ROOTED in beauty Contributed by Betty Holt
W
hile a young man’s fancy may turn to love in the springtime, a woman’s fancy in the Highlands area may turn to love of plants and flowers, specifically. Since its inception in 1979, the Highlands Mountain Garden Club has been bringing awareness of the beautiful plants and flowers that grace the landscape here. Debby Hall, the Club’s current president, states the purpose of the Club is to help in the protection and conservation of our natural resources, encourage civic beauty and roadside beautification, stimulate the study of the fine art of gardening, and co - operate with other agencies furthering the interest of horticulture and conservation. In addition, the Club strives to be a good citizen of the community. “We have about 60 members,” she states. “They range in age from 55 to 92. We’re always interested in new younger members with an interest in gardening as well. Members must be spon - sored by a current member to join.” I wondered if the people who joined the Garden Club were experts in taking care of plants. Debby explained that many of them had interest, but wanted to learn more about plants and joined for that reason. The Club’s main projects include taking care of the Highlands School garden, the area around the Old Jail in downtown, and the Eckerd Living Center. There is a res- ident “jailbird” named J.B. who appears during holidays and special events at the Old Jail and is dressed up for the occasion! Their main fundraiser is the Memorial Day Annual Plant Sale, a favorite of both full and part-time Highlanders.
“All the plants are dug up here on the plateau,” Debby explains. “Two of the most popular sellers are cinnamon ferns and hostas,” plants that might otherwise become extinct and keep them at a secure location. “ “because they are priced well. It’s a big undertaking, and we work on it from early March through October.” Members of the Club are also involved in rescuing
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