Garden Accessibility and Inclusivity

 

Today marks the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Garden Club of Switzerland is celebrating in a very special way.  We were awarded a grant to establish an ADA compliant gathering site inside our garden.  A concrete pad will allow those in wheelchairs to enter the garden and enjoy it close-up.  Our original bench will be installed next to the pad.  We are applying for a grant for other ADA seating to allow persons with walkers to join together and enjoy the plants and pollinators.

We are also installing plant signs with QR codes to take the visitor to our online native plant database, www.alpinegrovesnatives.org to read about them from validated sources at the University of Florida Extension and at the Florida Native Plant Society.  Even if our visitors can't walk around the garden, they can still use the database to learn about wildlife from their smartphones or on Internet-capable device.  

When it's completed this amenity will be a gathering place and a learning space for family and friends.  Accessibility and Inclusivity for everyone!

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Our FFGC Centennial Celebration is over, but the Jacksonville Centennial Celebration is coming up next year.  Our District Spring Meeting is May 17.  Celebrate our clubs and individuals that won awards.  And don't forget September is just around the corner.  Now is the time to renew your membership and to recruit new members!

Membership Season & Field Trip Opportunity

 

Let's enjoy the nice spring weather and commit to being a member of the Garden Club of Switzerland.  Here's a document you can use to do both.  Send your membership info and $20 to the garden club president at the address listed in the document below.  Use the form to prioritize your interest in the list of field trips.  We'll select the most popular (and keep a list for the next field trip opportunities)

Please return the form and your payment by the end of March:

Membership and Field Trip Opportunities

Spring is Springing at the Freedom Butterfly Garden

 Photos taken the first week in March:

Click for the slideshow.