Garden club revisits Lewis and Clark expedition

As the 250th celebration of the United States approaches, members of the Cultura Garden club have been revisiting American history through a series of programs.

At our most recent meeting, I enjoyed learning about plant preservation and journaling like Lewis and Clark. Club President Cheri McCain introduced the program. It focused on appreciating the 178 new plant species associated with the expedition.

Under the leadership of President Thomas Jefferson, the United States paid $15 million to France for the Louisiana Territory in 1803. The western portion of the country included about 838,000 square miles of largely unknown territory.

Shortly after the purchase, Jefferson commissioned Meriweather Lewis and William Clark to lead what became known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, an initiative launched to gather information about the natural habitat, the flora and fauna, and to bring back plant, seed and mineral specimens.

They also mapped the land, identifying mountain ranges, rivers and the locations of many Native American tribes along the way.

Some of the trees and shrubs included cottonwood, western red cedar, ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, big leaf maple, buffaloberry and snowberry bush.

Wildflowers and herbs included bitterroot, camas, Indian blanket flower, purple coneflower, Lewis’ monkeyflower, tansy, wormwood and prickly pear.

McCain said many of these plants were already known and used by Native American tribes for food, medicine and other purposes long before the expedition. The work of Lewis and Clark provided some of the first scientific documentation of these species.

At the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Lewis and Clark Herbarium includes most of the surviving plant specimens collected during the expedition. These preserved plants represent some of the earliest scientific records of species found west of the Mississippi River.

For gardeners, I think this collection is a meaningful reminder that plants connect us to history, discovery and shared knowledge passed down through generations. It also encourages us to think about the role we play in preserving native plants and documenting our own gardens.

Debbie Nale presented an art activity using dried flowers and a candle holder. Supplies included glue, a paintbrush, dried flowers, tweezers, a craft knife, paper to protect the table, and painter’s tape.

We began by selecting a glass jar or vase and choosing dried flowers or leaves. We painted a layer of the glue on the glass, then placed the flowers and covered them with a layer of glue. Once the glue dried, we used small knives to scrape excess glue from around the designs.

Once complete, a candle could be placed inside the finished jar or vase.

McCain also reported the club’s entries for the Garden Clubs of Alabama Inc. Club of Distinction Award had been submitted for judging. The Garden Clubs of Alabama annual convention will be held April 27-29 at the Gardendale Civic Center in Gardendale. The theme will be “Gardening in the Magic City.”

Activities will include tours of Aldridge Gardens, Turkey Creek Preserve and the Birmingham Botanical Garden, along with luncheons, banquets and workshops.

The Spring District 1 meeting will take place April 23 at The Sherrod in Courtland. Registration information will be provided to club members at the March meeting.

We also voted to hold the club’s annual spring fundraiser. Information about the McGee Farm spring plant sale will be shared with the club in March.

Hostesses for the February meeting included Judy Baker, myself and Brenda Oliver. In recognition of Valentine’s Day, decorations followed a Valentine’s theme and members wore red.

Refreshments included homemade strawberry cake, finger sandwiches, cashews, chocolate hearts, and pink punch.