did not know you were a master gardener! So glad to have you posting again, too. By the way--we are trying to get together a new forum for the eastern midwest (?)--basically the ohio river basin--and we surely hope you will join the discussion there-- here is the link for you and anyone reading this who lives in the general area to comment on the idea.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/569189/

We are hoping there are more interested DGers among us...

Yup, I'm a Wild One! Woo hoo! I think the average age of the members in my particular chapter would be around 75. I'm the token juvenile at almost 50 years of age but they treat me well and don't leave me out of the fun. Incredible wealth of knowledge amongst our membership which is lacking in chapters that have a younger membership. Wish we could get some more "young blood". Audubon has meetings out my way that I attend quite frequently and they definitely focus on indigenous flora and fauna often holding workshops on gardening for wildlife (focus on birds) and working with North American native plants.

Yes we have a natural gardening forum, it's called Indigenous Plants. There are some pretty sharp people over there. The forum isn't all that old, maybe a year or so. I think you'll like it over there.

Hey Lauren, hey Tabasco. Glad to be back. I'm drowning in catalogs, new projects and it's still snowing. I have to cut back this year and it's breaking my heart. Injured my back and haven't been worth a darn since October. Expect to have surgery sometime soon to fuse two disks and the recovery time is supposed to be 6 months to a year so it looks like I'm into armchair gardening this season. Drop me an e-mail and let me know all the news. Your enthusiasm always leaves me up. Jessamine

I just don't have the time for clubs and societies. I did recently join the American Hemerocallis Society since it is of great interest to me and I want to keep on top of things. Hubby subscribed me to Horticulture magazine and that is nice too.

Great to see you Jessamine. :)

Hi all,
Tabasco, I swear you must read every thread...you are everywhere LOL!!
I belong to our local Hosta Society-North Coast Hosta Society, American Hosta Soc., Amer. Ivy Society, Hardy Fern Foundation, Local perennial club, Cleveland Botanical Gardens. I am active with the local Hosta and perennial garden club. The others- well, I like the newsletters for the information.I like to go to talks whenever possible, especially this time of year.
I wish there was a course on ferns I would love to learn more about ferns (especially the parts of a fern) I just don't seem to absorb that information (into my long tern memory) when reading it.

Badseed, glad to hear you like your Horticulture mag. I just sent in my subscription.
Jessamine, good luck with your surgery!! My nephew (age25) I believe is having the same thing done in about month.

Shady

Hey all! I joined the local chapter (and national) of the North American Rock Garden Society.
The local chapter has incredible speakers once a month, two plant sales (just can't believe how
cheap & really unusual the plants are) and garden tours. The national has an incredible seed
exchange. I've become more and more active in this organization - write up the speaker's talk for
the newsletter & run the plant sales.

I also belong to the Hardy Plant Society - Mid-Atlantic Group. Terrific seed exchange & very interesting
activities (though I've only joined in a few. Garden & nursery tours). Good plant sale. Also Daylily Society
local chapter (after the plant sales but not active).

And I've got an informal garden club too.

Tam

LOL, I think the days of white glove garden clubs has passed. Jessamine

Ah ha! You are wrong Jessamine! My County has a white glove gardening club.

This message was edited Nov 14, 2008 6:14 PM

Jessamine - those "societies" I mention are hardly white glove gardening clubs! The Rock Garden Society
is an extremely serious group of plantsmen & women. I went to the national meeting in NC a couple of years
ago. At one of the meals, some of the folks at my table were clearly frustrated that I didn't know the latin names
of the weeds I mentioned were giving me trouble. Wonderful people with incredible knowledge. Never seen
any gloves on any of 'em either (except gardening gloves while they were giving a demo. LOL)
Tam

Equilibrrium,
LOL, LOL, LOL
I laugh with you, I could very well, see me doing the same thing. Thanks for the laugh!

Shady (smiling)
White gloves aren't they what you put on your hands after you slather your hands with lotion and before retiring to bed?

Well, about all I can say is that I definitely "enhanced" their little program over there and gave them something to talk about other than roses for a bit. I can hear it now... "remember that lady who wore the blue jeans to the tea last summer?" Did I mention I was wearing a pair of flip flops and gasp... I have a toe ring and one of my ears is double pierced. Eeek. By the way, I don't have any lotion gloves either. When you use those are your hands prunes the next morning?

Eq,
LOL--Flip flops/sandles-if it is above freezing and there is no snow on the ground, I have on open toe shoes.

I can't say I have ever worn gloves to bed either. There are times I probably should have...

Well, today my DH and I are off to hear a talk for Master gardeners in Akron. I don't know how we got on the mailing list but I am happy we did. Got to leave the house in 15 minutes-
Later, Shady

American iris society
Tulsa area iris society
Tulsa area Day lilly society

Just joined the American Horticultural Society today. Looking forward to the magazine.

Am going to the Greater Cincinnati Hemerocallis and Hosta Meeting tomorrow at the Civic Garden Center (with DH--can't believe he will go with me!).

