GCNC Districts
District/Council/Club News

 

  
State Flower - Dogwood    State Bird - Cardinal



Districts Counties In Each District
1 Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Madison, Polk, Swain, Transylvania
2 Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancy
3 Anson, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenberg, Montgomery, Richmond, Rowan, Rutherfordton, Stanley, Union
4 Davie, Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, parts of Guilford, Davidson, Randolph and all of Yadkin
5 Part of Guilford, all of Rockingham, Randolph
8* Chatham, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Moore, Roberson, Scotland
9 Alamance, Caswell, Durham, Granville, Orange, Person, Warren, Vance
10 Franklin, Johnson, Wake
11 Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, Craven, Duplin, Greene, James, Lenoir, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Samson, Wayne
12 Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Edgecombe, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Nash, North Hampton, Perquimans, Pitt, Pasquotank, Tyrell, Washington, Wilson

* No District 6 or 7

District/Council/Club News


 

District 1 News
Tryon Garden Club's Pearson's Falls

     Around 1870, Captain C. W. Pearson, a distinguished civil war veteran later associated with the Southern Railway System, came upon the falls while surveying for a railroad route between Tryon and Saluda.  He fell in love with the area and acquired several hundred acres of land around the falls.  For many years Captain Pearson and his heirs welcomed visitors to their wildlife preserve and encouraged picnics on the great flat table-rock at the foot of the falls.
     The Tryon Garden Club was established in 1928 by a group of “ladies” interested in the advancement of gardening, the development of home grounds, the furthering of city beautification, the stimulation of interest in co-operative gardening and aiding in the protection of wildflowers, birds and wildlife.
     Around 1930 rumors were circulating that a sawmill company was interested in the area, including that which encompassed Pearson’s Falls Glen.  The courageous women of the Tryon Garden Club stepped forward and were able with gifts and personal loans to purchase 308 acres for $3300 in 1931.  Eight years later in 1939 after vigorous fundraisers and projects, they held a ceremony in which they burned the mortgage on the property in a handsome brazier with a fire of pinecones, cedar and rosemary for remembrance.
     For 75 years the Tryon Garden Club has been privileged to be the proud guardian of this magnificent natural wonder.
     Pearson’s Falls is located just off Route 176 about four miles north of Tryon and three miles south of Saluda.  Closed Monday except Holidays.  Open March 1-October 31 Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Sunday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.; November 1 – February 28, Tuesday through Saturday10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

Adults $3.00
Age 6-12        $1.00
Under 6          Free

Picnicking Permitted, No Fires, No Pets
For more information, see website www.pearsonsfalls.com/

 


 

Activities of the Gardenerettes Garden Club, Boone NC, District 2
Submitted by Susan Oliver
Click on small images below to view larger, clearer photographs

Litter Sweep

Mother & Daughter members at Christmas Meeting of Gardenerettes GC

Planting flower pots for Mother's Day w/challenged children

Fashion Show

Planting Daylillies on the Boone Greenway

Daniel Boone Native Garden Plant Sale

 


 

Four Seasons Garden Club, District 3, Gastonia
Honors Longtime Member, Janet Spear

     Members gathered at the Schiele Museum May 3lst to dedicate a white dogwood tree, planted in honor of Janet Spear for her long years of service to the club.  Joyce McAllister led the ceremony by telling of Janet's many years of dedication to the club and noting that she is still an active member.
     The honoree joined the club in 1971 and was later honored with a life membership. The tree planted in her honor has a plaque placed at the foot and has been mulched with pine straw and will be cared for by members of the club.


 

Four Seasons Garden Club, District 3, Gastonia
Honors President, Joyce McCallister, With Service Award
At its March, 2007 meeting the Four Seasons Garden Club of Gastonia presented its president of two years a Service Award.  The club also gave her a choice of a tree or a bench to be placed in a school, museum or garden in her honor.



