John Ross Garden Club members, from left, Ivana Patterson, vice president; Cindy Bradshaw, president; and husband Charlie Bradshaw, member; have plans to beautify Rossville starting wth the historic John Ross House.
Photo by Timara FrassrandThe John Ross Garden Club plans to bring the community together by not only implementing beautification projects, but by offering a co-ed club for both males and females to exchange the knowledge of gardening.
"Gardening is a lost art and pulls the community back together," said club president Cindy Bradshaw. "We don't want to lose that, so we are reclaiming it."
Bradshaw, who came up with the idea of a garden club, was approached by local "Herb Lady" Ivana Patterson with the idea of making it co-ed.
"Working at Lowe's, I saw a need for it. Men do not have an outlet to share or gain knowledge about gardening," Patterson said.
Garden clubs are a dying phase of society and offer so much in respect of ways to educate and better protect the Earth, she said.
The John Ross Garden Club invites members of the Greater Chattanooga area to join in this endeavor.
"It's going to be a community effort to revitalize the city of Rossville," Bradshaw said.
The club's first plan is to beautify the John Ross House and make it a point of destination. Bradshaw described it as the perfect artistic palette. The club wants to establish it as an educational location where school children can come for tours and learn about the native plants of this area.
"This area is open to broadening the horizon and rebuilding the community," Patterson said. "We have beautiful Native American plants and no one knows what these plants are - these are the things we need to preserve."
The club also plans to enhance areas around the Rossville Public Library, the local recreation area and the city's ball fields.
Whether someone is interested in learning about composting, herbs, irrigation or raised beds, the John Ross Garden Club offers a place for those who are both knowledgeable and new to the world of gardening to grow in their skills.
GARDENING TIPSThe Farmer's Almanac is a great tool for those interested in gardening."People may make fun of it but we've tested it and it works," said Patterson. "For example, always weed on a weeding day and the weeds will not come back, and always stick to planting days."Patterson also said black cloth is a waste of money, since everything grows through it making it hard to pick the weeds out. She instead recommends layering newspaper or cardboard which allows weeds to be pulled through it.Companion gardening, for example planting dill by cucumbers, is a great way to enhance flavors or keep bugs away, she said.
"Herbs have not become extinct, but the people who know about them are," Patterson said.
She said that even though spring did come a little early, people should slow down and enjoy the moment. While there is a strong possibility of an April frost, she said it is probably not likely and said to just enjoy the weather and plants that are coming up.
The John Ross House Garden Club, sponsored by the Crestwood Garden Club in East Ridge, will meet at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month at the Rossville Public Library. Those interested in joining can contact the library at 706-866-1368 or drop in at 504 McFarland Ave.