Diggin' It at the 2025 Wisconsin State Fair Flower Show
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Floral Designers of Wisconsin Garden Club had everyone "Diggin' It" at the 2025 Wisconsin State Fair Flower Show. Designers from across the state participated in the Aug. 7 to 10 show in the Grand Champion Hall on the fair grounds in West Allis. Garden club members entered 117 horticultural items. This was a National Garden Club Standard Flower Show.
Carol Catlin, the show's co-chairman, thanks everyone for participating. "We had some great designs and educational exhibits. The horticultural entires were amazing." She pointed out that this was a great opportunity to show case garden clubs and what we do with more than 1 million people attending the fair. |
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Tri-Council Tours West of the Lake Gardens and More
On July 25, the Wisconsin Garden Club Federation's (WGCF) Tri-Council members and others toured the Manitowoc/Two Rivers area. The day began with about 40 garden club members from across the state meeting at West of the Lake Gardens in Manitowoc.
Ruth West, who was active in her local garden club, designed, planted and maintained West of the Lake Gardens. She had leadership roles in the Sheboygan District and also served as WGCF president. The gardens are inspirational and continue to follow Ruth's designs and gardening philosophy.
Next stop on the Tri-Council summer tour was Mariners Trail where the group learned about the gardens along the trail and the volunteers who maintain them. Lunch followed and then on to Woodland Dunes Nature Center which preserves unique wetland habitat and provides educational experiences.
Many thanks to the WGCF Tri-Council and Karen Merlau for organizing the tour. Tri-Council is an organization of National Garden Club certified Consultants and Provisional Consultants in Gardening Studies, Landscape Design or Environmental Studies. Learn more about the Tri-Council HERE.
Ruth West, who was active in her local garden club, designed, planted and maintained West of the Lake Gardens. She had leadership roles in the Sheboygan District and also served as WGCF president. The gardens are inspirational and continue to follow Ruth's designs and gardening philosophy.
Next stop on the Tri-Council summer tour was Mariners Trail where the group learned about the gardens along the trail and the volunteers who maintain them. Lunch followed and then on to Woodland Dunes Nature Center which preserves unique wetland habitat and provides educational experiences.
Many thanks to the WGCF Tri-Council and Karen Merlau for organizing the tour. Tri-Council is an organization of National Garden Club certified Consultants and Provisional Consultants in Gardening Studies, Landscape Design or Environmental Studies. Learn more about the Tri-Council HERE.
Racine Garden Club Holds 'Membership Garden Tour'
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July 14, the Racine Garden Club regular meeting featured a "Membership Garden Tour." Club members visited Darlene Hall, Bruce Sullivan, Sheryl McGrath and Marci Christofferson's gardens. The tour ended with the club's business meeting at Marci's home.
According to Chris Koschnitzke, Racine Garden Club president, the "Membership Garden Tour" is held on odd years and the club's community garden tour is on even years. During the business meeting, the garden tour committee announced that they had visited and were selecting the gardens for the 2026 tour. |
Learning to Love the World, One Crow at a Time
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The Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee book group's summer read was The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl. Susan Ballje, GCGM president, recommends the book which is a Reese's Book Club 100th pick. She says, "Every gardener should read this memoir that follows the plants and creatures in the author's yard over the course of a year. We should take time to enjoy our gardens, sit on our porches and listen to the birds."
A lovely and moving book, The Comfort of Crows contains 52 original color artworks by the author's brother, Billy Renkl. A New York Times opinion writer, Margaret is the author of Late Migrations. "The world will always be beautiful to those who look for beauty." |
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Hawthorn Garden Club Celebrates 100th Anniversary
The Hales Corner Fourth of July Parade Marshalls included the following Hawthorn Garden Club members: Laura Skoff, left front: Judi Wisla, right front; and then Mary Kozlowski, Joyce Grimmer and Judy Strampe.
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Originally founded as the Hales Corners Garden Club, the Hawthorn Garden Club of New Berlin is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year. An early supporter of Boerner Botanical Garden, Hawthorne Garden Club members have planted many flowering crabapple trees. They continued this tradition by planting a tree at the Hales Corners Village Hall as part of their 100th Anniversary reception and celebration this spring.
This summer the club was honored as the 2025 Grand Marshals of the Hales Corner 4th of July Parade. FUN FACT: The club’s first president, Mrs. R.H. Malisch, became the first president of the Wisconsin Garden Club Federation. She represented Wisconsin at the 1929 founding meeting of what was to become the National Garden Clubs, Inc. |
Milwaukee District Garden Clubs and Members Win Awards
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Several garden clubs and their members received awards for their work at the Wisconsin Garden Club Federation's (WGCF) state convention in April.
The following garden clubs and members from the Milwaukee District were honored at the state convention:
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Susan Miller received the Milwaukee District's And Then Some VIP Award at the WGCF state convention in April. Presenting the award to Susan was Diane Olsen, MDGC Director.
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