Also--you guys will laugh at me,--- but a lovely invitation just arrived from my white glove garden club for a Valentine Cocktail Party. No white gloves that night, but a 'little black dress' will be in order. They will have scrumptious hors d'ouevres and good bourbon, and, by the way, they all have fantastic gardens....

Shadyfolks--I do read a lot of threads on DG (my kids say I'm addicted)--I am a new empty nester, and new here in Cincinnati, and I don't have enough to do! (I should get a job or at least do the dishes, I know) Anyway, I enjoy learning about gardening and the DGers are so helpful and delightful...

I really recommend joining a garden club/society or two. At our last meeting, a lady who is moving to her retirement home invited me to come over to her garden and take any plants I wanted. And she has a serious garden. In April I'm going over. If only I had a little more yard space... She's a 'white glover' but a sweetie!

I want to join the Southwest Ohio Daffodil Society and put a few of my specimens in the show this spring but I'm too shy...

Have a good weekend!

Equi--wouldn't you wear a dress to get some good bourbon and some free plants?!!!

Well, I don't drink for all practical purposes and a shot of bourbon would probably send me to la la land but I must admit that I'd most certainly attempt to ram all of my flesh into one of those little black dresses for free plants. When is this blessed event? I'll need time to reinforce a few seams... you know so that I don't walk throught the entrance... make the wrong move... and have the dress split apart on me with an audience. Think one of those wind up clocks that when bumped sends springs and internal parts across the room.

LOL--oh, come on! :-)

Hey - maybe I could go dressed in a red dress and ask if they have some good scotch! ;-) That, plus plants, would make a great evening! lol

Hmmm, there's a thought for me. Break with tradition and wear a little red dress. Pins and me could be the tomatoes or red peppers or something.

As far as the LBD, I would be the equivalent of a flesh loaf wrapped in a little black hankie with body parts squishing out everywhere. It wouldn't be a pretty sight but if I could walk out with an armful of free plants, I'd subject myself to pure and unadulterated humiliation.

Equilibrium, you're so cute!

Why I do declare! (batting eyelashes and blushing a little)

I've never been referred to as being cute. Well, maybe when I was little. I have been referred to as cheap though, quite frequently actually ;)

I have to jump in here for all the guys who enjoy seeing a black mini skirt. I say go have a shot of bourbon and have a good time. We don't care about your very close veins. A picture would be nice. Actually I'll send you a free plant for some of those party pictures from tomorrow night, Equi

Eeeek, there's a male amongst us ;)

Say sweetie- below is a photo of a mini skirt (not my photo but I thought it was appropriate) now gimme a free plant. You know my address. Pay up dude!

You guys are too funny! Cute little puppy, too.

Sooo...I'm not going to tell you about my other forays out into the gardening community in an effort to garner free plants...and invitations to great gardens...

you'll just have to come and visit and see for yourself and I'll break out the Johnny Walker Green Label or whatever is your preference. Even lemonade (fresh squeezed). And you can wear your jeans (designer, though). And we'll have our own 'club' meeting.

In the meantime, what other garden clubs and plant societies are out there? I know the Rock Garden Society is fantastic and has loads of information to share and lots of great meetings. Todd Boland, who is a member of DG, is quite an active member and posts lots of good information about it on the Rock Garden forum.

And I'm trying to sign up for the Great Lakes Hosta Society's "Hosta College" March 11, which I'm excited about. I don't know what I'll wear to that, yet!

Have a great gardening weekend. I have to mulch some more.

Wait a minute. The deal was for pictures of the black mini from the party tomorrow night.

Philadelphia Horticultural Society
American Iris Society
Reblooming Iris Society

I would love to be a member of a local Dahlia Society, but the 2 in this state are 90 miles away. Am I being unreasonable?

The places I join have local chapters. 90 miles is a tad far to travel for monthly meetings.


Ohhhhhhhhh Mitt! Gimme my free plant!


This message was edited Nov 14, 2008 6:25 PM

American Hosta Soc. Lifetime member
American Hemerocallis Soc. Life
American Iris Soc. Live
American Horticulture Soc.
American Clematis Soc. Life
American Bonsai Soc.
Local Garden Club
North American Lily Soc.
American Penstemon Soc.
Brooklyn Botanic Soc.

May be others that I don't think of now. I've been a member of AHS Hem. since the 50s, so being a life member has been a good thing for me.

DonnaS

Equi-- I had no idea you were so intensely interested in wildflowers and native plants...you must be an expert! Do you post a lot on the 'Indigenous' Forum? There seems to be limited postings over there but there seems to be so much about wildflowers and natives in the press, I would think there would be more interest...

rutholive-- I noticed you are a member of the Penstemon Society--which I think is interesting because I just googled Penstemons to learn more about them and just read an article in Horticulture Magazine this morning about how they are being hybridized by Dr. Lindgren at University of Nebraska---another native wildflower worthy of more interest, I guess...They say we can expect many new hybrids to be released soon...

Equi, Your puppy has quite a stylish wardrobe! Let me know what kind of plant you get from Mitt. Maybe I'll post my picture, too!