PLANT SALES & GARDEN TOURSGardening season is rapidly approaching and with it plant sales and garden tours abound! WGCF's garden clubs sponsor both. Plant sales provide new varieties for our gardens at reasonable prices and tours inspire us. Check out WGCF's garden clubs sponsored sales and tours. If your club is sponsoring either, share the info for posting to this site.
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Join members of the Town & Country Garden Club in learning how to prepare horticulture entries for a flower show. Maureen Wild Gordon is leading an interactive presentation for garden club members to learn how to prepare their plants for the horticulture division of upcoming flower shows. Attendees are asked to bring a plant and/or a cut flower in a clear glass bottle.
Who can attend? All garden club members in the Milwaukee District or WGCF When: Saturday, April 11, 2026 Time: 11:00 AM – Check-in and meet members 11:30 AM – Town & Country Garden Club meeting begins 12:30 to 2:00 PM – Workshop Where: Washington Park Urban Ecology Center 1859 N. 40 Street, Milwaukee, WI 53208 RSVP to: Katie Jackson by phone (414) 916-1513 or email [email protected] |
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It's time to register for ONLY IN THE SPRING, the 2026 convention held at
Bridgewood Resort Hotel and Convention Center on April 26th through the 28th. More details to come, but here is the REGISTRATION FORM. To avoid a late registration fee, register by March 30th. For more about the convention and speakers, check out the Wisconsin Gardens Winter Supplement. Room reservations should be made by February 28th. Call the Bridgewood at 920-720-8000. Hosted by the Fox River Valley District |
ENTER . . . SHOW . . . VIEW!Town & Country Garden Club in Milwaukee is inviting garden club members from across the state to participate in their Petite Standard Flower Show which honors the memory of Gimbels Department Store which closed in 1970. Nancy Gregory, Town & Country co-president and general chairman of the show, says, "Our flower show honors and remembers the Gimbels Department Store that has been redeveloped as a welcoming space for people to gather and work together toward a healthy and thriving community.” The site is renamed ThriveOn King and is also where the Town & Country Club meets.
This is a one day flower show held on Friday, May 15th, 2026. Register for design, botanical arts, and education displays by April 15th. No pre-registration is needed for horticulture entries. FLOWER SHOW SCHEDULE FLOWER SHOW SCHEDULE, BOOKLET ONLINE REGISTRATION |
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The mission of the WGCF Tri-Council is to provide continuing education to its members and to support them in sharing their knowledge of gardening, landscape design and environmental awareness. Every member of WGCF is invited to participate in these opportunities as well.
We plan to visit the Central Wisconsin Environmental Station (CWES) in central Wisconsin. This is a 200-acre teaching and learning center located 17 miles east of Stevens Point on glacial Sunset Lake. CWES provides hands-on learning experiences that inspire environmental stewardship, foster a connection to nature, and promote sustainable practices. After lunch at CWES, we’ll visit the Schmeeckle Reserve in Stevens Point. In addition to hiking trails it has a nature center and gift shop. Both of these institutions are affiliates of UW-Stevens Point, a nationally recognized leader in natural resources education. Please consider attending this event. All the details and the registration form may be found in the registration flyer. (You crafting buffs – might also want to stop at Herrschners Outlet Store in Stevens Point. A not to be missed craft and hobby business at 2800 Hoover Road. People come from far and wide to visit their only retail store.) |
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Keystone plants, the natives that support more of the food web than any other, are the focus of this year's workshop hosted by the St. Croix District at the Rassbach Museum in Menomonie, WI. For $30 ($32 if registering on line), you will hear two speakers, have your questions answered during a Question and Answer session, have lunch and walk away with free native plants. Two native plant suppliers will also have natives to purchase.
REGISTER ONLINE REGISTRATION BROCHURE |
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Madison District hosted A Standard Flower Show Flights of Fancy (focusing on birds) February 13-15, 2026 at the PBS Garden and Green Living Expo in Madison. The event had a record number 17,317 attendees. Designers from Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota participated with bird inspired themes that included Winged Beauty, Taking Flight, All Aflutter and On the Wing. Education exhibits included From Your Window: Identifying Wisconsin Birds and Nectar Source for Hummingbirds. Special Thanks to the Judges who shared their time and insights at the show.
