About Us
History of the Club
Founded in 1948, Seal Rock Garden Club is a 70 year plus community non-profit organization formed for coastal gardeners to share their knowledge of plants and to provide a social setting for individuals interested in gardening, conservation and support of community gardening projects. A housing barracks for conscientious objectors during World War II, the clubhouse originally located at Camp Angell, Waldport was purchased at auction for $306 and was moved to its' present site in Seal Rock in the 70's.
Meetings
Monthly meetings are held from September to June with presentations on gardening topics relevant to coastal gardening. We meet when the weather starts to turn cool and rainy, allowing us maximum time in the garden during the warmer, drier summer growing months. Field trips to private and public gardens are available to members as well as visitors throughout the course of our "club season". Experts from Oregon State University, private enterprise, University of Oregon and others in their field of expertise present informative lectures and demonstrations on horticulture, flower arrangement and master gardening. Presentations begin at 11:00 a.m. followed by a business meeting and a light lunch. Our meetings are free and open to the public. The club is a non-profit organization, 501 (c) (4).
Special Events
Each year members are involved in two major fund raising events, the Greens Sale in December and the Flower and Plant Show in June.
Our annual Christmas Greens and Gift Sale takes place in early December. Locally grown greens are crafted and designed into wreaths, swags, and table arrangements made by members. Holiday gifts, small live decorated trees and a raffle of gift items are available for purchase. Funds from the Greens Sale are used for maintaining the clubhouse and grounds.
The Flower and Plant Sale on June 15 is an end of the year event with the clubhouse decorated with spring flowers and the surrounding yard full of sale plants suitable for coastal gardens. Mark your calendars for our Plant Sale. The sale is from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Gardeners start lining up early to buy plants. Sales are brisk. A portion of the funds raised go to nonprofit organizations that support gardening, education, conservation and local civic gardening projects.
Earth Day 2019, April 22
"In nature, nothing exists alone." Rachel Carson, 1962
Celebrate Earth Day 2019 by simply enjoying things that we take for granted: the smell of fresh air, making contact with soil, looking and admiring the natural beauty that surrounds us. Go for a walk through the woods in search of emerging wildflowers, mushrooms, ferns and moss. Walk the seashore. Go outside, no matter what the weather!
What is Earth Day and when did Earth Day start? This observance arose from an interest in gathering national support for environmental issues. In 1970, San Francisco activist John McConnell and Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson separately asked Americans to join in a grassroots demonstration. McConnell chose the spring equinox (March 21, 1970) and Nelson chose April 22. Millions of people participated and today, Earth Day continues to be widely celebrated. Common celebration activities include planting trees, cleaning up liter, or simply enjoying nature through hiking, starting an organic garden, growing native plants that attract pollinators, butterflies and hummingbirds, watering wisely or taking a walk in the woods or beach. *
*Taken from "The Old Farmer's Almanac" and 2019 Earth Day Network sites. For additional information on Earth Day and how to make every day Earth Day, click on the button below to visit two of the many links available: earthday.org (for their lists of threatened and endangered plant and animal species) , and The Old Farmer's Almanac.
Horticultural Links
The monthly Garden Calendar produced by Oregon State Extension provides reminders of key garden chores, such as fertilizing, pest control, planting and maintenance. Recommendations in this calendar are not necessarily applicable to all areas of Oregon. For more information, contact your local Extension Office. Use the 'action button' below to access the Garden Calendar and other information.
Watch this space for links to additional information, handouts, references, bibliographies, etc. sourced from the Club's program presentations, such as, propagation, rhododendrons, Tower Gardening, etc. On this website, you will find action buttons like the Oregon State University Extension action button or link below. Click on the button to explore the link for more information, and for links to related topics.
Coming Events at the Clubhouse
May 15, 2019, "Rhododendron Care for the Oregon Coast", By Mike Bones, Bones Nursery, Florence, Pres., American Rhododendron Society, Florence Chapter.
Mike will be speaking the same week as the Florence Rhododendron Festival is celebrated. In addition to discussing Rhododendron care, he will touch on grooming and preparing a truss for a flower show, Rhododendron Festival highlights and a couple of special plant auctions. He has been growing rhododendrons for more than 50 years and has a large collection of mature plants, species and hybrids -- some over 20 feet tall. He has rhododendron color 8 months in his garden. In recent years, he started branching out into other plants and has a garden with color all year long. He has had a nursery for 45 years, working with customers to find the correct plant for the right spot in their gardens. A retired Oregon State Park Ranger and native to Florence, he knows what plants grow well here.
May 22, 2019, "Field Trip to Gathering Together Farms", Grange Hall Rd., Philomath, OR
Gathering Together Farm is an enterprise in certified organic vegetable and fruit production that began in 1987 with their home base just south of Philomath, OR on Grange Hall Road. Their more than 50 acres of fields are small odd shaped parcels. Gathering Together is owned by John Eveland and Sally Brewer, husband and wife. In the heat of the summer, there are over 120 employees working to nurture and harvest high-quality food, prepare it for customers, and sell it at market to individuals, at farmers' markets, to local restaurants and wholesale.
The trip is for members and a limited number of spaces are set aside for visitors.
June 15, 2019. "Flower Show and Plant Sale", at Seal Garden Clubhouse, 9 to 2 p.m., 10377 NW Rand St.
Mark your calendars for this sale. Local gardeners and bargain hunters line up early to buy plants. Sales are brisk and everyone goes home with bargains.
The photo at top left depicts a wall sized quilted mural on display at the clubhouse made by Lois Pleger, a member. The photo does not fully capture the beautiful design and craftsmanship of the quilt.