On September 17, 1965, eight ladies who loved gardening met at the home of Mrs. Clarence Hale to discuss forming a new women’s garden club in North Port Charlotte. They met again on Friday, September 24, 1965, at the Community Center with 16 women present. Mrs. Raymond Beck, President, and Mrs. William Connell of the Port Charlotte Garden Club, along with Mrs. Albert Olingy, National Council Flower Show Judge, explained, helped, and guided the ladies to their first election of officers. The club was named the Allamanda Women’s Club of North Port Charlotte. By November’s meeting, there were 20 members, and the Men’s Garden Club presented the program “Soil”. Soon after, the club name changed to the Allamanda Garden Club of North Port (Club).
From that point on, the Club’s monthly meetings, held on the 4th Friday of the month, offered flower arrangements and other topics presented by members and invited program presenters. The motto was “A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever.”
The yellow allamanda (Allamanda cathartica) was established as the Club flower and color, with many new members receiving a small Allamanda plant. Dues were $3.00. Mrs. Harry Dover was President. By the end of March 1966, there were 33 charter members. The Club was federated into the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs on March 3, 1967.
The Club took on ambitious projects like: Yard of the Month; Flower Shows; sponsored Christmas decorations competitions; purchasing litter containers to help beautify North Port during Anti-Litter Week; and took part in local rummage and bake sales annually. An activity that has continued into the current times is the planting of a memorial tree for each deceased member. In addition, the Club raised $125 for a Blue Star memorial maker at U.S. Rte. 41 and Biscayne Blvd., and it was dedicated with much ado on December 3, 1968. The marker was moved and rededicated on May 31, 1976. It stands at U.S. 41 and Pan American Blvd.
In the 70’s, the Club added Bazaars, annual card parties, Hat Parade, Litter Control Poster Contest, plantings at the Scout House, Arbor Day tree plantings, and Anti-Litter Week.
In the 80’s, the Club held summer workshops for flower arranging; Spruce Up Week for Arbor Day; and started the North Port Elementary School Youth Garden Club with 32 students in third through fifth grade. The Club also established the practice field trips, starting with Spanish Point with a picnic, and the Everglades Corkscrew Swamp.
In the 90’s, the Yard of the Year was part of the North Port Days celebration. There was one winner and three runners-up. Dot Hobson, a Club member, was crowned Queen of North Port by the Ladies of the Elks. Like garden clubs everywhere in the 1990’s, the Allamanda Garden Club became increasingly involved in protecting the environment. Members went to the Quality Care Center to bring plants and work with the residents monthly, and planted a garden for them. Approval was granted by the City of North Port for the Club to Adopt-A-Street. Memorial trees were planted on Arbor Day in January. The Poinsettia Parade was a regular event for many years. Members even made a trip to Epcot in Disney World.
The Club was instrumental in saving a heritage oak tree from being cut down. They tied yellow ribbons around the tree, promoted it in the newspapers, signed petitions, and made calls to persuade. In 1991, the Yard of the Week was held for seven weeks during North Port Days. The Club was instrumental in the city of North Port receiving the Tree City USA designation for planting over 800 trees in two years. Dues were $8.
In the 2000’s, the Club held its first “English Tea” to raise money for North Port High School scholarships. “English Tea” funds now provide scholarships to college students in fields such as Urban Forestry, Environmental Horticulture, Agriculture, and Life Sciences.
The Allamanda Garden Club of North Port has come a long way. In 2018, the Club became a not-for-profit corporation and was designated as a 501(c)3 charitable organization thanks to the hard work and efforts of former president Emily Panek.
The 2020’s saw major changes for the Club. The Club’s President, Lisa Colburn, has brought it into the 21st century by setting up a website and Facebook page to promote the club’s activities. The Club supports People for Trees, Friends of the Little Spring, and Backpack Angels. When the Club turned 55, it sponsored a Yard-of-the-Year contest.
The Allamanda Garden Club has been fortunate to have members who have distinguished themselves through extensive contributions to the community. One such member, Valerie Ollinger, a Master Gardener and volunteer extraordinaire, has been recognized by the city for her volunteer work in educating residents in Florida on friendly landscaping and design, while contributing to the health of our environment.
In its 60th year, this Club has been an inspiration to many residents of North Port and the surrounding area. We have several master gardeners and even a flower Show judge, Susie Cochran, as Club members. Carrie Murphy, a member, heads up the creative hands-on workshops, which give members an opportunity to learn exciting floral and plant processes while designing pieces of art for their homes and gardens. Our Club meetings are always educational. We tackle timely topics related to horticulture, birds and butterflies, and climate change. We’ll be learning more about houseplants, succulents, and Ikebana while working hard on new projects and having fun together!