Garden Club News
2024 Arbor Day and Memorial Tree Celebration
The Dade City Garden Club will host its annual Arbor Day and Memorial Tree Celebration on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at the Garden Club, 13630 5th Street, Dade City, FL, at 10 am. This year marks the 29th year that the City of Dade City and the Dade City Garden Club have jointly sponsored the Arbor Day/Memorial Tree program.
Memorial trees purchased throughout the year will be recognized. Trees are dedicated in memory or in honor of a person or special occasion and are living and lasting tributes that add beauty for the city and quality to the environment. Speaking at the event will be Dr. Whitney Elmore, UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension Director and Foresters Jessica Clark and Arthur Clothier from the Florida Forest Service.
The Dade City Garden Club again sponsored an art contest for local students, with this year’s contest
being held at the Lacoochee Elementary School. The students learned about the history of Arbor Day and were asked to design a cover fitting for the Arbor Day Program to be printed for the event. The overall winner, Kellan Lopez, won a $50 cash award and will have his art featured on the program.
Ribbon Cutting Opens the Door for the Monarch Butterfly Festival
Bad weather on the forecast has prompted the reschedule of the Touchton Park Ribbon Cutting!
The City of Dade City will host a Ribbon Cutting ceremony for the newly renovated Touchton Park on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at 11am. Previously known to Dade City residents as Polly Touchton Park and located across 5th Street from the Dade City Garden Club, Touchton Park has undergone a dramatic renovation as a gift from one of “Miss Polly” Touchton’s grandsons, who has also honored his grandfather and his parents with the renovation. The public is invited to attend.
J. Thomas Touchton, who lives in Tampa but grew up in Dade City, credits the examples set by his parents and grandparents for his own community involvements during his lifetime and has expressed great appreciation to the community of Dade City for its positive influence in his life. This prompted him to create a vision for renovating the Ruth Embry “Miss Polly” Touchton Park—both to honor his family and to offer a “thank you” to the people of Dade City. Consequently, he has worked with The City of Dade City for over two years to make this vision a reality.
The Dade City Garden Club will present a program on the Ruby Throated Hummingbird at its March general membership meeting on Monday, March 18, 2024, at 9:30 am at the garden club. The presenter will be Christine Rowland, President of Pasco Audubon Society. Attendees will learn about this tiny bird’s amazing migratory journey and how to attract this flying jewel to your yard.
Members will also conduct their annual election of officers and consider nominations for the garden club’s 2024 annual historic ornament at the March meeting. The ornament, which honors a local landmark or organization, will be for sale starting in September and will be the 31st ornament issued in this exclusive Dade City collection.
Let nature, fine wine and craft beers ignite your senses at the UNCORKED GARDEN PARTY!
Tickets available by calling 813-766-4849 or at Eventbrite at an additional charge.
The Dade City Garden Club invites you to the UNCORKED GARDEN PARTY, a delightful wine and beer tasting experience to be held on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 2 pm to 5 pm. Guests will be offered a unique opportunity to sample a variety of wines and craft beer, nibble deliciously paired appetizers, and enjoy festive music all while immersed in the lush surroundings of the enchanting gardens.
Inside the Dade City Garden Clubhouse will be a display of original artwork by local artist Gabriela Noanea. Floral designs created by garden club members will complement each piece of art creating a delightfully dramatic display. Visitors to the Clubhouse will also be able to learn about pairing food with wine and beer from two knowledgeable speakers during the afternoon.
Make and Take FUN WITH FLOWERS for Valentine’s Day
SOLD OUT
To be put on the waiting list, email Becky Maxwell at
Thursday, February 8, 2024; 6 pm to 7:30 pm
Dade City Garden Club
$15 per person for members
$20 per person for non-members and guests
Your Valentine’s Day table will never be the same!
Gather up some friends and come on out to the Dade City Garden Club for our next Make & Take program. Our instructor is Diane Scott who will teach you fun, easy techniques to turn a simple flower arrangement into a unique, artistic design to wow your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day! Diane serves as Hibiscus Circle president, is a past President of the garden club and comes with great experience in creating unique designs. Anyone who has attended one of her programs knows attendees are in for a treat!
Using simple grocery store flowers along with greenery and sticks or other natural elements from your yard, you will learn how to create a composition that is an eye-catching, balanced work of art. You will take home not only your exquisite centerpiece, but new knowledge to use again and again at home or to create a unique gift.
Enhancing your Landscape
The Dade City Garden Club will present Enhancing Your Landscape at its January general membership meeting on Monday, January 22, 2024, at 9:30 am at the garden club. The program comes as the result of a survey taken among members to identify issues that are important to them and will focus on simple and unusual ways to make your Florida yard more beautiful.
The presenter is Jim Moll, serving the residents of Pasco County since 2013 as the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Coordinator. Jim teaches Florida-Friendly gardening classes, answers gardening questions, and is an integral part of the Master Gardener Volunteer training. Whether you are interested in completely redesigning your landscape or simply making a few changes, Jim is sure to share some important factors to consider before you start planting.
We will also have a special guest, Shelby Mander of the Camellia Circle, who will come and talk about Camp Wekiva. The Dade City Garden Club recently established a camp scholarship. Shelby has been the camp director for several years and will share some exciting opportunities for us and campers.
Holiday Magic in the Gardens
The Dade City Garden Club invites the community to celebrate an inspired Christmas in Dade City!
The Dade City Garden Club is inviting the community to experience a little holiday magic this Christmas season and has planned a holiday event close to home for families to get in the holiday spirit! Planned as a thank you for the support shown the garden club throughout the years, all are invited to visit on Sunday, December 10, 2023, to stroll through the festively decorated gardens, visit Santa and Mrs. Claus, and take part in the FREE family-oriented activities that have been planned by garden club members.
Holiday themed activity stations will be set up throughout the gardens, each offering the garden club’s guests unique opportunities for holiday fun. Santa’s Workshop helpers will be busy in three locations: Guests can visit the Camellia Circle elves and the Poinsettia Circle elves to create one-of-kind custom crafts or ornaments to take home as mementos of the day’s outing. The Hibiscus Circle Santa’s Workshop elves have been busy planning a kids’ craft activity using recycled materials for all to enjoy. At Reindeer Crossing, located near the Butterfly Garden, families will be educated on how to blend the perfect mix of environmentally friendly Reindeer Dust to take home to feed Rudolf and his gang on Christmas Eve. Santa’s Mailbox will be in the Azalea Circle garden, where children will be able to write and mail a letter to Santa just in time for special delivery before Christmas. The Holiday Farm Petting Zoo will be set up by the Hollyhock Circle, where Scooter (mini bunny), Jeffrey (goat), Callie (foal) and chickens will be looking to meet new friends who come to the event.