Photography Contest
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Central Region Photography Contest:
"Nature is Imagination Itself" Get those cameras ready! Wisconsin is holding the 2025 Central Region Convention in October at the Osthoff Resort. The convention will feature a photography contest open to members of any federation garden club in the Central Region. Entries may be submitted from Jan. 1 through Aug. 1, 2025. Finalists in each category will be displayed at the convention. The categories are: Class 1. Through the Looking Glass: a photo featuring reflection Class 2. Flying High - featuring movement in nature Class 3. Down by the Water – a color or monochromatic image showcasing the lakeside and/or wetlands Class 4. This really Bugs Me! - A close-up or macro image celebrating pollinators, pests and or predators in our habitats Class 5 Nitty Gritty – a still life or still image featuring some natural components Class 6. This is Wild! - a photo of a subject in nature changed by your use of creative techniques. |
Flower Shows
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Wisconsin State Fair Flower Show Features "CREAM of the CROP" Entries
Floral Designers of Wisconsin celebrated 100 years of cream puffs at the Wisconsin State Fair with its 2024 flower show called "Cream of the Crop." This year's state fair attendance set a new record of 1,136,805 fairgoers and 352,000 Original Cream Puffs were served. During the Aug. 8 to 11 NGC Standard Flower Show, people from across Wisconsin checked out the "cream of the crop" entries in the Design, Horticulture and Education Divisions. In addition, to the standard and exhibition tables, there were some unusual designs in the creative mass, low profile and illumination classes. Flower shows educate the public and several fairgoers went home with new creamy hosta varieties and how to create a moon garden after viewing the educational exhibits. The rainy spring produced some great horticulture and there were more than 110 entries. Kitty Larkin, president of Floral Designers of Wisconsin and the show chairman, was pleased with all of the entries. "We had some great floral designs and horticulture entries – it was a competitive show! We're looking forward to 2025." |
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District Fund Raisers
Western Acres members promoting membership and offering pollinator signs at Brookfield's Farmers Market.
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Pollinator Garden Signs
Promote your pollinator garden(s) with an attractive sign! You don't have to be a garden club member to buy a sign. Also, garden clubs may combine their orders and submit them to make distribution easier. Cost per sign is $18 or 2 for $35. Signs are 10″ x 15″ and are made out of coated aluminum composite with an average lifespan of 3 to 5 years. Suitable three foot metal posts are available from Menard’s, Home Depot or Fleet Farm. Contact: Diane Olsen |
Meetings and Conventions
WGCF Convention Is Serendipitous Occasion
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The 96th Annual Business Meeting and Convention of the Wisconsin Garden Club Federation (WGCF) was held May 19 to 21, 2024 at the Milwaukee Marriott West in Waukesha, WI. Hosted by the members of Milwaukee District, it was a serendipitous event for WGCF members with informative speakers, creative workshops and breakout sessions and a mini-craft fair.
See the summer issue of Wisconsin Gardens on the WGCF website for photos and a recap of the convention. |
Milwaukee District Garden Clubs and Members Win Awards
Several garden clubs and their members received awards for their work at the Wisconsin Garden Club Federation's (WGCF) state convention and at the Milwaukee District Garden Clubs (MDGC) spring meeting in May.
The following garden clubs and members from the Milwaukee District were honored at the state convention:
At its May 23 spring meeting, MDGC presented monetary awards to the following garden clubs for their outstanding yearbooks:
The following garden clubs and members from the Milwaukee District were honored at the state convention:
- Creative Horticulture Award – Nicholas Lemus, Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee
- Ruth West Horticulture Award, Honorable Mention – Hawthorn Garden Club
- Wisconsin Civic Achievement Award – Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee
- Certificate of Merit – Debra Koenig, Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee
- Pat Dvorak Yearbook Award – Hawthorn Garden Club
- Honorable Mention – Elmbrook Garden Club
- And-Then-Some VIP Award – Susan Balije, Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee
- Gardening for Wildlife – Nicholas Lemus, Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee
At its May 23 spring meeting, MDGC presented monetary awards to the following garden clubs for their outstanding yearbooks:
- Hawthorn Garden Club (15 members or less)
- Town and Country Garden Club (16 to 39 members)
- Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee (40 plus members)
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Chiwaukee Prairie Presentation, VIP Awards Highlight MDGC's Fall Meeting
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Learning about the Chiwaukee Prairie and honoring VIP members were the highlights of the Milwaukee District's annual fall meeting Oct. 24 in Kenosha. In addition to reports from the MDGC officers and chairs of the standing committees, garden club presidents highlighted their clubs' work and projects during 2023.
Pam Holy, President of the Chiwaukee Prairie Foundation, discussed the history of the Chiwaukee Prairie. Pam acknowledged the Wisconsin Garden Club Federation's support in 1981 – $1,152.50 that was used for prairie acquisition – and thanked the Four Seasons Garden Club for its many volunteers and annual grants. |
Fox Point Garden Club honored Cheryl Booth (left) and Four Seasons Garden Club recognized Terry Moody as VIP members. Also, nominated for their dedicated service, but not present at the MDGC's fall meeting were Carol Jackson of Milwaukee Ikebana Chapter #22 and Ann Luba of Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee.
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Workshops
Participants have fun creating at MDGC's Living Art Frame Workshop
Milwaukee District Garden Clubs Living Art Frame Workshop was a success! The MDGC fundraiser was coordinated by our 2nd Vice Director Nicolas Lemus. It was held Sept. 21 at Boerner Botanical Gardens.
The participants worked with the talented Nancy Cody and her assistants to create a unique succulent art frame that they took home. Nancy is a certified floral designer, the owner of Rose and Twig Floral Design and President of the Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee. They also made a bonus mini-pumpkin decoration!
One happy participant said, "We learned a lot about succulents and how easy they are to grow and maintain. The venue could not have been better. I’m hooked on succulents. I am very impressed with the quality of this workshop. Kudos to Nicholas and Nancy."
Milwaukee District Garden Clubs Living Art Frame Workshop was a success! The MDGC fundraiser was coordinated by our 2nd Vice Director Nicolas Lemus. It was held Sept. 21 at Boerner Botanical Gardens.
The participants worked with the talented Nancy Cody and her assistants to create a unique succulent art frame that they took home. Nancy is a certified floral designer, the owner of Rose and Twig Floral Design and President of the Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee. They also made a bonus mini-pumpkin decoration!
One happy participant said, "We learned a lot about succulents and how easy they are to grow and maintain. The venue could not have been better. I’m hooked on succulents. I am very impressed with the quality of this workshop. Kudos to Nicholas and Nancy."
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Milwaukee District Garden Clubs (MDGC) was founded in 1932 as a part of the Wisconsin Garden Club Federation which is a member of National Garden Clubs, Inc. and its Central Region. A not-for-profit educational organization, we serve gardeners in Dodge, Jefferson, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha counties who are gardening for good in our communities.
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