Sedgefield Garden Club, District 3, Charlotte
Members potting a plant for their President, Ruth Dubler,
 who died of a brain tumor in November 2005
Submitted by Charline Sims

Standing L to R - Gwen Moses, Elizabeth Johnstone, Nell Overton, Louise Lawson
Kneeling or squating L to R - Jean Siers, Lucy Hudson, Trissy Lomax, Nancy Higginson, Blair McCombs


 

Garden Lovers of Mountainbrook Garden Club, District 3, Charlotte
Members serving nursing home residents refreshments and
helping them make flower arrangements for their rooms
(Click on thumbnail images below to see larger, clearer pictures)
Submitted by Charline Sims

Garden Club members are:  Joyce Allen (multi-color striped sweater), Helen Mayhew (yellow sweater), Julia Hite (white turtleneck and checked sweater vest, and Susan Harmon (striped shirt and blue sleeveless vest)


 

Arbor Day in District 3
8 members of Mooresville Club helped plant 4 Redbud trees at a school with 189 fifth grade students
(Click on thumbnail images below to see larger, clearer pictures)
Submitted by Charline Sims


1

2

3
1. Barbara Blackwelder and Mary Lou Goodman of Statesville Council helped at booth for Statesville Tree Festival
2. Charline Sims, Terri Meyerhoefer, Elaine Williams, Kazoko Shimamoto, Kimiiko Nodo, Rui-yi Huang help kids at Mooresville Int. School plant trees
3. Barbara Howard and kids

 



 
District 5 Fall Meeting,
 October 25, 2007, Eden, NC

Left to right, Mary Lou Goodman, GCNC 1st VP; Sylvia Bray, District 5 Vice Director; Gail Hill, District 5 Director; Lila Petersen GCNC President; Jenene Smith, GCNC 4th Vice President



 

DISTRICT 7 NEWS
Club Activities and Happenings
Submitted by Valerie Vaughan
Click on thumbnail images below to view larger, clearer pictures
1. GCNC State Convention - Three Club presidents of District 7 are ready to be introduced at the Parade of Presidents before the Awards Banquet - all represent the Asheboro Council,  2. and 3. President's meeting - GCNC 1st Vice President, Lila Peterson, District 7 Director, Jane Vaughan, club presidents and representatives share info and ideas.  From this meeting three committee chairs and a Vice Director were secured,  4. Monroe Garden Club finished off the year with an afternoon tea which included guest Judy Barnes, GCNC 4th Vice President, two youth club leaders and the school principal of the Unionville Gardeners Youth Club and presidents from two neighboring clubs.
5. Monroe Garden Club - A program on Container Gardening for the Tea was given by club members.  Notice that all are dressed in their tea finery, including hats.  6. Monroe Garden Club - Incoming club officers were installed by GCNC 4th Vice President, Judy Barnes.  7. Monroe Garden Club celebrates National Garden Club Week with a concert at their Franklin Courts Garden - a continuing project for the club.  8. Band provides an evening of Big Band music.
 
9. Members of Benton Heights Garden Club receiving their State awards and certificates from Monroe Garden Club.  10. Unionville Gardeners receive their State awards and certificates from Monroe Garden Club.  11. District 7 Co-Chairs of the Annual Meeting, Ruth Goodwin and Martha Wolf are making plans with District Director and Vice Director for the October 26 meeting.  Hawthorne Garden Club and Primrose Garden Club in Albemarle are hosting the meeting.


 



 

Reinstatement of Youth Garden Club ("Earthworms")
News From The
Country Club of North Carolina Garden Club, District 8
Pinehurst, North Carolina
Submitted by Barbara Dvorozniak
 

The Garden Club of the Country Club of North Carolina has reinstated a youth garden club entitled the "Earthworms" in conjunction with primary schools. 
The project instigated by CCNC Garden Club member, Dr. Rebecca Vassallo, was carried out at the Southern Pines Elementary School a few years ago and won state awards.  Vassalo left the program when she became involved with her dogs and in particular, Luther, a trained therapy dog.  The current president of CCNC Garden club, Kathleen Oleson, took over the "Earthworms" in January.  Coordinated with the teacher, the Earthworm volunteers meet at the Pinehurst Elementary School on the first Friday afternoon of the month. Volunteers from the garden club work with the kindergarten children in stories, art work, instruction and the practical aspect of gardening.  In addition to the classroom projects, they have planted spring bulbs on the school grounds and their March meeting was a lesson with pansies involving digging the hole, putting in the fertilizer, securing the plants and watering. The children mark their planting with a name stick and watch the growth progress.  A few of the bulbs were already sprouting.  The three groups of eight children took turns from the classroom to the garden and each choose a pansy to plant.

