THE NORRISTOWN GARDEN CLUB CONTINUING AND NEW PROJECTS

Annual Flower Show
            Standard Flower Show in September at Plymouth Meeting Mall.

Annual Holiday House Tour
            Tour of four homes and a church decorated for Christmas or Hanukkah, to benefit the scholarship fund and community projects, to be held for the 60th year on the second Friday in December.

Arbor Day
            Tree planting in the community each year.

Bowman’s Hill State Wild Flower Preserve
            Support of a trail featuring native and naturalized plant material.

Church of the Nazarene
            Support a butterfly garden.

Community Outreach
           Programs and workshops for community children at local schools and programs for residents of Regina Nursing Home, Norristown.

Federation, State and District
             Support all activities of GCFP and serve as officers and chairmen on State and District boards.

Garden Contest for the Municipality of Norristown
            Annual contest open to borough residents, organized to encourage civic beautification and interest in horticulture.

2009 Norristown Garden Contest
This is an annual garden contest for the Municipality of Norristown, PA.  It is a contest open to borough residents and public gardens organized to encourage civic beautification and interest in horticulture.
This year’s winners are:

Window Box Category
Mary Jan Autry  Penny Dunyan  Joseph DeDominic  Brian and Janice Fisher	1st Prize  2nd Prize 3rd Prize Honorable Mention
Front Yard
Penny Dunyan  Susan Owad  Yvette Pantoja  James L. Johnson	1st Prize  2nd Prize 3rd Prize Honorable Mention
Vegetable Garden
Tony Santangelo  Brian and Janice Fisher  Wendy and Joe Forlano  Francis X. Grobes	1st Prize  2nd Prize 3rd Prize Honorable Mention
Side Yard
Joseph DeDominic  James L. Johnson  Penny Dunyan	1st Prize 2nd Prize 3rd Prize
Public Garden
Nueva Vida Plaza  Nueva Vida	1st Prize 2nd Prize
Rear Yard
Brian and Janice Fisher  Joseph DeDominic  Francis X. Grobes	1st Prize 2nd Prize 3rd Prize
Container Garden
Brian and Janice Fisher  Joseph DeDominic  Penny Dunyan  James L. Johnson	1st Prize 2nd Prize 3rd Prize Honorable Mention

Barbara Schmidt and Nancy Wismer, co-chairs of the contest with three of
the contest winners - Mary Jane Autry, Wendy Forlano and Susan Owad.

Garden Tour
            Spring tour of area gardens.

Habitat for Humanity
            Monetary contributions and donated plants to local Habitat for Humanity home.

Habitat For Humanity Project 2008

          In September, the Norristown Garden Club announced a project with Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County.  The Habitat for Humanity project included a one hundred dollar donation to buy trees, shrubs and perennials for five new Habitat homes in Norristown.  The location of the homes, at Green and Jacoby Streets, was originally a large Victorian house that succumbed to a devastating fire.  In its place, five carriage homes arose.  The new residents are families that have completed the Habitat for Humanity requirements, including 200 hours of “sweat equity.”  

          The Norristown Garden Club not only donated the one hundred dollars, but an envelope was passed at meetings to increase the total, and members donated some of their own plants to the project.  Dorothy MacDermott was the director of the project, with help from her husband, Don, son, Dennis, and daughter, Ruth.  All four volunteers waited patiently for the houses to be completed, and planting took place in November.  Six trees were planted, (three flowering Pears, and three Maples) forty shrubs, (including Azalea, Itea, Clethra, Acuba, and Euonymous) and many assorted perennials.

          The new residents of the Habitat homes are thrilled with their beautiful landscaping.  We hope the Norristown Garden Club program will continue to help Habitat for Humanity every year.

Historical Society of Montgomery County
            Provide exterior holiday decorations.

Horticultural Therapy
            Program at Regina Nursing Home.

The Lower Providence Historical Society's
Casselberry House in Evansburg
            Planting around a new Memorial Bench at entrance.

Regina Nursing Home, Norristown
            Provide fresh Christmas centerpieces for the holiday.

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
            Furnish judges and clerks for the Junior Flower Show in June and judges for City Garden Contest in July and August. Provide chairman, aides, clerks, hostesses, and entries for the Philadelphia Flower Show in March. Members judge for PHS Community Greening Award and serve on that committee.

The Perkiomen Trail
            Provide plant identification for trees in new areas along The Perkiomen Trail, Montgomery County. 

Ronald McDonald House
            Provide fresh flower arrangements for two weeks in June.

PRESENTATIONS