This is just a sample of the many projects that Spalding Garden Club has recently contributed to our community.
Photo by Lee Dunn
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.
Before Photo courtesy of Gussie Rodgers.
garden therapy at annandale village- NOVEMBER 14, 2024
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.
Spalding members usually help the villagers hang the ornaments outside to bring the joy of bird watching to an underserved population.
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.
Teaching a new generation about the love of gardening!
Mary Hall Freedom Village Junior Gardeners are very proud of their new raised beds and the fencing that surrounds their garden area. It was a big Covid Summer for the kids in 2020! Our work with the Mary Hall Freedom Village Junior Gardeners meets the objective of National Garden Clubs. We continue to sponsor this club and in 2023 we started new gardens in their new and expanded facility made possible by a donation from one of our club members
SPALDING GARDEN CLUB BUTTERFLY GARDEN- 1975 to the present
This beautiful addition to the garden replaces an old birdhouse that had fallen into disrepair and was not visible to passersby.
Sadly a City of Atlanta Water main break in September of 2023 flooded our garden for over two weeks causing major damage. 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! Our 2024 Fundraising event “A Floral Affair,’ will raise funds to help us restore this garden gem in our community.
Photo courtesy of Lee Dunn.
Dunwoody Nature Center New Entrance Garden 2020-2024
Spalding Garden Club celebrated its 45th Anniversary by providing a Cherokee Princess Dogwood Tree to the new Entrance Garden at the Dunwoody Nature Center in 2020. Spalding Garden Club financially underwrote the installation of the Entrance Garden in a collaborative effort that included the Dunwoody Garden Club and the DeKalb Master Gardeners. Spalding Garden Club was pleased to be able to install a native tree celebrating our anniversary, furthering The Garden Club of Georgia, Deep South Garden Clubs and National Garden Clubs objectives to plant natives!
a Floral affair
Mary Delia Poynter
On October 23, 2024 Spalding Garden Club held “A Floral Affair,” our fundraiser for the 2023-25 term. Renowned floral designer Mary Delia Poynter presented the art of floral arranging, including holiday designs and tablescapes at City Springs, Sandy Springs most prestigious events facility. The day included a seated luncheon and live auction! Proceeds from this event will go back into our community.
Penny Pines 2024
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 2024 we donated enough to reforest two acres in Georgia.