“Gracious Gardeners “ enjoy Spring Planting

Photo: One of the first steps in planting is soil preparation which this student is doing. (Courtesy photo)

Gracious Gardeners Youth Garden Club was organized about eight years ago by the DeSoto Civic Garden Club as one of its clubs’ objectives to facilitate and educate elementary students in their love of gardening. In providing instructional activities related to gardening, it also allowed them to think through the processes of preparing the soil, planting, watering, and weeding.

On April 12, at Longview Point Baptist Church in Hernando, the first of four such meetings took place.  At that time, about twenty-five K-4 students received instructions by DeSoto Civic Garden Club members regarding the process of planting seedlings, annuals, as well as vegetable seeds in planter boxes that were provided by church members. 

Among those items planted were annuals such as zinnias, marigolds, snapdragons, the herb fennel for butterfly caterpillars, and vegetables of carrots, squash, broccoli, and sweet peas. When the garden plants mature , they will be free and available for harvesting by church members and visitors.

The DeSoto Civic Garden Club is a member of the National Garden Club, Inc., Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc., and The Garden Clubs of Mississippi, Inc.