{"id":478313,"date":"2026-09-28T14:50:15","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T14:50:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/478313\/"},"modified":"2026-09-28T14:50:15","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T14:50:15","slug":"planting-the-seeds-of-the-fullerton-garden-club","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/478313\/","title":{"rendered":"Planting the Seeds of the Fullerton Garden Club"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since\u00a0the 1960s, the Fullerton Garden Club\u00a0(FGC)\u00a0has had its roots in the city. It all started when\u00a0a\u00a0national flower show judge named Maize Jean George moved to Fullerton, realized that there was no garden club\u00a0in the city,\u00a0and\u00a0decided to form one.\u00a0All these years later, Maureen Bunnell, current President of Fullerton Garden Club,\u00a0has kept\u00a0the\u00a0FGC\u2019s\u00a0passion for plants, nature\u00a0and the environment\u00a0alive\u00a0with help from her fellow members.<\/p>\n

Many friendships have been made over the years at the\u00a0FGC, which really speaks to the strength of the non-profit\u2019s motto:\u00a0\u201cplant friends forever; housework whenever.\u201d In fact, Bunnell and the club\u2019s secretary, Linda Jennings, recited this\u00a0back\u00a0to me when I interviewed them for this column.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Bunnell said, \u201cWe owe a tremendous note of thanks to the\u00a0following\u00a0founding members of the FGC: Avva Neil Christlieb, who joined in 1970 and will turn\u00a0one hundred and three\u00a0this year, and\u00a0her sister, Daisy McMasters, who joined in 1974. Other founding members were Susan Crawford and her mother. Susan was the aunt of Linda [Jennings, current club secretary], and she for many, many years arranged wonderful field trips.\u201d<\/p>\n

Linda Jennings recalled, \u201cShe would scout out places for us to go visit gardens or nurseries, like the Potting Shed in old downtown Orange. \u00a0We would go there, and they would treat us like gold. It was really nice. They would share what they had in their store or nursery, and what the hot thing was to put in your garden or whatever, so she really did a great job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>According to\u00a0\u201cHistory of the Fullerton Garden Club\u201d by Avva Neil Christlieb and Daisy McMasters, the\u00a0FGC\u00a0originally\u00a0averaged 25 to 30 members. The club\u00a0previously hosted plant sales in collaboration with the Friends of the Fullerton Library Book Sale. These plant sales then allowed the club to sponsor projects for a Junior Garden Club at the Fullerton Arboretum.\u00a0In years past, the FGC\u00a0has\u00a0also donated trees and plants to the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary; given aid to the Wilshire Convalescent Home by offering a class in horticulture studies;\u00a0and contributed many trees and plants for Fullerton Arbor Days that were then planted in public areas\u00a0throughout the city.<\/p>\n

The non-profit has\u00a0met in various places over the years, from Glendale Federal in Fullerton to Mercury Savings and Loan in La Habra to Sunny Crest Chalet (Residential Living Home) in Fullerton. In 1999,\u00a0they\u00a0moved to Oak Hall on the Fullerton Arboretum grounds, and in 2010 to\u00a0the\u00a0Arboretum\u2019s Pavilion Classroom.<\/p>\n

Christlieb and McMasters\u00a0wrote, \u201cIn 1971, we had a speaker from California State University, Fullerton, who presented the plans for the proposed Arboretum on the CSU campus. In 1974, we dropped out of the Garden Federation program and became chartered members of the Fullerton Arboretum. From that time, the Fullerton Arboretum grew,\u00a0and we continued to support the Arboretum with our\u00a0time, money, and effort. We did, however, continue our plant sales at the Fullerton\u00a0Library.\u00a0From\u00a01978 to 1979, we worked on the sunroom at the Bradford\u00a0house in Placentia and landscaped the area.\u00a0Also, between 1981 and 1987, we prepared and maintained the Victorian Gardens behind Dr. Clark\u2019s home that was moved onto the Arboretum grounds. In 1988, the Arboretum incorporated the Victorian and the Rose Gardens into its care.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Maureen Bunnell, the FGC recently changed its meeting location because while members used to gather at the Fullerton Arboretum, rent went up after the pandemic, and so did the price of parking at the university. Since 2021, the club has met at Fellowship Hall at the First Presbyterian Church (838 N. Euclid Street) on the first Tuesday of the month from September to May. She says that they\u2019ve been happy with the move.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Bunnell said, \u201cIt\u2019s a pleasure working alongside such a dedicated and supportive Board. As of 2026, we have fifty-three members representing nineteen cities. Our members support each other and actively support fundraising within the club,\u00a0which includes recycling, plant sales\u00a0and card sales. All sales support and enable us to give annual Horticulture scholarships to students attending Fullerton College. Previous fundraising\u00a0from participating in the Green Scene\u00a0enabled us to donate to worthwhile causes at the Fullerton Arboretum.\u00a0Leading up to it, we would have potting parties at different people\u2019s houses.\u00a0Many of our members are still active in the Friends of the Fullerton Arboretum.\u00a0We don\u2019t need volunteers, but always welcome new members.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA few years ago, the Geranium Society was invited to join the FGC,\u201d she said. \u201cWe were delighted to welcome them to our club. They have been\u00a0such an asset and greatly enriched our club. Our Vice President, Karon De Leon, also works very hard enlisting excellent guest speakers at our monthly meetings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Apparently, a\u00a0lot of the club members will share what they\u2019ve learned from their gardens. One member named Pietra Gaw helps to research horticulture tips. She passed along some\u00a0of these\u00a0tips to Maureen Bunnell,\u00a0who told me that fall through mild winter is the best time to plant your fruit trees and shrubs and look through seed catalogs. I learned that cool-season vegetables include the cabbage family, root vegetables, carrots, beets and radishes. She also says to cut back on watering,\u00a0and to start small and check how the sun moves around your garden during the day.<\/p>\n

\u200b\"\"<\/a>Bunnell\u00a0also recommends\u00a0visiting local nurseries and seeing where the plants are located, taking note of whether they are in the shade, semi-shade or full sun. She also says that\u00a0geraniums are colorful most of the year and can withstand the heat. According to her, they are not attractive to wildlife like squirrels or rabbits.<\/p>\n

\u201cStart trimming a third of the\u00a0geranium\u00a0back\u00a0in October, then another third\u00a0back\u00a0in November; this\u00a0keeps\u00a0them strong and healthy,\u201d explained Bunnell, whose favorite plants include\u00a0geraniums because they really bloom in the spring.<\/p>\n

From September to May, the Fullerton Garden Club meets\u00a0on the first Tuesday of every month\u00a0at the First Presbyterian Church located at 838 N. Euclid Street here in Fullerton.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

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