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Current Projects
The American Chestnut Foundation Hale House Pettaquamscutt Historical Society South Kingstown Land Trust Celebrate Matunuck Smith's Castle Scholarship Tri-Pond Park Annual Contributions |
The Garden Club of America called all of its member clubs to participate is a multi-year project focussing on trees. The South County Garden Club chose to support The American Chestnut Foundation in partnership with the University of Rhode Island Master Gardeners and The South Kingstown Land Trust. The Club donated an irrigation system for the fields testing the vigor and disease resistance of chestnut seedlings. The project is ongoing.
Hale House was a summer retreat for the Hale Family from Brookline, Massachusetts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were guests of the Weedens, owners of the house and the surrounding farmand. The Hale's were artists, writers, botanists, and altogether very interesting. The recognition of their artistic output has inspired the current interest in Matunuck landscape painting.
The Garden Club worked with a local master craftsman to rebuild the trellises that were a prominent feature of Hale House at the time of their residence. They were completed in June 2012. Celebrate Matunuck, a weekend event sponsored by The South County Garden Club was held on June 29 & 30 2012 to benefit both Hale House and The South Kingstown Land Trust. The events consisted of a Preview Party, auction, and Art in Bloom exhibit at Hale house on Friday and a tour of 6 member gardens and a local craft fair held at The South Kingstown Land Trust Barn on Saturday. The weather was perfect and the events enabled the Club to give substantial contributions to each institution. The South County Garden Club is supporting the restoration of walkways in the historic garden at Smith's Castle in Wickford, RI. The Club installed an 18th century garden at Smith's Castle in the 1950's that was promptly destroyed by Hurricane Carol. The members reinstalled the garden after the devastation and our commitment to this site continues. Thanks to a gift from past member Susan B. Wilson, the Club annually provides financial support to a student in the University of Rhode Island School of Landscape Architecture. The Club collaborated with the South Kingstown Parks & Recreation Department to create a Butterfly and Native Plant Garden at The Tri-Pond Environmental Center on Asa Pond for use in their educational program. The Club is committed to supporting the following non-profit organizations that complement the mission and vision of our members. The South Kingstown Land Trust The Pettaquamscutt Historical Society The American Chestnut Foundation The Narrow River Preservation Association The Friends of Canonchet Farm The Cocumscussoc Association The Rhode Island Wild Plant Society The Gilbert Stuart Museum |
