SHREWSBURY – On May 16, the Shrewsbury Senior Center parking lot was awash in color. With hundreds of plants displayed on about a dozen tables, residents roamed selections of red, purple, and yellow flowers – with a variety of other available options.
But the most noticeable color that morning was green – and that’s not accounting for all the leaves, stems, and herbs around the flowers. Members of the Shrewsbury Garden Club – those who have been members for at least a year – were roaming around in custom-made green aprons, excited to help their neighbors pick out the perfect plant.
This is the magic behind the Shrewsbury Plant Sale, an annual tradition hosted by the Garden Club. After two consecutive years of rain, this year’s weather finally matched the energy and enthusiasm of Garden Club members.
“This is our way to beautify – and while we’re here, we educate,” said Garden Club co-president Barbara Droege. “There’s every type of gardener – some garden in containers, some do vegetables, some do just herbs.”
Formed in 1957, the Garden Club started with 14 women meeting at someone’s house. Since then, the club has rejuvenated parts of Shrewsbury, created new garden installations, and awarded thousands of dollars in scholarship money.
If you’re a Shrewsbury resident, chances are you’ve passed through the intersection of Main Street and Maple Avenue. The intersection’s island is thoughtfully maintained and beautified by the Garden Club, a difficult, but incredibly rewarding pursuit.
“It’s our best advertisement. It makes people happy,” said Droege.
The first Plant Sale dates back to 1975. Plants are sourced from all over, including greenhouses, local gardeners, and wholesalers (for herbs), helping local residents kick-start their gardening. Proceeds go back to the Garden Club.
Garden Club members like Kerry Holley wait for the Plant Sale every year.
“First of all, you have to love flowers and things that bloom and grow,” she said. “Spring is so short here – you have to be involved. We love to keep the town looking beautiful. We do whatever we need to do to keep the town beautiful and thriving.”
And as spring becomes summer, Garden Club members were quick to offer advice on how to maintain the perfect garden. It takes a little bit of commitment, a lot of love, and an appreciation of the outdoors, members said.
“The first thing I did is I just got plants from other people – you know they’re hardy, you know they grow easily. If they’re separating their plants, they’re growing quickly. That’s where you start and you get more adventurous. Start with the easy stuff,” said Droege.
Added Holley: “If you have a piece of land where you’re going to be there for a while, maybe put some perennials in – see how they do. Annuals are beautiful for color, and you can put them in containers, in the ground. Nature takes care of things.”
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