The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 11 Summer 2014/2015 | Page 8

Garden clubs

Kwekwe ’ s budding friendships !

Joining your local garden club is not just about improving your gardening skills , it ’ s about making great friends and building communities .
Having always driven through Kwekwe , with no time to smell the roses , this time I literally did stop , smell , photograph and visit nearly every rose garden in Kwekwe . I was kinldy invited by the Kwekwe Garden Club to see the gardens and nurseries of Kwekwe . Not only did I get to see beautiful gardens in bloom , I also met a group of ladies who , despite very different backgrounds , have come together through the gardening club and have formed long lasting friendships and a supportive community .
Having to squeeze in about ten or so gardens into a weekend , the Chairlady of the Kwekwe Garden Club , Sarah Smit , and I whizzed through and around Kwekwe , seeing nearly every one , with kind hosts topping us up with teas and lunch along the way . I was so impressed with this wonderful community in Kwekwe ; they took so much pride in their gardens , which were all so different . It was great to meet some readers and see how they had used the tips from the magazines .
Kwekwe Garden Club is part of the The National Association of Garden Clubs ( NAGC ), which is the umbrella body for all Floral and Horticultural clubs and members within Zimbabwe . They are a great example of a Garden Club as they enjoy their monthly Garden club meetings with friendly members , sharing treats while listening to guest speakers . I was the invited speaker at the end of August and it was an honour to chat to them on water wise gardening ideas for Zimbabwe .
Those of you who would like to improve your gardening knowledge in a friendly environment , join your local garden club . If it is anything like my Kwekwe experience , you won ’ t regret it ! Thank you and well done Kwekwe for being such great hosts !
What do garden clubs in general offer ?
The garden clubs are there for your pleasure ; for you to gain first hand garden knowledge in designing your garden , improving your property , growing vegetables , taking cuttings to grow yourself and plenty of other skills . Garden clubs meet up in various places each month ; you could find yourself in a garden nursery , a private garden or even in a park . Discover new plants , new ideas and new friends . And there ’ s more ...
Floral Clubs
Floral Clubs teach you how to take flowers picked from your garden and produce the most breath-taking floral arrangements . Floral Groups meet each month with demonstrators showing you what can be achieved by twisting or turning flowers , leaves and other matter from your garden . Many members , over the years
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