Garden Club grows community with donations

When the Sarasota Garden Club completed its inaugural Garden Fest event from Sept. 19, it was left with more than 500 plants in need of a good home.

The solution: donate the extras to Habitat for Humanity. The donated lot included plants ranging from smaller succulents to large bromeliads and plumerias. The club also donated more than 60 herbs to the Tidewell Hospice herb garden. 

Many of the plants donated and featured in the show were grown by club members. One particular donation came from the husband of late member Marcia Moretsky, who died in early September. Her husband, Howard, wasn’t able to take care of her extensive botany collection, so he decided to donate them in her memory. 

Co-chairs for the event, Melanie Babineau and Jeannie Renderer, were thrilled with the turnout for the inaugural event. Funds raised will benefit the upkeep of the club, as well as academic scholarships for local students.