Brittany Kelley
WIMBERLEY — The Wimberley Garden Club is looking forward to its biggest year yet, said club president Jill Powell.
The club began more than 20 years ago in an effort to foster community and education, while providing support for local beautification projects.
“We’re just a group of mostly local Wimberley people, but we’ve got some members far away, from Buda and San Marcos. We meet regularly throughout the year and either have an educational meeting or, sometimes, we go and do tours of places, [like] field trips,” said Powell.
The club meets every second Wednesday during the months of September through May, with most meetings offering a class by a local gardening expert.
Its first meeting was held Sept. 10 and hosted by George Altgelt, founder and president of Geo Growers. According to Powell, Altgelt discussed soil health, how to identify various types, as well as the different minerals and fertilizers that a garden might need based on symptoms and patterns.
The opening meeting of the 2025-2026 season was the largest attendance that the club has had, said Powell. She also shared that the last few years have been filled with attempts to regain the group’s balance, since COVID-19 prevented the annual Garden Tour event.
The Garden Tour is the organization’s biggest fundraiser, Powell explained, as it is a ticketed event that showcases “four or five gardens in the Wimberley area, each one being significant or unique in a certain way or featuring something that is of interest to different gardeners.”
“That’s the way we raise money for different projects that we try to fund around the town for anything that’s public and offers education or beautifies the Wimberley Valley,” the club president said.
After the proceeds are collected from the tour in May, several winners are presented with funds from the organizations and businesses that have submitted applications.
This year’s winners include Emily Ann Theatre & Gardens, Katherine Anne Porter School, Jacob’s Well Community Garden and Schoolyard Farms and amount to $3,350 in donations for projects. The selected organizations will be presented with a check at an upcoming meeting, said Powell.
Organizations will then be able to fill out a new form to be considered for next year’s donations.
According to Powell, there is a $20 club fee that is required for members, which covers general operating expenses, but community members — with or without previous experience — can attend a meeting for free prior to committing.
The club’s remaining schedule is planned as follows:
Oct. 3 Seed Swap & Social
Oct. 8 Bees For All
Nov. 12 Ceremony Botanical Studio
Dec. 10 Christmas Party
Jan. 14 MicroLife Organic Biological Fertilizers
Feb. 11 Antique Rose Emporium
March 11 Spring Gardening
April 8 field trip to San Marcos
May 9 Garden Tour
May 13 final meeting
Although the club focuses on educating, rather than physical gardening, it does have a plot at Emily Ann Theatre & Gardens, where members can volunteer to maintain it.
“We really just want to continue to spread the word and methods on how to garden in our climate without using very much water. I think that’s a big push for us is helping people know how to garden using water-wise principles and also organic principles,” said Powell.
For more information, visit www.wimberleygardenclub.org.
