Second Hybrid Sunday Afternoon Tea Scheduled for March 28

March 21, 2021: Hurry to register no later than Thursday noon, March 25 for the Dine-In Tea at The Betsy Shoppe or the Zoom portion of the Tea set for 2-3:15 pm.  Sunday's program will be "DIY Weekend Gardens." View the details in the attached flyer.

Non-members are welcome to meet local garden club members from District VII of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania/National Garden Clubs, Inc. at this and future Teas. Our Clubs typically maintain local public gardens that beautify the community, hold plant sales that bring value to residents and sponsor GCFP and Club scholarships for area students in addition to educating its members and performing other garden-related services. Do yourself a favor and check how we can help you GROW!

Hybrid Sunday Afternoon Tea Works for District VII

March 14, 2021: Members of District VII garden Clubs (in Monroeville, Forest Hills, Joyful Bloomers McKeesport, Home Gardeners Guild McKeesport) dined in for the Sunday Tea at The Betsy Shoppe. They were later joined by guests and members via Zoom at 2 pm and together they viewed "The Flower Kitchen" and shared converstion on each of the four course sections viewed. All enjoyed seeing and talking with each other; reunion was a key goal of holding the Tea.  The second viewing of this course will be April 11 as described in the above flyer.

Non-members are encouraged to attend these Teas and join your local federated club, which is part of the largest charitable, volunteer organization worldwide.

GCM learns how to make an elegant, edible gardens an investment

Feb 23, 2021: The regular meeting of the Garden Club of Monroeville was held at 4:30-6:30 pm on Feb 23 at Bethel Presbyterian Church on Beatty Road. The program for the hybrid meeting by Zoom and in-person was "Elegant, Edible Kitchen Gardens" which outlined how to make a vegetable garden an investment that enhances the beauty of one's landscape.

The Club welcomes new member, Trish Meek, from Plum Boro!

District VII of Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania/National Garden Clubs Meet!

Jan. 29, 2021: The twelve garden clubs of District VII of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania and National Garden Clubs, Inc. was convened by Zoom meeting on Jan. 29 by District Director, Marilyn Backus, of the Garden Club of Monroeville.

Members accepted the 2021 budget, donated to the GCFP 2021 Zoom Convention and agreed to host the 2023 GCFP Convention in Monroeville! In lieu of the annual Spring Membership Tea, District VII will host Dine-In/Zoom Teas at the Betsy Shoppe on 4 Sunday afternoons that include two Zoom courses for both audiences to share and discuss.

 GCM Learns Germination and Transplanting

Jan 26, 2021: The regular meeting of the Garden Club of Monroeville was held at 4:30-6:30 pm on Jan. 26 at Bethel Presbyterian Church on Beatty Road. A Doug Green Video was presented.  Topics viewed included vegetable gardening, how to germinate seeds and transplant seedlings as well as smart techniques for gardening in preparation for its Plant Sale on May 22.

Deborah Foster presented information on the Lenten Rose (Hellebores orientalis), the Pink Frost (Hellebores), & the Sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana).

GCM 1st Annual Greens Sale A Success!

Dec. 5, 2020: Many customers attended the Garden Club of Monroeville's 1st Annual Holiday Greens Sale on Saturday, December 5th from 10am-2pm at Pavilion #3 adjacent to the Farmers Market at Community Park West off Tilbrook Road.

The weather was cold but our visitors loved getting out to VISIT, WALK and SHOP! A fire in the barbeque kept hands warm and holiday songs and hot coffee provided ambiance. We sold many newly cut evergreen swags tied with beautifully handmade bows for planters, porches, doors and mantles. Table centerpieces in small vases displayed smaller cut fresh greens.  Also available were unique wreaths and painted, potted, lit branches, both natural and/or artificial. There was  also a holiday mini-flea market. All items were sold at bargain prices to encourage giving to your neighborhood or a friend the gift of remembrance. We hope to see everyone again next year tentatively on Tuesday, January 26 (4:30-6:30) at Bethel Church Hall or by Zoom.

GCM installs New 2020-2021 Officers

Nov 22, 2020: At Bethel Church Hall, District VII Director, Marilyn Backus, installed newly elected 2020-2021 GCM officers:

• Janet DeCecco - President
• Helen Naimark and Annie Loub - Co-Vice Presidents
• Debbie Foster and Andrew Kildow - Recording Secretaries
• Arlene Madray - Treasurer

She presented exiting Co-President, Shirley Brody, a Past President’s pin. 

The Club will meet Dec. 3 to assemble live greens for sale on Saturday, Dec. 5 at Pavilion #3 ((10AM-2PM) Community Park West.

GCM Nominates Slate of 2020-2021 Officers

October 27, 2020: The Garden Club of Monroeville (GCM) approved the Nominating Committee's slate of GCM officers for 2020-2021:

• Janet DeCecco - President
• Helen Naimark and Annie Loub - Co-Vice Presidents
• Debbie Foster and Andrew Kildow - Recording Secretaries
• Arlene Madray - Treasurer 

There will be a voice vote election for this slate at the Nov. 23 meeting, held also this day at Bethel Church Hall and by Zoom. These hybrid meetings at the Church will continue until the weather permits meeting outdoors.

The GCM agreed to hold a Greens Sale on Saturday, Dec 5. work shops for the event will be held on Nov. 20 and at the next regular meeting in Nov (the 4th Tuesday, 4:30-6:30).

Deb Foster, Horticulture Chair, discussed the three types of light (UVA, UVB and UVC) and the type of exposures favorable to certain plants:

• Northern – azalea, peace lily, impatiens
• Southern – milkweed, lilac
• Eastern – philadendron, moss, sedum
• Western – hosta, snowball, passion flower

The GCM program was Marilyn Backus' learning about Espoma fertilizers from the Central Atlantic Region of State Garden Clubs Zoom 2020 Convention.

GCM learns about "Essential Oils"

September 22, 2020: Kathi Wilcox presented the basis of  "Essential Oils" to club members, including the types of oils and their alternative uses to prescription drugs. 

GCM voted to donate $200 to the Monroeville Public Library before Sept. 30 in order to qualify for matching funds. The donation was enabled by club flea market sales at the Elizabeth Township Historical Society.

Horticulture Chair, Deb Foster, informed the GCM of the good and bad symbolism associated with owls. She also discussed each flower in a bouquet of red aglamonema, corkscrew willow, snake plant and red anthurium. 

District VII Meets in Monroeville for Annual Meeting

Sept 19, 2020: Forty-five members from ten garden clubs met at Pavilion #4, Community Park West,  for the District VII Annual Meeting/picnic lunch. The exiting District Director (DD), Margaret Wolff, and Asst DD and GCFP Awards Chair, Marilyn Backus, presented Laurels, Daffodil, Hummingbird and Perennial Bloom Awards to recognize the volunteerism, creativity and hard work of many district garden club members in eastern Allegheny County and Western Westmoreland County.

Following the election of the Board approved slate of 2020-2022 District Officers, GCFP Second Vice President, Leeanna Ryba of Burrellton Garden Club, installed:

• District VII Director: Marilyn Backus (GC of Monroeville)
• Asst. District VII Director: Sharon Bryner (Joyful Bloomers GC)
• District VII Recording Secretary: Haddie Weber (Home Gardeners Guild)
• District VII Treasurer: Arlene Madray (GC of Monroeville)
• District VII Corresponding Secretary: Valerie Wilson (Murrysville GC)

Four area NGC accredited judges/designers showed and described a floral design program that included Horizontal, Creative and Familial designs

Naturalist presents "Medicinal Weeds" at GCM August Meeting

August 25, 2020: Boyce Park Naturalist, Tammy Watychowicz, presented "Medicinal Weeds" to the club at Monroeville's Pavilion #4, Community Park West. The talk largely centered on native plants and how colonial and native American families used local weeds such as dandelion, burdock, chickory, wintergreen, comphrey, aloe, jewelweed, lavender, marigold, rose and thistle.  A tri-fold brochure captured notes and pictures regarding the majority of the weeds discussed.

GCFP Awards Chair, Marilyn Backus, presented Tammy the GCFP Silver Seal Award certificate, a floral bouquet and the Book of Evidence used to nominate Tammy for the award. 

GCM thanked Helen Naimark and Annie Loub for working on the Trash to Treasure entry that won third place at the District VII meeting on August 3.  

Horticulture Chair, Deborah Foster, presented information about perennial succulent Peperomia, Dwarf Papyrus and Coleus. 

GCM Meetings Resume Amid Covid

June 23, 2020: The General business meeting of the Garden Club of Monroeville was held Tuesday, June 23 at 4:30-6:30 PM at Community Park West Pavilion #4. The Horticulture Moments focused on blue Moneywort for a water garden, Air Ferns, and end of Spring (June) Flowers: 1) irises bloom for ~ 3 weeks, 2) Pink Saucer “electric lightbulb” blooms, 3) Columbine-plant seeds late Feb or early March and will self seed in fall. The Program was "Learnings from the 3rd Annual Plant Sale".

GCM Co-President Wins Award

June 6, 2020: The Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania District VII Board Members congratulated GCM Co-President, Shirley Brody, for winning District VII Forget-Me-Not Award.  Shirley Brody, a 60-year member of GC of Monroeville, has served faithfully as Club President and on the District Board for 14 of those years! For the last five years, she also serves as the District’s GCFP Scholarship Chair and assists with the setup of the district’s teas and annual meetings. Shirley and her husband have planted and maintain one of the Club’s gardens for 59 years, on a weekly basis, during the growing season!! She has presented several floral design workshops for the club, district and public; and as the “bow-lady” excels at making bows for club and district activities; and in caring for the welfare of each club member.

GCM Holds 3rd Annual Plant Sale

May 30, 2020: Garden Club of Monroeville held a successful fundraiser, its 3rd Annual Plant Sale at Community Park West's Pavilion #4 from 10am-3pm. A wide variety of heritage and native flowers, ferns, cannas and vegetables were available. Club members made and sold summer wreaths, kneeling pads, painted pots and house plants.

POSTPONED UNTIL 2021: Monroeville Public Library a "Free Rain Gutter Gardening Made Easy" program presented by two members of the Ingomar Garden Club, who will demonstrate how to garden without weeding or watering.

POSTPONED UNTIL 2021 : Independence Court Earth Day Flea Market at Independence Court on Stroshein Road on Saturday Apr 25 AND Third Annual GCM Plant Sale (with designer clay pots, all season wreaths and repotting services) on Saturday May 2 at Community Park West Pavilion #2 will benefit the work of the Garden Club of Monroeville. 

GCM Volunteers Assist Boyce Park Nature Center Spring Cleaning

March 26, 2020: Some Garden Club of Monroeville volunteers assisted Boyce Park's Interpretative Naturalist with her spring cleanup of the Nature Center. Last year's pots were emptied and moved out of sight, weeds were cut and leaves swept away to welcome the spring , all the while maintaining social distancing in the great outdoors!

Maple Sugaring at the Boyce Park Nature Center/Greenhouse

March 17, 2020: Garden Club of Monroeville volunteers assisted  Boyce Park Interpretive Naturalist, Tammy Watychowicz, on  Saturday, March 14, when she demonstrated tapping a maple tree, collecting its sap and boiling the sap with hot stones in a wooden trough...the colonial way! Our volunteers handed out maple sugar treats and  accompanied guests who were interested in touring the greenhouse at 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM.

Saturday, April 4, at 1:00 PM at Monroeville Public Library

March 17, 2020: Two members of the Ingomar Garden Club, Chris and Joel Hawthorne, will present "Rain Gutter Gardening Made Easy". The Garden Club of Monroeville and Monroeville Library will co-sponsor our first of four public education programs of 2020 on Saturday, April 4 at 1 PM (in Johnna's Room). Rain gutter gardening is an option to gardening that largely eliminates weeding or watering. Ingomar Garden Club is part of District VIII of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, and the Central Atlantic Region of State Garden Clubs, Inc. which is part of National Garden Clubs, Inc.

Pittsburgh Area Judges' Council (PAJC) Postponed

March 17, 2020: The PAJC announced the cancellation of its March 31st meeting due to the Corona virus. The members of the Judges'  Council discuss the practices and interpretations of NGC's Handbook for Flower Shows. National Garden Clubs' Student and Accredited Judges are strongly urged to attend these meetings.

District VII Tea Cancelled and Flower Show Postponed

March 13, 2020: To help mitigate the spread of the virus, the District VII Director and Officers announced the cancellation of the Annual Membership Tea that was to be held on Saturday, March 21, 2020. The Program, which was a Horticulture Specialty Flower Show, will be postponed to the District VII Annual Meeting on Friday, September 18.  District VII is part of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, which is part of the Central Atlantic Region of National Garden Clubs, Inc.

2020-2021 GCFP Scholarship Deadline Passed

Feb 5, 2020: The Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania Awards submission deadline passed for area senior high students and freshmen and sophomores and juniors in college applying for 13 GCFP $1,000 Scholarships on Feb. 1.

The next opportunity to compete for a CFP scholarship in a horticulture-related major in 2020-2021 will occur in October 2020 with a deadline of February 2021. Read more to view details about the application at Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, Presidents Packet, #21 "Scholarship Info".

2019 Local Youth Poetry Contest Finalists

January 7, 2020: The Garden Club of Monroeville is proud to announce the local winners of the GCFP (Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania) Youth Poetry Contest. Divine Mercy Academy (formerly St. Bernadette School) fifth graders participated in the Youth Poetry Contest under the tutelage of Ms. Lisa Rettig. The following fifth grade students were recognized for their poems which reflected on the theme, "Adventures in the Garden" :

First: Taylor A. Brown

Second: Isabella Mercado

Third: Layla A. Rocco

Fourth: Anthony Weber

The students who earned an Honorable Mention were John Paul Romanelli, Michael Estes, Aleah Noel Cooper, Devin Thomas, Jr. , Ava Amiano, Charlie Thomas and Jason Ferri.

All of the above named students' poems were sent to the GCFP for state-level competition. All participating students received a certificate of recognition and "Life is Precious" pencils from the Garden Club of Monroeville. Congratulations to all of our contestants!

 Club celebrates very productive year!

