Following a short but hot summer, members of Cultura Garden Club are looking forward to an exciting year of not only gardening but fun projects and field trips.

President Cheri McCain has started the year with its first newsletter highlighting gardening tips, traveling to visit gardens and learning about bees, butterflies, trees, conservation, birds, vegetables and much more.

The first meeting will be held Sept.10 at Franklin County’s famous Dismals Canyon located 12 miles south of Russellville. Kevin Cheek will give a short presentation on the Dismals native plants and Dismalites.

In October, Cultura members will join Red Bay Garden Club members on a field trip to Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

These field trips are just some of the fun activities planned. The officers want this year to be more fun and less work; however, the usual fundraisers—the fall mum sale and spring flower sale—will continue so Cultura members can keep beautifying downtown and sponsoring “Every Light a Prayer for Peace” and other projects.

Currently, Cultura Garden Club is sponsoring the annual McGee Farm fall mums fundraiser.  There are five colors available—white, bronze, purple, red and yellow. The mums come in

two-gallon size pots and are beautiful, healthy plants that you can use on your porch or to make a harvest arrangement for the autumn season. The mums also make great gifts. A portion of the $15 price goes directly to Cultura Garden Club. The mum sale runs from Aug. 10 to Sept. 5. The delivery dates are Sept. 18 or 19 depending on McGee Farm delivery schedules. The first day of fall is Sept. 22. Theses mums are a good way to start your gardening skills and to decorate for autumn.

Cultura Garden Club is an affiliate of the Garden Clubs of Alabama, Inc., National Garden Clubs, Inc. and the Deep South Region. This year’s theme for the Garden Clubs of Alabama is “In a State Where Gardens Grow, God Walks.” This year marks the 73^rd year of Cultura Garden Club. We appreciate everyone’s support through the years!