National Garden Clubs Inc. Cultivates Membership Drive With Unique Contest Prize: A New Canna Cultivar To Be Named In Honor Of Winning State
ST. LOUIS--As thousands of current National Garden Clubs Inc. members can attest, the rewards of belonging to a garden club go beyond the pure pleasures of growing things and being part of a network of fellow gardeners.
NGC’s 209,000 international members, 6,300 local clubs, 50 state clubs and a National Capital Area club, make NGC the largest volunteer organization of its type in the world. This status means that garden club members have a powerful voice that can be heard coast-to-coast to achieve NGC’s rewarding and relevant mission: to promote the love of gardening, floral design, and civic and environmental responsibility.
To help local and state garden clubs cultivate new members, NGC recently rolled out a friendly competition with a unique prize: The state with the greatest percentage increase in membership between June 1, 2008 and May 31, 2009 will be honored by having a new canna cultivar named after it. The cultivar, which can be grown in all states, reaches 3½ feet in height and has red/red-orange flowers and purple/black foliage. The grower will make the cultivar available nationwide.
“In our efforts to grow our membership, we want to get across the message that today’s garden clubs creatively and effectively address current issues, such as climate change, highway beautification and a wide range of environmental concerns,” says Barbara D. May, president, National Garden Clubs Inc. “Local and state projects and national partnerships with such organizations as the U.S. Forest Service and Habitat for Humanity International give garden club members everywhere an opportunity to make a difference while engaging in activities they love.”
National Garden Clubs Inc. is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1929. It offers extensive educational programs and resources to promote gardening and environmental responsibility. NGC is headquartered in St. Louis, adjacent to the world-famous Missouri Botanical Garden. For more information on NGC programs and membership, visit www.gardenclub.org.