What We Do
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Our members pursue their interests and promote the club's mission through a wide-range of projects and committees.
Civic Projects
Our most visible and enduring contributions are the many Civic Projects that are enjoyed in the wider community. From donations to major organizations and smaller community groups for their major garden projects to our own members “rolling up their sleeves” to help plant and maintain public gardens, we help build a more beautiful world.
Community Outreach
Throughout the year we offer fun gardening inspired craft activities to elementary-aged school children; participate in hands-on floral arranging sessions in senior homes; and each December we create fresh holiday-themed table centerpieces for three homeless shelters. This year we will also participate in two sessions to harvest and make special teas for the “Healing Meals” Community Project at Auerfarm Education Center to further strengthen our relationship.
Conservation
From the outset, the CVGC and the GCA have maintained a strong environmental stance to protect our planet’s precious resources, especially clean water. We support initiatives to promote indigenous plants that support biodiversity and preserve habitats, particularly for pollinators, while reducing polluting waste or eliminating invasive species. At a club level, we share information about books, films, events and host guest speakers to address this vital topic. Nearly sixty years ago the GCA established the National Affairs & Legislation and Conservation Committees which present well researched GCA Position Papers to advise legislators in Washington DC. We are informed, active and have a united voice.
Floral Design
Who doesn’t love an artfully arranged floral display? Our hands-on workshops and friendly sweepstakes encourage everyone to try new techniques. If you have a real flair for floral design, you may enter competitions at Zone or National level. Perhaps you may develop your skills to become a GCA-accredited Floral Design Judge. It’s a beautiful way to be involved.
Garden History & Design
This project helps document contemporary and historic gardens so anyone with an interest in landscape design, preservation and research can understand how American garden styles have changed over 130 years. Our team submits extremely detailed descriptions of a chosen garden in our area with maps showing significant structures and plantings with historical records, if available. Captioned photographs help show the garden in all its seasonal glory.
It is an honor for the story of selected gardens to be accepted into the Archives of American Gardens (AAG) which manages 65,000 images and documents dating back to the 1890s on behalf of the Smithsonian Gardens, a division of the world renowned Smithsonian Institute. These records are available to view online at www.aag.si.edu.