• To educate our members in horticulture, floral design, and environmental protection.
• To establish and maintain botanical gardens in the City of Marco Island.
• To educate the community, newcomers and residents to the unique sub-tropical growing conditions of Marco Island.
• To increase knowledge of the enviroment and how to protect it.
• To work for the beautification of Marco Island.
• To further horticultural education and conservation in local schools.
• To provide all members with basic knowledge and skills in floral design and horticulture.
• To stimulate members’ interests and participation in the educational efforts of the club and its fellowship activities.
• To support and further the objectives of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs through District IX.

Welcome to Calusa.org, website of the Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island.  You can learn more about our garden club, read our blog, see our photos, and keep track of our activities through the Event Calendar on this website.

This season we are ready for a year of positive and enjoyable events and activities with our membership.  All members should feel free to contact me with your ideas, suggestions, and observations to help make our 2023-2024 garden club year a big success!  Our officers and committee chairmen have planned great activities to share with the Marco Island community,

Our full calendar of activities includes informative speakers for meetings, Gadabout trips, horticulture workshops, floral design workshops, and environmental activities. In addition, our members maintain Marco Island memorial markers, our Calusa Park Butterfly Garden, and the Leigh Plummer Park shade garden on a regular basis. 

Our gardening-related fundraising activities continue to support our scholarship and community beautification projects.  We have expanded our activities through a new online CGC Market and we are now offering Calusa Garden Club Consulting. Both endeavors will infuse the Marco Island community with beautiful gardening merchandise and personalized gardening and landscape consulting.

We welcome you to join our gardening community in Paradise.

Kind regards,

Kimberly Korb Porter
President
Calusa Garden Club  

Our Calusa Garden Club derives its name from the Calusa Indians who lived in Key Marco and other parts of southwest Florida. Archaeological finds indicate that the Calusas populated this area for over 5000 years.

The Calusas were tall, statuesque people, both brave and skillful. Key Marco provided them a rich harvest from the sea and the land. Freedom from the pressures of searching for food gave them the opportunity to experiment with new technologies, ceremonialism and artistic expression.

The forest provided game and fowl for food, and woods for building and carving materials such as utensils, canoes and religious items. Palms and vines provided fiber for ropes and nets as well as being made into breechcloths for the men.  Women wore apron-like garments of Spanish moss.

Today, the proud Calusa no longer exist. In the 17th and 18th centuries they died in great numbers from disease and in battle with the Spaniards, and later with the English and other Indian peoples. It is thought some survivors might have migrated to Cuba.

Blue Zones Project is a community-wide well-being improvement initiative to help make healthy choices easier for everyone in Southwest Florida and right here on Marco Island.  The Calusa Garden Club is a participating member organiaztion for the Blue Zones Project.

The Blue Zones Project encourages changes to our community that lead to healthier options that contribute to huge benefits for all of us: lowered healthcare costs, improved productivity, and ultimately, a higher quality of life.

Link Below to the Blue Zones Personal Pledge and to SW Florida’s Blue Zones Website.