HOME GARDEN CLUB OF NUTLEY
MRS. CHARLES GUENZLER
ONE OF the town’s most active organizations is the Home Garden Club of Nutley, Inc., which celebrated its tenth anniversary in August 1960. Its history is replete with memories of early endeavors to raise funds, the excitement of the first, overwhelmingly successful flower show, and numerous subsequent shows, culminating this year in the winning of the “Garden Club of the Year” award presented by the Garden Club of New Jersey.
A group of ardent gardeners met under the leadership of Mrs. Helmuth Neidlinger, now residing in Pennsylvania. They organized the Nutley Garden Club with the aid of Milton Anderson, who at that time was instructor of the Nutley High School Vocational Agriculture Department. This was an independent group of about 14 persons banded together to exchange garden ideas.
Eventually in 1950 a few members of the Nutley Garden Club, led by Bert Francis and Mr. Anderson, desired to branch out and affiliate with the State and National Garden Clubs. Towards this purpose a special meeting was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Francis of Rhoda Avenue.
Other interested persons attending were Mr. and Mrs. Edward Woolf of Bloomfield, Theodore Rauch, now living in Fort Meyers, Florida, Mrs. William Gardner, recently moved to Baysville, Dr. Rush C. Bauman, and Mrs. Charles Guenzler.
It was decided to form a club to be known as “The Home Garden Club of Nutley,” and because Mrs. Guenzler was a member of the state garden organization, she was appointed temporary president. Other acting officers appointed were Mr. Anderson, vice-president; Mrs. Francis, recording secretary; and Theodore Rauch, treasurer. Mr. Francis and Edward Woolf were co-chairmen of membership.
The first meeting of the newly formed club was held August 9, 1950, at the Woman’s Club, when the late Robert Naumberg of Teaneck, spoke on “Roses,” before some 60 interested persons.
In January, 1951, permanent officers were elected. The club was sponsored by two clubs in order that they might serve a required two-year provisional term before becoming an affiliate of the Garden Club of New Jersey.
To celebrate its first anniversary, a flower show was held with the theme, “All that Glitters.” Mrs. Rush Bauman was chairman. This show was staged at the Museum.
A flower show has been an annual event; the last three sponsored by the Bank of Nutley and staged in their Franklin branch. A special and original “Litter Bug” feature of the last show has been exhibited at the Nutley High School, a local store and the Garden State Conference. For the 1959 flower show the club received a certificate of merit from the State Garden Club. Mrs. John Blake was chairman.
With growth, the club assumed responsibility of maintaining the Colonial Garden adjoining the Museum. A variety of plants was donated by members and friends to add to the initial plantings, and continued interest in this project is shown by yearly planting of a tree on Arbor Day. Also in the Spring, members set out seedlings and maintain the garden throughout the Summer under the present chairmanship of Cornelius Schenck.
Other annual civic services rendered by club members are a plant sale held in the Colonial Garden grounds in the Spring and the placing of flower arrangements for the Summer months in the town library. Bouquets are also sent to the Veterans Hospital in East Orange for their library, chapel, reception room and bedside. Monetary donations are given to numerous worthy causes.
For several years the club served on the roadside survey campaign of the state organization of garden clubs, conducted to encourage roadside beautifications. Local establishments receiving citations were Blairs’ Nursery, Manger Funeral Home and Hoffmann-La Roche. An outstanding speaker, or film is a feature at every meeting, with an occasional program supplied by a member.
In 1958, the club, at the invitation of the Nutley U.N. Committee, spearheaded the United Nations Garden located in Kingsland Park. Suitable trees and shrubs representing 50 countries of the United Nations have been planted under the chairmanship of George Stoothoff.
For this achievement the club received a $100 award from Sears Roebuck, as one of the ten awards given to Garden Clubs in the state for participation in worthy permanent civic contributions. Another award this year was a provincial silver tray presented by the Garden Club of New Jersey, as “Garden Club of the Year,” in recognition of varied club activities, local and state.
To keep members informed of Garden Club events throughout the nation, state and at home, plus helpful gardening hints, 10 monthly publications of The Tendril, the club’s paper, are received by every member. The present editor, Mrs. Raymond De Baun, succeeded Mrs. Edward Woolf, who served in the capacity for seven years.
Following Mrs. Guenzler as president, have been Irving Scott, George Barrow, Donald Hoch, and Mrs. Paul Witting, the presiding president. The club, now incorporated, draws membership from towns of Belleville, Bloomfield, Clifton, Hawthorne, Kearny, Passaic, Park Ridge, Rutherford and Roseland. Meetings are held the second Friday of each month at the Museum, 65 Church Street, at 8 p.m.