Nanoose Garden Club History

 

Since 1981, the Nanoose Garden Club has been bringing together people who share a love of gardening, learning, and community.

 

What began in the early 1980s as a small group known as the Nanoose Amateur Gardeners Ideas Exchange, affectionately called NAGIE, has grown into a vibrant organization of about 85 members from Nanoose Bay, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, and Nanaimo. The club's roots were planted at the Nanoose Library, where gardeners gathered to share successes, challenges, and ideas from their own backyards.

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The club officially became the Nanoose Garden Club in 1981, but its original spirit remains the same: learning from one another while enjoying the company of fellow gardeners.

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Today, members meet monthly from September through June and enjoy a wide variety of educational speakers, hands-on workshops, and garden-related adventures. Workshops have included everything from rose pruning to creating hypertufa garden containers. Members also visit professional gardens and nurseries throughout Vancouver Island, with memorable excursions to Victoria, Comox, Port Alberni, Qualicum Bay, and Denman Island.

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One of the club's most popular traditions happens each summer when members open their private gardens for fellow gardeners to tour. These visits offer inspiration, practical ideas, and plenty of friendly conversation. As every gardener knows, some of the best lessons come from seeing what works, and sometimes what doesn't, in someone else's garden.

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The club also hosts an annual picnic where members and guests gather for lunch, friendship, and a raffle featuring donated prizes. It’s a simple but cherished tradition that reflects the welcoming nature of the organization.

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Community involvement has always been at the heart of the Nanoose Garden Club. The group maintains a strong relationship with the Nanoose Library, supporting it through annual donations and volunteer efforts in the library gardens. The annual Mother's Day weekend plant sale remains the club's largest fundraiser, helping fund speakers, workshops, and club activities throughout the year.

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The impact of that plant sale extends well beyond the club itself. Remaining plants are donated to horticultural therapy and wellness projects throughout the region, including programs serving individuals with disabilities and residents in long-term care communities in Nanaimo and Parksville. These donations help create beautiful garden spaces that support wellness, engagement, and enjoyment for residents while strengthening community connections.

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Like many organizations, the club faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meetings paused for a time before members experimented with Zoom presentations and temporarily gathered at St. Mary's Church. In September 2022, members were delighted to return to their longtime home at the Nanoose Library Hall.

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The Nanoose Garden Club continues to welcome both experienced gardeners and newcomers. Some members join to expand their gardening knowledge, while others simply enjoy the social connections that blossom in the group.

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Membership is just $20 per year, and new members are always welcome. Or, if you want to see if the club is right for you, you can attend a meeting as a guest for $5. Bring your coffee cup.

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(article excerpt from Neighbours of Nanoose Bay, by Bonnie Chomica)