Carey chosen for a state honor

At the recent Montana Federation of Garden Clubs annual state meeting in Miles City, Mary Ann Carey was chosen to receive the highest award given to a garden club member.

As an active garden club member Mary Ann has served as President of the local garden club and on various committees. She has presented programs at meetings on propagation, wool for mulch, glass garden art, and aquaponics, just to mention a few.

She is an Accredited National Flower Show Judge. She was presented with her Flower Show Judge pin at the State Convention in Helena in 2018. After completing her Flower Show Judge requirements, she judged in Bozeman, Missoula, Hamilton, Great Falls, Boulder and Billings.

Mary Ann has attended the Seattle Flower and Garden Show numerous times and the Philadelphia Flower and Garden Show where she attended many gardening workshops. She has entered Floral Designs in the Jefferson County Fair for over 20 years.

Upon moving to her home in 1978, she inherited a much neglected yard and house. Her yard and gardens now contain over 40 conifer trees and shrubs, numerous lilac, dogwoods, quakies, and spireas to name a few. She added many perennials, annuals, vines, water fountains, pebble mosaics, pathways, and glass garden art, all of which she made herself, to accent the gardens. A greenhouse (hoop house) was erected in 2006 and raised beds were added in 2017. She is not only an outdoor gardener, she has over 20 houseplants that include gorgeous orchids.

This active club member's volunteer projects are the Boulder Public Library front landscape, which she weeds and prunes. She also mows, weeds and prunes at the Saint John Catholic Church. She makes the flower arrangements for Mass and takes flowers to the Bear Grass Assisted Living facilities. The Bull Mountain Fire Hall also gets mowed by her. She also grows pumpkins for the kindergarten class for Halloween to do science and math projects. She is also a Level 1 Master Gardener.

This gardener hosts and attends garden tours and classes and is always learning everything about flowers and gardening through magazines, television, workshops, and garden club. Her best source of information, she says, are gardeners.

The MFGC has 30 clubs and 680 members across the state.

Congratulations Mary Ann Carey, the Whitehall Garden Club members are very proud of you!