Garden Club Blooms with Plans to Grow Further
Garden Club, although relatively new, has big plans for the winter season and beyond.
![Since last year's fundraiser involving succulents went so well, Roots Garden Club has faith in their upcoming fundraiser. Currently being kept in Lowery's room, the succulent plants are housed in holiday-themed jars that could be a Christmas gift for someone on your list. "This would be a really cute gift idea for a favorite teacher that they [students] want to show appreciation for," said Lowery. "And it supports the Garden Club."](https://jonesblueprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/rsz_p1140614.jpg)
Since last year’s fundraiser involving succulents went so well, Roots Garden Club has faith in their upcoming fundraiser. Currently being kept in Lowery’s room, the succulent plants are housed in holiday-themed jars that could be a Christmas gift for someone on your list. “This would be a really cute gift idea for a favorite teacher that they [students] want to show appreciation for,” said Lowery. “And it supports the Garden Club.”
Blooming onto the scene, Roots Garden Club, started just last year, has been growing like a weed and is now ready to kick off their holiday fundraiser. Co-presidents Katie Treskow ‘17 and Emma Wilson ‘17 started the club for their love of gardening, and science teacher Nichole Lowery started sponsoring the club just this year. Despite being such a new club, it still has ambitious plans.
“Our goal is to beautify the school,” said Wilson. “We want to get more plants around school and in the courtyard.”
Their goals are not only based on plants, however, as the club also wants to collaborate with Green Team, the school’s environmental club.
“We want to start composting, so we want to work with the Green Team,” said Wilson. “We feel bad that we [in the school] don’t do that already.”
To achieve these goals and more, Roots Garden Club knows fundraising is necessary. For the upcoming holiday season, they have prepared a fundraiser to raise money for their composting efforts and to buy more seedlings and tools they need.
“The fundraiser is awesome and adorable,” said Lowery. “We are selling little holiday-themed jars with succulent plants in them, and it is such a cute idea.”
The succulent plants, which have parts that are fleshy and thickened more than usual, like cacti, will be on sale in December. The timing of the sale makes them a good idea for a Christmas gift, which was the intention of the Garden Club. They will cost around ten dollars, but the price may change depending on the size of the plant. A similar fundraiser took place at the end of the last school year that went very well, earning the club around $100 and allowing the Garden Club to purchase supplies for the December fundraiser, plants for the terrace, and additional tools..
“I’m excited for them [the fundraisers],” said Jack Harris ‘17, a member of Roots. “I hope people enjoy our hours of long work and toil.”
Garden club is still planning on growing from the seedling it is now. In addition to working with Green Team and their upcoming fundraisers, they have other hopes for what the club can bloom into.
“I hope it’ll grow into a more diverse organization and define its responsibilities more clearly,” said Lowery. “The club just started, and the members learned from last year. It will get even better.”
Garden Club meets every Monday at 7:15 a.m. in room 5005 and is open to new members.. They have many big plans that will soon take root.
“Join Garden Club,” said Harris. “I learned how to weed, what a succulent is, and what a coleus looks like. Being a part of this club is a good choice.”
![Photo of Alicia Wala](https://jonesblueprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/rsz_p1120632-475x356.jpg)
Interests/hobbies: Running, reading, the brain
Extracurricular activities: Cross Country, Track & Field, Garden Club, SGA, volunteer Chicago Children's...