Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island suspends its formal meetings from May through September, but members continue working in the club’s community gardens, planning for the “seasonal” meetings from October through April, and socializing throughout the summer.
On Saturday, August 3, garden club members Susan LaGrotta, Chairman of the Butterfly Garden Committee, Nancy Adams and Pam Bodenhamer were hard at work weeding the Calusa Park Butterfly Garden and beginning to make plans for the Butterfly Garden’s 15th anniversary celebration in the fall. The Butterfly Garden’s 15th anniversary celebration will be held Wednesday, October 23 at 11:00 a.m. at the Butterfly Garden on Winterberry Drive, and will be open to the public. The photos show Pam Bodenhamer, Susan LaGrotta and Nancy Adams, and a pretty beautyberry bush that is currently bearing fruit in the Butterfly Garden.
On the same Saturday, over on N. Barfield Drive, garden club members Marianne Foley, Sue Oldershaw and Nanette Baumgardner were planting plants and edging the garden beds in Leigh Plummer Park. As they worked, walkers in the park would stop to talk with them and say how much they enjoyed the beautiful planting beds and the blooming orchids. The photos show Sue Oldershaw near the swing with her bag full of weeds, and Marianne Foley standing and Nanette Baumgardner sitting as they plant pretty green and purple oyster plants. The photo of the tree shows two mounted orchids that were donated by Dr. Al Bismonte that are blooming beautifully now.
On Monday, August 5, Calusa Garden Club members met for an informal lunch at Deep Lagoon Seafood Restaurant. The organizers for “Summer-Timers Lunches,” Audrina Flowers and Diane Chestnut, welcomed 12 members who enjoyed socializing over lunch. The participants were encouraged to bring a gardening tool that members might not recognize, and members then guessed the uses for the tool. Linda Colombo won the day with her tool “Grandpa’s Weeder.” One of the photos shows Linda Colombo, with her Grandpa’s Weeder, and Diane Chestnut. Another photo shows club president Kimberly Porter, Ellen van Nagell, and Audrina Flowers with a tiered tray of beautiful small desserts prepared by Audrina Flowers for the club members. The two group photos show club members enjoying their luncheon socializing.
Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island is a Section 501(c)3 organization and is a member of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. Membership is open to persons interested in horticulture, floral design and environmental matters residing 5 months or more in Collier County.
Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island meets the second Monday of each month, October through April at Rose Hall at the Marco Island Branch Library. If you are interested in membership, please contact the Garden Club at calusagardenclubcommunication@gmail.com. For updates and information, please visit the Garden Club’s website, calusa.org, or visit the Club’s Facebook page Calusa Garden Club.