Garden Clubs meet in Saco on May Day

Montana Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc is the name of the Montana State Garden Club. On May Day the Saco Garden Club hosted the 2015 Hi-Line District #7 Spring Garden Club Meeting. The theme was “For The Birds” and the meeting was held at the Saco IOOF Hall. All in recognition of the Hi-Line District #7 Club’s accomplishments over the past year. Five clubs were in attendance: Bullhook Blossoms of Havre, Jumping Junipers of Chinook, Malta Dirt Daubers, Nashua Gumbo Gals and the Saco Garden Club. Eight members of Saco Garden Club entertained 32 guests with a continental breakfast, salad luncheon and door prizes along with a Ways & Means table featuring garden items up for silent auction. Guest Program Speaker was Jessica Larson a Wildlife Biologist at the Bowdoin Bird Refuge. Jessica gave a power point presentation of all the birds in our Prairie Pothole Region consisting of Upland Prairies, Riverine, Wetlands, or Lakes & Ponds. Some of the best bird viewing areas in Eastern Montana are the Bowdoin Refuge, CMR Refuge or the Medicine Lake Refuge.

Three State Officers were present and each gave a talk on how well the Montana clubs were doing. State President Denise Fink (Montana’s 38th President) focused on the theme “Honor the Past…Embrace the Future”.  In Montana there are currently 27 garden clubs divided into 8 districts and 747 members. This years 2015 State Convention will be in Great Falls, June 12-14, with the theme “We are Caretakers”. There are workshops in Taking Planting to a New Level, Horticulture, Design, and Crafting with Succulents. Denise further revealed that the activity that gave our state the most pride this year included: the dedication of the Blue Star Memorial Marker in Malta, the new format of our Montana Gardens edited by Patty Schlaeger, and that the endowment fund has begun to give Grants for the speakers at district meetings.

The State 1st Vice President Linda Sadler stated, “I hadn’t been to the Hi-Line before. Garden Club brought me to the Hi-Line and I enjoy it. I’m impressed with everything your garden clubs do for your communities, so much more than even other parts of the state.”  Linda’s theme is “Thumbs up for Gardening. Educate, Engage, Enjoy!” She challenges all of us to take an area of your yard you’ve been wanting to do something with and do it. Take photos start to finish and try to use materials that you have on hand or won’t cost a fortune and make the improvements needed. Then reap the rewards.

“Well I’m proof that you can take the farmer out of the farm but you can’t take the farm out of the farmer”, stated 2nd Vice President Joyce Hendricks. She encouraged all who could to attend the Flower Show School Course I in Bozeman on August 21, 22 and 23, 2015. This is a credited course and open to all who want to learn more or become a flower show judge. The required reading list can be found at www.gardenclub.org or call 1-800-550-6007.

Each club President gave a short outline of accomplishments: Havre has a float each year at Festival Days, Chinook planted 40 community barrels with the help of the high school students and merchants, Nashua maintains the Fire Bell Tower in Nashua and helped give away 2000 trees April 29 at the Valley County Courthouse for Free Tree Day, Saco maintains the Saco Pioneer Park with the Huntley School (1915-1937), Emmanuel Church (1944-1976) and the old Saco Jail (1890-1940) (they plan to add a barrier to the church this year so it can be opened to the public),Malta maintains community barrels with the help of MOI & merchants, the Central Ave. old truck, the HG Robinson House yard and the Blue Star Memorial Marker. On June 6 the Dirt Daubers have a Standard Flower Show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Malta Business Center. Each club would love to have new members to share new ideas and gardening passion with. If you are interested in gardening or want to just lend a helping hand stop and talk with a club member. A club member will more than likely be found tending to a flowery spot out in public in your community.

The Montana

State Garden Creed

To wake at dawn and kneel in prayer

To give each flower my tender care

To lift out carefully the weed

Where I have planted worthy seed

To work and pray and till the soil

Nor grumble at this lowly toil

But make my garden sweet and blest

So birds will come to sing and nest

To thank my God, whose help I need

To keep this humble garden creed.