Garden Clubs hear ‘the buzz about bees’
Guest speaker Philip Lassen, a Pee Dee beekeeper, presented a program on the American honeybee.
The East Sandhills District Annual Meeting of the Garden Club of South Carolina took place on March 13 at the Hartsville Country Club. Over 100 Garden Club members from across the state attended this event, hosted by the Spring Beauty Garden Club of Hartsville.
“Every five years we have the opportunity to host the annual East Sandhills District Garden Club meeting. While it takes a great deal of work and effort for our Spring Beauty members to pull this event together, it is equally gratifying to know that we are using our combined energy to bring focus and awareness to the enrichment of our beautiful community gardens in our special part of the state,” said co-presidents of the Spring Beauty Garden Club Helen Fuller and Cindy McArthur, who served as chairpersons of the event.
Vendors included a variety of artisanal and handcrafted products, including custom-made ukuleles.
The Hartsville Country Club was transformed to carry out the theme “The Buzz About Bees.”
Kevin Lear, florist of Kevin Lear on Main in Cheraw, donated his time and talent in designing wreaths and a display appropriate with the Buzz About Bees theme.
The tablescapes were done with a simple earthiness of orchids, pecan tree wood slices and a native bee hotel to aid housing the nearly 800 species of wild bees in South Carolina. Guest speaker Philip Lassen, Pee Dee bee keeper, presented a program on “The American Honey Bee.” The meeting concluded with reports, a floral design presentation, and awards.
Pageland Garden Club provided morning refreshments. The Hartsville Country Club provided a buffet lunch. East Sandhills District Director Jennifer McCutchen introduced Garden Club of South Carolina President Donna Donnelly at the meeting.
Over 100 South Carolina garden club members attended this event. Photos by Samantha Lyles
The Garden Club of South Carolina Inc. is a non-profit organization that promotes all aspects of gardening, “focusing on preservation and restoration of historic gardens, conservation, and environmental protection of natural resources, education of members and youth organizations, civic beautification, horticulture and floral design.”
The Spring Beauty Garden Club of Hartsville, organized in 1954, is a member of the National Federation of Garden Clubs. Members have taken an active role in encouraging community efforts in developing gardens, planting trees, and tending islands of flowers and greenery throughout the county. This commitment continues today as members take part in numerous community projects as well as enjoying and caring for their own gardens.
