No matter how hot and dry or cool and rainy the spring and summer growing season is, you can count on Caledonia and Mumford to be alive with the color and beauty of annuals and perennials. This year, 2006, the Big Springs Garden Club celebrated 20 years of beautifying both communities with a tea held in October. There may be some people who aren’t aware of just how much the work of the Garden Club enhances the beauty of our communities. For those of you who walk regularly in the good weather, you no doubt have noticed the colorful flowers growing in boxes along State and Main Street and in the corner park in Caledonia. In Mumford, locals and visitors to the hamlet have for years commented on the robust flowering begonias growing in the planters in front of the Donnelly House. These are just a few examples of the colorful beauty lent to Caledonia-Mumford courtesy of the Big Springs Garden Club. Over the years the club has benefited the community through scholarships to graduating CM Seniors, donations to the Caledonia and Mumford Libraries, the BS Museum, Caledonia Ambulance and other community groups.

   Each member attending the October anniversary tea received a history of the BS Garden Club, including an overview of the club’s projects.

History of the Big Springs Garden Club

   In 1985, a group of ladies from the Cal-Mum area wanted to improve the business areas of the two communities. All interested ladies met for lunch and formed committees to write the by-laws and brainstorm fundraising events and possible future beautification projects for both Caledonia and Mumford. The Big Springs Garden Club was officially born in February 1986, upon approval of the by-laws. Their mission then and now is "to beautify the home and the community through shared knowledge of gardening and horticulture; to encourage all forms of conservation."

   The largest fundraiser of the BSGC was the Country Artisan’s Sale which was held in Ann Brown’s home on Spring Street, a beautiful historic home built on the banks of Spring Creek. Ann and Debbie Davis were the impetus for this sale which featured artisans’ work displayed throughout the home. When the Brown home/bed and breakfast was sold, the sale moved to the Caledonia Country Club and eventually to the Mumford Community Building.

   The club began holding a spring plant sale at the park across from Soldiers Monument, home tours in December and a garden tour in June. These successful fundraisers provided the necessary funds to plant boxes on Main and State Streets in Caledonia, foundation plantings at the Big Springs Museum and planted flowers at both libraries in Caledonia and Mumford, creation of the perennial garden in front of the Mumford Community Building, tubs at the four corners in Mumford and flowers at Freeman Park entrance. The BSGC has in the past offered two scholarships to graduating CM seniors, made donations to the libraries, the Big Springs Museum, Caledonia Ambulance and other community groups.

   This group of hands-on ladies is responsible for the weeding and watering of the various plant boxes. In the early years this meant hauling the water in jugs or bringing your own hose and hooking up at the corner park in Caledonia. Many neighboring shop and business owners were generous enough to share their faucets until the Village of Caledonia and the Town of Wheatland installed outdoor faucets. Monthly programs include a wide range of subjects such as attracting birds and butterflies to your garden, building rock walls, growing herbs, creating a perennial garden and many others.

   The BSGC continues to make the communities in which we live beautiful with flowers and plants. The group meets monthly, except in July and August. The January 8, 2007 program will feature a presentation by Jane Milliman on Great Gardens of Southeast England and the Chelsea Flower Show and includes a slide show of her trip to England. It will be held at Tennent Hall at 7:30 p.m. If you are interested in the Big Springs Garden Club and this program, please contact Martha Dolan at 538-2275.

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