Two River area clubs focus on horticulture, community service
By Judy O’Gorman Alvarez
The Two River area is home to a host of garden clubs that, while offering members a chance to share their gardening knowledge, participate in shows and competitions, also gives them the opportunity to perform important community service projects.
Projects have included the much-needed planting of dune grass along Sea Bright’s battered shoreline. Club members, including those from Navesink, Middletown, Little Silver, Fair Haven, Rumson and Shrewsbury have banded together, raised funds and coordinated the planting of about tens of thousands of dune grass plugs that help dunes, a natural type of storm protection, form.
The clubs have also taken on the tasks of installing small gardens along streets and parks in towns to add color and life. Many club members are involved in educating youngsters in area schools about the joys of horticulture, maintaining school gardens and visiting those in senior care facilities where they offer some gardening therapy.
Most groups meet monthly to socialize, trade gardening tips and listen to invited guest speakers on a range of horticultural topics. When they’re not planting and deadheading, members are organizing and spearheading community projects.
Among the projects of the The Garden Club of Fair Haven is Random Acts of Beauty awards where, along with the town council, they recognize residents and businesses that have beautified their properties. “We also prepare little floral arrangements for the homebound on their lunch trays,” said Barbara Carton-Riker, club president.
Carton-Riker, said the benefits of belonging to a garden club is “you become friendly with a group of women who have similar goals and interests and you get to learn about plants and horticulture and flower arranging … We also have tours to sites for beautiful gardens.”
Those interested in joining the Fair Haven Garden Club may contact Carton-Riker at 732-291-0730 or visit http://njclubs.esiteasp.com/gardencluboffairhaven/home.nxg.
–Photo by Michele J. Kuhn
The Garden Club of Little Silver will be unveiling its Blue Star Memorial marker to honor veterans on Veteran’s Day on Tuesday, Nov. 11, in the town’s community garden.
“We thought it would be a nice way to honor those who have served us,” said Katharine McCleary, vice president.
One of the benefits of a garden club, according to McCleary, is “the chance to grow.” Since becoming a member, McCleary says she has learned a lot about floral design, taking classes and learning from others. “We have a challenging floral design competition every month (and a horticultural contest). You give your creativity to interpret the topic every month.”
Additional information about The Garden Club of Little Silver is available at http://littlesilvergardenclub.shutterfly.com/.
The Navesink Garden Club has been helping gardeners of all skills since 1947. Among its service projects, which include maintaining planters throughout downtown Red Bank and a rain barrel garden at the Red Bank Public Library, the club runs two junior garden clubs at Atlantic Highlands and Navesink elementary schools.
According to Gotti Kelley, longtime member and former president, there are only 18 junior garden clubs in all of New Jersey. “When we take the kids out (to the garden), they shine,” she said.
The club also runs two garden therapy programs at CareOne at King James senior care center and at The Atrium in Red Bank. Kelley finds it especially fulfilling “when you introduce gardening to new people and open their eyes to what is really beautiful around them,” she said. “Flowers make people happy.”
For more information, visit www.navesinkgardenclub.org.
The Oceanport Garden Club maintains several gardens around the borough, including a butterfly garden at Trinity Park, flowers on the triangle at Monmouth Boulevard and Shrewsbury Avenue and a little-known Blue Star Memorial marker on Highway 36, near the state Motor Vehicles Commission facility.
“Many people may not have noticed it, but we maintain it,” said Penny Gabriel, membership chair.
Additional information about the club is available by calling Gabriel, membership chair, at 732-229-8274.
This year, the Rumson Garden Club celebrated its 100th anniversary of focusing on education, horticulture, floral design, conservation and community service.
“We have designed a number of spaces around Rumson, such as West Park and Borough Hall, and are involved in other municipal design projects right now,” said Diane Guidone, president. “We work hard on civic upkeep, watering and weeding areas around town.
“In addition, every year we gather for a Christmas green workshop where we create centerpieces and decorate wreaths to bring the holiday spirit to local community programs,” Guidone said,
Additional information about the club can be found at www.rumsongardenclub.com.
The Garden Club R.F.D. meets at the Little Red Schoolhouse, a historic site in Middletown. “It is the spot for stimulating talk, good speakers, hands-on projects and learning situations connected to the world of gardening and floral design,” said Ruth Korn, who handles publicity for the group.
The club, which is celebrating its 74 years in Middletown this year, draws members from Holmdel, Highlands, Red Bank, Freehold, Wall, Colts Neck, Manalapan and Monroe as well as Middletown.
“We are a diversified group of women interested in flower arranging to landscaping to environmental issues,” Korn said.
For information, call June Smith at 732-671-9216 or email her at jwsmith35@aol.com.
Among the many projects of the Shrewsbury Garden Club is the maintenance of the town’s historical society’s cottage garden and the Sept. 11 Memorial Gazebo and Garden.
“This year was our 40th anniversary of the herb garden at the Allen House,” Maureen Collins, past president, said of the award-winning garden. “We designed, planted and maintained it.”
Creating an authentic Colonial-era garden at times proved challenging for the members. “We’ve had to travel far and wide to do that sometimes.”
Additional information about the club is available by visiting www.shrewsburygc.com.
