Calendar
Does your WGCF club have an event planned that should be included on the calendar?
Please send the pertinent information to CONTACT US.
Please send the pertinent information to CONTACT US.
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WGCF is a non-profit 501c3 organization. To donate to WGCF undertakings via PayPal or credit card:
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PLANT SALES & GARDEN TOURS
WGCF Garden Clubs are planning spring and summer activiities. Ever popular events are plant sales and garden tours. As your clubs set up those activities, send the details to [email protected] to be added to this webpage.
TRI-COUNCIL SUMMER TOUR: Open to All
July 25th
West of the Lake Gardens
Tri-Council has planned an exceptional outing for all interested WGCF members. Visit the 6 acre West of the Lake Garden created by Ruth West, learn about Mariners Trail, lunch along scenic Lake Michigan, and then visit Woodland Dunes Nature Center in the afternoon.
Free to Tri-Council members; $10.00 for all others and everyone pays for their own lunch.
Register by July 11th.
REGISTRATION FORM
Free to Tri-Council members; $10.00 for all others and everyone pays for their own lunch.
Register by July 11th.
REGISTRATION FORM
Honoring Veterans and Those Who Gave Their Lives
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) |
ENVIRONMENTAL SCHOOL: Sept. 26 & 27
Environmental School, Series 7 Course 3 will be held at Maywood Environmental Park in Sheboygan on September 26th and 27th. The line up of speakers looks excellent and participants are sure to learn a great deal.
Take a few minutes to look over the REGISTRATION BROCHURE and send in your registration.
Take a few minutes to look over the REGISTRATION BROCHURE and send in your registration.
Diggin' It at the 2025 Wisconsin State Fair Flower Show
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Floral Designers of Wisconsin Garden Club is "Diggin' It" at this year's Wisconsin State Fair Flower Show. The club invites all garden club members to participate in the Aug. 7 to 10 show in the Grand Champion Hall on the fair grounds in West Allis. This is a National Garden Club Standard Flower Show.
Download the show's schedule HERE. Check out the rules and decide what you would like to enter. If you are interested in doing a design in the Design Division, call Liz Murkin at 920-379-4194. Horticulture entry cards are available after June 1 by emailing Carol Catlin, and should be filled out in advance. Anyone interested in doing an Education Exhibit should email Nancy Gregory. Kitty Larkin, president of Floral Designers of Wisconsin and the show executive chairman, is looking forward to some great floral designs and horticulture entries this year. She points out that this is a great opportunity to show case garden clubs and what we do with more than 1 million people attending the fair. STATE FLOWER SHOW SCHEDULE |
WGCF AWARDS ANNOUNCED
Each year WGCF affiliated clubs apply for a variety of awards. Some of these are monetary or certificates or trophies. Awards are announced at the annual convention and are organized by Doris Weber, Awards Chair. Congratulations to these clubs and individuals.
Clubs are encouraged to look over the awards criteria and apply for ones applicable to your activities. Applications are due by December 1, 2025.
Clubs are encouraged to look over the awards criteria and apply for ones applicable to your activities. Applications are due by December 1, 2025.
Lynne Ehnert -
Lydia Shafer Award
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Douglas Owens-Pike -
Bronze Award
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Barb Barrickman -
Creative Horticulture Award
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Lake Shore Garden Club -
Garden Club of the Year
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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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2025-2027 Officers Installed
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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. |
Flower show judges and all garden club members interested in learning more about flower shows, floral design and horticulture are encouraged to attend. This symposium features horticultural instructor, David Robson speaking on apples and displays, design instructor Lynn Fronk speaking on Illuminary and Reflective Designs, and Arabella Dane speaking on How to Make Your Smartphone Camera Work for You. This symposium is held in conjunction with the Central Region Convention. Register by July 4th and be entered in a drawing.
SAVE THE DATE: CENTRAL REGION CONVENTION COMING TO WISCONSIN
At the Osthoff Resort - October 28-30th
More details to come!
More details to come!
