FRANKLIN COUNTY has changed over the years, but the mission of its garden club hasn’t changed a bit. Established in 1929 by Elizabeth Drake of EB Drake Nursery, the club passionately beautifies the community and promotes gardening to others. Lola Eslick joined the club 11 years ago and has served as president for the past six. Eslick said, “I have a favorite quote that I learned from another member; it is ‘bloom where you’re planted’ because I realized it pertains to people as well as to gardens.”
Acting on that advice, garden club members bloomed exactly where they were planted, and teachers and students at Clark Memorial Elementary School can’t stop smiling about that. Members worked tirelessly to infuse new life into drab and neglected spaces around the school’s exterior.
“It was the largest project our club has ever taken on,” recalls Eslick. “There were two stages to this project. Two members of the club who are very passionate about children recognized this school needed our expertise. We realized we couldn’t complete it without the help of our community partners. We worked with the teachers at the school as well as partnering with the Rotary Club, a local paint company, and a restoration company that would restore the historic Carrick Academy Bell. We worked with our partners to trim bushes, replace landscape fabric, provide a new flag, repair the light for the school sign, and plant a flower bed. We named this phase ‘New Face,’ and entered the bed into the National Garden Club Plant America contest and won $1,000.”
“Upon completion of this project, the school was so impressed with their ‘New Face’ that they brought to our attention the inner courtyard surrounded by the school building. A teacher survey indicated it should be transformed into an outdoor classroom. It is approximately a 3,500-square-foot area that was neglected and overgrown. We asked Boy Scout Troop #185 if they could provide the labor, and two of the scouts chose this project to complete the requirements for their Eagle Scout Badge. Home Depot, Discount Plumbing and Electric, Crowns Nursery, Walmart, Action Graphics, and Daniell the Printer partnered with us to complete the tasks.”
Eslick said they removed worn-out flower beds and replaced them with an easy-to-maintain pollinator garden. Two outdoor chalkboards were installed, three picnic tables were donated, and new brick pavers were added, along with a 16-foot aluminum bench donated by Broadview Elementary School. A local high school construction and welding class built a weather station with a sundial that measures temperature, rainfall, and windspeed. At the suggestion of the music teacher, a colorful PVC pipe organ was built from donated items. Final additions include eye-catching banners, whimsical crocheted yard art, a visit from a tree specialist for the memorial apple tree, and a nameplate to honor the memory of a student who died 20 years ago. Teachers now have a welcoming space where their students’ imaginations will bloom right along with the flowers.
“After completing this project, we held a celebration of the new and improved outdoor classroom, and three National Garden Club children’s books were read to the students and siblings, then donated to the school library,” said Eslick. “The books, written by Brenda Moore and illustrated by Emily Lackey, are “The Saved Seed,” “The Frightened Frog,” and “Networking with Nature.” Others can purchase them through the National Garden Club for $10 each or a bundle of three for $15.”
Now that the projects at Clark Memorial are complete, the garden club is focusing on its yearly “The Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl” contest. “The Forestry Service and National Garden Club sponsor this contest. Children from first through fifth grades are invited to participate in this annual drawing contest. One winner from each grade will go to the nationals for further judging within the state. The winner will receive a trip to Washington, D.C., and $50.” The club also sponsors a seed library. “The seeds are free, and all we ask is for you to return the seeds from your success to us in the fall.”
“Our goal is to introduce youth to gardening and hope they will become our future gardeners and beautify our community. We are very lucky to have master gardeners and four landscape designers that share their knowledge with our club. We couldn’t accept large projects like the one at Clark Memorial Elementary School without the great partners from our community.” GN
