The 250-member Garden Club of Los Altos, the city’s oldest club, will celebrate their 75th anniversary at their meeting Tuesday. Former presidents will be honored at a tea following the scheduled program, “Having Fun With the Holidays” by Seattle-based Steve Lorton, garden editor for Sunset Magazine.
This year, as part of their 75th anniversary, the club contributed to the Environmental Horticulture program at Foothill College, the Los Altos History House for an arbor to be installed this month the club’s scholarship fund which benefits a deserving horticulture student at Foothill College each year, plus an additional one-time scholarship.
From the 50-member maximum, imposed from 1929 until 1949 when open membership was established, the club has grown to more than 250 today. Currently, about 55 percent of the members live in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills.
The larger membership enables them to attract excellent speakers for the monthly meetings.
Recent gatherings have included topics such as “How to Grow Irises,” “Tips, Tricks and Traps for Summer Vegetables,” “Gardening When You Hurt” “Container Gardening” and “Arranging Dried and Silk Flowers.”
In addition to the guest speaker or garden consultant, each meeting includes a discussion of horticultural educational information, plant identification and unusual plants and flowers grown by members.
Most include a display of members’ flower arrangements and a plant giveaway.
The Los Altos Garden Club contributes volunteer support for community programs when needed.
Twice a year, the club sponsors an open-to-the-public plant/bake sale of members’ plants, produce and culinary items.
In cooperation with the city of Los Altos, they operate an open-to-the-public plant exchange semiannually.
Members volunteer in the Los Altos History House Museum garden.
The garden club hosts an annual tour of members’ gardens and arranges local tours to places of interest.
Current President Judy Hogan is the daughter-in-law of former president, the late Loretta Hogan.
Meetings are scheduled the fourth Tuesday of each month, January through October (excluding July) at 12:45 p.m., at Christ Episcopal Church, 1040 Border Road.
