(above) The Floraphile Garden Club of Cranford recently worked on beautifying the outside of the Cranford First Aid Squad.
Garden Club Beautifies First Aid Squad
Submitted by Jenna Doscher
Members of the Floraphile Garden Club of Cranford recently helped to clean up and beautify the Cranford First Aid Squad. Founded in 1950, Floraphile has been an active and integral part of the Cranford community for 70 years. Currently, there are 26 members of all ages and gardening abilities. Community service is one of the core tenets of the group. Besides giving back to the First Aid Squad, members participate in the yearly clean-up and beautification of Girl Scout Park, Orange Ave. Pool and the Cranford Community Center. The Floraphiles have also offered horticultural therapy programs at the Atria of Cranford and have recently started hosting garden workshops for seniors through Cranford’s Recreation & Parks Department.
Members also participate in monthly programs on garden-related topics. This past year the club enjoyed a presentation on the Empress Josephine by Garden Historian Lesley Parness, fall container planting at Dreyer Farms and learned about the gardens of Northern California’s Wine Country. In the spring, members take tours of various gardens around the state, like Presby Memorial Iris Garden in Montclair or Greenwood Gardens in Short Hills. The club also participates in many exciting, hands-on workshops. This past year, participants were instructed on how to make beautiful stained glass and cement stepping stones for their gardens. Some of these stepping stones were donated to the Cranford First Aid Squad.
If you are interested in learning more about the Floraphile Garden Club, please visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/floraphilegardenclub.
