Most people’s idea of a garden club involves wives and daughters with fancy dresses gardening. But this is not the case for the women in the Azalea Garden Club; the members are very hardworking and committed to their garden club as any male landscaper or gardener. The club intends to lead by example and raise more crops and plants to help balance out the adverse effects of population and pollution. Most community garden clubs like to encourage organic growing methods; as does the
Azalea Garden Club. After decorating the city clock for the fall, the group decided to decorate their Carolina fence garden, a regular duty for the club every year.
“This idea is a project that we have worked on for many years; it’s called a Carolina Fence Garden,” said member Marie Land. “We planted it here in Manning originally, and a couple of times out the year, we come to clean it up.”
Having a garden club is better for the environment, and the food produced is healthier for humans and animals. On November 30, they will decorate the city clock for Christmas, per Azalea Club member Nannette Frye. The Azalea Club is over 75 years old and has over 28 gardening mem- bers. During the pandemic, the women haven’t been meeting as much because of the circumstances regarding COVID-19. But this garden club refuses to allow anything to stop them from improving the environ- ment in their community.
“This Carolina fence garden is owned by the Azalea Club,” said Mary Jo, club chairwoman. “Next to the Azalea club fence is the Virginia Pride fence garden. We like to have native plants in the garden, and we are also putting in pollinator flowers. They’re called the Butterfly Weed.”
Pollination results in the production of seeds and is necessary for many plants to reproduce. Pollinators like bees and but- terflies receive nectar and pollen rewards from the flowers that they visit.
“The Clarendon County Community building was built in 1998, and during that time, there were several garden clubs and organizations that helped with the landscape,” stated Clarendon County Council on Aging Director, Jennifer Powell. “Each of the garden areas has a stone to identify who originally put the flowers and plants there. Usually, around this time in the fall, they come and do their corners. It’s great to have other folks to come in and help with the area.”
If you are anyone you know may be interested in joining the garden club. They can contact the members on Facebook at The Garden Club of South Carolina, Inc.
