Shelter Bay Garden Club hold fall tour, ceremony

Autumn has been a time for the newly minted Shelter Bay Garden Club to spring into action.

Consider that club members hosted a garden tour and dedication ceremony Oct. 16 that highlighted the revival of a dozen community garden beds adopted by a corps of volunteers.

This is no short-term volunteer project, either, said club spokesperson Karen Mason.

“These volunteers,” Mason said, “have agreed to maintain and enhance the gardens for the coming year.”

All were given Adopt-A-Garden signs to place in their beds in recognition of their efforts to help beautify Shelter Bay, she told the Weekly News.

“The weather wasn’t the best,” said Mason, “but we had a nice turnout of our stalwart volunteers.”

Shelter Bay Manager David Franklin and community board members also attended and thanked the volunteers.

The seeds for that gathering were planted earlier this year.

“The new Shelter Bay Garden Club was born this past spring and was the idea of Michele Petitti and Nancy Culver,” Mason said. “When COVID-19 kept us all at home unless we were out walking or gardening, Michele and Nancy decided to roll up their sleeves, load their shovels and tools into their wheelbarrows, and tackle the overgrown and weedy memorial garden by the barbecue pavilion.”

It was not long before others took note. They brought their garden tools and the effort soon extended to the Shelter Bay dock and boat launch gardens.

“The idea of a garden club was born,” said Mason.

As more volunteers joined the fold, additional clean-up projects were identified, and work parties organized.

“Two new beds were designed,” Mason said. “One, called the Triangle Garden, is at the north entrance to the marina and was undertaken by Gail and Bruce Romero. The second new bed is in the clubhouse parking lot. This bed was designed and created by Christina Stephens and Michele Petitti.”

Mason said many of the plants in the two new beds were donated by Shelter Bay residents, with club members extracting them from those home gardens.

The Shelter Bay board got on board early, providing $4,000.

“The money,” said Mason, “has helped with yard waste removal, plant purchases, fresh bark, and new signage.”

That is not all.

Mason said a group led by Ric Henderson and Alice McKenzie took on a wetlands restoration project behind the community tennis and pickleball courts. A special dedication sign has been placed at the entrance to the wetland area, she said.

The garden club itself, like the plants it nurtures, is looking forward to continued growth. Those wishing to join the Shelter Bay group may contact Pettiti at [email protected] or Culver at [email protected].