Space, the New Frontier – a Standard Flower Show
PBS Garden and Green Living Expo February 7-9, 2025
Madison District transported attendees at the PBS Garden and Green Living Expo beyond earth with a standard flower show Space: The New Frontier. Designers from Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota participated in the event. Themes were space inspired for designs, petites, botanical arts, education exhibits and horticulture.
The PBS Expo is in its 32nd year with almost 13,000 attendees this year. Many attendees stopped to discuss the designs, education displays and horticulture. The flower show gave the district an opportunity to educated the public on floral design and garden clubs. Attendees also had an opportunity to vote for their favorite design for the Viewer's Choice Award each day. The Designer's Challenge demonstration on Saturday included two Flower Show Judges, a non judge designer and our WGCF President-Elect Joe Powelka. The designs were outstanding , the audience voted the winner of the Golden Pruner Award and this went to Joe. |
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NATURE IS IMAGINATION - A Central Region Photography Contest
Get those cameras ready!
The 2025 Central Region Convention is hosted by Wisconsin in October at the Osthoff Resort. The convention will feature a photography contest open to members of any federation garden club in the Central Region. Entries may be submitted from January 1, 2025 through August 1, 2025. Finalists in each category will be displayed at the CR Region convention in October of 2025.
The categories are:
Class 1. Through the Looking Glass: a photo featuring reflection
Class 2. Flying High - featuring movement in nature
Class 3. Down by the Water – a color or monochromatic image showcasing the lakeside and/or wetlands
Class 4. This really Bugs Me! - A close-up or macro image celebrating pollinators, pests and or predators in our habitats
Class 5 Nitty Gritty – a still life or still image featuring some natural components
Class 6. This is Wild! - a photo of a subject in nature changed by your use of creative techniques.
Entry requirements Entry form
The categories are:
Class 1. Through the Looking Glass: a photo featuring reflection
Class 2. Flying High - featuring movement in nature
Class 3. Down by the Water – a color or monochromatic image showcasing the lakeside and/or wetlands
Class 4. This really Bugs Me! - A close-up or macro image celebrating pollinators, pests and or predators in our habitats
Class 5 Nitty Gritty – a still life or still image featuring some natural components
Class 6. This is Wild! - a photo of a subject in nature changed by your use of creative techniques.
Entry requirements Entry form
Member Resources from NGC
The National Garden Club provides many resources for affiliated clubs. Membership Mondays occur the first Monday of each month at 1:00 EST. These are virtual events that can be attended live or recorded sessions on found on the NGC site. NGC also a variety of webinars on various gardening topics; to receive notices of upcoming ones, sign up for the National Gardener. Take advantage of your membership's benefits.
Moving into the Future!
WGCF's Strategic Planning Committee is always looking to the future, but it now has a subcommittee: The Futures Committee. This subcommittee is actively exploring how WGCF can implement NGC's goals
of RECRUITING, RETAINING and REVITALIZING its membership and is more than willing to share their
findings with WGCF's clubs. In fact they made a visit at to the Milwaukee District to share their findings.
The committee has a list of RESOURCES to help clubs accomplish this. Check it out!
of RECRUITING, RETAINING and REVITALIZING its membership and is more than willing to share their
findings with WGCF's clubs. In fact they made a visit at to the Milwaukee District to share their findings.
The committee has a list of RESOURCES to help clubs accomplish this. Check it out!
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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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Hawthorn Garden Club Out and About
Garden club members always enjoy and learn from a tour. The Hawthorn Garden Club from Greenfield, WI recently toured the Indian Summer Honey Farm in Germantown. They learned about the importance of planting trees and natives to support pollinators.
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Wisconsin State Fair Flower Show Features "CREAM of the CROP" Entries
Floral Designers of Wisconsin celebrated 100 years of cream puffs at the Wisconsin State Fair with its 2024 flower show called "Cream of the Crop." This year's state fair attendance set a new record of 1,136,805 fairgoers and 352,000 Original Cream Puffs were served.
During the Aug. 8 to 11 NGC Standard Flower Show, people from across Wisconsin checked out the "cream of the crop" entries in the Design, Horticulture and Education Divisions. In addition, to the standard and exhibition tables, there were some unusual designs in the creative mass, low profile and illumination classes. Flower shows educate the public and several fairgoers went home with new creamy hosta varieties and how to create a moon garden after viewing the educational exhibits. The rainy spring produced some great horticulture and there were more than 110 entries.
