KENNEBUNKPORT — The Seacoast Garden Club of Kennebunkport, founded nearly 40 years ago, is revving up for the 2019-2020 season.

Founded by eight local women, there are currently 87 members from Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Arundel, Biddeford and Wells. Meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at the Community House, 8 Temple St. in Kennebunkport.

This past June at the club’s annual meeting, Elizabeth Grant and Lauren Handler were inducted as co-presidents. Judy Phillips and Claire Julian were named co-vice presidents, with Carol Olson and Jean Moulton serving as co-treasurers. Annette Bowler is corresponding secretary and Elsa van Bergen is recording secretary.

Monthly meetings from October to May educate members on all aspects of horticulture. Schedule presentations this season include “Finding Inspiration in the Late Season Landscape,” “Art in Bloom Roadshow” presented by a senior associate floral designer at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and “The Joy of Herbs.” Additionally, there are several workshops on the calendar, including one to make boxwood Christmas trees and another devoted to creating May baskets.

During the summer months, all members participate in tending local gardens.

In addition to the Monument Garden in Dock Square, the Seacoast Garden Club maintains plots at Kennebunkport’s Graves Library and post office. They also tend gardens in Kennebunk at the town hall and the Kennebunk Free Library, plus several others.

Every year the Seacoast Garden Club provides a scholarship to a graduating senior from Kennebunk High School who plans to study horticulture in college. Much of the scholarship funds are raised by the club’s only fundraiser, the annual Plant and Pie Sale, held over Memorial Day Weekend in Kennebunk.

The club builds friendship but it is not strictly social. Its members work hard and provide community service to the communities where its members live.

They also support the Conservation Pledge that is stated on the inside cover of the SGC yearbook that reads, “I pledge to protect and conserve the natural resources of the planet Earth and promise to promote education as we may become caretakers of our air, water, forests, land and wildlife.”

Anyone interested in learning more about membership in the SCG should contact Membership Chairman Jan Ferland at 204-0272 or jan.mailus@yahoo.com)

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