“We were started by 15 women, in their homes, with annual dues of $0.25,” Kenan said. “Their mission, according to our history, is they wanted to establish a club to beautify the city of Frisco.”
Over the years, membership has fluctuated and currently boasts an all time high of 101 members.
“In World War II, they actually stopped the club, because all the women had to go back to work because all the men went to war,” Kenan said.
What’s happening
The nonprofit organization has monthly meetings held at The Depot at Frisco Heritage Village from September through May.
Meetings consist of socializing and garden-themed presentations by guest lecturers including representatives from the Dallas Arboretum and Collin County Master Gardeners Association; a beekeeper and TV weather man.
“He’s a gardener himself,” Vice President of Membership Krista Johnston said about the weatherman’s presentation. “He related the challenges of gardening to the weather. For instance, people think the heat kills plants, but it’s more the 85 [degrees] at night. When the plants can’t shut down a little bit because its so hot, that’s what kills them.”
Although the meetings don’t happen year round, club activities continue throughout the year including informal garden tours of members’ gardens, plant swaps, seasonal parties, tending six Frisco city-owned gardens including Bicentennial Park, maintaining three Bluebird Nest Box Project boxes, providing gardening eduction to children at the Colin County Boys and Girls Club and awarding scholarships to Frisco ISD students.
Meet the gardeners
Club Vice President Earlene Caldwell, who discovered her horticultural enthusiasm with her grandmother, became a member in 2012. She said her yard in Frisco features a lot of trees and shrubs, including teddy bear southern magnolias, Savannah hollies and dwarf yaopon hollies.
Johnston describes herself as an “avid, avid gardener.” She joined the club in 2024 because she was new to Frisco and her gardening experience was based in Illinois and Canada.
“We bought a property in Starwood and the yard was hideous,” Johnston said. “There was about 800 hours of work that went into redoing my backyard. Hydrangeas work at my home, I also have a lot of giant liriope, bright yew, abelia and I like to augment with annuals.”
Kenan joined in 2020 from California. Her top gardening tip is to amend the soil with compost, expanded shale and other elements.
“You have to have drains in Texas, otherwise you have standing water and it kills the plants,” Kenan added as another tip.
Get involved
“Anybody who loves gardening or wildlife, anyone who loves floral arrangement, anyone who needs some new friends, that’s who will enjoy Frisco Garden Club,” Kenan said. “We have several members that have come from out of state, not knowing a soul, and and they think gardening would be interesting—then they make new friends.”
