The steady increase in membership in the Seabrook Island Garden Club can definitely be attributed to the many creative programs, interesting guest speakers, exciting field trips and fun pop up events we’ve enjoyed! The ability to make new friends and participate in the philanthropy efforts also add to the interest in our club. On September 9, at our first “welcome” meeting, we will begin our new Garden Club year, and it is promising to be even more fulfilling than this past year. We thought it would be fun to recap some of the noteworthy events from the 2021-2022 year:
The guest speaker for our October program, Ryan Watkins of Brownswood Nursery, provided many tips for landscaping for curb appeal. We also enjoyed a pop up bingo event at the Pelican’s Nest. Cara Leepson, of the Redux Contemporary Arts Center downtown, was our presenter for the November meeting, and spoke to the importance of beautifying our homes with art that appeals to our personal interests. December brought the return of one of our favorite events, the annual Holiday Light Up Contest on Seabrook Island!
While the December/January annual open house was unfortunately cancelled due to covid19 concerns with gathering, we were back together again in mid January with a fantastic presentation by Chris Burtt of the Clemson Co-operative Extension office, about citrus season and growing various varieties of citrus trees in the Lowcountry. Our February program featured a fun and informative presentation by decorators Mackenzie Alala and Elaine Nugent, from Seawah Furniture and Design. Members were encouraged to send in pictures of their design-challenged rooms, and the decorators presented solutions to appoint the rooms with beautiful and functional décor, while incorporating sentimental pieces we simply cannot bear to part with. Members also enjoyed a field trip to Hyams Garden Center on February 3, and were treated to a wonderful “how to” presentation on hanging baskets.
In March we focused on springtime and daffodils, as Seabrook resident and garden club member, Julie Minch, delighted the attendees of our monthly program with everything you ever wondered about growing daffodils. Julie is a super master gardener and an esteemed member and judge for the American Daffodil Society. Members also marveled in the art of indigo dying while they attended a special silk and indigo workshop hosted by indigo expert, Caroline Harper. The scarves they created were nothing short of exquisite! Our focus at our April meeting was our philanthropy and support of the efforts at Trident Tech’s horticulture program. Our donations to this program provided worthy students financial support for their education in the horticulture field. Trident Tech faculty member, Tony Bertauski, presented a very informative program for our member attendees and guests.
The month of May featured a window box walking tour in downtown Charleston, hosted by Tours by Locals. The window boxes were gorgeous and so inspirational. We also enjoyed our special, annual end of year luncheon on May 12, with a delicious meal in the Atlantic Room in the Island House. This event is always special, as we look around the room and see the faces of friends we’ve made, gardening tips we’ve shared, and the lives that have been touched by the enrichment efforts of this organization. The Seabrook Island Garden Club’s focus on developing programs and activities throughout the year that offer every member engagement, participation, learning, and entertainment is our goal.
And while we took a much deserved break over the summer, we would be remiss if we did not mention the return of our annual July 4th, Most Patriotic Mailbox contest, that we sponsor. We are thankful for all of our residents who participated in the contest, and for adding excitement and joy to the Independence Day celebration.
If you are interested in learning more about the Seabrook Island Garden Club, please join us at our “kickoff” meeting for the new season this Friday, September 9 at the Oyster Catcher Community Center. Refreshments will be available at 9:45 am and a “welcome” from our president, Karen Nuttall, begins at 10:00 am. There will be opportunities to become involved and sign up to join one of our many committees. We look forward to seeing you there! If you have questions, feel free to contact us: seabrookislandgardenclub@gmail.com
The 2022-23 Seabrook Island Garden Club: Let’s Talk Some Dirt!
-Submitted by Beth Wright, Seabrook Island Garden Club Publicity
(Image credit: Seabrook Island Garden Club)