Dec 5, 2019: Twenty-four club members and friends of the Club joined together to celebrate a wonderful year that included many new and not so new successful events at its annual Holiday dinner buffet at Palmieri's Restaurant on Old Frankstown Road. District VII Director, Margie Wolff, of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania (GCFP) joined the club's festivities and installed Garden Club of Monroeville's 2020 Officers with a gift of Rainbow Ribbons tied on a hand-held bouquet:

Co-Presidents: Marilyn Backus & Shirley Brody

Recording Secretary: Nancy Philpot

Treasurer: Arlene Madray

In addition, the opportunity to better know our newest members, the friendly networking, the giving away of cut greens and door prizes topped the evening.

What Do You Know About Nativars?

Nov 26, 2019: At our last regular club meeting  on this day, Club Horticulturalist, Cathy Caparro, gave club members a very informative presentation on recent rsearch conducted on Nativars. The bottom line is that some cultivars of native plants, especilly those high in anthocyanins, are harmful to beneficial insects that rely on traditional natives. We regret that Cathy has moved away from the Monroeville area and can not easily attend GCM meetings. We send her fond farewells until we perhaps can get her as a guest lecturer in the future! We will miss the hands-on,  practical experience she brought to us in gardening!

Ranger Demonstrates How to Save Seeds

October 19, 2019: Boyce Park Naturalist, Tammy Watychowicz,  was asked by the Garden Club of Monroeville to demonstrate  Seed Saving for Vegetables, Flowers and Herbs on Saturday, 1:30-3:00PM, at Monroeville Library's Gallery Space. Club members brought seeds from their gardens and shared them with twenty two attendees. Tammy demonstrated how to make seed packages of various sizes with common paper and 2 small pieces of scotch tape.

GCM Members Participate at Historical Society's Heritage Day

October 12, 2019: Six members of the Garden Club of Monroeville set up a table for pine cone bird feeder making at Monroeville Historical Society's Heritage Day Festival held at the McGinley and McCully Historical Log Houses on Saturday,  noon-5 PM. They enjoyed tours of the houses and grounds which provided a variety of crafts and colonial foods enjoyed by the kids.

GCM Members Attend Presidents' Luncheon

October 7, 2019: Members Nancy Philpot and Marilyn Backus  of the GCM attended New Kensington's Pucketos Garden Club's annual Presidential Luncheon along with the Presidents of Highland Park GC and The GC of Forest Hills. They witnessed the distribution of awards to Pucketos members received at the Annual Meeting, which included 6 new member tulips, two Daffodil awards, two Laurels and the District VII Hummingbird Award for their member, Judy Rhine. They also saw the two winners of the Youth Poetry contest who were with their families and teacher as the students read their poetry to the attendees.

GCM Distributes Tree Pittsburgh's Free Trees

October 5, 2019: Eight GCM members distributed 100 free trees provided by Tree Pittsburgh Saturday morning 10 AM-Noon behind Monroeville Library. The 2 gallon potted trees were an assortment of healthy Eastern Redbud, Kousa Dogwood, Carolina Hornbeam, River Birch and Sycamore. Tree Pittsburgh plans to give away 4,000 trees over 3 seasons to provide many benefits to our region for decades to come.

GCM Member Wins 90+ Ribbon at PAJC/LHJC Flower Show

October 2, 2019: Student Judge Marilyn Backus won her first Floral Design 90+ Ribbon for a Cascade design in the Pittsburgh Area and Laurel Highlands Judges Council Flower Show.  She needs to earn one more 90+ Design ribbon, pass her Schedule writing exam and pass the Handbook for Flower Shows exam with a minimum score of 75 points each, before becoming an Accredited Judge.  She already earned three 90+ ribbons in three different shows to meet her horticulture exhibiting requirements.

GCM Leads Classroom Activity

September 27, 2019: Three GCM members, Jean Snider, Eileen Smeltz and Elise Frazer, visited Moss Side Middle School to lead a pinecone birdfeeder-making activity to the delight of both students and teacher at Moss Side Middle School.  The feeders were hung outside the school window and also given to friends of the students. In return, the students presented the GCM ladies butterflies made by the students. A future  activity is planned for December.

Nine GCM members attend District VII Annual Meeting

September 11, 2019: Nine members of the GCM attended the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania-District VII Annual Meeting to meet new GCFP President, Joyce Milberg, 1st Vice President Sheila Croushore and 2nd Vice President Leeanna Ryba. The crowd of 55 attendees heard the activities of the twelve district clubs*, including the Garden Club of Monroeville, and honored those who earned District Daffodil and Laurel Awards. The District VII Hummingbird Award winner was Judy Rhine of Pucketos Garden Club. The twelve clubs include: Burrellton GC, The GC of Forest Hills, The GC of McKeesport, GC of Monroeville, Gardens Limited LTD, Highland Park GC, Home Gardeners Guild, Joyful Bloomers GC, Landscape Design Society of W PA, Murrysville GC, Pucketors GC, Rockledge GC and affiliate Greensburg Garden Center.

GCM Learns About Mosses

August 27, 2019: Member Eileen Smelz presented an informative and interesting meeting program regarding the growing of moss for the garden or home. She collected a variety of mosses and raffled several tray gardens of her beautiful collections. She also provided several interesting articles on the topic. Everyone grew in their appreciation of the beauty and low care requirements of moss!

GCM Helps Kids Make Pinecone Bird Feeders at Library's Funfest

August 24, 2019: About ten GCM club members set up a tent at Monroeville Library's Funfest for the first time. The club helped kids of all ages make large bird feeder pinecones with Crisco, cracked corn and bird seed. They also sold plants and specialty catgrass and faeirie gardens. One member sat with kids while they created their own scenes with one of her faerie gardens. Very large fairy gardens were also viewed in the middle of the GCM Pollinator Garden located behind the Library.

District VII Board Meeting Prepares for District's Annual Meeting

August 20, 2019: Board members, which included ten of twelve area garden clubs, met to report their activities and to plan the final details for the Annual Meeting that will be held at Ferrante's Lakeview Inn on Route 30, Greensburg. Guests are welcome to attend the business meeting, lunch and program if registered (with a $29 check) by September 4. Shirley Brody (GCFP District VII Scholarship Chair) and Marilyn Backus (District VII Assistant Director and Awards Chair) represented the Garden Club of Monroeville.

Designers' Guild Practices Design Techniques and Manipulations

August 16, 2019: GCM Student Judge Marilyn Backus attended the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania (GCFP) Designers' Guild workshop along with approximately 20 other designers to observe and develop floral design techniques that augment Creative designs. Accredited NGC Judge Marie Mueller led the informative session, which costs only $5 to attend as an observer or participant. Participants benefit from constructive and friendly suggestions and critique made by members.

GCM Student Judge Earning Credits at Area Flower Shows

August 1, 2019: GCM Student Judge Marilyn Backus completed four Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania (GCFP) Flower Show Schools and passed her course exams and practicums last December 2018. She then began to earn five judging credits at five different flower shows beginning July 11. She judged on a panel with two accredited judges at The Garden Club of Johnstown, then at  Murrysville Garden Club and judged at Great Meadows Garden Club at Mt. Summit Inn in Uniontown on July 31. She will judge The Garden Club of Forest Hills Flower Show (August 23), Pleasant Hills Flower Show (September 7) and Pittsburgh Area/Laurel Hills Judges' Council (October 2).

GCM conducts Sick Plant Clinic at Independence Court

July 25, 2019: Four members of the Garden Club of Monroeville visited Independence Court of Monroeville to "doctor" residents' and the staff's plants that needed attention, while their owners observed and discussed horticulture with them. Plants were repotted, split, fertilized, trimmed and/or groomed to the delight of their owners at the "Sick Plant Clinic."

Fairy Garden Presentation

July 23, 2019: Angela LaBuda displayed four of her fairie gardens to club members at our monthly club meetiong and detailed how to make them. These gardens delight her younger relatives who play with them. She plans to bring several gardens for viewing, sale and play at Monroeville Public Library's "Funfest" scheduled on Saturday, August 24. The Garden Club of Monroeville (GCM) will be part of the festivities for the first time.

"Walk on the Wild Side" Event at Boyce Park Meadow

July 18, 2019: It is not too late to "Contact Us" on our website or Facebook if you plan to join the Garden Club of Monroeville to view the Boyce Park Meadow of wildflowers.  The event is planned for this Saturday, July 20 at 1 PM at the Meadow inside the main gate and bearing to the right near the playground. Protect yourself from the sun and prepare to enjoy the heat and Naturalist Tammy Watychowicz' insights.

GCM Member wins Horticulture Awards at Murrysville Garden Club Flower Show

July 13, 2019: Congratulations to our garden club member, Helen Naimark, for winning a Section Award of Merit and Blue Ribbon for her perfect Hosta leaf at Murrysville Garden Club Flower Show today at Redstone Highland Community Room. She also scored 90+ (two firsts and one second place) for her white Butterfly Bush  and Weeping European Larch and Ninebark arboreal specimens. Her Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) won Second Place while her sunflower (Heliopsis 'Sunstruck') won Third. They were all grown in her backyard.

Garden Club Members Learn Had to Prep Horticulture Specimens for Flower Shows

June 25, 2019: Garden Club of Monroeville members brought backyard flower and shrub cuttings to the meeting at 4:30 PM at the Yolanda Room to practice grooming and staging their specimens for upcoming Flower Shows to be held by the Murrysville Garden Club (Saturday, July 13) and The Garden Club of Forest Hills (Friday, August 23). Both shows are free and open to the public. Both clubs encourage other clubs' members and the public to enter their Horticulture specimens into competition by bringing them in the evening before the day of the show. Our members enjoyed showing and seeing one another's backyard plants.

District VII Board Meeting

June 20, 2019: Co-Presidents, S. Brody and M. Backus, attended the District VII Board meeting at Garden Club of McKeesport Clubhouse to share with twelve other Allegheny and Westmoreland County clubs our activities and plans to educate the public about gardening, beautify our communities and encourage gardening, conservation and recycling with youth. The District will hold its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, September 11 at Ferrante's Lake View Inn banquet hall on Route 30.

Designers' Guild Practices "Transparency" Designs
June 11, 2019: Student Judge Marilyn Backus attended the Designers' Guild (DG) learning and practice session that focused on the Transparency Design, led by Carolyn Monyok of the GC of McKeesport. The last DG on April 23 focussed on "Mono-Botanical Design" and was led by NGC Judge, Iris Cisarik, of The Garden Club of Forest Hills. Anyone interested in viewing or participating in such sessions are welcomed for only $5 at the Greensburg Garden Center.

Kid's "Art in the Park" Day Successful

June 8, 2019: Monroeville Arts Council (MAC) and volunteers from the Garden Club of Monroeville offered creative and unique art opportunities for over 200 children of various ages plus their parents on Saturday, June 8 (10AM-3PM). Nancy Dalverny led the event as MAC's Art in the Park and Educational Outreach Chair and serves actively with her husband on GCM's Civic Beautification Committee.

District Members Attend GCFP Board Meeting and Floral Symposium
June 3-6, 2019: Assistant District VII Director and Co-President, Marilyn Backus, attended the GCFP State Board Meeting with District Director, Margie Wolff. Newly elected GCFP President, Joyce Milberg hosted the meeting and heard reports from approximately 60 attendees. Marilyn is the newly appointed GCFP Awards Chair while GCM's Nancy Philpot is the newly appointed GCFP Awards Vice Chair for a two-year term.

The last two days were a Symposium focussing on Peonies in Horticulture, Functional Table Settings, and a new Design category, Botanical Arts.

GCM Reviews Past and Future Projects

May 28, 2019: GCM members reviewed past and several upcoming ideas for the club to favorably impact the local community at today's monthly meeting at the Library (4:30-6:30 at the Yolanda Room).

Plant Sale Chair Nancy Philpot led the club in a lessons learned discussion regarding our second annual plant sale held Saturday, May 4. Club members were pleased with the club's profits and Nancy's leadership.

Club members agreed to meet at the Pollinator Garden behind the Library on Friday, May 31 for a general cleanup and additional planting. In addition, several of our members agreed to contact local organizations to see how our clubs could best work together.

GCM Second Annual Plant Sale a Success

May 4, 2019: The Garden Club of Monroeville thanks all who visited Pavillion 2 at the Community Park West on Tilbrook Road. The club sold most of its uniquely decoupaged terra cotta pots with and without plants. Hanging plants were the first to go. The weather cooperated and almost all of our members were active participants in the sale. We thank Beekeeper John Yakim who brought his observation bee hive while Kathy Wilcox presented the use of plants in Aromatherapy. We plan to hold our Plant Sale next year at the same place on Saturday, May 2, 2020.

Independence Court hosts Flea Market benefitting GCM!

April 27, 2019: Independence Court of Monroeville sponsored a Flea Market once again since 2018 to honor Earth Day, the proceeds of which benefitted the Garden Club of Monroeville. Several individuals set up  their tables and tents outside the building, including the Garden Club of Monroeville members, while basket raffles and snacks and coffee were sold inside the building. We were honored to receive $400 from Independence Court's Flea Market and plan to work with the residents later this year. Thank you, Independence Court, for helping us to help the community!!

GCM Plans for Plant Sale on Saturday, May 4

April 23, 2019: Chair Nancy Philpot and Chair Arlene Madray led the discussions on the final plans for the Plant Sale on May 4 (10AM-3PM) at Pavillion 2 at Community Park West off Tilbrook Road and the Flea Market at Independence Court in Monroeville on April 27 (9-1, setup at 8 AM). These are the clubs two main fundraisers for the year.

For the Plant Sale, club members performed the second step of decoupaging clay pots on March 11 and final transplanting of seedlings on April 10.

District members attend GCFP Convention in Altoona

April 7-9, 2019: Several District VII members, including Assistant District Director and Co-President of GCM, Marilyn Backus attended the annual GCFP Convention at the Altoona Convention Center. The Garden Club of Monroeville was  pleased to receive several awards  judged in state-wide competition with the following results:

First Place: Website

First Place: Facebook Page

Second Place: Poetry Contest Grade 5-Wren Lesnosky (see details)

Second Place: Membership Brochure

Third Place: Yearbook (Clubs with < 20 members)

Seed Money: for community, educational projects

District VII Spring Membership Tea

March 22, 2019: Seven members of the Garden Club of Monroeville attended the District VII Spring Tea hosted by District Director, Margie Wolff, on Friday March 22 at Sampson's Mills Presbyterian Church Hall. The District's Board of Directors prepared a buffet for the members in attendance. In addition to hearing the activities of the other 12 district clubs, attendees viewed various creative designs prepared and described by the District's five Floral Design Judges. GCM member and Student Judge, Marilyn Backus, prepared a Low-Profile Design for the program.

