All about the Booneville Garden Club

All About The Booneville Garden Club

by Pat Van Devender

The Booneville Garden Club has been an integral part of this town since 1933. We love working for the betterment of our community, meeting to keep the force moving, and coming up with new ideas to enrich all our lives. Whether you love working in your own garden and flowerbed or just enjoy colorful flowers we hope our efforts please you.

Booneville Garden Club meetings are held the third Wednesday of each month either in members' home or place of their choice - often the Community Building or a local restaurant.

Our programs are presented by members or someone of interest they invite to speak. Topics include all aspects of gardening: soil, trees, shrubs, plants, grasses, flowers, flower design, birds, bees, butterflies, or organizations concerning these topics. If it has anything to do with gardening we can always contribute or learn.

This year we’ve had 16 members on the roll but we’re always amazed at the amount of work a few hands can accomplish. Together we make a considerable organization! Our club flower is the Crepe Myrtle and the club mascot is the Ladybug. Yep, we’re official.

Our president, Anne Cooney, is a very accomplished Master Gardener who has taught us all so much over the years. Co-vice presidents are Sue Hughes and Louise Scott, secretary/treasurer is Darlene Miller, Historian, Pat Van Devender, and parliamentarian is Ruby Watts.

It would be hard to say just how many members this club has claimed but certainly, the combined lives were better for being a part of this very worthy organization. Many have come and gone- served well, moved away, or departed this life, but each contribution was important.

In the beginning, the ladies wore hats and gloves and drank their mint juleps on the veranda, according to early newspaper clippings, Today, it’s jeans and coffee and roll up the sleeves! Membership was by invitation only. We probably get more accomplished today and if you’re willing to help some, here’s your invitation - we’d like you to join us!

Some of our continuing club projects include planting and maintenance of the entrance to Oak Hill Cemetery and the Chamber of Commerce grounds, creating the hanging flower baskets that adorn the street lights for the city of Booneville, observing National Garden Week by placing flower arrangements or a plant at the banks, public library and the Chamber of Commerce, Yard of the Month/Storefront of the Month, supplying flower arrangements for The Taste of South Logan County, an annual donation to the Heifer Project, and the Christmas Tree Lighting activities at City Hall. Other activities have included fundraisers like our bake sales, plant sales, Spaghetti Dinners, etc. We’re willing to do most anything that will help our hometown!

And speaking of - we usually need to have one or two said fundraisers a year and we want to thank the residents of Booneville and surrounding communities for always very generously supporting us in our efforts. We couldn’t do it without you. Your generous support enables these projects to continue and if you’re willing to get behind us - we’re more than willing to do the work!

Blue Star Memorial Highways are highways in the U.S. that are marked to pay tribute to the US Armed Forces. National Garden Clubs, Inc. started the program in 1945 after World War II. The Booneville Garden Club placed a Blue Star Memorial Marker on Highway 10 in front of City Hall on January 7, 2014. If you haven’t seen it, stop by and take a closer look.

The annual Spring Luncheon and Membership Drives are something we look forward to. Our members come from all walks of life, our ages vary, and a few men have joined us in our efforts. We love to take an occasional field trip to broaden our horizons and enjoy some of the many places of interest in our state that have to do with what we love.

The object of this club is to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening among amateurs, to aid in the protection of native trees, plants, and birds, and to encourage civic plantings to help maintain and beautify our local area. Our mission is to provide education and promote environmental responsibility.