(Click on the thumbnail images below to see larger, clearer pictures)


 
District 8 President's Meeting Report
Submitted by Debra Magee
 


The District 8 President's Meeting was held June 21st at Sandhills Community College, Pinehurst, North Carolina.  The training session for former and new presidents included a  panel of presenters who highlighted significant areas such as working with councils, youth gardeners, involvement with national membership, environmental involvement, and flower show schools participation.  The panelist were Mary Jane Knight, Vice-Director, Kathleen Oleson, Mary Kilkka, and Milli Johnson.  Many ideas were shared.
 
Click on small images below to view larger, clearer pictures


 


 

Pictures from District 9 Meeting hosted by the Garden Club Council of Orange County on October 18, 2007.  The Hillsborough Garden Club used materials they had either grown themselves, or had available in their yards.  The event was held at the Fearington Barn in Pittsboro.  Submitted by Heidi Sawyer-Clark November, 2007


 

District 9 News
Durham Council of Garden Clubs
Submitted by Alice Le Duc, Co-President of the Durham Council of Garden Clubs, May 2007

The pictures below were taken May 1, 2007 at the dedication of the Garden at the Good Samaritan Inn which was created under the sponsorship of the Durham Council of Garden Clubs.  The Garden was dedicated in honor of Rhonda Pollard and Pat Lindsey who truly made the garden a reality.

To see larger, clearer pictures click on the small pictures below.

 

Heritage Garden Club, District 9
November, December  2007
Submitted by Marcia Loudon


Wreath by Jean Gurtner

Arrangement by Marcia Loudon

Liz Danford making cookies

Sharing cookies with ladies at Good Samaritan House

 

District 9 News
 Durham Council of Garden Clubs

The landscape Design Study Course I was held at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens on Feb 11-13, 2008.
This program was co-sponsored by the Durham Council of Garden Clubs and many of the lectures were conducted by the co-president of the Durham Council, Alice LeDuc.  Alice is also the Director of Education for the Sarah P. Duke Gardens.  She provided a great group of lecturers and a very informative program for the series of classes.

Alice LeDuc

Landscape Design Study Course Attendees



 




 

DISTRICT 10 NEWS


Freedom Garden completed this fall by the Hoe 'n Hope Garden Club of Wendell NC, District 10
Funded in part by a grant from The National Garden Club and The Principal Financial Group

Submitted by Joyce Burroughs and Kathryn Brantley - November 2006


 



 

Boiling Spring Lakes Garden Club, District 11
Submitted by JoAn Miller, March 2008

Boiling Spring Lakes Garden Club Donation Helps Community Center Go Green
 
Members of the Boiling Spring Lakes Garden Club believe "There is more than one way to plant a seed."  The club's motto rang true during its March meeting as president Anita Handler presented Mary Green, director of the BSL Parks and Recreation Department, a $200 check. The donation will be used for the community center's recycling and summer camp programs.  Money for the donation was raised during several of the club's fundraising events. 

 

Boiling Spring Lakes Garden Club, District 11
Submitted by JoAn Miller, April 2008
The youth from the BSL After School Program and the Boiling Spring Lakes Garden Club worked together on a project at the BSL Community Center on April 26th to celebrate Youth Service Day and Earth Day.  The Garden Club Members and youth enhanced the entrance to the Nature Trail by planting decorative grasses and various other plants.  Many of them decorated small recycle bins to take home and use.  All who participated enjoyed the gardening and craft project as well as the lunch served after all their hard work.



