Canton Garden Club adjusts to change

Canton Garden Club members are busy these days preparing for the upcoming annual plant sale. The sale will take place May 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Armando Recreation Center at 92 Pleasant Street. This location is a change from previous sales, which have long been held at the Canton Public Library.

The renovation-related construction project at the library has temporarily cut the number of available parking spaces, so the decision was made to move the 2024 plant sale to another location. This change is one of several that the Garden Club has experienced in the past several years, the biggest one being the loss of five members to death last year.

Now in its 91st year, the club is one of Canton’s older organizations. As such, it has inevitably experienced member losses and undergone many changes. Roxy Gray, co-chair of the plant sale, described how “back in the day,” Garden Club membership was in high demand. Anyone (likely only women) interested in joining was first placed on a waiting list before being put up for membership. A potential member had to be sponsored by two people to be accepted.

Gray said that formerly, the focus of the club was more on floral arranging than on the work of gardening. While the club still has some floral arranging activities, its members are now mostly “people who want to do outdoor things,” Gray said. They want to learn about what to plant and about solutions for problems. Current membership stands at approximately 75 people, most of whom are Cantonites, Gray noted. The club roster includes three male members and a wide range of ages, although about two-thirds are retired.

One of several fundraising projects, the plant sale supports Garden Club scholarships given to graduating Canton High School seniors with an interest in horticulture. The club has sponsored scholarships for decades; at least two scholarships are awarded each year, sometimes more, depending on available funds. Interested students must submit a transcript and complete an application, which includes a written essay.

The club recently planted a dogwood tree at the Historical Society, which will be dedicated at the end of May. During spring and summer, club members plant and do much of the maintenance for Canton’s three watering troughs (at Bolivar and Pleasant streets, Randolph and Washington streets, and Shepards Pond) and six ‘Welcome to Canton’ flower boxes, in addition to several other sites around town. Other club activities include December holiday events, summer garden tours, and “Artists in Bloom,” for which club members create floral arrangements to complement selected K-12 student artworks.

This year’s plant sale will have member-grown perennials and some special annuals, and possibly some trees and shrubs. Also on sale at very moderate prices will be lightly used gardening books and tools, some of which were made available to the club by families of deceased members. “Losing them makes this a very sad time,” Gray said, “but we hope that others can make use of some of their things.”

A new feature this year will be a station offering tool sharpening. At $5 for each item, it’s expected to be a popular and helpful addition.

On the same day as the plant sale, the club will also have a table at the Canton Heritage Festival at the Paul Revere Heritage Site. The table’s focus will be on membership recruitment.

In contrast to earlier days, Garden Club meetings are now held during the evening, allowing people to attend even if they work during the day. Meetings are open to anyone interested in plants and gardening. No experience is required, and members get easy access to trained master gardeners and others willing to offer guidance and advice.

For more information about the Garden Club, go to cantongardenclub.org or facebook.com/cantongardenclub.org.

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Posted by Candace Paris on May 17 2024. Filed under Features. Both comments and pings are currently closed.