Here in the Sacramento Valley, gardening definitely is part of our roots.
Another example of our inherent love of making things grow was celebrated recently as the Roseville Better Gardens Club marked its 80th anniversary.
Started when Roseville itself was just a bud, the club has survived depression, war and drought. Through it all, members keep planting and pruning and smiling.
"None of the original members are still around," said past president Sue Bennett, who chaired the 80th anniversary committee. "But we invited all the past presidents and members we could find."
About 40 gardeners turned out for cake and ice cream at Maidu Community Center, where the group meets on the third Tuesday afternoon of every month. With current president Donna White, the members reminisced and pored over scrapbooks of garden events and blooms long gone.
(The Maidu Center is at 1550 Maidu Drive off Rocky Ridge Road in Roseville. New members are always welcome – and you don't have to be an expert gardener.)
Focused on specific categories from bromeliads to orchids as well as such broader themes as "Better Gardens," local clubs offer a wealth of learning opportunities for gardeners of all ages. Retirees often gravitate to meetings because, as they say, they finally have the time to devote to a topic they love.
Educating the public about each group's favorite plants (be they mums, irises or geraniums) or target areas (such as organic gardening, herbs or native plants) is a common goal.
For example, hundreds of shoppers at Citrus Heights' Sunrise Mall recently stopped to smell the roses at the Sierra Foothills Rose Society's annual fall show. They also picked up plenty of tips on how they could grow roses, too.
"They saw blooms like they've never seen before," president Charlotte Owendyk said. "It was pretty special."
These are just two of many active garden clubs that call this area home. Listings of their meetings and events are a regular feature in this section.
If your club would like to submit an item, e-mail it to H&G@sacbee.com. Or send it by standard mail to Home & Garden, Sacramento Bee, P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852. Please allow at least two weeks in advance of your meeting or event.
J.D. Rowell of Sacramento knows where Capitol Park's fishtail palm came from. He bought it.
More than 10 years ago, Rowell approached the park's staff about planting such a palm near the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial. After receiving permission, he purchased two palms from a Bay Area nursery that were later planted by park staff members.
"You can't find them up here," Rowell said of the palms, native to Southeast Asia. "They're not well-adapted to this area.
"I'm not a Vietnam veteran," he added. "I'm interested in palms. But I thought there should be a Vietnamese palm there and hopefully we'll get more people there to see it."
Shortly after the palms were planted, vandals destroyed one and severely damaged the one that remains, Rowell said. "This one's finally beginning to grow now. … I'm pretty sure it's the only one (of its size) growing outside in Sacramento."
Call The Bee's Debbie Arrington, (916) 321-1075.
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