There are guys here, Smitty! But they tend to use names that don't clearly express gender. I'm Ginny12 and it's pretty obvious that's a female name but how about Tree Oracle? We know he's a guy but newbies might not--no way of telling from that name. EGO45 is another example of a great guy gardener whose gender is not identifiable from his cyber name. There are other examples. Hey, guys, you need to come out of the woodwork so Smitty can reassure his wife that this is an equal opportunity forum!

An OT question might be: Are guys less likely to choose cyber names like their real names--or any human name--than women? If so, why? That'll get your week off to a good start.

Smitty, that is so ironic. I was just visiting my MIL's new place in Cheshire and from the highway to her apartment I passed no less than 4 great looking nurseries! This was in just a few miles. Each nursery looked better than the other and as we whizzed out of town on the way home I noticed that the Welcome to Cheshire sign said something about being a "bedding plant capital". I was thinking, wow, would I like to live here. And there you are, just a hop, skip and a jump away. Lucky you. There must be tons of gardening clubs in that area.

I think you might be right about most gardeners on this site being women (although I notice the Landscape Forum and Tree forums seem to have quite a few men). Ironically, my first gardening buddy was my neighbor/friend's husband. She and my husband would joke about what we were up to in the garden. Really, just gardening.

I find the love of gardens and tending a garden bring together people of all ages, sexes, and affliations. Somehow when you're tending plants and digging holes and spreading compost everyone is just a person, equal but with different strengths and weaknesses. It's like that line from the children's song "Pullin' weeds and pickin' stones,
We are made of dreams and bones."

Patty

Smitty,

We just moved to southern Litchfield County after 18 years in North Haven -- I went to my first (great!) plant swap in Woodbury this spring! Never heard of one in North Haven or New Haven, and I belonged to a garden club (there are plenty of clubs in your area, but the clubs tend to be women, and tend to meet during the day when a lot of working folks -- men and women -- can't get to the meetings; still, they can be good sources of information). I spent some wonderful hours volunteering at the Bird and Butterfly Garden (at the CT Ag Station's Lockwood Farms in Hamden) -- a project I learned about through the Hamden (Spring Glen) Garden Club -- and learned an absolute ton from the other volunteers as well as the Ag Station staff. Maybe check with the Wallingford Garden Club (I know there is one) and find out what they're up to or if they know of local plant swaps, etc. ... also, I'm sure you know about Vinny's evening gardening seminars -- I've met some great gardeners at those (and men definitely do attend!) But for sure, I never came across a free plant or seed swap until I moved out here...!

Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: A link to (some) state garden club info

LOL, Smitty, the way I see it, most of the CT gardeners on this forum are from Fairfield county. I'm in Wethersfield amd I go to most of the swaps and get togethers but usually have to drive 45 minutes to an hour. Lately there does seem to be a higher percentage of men than usual at the garden events. You should plan to check out our CT swap. Our next one will probably be in September/October in Woodbury.

Sue

One thing I did notice is that almost everyone on these things is a woman.. I saw a few guys, but I guess guys don't garden?

I think they garden, but in silence. *ducking & running*

Still, it's an interesting point. I know of plenty of knife, car, and gun forums filled primarily with guys, so obviously guys do get together online to talk about their hobbies. So why not about gardening? As someone else said, there *are* a lot more guys on the lawn forum, and I know there's a reasonable number on the roses forum. Maybe the guys just like a tighter focus?

I live on the CT shoreline, Middlesex County, and have attended the Woodbury swap regularly, except for the last one. I'm of the female persuasion, but there are a number of guys at the CT swaps. It's a drive, but worth it.

Come on over to the Winter Sowing Forum, Smitty - Donn and Ron are two guys - both seasoned gardeners - whose gardening wisdom we women cherish.

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing Forum

I live and garden in Ansonia and that's in New Haven Cty and that plant swap that just happened in Woodbury is not far of a drive. You should have gone! Richie

Oh....and I am a guy!

Well, we'll have a mid-season 'Get together' party in my garden on Sunday, June 25 in Westport.
You are invited.
See link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Get-together in CT

Hey Smitty -

I was WAS in Wallingford, now I'm living in Manchester.

I was not too impressed with the Wallingfordianites Garden Club - it seemed like a bunch of uptight spinsters. In contrast, The Manchester Garden Club has lots of younger members and several guys, so I joined.

If you don't already know, the Wallingford Recycling Center has FREE compost for residents. Bring a shovel and some large containers. They also have great prices to fill your pickup with mulch or compost.

The Woodbury Spring Swap was a great time, guys there too, BBQ, George brought wine. Make sure to go to the Fall one.

I'll be North Haven on July 15 where I'm doing a talk on CPs as part of the CT Master Gardeners Extension programs. I'll be bringing a lot of unusual plants from my collection for display too. You don't have to be a master gardener to take the classes (it just costs a little more..)

