How Brigantine’s Garden Club Brings Color and Community to the Island
BRIGANTINE’S GARDEN CLUB WAS FOUNDED OVER 40 YEARS AGO AS A SOCIAL ACTIVITY TO BEAUTIFY THE ISLAND. TODAY, THEIR COLORFUL LANDSCAPES AND BEDS CAN BE FOUND ALL AROUND TOWN FROM THE FOOT OF THE BRIDGE TO THE SEAWALL. THE VOLUNTEERS FOSTER COMMUNITY CONNECTION BY CELEBRATING THE ISLAND’S HOME GARDENERS WITH ADVICE, PLANTINGS, AND AWARDS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
text STEF GODFREY // photos KELLY AND CRAIG PHOTOGRAPHY
They say what you sow is what you reap. For the Brigantine Garden Club, the seeds of community beautification, social connection, and community pride they planted more than 40 years ago have spread deep roots throughout Brigantine Island. Their impact on the island can be seen almost immediately, as Garden Club volunteers are responsible for the flowers and flagpole at the foot of the bridge.
Volunteers for the Garden Club maintain about 100 beds throughout the island and the pots on the seawall, host annual secret garden tours, and join community events like the weekly Farmers Market where they have giveaways and presentations to enrich the community.
Though its presence is widespread these days, the Garden Club had humble beginnings.
“The Garden Club was started by five couples. It was a social activity, they wanted to beautify the island, and to this day, that’s still our goal, to beautify the island,” said Debi Ples, who’s been a member for over 35 years. “They all chipped in $10 and that was their budget. The big thing they did was plant daffodil bulbs. Throughout the island there are over 8,500 daffodil bulbs. That was the start of the Garden Club.”
What began with 10 founding members, has grown to a team of nearly 100 volunteers who play a pivotal role in keeping Brigantine beautiful. Today, the Garden Club, a city-sponsored organization, has a board of directors, a team of volunteers, and a budget.
“If you’re a board member, you’re a member, and everybody else that helps, and there are so many other people who help, there are 98 right now, they are volunteers,” said board member Louise Groeber, noting that everyone in Garden Club, including all board members are volunteers.
Fran Streeper and Phyllis Glomb are the southend and northend bed coordinators, respectively. They oversee all the beds in their area, making sure each has a bedtender, who will plant and maintain the bed throughout the year.
“The Garden Club’s master gardeners let us know which plants are drought- tolerant, which are strong rebloomers, which do well in sandy soil. Then a group of Garden Club members will order everything, pick them up, then they split the plants between the two sections of town northend and southend. Then everyone comes and picks what they want from what’s offered,” said Debi.
Bedtenders can either use these purchased plants or place whatever plants they’d like in their beds. Though there are a few rules to consider.
“People should always consider height, so that they’re not blocking traffic. Three feet is the maximum,” said Debi. “You want something that’s drought tolerant.”
If this seems daunting, the Garden Club has you covered. A few volunteers, including Linda Mantello, are master gardeners, ready and willing to help with tips and advice.
Their impact on
the island can
be seen almost
immediately.
“They come to me with their questions. I also started the Facebook page for this club @ BrigantineGardenClub. Because I’m a master gardener, I’m required to only put fact-based stuff online,” said Linda. “I think I’ve answered close to 300 questions on the page. Plus, we have a phone number with an answering machine. If you don’t feel like Googling it yourself, you ask us.”
Phyllis writes a weekly article in the Brigantine Times keeping the community posted on Garden Club events, monthly meetings, gardening tips and more.
“I love it. It’s a labor of love,” said Phyllis.
If you do seek advice from the Garden Club, perhaps you’ll win next year’s biggest tomato contest or win one of the best garden awards.
“Just a few weeks ago, I got a phone call from someone who wants someone from the Garden Club to come give her advice about the flagpole that’s in Kings Cove at the Point. They wanted to spruce it up, so we put her in touch with Johanne Milnes, another one of our master gardeners. We work with anybody who needs help,” added Fran.
At the monthly meetings, advice and plants are shared as volunteers gather to socialize, learn, and grow their garden so to speak. There are speakers throughout the year as well, lending their expertise to the room.
“If you have plants in your yard, let’s say you have hostas, you can bring them to our monthly meeting. This past meeting, we had strawberry plants, canna bulbs. Our goals are still the same as our founders,” said Debi. “It was social, beautifying the island. That’s what we do. If you choose, you can come 15 minutes early, we have refreshments, you get to talk to people, ask questions of the master gardeners.”
On June 29, the Garden Club will have its annual secret garden tour.
Home gardeners can volunteer their garden to be included in the tour by reaching out to the Garden Club. June is also when the club gives out their annual garden awards. In past years, volunteers visited every garden on the island and selected the best for awards. These days, nominations are needed for a Garden Club member to visit your garden and consider it for an award. It’s easy to nominate, and you can nominate yourself. Reach out through the Facebook page, email brigantinegardenclubnj@gmail.com or call 609-266-7800.
“We award people who are home gardeners. In June, we give them awards for keeping their gardens so beautiful. That same month, we also do free secret garden tours,” said Louise. “We go out on a certain morning in June, this year it’s June 29, and meet and are given a list of homes to go to. Many times gardens are not in front, so you wouldn’t see them. Last year, it was like going into Narnia. It was lovely.
*Article made possible by Ralph Paul Busco of Soleil Sotheby’s.
