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Azalea club arranges flowers for Manning businesses

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The Azalea Garden Club met on June 7th, 2021, at Land Parker and Welch to create flower arrangements. This is an annual event that has been held by the Azalea Garden Club members for the last 20-25 years. Garden members and presidents of the club create beautiful flower arrangements for Clarendon County offices and businesses. Every year during national garden week, members give their appreciation and love with each flower arrangement they make. All of the flowers made in the arrangements are sent to 36 offices in Clarendon County. Each of the flowers in the arrangements are grown at every club member’s house.

“We try to do something in the community to show appreciation,” said Marie Land.

The members of the Azalea Garden Club made a total of 36 flower arrangements. They all began making the arrangements outside of Land Parker and Welch around 10am. Marie Land prepared everything the night before the day’s setup. Each of the arrangements were dropped off to the 36 offices/businesses in the early morning and afternoon. The first flower arrangement was sent to the Manning Post Office delivered by Susie Hyman and Carolyn Rearick.

Marie Land, a member of the Master Gardeners and the Azalea Garden Club, explains the differences between the two clubs in Clarendon County. The Master Gardeners are an entity of Clemson University. To become a Master Gardener, a person is required to take a 6-8 week long course. The course includes education and training in topics such as soil and plant nutrition, basic botany, entomology, plant pathology, vegetable and fruit gardening, landscape design, and plant selection.

Unlike the Master Gardeners Club, you must be invited to join the Azalea Garden Club and are not required to attend a class. There are currently three Azalea Garden Clubs in Manning. 32 people are involved with the club. Members of the club meet once a month from winter to spring. Many speakers attend those meetings to teach members how to make beautiful flower arrangements, such as the ones made by Azalea Garden Club members on June 7th.