Maple Sugaring Events at Boyce Park

March 17, 2019: A total of 60 adults signed up for the two sessions of a Field Trip at Boyce Park: Maple Fest and Nature Walk on Saturday, March 16 at 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM. The GCM also welcomed their kids, primarily Scouts, who participated in kid-friendly events. This was the final session for tapping the maple trees since warm days and cold nights are necessary!

Member Attends GCFP Environmental Course I

March 14-15, 2019: CoPresident Marilyn Backus attended Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania's Environmental Course I at Easton, PA (near Philadelphia). This is the first of four courses featuring hands-on experts in the topic in Pennsylvania and is truly worthwhile.

Maple Sugaring at the LIbrary!

Mar 3, 2019: The GCM, Monroeville Library and Boyce Park are pleased that the Maple Sugaring presentation by Naturalist Tammy Watychowicz on Saturday, March 2 at 1:00-2:30 PM at Monroeville Library Gallery Space was well attended by adults and about ten kids. Tammy detailed the beginnings of tapping maple trees by American Indians and the colonists.

GCM Co-Hosts Upcoming Library Events

Feb 6, 2019: It's time to tap your Sugar Maple Tree! GCM and Monroeville Library are cohosting a free presentation, Maple Sugaring, presented by Allegheny County Parks Naturalist Tammy Watychowicz, on Saturday, March 2 at 1:00-2:30 PM at Monroeville Library Gallery Space. Tammy will show the tools used and tell us the history of this practice to prepare for a...

Field Trip at Boyce Park: Maple Fest and Nature Walk, which is also a kid-friendly event with Garden Club of Monroeville members on Saturday, March 16 at 11:30 AM or 1:30 PM. Please Contact Us at www.gardenclubofmonroeville.org or Facebook to register your intent to join us.

Club preparing designer pots for May 4 Sale

Feb 4, 2019: Fourteen members met to learn and apply paint as part of Step One of creating unusually colorful decoupaged terra cotta pots. Although this meeting was a new experience for several members, it was "old hat" for several of its member artists. A Step Two meeting will be scheduled later in March to apply decoupage.

Come see the approximately 72 terra cotta pots that will be sold at their Saturday, May 4 Garden Sale at Pavillion #2 at Community Park West. Herbs, houseplants and flowers will be sold for the pots. The club is also offering a repotting service for root-bound houseplants!

Naturalist Tutors Garden Club of Monroeville

Jan 9, 2019: Snow fell gently outside the Boyce Park Nature Center greenhouse while Naturalist, Tammy Watychowicz, reviewed planting techniques with eight Garden Club of Monroeville members. This was  members'  first round of working together to plant  herbs, flowers and vegetables in time for the club's  second annual Garden Sale on Saturday, May 4, 2019 (the weekend before Mother's Day.) Unusual Herbs and flowers that will be available for the sale include:

1 Perennial Sage Salvia officinalis, 2 Perennial Thyme Thymus vulgaris, 3 Texas Hummingbird Mint Agastache cana ‘Heather Queen’, 4 Rose Mint Agastache pallidiflora, 5 Feverfew Tanacetum parthenium ‘White Stars’, 6 Chinese Motherwort Leonuris artemisia, 7 Lemon Scented Gum Eucalyptus citriodora, 8 Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa,        9 Curled Parsley ‘Evergreen’, 10 Biennial Italian Parsley, 11 Perennial Dandelion Taraxacum officinale, 12 Perennial Purple Betony or Hedge Nettle Stachys betonica, 13 Herb Dwarf Moringa oleifera, and          14 Herb Wormwood Artemisia absinthium.

The club members will transplant the seedlings of the above plants and plant additional ones, including unusual vegetables in mid-February.

2018 Youth Poetry Contest Finalists

Dec 10, 2018: Twelve local Fifth Grade Youth Poetry Finalists from Divine Mercy Academy wrote poems to the theme "Pop Goes the Seed!" that were forwarded to the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania (GCFP) for state-level judging. The results will be announced at the 2019 GCFP Convention at Altoona on April 7. 

Congratulations to the finalists:1st Wren Lesnosky, 2nd McKenzie Page-Pierce, 3rd Addison Thomas, and 4th Melina Bui. Those Honorably Mentioned were (in alphabetical order) Jaden Antolik-Pugliano, Addison Bell, Torrence Edwards, Kate Giannetta, Kati Hutchison, Lyla Jablon, Jovie Johnston, Jonathan Jones, and Tyler Sapida. Read more... 2018 Local Youth Poetry Contest Finalists

Garden Club Celebrates Holiday Season

Dec 3-14, 2018: Members met on Monday, Dec. 3 at Monroeville Library to create an 8-ft fresh pine garland and then placed it immediately on its Elliott Rd/Illini Drive planter box. Then on Thursday, Dec 6 most of its 16 members met to share cheer at Palmieri's Restaurant in Plum Boro for a holiday dinner. The group then planned to paint husked corn cobs and cut hickory saplings and place them in its Pollinator Garden located behind Monroeville Library on Dec 14. To see the results, see its facebook page: @gardenclubofmonroeville.

Color is Discussion Focus at Nov 27 Garden Club Mtg

Nov 17, 2018: Guests are invited to meet the members of the Garden Club of Monroeville while listening to Co-President Shirley Brody share her knowledge of combining colors artistically in the garden, floral designs and photographs. Come to the upstairs Yolanda Room in the Monroville Library at 4:30-6:30 PM on Tuesday, Nov. 27.

Houseplants Topic of Discussion at GC of Monroeville

Oct. 23, 2018: The Garden Club of Monroeville discussed "Houseplants", with a special emphasis on how African Violets, Saintpaulia, are judged against the standard of perfection in NGC horticulture flower shows. Co-President Marilyn Backus used her own plants and presented this information that she recently learned at Flower Show School Course IV.  She is now a Student NGC Judge.

Horticultural Chair Cathy Chaparro brought her recently dug outdoor bulbs, tubers and rhizomes such as dahlias and gladiolas, and led a lively discussion of how to overwinter them successfully.

Garden Club of Monroeville Members Recognized

Sept. 12, 2018: Five members of the GCM attended the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania's District VII Annual Meeting at Palmieri's Banquet Room on Sept. 12, 2018.  Eight GCM members received District Laurels, primarily for volunteering to assist the Monroeville Arts Council's Kids' Art in the Park in the Summer and bringing speakers to the club. Two members also received District Daffodil awards for long-term reliable service to the club and community.

"A Peek Inside the Hive" Brings a Crowd

Sept. 4, 2018: High interest brought a crowd to hear Beekeeper John Yakim's Presentation and see his Observation Hive on Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 7 PM in the Library's Gallery Space. John compared bee life to family life to build understanding in the group. He also discussed the variety of raw honey he collects in Monroeville. The GCM and MPL were delighted to sponsor such an interesting program for its fourth evening education program of the year.

Native Plants Is Discussion Topic at Next Garden Club of Monroeville Mtg

Aug 28, 2018: Shirley Brody used National Garden Clubs Study Course to convey to the GCM the definition of "native plants" and why they are important. Club members discussed their experiences with native and other plants.

"Caution Botany" Field Trip at Boyce Park

Aug. 11, 2018: Naturalist Tammy Watychowicz met Garden Club of Monroeville members and 21 community members to view invasive and harmful plants at the Boyce Park Nature Center Trails. This field trip served as a practicum to Tammy's presentation "Invasive Planta of Pittsburgh" at Monroeville Library on Saturday, August 4.

Boyce Park Naturalist Discusses "Invasive Plants of Pittsburgh"

Aug. 4, 2018: This Saturday afternoon presentation was standing room only at Monroeville Library's Gallery Space as many from the community and the GCM came to hear Tammy Watychowicz' comments and experiences with each of the invasive plants listed by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.  

Attend Tuesday, July 24 Garden Club of Monroeville (GCM) Meeting to learn Traditional Vertical Line Design

July 23, 2018: Club members and guests will take time to appreciate flowers and plants closely when they attempt their own Traditional Vertical Line Floral Designs using their own vases, presoaked oasis and flowers and other plant materials to create their own living artwork. Come, watch or do these designs. We will have extra materials. The meeting starts, 4:40-6:30 PM, in the Yolanda Room of Monroeville Library.

Boyce Park Naturalist to Speak and Guide GCM members

July 23, 2018: Join GCM at the Gallery Space of Monroeville Library to hear Tammy Watychowicz, Naturalist of the Boyce Park Nature Study Center, talk about the "Invasive Plants of Pittsburgh" on Saturday, August 4 at 1-2:30 PM.

Then register (see Contact Us page) to join the GCM members on a free nature walk/field trip "Healing Treasures and Caution Botany" to view invasive, noxious and healing plants at Boyce Park Nature Study Center, Greenhouse and Arboretum on the following Saturday, August 11 (1-3 PM).

All are welcome to meet the Garden Club members, to learn about "weeds" and to enjoy the Study Center.

GCM Co-Pres Speaks to Rotary Club of Monroeville

July 19, 2018: Co-President Marilyn Backus spoke about the mission (Beautifying, Servicing and Educating the Community) and works performed by the Garden Club of Monroeville (GCM) to the Rotary Club of Monroeville.

The GCM now has 3 beautification civic plantings: Elliott Road x Illini Drive, Beatty Road x College Park Drive and Monroeville Library backyard Pollinator Garden.

Moreover, it hosts National Garden Club/Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania Youth Contests. For instance, St. Bernadette School's fifth grade Language Arts class entered the Poetry Contest (theme: "Let It Grow") and Sculpture Contest converting "trash" to works of art. The club still looks for high school students to enter their essays on current horticultural issues. The GCM judges entries locally prior to sending them to the GCFP and NGC for judging.

The GCM has sponsored students majoring in horticulture who won three $1,000 GCFP Scholarships since 2014.

The club plans to engage youth and adults through the Pollinator Garden. The Milestone Group already used it as the site for their butterfly release.

Garden Club Opens Garden for Viewing

July 14, 2018: The Garden Club of Monroeville "finished" its initial project plan for the Library's backyard Pollinator Garden when 13 cubic yards of mulch were laid. The GCM asked members and others to donate their pollinator plants (that will not strongly attract deer) so that they can be recorded for a teaching brochure that helps educate the public about the importance of having a strong population of  pollinators.

Garden Club Implements Pollinator Garden Project Plan

June 28, 2018: Garden Club members began the take down of the Pollinator Garden's fencing following the Project Planning Meeting. The failing weed barrier will be removed, a demarcation trench dug, 6 mil black plastic strips laid and new double shredded mulch will cover the garden. Several larger stones and a new sign will be placed. Members who are less than 80 and physically able were asked to volunteer their time and sweat virtually all days except Sunday from 8-9 AM daily due to the extreme heat and humidity.

Anyone wishing to help with, learn from or donate to the garden, which is semi-sunny, is welcome to join the club, which meets the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Monroeville Library from 4:30-6:30 PM.

Club Learns Drying Techniques and Hears Evergreen Elementary School Visitors

June 26, 2018: Shirley Brody presented various ways to preserve or dry plant materials at the Garden Club of Monroeville Meeting. She also showed various arrangements she had done that still look great. Volunteer Suzi Kovac and Principal Mike Matteo informed the club of the interest and excitement of the Evergreen Elementary School students surrounding their school gardens.

Garden Club Votes to Adopt Library's Pollinator Garden

May 7, 2018: Club members voted to make over and maintain the Pollinator Garden, which first started as Lois Drumheller's vegetable garden and then a pollinator garden. Club officers will meet with Library Director Nicole Henline and key personnel later in the month to discuss the Library's future plans for the development of the backyard of the building where the Pollinator Garden can be viewed by the public.

Garden Club First Fundraisers Successful

Apr 28, 2018: It was a rainy, cold and windy day but the GCM was pleased to see area residents come out to purchase trees and perennials at Community Park West on Tilbrook Road.

Simultaneously, club members set up tables at Independence Court of Monroeville's Trash to Treasure (and other sales), which was held in appreciation for the work of the Garden Club of Monroeville. Independence Court donated the proceeds of $285 to the GCM and we are most grateful for their consideration!

GCM Wins Awards at 2018 GCFP Convention

April 15, 2018: Marilyn Backus attended the 2018 GCFP Convention in the Meadowlands, Washington, PA Double Tree Hilton Attended the GCFP Convention at the Meadowlands with 12 other District VII Board members. Results of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania judging were announced April 15-17: -Youth Poetry Contest, “Let It Grow”,  Mary E. Estes won Fifth Grade-2nd Place

-Youth Sculpture Contest, Fifth Graders from St. Bernadette School  who won 1st-Emily Long, 2nd-Christopher Kusk, and 3rd-Patrick Malandra (who also won an Honorable Mention from NGC.)

- Yearbooks, Monroeville won 3rd (under 20 members)

- Publications, 1st for a special booklet containing all of the St. Bernadette fifth graders’ poems and a Certificate of Merit from NGC.

- 2017 Publications, 2nd for its Tri-fold Membership Brochure AND 1st for its Poetry Booklet.

- 2017 Websites, Monroeville won 2nd for a small club. 

Club Members Practice Floral Design

March 27, 2018: GCM members brought vases and flowers to practice creating their own Traditional Line-Mass Crescent Design. In addition, they viewed how to pot bare-rooted trees for subsequent planting in preparation for the April 28 GCM Plant Sale.

GCM Plans Annual Plant Sale

March 15, 2018: GCM Members are planning their first fundraiser Plant Sale on Saturday, April 28 from 10 AM-2 PM at Monroeville Community Park West on Tilbrook Road at Pavilion #1. The plant sale will feature potted, mostly homegrown, tree seedlings, perennials, houseplants, flea market and baked items.

GCM Plans for 2018 GCFP Meadowlands Convention

Feb 27, 2018: At today's meeting of the GCM, club members accepted a draft schedule of programs for the club's yearbook. Lisa Rettig and Marilyn Backus presented the club's entry, "Triffy, the Trojan Horse, Can She Win?" for the district's Trash to Treasure Convention Contest entitled "The Floral Trifecta-Saddle Up". The 2018 GCFP Convention will be held April 15-17 at the Meadowlands in Washington, PA.

