Mary Jane Wilson
The new SaddleBrooke Gardening Club (SBGC) is organized into four subgroups: Vegetable/Herb, Flower/Roses, Citrus/Fruit Trees, and Cactus/Succulents/Other. Initial subgroup meetings were held in August and September where like-minded gardeners started forming connections, learning from each other’s experiences, and suggesting future subgroup activities, including topics for discussion, home garden tours, presentations, and field trips. Some members brought giveaways to share with their subgroup, including fiber seed pots, aloe vera plants, hen and chicks, rose magazines, and clay pots.
Subgroup members have been getting to know each other by discussing what has done well in their gardens, what challenges their gardens have faced here in SaddleBrooke, and member-driven timely topics such as sources for organically grown seedlings and what people are planning to plant in their fall/winter gardens. Some of our members have vast gardening experience in our unique climate, and others are anxious to get started. We have much to share and learn and are excited to meet each other!
Member-only subgroup meetings will be scheduled once a month to talk about current opportunities and challenges and will address timely topics and upcoming projects related to the change of season. Now that it will be cooling down a little, we are starting to schedule home garden tours and field trips to offsite locations for our members. There is a schedule of future meeting dates/times on the Upcoming Events section of the website at www.sbgardeningclub.weebly.com, in addition to all the great gardening information available there.
Membership applications and information about the club and subgroup events can be found at www.sbgardeningclub.weebly.com. To have your name added to the email roster of the new SaddleBrooke Gardening Club, send an email to [email protected]. Once you are on the active roster, you will automatically receive all the club news and invitations to club events. Dues for a basic membership are $10 a year. Dues paid now include membership privileges through the end of 2025. This new club will reinvigorate your enthusiasm for gardening and make you a much more successful Arizona gardener.