The Miles City Garden Club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the First Baptist Church, 900 Palmer. At each meeting we like to have educational programs, treats and a door prize.
Every spring, we kick off the gardening season by hosting the Annual Membership Tea to promote our club and all the activities we are involved in. All area residents are invited to enjoy refreshments and a gardening educational presentation.
Every May, our members team up to plant flowers at the First Baptist Church, Miles City Fire Station, Eastern Montana Fair Grounds, the Eagles Manor Retirement Home, Miles City Post Office, the Miles City Public Library, MCC Mark Richardson Planter and the Blue Star Memorial Park. Many of the plants are donated by local businesses.
One of our favorite “educational” programs involves going into the elementary schools to give presentations on gardening, including planting and growing various plants. We also share information with the students encouraging them to enter their flowers, etc. in the Eastern Montana fair. To further enhance the youngsters’ interest in gardening, we have donated these books -“ Network with Nature”, “The Saved Seed” and “The Frightened Frog” to the area grade schools, DEAP and the local library. They are purchased from the National Garden Clubs organization.
Every year the club gives a $500 scholarship to two Miles City area graduates who are currently studying or are planning to study plant sciences, including horticulture and floriculture, at the collegiate level. Fundraisers to support these scholarships include a bi-annual “Yard & Garden Tour” in June, during which we choose 5 local homeowners to showcase their beautiful and “one of a kind” gardens/yards. Spring & fall bake/plant sales are other fundraisers we have.
On alternate years of the yard tour, we occasionally sponsor a MFGC Standard Flower Show, which allows area gardeners to feature their beautiful plants and floral designs. We recruit Nationally Accredited Flower Show Judges for the show.
We sponsor summer long “Yard of the Week” recognitions which honor a different yard every week. The winning yards, selected by various members, are chosen based on the uniqueness of the yard. They are featured on the MC Garden Club Facebook page and by the local Miles City Star and area radio stations. From those yards, we choose a “Yard of the Year”. That owner receives a membership to the MC Garden Club for the coming year.
In August, the club decorates and supervises the floral department at the Eastern Montana Fair. Many of our members exhibit their flowers at the fair. After the fair, we schedule a fall cleanup of all of our perennial flower beds, including the Blue Star Memorial Park, MC Public Library, and MC Post Office.
We have a long history of community service in the Miles City area, especially during the holiday season. We donate over 20 Thanksgiving dinners to area families, sign up to “ring the bells” for the Salvation Army and volunteer at the Miles City Soup Kitchen during the holiday season.
We end our year with a wonderful Christmas Party which is held at a nice venue, with the meal catered by local caterers. We have fun musical entertainment and a “Sneaky Santa” Gift exchange game. It’s a great way to relax after all our hard work during the year!
2021-2023 Officers
President: Lynne Weischedel
Vice President: Amanda Melin
Co-Vice President: Charlotte Miller
Co-Secretary: Marti Palmer
Co-Secretary: Anna Tiffany Leidholt
Co-Treasurer: Mary Wambolt
Co-Treasurer: Donna Schmidt
Monthly meeting at Mary Haydal’s beautiful yard
Ruby Wirtanen planting flowers at the Fairgrounds
New arbor at the Blue Star Memorial Garden
Brigg Phillips awarded his $500 scholarship by President, Lynne W.
Jordan Kanduch receives her $500 scholarship Mary Wambolt
Karsyn March (left) receives the Garden Club’s
“Isabel Myran” memorial $250 Scholarship
from Isabel’s daughters, Shelly & Diane.
Potluck preceded a meeting at our “Gathering Place” (The First Baptist Church)