Many attendees spent time at the flower show discussing designs, educational exhibits and horticulture. Attendees particularly welcomed the opportunity to provide their input for the Viewer's Choice Award given each day. ( Look for the photos with the Bird Awards). Madison District has 181 members and all clubs participated in the show. Thank you Madison District Members, it takes a community to make the event a success! |
Left to right: Judy Strampe, Mary Kozlowski, Joyce Grimmer, Judi Wisla, Laura Skoff.
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Floral Designers of Wisconsin Garden Club had everyone "Diggin' It" at the 2025 Wisconsin State Fair Flower Show. Designers from across the state participated in the Aug. 7 to 10 show in the Grand Champion Hall on the fair grounds in West Allis. Garden club members entered 117 horticultural items. This was a National Garden Club Standard Flower Show.
Carol Catlin, the show's co-chairman, thanks everyone for participating. "We had some great designs and educational exhibits. The horticultural entires were amazing." She pointed out that this was a great opportunity to show case garden clubs and what we do with more than 1 million people attending the fair. |
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Blue Star Marker Memorial installed in Windmill Park by the Botany Belles & Beaus Garden Club in cooperation with American Legion & Auxiliary Post 240 was dedicated on May 15th with Chuck and Linda McCafferty in attendance.
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Lake Wissota Garden Club added a Gold Star Marker to the Lafayette Veterans Memorial at Ray's Beach Park. It was dedicated on May 15th and Chuck and Linda McCafferty, Wisconsin's Blue Star Chairs were in attendance. The Gold Star marker recognizes the ultimate sacrifice that a service member has made and the family.
Lake Wissota also added a Blue Star Marker at the Lafayette Town Hall. |
The Milwaukee District installed a Blue Star By Way Marker on the Hank Aaron Trail west of the State Fairgrounds in West Allis. In attendance were: Mayor Dan Devine (West Allis), Diane Olsen (MDGC District Director) Nancy Gregory
(MDGC Blue Star Chair) and Roberto Ayala (DNR) |
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Ruth West Horticulture - Lake Shore Garden Club
Conservation Award - Hawthorn Garden Club Certificate of Merit - Westside Garden Club (Karen Demets) Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee (Ann Luba) Kuether District Membership - Sheboygan District Yearbooks
Wisconsin Judges Council Education Award
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Flower Show Schedule - "Imagine" by Madison District
Ruth Smith Evaluation - Dawn Mozgawa Floral Design Program - Hawthorn Garden Club (Honorable Mention) "And Then Some Award" -
WGCF Longevity - Congratulations
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The lady with the fascinator (President Linda McCafferty) has transferred her duties to Joe Powelka. Joe was installed as president by Gerianne Holzman, NGC 2nd VP. Installation of WGCF's 2025-2027 officers took place during WGCF's 97th annual convention "Conversations on the Chippewa" in Eau Claire, WI.
The officers are: Diane Peterson, Membership Secretary.- Karen Merlau, 2nd VP.- Nancy Gregory, 1st VP.- Joe Powelka, President.- Linda McCafferty, Treasurer.- Lynne Ehnert, Parliamentariain.- Gerianne Holzman, NGC. Thank you, Linda, for your service and looking forward to the guidance Joe will bring to the organization. |
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Path of Success:
Wisconsin is helping it grow! Roughly 1/4 mile long, the Path of Success will be a walking path located on the grounds of NGC's headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri and will link to the Missouri Botanical Gardens, spreading more awareness of NGC than ever before. This project will also serve as an educational platform, showing the rich history and mission of NGC. To find out how your club or district can contribute to the Path of Success. |
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Ginger Wieman, Debby Walters, Susan Wallace receive NGC's Award of Excellence from WGCF's President, Linda McCafferty.
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Garden clubs exist to learn and serve together plus have fun while doing so. Recently Western Acres Garden Cub (of the Milwaukee District) put together "Cups of Cheer" to donate to a Brookfield nursing home. They used cups from Goodwill and fresh flowers to create some Easter floral arrangements. The residents of the nursing home were so appreciative of our efforts.
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The Wisconsin Garden Club Federation founded in 1928 is a charter member of the National Garden Club organization. As an organization, we are proud of our heritage of developing relationships with fellow gardeners, learning, and gardening for good in our communities.
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