FLEMING ISLAND — Each year in early June, the National Garden Club sponsors National Garden Week to encourage community pride, grow membership and work with other groups.

Some garden clubs have garden-related educational programs and workshops, plan garden tours, place plants or floral arrangements at public facilities, enhance or establish new gardens and other activities. To celebrate National Garden Week locally, members of the Fleming Island Garden Club met for instruction on creating easy but beautiful floral arrangements to cheer up any environment. Two of the club’s officers generously donated tricycle containers, pots, an oasis, and some real and silk flowers. Twenty-four of these cheerful arrangements were taken to Pruitt Healthcare for the enjoyment of their residents and employees.

 June is also National Pollinator Week, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Pollinator species, such as bees and other insects, birds and bars, are vital in producing more than 100 crops grown in the United States and ensuring an abundant food supply. A great way to contribute to pollinator health is by bringing plants that pollinators love to your garden. There are plenty of beautiful pollinator-friendly plants in the Northeast Florida area, such as magnolia trees, fire bushes, beauty berries, purple porter weed, milkweed, purple passion vine, muhly grass, cone flowers and so much more.

Any plant nursery would be happy to help you pick out pollinator plants that are right for you. Plus, you’ll enjoy watching the bees, hummingbirds and butterflies do their essential business.

At the end of May, the club donated 180 pounds of food and $100 to the local food pantry, plus we weeded and pruned the garden at the Fleming Island Library.

Regular meetings will reconvene at the Fleming Island Library Meeting room at 1895 Town Center Blvd. on Aug 12 at 10 a.m. Meetings are free and open to the public, so we hope to see you there.