Fulton Garden club celebrating anniversary on its latest project

When thinking of garden clubs of old, many will envision elderly women dressed up, sipping tea and talking about flowers.

But early on, the women who founded the Fulton Garden Club in 1935 — Mrs. W.B. Whitlow and Mrs. Ed Craighead — had different ideas.

These ladies saw that the club could serve two purposes. As a civic function, they could beautify the community. Secondly, it was a way for women to share their interest of gardening.

Diane Neterer, president of the club, spent part of the afternoon Thursday weeding the traffic circle on Business 54 in Fulton, a garden club project that is entering year two.

“We planted it in April of last year, and it’s doing great,” she said. “There are 435 plants here, all natives.”

Neterer said the native flowers were designed to blossom at different seasons so something always will be in bloom.

“There are also native grasses for texture, and they also keep the weeds down,” she added.

On the southeast side of the traffic circle is a sign carrying a diagram specifying what is planted where.

“We’ve added a few more plants,” Neterer said. “It was a great community effort, getting this done.”

Fulton Garden Club members have eight decades of getting things done. In 1936, they formed and joined the Garden Clubs of Missouri and became federated; the club incorporated in 1973.

Now, the 34 members of the club, men and women, are celebrating their 80-year anniversary, according to Neterer. Although it may have started as a social club, FGC members have accomplished a great deal in their mission to beautify Callaway County, she said.

In 1943, club members honored veterans of foreign wars by planting and selling 600 trees in Callaway County. For many years, the club owned and maintained the Outdoor Recreation Area on Old Jeff City Road. The five acres, which was given to the city of Fulton a few years ago, is used to educate local schoolchildren about native trees, plants and birds along the trails.

Over the years, many bulbs have been planted by these children. Also, memorial trees were planted on the acreage to honor members of the FGC who have passed away. The acreage was developed as a bird sanctuary and it includes a huge Burr oak specimen surrounded by mostly native prairie grass. A concrete bench was placed there long ago.

During the 1970s and 80s, garden club members took flower arrangements to local churches, sponsored lawn-of-the-month contests, and hosted educational workshops for the children at the Fulton Day Care. “Garden therapy” was a focus of the club during this time period and continues today.

Also, for years the club has continually been involved with the residents of local nursing homes and Rock Tree Apartments to bring the beauty of nature into their lives.

Many of the plantings people see each day are the result of FGC projects. Club members have consulted, designed and planted many city parking lots, local schools, the Callaway County Library, Callaway County Court House and Missouri Girls Town. The club was involved with the original landscaping of the Fulton High School and has planted Arbor Day trees at Fulton Middle School for many years.

In recent years, raised beds were built at Bush Elementary where the club sponsors a monthly after-school Junior Garden Club program, the “Blooming Bushes.”

In 2006, Fulton Garden Club members donated two Blue Star Memorials to Callaway County. The Blue Star Memorial Program has been honoring all men and women who have served, are serving and will serve in the United States Armed Forces since 1945. These plaques are located in Memorial Park at the end of Court Street and in Kingdom City at the Heart of America Tourism Center.

Today’s club projects include planting and maintaining the flowerbeds at the John C. Harris Community Center , as well as the native plants in the Fulton roundabout.

“They’re more conducive to our weather,” Netter said of the native plants.

A sign has been placed along the walking trail to identify the native plants and flowers. Also, five bluebird houses are currently maintained and monitored along the walking trail. Many members also maintain bluebird houses in their own gardens. Members of the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri (FGCM) were instrumental in having the bluebird named as the state bird and clubs continue to make their survival a priority.

The FGCM also has a goal of planting 5,000 native trees and shrubs in Missouri during the next two years. Club members are working with the Missouri Conversation Department to supply local fourth-graders with trees for Arbor Day and are encouraging them to plant them around their homes. The FGC also offers an annual $750 scholarship to a Callaway County student studying in the field of horticulture or related field.

A major fundraiser for the club is the annual plant sale to be 9 a.m.-noon May 14 at the Fulton Farmers Market.

Also planned again this year, the club’s annual garden tour will be June 23, open to the public during National Garden Club week.

“It is interesting to see how different members meet the goals of landscape design in residential gardens,” Netter said. “It is a wonderful way to find inspiration in natural and formal landscapes and solutions to all different soils and light conditions.”

And the Standard Flower Show also is also an annual event and open to the public. This year’s show, “80 Blooming Years,” will be July 14 at Callaway Electric Co-op, and a celebration of the FGC’s anniversary. Members show their best blooms, designs and educational displays.

Fulton Garden Club members host informative speakers and programs during their meetings on a wide variety of topics. The club meets on the second Thursday of each month, as they have for the last 80 years. Meetings begin at 1:30 p.m. in the Friends Room of the Callaway County Library, unless a field trip changes the location. Visitors are always welcome.

The garden club has published information in their 2016 yearbook, and members also have a website at http://bit.ly/1pm8Fx9. Call 573-642-7338 for more information.