Kitty Larkin, president of Floral Designers of Wisconsin and the show chairman, was pleased with all of the entries. "We had some great floral designs and horticulture entries – it was a competitive show! We're looking forward to 2025."
During the Aug. 8 to 11 NGC Standard Flower Show, people from across Wisconsin checked out the "cream of the crop" entries in the Design, Horticulture and Education Divisions. In addition, to the standard and exhibition tables, there were some unusual designs in the creative mass, low profile and illumination classes. Flower shows educate the public and several fairgoers went home with new creamy hosta varieties and how to create a moon garden after viewing the educational exhibits. The rainy spring produced some great horticulture and there were more than 110 entries.
Kitty Larkin, president of Floral Designers of Wisconsin and the show chairman, was pleased with all of the entries. "We had some great floral designs and horticulture entries – it was a competitive show! We're looking forward to 2025."
Milwaukee District Garden Clubs Installs ADA Bench July 12 on Hank Aaron Trail
Enjoying the new bench on the Hank Aaron Trail are (left to right, back row) Norma McReynolds, Kitty Larkin, Nancy Gregory and Susan Miller and (front row) Kerry Krokos, Lynne Ehnert and Diane Olsen.
The Milwaukee District Garden Clubs Executive Committee and garden club members attended the dedication of an ADA bench and the planting of three plums trees July 12 on the Hank Aaron Trail.
As MDGC Director, Diane Olsen's project the last four years has been to help develop the Hank Aaron Trail. Under Diane's leadership, MDGC raised funds for the ADA bench and the three native American Plum trees that were planted near the bench.
Constructed of recycled plastic lumber, the bench has a plaque commemorating the MDGC donation. The Department of Natural Resources will maintain the area around the bench and water the plum trees.
As MDGC Director, Diane Olsen's project the last four years has been to help develop the Hank Aaron Trail. Under Diane's leadership, MDGC raised funds for the ADA bench and the three native American Plum trees that were planted near the bench.
Constructed of recycled plastic lumber, the bench has a plaque commemorating the MDGC donation. The Department of Natural Resources will maintain the area around the bench and water the plum trees.
NGC's AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Ginger Wieman, Debby Walters, Susan Wallace receive NGC's Award of Excellence from WGCF's President, Linda McCafferty.
Wisconsin Garden Club Federation was presented with National Garden Clubs, Inc. Award of Excellence Award at the recent NGC Convention held in Denver.
"Your Garden - A Bird's Paradise" a daylong workshop which earned the award was held in Menomonie, WI last year was coordinated by the St. Croix District clubs. The workshop was designed to meet the needs of people who don't have the time or resources to attend an NGC school. It was attended by 106 people from across the state: WGCF members, Tri-Council members, and people from outside of the WGCF organization. It featured 4 speakers, tours of three gardens featuring native plants, educational displays, and four free native plants for each attendee. 94% of the participants gave the workshop top ratings.
"Your Garden - A Bird's Paradise" a daylong workshop which earned the award was held in Menomonie, WI last year was coordinated by the St. Croix District clubs. The workshop was designed to meet the needs of people who don't have the time or resources to attend an NGC school. It was attended by 106 people from across the state: WGCF members, Tri-Council members, and people from outside of the WGCF organization. It featured 4 speakers, tours of three gardens featuring native plants, educational displays, and four free native plants for each attendee. 94% of the participants gave the workshop top ratings.
IRVINE PARK FERNERY - CHIPPEWA FALLS
The Irvine Park Native Wildflower Sanctuary is a 1/2 acre native plant sanctuary established in 2010 by Lake Wissota Garden Club. It features over 225 species of Wisconsin native flowers, ferns, sedges, grass and shrubs. The 2024 project is a 1250 square foot fernery which will feature swaths of 12 plus native fern species and over 40 species of flowering plants. The funding for this project comes from a Community Foundation of Chippewa County grant.
