Jacksonville Garden Club

The mission of the Jacksonville Garden Club is to promote beauty in our community and to conserve our natural resources by advancing the arts of gardening, landscape design, horticulture and floral design. We also strive to promote education and to provide activities that contribute to friendship and enjoyment among our members. 

The Club, which was organized in 1939, and is celebrating its 85th year of service and friendship this year, currently has 68 members. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; funds raised support scholarships to local students as well as community beautification projects.

The Club meets on the third Thursday of each month between September and June. Meetings begin with a social time from 12:30 – 1:00, followed by a speaker and a business meeting that lasts from 1:00 – 2:00. Members of the public are welcome to attend, especially if they are interested in joining the group. Presentations at the meeting cover a range of topics related to gardening; some examples from the current year include rose care, creating hummingbird gardens, a pressed flower workshop, Ikebana, and plant propagation.

Club members use their creative skills and energies to put on two major fundraising events each year. In December, club members create stunning wreaths, table arrangements, swags and entry baskets from fresh greens, cones, ribbon and festive decorations. Many valley residents submit pre-orders for the sale, to ensure that they get the perfect arrangements. There is also a public sale, generally held on the first Friday of December, in the alcove next to the Jacksonville Post Office. Then in May, the Club offers a Spring Sale at which members sell beautiful bouquets made on site from fresh flowers; veggie, herb, succulent, and flower starts; and craft items such as handmade cards. Baked goods round out the offerings. 

The proceeds from these events support scholarships for local students at Rogue Community College and the Oregon Stewardship—members are gratified to have helped many, many students during the Club’s history with tens of thousands of scholarship dollars to enable them to pursue degrees in fields related to horticulture and ecology.

The Garden Club also provides both volunteer efforts and funding to numerous civic projects in Jacksonville. Club members maintain the flower beds at the Jacksonville Post Office and the garden near the Visitor’s Center; Scheffel-Thurston Park, the Blue-Star Marker and Veterans’ Memorial Park, the Jacksonville Community Center, and the Jacksonville Police Station. In collaboration with other civic organizations in town, members also assist at the Beekman Arboretum, the Peter Britt Gardens, and the Jacksonville Historic Cemetery. In summertime, Club members provide fresh flower arrangements for the chapel at the VA’s Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics.

The Jacksonville Garden Club provides opportunities to increase members’ knowledge, collaborate on fun volunteer projects, and make rewarding friendships. New members are always welcomed. For information about the Club or membership, contact Club President Pam Smith at nicknmac@gmail.com or (m) 702-767-6424.