Fallbrook Garden Club

from Sourcebook 2021

by Village News, Inc.

New Places to Play and Enjoy the Outdoors

Fallbrook Garden Club – BRINGING BEAUTY TO THE COMMUNITY FOR 90 YEARS!

by Nathalie Taylor

Flowers generate joy! There are many residents of Fallbrook who take time to cultivate their gardens to such an extent that they bring joy to anyone who views them. Some of those people belong to the Fallbrook Garden Club. The club was established in 1931 and has been bringing joy to members and the community for 90 years. Succulent pumpkins are created during and Cacti and Succulent Workshop

The objective of the club is to “create and promote with the Fallbrook Garden Club. Courtesy photos interest in horticulture, floral and landscape design, plant and bird life and encourage civic and environmental Members who are experts in herbs, roses, or native plants, responsibility.” share their knowledge and expertise through workshops.

“Membership is open to anyone who is interested in The Rose Study Group is dedicated to studying the rose gardening,” Sandi LeMasters, who is co-president with with talks, classes and hands-on workshops. Judy Loser, said. “We have men and women of all ages The Cacti and Succulent Group conducts workshops in the group. I am quite sure, based on the diversity of where members are taught how to use the plants for home interests that we have within the garden club, that anyone and garden décor. They also address using succulents as would be able to find someone who shares their interests, fire breaks. or to find a workshop that helps them understand more A fun project that also benefits the community is the about those areas of interest.” group’s annual pumpkin decorating workshop. In October,

The club turned to Zoom meetings during the pandemic each member decorates two pumpkins with succulents – but before then, meetings were held in the Fallbrook one to give away and one to keep for themselves. Because Community Center. Even when meeting online, however, pumpkins do not last long after they are cut and cleaned, their efforts to maintain programs of interest have been they are left intact. Hot glue is used to affix dry moss to the successful. The leadership team found speakers who were top, then the pumpkin is crowned with succulents, which comfortable with the Zoom format and can be removed and planted later. were able to share presentation slides The pumpkin decorators work in with the group. cooperation with the San Diego Sheriff’s

The club hosts tours for members Department’s Senior Volunteer Patrol about four times a year. These trips who distribute the decorated pumpkins are planned visits to parks, botanical to house-bound senior citizens. In 2020, gardens or grower’s sites. due to restrictions, the volunteer patrol

“We have a number of members was unable to distribute the pumpkins, who are experts in different areas of so another avenue of distribution was gardening,” LeMasters said. “It just Sign at the Fallbrook Senior Center – one of the found at Grangetto’s Farm and Garden depends on who is available to share FGC’s ongoing community projects. Supply. their knowledge in a workshop. We have a really amazing “Grangetto’s was kind enough to give us space in their group of women and men who commit a lot of time and store to sell the pumpkins, and they didn’t keep any energy to the group,” LeMasters said. proceeds for themselves,” LeMasters said.

In the Herb Study Group, members learn about the origins and benefits of herbs, as well as how to grow herbs, and then use them in cooking or decorating. Occasionally, the group hosts classes where the members cook with herbs and share herb recipes.

The Garden Art Workshop allows members to be creative with various plants and flowers. Two examples include the creation of mosaic stepping stones and holiday wreaths.

The Fallbrook Garden Club hosts a biennial fundraiser. The funds raised are directed toward community projects, as well as to scholarships for local area students pursuing degrees in horticultural or agricultural fields of study.

The club rotates between hosting a garden tour showcasing five or so local private gardens, and a flower show that is open to the public. In each instance, there is a large plant sale with many of the plants having been propagated by members.

Because the club was unable to hold a large event in 2020, many of the plants grown were donated to the Fallbrook Food Pantry, where they were planted along their driveway. “It was a fun project and they were very appreciative,” LeMasters said.

A current project is reworking a portion of the sculpture garden at the Palomares House and Park. This work is being done in conjunction with the Fallbrook Land Conservancy. Other ongoing community projects include care and maintenance of potted plants at the Fallbrook Public Library, as well as at the Fallbrook Senior Center. The club also maintains several garden areas at Live Oak Park.

“The garden club is as much as you want it to be, based on how much time you want to invest in what we are doing,” LeMasters said.

More information on the Fallbrook Garden Club can be found at: www.fallbrookgardenclub.org. Fallbrook Garden Club’s scarecrow is an award-winning entry and a tribute to Mabel, the first club president in 1931.