GCM Leaders Attend District VII Board Meeting

Jan 25, 2018: GCM Co-Presidents Shirley Brody and Marilyn Backus attended the District VII Board of Directors' meeting held at the Garden Club of McKeesport Clubhouse today. The group discussed plans for the annual Spring Membership Tea, hosted by Board Members, to be held at Sampson's Mills Presbyterian Church Hall in White Oak on Thursday, March 15. Former GCFP President and Master Floral Design Judge, Angie Raitano, will create four designs for district attendees.

GCM Executive Officers Elected

Jan 23, 2018: Co-Presidents Shirley Brody and Marilyn Backus, Vice-President Eileen Smeltz, Treasurer Arlene Madray and Recording Secretary Deborah Foster assumed their leadership roles for the Garden Club of Monroeville, having been elected in Nov. 2017. The club met on Jan. 23 to plan the 2018 Calendar of Events and the Club Yearbook.

Garden Club creates Seasonal Garland for Elliott Rd-Illini Dr Planter

December 5, 2017: Garden Club of Monroeville members practiced what they learned at the October and November fourth Tuesday club meetings held in the Yolanda Room of Monroeville Public Library. First, members replaced the planter's soil to enable aeration, water retention and fertilization. Two weeks later, from their backyards, they cut evergreens such as white pine, norway spruce, hemlock, berried holly, engish ivy, in addition to euonymous and wired pinecones, and assembled an 8 foot garland at the Library's Program Room. Three red handmade bows were attached to the garland once it was placed under deer netting at the Illini Drive-Elliott Road "Welcome to University Park" planter. Boxwood, dwarf rhododendron, hostas, astilbe, daffodils and scilla were also planted. The club seeks new members as well as donations to help with the planting and ongoing maintenance of the planter. Contact Us for more information. 

GCM Recogizes Recycled Materials' "Sculpture" Contestants

December 4, 2017: The Garden Club of Monroeville sponsored for the first time this year the National Garden Clubs, Inc. Youth Sculpture Contest. The purpose of this contest is to encourage youth to keep our planet green and to get involved with saving our environment. See "Photo Album".

Three Grade 5 students at St. Bernadette School stepped up to submit their "sculpture" entries made of recyclable and/or repurposed materials to the state competition. Christopher Kusk submitted plastic bottles wrapped in brown paper and topped with egg carton holders, Emily Long created a steel can wrapped in flowered paper vase, holding straw stemmed magazine papered oregami papers in front of a flowered paper covered staging panel.  Patrick Malandra created a picture having a striped papered background, with three rolled magazine paper flowers. Their Language Arts teacher, Ms. Lisa Rettig, encouraged students to volunteer for the contest and photographed the entries for submission to the Garden Club Federaton of Pennsylvania Chair for judging. Results of the GCFP judging will be announced April 15-17 at the 2018 GCFP Convention in the Meadowlands, Washington, PA Double Tree Hilton. The GCM presented each contestant with Shining Star participation award certificates and two blue "Life is Beautiful!" pencils. The members offers their best wishes for wins at the state level! 

GCM Announces Winning Entries of Local Youth Poetry Contest  

December 1, 2017: The Garden Club of Monroeville sponsored a NGC local poetry contest with St. Bernadette Catholic School Teacher (and Fellow Gardener), Ms. Lisa Rettig, Grade 5 Language Arts Teacher. The 2017 National Garden Clubs, Inc. Youth Poetry Contest theme is "Let It Grow." Thirty-three poems were judged locally and independently by three local poetry enthusiasts/retired teachers (L. Chandler, A. Kildow and E. Smeltz). The judges selected the following local finalists:1st Mary E. Estes,  2nd Riley Bain, 3rd Katherine DiPalma, 4th Gloria Hawes, and Honorably Mentioned Trenton Bentley, Benjamin Boerner, Emilia Capasso, Gino Emanuele, Emily Long, Leo G. Matthew, Savannah Milos, Peter Reynolds, Landis Smith and Erik Ursiny. See all of their poems under the 2017 Local Youth Poetry Finalists. The Garden Club of Monroeville presented all of the students an award certificate, a booklet containing all of the students' poems and two red and green "Life is Precious" pencils.

Their 14 poems were forwarded to the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania (GCFP) Chair for the next round of state-level judging. The results of the GCFP judging will be announced April 15-17 at the 2018 GCFP Convention in the Meadowlands, Washington, PA Double Tree Hilton. The GCM congratulates Ms. Rettig and her students and hopes for the best for all of them!  See the top four 2017 Local Winning Poems on this website. Read the first place poem from Grade 5, St. Bernadette School:

Let It Grow 

by Mary E. Estes

Look in my garden as far as you see,

Beautiful plants, and they’re all grown by me.

Tiny tomatoes grow up on the stems,

Turning out to be those juicy red gems.

I think the best part of the plants you see is

LETTING THEM GROW 

Till they’re the best they can be.

GCM sponsors winning St. Bernadette Student in Regional Smokey Bear Contest

November 2, 2017: The Garden Club of Monroeville is proud to announce that Melina Bui's Smokey Bear poster, which she completed in 2016 as a Third Grader, won her 1st Place among 6 other State winners from Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, New York, New Jersey and the National Capitol Area, that is, the Central Atlantic Region of State Garden Clubs, a part of National Garden Clubs, Inc.. Melina's earlier First Place win for Grade 3 in the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania (GCFP) was announced at the 2017 GCFP Convention at Shawnee on the Delaware in April 2017. Her poster will now compete against 7 other NGC regions for first place. Melina Bui is now a Fourth Grader at St. Bernadette School. Congratulations, Melina!

GCM Seek Students Majoring in Horticulture for $1,000 Scholarships

November 1, 2017: The GC of Monroeville (GCM) is seeking high school seniors and college freshmen-juniors majoring in the following horticulture-related fields of study: Agriculture Education, Agronomy,Floriculture, Horticulture, Landscape Architecture, Botany, Biology (excluding Medical), Conservation, Environmental Concerns (Management: Environmental Engineering, Conservation, etc.) Forestry, Plant Pathology, City (Rural/Urban) Planning, Wildlife Science, Land Management, and/or allied subjects. These students, who are Pennsylvania residents, are eligible to submit one application for 13 different $1,000 GCFP Scholarships to a school of the student's choice. The applicant must be sponsored by a Federated Garden Club, such as the Garden Club of Monroeville, which is a member of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania. GCM's President will answer any questions of the student, sign the application and then must send it to the GCFP Chairperson BEFORE FEBRUARY 1, 2018. An Audubon Grant of $500 is available to a Federated Garden Club Member, a Teacher, or a College Student for the Audubon Camp of his/her choice. 

Download the application from http://www.pagardenclubs.org/president-s-packet---forms.html by clicking the first link #21(SCHOLARSHIP INFO & APPLICATION-GCFP), obtain the signature of your Financial Aid Officer and start completing the application NOW! 

The second link under #21 (SCHOLARSHIP INFO & APPLICATION-NGC) is for 41 different $4,000 one-year scholarships for college juniors, seniors and graduate students pursuing a Master’s Degree at an accredited college or university. Sophomores may make application for their junior year BEFORE FEBRUARY !, 2018.

GCM is proud that it sponsored 1 student in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. It had a winning applicant in 2014, 2015 and 2017. The student who won in 2015 as a senior won again in 2017 as a college sophomore.

GCM Plans to Revitalize Elliot-Illini Roads' Planter in University Park

October 24, 2017: The GC of Monroeville voted to start caring for the Elliot Road-Illini Drive "Welcome to University Park" planter at its monthly meeting. The club will plan for low maintenance, evergreen, shade-loving, taller plants for year round interest and replacement of the soil. It also intends to naturalize the hillside behind the planter.  GCM members seek support for this work and for placement of a sign on the 8x4 foot planter to publicize the club and to attract more new members. The corner is viewed by travelers to and from Hawkeye Park, Hindu Jain, PPG Monroeville Business and Technology Center, Reformed Presbyterian Church, RJLee Group, Greater Works Outreach, Sunset School, Chateau Apartment Rentals, Levin Furniture and Sheetz. 

GCM Members Active in District VII Board of Directors

October 19, 2017: Club President Shirley Brody, VP Marilyn Backus and Treasurer Arlene Madray actively support the work of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania-District VII's Board of Directors. Shirley routinely reports the activities of the GCM to othe Club Presidents and Chairs of the various Standing Committees while Marilyn chairs the meeting as current District VII Director and reports on Gardening and Health. Arlene recently participated in a financial review of the District VII Treasurer's books. District Board Meetings are held in January, June, August and October. Members of the Board usually stay after their two hour meeting for networking and lunch prepared by the GC of McKeesport at their clubhouse. All 5,002 members of GCFP are in federated clubs, which are voluntary, charitable 501(c)3 organizations for which there is no pay!

GCM Library Event Sparks High Interest

October 11, 2017: GCM and Monroeville Library sponsored the Allegheny County Conservation District (ACCD) that conducted free “Free Lead Soil Testing” for area residents who brought soil samples on Tuesday, October 10, 2017 at 7 PM in the Library's Gallery Space. The extremely informative presentation by Jonathan Burgess of ACCD gave insight to the sources of and problems with metal contaminants in our soils and remediation techniques that may be available. Twenty five people attended and many brought samples even from outside of the Monroeville area! The testers were able to analyze for arsenic and mercury and other toxic metals. 

GCM Vice President Attends GCFP Board Meeting at State College

October 9-10, 2017: VP of the Garden Club of Monroeville and District VII Director, Marilyn Backus, met with nine other District Directors and their Assistants, as well the GCFP Officers and GCFP State Chairs for the GCFP Board Meeting at Atherton Hotel in State College, PA. The various District Directors reported on events in their areas and heard updates from the various Committee Chairs. The meeting was gifted with floral design demonstrations by NGC Certified Judges and outstanding Designers, Angie Raitano and Mary Jane Martucci.

GCM Attends District VII Annual Meeting

September 26, 2017: Seven out of sixteen members (44%) of the Garden Club of Monroeville attended Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania District VII Annual Meeting held at Palmieri's Restaurant Banquet Room in Plum Boro. (See Registration Form .)

A total of 75 district garden club members attended to meet GCFP's State Officers: Christine Leskosky (GCFP President), Joyce Milberg (1st Vice President), and Sheila Croushore (2nd Vice President.) They also enjoyed hearing twelve club Presidents or their Surrogates talk about how their club adds value to the community.

District club members received or witnessed awards and recognitions for five district club members nominated to the GCFP Honor Roll of Exceptional Horticulturalists: Mary Ann Artman (Murrysville GC), Mary Jane Hickman (GC of McKeesport), Elizabeth Pesci (Greensburg Garden Center), Linda Phillips (GC of Forest Hills) and Andrea Rice (Joyful Bloomers GC.) The 2017 District VII Hummingbird Pin Award was earned by Carolyn Monyok of GC of McKeesport, also an Exceptional Horticulturalist, for her many contributions to her club and the community.  

Members enjoyed a luncheon buffet and marveled at the Sogetsu Ikebana floral designs created by noted designers, Reiko Nakajima and Atsumi Sewell.

GCM Attends Burrellton Garden Club Invitational

Sept 13, 2017: Vice President and District VII Director, Marilyn Backus, attended Burrellton Garden Club's Presidents' Invitational on the evening of September 12, 2017 at Grace Community Presbyterian Church, Lower Burrell, PA to network with their members and other District guests. Their Program, “Enhancing Your Health with Herbs,” was presented by Phipps Master Gardener, Andrea Jackson, who encouraged all to sample her use of herbs.  Members also prepared refreshments using herbs. 

GCM Member Competes in Flower Show

August 26, 2017: Several GCM members visited the Garden Club of Forest Hills' flower show “Hoe-down In the Hills” held at Forest Hills Presbyterian church on Friday, August 25, 2017 for the first time.  One reason was to view member and aspiring NGC Flower Show Judge Marilyn Backus' first-time entries into the horticultural and floral design sections of the Show. Marilyn entered two designs she titled "Nutty Round Dancers" and "Turkey in the Straw" and won second and third place. She won several blue, red and yellow ribbons for her horticulture specimens.

Garden Club Supports 2018 National Convention in Philadelphia

August 22, 2017: GCM and other District VII clubs are helping to support the upcoming 2018 National Garden Clubs, Inc. (NGC) Convention "Love Blooms in Philadelphia" scheduled at the historic Loews Hotel in Philadelphia on May 20-24, 2018. The federated clubs, through the District Board, approved purchasing an ad in the Convention Program and are also sending photos of their plantings for the GCFP Exhibit "T.E.A.M. Up & Plant America!"  Our Federation's exhibit will feature a large trifold with a map of Pennsylvania identifying our many plantings. GC Monroeville sent a photo of its 49 year old Beatty Road corner Garden.

GC of Monroeville to co-host soil testing for Toxic Metals at Library on Oct 10

July 17, 2017: GCM and Monroeville Library has re-scheduled a free workshop, “Free Lead Soil Testing” for Tuesday, October 10, 2017 at 7 PM in the Library's Gallery Space. Presenter Jonathan Burgess is an expert on both lead as a contaminant and lead testing in soil and will make the presentation and perform the soil testing. Details on how to prepare a soil sample for testing at this event are in the link.

GCM Member attends Flower Show School Course II

July 15, 2017: A GCM member attended National Garden Clubs, Inc. Flower Show School Course II at Grove City, PA on July 12-14. Successful exam completion of all four three-day courses and a final exam lead to certification as an accredited NGC Flower Show Judge. Topics in this course included how to judge Hostas, Echeveria, Functional Tables and Exhibition Tables. Course III is slated for April 24-26, 2018.

GC of Monroeville hosts Public Field Trip to Boyce Park 

June 27, 2017: Members of the Garden Club of Monroeville (GCM) and the public met at Boyce Park Ski Lodge for a free presentation followed by a tour of the Meadow Project. Approximately 30 people attended the event and enjoyed the hike to view the status of the meadow. See the Garden Club of Monroeville Facebook page for pictures or in our Photo Album.