WildBill

Here is a link that might be useful: CT Master Gardeners

"Uptight spinsters"?

I guess you had to be there.

Some of the younger gardeners from the Wallingford area (men and women) felt the same way. It's too bad since it could be a great thing if they did more to attract newer younger members.

The Manchester group I'm now in is a TOTAL contrast.

Bill, I'm with you.
I visited once our local garden club meeting and competition (haha!) and know what you are talking about.
All talks were about how to propagate more of the nepeta and rudbeckia, so they could sell more of it at the chirch charity events.
And all hydrangeas in a world were divided into two cathegories, 'my beautifull lacecap' and 'my gorgeous Nikko Blue'.

"Uptight spinsters"?
Exactly correct. Great wording.

While I agree with the overall assessment (i.e., that many of the local garden clubs comprise older women, who are in many cases the ones with the time for it -- I'm not a member of a club myself, partly for that reason, partly because I just don't "do" flower shows and those are a large component of most club activities), I think we could be a little more gracious. We, too, will be gray-haired one day! Plus, I know of many towns that would have no community gardens, no flowers in or around town hall, etc., were it not for these dedicated souls! So let's give them some credit for being able -- and willing -- to do as much as they do (and for raising money for things they CAN'T do). They may or may not be your "cup of tea" for gardening companions, but they don't deserve derision, either. They are doing more than many members of our society to make the world a better, brighter place.

Just my two cents...

Perhaps you could get to know some of the owners of local nurseries (many are men) and ask them about doing a 1-2 hr. gardening seminar for men only....heck if Victoria Secret can do it, garden places should give it a try.

Networking takes time, perhaps a travel once in awhile, patience, and perserverence. You might be surprised.
The CT Horticultural Society has an active guest speaker monthly series (after summer) and while it meets in W.Hartford, people come from all over the state - and a number of men do attend. There is also the bonus of 10% off participating nurseries for members.

A lot depends on your particular interest. I remember talking with my financial advisor and was amazed to learn about his interest in gardening, same for the owner of an oriental rug store. Sometimes you just have to bring gardening into the conversation to see if someone takes a bite.

Bill, Monique has a funny story about what happened when she looked into joining the Wallingford Garden Club. They basically recoiled in horror when they found out she worked full time...lol. Unfortunately us working stiffs can't usually meet for tea and crumpets every third Wednesday of the month at noon but we can create some mean gardens. It's nice to hear Manchester is more user friendly. There is another garden club in Manchester though that isn't so welcoming...on their garden tour one year they told my friend they had a very limited membership with a waiting list so long that "somebody would literally have to die" to get in. She was advised to look into the Manchester Garden Club because the let anyone in...lol...I guess that means you...hehehe. Granted, we may be making some flaming generalizations here but at least a few may not be too far off the mark.

In my town, the only active garden club that I've heard about actually is a men's garden club. If there are others they keep a low profile. The gardens in public areas around town are maintained by a group of volunteers in a Beautification Trust. The trust also sponsors the town garden tour but there hasn't been one since 2002.

For me, Gardenweb is my garden club.

Sue

Okay. Sorry to hijack this thread but I had to jump in. I love my Easton Garden Club. IÂve met some amazing people. Yes, there are a few fuddy duds who really donÂt garden. Over all though, IÂve learned a lot. We have great speakers every month. We maintain a beautiful historic garden on Route 58 at The Bradley Hubbell House. We do numerous civic oriented things throughout the year.

Some of your points are correct though. I wasnÂt able to join until I stopped working. Almost all of the meetings are during the day. And we do serve little cucumber sandwiches and stuff to eat. Oh well. TheyÂre not that bad. Maybe IÂll bring some to GeorgeÂs house!

I liked what Sue said best, "For me, Gardenweb is my garden club."

SheÂs right.

Virginia

When I first moved to my town almost 10 years ago, I thought of joining the garden club, but between having two very young children and the fact that our club had an (IMO) inordinate emphasis on floral arranging, I passed. It was a small club and did seem to be mostly older women, and they met on weekday mornings.

I recently was speaking to a member, and it sounds like things have changed. The club is much, much larger, and while they do still meet on weekday mornings, it seems like the membership comprises younger, working folks. I just might check them out when they meet again in the fall - if they would only change their morning meeting time!

:)
Dee

Another nice thing about the Manchester group is that they meet nights - 6:30 pm, the second Monday of the month. They are off for the Summer and will resume in September.

So how about you start your own garden club, Smitty? Many papers and of course these forums offer a free way to get the word out. Find a nursery who will host the first event (what nursery wouldn't want a bunch of gardeners in for an hour?) and have at it!! You can make your own agenda and the club can be it's own style.