 




 

DISTRICT 12 NEWS

Washington Garden Club, Washington, NC, District 12

Submitted October, 2006
Betty Ingalls, Barbara Gibbs, Steve Ward and Mary Rudbeck work on beautifying a small park at the corner of Third and Market Streets in downtown Washington, NC.  The park is a project of the Washington Garden Club with funding from PCS Phosphate, Inc. 


 

Lake Gaston Garden Club, Henrico, NC, District 12

LGGC Sponsors KIPP High School Garden Club

Submitted by Mary Lou Stimson, February 2007
Previously printed in the Lake Gaston Gazette


     Students at KIPP Pride High School in Gaston, N.C., voiced a desire to form
a garden club at their school. The Lake Gaston Garden Club has agreed to
sponsor their club with Dolly Robins, master gardener, and a member of the
LGGC, acting as liaison between the LGGC and Pride High.
One purpose of the LGGC is civic beautification and the students will
actively beautify the KIPP Campus.
     The students have participated in several intersession classes, planting
shrubs and ground cover in front of the gymnasium. They have also been
instructed in the care of tools and equipment for gardening.
The students planted seeds in a mini greenhouse which they will care for
within the school. After the seeds have sprouted, they will plant them
outdoors. They have already planted bulbs for spring.
     On January 20, an organizational meeting was held in which the KIPP Pride
Garden Club discussed the purpose of the club and named Malcolm Jones as
recorder. They explored possibilities for placement of plantings and the
care and maintenance of garden tools.

 

Lake Gaston Garden Club, Henrico, NC, District 12
LGGC members recently had a Flea Market Sale with all proceeds going toward scholarships for Horticultural students who wish to attend North Carolina State University
Submitted by Mary Lou Stimson - April 2007

 

DISTRICT 12 WEBSITE REPORT
August, 2007

Submitted by Virginia Johnson, District 12 Director


Virginia Johnson, District 12 Director, in Bejing, China with topiaries in the background


Past District 12 Director, Sandra Snapp, installing the officers of the Three Rivers Garden Club

 District 12 has 20 garden clubs in the Eastern part of North Carolina.  Club size ranges from 10-100 members.

 Our newest club, The Three Rivers Garden Club has formed in the Hertford, Elizabeth City, Edenton areas.  They have 64 members including several men and have received their charter.  Officers are planning programs of interest for the coming year.  This group consists of many “transplants” from other states.  So they are particularly working on “What grows in N.C.’s clay soil?” and “What do I plant to keep it from being salad for the deer?”  Their spring project was an air layering clinic on camellias.  The club air layered many cultivars and will check their work in the fall when they will clip off the new plants and pot them.  The new plants will be cared for all year and then the club will hold a plant sale.

 Other clubs such as Roanoke Island host a Garden Tour to help support THE ELIZABETHAN GARDENS on the Outer Banks. These gardens are beautiful any time of year, and they love to have visitors.  Plan a trip to see the beautiful new bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth I.

While on the Outer Banks, be sure to visit the Arboretum at milepost 81/2 Kill Devil Hills near the Wright Memorial for a work in progress.  Many gardeners from the Dunes of Dare G.C. help maintain this teaching garden.

The Wilson Rose Garden is an accredited All American Rose Selections, Inc. public garden growing nearly 1200 rose bushes.  If you’re a rose lover, it’s a must see spot in Wilson, NC.

The district is working on a quiet garden brochure to help people locate a beautiful garden or spot in or near the location of our 20 garden clubs.  With this brochure in hand, you can enjoy a bit of nature wherever you visit in the eastern part of N. Carolina.

 Our district celebrates not only a new club but also we are blessed to have the Wilson G.C. that has been federated for 71 years and the Edgecombe G.C. for 69 years.  Down to Earth G.C. was founded in 1930 and Rich Square GC began in 1940.

 Summer and early fall are great times to sit, relax, and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us.  Watch for butterflies and dragonflies that also enhance our gardens.


 


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