If you are in the area, free tours are held the 2nd Saturday May through September. Single sheets of "What's Blooming" are always available in the Sanctuary to help you locate what Wisconsin native species are currently in bloom. The address of the sanctuary is Irvine Park, 125 Bridgewater Ave., Chippewa Falls, WI.
If you are in the area, free tours are held the 2nd Saturday May through September. Single sheets of "What's Blooming" are always available in the Sanctuary to help you locate what Wisconsin native species are currently in bloom. The address of the sanctuary is Irvine Park, 125 Bridgewater Ave., Chippewa Falls, WI.
Spring Seed Sharing - Waushara Gardeners
A team effort is needed to prepare packets of seeds for distribution through seed sharing events. An enthusiastic crowd had their pick of 76 different varieties of seeds including flowers, herbs, grasses, and vegetables. Seeds were donated by various garden companies, and af-
ter individual seed envelopes were packed, there were over 1300 seed packets to share with other gardeners. The extra seed packets are available available at the Leon-Saxeville Library in Pine River and at the Wautoma Library. What a wonderful outreach to the gardening community.
ter individual seed envelopes were packed, there were over 1300 seed packets to share with other gardeners. The extra seed packets are available available at the Leon-Saxeville Library in Pine River and at the Wautoma Library. What a wonderful outreach to the gardening community.
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IN SUPPORT OF MAYWOOD
Lake Shore Garden Club in Sheboygan hosted its annual Wreath Making class at Maywood Environmental Park on November 11th. A new class on Holiday Porch Pot Making debuted the following week, on November 18th. Approximately 50 students were in attendance at these classes and enjoyed learning these new skills. Approximately $1150 was raised to benefit Maywood through this event.
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Environmental School . . . Days of Learning
The new series of the Environmental School has started at Maywood Environmental Park in Sheboygan, WI with 24 persons in attendance. Participants enjoyed several excellent presenters and toured the maple forest and prairie at Maywood. Several of the instructors were quite interactive with their presentations and encouraged participants to interact with each other. A new approach to NGC schools.
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Your Garden - A Bird's Paradise
On July 21st, 106 people participated in a workshop designed to help them create habitat for our feathered friends in their home landscape. Four speakers addressed the issue. Attendees were encouraged to include native plants, plant in layers (trees, shrubs, and lower vegetation), and garden a bit messy. Registration included free plants from Dragonfly Nursery and tours of three gardens featuring native plants.
The event was hosted by the St. Croix District and also supported financially by a WGCF grant and others. Thank you.
The event was hosted by the St. Croix District and also supported financially by a WGCF grant and others. Thank you.
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Federation Field Dedicated!
On July 14th, Federation Field was dedicated at the International Crane Foundation near Baraboo. The restoration of Federation Field was WGCF's 2021-2023 President's Project initiated by Laura Skoff. The restoration/growth of this field connects the original 1980 planting to the new exhibit area with a corridor of native grasses and flowers.
THANK-YOU to all the members, clubs and districts that donated to the project!
THANK-YOU to all the members, clubs and districts that donated to the project!
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BLUE STAR BY WAY MARKER DEDICATED
Lake Wissota Garden Club dedicated a Blue Star By Way Marker on June 8th at the LaFayette Veteran's Memorial at Ray's Beach Park. The By Way Marker is very attractive with a specially designed post and recognizes all of the men and women who have served our country. A great deal of planning went into this marker and its dedication ceremony.
Watch the news coverage.
Watch the news coverage.
Cups of Cheer
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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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WGCF POLLINATOR GARDEN SIGNS
 Western Acres members promoting membership and offering pollinator signs at Brookfield's Farmers Market.
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Promote your pollinator garden(s) with an attractive sign! Orders may be placed online and will be delivered through WGCF’s District Directors. Orders are considered placed when payment is received. Clubs may combine their orders and submit them to make distribution easier. Cost per sign is $18.00 or 2 for $35.00. Suitable three foot metal posts are available from Menard’s, Home Depot or Fleet Farm.
Signs are 10″ x 15″ and are made out of coated aluminum composite with an average lifespan of 3 – 5 years. |
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If you need some to sell at events, contact your district director.
Order Form
Order Form
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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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