Each month, KHC features one of the Council’s member organizations to highlight how these groups support horticulture in Kentucky. This month we are featuring The Garden Club of Kentucky (GCKY). Since 1931, the non-profit organization, GCKY has been a member of the South Atlantic Region of the National Garden Clubs. National Garden Clubs, Inc. (NGC) is the largest volunteer gardening organization in the world! Kentucky has 45 local clubs spread throughout the state, totaling around 1,200 members.
The Garden Club of Kentucky promotes interest in and builds community around horticulture, gardening, and conservation of our natural spaces by providing educational opportunities, resources, and civic engagement. Membership includes a quarterly publication “The Garden Club of Kentucky Bulletin”, participation in monthly National Garden Club workshops via Zoom, and access to seasonal gardening resources. A state meeting is held each spring, district meetings are held in the fall.
GCKY provides educational courses, sponsored by members of the National Garden Club that are open both to members and non members on specific horticulture related topics. These courses include: Environmental School, Flower Show School, Gardening School, and Landscape Design School. Currently, GCKY is offering a Flower Show School series, of which the second course will be held in October. Participants will be allowed to become nationally accredited flower show judges. Next up is Gardening School, dates to be determined.
Additionally, GCKY offers scholarship assistance to college students seeking education in horticulture related studies including botany, plant pathology, forestry, agronomy, environmental and city planning, landscape design, or floriculture. How exciting for Kentucky’s budding horticulturalists!
Some upcoming events include:
March 13th– 15th, 2023: Annual GCKY Convention at Boone Tavern in Berea, KY.
May 2nd – 5th, 2023: Annual National Garden Club Convention in White Sulfur Springs, WV.
See this interactive map of Kentucky to find a garden club near you! Each of the 45 clubs has individual programming in their community in addition to the greater Garden Club of Kentucky programming. If there is not already a club in your area, you can form your own by using the form linked on the same page.
You can check out GCKY’s You Tube Channel for gardening resources and their Facebook Page for the latest happenings.