I went clubbing with the ladies today. It’s always interesting to visit with my fellow gardeners, and today was no exception.

I was at the Mill Creek Garden Club, they have about 65 members and they meet once a month at a sit-down luncheon at the Mill Creek Country Club. Sounds great, eh? Not only were the chicken kabobs deliciously moist, there were chocolate brownies with ice cream and whip cream and chocolate sauce for dessert…. Wait a minute! Is this why they formed this club?!?

I’ve been doing the “garden club circuit” in Seattle for about six years – and you’d think I’ve met everybody by now. Well, maybe not, but I am getting to a point where everyone is starting to look familiar to me, does that count?

I remember the very first time that I did a miniature garden seminar, I was as nervous as an aphid at a ladybug-breeding farm. Marie, a member of the Dirty Girls Garden Club, saw my container display at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show and called to ask me to do a presentation for her club. This was more than six years ago now.

(The last time I did a presentation in front of people was 25 years ago, in high school, and I hated it. Always did. I was always told that I was “shy.")

But, I wanted to do this. I wanted to share my ideas and this was one way to do it. I also wanted to release my inner ham – it’s more fun that way. Besides, she’ll pay me and she’ll feed me too. How could I say no?

So, I did it. Heaven only knows what I sounded like. But, Marie is now a friend of mine, and I’m a member of that same club. So, I guess I wasn’t so bad after all.

And now, I can boast about audiences of 250 people. How’s that for “shy?"

Clubs are not only a great resource for people to get to know more about gardening but, in my experience, clubs can make us step out of our gardens to learn, and try new things… and to meet new people and eat good food at lovely places around the town. How could anyone say no?