Starla Kramer

The Sun Lakes Garden Club is pleased to have one of their members share her expertise in growing vegetables and herbs at the June 18 monthly meeting. Marnie Sheppard will be sharing her successes and failures.

Back in Ohio, she experimented with vegetables, flowers and herbs. At one point, she was a member of a shared-garden community and planted, among other things, cucumbers, peppers, corn and over 60 tomato plants. Marnie quickly learned to can, dry, pickle – and make lots of tomato paste.

Arriving in Arizona in the late ‘70s, Marnie realized that her previous gardening knowledge was useless in the Sonoran Desert. She enrolled in classes with the Desert Botanical Garden, the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension and the City of Chandler. Some successes and many failures have brought her to where she is today.

Members also have a fun field trip scheduled on Tuesday, June 25, to the Southwest Gardener Store at 300 W. Camelback Road. Members will receive a 15% discount to shop that day. After a tour of the store and shopping, members will then gather for lunch next door at the Southern Rail restaurant. At 1:00 p.m., members will gather in a private room for a one-hour DIY project, making whimsical garden art.

Visitors are welcome. However, you’ll want to become a member and receive our monthly newsletter and be able to participate in our many field trips and activities. Dues are $20 per year ($25 for two members in the same household). If you have questions about our upcoming events or membership, please call 480-540 8080.

Meetings are held the third Tuesday of every month, 9:30 a.m. for socializing and refreshments followed by the program at 10:00 a.m. until noon. Members are invited to gather for an optional lunch after the meeting at a nearby restaurant. Meetings are held at the Chapel Center, located across the street from the Sun Lakes Country Club, next to the Sun Lakes All Faiths Church, 9230 E. Sun Lakes Blvd N.