Despite lingering perceptions of elitism Kathie Watkins of the Gardeners of the Crooked Billet said she thought membership was by invitation only before joining the Hatboro-based group those principles remain the mantra of most groups. Clubs today provide scholarships to local students, participate in community beautification projects, dedicate time to area nature centers, arboretums and other organizations and, of course, create ample opportunity for its members to learn more about their gardening pastimes, whether it s water gardening or landscape design. In today s world, it s about planting and reaping and sowing and doing things. They may not be as popular as they were in the 1960s, when, according to Mantler, council membership topped 400,000, but they are finding a place among hundreds of women and a few men looking for a way to meet new friends and exchange gardening ideas. Although membership in the National Council of Garden Clubs took a hit in the 1960s and 1970s as more women entered the workforce and took on additional responsibilities, dropping to as low as 230,000 members, that number since has climbed to 245,000.
Most clubs meet monthly.
Although there may be treats such as the homemade goodies prepared by members of the Gardeners of the Crooked Billet at its recent meeting and some amount of gabbing, the meetings typically feature a member or outside expert discussing a topic of interest. You think you know a lot about gardening, and then you listen to these people who are experts, and you never fail to learn something. Also president of the Herb Gatherers of East Norriton, near Norristown, and the Swedesford Garden Club in Upper Gwynedd, Irwin-Klotz shared her knowledge of various herbs, including colorful tales of their history and uses. It used to be that you had to be sponsored and voted on to get into these clubs. But those days are long gone.