This is just a sample of the many projects that Spalding Garden Club has recently contributed to our community.

Native Garden at the Dunwoody Nature Center, installed in 2018

Spalding Garden Club chose to support the creation of a Native Garden at the Dunwoody Nature Center to enhance a new walkway connecting the North Woods Pavilion with the new Crean Education Center. We donated $10,000, which came from our 2017 Candlelight Christmas Tour. Above is a picture of a beautiful native Oak Leaf Hydrangea in its fall glory, one of many natives installed in the garden. Below, Spalding Garden Club members gather for a photo after attending a thank you brunch held for us at the Nature Center. Follow this link for National Garden Club, Inc. objectives.

Xeriscape Garden at the DUNWOODY POST OFFICE- Fall 2016-to the present

What an eyesore in our community. This area in front of the Dunwoody Post Office, below, needed enhancement. The greater Dunwoody community supported our Christmas Home Tour in 2015 and we wanted to give something back to them in the way of a beautification effort. We developed a xeriscape garden in the median in front of our post office as an educational tool to show how a beautiful garden can also be drought tolerant. We included many pollinators such as lantana and buddleia, to also support our National Garden Clubs' pollinator initiative. But most of all its a lovely enhancement, meeting The Garden Club of Georgia's mission of Beautification, Conservation, Education. We finished this project in early spring 2017 and continue to maintain it for the community. See some of the after photos below to enjoy the new look of our post office frontage. 

garden therapy at annandale village- NOVEMBER 14, 2023

One of our longest running projects is our support of Annandale Village, a residence for developmentally disabled adults. The brother of one of our members was here for many years and we began offering a feed-the-birds project for the clients. Each year in November we bring pine cones, pretzels, special peanut butter for the birds, and lots of bird seed to make outdoor ornaments to hang on the trees within their village. These ornaments attract birds and provide the villagers an opportunity to bird watch. We also seem to take away in our own hearts much more than we give.

Bagels, pretzels, and pine cones are strung onto pipe cleaners and adorned with dried fruit, birdseed and peanut butter made especially for the birds so it won't stick in their beaks. Spalding members are pictured helping the villagers create their own delicious edibles for the birds. This is one of Spalding Garden Club’s most rewarding Garden Therapy projects as promoted by The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc.

Mary Hall Freedom Village- 2017 to the Present

Mary Hall Freedom Village serves women recovering from drug addiction. While mothers recover, the children are provided with day care and after school care. SGC helped the children install a flower and vegetable garden and the children are already reaping the benefits. In December of 2019 Spalding Garden Club formed an official Junior Garden Club with the children of Mary Hall Freedom Village to enhance their love of gardens and nature and to secure rewards for their efforts. They are the Mary Hall Freedom Village Junior Gardeners. In the summer of 2020 raised beds were installed in a new location on the grounds of the residence and Spalding Garden Club paid to install a deer free fence around the garden. We have installed a bird feeder in the garden to enhance the enjoyment of it for all ages. Our commitment to Mary Hall Freedom Village is extensive and ongoing and meets The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. and National Garden Clubs, Inc. youth initiatives.

SPALDING GARDEN CLUB BUTTERFLY GARDEN- 1975 to the present

Sadly a City of Atlanta Water main break in September of 2023 flooded our garden for over two weeks causing major damage. We will be raising funds to repair the garden in the very near future. Our community responded to this event by sending us emails about the disaster occurring in the garden. It was the most traffic our website has ever generated!

SCHOOL GROUNDS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AT DUNWOODY HIGH SCHOOL 2023

In late May of 2020 Spalding Garden Club oversaw and financed the installation of a new entry garden at Dunwoody High School, complete with beautiful brick edging, accomplishing an important emphasis of The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. in encouraging School Grounds Improvement projects. This garden received a much needed cleanup in 2023 by our March butterfly garden team.

Spalding Garden Club president Lynda Schermerhorn and Dunwoody High School Principal Priscilla Cole are beaming with pride after the completion of the project.

Dunwoody Nature Center New Entrance Garden 2020

a garden faire 2023

On April 15, 2023 Spalding Garden Club held a Garden Faire, our fundraiser for the 2022-23 term. Our Pass Along Plant sale was a big part of our fundraiser. To encourage the use of native plants and to educate the public about what are natives, the word NATIVE was placed on the name tags of our Pass Along plants where appropriate. Encouraging the use of native plants is an important objective of The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc., Deep South Garden Clubs and National Garden Clubs, Inc.

Spalding Garden Club members organized the over 600 Pass-along plants from member gardens that were sold at our Garden Faire. This one-day event was the club’s major fundraiser and included a Second Seasons boutique, bake sale, and raffle of several wonderful items.

Penny Pines-2023

Penny Pines is a GCG and NGC initiative that supports the reforestation efforts of our National Forest Service. Spalding Garden Club has been donating to Penny Pines for over forty years. In 2023 we donated enough to reforest two acres in Georgia.