Men most certainly garden, they just don’t join garden clubs. The 40 members of the Buckhead Men’s Garden Club are the exception. The all-male organization, founded in 1960, is believed to be the only men’s garden club in the state, and among only a few in the country, says Allen Ferrell, a retired product designer and the club’s president. “I don’t really know why there aren’t more clubs,” Ferrell said. “Most the women’s garden clubs welcome men. Men don’t join them, either.” Members of the Buckhead Men’s Garden Club are secure enough to buck the trend, honing their green thumbs at the Atlanta History Center where they lease greenhouse space and tend five raised beds. That’s been great for members who either don’t have large enough yards or live in condos or apartments with no garden space at all. The club bills itself as a diverse group of fun-loving guys who take stewardship of their corner of Atlanta very seriously. With annual dues of $50, seems more gardeners of the male persuasion might want to think about joining. For more on this garden club, contact buckheadmensgardenclub@gmail.com.
Q: How did the garden club get started?
A: A group of men who lived in the Buckhead area were all gardeners but did not have enough a greenhouse or enough space in their yard. These were guys with an interest in gardening and wanted to share experiences.
Q: Does your group do a lot of community service projects?
A: We have in the past. For the past couple of years, the guys have not been contributing as much in time and efforts due to a variety of reasons. We have taken on individual things — such as putting in a garden at a nursing home or a planting at a special community marker.
Q: Do you plan on doing more projects?
A: Definitely. We are going to do more work with the Atlanta History Center with rare and Georgia native plants.
Q: Do you have to live in Buckhead to belong to your club?
A: Absolutely not. Only about half of our members are from Buckhead.
Q: Do your members grow vegetables, flowers, both?
A: Both but I’d say mostly flowers. We have members who grow orchids, gardening flowers, houseplants, succulents that flower, etc. We have one member who specializes in carnivorous plants.
Q: How long have you been into gardening?
A: Forty years. All of us have been in gardening for years and years and years. We have trouble getting younger members. Many young gardeners have families and are busy with family activities. One of our goals is to bring gardening to kids so dads can come.
Q: Other than a patch of dirt, what does the $50 in annual dues get you?
A: Fifty percent of what we grow we share with members. We exchange gardening information and take advantage of guest speakers and other gardening-related presentations. We have had a tent at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. Then there’s the camaraderie and fellowship.
Q: What does gardening do for you?
A: It is very cleansing to have your hands in the dirt and to nurture something and watch it grow and develop. I grew up on a ranch in eastern Colorado. Now I live in the city in a condo. The club is a great opportunity to stay in touch with those old basic roots, so to speak.
The Sunday conversation is edited for length and clarity. Writer Ann Hardie can be reached by email at ann.hardie@ymail.com.
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