GCM Members Attend District VII Board Meeting

June 22, 2017: District VII Board of Directors (Club Presidents, Executive Committee and Standing Committee Chairmen) met Thursday, June 22 at the Monroeville Public Library's ground floor program room at 9:45 AM-12:00 Noon. President Shirley Brody reported on GCM activities and District VII's Scholarships Standing Committee while GCM VP Marilyn Backus chaired the meeting as District VII Director. 

GC of Monroeville hosts Boyce Park Ranger at Monroeville Library

June 13, 2017: GCM and Monroeville Library hosted a well-attended, free-to-the-public evening (7PM) presentation by Park Ranger Elise Cupp regarding the "Happenings at Boyce Park" at the Library's Gallery Space. She gave an overview of Allegheny County's park system and the numerous free activities sponsored by the Park Rangers at these parks. She also described the Park's layout, hiking trails, archeological dig, Boyce's cabin, mine water purification and the new meadow under development. Her introduction to the park paves the way for the upcoming Boyce Park Field Trip with the Garden Club of Monroeville!

GCM Vice-President Attends GCFP State Meeting

June 5-6, 2017: District VII Director and GCM Vice President M. Backus attended the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania (GCFP)  Board Meeting at State College, PA,  and presented an analysis of the Awards and certificates earned by District VII of the GCFP at its State Convention. The Awards represent the far-reaching affects by the District's 12 clubs and 1 affiliate on Allegheny and Westmoreland County communities. Awards and certificates were previously presented to District VII clubs for Flower Shows, horticulture therapy, Yearbooks and Newsletters (i.e., educational program planning and execution on all aspects of horticulture), Poetry and Smokey Bear youth contests, College Scholarships, Penny Pine contributions and club growth.

GCM and Monroeville Library Celebrates National Garden Week

June 6, 2017: To celebrate National Garden Week June 4-10, 2017, Garden Club of Monroeville set up a display table at Monroeville Library outside the Gallery Space. The colorful display highlighted the Garden Club's 2017 programs while the Library provided a variety of organic gardening books as well as books on flowers and vegetables. It also invited community members to attend upcoming Library program and to join a new "family" of friends. GCM thanks Eileen Smeltz, a garden club member and a Library volunteer, for creating this display and for chairing this initiative.

GCM hosts Backyard Composting at Library 

May 9, 2017: The Gallery Space was filled with people to hear Ellen Keefe, Executive Director of Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycing talk about her long term experiences making and using backyard compost. She encouraged recycling of turfgrass clippings to free up valuable landfill space and provided a troubleshooting guide to creating a "good" composting process.

GCM Wins Five Garden Club Federation Awards

April 26, 2017: Garden Club of Monroeville (GCM) Vice President (and Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania District VII Director) Marilyn Backus accepted several awards for GCM at the 2017 GCFP Convention at Shawnee on the Delaware.

- Penn State Sophomore Philip Steven Mahr of Plum Boro won The Marjorie E. Hamblin Scholarship of $1,000. Philip won previously as a Plum Boro Senior in 2015.

- GCM won a cash award of $100 for Club Growth among clubs with less that 29 members.

- GCM sponsored Ms. Lisa Rettig's fifth graders at St. Bernadette School in the GCFP Youth Poetry Contest, which had the theme of "Birds, Butterflies and Me." Jacob Watson won Third Place at the State Level for the following poem:

Save the Butterflies and Bees
 
I fly high in the air
Without even one care.
 
I am a butterfly.
I fly to the flowers and try not to die.
 
There are many flowers and trees,
but not too many bees.
 
It’s a bummer,
I don’t see many bees and butterflies in the summer.
 
It is wrong
for trees and flowers to be gone.
 
Plant flowers to feed the butterflies and bees.
They will beg for pollen on their knees.
 
They will take pollen away.
We need the plants to stay.

- In the NGC/GCFP Smokey Bear Poster Contest, which teaches the five rules for fire prevention, two of Ms. Erin Zeigler's Third Graders at St. Bernadette won. Melina Bui won First Place and Emma Graham won Third Place at the GCFP Convention. Melina's poster will move on to be judged by the NGC's Central Atlantic Region of State Garden Clubs:

GC of Monroeville and Library to Host "Backyard Composting" on May 9

April 14, 2017: GCM and Monroeville Library announce a free "Backyard Composting" presentation on Tuesday, May 9, 2017 at 7 PM in the Library's Gallery Space. Ellen C. Keefe, Executive Director of Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling, has taught others about recycling for healthy composting for nearly 20 years. We invite you to learn the whys and hows of making your own healthy compost.

GCM Hosts Novel "Straw Bale Gardening" Topic

April 12, 2017: Thirty people attended to hear Judy Schaffer's presentation and two years of experience with "Straw Bale Gardening" at the Monroeville Library's Gallery Space on Tuesday, April 11 at 7 PM. Judy is a former District VII Director of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania. She encouraged all to try this soiless method of gardening which produces so much from so little effort, except for daily watering...no insect troubles, no weeds, no mildew or rust. She used a cement slab between her apartment and parking space to place three compressed straw bales into a U-shape and now has other tenants adopting the practice! There were many questions and answers--the GC of Monroeville and Monroeville Library offer Judy a big thanks for sharing her learning!

GCM Participates in Rose Pruning Day

April 8, 2017: A member of the GC of Monroeville (GCM) brought her pruners and attended Rose Pruning Day at the GC of McKeesport Clubhouse in Renziehausen Park. Members of the Rose Society gave one-on-one direction regarding how to properly prune the many roses in the beautiful gardens. Members from Bidwell Center were also present to learn and help out. The GC of McKeesport provided a lovely thank you appetizer/salad/dessert table, refreshments and networking opportunity at the end of the day. The GC of McKeesport welcomes volunteers to help maintain the gardens every Wednesday at 10 AM!

GCM Attends Flower Show Judges' Symposium 

April 4-5, 2017: A member of the GC of Monroeville attended her first GCFP Flower Show Judges' Symposium hosted by the Pittsburgh Area Judges Council and Laurel Mountain Judges Council. Eighty-five new and seasoned judges attended the event at the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center on Old Salem Road. Twenty five of the attendees were from outside of Pennsylvania. The first day was dedicated to learning how to judge horticultural specimens of daffodils, hyacinths and succulents. The second day was dedicated to describing, viewing and/or creating at least thirteen "Creative" and "Abstract" floral designs that are included in the new NGC Handbook of Floral Designs. The first day concluded with test judging of horticultural specimens, while the second day ended with test judging of floral designs.

GCM Part of A Successful District Garden Clubs' Meeting

March 24, 2017: Five GC of Monroeville members were part of a crowd of 93 attendees at the annual membership Tea hosted by the Board members of District VII-Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania held on Thursday, March 23. The GC of McKesport had 60% or 26 of their membership in attendance, followed by 55% of Home Gardeners' Guild and 45% of Joyful Bloomers GC. Ten out of twelve District Club Presidents reported on their exciting plans for 2017. See District VII News for the 2017 District VII Event Calendar that lists activities to which the public is invited. The MarApr2017 Issue of the Trumpet Vine provides details and pictures of the day.

The highlight of the Tea-Luncheon-Program was the artistic presentation/demonstration of National Garden Club (NGC) certified judges, Marie Mueller and Mary Jane Martucci. Entitled "What the Judges Look For in Floral Designs," Mary Jane and Marie described new changes in the updated NGC Handbook for Flower Shows.

GCM and Library host "Straw Bale Gardening" on April 11, 2017

March 5, 2017: The GCM and  Monroeville Public Library will co-sponsor “Straw Bale Gardening” on Tuesday, April 11 (7 - 8:15 PM) at the Gallery Space of the Library. 

Speaker Judith Schaffer is a former GCFP District VII Director, GCFP 2014 Convention Chairman, and currently is GCFP Pucketos Garden Club’s Horticulture Chairman. Her Horticultural responsibilities are to present regular monthly reports concerning the art or science of growing flowers, fruits and vegetables with an environmental emphasis. As a retired Librarian, she continues to research and write a multitude of gardening-related articles for District VII’s Trumpet Vine newsletter. Judy presents the methodology and her experiences raising vegetables in bales of “seasoned” straw on her front porch. Straw bale gardens are creative alternatives for urban gardeners who are unable to stoop, or have poor clay soil, or no garden space.

Garden Clubs Plan for District VII Tea 0n March 23, 2017

Mar 2, 2017: The Garden Club of Monroeville is a Member of District VII, Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania (GCFP) and National Garden Clubs, Inc., which is the largest volunteer gardening organization worldwide.The GCFP currently has 114 Clubs with a Membership of approximately 5,300 and seven affiliated but independent organizations that share our purpose and objectives. The GCFP is a member in the National Garden Clubs, Inc., the largest volunteer gardening organization worldwide.

The GCFP's District VII Director is led by Marilyn Backus of the Garden Club of Monroeville. Marilyn is chairing District VII's annual Spring Membership Tea-Lunch-Program, which will be held March 23, 201 at Sampson’s Mills Presbyterian Church Hall in White Oak, PA. Members and their guests can attend by sending a $5.00 check before Thursday, March 16, 2017 to GCM, 925 Wood Street, Pitcairn, PA 15140.  Contact Us at www.gardenclubofmonroeville.org  for more information.

The Garden Club of Monroeville (GCM) welcomes new members to its monthly meeting Tuesday, March 28 from 4:30 - 6:30 PM at the Monroeville Public Library's lower level Program Room.

Garden Club of Monroeville Installs Officers

Feb 28, 2017: The Garden Club of Monroeville gathered at Monroeville Library's Program Room today at 4:30-6:30 PM to install its executive officers for 2017. Pictured below (Left to Right) are Vice President Marilyn Backus, Treasurer Arlene Madray, Recording Secretary Deborah Foster and President and Corresponding Secretary Shirley Brody.

The club also announced the Chairmen of its Standing Committees:

Garden Club's First Meeting of 2017 Scheduled at Library

Feb 23, 2017: The Garden Club of Monroeville (GCM) welcomes new members to its monthly meeting Tuesday, February 28 from 4:30 - 6:30 PM at the Monroeville Public Library. The Club meets the fourth Tuesday each month (except December and January) at the library’s lower level Program Room. Each Business Meeting features a speaker, round table discussion, video and/or demonstration. The program for February 28 kicks off this year’s Creation Reigns! theme as President Shirley Brody and VP Marilyn Backus lead the installation of club officers, yearbook review and review of the NGC Membership Video. Attendees may bring their own beverages or snacks or purchase them before the meeting at the Library’s front desk. The Club sponsors workshops and creative examples of what local gardeners learn or want to share. Horticulture, Floral Design, Conservation and Environment educational opportunities are part of an international movement, National Garden Clubs, Inc.  Meetings this year continue “how to” demonstrations such as container gardening. This early summer, the Club has planned a field trip to local Boyce Park to review the Park’s ecological improvements. 

Garden Club of Monroeville Member Celebrates 102nd Birthday!

Feb 5, 2017: The Garden Club of Monroeville gathered at DeNunzio's Restaurant on Sunday, February 5th in anticipation of  Val Marak's 102nd birthday on February 8. Val is the Horticulture co-chairman of the club and is its lone charter member. Val is the club's "green thumb!" The club was established and federated with the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania in 1959.



Garden Club Federation of PA District VII Board Meets

January 25, 2017: The District VII Board of Directors (Club Presidents, Executive Committee and Standing Committee Chairs) met Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at the Monroeville Public Library's ground floor program room at 10 AM.  Two members from the GCM attended as Director and District VII Scholarship Chairman. Topics included the Spring Membership Tea-Luncheon-Program set for Thursday, March 23, 2017. The educational program is about floral design and is entitled "What the Judges Look For in Designs." The next Board meeting will be held at the same location on Thursday, June 22, 2017, at 9:45 AM-Noon (sharp!)

GCM Honored by Arbor Day Planting

December 25, 2016: Garden Club member, Richard Adamson, honored the Garden Club of Monroeville by having a Arbor Day tree planted. The GCM members thank Richard for helping the club to assure that our forests are replenished. 

GCM Celebrates Holiday Season

December 10, 2016: Seven long-term members of the Garden Club of Monroeville met at Palmieri's Restaurant on Frankstown Road, Plum, to celebrate the holidays and to network over a luncheon with its eleven new members who joined the Extension of the Garden Club since July. Members were treated to great conversation and food, raffled items and other freebies.

The club was also happy to celebrate long-time member Sara Bonomo's 99th birthday with Sara.

GCM announces St. Bernadette School Grade 3 Local Smokey Bear Poster Finalists

December 8, 2016: The GCM is happy to announce its finalists for the local National Garden Clubs Youth Smokey Bear Poster Contest. Two third grade classes at St. Bernadette School entered the Contest. Their teachers, Ms. Samantha Rathjen and Ms. Erin Zeigler,  taught their students Smokey's Five Rules of Wildfire Prevention and enabled their students to participate in the contest.Their posters were to highlight Smokey's slogan that "Only you can prevent wildfires!" See the posters at 2016 Local Smokey Bear Poster Finalists.

Three local judges selected the following finalists:

Ms. Zeigler's class: 1st Melina Bui, 2nd Emma Graham, 3rd Addison Bell , 4th Alyssa Lopez,  and Honorable Mentions John Hargis and Riley Stephans.

Ms. Rathjen's class: 1st Parker Abel, 2nd Ezabella Corbett, 3rd Caitlin Burke, 4th Kate Giannetta,  and Honorable Mentions Selina Nguyen and Addison Thomas.

GCM announces St. Bernadette School Grade 5 Local Poetry Contest Finalists

December 1, 2016: The GCM is pleased to announce its finalists of the local National Garden Clubs Youth Poetry Contest, which had the theme, "We Three: Bees, Butterflies and Me. Three poetry enthusiasts independently judged twenty-eight poems submitted by Grade 5 St. Bernadette teacher, Ms. Lisa Rettig, who taught them the importance of pollination and the decline of bees and butterflies as well as the creative art of poetry. The judges selected the following Local finalists: 1st Mia Maurizio,  2nd Shreya Pant, 3rd Ashley German, 4th Alexa Cattau, and Honorable Mentions Catherine Burke, Ishan Sinha, Rocco Matrazzo, Angelina Brush, Patrick Livsey, Juliette Barth, Darshan Mann, and Jacob Watson. See all of their poems under the 2016 Local Youth Poetry Finalists.

