Historic Linden Garden Club turns 100, aims to grow membership
Jun. 12—A garden club founded in 1924 is hoping to grow its membership as it celebrates 100 years of gardening outreach and fellowship in Western Pennsylvania. The Linden Garden Club, founded on May 15 by the late Mrs. William H. Mercur, originally welcomed women residing in and around Linden Avenue in Point Breeze. Annual dues were $2 and dress code requirements included gloves and hats. The ... The Linden Garden Club, a garden club founded in 1924, is aiming to increase its membership as it celebrates its 100 years of gardening outreach and fellowship in Western Pennsylvania. The club, originally welcomed women living near Linden Avenue in Point Breeze, originally offered $2 annual dues and has since expanded to include members from outside Point Breez. Club's vice president, Becky McGough, is inviting prospective new members to join the active roster of about 30 women. Major club initiatives include preserving native birds and plants of Western Pennsylvania, encouraging interest in civic preservation and promoting a love of gardening. Members can attend nine gardening-centric programs annually and are asked to contribute to two annual white elephant-themed yard sale fundraisers.
公開済み : 10ヶ月前 沿って Joyce Hanz, The Valley News-Dispatch, Tarentum, Pa. の Lifestyle
Jun. 12—A garden club founded in 1924 is hoping to grow its membership as it celebrates 100 years of gardening outreach and fellowship in Western Pennsylvania.
The Linden Garden Club, founded on May 15 by the late Mrs. William H. Mercur, originally welcomed women residing in and around Linden Avenue in Point Breeze.
Annual dues were $2 and dress code requirements included gloves and hats.
The club has since expanded to include members residing outside Point Breeze.
The club's vice president, Becky McGough of Oakland, was raised in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and learned gardening alongside her father.
"If you can grow something or share something with flowers or vegetables, it makes me feel good and they feel good," McGough said.
The club celebrated turning 100 on May 19 with a celebration at the Fox Chapel Golf Club.
McGough is extending an invitation to prospective new members to join the active roster of about 30 women.
"We would like to recruit new members, and you don't have to live near Linden Avenue anymore," McGough said. "Many of our members don't have gardens any longer because they're snowbirds or they're a little older."
The club is dedicated to educating the Pittsburgh region on gardening, horticulture and conservation.
Major club initiatives include preserving native birds and plants of Western Pennsylvania, encouraging interests in civic preservation and stimulating a love of gardening.
Members have the opportunity to attend nine gardening-centric programs annually.
The club draws members from Beechview, Blawnox, Fox Chapel, Oakland, O'Hara and Shadyside.
The newest member, a retired attorney from Weirton, W.Va., joined last fall and plans road trips to attend meetings.
"We'd love to have between 40 to 50 active members," McGough said.
Annual dues are $40 per person, with a $35 hostess fee that covers lunch at monthly meetings.
The club hosts two annual white elephant-themed yard sale fundraisers every fall and spring.
The most recent one was held May 12, and proceeds benefit organizations such as Phipps Conservatory, Beechwood Farms, Audubon Society, Tree Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, First Tee — Pittsburgh, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.
Newest member Rose Angelucci lives in McCandless and joined in 2021 after befriending McGough through Pilates classes.
"My husband is a bonsai enthusiast, and we moved from Michigan to Pittsburgh in 2019 and covid closed down avenues to meet people," Angelucci said. "I had difficulty meeting people, and Becky asked me if would be interested in joining. I saw it as a social outlet and that it would add to my knowledge base."
Members take turns hosting the monthly meetings, which are held in members' homes or at the venue of their choice.
Angelucci hosted the June monthly meeting. The gathering included a bonsai presentation by her husband, Dan, a gardener with more than 40 years of experience with the Japanese art form.
"We are on the cusp right now," said Angelucci of increasing the membership roster. "We're a group of all women. The knowledge base of this group is so deep, huge, and they have a great community outreach. We're hopeful more will join."
Although the club has been exclusively female, Angelucci said men are welcome.
A favorite gardening project of Angelucci's is maintaining the flowers at the first tee at the Bob O'Connor Golf Course in Schenley Park, part of an ongoing project.
"We weed, rearrange plants that include black-eyed susans, cone flowers, bachelor buttons and daffodils," Angelucci said.
Participating in a gardening organization with historic roots is rewarding for Angelucci.
"To be in a club that's been around 100 years is amazing. It's hard to grow membership and have a relevant purpose. I'm expanding my own personal interest, but you're also involved in a community that keeps everyone engaged."
The Linden Garden Club is hoping to join horticultural forces in the near future.
"We're in talks with Perennial Garden Club to merge," Angelucci said.
In 1925, Linden members enjoyed a White House welcome hosted by Mrs. Calvin Coolidge, in appreciation for being named an honorary member.
The club's original name was a mouthful — The Linden Unit of the Women's Farm and Garden Association — but was shortened to Linden Garden Club in 1937.
Past historical gardening projects include planting in the lobby of the Pittsburgh Blood Bank, the Lemington Home for the Aged and at the Linden and Skerritt schools.
During the 1980s and '90s, the garden club helped to design and plant the Daffodil and Daylily Walk in Mellon Park, planted a groundcover garden in Mellon Park inside the walls of the original Renaissance Garden and planted a spring garden on the campus of the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children.
Anyone interested in joining should email Dee Dee McGinley, Linden Garden Club's membership chairwoman, at [email protected].
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at [email protected]