WADENA
— Long before Pinterest garden boards and backyard greenhouses became trendy, members of the Wadena Garden Club were already swapping seeds, sharing gardening wisdom and digging in the dirt together — a tradition that has continued to bloom in the Wadena community since 1949.
Julie Flath’s yard located on the south east side of Wadena was chosen as the Wadena Garden Club’s August 2025 Yard of the Month.
Nicole Stracek / Wadena Pioneer Journal
What began as a small group of men and women gathering to exchange gardening tips and beautify the community has blossomed into a long-standing local organization that continues to welcome new members, sponsor community projects and share generations of gardening knowledge throughout the Wadena area.
“There are no gardening mistakes — just learning experiences,” said Shirley Hartjen, longstanding club member. “But our mission is to learn, to grow and to share.”
Over the decades,
club members have planted and maintained public flower beds
, organized educational programs and encouraged gardeners of all experience levels to dig in and learn. Today, members say the club’s roots remain firmly planted in fellowship, service and a passion for helping things grow.
Members of the Wadena Garden Club gather around a table during at the Boondocks on April 23, 2026, enjoying coffee, sharing gardening tips and swapping stories. Club members say the friendships formed through the organization are just as rewarding as the gardens they grow. Pictured, from left: Annette Greenwaldt, Mary Schmit, Shirley Hartjen, Esther Freitag, Miriam Klemme, Jan Roers and Carolyn Flicek.
Nicole Stracek / Wadena Pioneer Journal
Advice for novice and experienced gardeners
While gardening techniques have changed over the decades, club members say many of the fundamentals remain the same — patience, observation and a willingness to learn from both successes and failures.
For those just getting started, garden club members say the key is to keep things simple.
“Start with a small and manageable garden, and plant a few vegetables that you really enjoy,” said club member Annamarie Tabery.
The amount of space needed depends largely on what a gardener hopes to grow.
“Gardening can be as little as growing tomatoes or peppers in pots on a patio, or a larger garden area in a sunny spot,” she said.
Looking back, she credits her early success to learning from others. “I watched and helped my mother with gardening as a child. That experience taught me a lot and helped me tremendously when I had my own garden and gave me the confidence to get started,” she said, adding that having mentors can make a significant difference for new gardeners.
In a September 2005 edition of the Wadena Pioneer Journal, Wadena Garden Club member Shirley Hartjen shows off her blossoming Easter lilies she planted outside in May.
Wadena Pioneer Journal
As for practical advice, she recommends investing in tools that reduce maintenance and labor. “Using soaker hoses has been a huge time saver, and landscape fabric between rows has saved me hours of weeding and many less backaches,” she said.
Jean Siirila encourages new gardeners to keep their first season simple and enjoyable. “Start small. Plant what you like,” she said.
For beginners wondering how much space they need, Siirila recommends starting with a single raised bed and expanding over time. She noted that raised beds offer several advantages, including reduced weeding and more efficient watering.
Shirley Hartjen’s Easter lilies that have bloomed as early as May. Hartjen began planting lilies in the spring in 2002.
WPJ file photo / Anna Erickson
One lesson she learned early on was the importance of protecting plants from wildlife. “Put a fence around the garden to keep rabbits out,” she said.
To save time and avoid frustration, Siirila relies on a few practical strategies. “Using plant labels for my plants has helped because so many plants look alike at first,” she said. She also recommends elevated raised beds, which allow gardeners to work comfortably while standing rather than kneeling.
More than gardening: monthly meetings and educational programs
Beyond tending flowers, swapping seeds and sharing growing tips, the Wadena Garden Club has become a place where friendships bloom alongside gardens.
The club meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 710 Franklin Ave. SW. Meetings are open to the public, and new members are always welcome. The club takes a break during December and January.
Wadena Garden Club members Sam and Lora Foust get their hands dirty cleaning out flower beds on Thurday, May 16, 2025 to help prepare for the upcoming Memorial Day program.
Contributed / Lora Foust
While gardening remains at the heart of the organization, members say the social connections are just as important. Monthly meetings give gardeners of all experience levels a chance to share successes and challenges, ask questions, exchange ideas and enjoy time with others who share a passion for growing things.
“Many of our members have developed lasting friendships through the club,” said Jan Roers. “It’s a chance to learn from each other, encourage one another and enjoy being together.”
The club’s annual program schedule features a variety of educational presentations, plant swaps, garden tours and field trips, designed to inspire members and introduce them to new gardening techniques. Recent programs have covered topics ranging from invasive species to herbal medicine.
“In June we try to get out of town and go to Landsburg Landscape Nursery in Brainerd,” said Hartjen. “In July we do Yard of the Month.”
The outings and special programs provide opportunities for members to learn from experts, visit new gardens and nurseries, and spend time together outside of regular meetings.
Whether members are seasoned gardeners with decades of experience, or first-time growers planting their very first flower bed, the club offers a welcoming environment where knowledge is shared freely and friendships continue to grow year after year.
Recognizing local beauty: Yard of the Month nominations sought
As part of its ongoing effort to celebrate local gardening and beautification, the Wadena Garden Club is once again seeking nominations for its
Yard of the Month
program. The annual recognition is given to local residents whose yards showcase creativity, effort, and gardening enthusiasm.
Jamie Petitt’s yard was chosen as the July Yard of the Month by the Wadena Garden Club members. Sitting on the back porch surrounding by variety of plants and flowers Petitt said he enjoys gardening in the summer months.
Nicole Stracek / Wadena Pioneer Journal
Started in 2004, nominations are taken for the Yard of the Month and a sign is placed at the chosen yard each month. Those who receive the Yard of the Month do not have to be part of the Wadena Garden Club.
Contact club president Carolyn Flicek at 218-296-0145 to nominate a yard to be considered for the Yard of the Month program.
Seven decades since its founding, members say the Wadena Garden Club remains committed to helping gardeners of all skill levels learn, grow and connect with one another. Whether through community projects, educational programs or simply sharing advice over coffee, the club continues to prove that gardening is about far more than flowers.
Hartjen said gardening has always come with a sense of humor, too.
“One quote I like — my sister Doris, who is a Master Gardener, had a pillow that said, ‘Gardeners know the best dirt!’” Hartjen said with a laugh. “I still laugh when I see that one.”
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