These 12 poems were forwarded to the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania (GCFP) Chairman of the Youth Poetry Contest for judging at the State level. The GCFP judging results will be announced at the 2017 April 23-25 State Convention at Shawnee Inn. The GCM congratulates Mrs. Lisa Rettig and her students! See all the 2016 Local Winning Youth Poems on this website. The first place poem was written by Mia Maurizio, Grade 5 St. Bernadette School in Monroeville, PA: 

Bees Butterflies and Me

Bees, Butterflies, and Me.

As happy as can be.

Flying high O’ through the sky!

Bees, butterflies, and me.

Bees, Butterflies, and Me.

Helping the flowers and trees.

Together we all dance and prance.

Bees, butterflies, and me.

Bees, Butterflies, and Me.

Playing outside in the breeze.

C’mon, baby bees, try to fly!

Bees, butterflies, and me.

Butterflies, hummingbirds, wasps, and bees.

Are very important to you and me.

So let’s help keep them alive, you see.

Bees, butterflies, and me.

Goodnight butterflies and bees.

We’ll see each other tomorrow, we three.

We will play again in the breeze.

Bees, butterflies, and me.

Garden Club of Monroeville (GCM) Meetings Change in 2017-New Time and Place

November 14, 2016: Beginning Tuesday, February 28, 2017, the GCM will meet monthly on the fourth Tuesdays at 4:30-6:30 at the ground floor program conference room of the Monroeville Public Library.

Wednesday, November 9 marked the end of the morning GCM meetings from 10:30 AM-2:00 PM at The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Hall while Monday, November 14 marked the end of the Extension of the GCM Meetings on Monday at 4:30-6:30 PM at Monroeville Library.  The program at both meetings was a roundtable discussion and Internet videos concerning the topic of Reptiles and Amphibians, which are endangered due primarily to pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, diseases and loss of habitat.

District VII Board Remembers GCM Centinarian and NGC Member Award of Honor, Dottie York

November 2, 2016: The GCM is sad to announce the passing (on October 4, 2016) of our dear club member, Dottie York, who had just celebrated her 100th birthday on August 22. Dottie was recognized by the National Garden Clubs (NGC) organization and its Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania for her years of extensive and constant garden club service when she was awarded the NGC Member Award of Honor. Dottie was a Master Flower Show Judge and a GCFP and NGC Life Member.  She generously shared her talents by her service to her garden club and the entire garden club community by her active participation, giving demonstrations, presenting programs and helping to educate others. Dottie lived a life well-lived and brought light and joy with her presence. On November 2, the twelve garden clubs in District VII of the GCFP donated funds in her memory to the Helene Detwiler Scholarship Fund, which is one of 13 scholarships that award $1,000 to deserving high school seniors or college level students majoring in a horticulture-related field.

District VII Board Meets

November 2, 2016: District VII Board of Directors (Club Presidents, Executive Committee and Standing Committee Chairs) met Wednesday, November 2, 2016 at the Monroeville Public Library's ground floor program room at 10 AM.  Two members from the GCM attended as Director and District VII Scholarship Chairman. Topics also included updates from the State Board meeting and the setting of the Spring Membership Tea for Thursday, March 23, 2017. The next Board meeting will be held at the same location on Wednesday, January 25, 2017, at 10 AM.

District VII Board Members attend State GCFP Board Meeting

October 10-11, 2016: Eight Board members of District VII, that included one member of the Garden Club of Monroeville, attended the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania Board Meeting for District Directors, Asst. Directors and State Chairmen on October 10-11, 2016 at the Atherton Hotel, State College, PA. The Board members were Marilyn Backus (Director), Barbara Lotito (GCFP New Cultivar Chairman) , Joyce Peterson (GCFP Yearbook Chairman), Angie Raitano (former GCFP President and GCFP Parliamentarian), Leeanna Ryba (former Director), Judith Schaffer (Convention Coordinator), Haddie Weber (Convention 2018 Chairman) and Margie Wolff (Assistant Director.) The State Officers, ten District Directors and almost 60 State Chairmen shared GCFP information and progress. 

Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling Exec provides recycling and disposal information

October 6, 2016: The GCM is still talking about Executive Director Ellen Keefe's presentation concerning the works performed at Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling of Latrobe at the Monroeville Library on Thursday, October 7.  Ellen shared information pertinent to all Pennsylvanians concerning recyclable and hazardous waste. and provided informative pamphlets to attendees.  The GCM plans to hot Ms. Keefe again in 2017 to discuss "Backyard Composting."

GCM Vice President becomes GCFP District VII Director

September 15, 2016: The State President of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania (GCFP), Sharon Brown, inducted Marilyn Backus (VP of the Garden Club of Monroeville) as the new GCFP District VII Director at the District's annual meeting on September 15 at Hill Crest Country Club in Lower Burrell, PA. Also inducted and sharing a two-year office with Marilyn are Margie Wolff (Assistant District Director), Leeanna Ryba (Treasurer), Joyce Kareem (Recording Secretary) and Valerie Wilson (Corresponding Secretary.) Marilyn previously served the District as Recording Secretary and Assistant District Director. The new Director encourages everyone to create more "Naturehoods in Neighborhoods."

Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve Continues to Grow

September 12, 2016: The GCM and Monroeville Library co-sponsored a presentation by Angela Belli, Director of "Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve: A Lincoln Highway Jewel" on Monday, September 12 at 7 PM at the Library's Gallery Space. She described several nature play seasonal programs for early childhood grades pre-Kindergarten to second such as Vulture View,  Compost Stew and Wetland Wonders. School age reserve programs for Grades 3 to 9 include Nature Discovery hikes, Critters and Chemistry and Nature Poetry.  In addition, the WPNV serves as a backyard laboratory for St. Vincent horticulture majors.

GCM and Monroeville Library to co-sponsor October 7 "Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling" presentation

August 8, 2016: On Thursday, October 7 at 7 PM in the Library's Gallery Space, the GCM and Monroeville Library will co-sponsor a free presentation by Ellen Keefe, Executive Director of the non-profit Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling in Latrobe, PA. Ms. Keefe will tell us of an upcoming annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection opportunity on November 19 and other area waste and recycling opportunities available to area residents and businesses. She opened the Westmoreland Cleanways Recycling Center in Westmoreland County in February 2014. In 2015, over 2,500,000 lbs. of e-scrap and tires, cardboard, batteries, etc. were collected. 

GCM and Monroeville Library to co-sponsor Sept. 15 Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve presentation

July 30, 2016: On Thursday, September 15 at 7 PM in the Library's Gallery Space, the GCM and Monroeville Library will co-sponsor a free presentation by Angela Belli, Director of the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve (WPNR), which is located at Saint Vincent College. She will describe the 50-acre Lincoln Highway jewel of a nature reserve that is also a public recreation area including walking trails, native plantings, outdoor student laboratories and school field trip programs. Latrobe golfing legend Arnold Palmer's late wife, Winnie Palmer, served many years on the board of directors for St. Vincent College and dreamed of preserving its land. After her death, family and friends raised funds to preserve an unobstructed, undeveloped view of the college. As Director, Angela integrates her love of nature, science education and conservation into the mission and outreach of WPNR and Saint Vincent College by leading its strategic partnerships, program development and outreach, and Reserve landscape and infrastructure development.

GCM forms extension meetings on fourth Mondays, 4:30-6:30 PM at Library to reach working gardeners

July 25, 2016: This particular Monday marked the first Extension Meeting of the Garden Club of Monroeville (GCM) at the upper Conference Room of Monroeville Library. Extension Meetings of the Garden Club of Monroeville were created to reach out to gardeners who want to join the GCM but cannot due to work and other responsibillities. However, they  are able to flex the fourth Monday of most months to attend a meeting in the upper conference room of the Monroeville Library from 4:30-6:30 PM. The extension meeting generally reflects the events of the regular meeting but is absent club-provided refreshments. Several interested individuals heard about the many benefits of belonging to a club that is part of the Garden Club Federation of PA, viewed short videos discussing Dangerous Bugs: Zika Virus Mosquito and joined the GCM! We welcome potential new members at the next meeting on Monday, August 22, 4:30-6:30 at the Library's upper conference room.

Attendees appreciated Informative reverse osmosis technology discussion 

June 17, 2016: The GCM and Monroeville Library co-sponsored Mark Ruehrshneck, Sales Rep for Culligan of Pittsburgh, to discuss "Water Purification in the Home using Reverse Osmosis" on Tuesday, June 14 at 7 PM at the Library's Gallery Space. Mark discussed the levels of water quality from standard city water, bottled water, filtered water, reverse osmosis water, and distilled water that requires mineral supplements. Attendees had many questions about reverse osmosis set-up and buy/lease options for better water in the home!

Lively MAWC talk on "Monroeville's Tap Water Quality"

May 26, 2016: The GCM and Monroeville Library co-sponsored Matthew Junker, Public Relations, and John Ashton, Director, of Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County, to discuss "Monroeville's Tap Water Quality" on Tuesday, May 24 at 7 PM at the Library's Gallery Space. Matt demonstrated how dirty water is basically made drinkable with the addition of iron sulfate and a flocculent. The session was well attended and an informative exchange with many interested citizens asking questions about the Beaver Run Reservoir, lead levels, corrosion inhibitors and the use of chloramines during the summer. Monroeville's water took a step in the right direction by the change to MAWC.

GCM and Monroeville Library to co-sponsor Culligan of Pittsburgh talk on "Water Purification at Home...Reverse Osmosis" 

May 1, 2016: The GCM and Monroeville Public Library are proud to co-sponsor their second free 2016 presentation on Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at 7 PM in the Library's Gallery Space.

Mark Ruehrshneck, Sales Rep for Culligan of Pittsburgh, will discuss one of two methods of filtration to purify water: reverse osmosis (RO). A RO unit connected to the whole house or kitchen sink water system completely filters most natural and synthetic toxins, microbes, debris, and minerals. He will describe the process of RO, its effectiveness, and what it takes to install, license, operate and maintenance such a system. 

Mark is a graduate of Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a BS in Biology. He worked in various Sales and Marketing positions for various national companies, and is currently Sales Rep for Culligan of Pittsburgh. He is an avid fisherman who resides in Carnegie, PA.


GCM and Monroeville Library to co-sponsor MAWC talk on "Monroeville's Tap Water Quality" 

April 29, 2016: The GCM and Monroeville Public Library are proud to co-sponsor their first 2016 presentation on Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at 7 PM in the Library's Gallery Space.

Matthew T. Junker, Public Relations Specialist for Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County will discuss "Monroeville's Tap Water Quality." Matthew will demonstrate how Monroeville's water, now sourced from Beaver Run Reservoir as of April 10, is professionally treated before it reaches our homes.

Matthew graduated from Penn State University with a BA in Journalism. He worked as a reporter for Trib Total Media for 10 years and in government for 10 years as a special projects director for the Pennsylvania Senate and as chief of staff for a Westmoreland County Commissioner.

Garden Club of Monroeville seeks student applicants for Youth contests

April 29, 2016: This autumn, GCM is offering a challenge to students to develop their creative skills as they focus on current challenges facing the people in the United States.

Three contests are available to K-9th parents and teachers of public, parochial and home schooled children: 

1. Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl poster contest,

2. Poetry contest  "We Three: Bees, Butterflies and Me"

3. Youth (4th-9th only) Sculpture contest of 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches of recyclable, reused and reduced materials.

Student entries will be judged locally, and possibly at the state and national level. Use "Contact Us" for more information about the awards and recognitions that are useful for job and other resume enhancements.

GCM Member attends GCFP Gardening Study Course in Bedford, PA

April 26-27, 2016: One member of the GCM attended Course IV of the GCFP Gardening Study Curriculum in Bedford, PA. The highly affordable course had outstanding presenters! 

Annette MaCoy, Extension Educator, Horticulture, Pennsylvania State University taught and led a hands-on experience on how to identify trees and bushes to their genus and species using a dichotomous key.

Dr. David Sanford, Associate Professor, Horticulture, Pennsylvania State University, presented many hours worth of university-level course information regarding woody ornamentals,  organic gardening, shade gardens, rain gardens, rock gardens and water gardens.

Tom Ford, Extension Educator, Pennsylvania State University detailed the ins and outs of growing commercial and home grown fruit trees, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, grapes and raspberries.

Janice Snowberger, Certified Master Gardener, Pennsylvania State University, presented information on gardening for butterflies, skippers and moths.

These presentations were usually followed by exams that require a passing grade. Successful completion of the four courses earns an attendee a recognition status of Gardening Consultant.

Garden Club of Monroeville wins Honorable Mention for Yearbook at GCFP 2016 Convention

April 10-12, 2016: The GCM won Honorable Mention for its 2015 Yearbook at the GCFP State Convention at Nittany Lion Inn at State College. One GCM member who attended the Convention enjoyed the lunches and dinners that encouraged networking with other club members from across the state and watching the artistry of each meal's program presenters. She also learned new information by attending three one-hour $5 courses: Beekeeping in PA, Chinese Herbology and Heirloom Plants!

Garden Club of Monroeville attends District VII Annual Spring Membership Tea

March 29, 2016: Four GCM members and a guest attended the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania District VII annual membership tea on March 29. The District VII Board of Directors provided the luncheon to approximately 75 members of its 12 area garden clubs and one affiliate at Sampson's Mills Presbyterian Church Hall in White Oak. We heard Jayme Visnevsky of Penn Hills Lawn and Garden speak about "New Plants & Products for 2016."

The GCM submitted "Queen Bee" in the District's "Bee-Dazzled" Trash To Treasure fun Contest. She was made of broken light bulbs, mardi gras beads, a rusted bedspring and light diffuser and rhinestone jewelry. However, she lost to the Joyful Bloomers' "Disco Bees" entry that will be judged at the state level.

Garden Club of Monroeville sponsors one senior applicant for twelve $1,000 Scholarships in 2016

February 1, 2016: The GCM sponsored one senior applicant for twelve $1,000 Garden Club Federation of PA scholarships. The youth completed and submitted the application to the GCFP and awaits the determinations to be announced at the GCFP Convention in April at the Nitany Lion Inn.

