Lemon Bay Garden Club Inc

LBGC history:

In February 1959, five women who enjoyed gardening organized a club and met at each other’s homes. Later, others joined them and monthly meetings were held at St David’s Church in Englewood.

In 1964, Indian Mound Park in Englewood located on Lemon Bay was purchased by Sarasota County. Recognizing the unique vegetation that grew over the mounds, the Club was granted permission to develop trails and label plants with plans drawn by one member who was a landscape architect. Today, Sarasota County maintains this park with the help of our members who volunteer for annual cleanups.

From 1973 to 1975, the Club purchased three separate parcels on Michigan Ave in Englewood. They were named Rosemary Preserve for the rare evergreen shrub that was found there. After years of enjoyment but with the difficulty in maintaining the property, the club voted to sell Rosemary Preserve in the Fall of 1999.

For some years, members discussed and seriously investigated acquiring land or buildings to be used as a garden center. When the present property with about an acre of land and well-constructed buildings became available in 1978, a detailed letter regarding the possible purchase and financing was sent to all members and on December 11, 1978, the sale was approved by a ballot vote. The main building was constructed by several members of the Church of God in 1950. Two small rooms in the rear of the church were used for Sunday school classes and the pastor, his wife and two children lived in the cottage. Closing and possession were delayed for some time to allow the former owners to complete the now-closed Suncoast Worship Center on South River Road. This delay gave the club time to plan necessary changes and repairs to the buildings and to gather additional funds. On April 16, 1981 a lovely outdoor dedication ceremony was held.

Financing this huge undertaking was accomplished by successful Country Stores, card parties, rummage sales and the generous financial contributions of members. On January 1, 1980 ten members gave loans totaling $18,000 at 9% simple interest. Some members returned their interest payments and/or cancelled their loans which enabled the club to ‘burn its mortgage’ at the April 7, 1986 meeting.

In 1987, Agnes Platinius gave the club $25,000 toward the construction of an addition which is the kitchen and refreshment area and to convert the old kitchen into a library. The Jeanette McCay Library contains more than 200 books which are catalogued and shelved according to subject matter and are available for circulation to members. Files contain a wide variety of gardening, flower arranging and craft ideas along with the club’s history and scrapbooks.

In 1989, the club received a legacy from Doris Ringling for just over $35,000. About $7,000 of this was used to pay off loans on the addition and renovations. The balance was invested and the interest is used to help pay for the upkeep on the property.

Members have donated much time and effort improving the interior and exterior of the clubhouse and landscaping the grounds. The shade house/plant room was added after the first year on the property. This helped to stimulate member’s interest in propagation and cultivation of Florida plants. Shutters, a cement driveway and a patio were added in 1993. When a drain field was no longer needed in 2001 after the sewers were brought in, members began planting a beautiful butterfly garden in its place. A sitting area was added to the garden in the later years. The most recent additions to our garden center are the cactus and succulent garden path that meanders along Yale Street and the serene garden in the woods, designed and overseen by member Eileen Richards.

Over the years, club members have planted many trees in Englewood celebrating Arbor Day and have taught hands-on gardening skills at the elementary schools. Members of the club provided the landscaping for the renovated historic Green Street Church. They designed and planted a garden for the Suncoast Humane Society that stretches along the east side of South Indiana Ave. with native grasses and Florida friendly shrubs and flowers. Members have assisted with the landscaping at the historic Hermitage Artists Retreat on Manasota Key, a campus of approximately eight acres and five buildings where artists of various disciplines come from throughout the United States to the Florida sunshine to replenish their creative cores. Currently, members are working to return this area to its original state by eradicating exotics and by planting native trees, shrubs, grasses and other native Florida landscape plants.

In pursuit of our mission to share knowledge and to encourage the appreciation of the environment, the club provides scholarships to college students studying horticulture. Elementary school students are given scholarships to Wekiva Camp, a summer camp run by the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs where children learn about the world around them and how they can help preserve it.

Lemon Bay Garden Club activities are well publicized and the public is always invited and welcome. Every Friday morning, members work in the gardens. We host interesting programs on Florida gardening, floral design and flower arranging. From April to November you will find members making hand-made items and other members making cards throughout the year. Garden tours, flower shows, rummage sales, plant propagation and crafts offer something for everyone.

The Lemon Bay Garden Club is our gift to the community.