GARDEN CENTERS


Garden Centers are sites established by garden clubs for the purpose of educating their members and the general public.  There are three types of garden centers:  A Garden Center, Garden Club Activity Center and Mini-Center.

A Garden Center is a building staffed full or part-time by an expert on gardening, contains gardening information and has a garden with labels on the plants.

The Garden Club Activity Center is usually a section of a building or the complete building.  It can be owned by a garden club, a group of garden clubs or rented by the clubs.  The building is large enough for meetings, gardening library, lectures, workshops and perhaps a flower show.  It can be open on a regular basis or used only for garden club activities.  A brochure or newsletter can be published announcing the activities.

A Mini-Center can be located in a library, school, plant store, botanical gardens or public buildings and is a garden club information source with books, handout materials, displays or bulletin boards.  It is not owned by a garden club but demonstrations in connection with the exhibits are encouraged.

New and discontinued Garden Centers are registered with the State Garden Center Chairman.  Each state keeps a list of their Garden Centers.

National Garden Clubs, Inc. and the state garden clubs offer awards for Garden Centers and Garden Center History.

If your garden club has access to a Garden Center, Garden Club Activity Center or Mini-Center and has gardening books, videos and displays, consider registering your center.  Plan a garden center week and invite the general public.  This is a good way to increase your club membership and educate the public.

Written by:  Maggi Burns, Deep South Region Garden Centers Chairman