By AMBER PATINO
Chipley Garden Club marked a busy February with educational programs, community projects, and even national media attention.
At the club’s Feb. 4 meeting, members and guests heard from Southern Grace Lavender Farm, which presented a program on cultivating lavender and the wide range of products made from the fragrant plant, including soaps, sachets, and candles.
Later in the week, club members joined staff at the Spanish Trail Playhouse to honor longtime honorary member Barbara James, who recently passed away. A Red Maple sapling was planted on the playhouse grounds in recognition of her years of support for both the Garden Club and the theater.
Throughout the month, members also refreshed Chipley’s downtown flower pots in preparation for spring and partnered with students at Kate Smith Elementary School to create dried floral designs for the Washington County 4‑H Youth Fair. Club volunteers additionally assisted 4‑H youth with live floral designs and served as judges for horticulture entries.
The club’s work reached a wider audience this month as well. Butterfly Chair Glenda Wilson was interviewed by Travel + Leisure magazine about the Butterfly Garden at Falling Waters State Park. The article, published this week, highlights the park’s natural features and the club’s ongoing conservation efforts and can be viewed at this link: https://www.travelandleisure.com/falling-waters-state-park-guide-11903453.
For more information about Chipley Garden Club activities or projects, contact Club President Mike Hansen at 909‑736‑7620. The club meets the first Wednesday of each month at 10:30 a.m. at the Washington County Ag Center.
Staff Report