This week is National Garden Week and the Knoxville Federated Garden Club remains strong in Knoxville.

At Monday’s Knoxville City Council meeting, a proclamation was read by Mayor Brian Hatch in honor of National Garden Week, which is dedicated to taking pride in the local community through gardening. The proclamation honored the Knoxville Federated Garden Club by saying that since 1998, the Knoxville Federated Garden Club has conducted monthly meetings that provide educational activities that promote conservation and the benefits of gardening. Since 1998, the Knoxville Federated Garden Club has sponsored the development, care, and enhancement of the Bessie Spaur Butterfly Garden. The Knoxville Federated Garden Club has provided annual funds to horticulture groups such as the Iowa Arboretum in Madrid, the Des Moines Botanical Center, Reiman Gardens in Ames, college scholarships for horticulture and landscape majors, as well as plants and landscaping materials for Habitat for Humanity projects.

The garden club also recently fundraised for a new water feature at the Bessie Spaur Butterfly Garden, which is visible for patients receiving cancer treatment at the new Don and Margaret Long Infusion Center at Knoxville Hospital and Clinics. Knoxville City Manager Heather Ussery says it’s great to have a group like the garden club in Knoxville.

“We’re thankful to have the federated garden club and their dedication to gardening. I do not have a green thumb at all so I appreciate those that can beautify those areas. The water feature out at the new wing at the hospital will be fantastic. Those receiving their infusions will have that feature to look at and it will be a great benefit to the hospital.”

National Garden week is sponsored annually by National Garden Clubs, LLC.