GCM honors President Shirley Brody

December 9, 2015: The GCM members honored President Brody for her outstanding contributions to the Garden Club of Monroeville by surprising her with a pin and certificate representing life-time membership in the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania. Since President Brody is also the District VII Scholarship Chairman, this recognition is extra special because the proceeds of her gift directly supports the 12 scholarships offered to students majoring in horticulture-related topics. Shirley continues to be instrumental in helping two area students submit winning scholarship applications in 2014 and 2015.

GCM/Library November Presentation well attended

November 17, 2015: Shirley Brody, President, Garden Club of Monroeville demonstrated how fresh, dried or artificial flowers and leaves may be converted to works of art. Shirley used twelve fall floral arrangements and decorations to show how vase choice, fall foliage and traditional principles of design guide color, shape and texture choices.

Shirley is a retired secretary and retired florist. She has been a member of the Garden Club of Monroeville (formerly the University Park Garden Club) for 49 years and is currently the club president. She was one of 28 artists featured in the Artist At Work Gallery in Pittsburgh's Strip District, and the 1968 "Album of Beauty" calendar featured one of her designs. Shirley has presented many programs for area garden clubs in both floral design and horticulture. Her most recent program "Gardens of the Garden Club of Monroeville" was presented with her husband, retired photographer Gil Brody, at the Monroeville Public Library in May 2015. Shirley and Gil have been married for 60 years and have four children and three grandchildren.



Garden Club of Monroeville seeks student applicants for poetry (K-9th) and essay (9th-12th) contests

October 20, 2015: The GCM is offering a challenge to students to develop their creative writing, thinking skills and researching skills concerning the current plight of amphibians, especially the frog due to loss of habitat, drought and pesticides.  

An Essay contest "Don't Let the Frogs Croak” for 9th-12th grade students and a Poetry contest  "Croaking Leaping Frogs"  for K-9th students will be judged locally, state-wide, regionally and nationally.
 
The Garden Club of Monroeville plans to locally recognize two winning students from each grade with a certificate, as will the state Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania. Any state winning entries would be forwarded to the Central Atlantic Region for judging and ultimately the winning entries would be submitted to the National Garden Clubs for a $1,000 award and a second place award of $100.00.

Competing students need to follow the rules listed in the links above and submit their essays to M. Backus of the GCM by Monday, November 9, 2015.

Garden Club of Monroeville wants senior applicants for twelve $1,000 Scholarships!
October 20, 2015: The Garden Club of Monroeville (GCM) sponsored two winning students from Woodland Hills (2014) and Plum Boro (2015.)  

Do you know any senior students who will major in a horticulture-related field who should apply one time for TWELVE $1,000 scholarships in 2016?

Applicants must be majoring in one of the following fields of study:
Agronomy
Agriculture Education
Floriculture
Horticulture
Landscape Design
Botany, Biology
Forestry
Wildlife Science
Plant Pathology/Science
City (Rural & Urban) Planning
Habitat or Forest/Systems Ecology
Environmental Concerns (Management: Environmental, Horticulture Resource/Environmental Behavior)
Environmental Conservation (inc. Engineering, etc.)
Land Management and/or other related or allied subjects.



Go to http://www.pagardenclubs.org/forms.html to view/copy the (2016) GCFP Scholarship Application and encourage them to apply NOW.

The scholarship list includes an AUDUBON GRANT of $500.00 Grant, which is available to a Federated Garden Club Member, a Teacher, or a College Student for the Audubon Camp of his/her choice. 

In addition, completion of NGC Scholarship Form 2016-2017 at the same website enables competition as a state winner for a National Garden Clubs scholarship of $3,500.

The deadline is February 1, 2016.

District VII Members Attend State's GCFP Meeting

October 5-6, 2015: District Director L. Ryba and Assistant District Director M. Backus attended the GCFP State Board Meeting at the Atherton Hotel in State College on 2015 October 5 and 6. The state officers (S. Brown, C. Leskowsky and J. Milberg) hosted an enjoyable, informative networking meeting that highlighted the many good works and activities of other Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania districts and the chairmen of the various state committees.

District VII is represented at the state by the A. Raitano (Parliamentarian/Advisory Council), I. Cisarik (Bee Gap/Nominating District VII Alternate), J. Peterson (Club Yearbooks Awards), J. Schaffer (Convention Coordinator/Nominating District VII), B. Lotito (Horticulture New Cultivars),and Kay Wilson (Youth Grades 7-12).

Successful GCFP District VII Annual Meeting

September 25, 2015:  The District VII Annual Meeting was held Thursday, September 24, 2015 at Hill Crest Country Club. The program, presented by Melanie Linn Gutowski,  was "The Mansions of Pittsburgh." The twelve district clubs represented by 104 attendees welcomed new State Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania (GCFP) President Sharon Brown, 1st Vice President Christine Leskowsky, and 2nd Vice President Joyce Milburg. The state officers met privately with the Club Presidents prior to the start of the business meeting. Sharon's message to all GCFP members is "Accomplish Great Things, One Garden at a Time!”

GCM/Library Presentation well attended

September 20, 2015: The GCM and Monroeville Public Library sponsored a free presentation given by Penn State Master Gardener, PA Horticulturalist and popular columnist/speaker Steve Piskor entitled "Making the Kindest Cut" on Tuesday, September 15 at 7 PM at the Library's Gallery Space. The lecture was very well attended and attendees enjoyed viewing Steve's various pruning tools and hearing his expert advice.  One attendee was happy to receive a Garden Club houseplant as a door prize.

Registration Deadline is September 17 for District VII Annual Meeting on September 24

September 16, 2015:  The District VII Annual Meeting will be Thursday, September 24, 2015 (9:15 AM to ~2 PM) at Hill Crest Country Club. Members and their guests will enjoy a buffet lunch and the program "The Mansions of Pittsburgh" by Melanie Linn Gutowski. Registration deadline is September 17 and a check payable to GCFP, District VII for $23.50/person should be sent to H. Weber. Contact the GC of Monroeville if you want to be our guest.

GCM and MPL host Master Gardener/Certified  Horticulturalist to discuss Pruning of backyard shrubs and trees

September 15, 2015: The GCM and Monroeville Public Library are sponsoring a free presentation on the art and science of pruning the major woody plants and trees, specifically why-how-where-when to prune. The talk will be  led by Penn State Master Gardener, PA Horticulturalist and popular columnist/speaker, Steve Piskor. He is a retired nuclear research chemist with a BS, MS and doctoral studies credentials. See his articles at http://www.donnan.com/Master-Gardeners.htm.

Steve's talk is entitled "Making the Kindest Cut: Tools and Techniques for Pruning Woody Plants" on Tuesday, September 15 at 7 PM at the Library's Gallery Space. All are invited to attend and expand their knowledge of this important topic.

GCM's sign updated

September 9, 2015: The GCM thanks the Monroeville Public Works department for so beautifully updating the University Park Welcome sign. The University Park Garden Club changed its name to the Garden Club of Monroeville in 2012 and the garden, which is planted and maintained by the GCM, at the University Park Welcome sign needed changed.

GCM to Restart Monthly Meetings on Wednesday, September 9

September 6, 2015: The Garden Club of Monroeville invites all interested in gardening to their monthly meetings held the second Wednesday of the month from September through November at 10:30 AM-2:00 PM at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church hall. The September program beginning after lunch will be Mushrooms. Members and guests bring their own lunch while the club provides refreshments.

GCM Member successfully completes second Gardening Study Course

August 25-26, 2015: GCM member Marilyn Backus attended Course III (her second) of four Gardening Study courses in Bedford, PA on August 25-26. Successful completion of the four courses will earn her a title of "Gardening Study Consultant." The fascinating topics covered included Edible Mushrooms, Pruning and Taxonomy. The class toured the Gardens in Holidaysburg.

GCM Member Receives State and National Honors

June 4, 2015: GCM member Dottie York was surprised on June 4 at the Garden Club of Murrysville to discover that she won the NGC Member Award of Honor for the Central Atlantic Region of National Garden Clubs, Inc (NGC). GCFP President Sharon Brown, and GCFP Awards Chairman Grace Mitchell made a special trip to present the award to her at the Murrysville GC! Also there to honor her were District VII Director Leeanna Ryba, other former District VII Directors and GCM President Shirley Brody.

Dottie York was nominated by the Garden Club of Monroeville and became Pennsylvania's nominee for the NGC Member Award of Honor in the Central Atlantic Region of National Garden Clubs, Inc (NGC). The NGC awards only eight member awards annually, one per region. Unknown to her, Dottie's award was announced at the CAR Convention in Louisville, KY and was a result of a competition with six other states' nominees. Dottie continues to be a very active garden club member for over 50 years. She is a Master Flower Show Judge who has given numerous demonstrations and programs to help educate others throughout her career. Dottie will celebrate her 99th birthday on August 22.

GCM and Monroeville Public Library sponsor "Gardens of the Garden Club of Monroeville"

May 21, 2015: The Garden Club of Monroeville invites you to take a tour through their members’ gardens from spring through fall. This beautifully photographed slide presentation is narrated by Shirley Brody, President of the Garden Club of Monroeville, with photographs by freelance photographer Gil Brody.

Gil is retired from ALCOA where he was an industrial photographer for 37 years, traveling on assignments to South America, Europe, Africa and throughout the United States. Shirley is a retired secretary and retired florist. She has been a member of the Garden Club of Monroeville (formerly the University Park Garden Club) for 49 years and is currently the club president. She has done many programs for area Garden Clubs in both floral design and horticulture. Shirley and Gil have been married for 60 years and have four children and three grandchildren. They enjoy working on projects together and in this presentation will guide you through an impressive panoply of local gardens photographed in spring, summer and fall. The program will also include horticulture tips and information.

GCM member is honored as GCFP's 2015 Member Award of Honor

May 13, 2015: Dottie York was flabbergasted when she was notified by letter that she had won the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania state award "2015 Member Award of Honor." This honor was announced at the 2015 GCFP Convention in Erie, which she was unable to attend. However, she was surprised and pleased to receive a beautiful GCFP certificate for the honor. District VII Director Leeanna Ryba attended the Garden Club of Monroeville's May 13th monthly meeting to join with club members to honor her.



GCM's Scholarship Applicant Wins!

April 19, 2015: The GCM is proud to announce that its Plum High School Senior applicant, Phillip Steven Mahr, was the winner of the DOREEN DEW-KAUFMAN SCHOLARSHIP AWARD of $1000. Phillip will major in the Horticultural School's Turf Grass Management program at Penn State's Altoona campus. Phillip's award was announced at the GCFP Convention in Erie where he was one of twelve students awarded the honor of a scholarship. The GCM is the only club in District VII to have a scholarship applicant for two years in a row and they both won a scholarship award.

Colony Collapse and Mason Bees Are Hot Topics

March 24, 2015: The Garden Club of Monroeville and Monroeville Public Library presented a free program open to the public featuring Angela McDonnell speaking on “An Intervention in Colony Collapse: The Plight of the Humble Bee” on Tuesday, March 24 at 7-8:30 PM in the Gallery Space of the Library. Virtually every seat was taken. There was lively discussion about the topic between the audience and Angela. Angela highlighted the life cycle of the mason bee and examples of good and not-so-good bee houses for the non-stinging native bees.

Garden Club of Monroeville Wins the "Trash to Treasure" Contest and will Represent District VII at the GCFP Convention in Erie

March 19, 2015: Judges of the District VII Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania (GCFP) awarded GC of Monroeville's with first place for its entry, "Eerie Erie the Wine-O," which was created from trash into a treasure.  Eerie Erie will go on to compete at the state level in the Trash to Treasure contest themed "Lake Effects Creatures" because Erie is the site of the state's April 19-21 GCFP Convention. 

Eerie Erie knows that the Lake Erie area is home to the oldest and largest Concord grape growing region in the world and the largest grape growing region in the United States outside of California. About 95% of its grapes are Concord. 

Participating in transforming trash into a treasure teaches a better sense of style, color, and texture choices that are necessary in floral and garden design.

This district level contest was held at the March Membership Tea located at Sampson's Mills Church hall in White Oak. 

District VII Garden Club Spring Membership Tea highly successful

March 19, 2015: Twelve garden clubs located in Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties met for their Annual District VII Spring Membership Tea on Thursday, March 19, 2015 at Sampson's Mills Presbyterian Church hall in White Oak. There were 120 members in attendance!

The 12 garden clubs and an affiliate that are part of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania include: Burrellton Garden Club, Garden Club of Forest Hills, Garden Club of McKeesport, Garden Club of Monroeville, Gardens Limited of Pgh, Greensburg Garden Center, Highland Park Garden Club, Home Gardeners’ Guild, Joyful Bloomers Garden Club, Landscape Design Soc. W. PA, Murrysville Garden Club, Pucketos Garden Club, and Rockledge Garden Club.

Mary Jane Martucci, National Garden Clubs' Flower Show Judge from Charleroi Garden Club, completed 4 beautiful flower arrangements in one hour to the delight of the crowd. A picture of Mary Jane and one of her creations graced the March 26, 2015 edition's front page of The Times Express (Monroeville). Page 5 of the same weekly publication highlighted Val Marak's 100th birthday and 49 years as a charter member of the GC of Monroeville and pictured District Director, Leeanna Ryba, presenting Val a rose honoring her.

Garden Club of Monroeville and Monroeville Public Library will present a free program on Honeybee Colony Collapse and the Mason Bee Alternative
March 14, 2015: The Garden Club of Monroeville announces that its first 2015 free program co-sponsored with the Monroeville Public Library will be on Tuesday, March 24 at 7-8:30 PM in the Gallery Space of the Library.

The program entitled, “An Intervention in Colony Collapse: The Plight of the Humble Bee” will be presented by Angela McDonnell, Master Gardener and President of the Weeders and Seeders Garden Club in Ligonier. Angela was Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania District VI Director and GCFP Awards chair in 2011-2013.

Angela McDonnell will present facts and figures about the honeybees that started dying off at unusually and mysteriously high rates worldwide. Scientists labeled this phenomenon "Colony Collapse Disorder," and have looked at many probable causes. Honeybees add at least $15 billion in crop value through pollination in the U.S. alone, and if colony losses continue, those pollination demands may not be met and crops could wither. To protect the U.S. food supply, Penn State Master Gardeners and the Garden Club Federation of PA recommend easy and reasonable steps that all citizens should take to protect honeybees and to provide habitat for the non-stinging, native mason bees that are even more efficient pollinators than the honeybee.