As for the "uptight spinsters" ... in my town I joined the garden club just for the fun of shaking things up a bit. Once, I even got them to laugh!!!! But, they do fantastic work in a very quiet way and I respect them for keeping a Federated Garden Club together. Do I like it? Not really, but it's one more resource ....

Take it from someone who's been organizing stuff her entire life. If you put out a notice, people will come.

Martie

My local garden club also had an "invitation only" rule about joining, if I'm not mistaken, but have since realized that in order to remain viable, they need to attract a younger and more diverse membership. They've had some open meetings advertised to attract new members in the past year or so.

I haven't joined yet because I'm busy and not really a "joiner". Maybe someday. The club maintains a large bed at the entrance to Main St. as well as plantings in the median strip down the center of the street. They do a nice job, have a plant sale in spring, and do garden tours.

i'm a guy but i'm in litchfield county. i am not aware of any garden clubs around here tho i am aware of the plant swap in woodbury yet i never went. i don't need to swap plants, i grow what i need or buy it locally.

i'm a vegetable gardener and frankly i'm too busy to join or attend any garden club. i don't think it would hurt but i see no advantage to it either. i know what i'm doing, how to do it, what to grow, if i need help i can research it on the net or at gw or tville and don't need guidance. i'm not a gregerious person so i'm happy being by myself and as you might suspect i wouldn't join a garden club. the exception to that would be if they were devoted to strictly tomatoes. that's an area i'd enjoy the knowledge of those that are experts.

tom

HI Folks,
Wow a lot of postings.. I am a all around gardener, but tend toward edibles, herbs and such. I do grow a ton of other things. I have a huge woodland garden, small forest garden, tiny water garden, several butterfly gardens, wildflower gardens, organic veggie gardens, herb gardens, heck I just plain like to garden and if it can grow here I have it or want it. LOL
I have a good garden friend who is a lady and belongs to the wallingford garden club. She is not "old" but.. LOL
I have been invited to take part in several garden club projects but.. I really an not a joiner. I am a do-er..
I hade several garden buddies when I lived on the otherside of town they like me have all moved away.
I still live in Wally world .
Thanks for all the posts and I hope one day someone from around here will host a garden get-together. Local is my focal (c: Smitty cityhomesteader@yahoo.com

Smitty -- I think YOU should host a swap in the fall -- just put it on GardenWeb. "If you post it, they will come..." If you do the first one, I'll bet you can find someone to do the next ones...

And if you haven't been to Lockwood Farms (the Ag Station's farm in Hamden) to wander through their Bird and Butterfly Garden -- GO! You can go any weekday (I think, you might call them first in case that's changed) and just wander. It is truly beautiful, and there is a wildflower meadow they are developing right next to it. You might even ask if they need help (they use -- gasp, GARDEN CLUB! -- volunteers to help plant in the spring, weed during the summer, cut back in the fall, etc.) -- working next to Ag Station staff can be a great way to learn things!

I'm a guy. Pretty sure I'm a guy. Wait, let me check. Yep, I'm a guy.

Got my nick years ago, when I first moved to New Hamsphire as the regulatory person for a start up medical software device company. Because I 'enforced' the regs, the programmers started calling me 'narc' (Guess what they did in their spare time), and it stuck.
In the old days (early/mid-90's), I could use just 'narc' on the Internet, everything was so new and the community was so small. Now, no one lets you have a four letter nick.

When I used to do IRC (Internet Relay Chat), and was still only 'narc', another guy, a San Francisco cop who was into S&M, started using the same nick. When I logged on, I'd get some WEIRD messages from his uhm, guess you'd call them slaves, until they figured out I wasn't him.

Yep, I'm a guy.

narcnh

While I've enjoyed the Woodbury swaps, and Young's Nursery has been so generous in allowing us to meet there and donating some of their own plants, I do wish there was something happening closer to home. I'm over an hour away, in southeastern CT, and the drive does get tiresome.

I would love to know the date of the Woodbury Plant Swop. I moved to Harwinton 2 years ago and starting new gardens, so I am at the point of buying almost every 'blooming' thing. I love gardening and enjoy the Garden Conservancy's Open Days tours of private gardens. I look forward to seeing other garden events posted on this sight as well. I recall reading a few articles about garden clubs for men in CT in the past. I admit I've not seen recent articles, but believe one was in Greenwich, CT. I will post a note if and when I hear about them again. Thanks, Pat

the Hot Pepper Group here is almost all guys with some from CT. Guys are into Hot Peppers not women. You just have to join the correct macho groups. haha.

I love hot peppers.

I also think there are a lot of guys growing Tomatoes.

I love tomatoes too.

This thread died off. I'm back to say not much has changed, except maybe me realizing that for anything to change "I need to be the one to change it."

Thanks everyone. Smitty