Cape St. Claire Garden Club Beautifies The Broadneck Peninsula

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By Jillian Amodio

Spring has finally arrived, and gardeners around the county are in full planning mode, dreaming of what will bloom under their experienced hands in the months to come.

Audrey Lengbeyer, former president turned secretary of the Cape St. Claire Garden Club, is one of these eager gardeners. As a new resident of the Cape a few years ago, Lengbeyer found her first friends in the area by joining the garden club. In fact, these friends quickly became her tribe and were even the first to know of her pregnancy.

But the club’s roots go back to 1975. Today, members support the planting of native varieties to aid in the health and vitality of area wildlife. They host a variety of events and workshops throughout the year, including three yearly speakers, workshops, plant sales, potting parties, wreath-making events and potluck dinners. Some of the members’ most beloved events include the annual plant sale, which takes place every year the Saturday after Mother’s Day, and the club’s secret garden tours, which feature several gorgeous Cape area gardens followed by a potluck dinner. Those seeking advice on gardening are encouraged to reach out through the club’s Facebook page (facebook.com/capegardenclub), where they can get valuable insight and ideas from expert gardeners.

The club sports around 40 members and is responsible for tending numerous beds, including those on the grounds of the Cape St. Claire Clubhouse, those at the entrance of the community and those at the Broadneck Library. The club is also responsible for awarding homeowners with the title Yard of the Month, encouraging Capers to keep their community full of colorful blooms.

In addition to being a place of “gardening fellowship and fun,” the club has a broader mission, according to Lengbeyer. “We really hope to inspire and educate other groups about how they can also reduce their waste stream,” she said.

Last fall, the club went entirely waste-free by incorporating the use of reusable linens, cutlery and dishware at its monthly meetings and relying on compost for the remainder of its waste disposal needs.

In addition to being a wealth of horticulture knowledge, the club is described as being “a tribe sharing a love of gardening, and a community of people who support and care for one another, through birth, illness, death of loved ones, and life in general.”

To read more about the club and its events, visit www.capegardenclub.wordpress.com. Happy gardening!

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