Members of the Year Round Garden Club have planted seeds with purpose for more than 70 years. As the longest active gardening club in the community, the club’s mission to generate interest is still just as relevant today as it was during its founding in 1949.
One of the group’s longtime members and former president, Janet McCluskey, believes the club remains pertinent, “because we cultivate our individual values of gardening with ongoing efforts to improve our planet and environment through timely programs and practices.”
Members state they know every seed is an opportunity to make a positive difference.
The club’s adopted projects within the community showcase their commitment to preserving the beauty of Lebanon and their heart for its people. The Year Round Garden Club tends to the Fite-Fessenden House, the Empower Me Center and a rain garden in Fiddler’s Grove at the fairgrounds. Each year, on Mother’s Day Weekend, they host a fundraiser to support these local projects at Valley Growers Garden Center.
Their impact is also recognized on a national level. Every two years, the club's members host a nationally judged show, and they received an award for their 2024 flower show. Lebanon will have a chance to experience one of these excellent exhibitions in June at the historic Mitchell House. The 25-member club will curate 75-plus horticultural exhibits, 20 original floral designs and two educational entries that reflect the different chapters of the home’s history and its impact in Lebanon.
Undergirding the diligent efforts of Year Round Garden Club are long-lasting friendships. “Our common values are the base of our organization, but it’s our friendships that hold us together as a club,” Janet says, highlighting the power of community on a shared mission.
There are longtime Year Round members, and some are second-generation members, a testament to the legacy they’re building. This group's combined friendships and impressive gardening skills will be on full display June 4 from 1-3 p.m. at the Mitchell House during a show that's free to attend.