Science teachers and high school students are especially encouraged to attend. No registration is required. A door prize will be awarded following the program.

2015 GCFP State Convention in Erie, PA 

March 4, 2015: Garden club members are reminded that registrations are now being accepted for the 2015 GCFP State Convention that will be held in Erie, PA on April 19-21, 2015.

Registrations for Garden Club Membership Tea due March 13, 2015

March 4, 2015: The District VII Executive Board of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania is now registering garden club members and guests until March 13 for its Annual Spring Membership Tea. The Tea will begin at 10:00 am on Thursday, March 19 at White Oak's Sampson's Mills Presbyterian Church. Refreshments and Lunch will be provided by Board members for the membership. The after-lunch program will be a demonstration of 4 Pot-et-Fleur arrangements by Mary Jane Martucci, District X, National Garden Club Flower Show Judge.

The membership includes 12 area garden clubs and an affiliate that belong to the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania: Burrellton Garden Club, Garden Club of Forest Hills, Garden Club of McKeesport, Garden Club of Monroeville, Gardens Limited of Pgh, Greensburg Garden Center, Highland Park Garden Club, Home Gardeners’ Guild, Joyful Bloomers Garden Club, Landscape Design Soc. W. PA, Murrysville Garden Club, Pucketos Garden Club, and Rockledge Garden Club.

Please "Contact Us" for more information at www.gardenclubofmonroeville.org . 

VAL MARAK  Celebrates 100 Years and is Honored by St. Bernadette Parish and Garden Club of Monroeville
February 8, 2015: Valeria C. Marak celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday, February 8, 2015, with a Mass at St. Bernedette Parish.  Reverend Anthony Gargotta presented her with a bouquet of roses and read a proclamation from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives signed by Joseph F. Markosek, District 25 Representative and Speaker Mike Turzai.  The church choir and congregation sang Happy Birthday to her.  A Church sponsored reception followed the Mass.

The Garden Club of Monroeville also honored Val with a luncheon at DeNunzio's Restaurant on her 100th Birthday.
Val is an active member of the Garden Club of Monroeville serving as Horticulture Chairman.  Val is a charter member of the University Park Garden Club founded in 1959.  The Club changed its name in 2012 to the Garden Club of Monroeville to reflect that its membership now includes all of Monroeville and Pitcarin.

The Club members presented Val with a Birthday Cake and a Photo Album of Memories depicting her Club activities dating from the 1970's through 2015.  Garden Club Federation members from all over the State of Pennsylvania sent cards and good wishes to mark the occasion.
Val is a proud mother of three sons, one grandchild, one great grandchild, and one great, great grandchild.  Her family is also planning a celebration.

GCFP Scholarships' Applications are due Feb 1, 2015

February 1, 2015:  The application for 12 GCFP Scholarships is due Feb 1, 2015 Go to "GCFP Forms" to download the GCFP Scholarship Application. Contact Us on this site to obtain the GCM's President's signature. The GCM is proud that one Plum Boro student's application has received our sponsorship for 2015. The twelve students who will win one of 12 scholarships will be announced at the GCFP Convention in Erie on Sunday, April 19, 2015.

GCM President Named District VII Scholarship Chair

January 22, 2015: GCM President Shirley Brody was appointed to a two-year term as District VII's Scholarship Chair. Director L. Ryba appointed Ms. Brody to promote the availability of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania's twelve scholarships through District VII's 12 member garden clubs. Each scholarship awards at least $1,000 to high school seniors and college level students in Allegheny and parts of Westmoreland Counties.

"We Did What We Had to Do"

November 13, 2014: Dr. James Diamond and his wife Betty are a memorable pair. They traced how they were selected for the Peace Core mission in Chad in 1970 and how they built rapport with the villagers of the town where the then President of Chad was born...some of their first projects were demonstrating and teaching the men how to properly care for their Arabian horses' hooves and to charge a fee to other villagers; and using native skills to build a nailess bamboo chicken coop off the ground that had chutes for eggs to automatically tumble out from the nests; and using native skills to weave strong plants and bark harnesses for the horses and plowing oxen. The audience appreciated the insights, pictures and his book "I Did What I Had to Do!"  Amazing.

GCFP Board Meeting in Harrisburg

October 6-7, 2014: One of our Garden Club of Monroeville members attended the State Board Meeting_ of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania. Betsy Smith, State President, hosted the 13 Garden Club Districts. A key topic of discussion was the GCFP State Convention to be held in Erie, PA on April 19-21.

GCM VP installed as District VII's Assistant Director

September 9, 2014: GCFP President Betsy Smith installed District VII's new officers at its Annual Fall Meeting: Director Leeanna Ryba, Asst. Director Marilyn Backus, Treasurer Haddie Weber, Recording Secretary Joyce Kareem, and Corresponding Secretary Valerie Wilson. GCFP President Betsy Smith was accompanied by GCFP 1st VP Sharon Brown and GCFP 2nd VP Christine Leskosky.

Flora and Fauna of Victoriana

September 9, 2014: GCM and Monroeville Public Library co-sponsored an intriguing presentation, "Flora and Fauna of Victoriana,"_ which highlighted early American Pattern glass, china and jewelry of the Victorian era. Everyone learned something new about our country's heritage and heirlooms. Three attendees won potted plants provided by the GCM.

Victoriana speaker scheduled Sept 9 at Library

August 26, 2014: GCM is pleased to co-sponsor, with the Monroeville Public Library, a presentation by Mrs. Ellen King of King's Antiques. She will discuss the use and symbolism of flowers and animals to decorate glass, china and jewelry during the Victorian era. All are welcome to attend the free lecture "Flora and Fauna of Victoriana," at the Gallery Space of Monroeville Public Library on September 9 at 7 PM.

Club Lunch and Children of Eden

July 27, 2014:  GCM club members and guests met at Monroeville DeNunzio's Italian Trattoria for lunch and then traveled to The Theatre Factory in Trafford to see a sold-out live performance of the musical, Children of Eden, which is about Genesis. Just excellent!

GCM sponsors Woodland Hills scholarship winner!

May 22, 2014: At the 2014 GCFP Convention in Monroeville, the Garden Club of Monroeville proudly accepted a Certificate for the GCFP's "Mary Alice Wheeler Scholarship" of $1000 from Scolarship Chairman, G. Dapp. We presented the Certificate to the winning applicant whom we sponsored, Jessica Michele Durmis, at the Woodland Hills High School Senior Academic Honors Scholarship Banquet on May 22. The scholarship winner will study horticulture at Washington & Jefferson College and won on the basis of grade point average, character, need and activities. 

Rain Gardens Presentation Well Attended

May 13, 2014: The GC of Monroeville and Monroeville Public Library sponsored a free-to-the-public Audubon Society speaker, Roxanne Swann, who presented "Rain Gardens" on May 13, 7 PM at the Library. The conference room was full of people, questions and discussion concerning this method of managing rain runoff. The garden club provided two plants and the Audubon Society offered a third plant that were given as door prizes.

GARDEN CLUB OF MONROEVILLE wins GCFP Seed Money

April 8, 2014: The GCM applied for and won seed money from the GCFP to develop its cooperative efforts with civic organizations, youth and church related groups and educating them on the principles of gardening. For 2014, the GCM plans to continue sponsoring speakers at the Monroeville Public Library quarterly at no charge to the Library and Monroeville community. 

GARDEN CLUB OF MONROEVILLE wins Second Place in GCFP Yearbook Award

April 8, 2014: Having won first place in District VII of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania in March, the  Garden Club of Monroeville was pleased to win Second Place for the GCFP Club Yearbook Award for Clubs having less than 20 members.

GARDEN CLUB OF MONROEVILLE wins Honorable Mention in "Trash to Treasure" District VII contest

March 14, 2014: District VII of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania (GCFP) awarded the GCM with an Honorable Mention for its hat created from trash into a treasure. The contest was held at the March Membership Tea located at Sampson Mills Church in White Oak. The theme of the contest was "Put a Bee in your Bonnet" in order to highlight the importance of supplementing the honey bee population with native bees such as Mason bees or Bumble bees. The GCFP encourages members and the public to provide housing for non-stinging, non-honey-producing Mason or Crown bees to help pollinate fruit and vegetables. Honey bee populations are still struggling for survival.

GARDEN CLUB OF MONROEVILLE (GCM) congratulates the Monroeville Public Library on its 50th anniversary

March 2014: The GCM has had a longstanding relationship with the Monroeville Public Library since its founding in 1964.

The GCM, formerly known as University Park Garden Club, was one of five garden clubs operating in Monroeville at the time. Some of the current GCM members recall helping to plant the trees, flowers and shrubs surrounding the Library and providing fresh flower bouquets every week for the front desk.

The GCM intermittently  co-sponsors garden-related presentations for the public through the Library's free Adult Program. The GCM will sponsor an Audubon Society speaker who will present information regarding "Rain Gardens" on  May 13 at 7 PM in the Gallery Space.

Plan to view GCM's vivid flower and pollinator pictures and beautiful flower arrangement on display in the Library during the month of March. And plan to attend the May presentation! 

GARDEN CLUB OF MONROEVILLE (GCM) sponsors one high school student

February 12, 2014: The GCM is pleased to announce that it sponsored one high school student who successfully completed the application for eleven Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania scholarships before the February 15th deadline. The GCM President signed the application and confirmed that it was received by the State Scholarship Chairman.

GARDEN CLUB OF MONROEVILLE with GARDEN CLUB FEDERATION of PA (GCFP) SPONSORS 2014 SCHOLARSHIPS

October 2013: The Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania is offering eleven Scholarships to students who plan to further their Education in Horticulture, Floriculture, Landscape Architecture, Conservation, Forestry, Botany, Biology, Agronomy, Plant Pathology, Environmental Control, City (Rural & Urban) Planning, Wildlife Science, Land Management, and/or allied subjects. Each scholarship Award is a minimum of $1,000.00.

High school, college or graduate students who are residents of Pennsylvania are eligible and must be sponsored by a Federated Garden Club such as the Garden Club of Monroeville. Applications for all scholarships are available from the GCFP Website @  http://www.pagardenclubs.org/forms.html  .   Applications are due by the 15th of February 2014. 

For information and sponsorship, contact: Shirley Brody <bowlady2000@verizon.net> , Scholarship Chairperson and President,  Garden Club of Monroeville. 

District Yearbook Award, Again!

September 9, 2013: For a second year in a row, the Garden Club of Monroeville won first place for its Yearbook in the small club category of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania's District VII. It was judged on its structure, arrangement of contents, organizational information, programs and projects. Lynn Chandler was the Chair for the endeavor. The GC of Monroeville hopes that the Yearbook will do as well for the GCFP State Yearbook Award.

Planning for 2014 State Convention in Monroeville

August, 2013: The Garden Club of Monroeville is doing its part to host the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania's state convention to be held April 6-7-8 (2014) in Monroeville's Double Tree Hotel. The GC of Monroeville will be responsible for managing the space for the gardening education exhibits/literature and the Trash to Treasures Edwardian hat competition themed "Put A Bee in Your Bonnet." 

Club lunch and "Sisters of Swing"

July 21, 2013: As part of its serious fun theme, GCM club members and friends met at Monroeville DeNunzio's Italian Trattoria for lunch and then traveled to The Theatre Factory in Trafford to see a sold-out live performance of the musical, Sisters of Swing, which is about the lives of the Andrew Sisters.

KinderCare Garden Week

June 18 - 28, 2013: GCM had great fun working with KinderCare teachers and children for six days during their Garden Week. The goal was to give children hands-on experience growing and using plants. For instance...

GCM helped 22 2- year-old children to sprout seeds and plant them.

There were 28 3-year olds who sorted flower and herb packets from vegetable packets.  They also made their own seed packets and filled them with shasta daisy seeds.

There were 24 4-year-olds who learned how to use sand, pebbles and coffee filters to prepare a properly draining container in which to separate and transplant daylily roots.

Approximately 14 5-8 year-olds created their own beautiful dried flower arrangements using dried spaghnum peat moss, dried flowers, seeds and animal ornaments.

There were 35 9-12 year olds who made and decorated their own grapevine summer wreaths with dried materials and ribbon.

KinderCare Project Planning

June 17, 2013: GCM is working with KinderCare and planning garden projects for six groups of children at Monroeville's KinderCare to stimulate and promote a love for gardening in youngsters.

Monroeville Library Meet and Greet

May 28, 2013: Doris Dumrauf presented "Creating a Backyard Habitat for Birds and Insects" at the Monroeville Libary Gallery Space to an engaged group of approximately 30 club and non-club members. The audience enjoyed her photographic and educational abilities and knowledge of birds, native plants and insects. Audience members participated in a raffle of a Christmas Cactus and received free native plant seeds.

State Yearbook Award

April 26, 2013:  Angela McDonnell, State Awards Chairman of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, sent congratulations to our Club for winning the Yearbook Award for a small club. Once again, many thanks to L. Chandler for her creative efforts!

Holocaust Museum Houston

March 25, 2013: Cynthia Capers, Associate Director of Education and Changing Exhibitions, Holocaust Museum Houston, Morgan Family Center thanked GCM for participating in the Holocaust Museum’s  Butterfly Project of remembrance. The museum achieved its goal of 1.5 million handmade butterflies for the number of children who perished during World War II. It will accept no more butterflies after June 30, 2013. View GCM's four silk butterflies. 

Seeds of Service to Seniors

September 7, 2012: The Garden Club of Monroeville (GCM) received the "Seeds of Service Award" for its work with area Seniors. The Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania recognized the GCM at its District VII annual meeting held September 7, 2012 at the Edgewood Country Club.

The GCM was recognized for exemplary volunteer service with Senior residents at the Seneca Hills Village Senior Community during April 2012. Dottie York, who also resides at Seneca Village, was the GCM Chair for the event.

Dottie York - Chair

The GCM members arranged over 200 potted flowering plants provided through a grant given by the St. Margaret Foundation to Seneca Hills Village in a Disney-themed flower display in the lobby of the Independent Building.  Residents of the Village assisted show preparations and enjoyed cake and punch.  The plants were subsequently planted outdoors around the buildings of the Village. 

Join the Club! We meet January - November on fourth Tuesdays of the month, 4:30-6:30 PM