Raleigh Garden Club of North Carolina, Inc.

This year's garden will be: A Winter Interest Garden, with the assignment to design and plant

A garden ready for an early snowfall featuring evergreen plants, shrubs, and trees and the bones of the garden with distinctive colors, forms, twigs, and fruit.

Our very own national garden writer, blogger and radio show host Helen Yoest, also head of the Winter Garden Crew at the JC Raulston Arboretum, is chairing this year. Gentleman CJ Dykes, fabulous gardener, will be working with Helen and other interested members on the design for the garden. Helen has promised us her favorite things: "fun, flowers, and fellowship."

We all know it is hard work to plan, procure and install all the plants and their props. We all also know this is one of the best events in our club to enjoy digging, sweating, laughing, creating, learning and enjoying the wonderful fellowship of each other. We have no problem, hopefully humbly, receiving our ribbons and accolades. And lastly, there is the sale after cleaning up the site to purchase the spoils. Come and join in on the fun! Sign up in September when the new Club year gets underway, or email to help this summer. You will be glad you did!

The Raleigh Garden Club is one of our premier entrants each year. They always take an interesting theme to a new and different level, with a high degree of imagination and precision. Before a great many of our individual gardeners began to shine so much in the past few years, we could count on the Raleigh Garden Club to really sparkle with their A+ exhibit each year.
-- From the News and Observer Fair Garden Competition interviews, 2006

Each year a different individual in their club is responsible for chairing the group's efforts, so there is always a freshness of approach, along with some predictable continuity of production excellence. It is also all the more intriguing to appreciate how the club's group decision-making process, planning, and execution always knits together an ambitious and successful undertaking. I expect that the tradition of teamwork and competitive performance represented by the group's historical efforts would probably be an interesting story in itself.
-- From the NC State Fair Flower Show Chair, 2006

In the past years the Club's awards have included the following:

2002: Shady Lady.

Described as "your favorite shade plants in your favorite style garden," it captivated the public and its planting plan was adopted wholesale by several gardeners new to the Triangle as "exactly what they wanted in their yards."

2003: Harry Potter's Adventures.

The Hogwarts garden was created with herbs and plants selected for their magical names and associations including mandrakes ordered from a specialty nursery in Oregon. There was a pond with big green frogs, winding paths with layered planting and even a trompe-l’oeil green house.

2004: Teahouse of the October Moon.

The garden was stunning with the simplicity celebrated in the gardens of Japan, including a bamboo fence that was hand tied in the traditional manner. The tea house was so accurate it was sold after the Fair, and still resides in a private garden.

2005: A Winter Interest Garden.

This winning garden is remembered for its amazing conifers and the planted hypertufa containers that were miniature gardens in themselves.

2006: Fanciful Fragrance Garden- A Thyme to Dream.

The judges called it “Utterly elegant.” Sixty-three varieties of fragrant flowering plants were the stars. This garden was especially designed for evening viewing with the fragrance of moonflowers and moon lantern backed by a mirror to create a soft enchantment.

2007: An Elizabeth Lawrence Garden.

Our Fair Garden honored Miss Lawrence’s wish that gardens be “beautiful in all seasons.” The twenty-six different plants, reflecting pond, paths and a reproduction of Madonna and Child created beauty, interest and texture in all seasons. Yes, of course, Elizabeth Lawrence was a member of The Raleigh Garden Club.

2008: An Historic Charleston Garden.

The Horticulture Study Group produced our very own Little Charleston – and the judges concurred, saying: "The realization of Charleston is this garden. The texture and quality of plants is outstanding."

2009: An historic Pompei Garden. Celebrating Greek and Italian Herbs, this very detailed garden consisted of many medicinal and culinary herbs, both ancient and modern. The crowning touch were the murals representing scenes from ancient Pompeii by Carol Robertson and Christine Pecore.

Will be posted shortly.