Excitement is growing this month as Barrington Garden Club’s eagerly anticipated garden tour, Blooms By The Bay, is set for June 23. 

This major event serves as an opportunity for the club to show the diversity of local private gardens, and showcase horticultural excellence. It is also the club’s major fund-raising event, held every three years, which finances many projects within the community. A highlight of these is an annual project of great magnitude — the designing, maintenance and overall care of eight public gardens for which the club is responsible. Funding also supports ongoing maintenance of the Osamequin Nature Trail and Bird Sanctuary, financing of the Hampden Meadows Youth Group, garden therapy workshops, festive holiday decorations for public buildings in town, and monthly meetings for both BGC members and non-members.

The early days of flower shows and garden tours focused on horticulture, but over the years floral design has shared the stage with gardens. Barrington Garden Club members are not newcomers to such events. In May of 1931, 18 members and one guest of what was known as the Barrington Study Group gathered at the home of Mrs. F.A. Ballou for their monthly meeting. Exactly what was studied by this group is unknown, but there is evidence that they discussed the formation of a garden club in Barrington. An open meeting to discuss the formation of such a club in town was held, resulting in the transformation of the Women’s Study Group into the Barrington Garden Club in 1931. 

One requirement of prospective members was that they have a garden. Subsequently, BGC became part of the Rhode Island Federation of Garden Clubs in 1932. Today, BGC is the largest club in the federation, and five of its presidents have gone on to become presidents of the federation, including Mrs. John Glanville (1967-1969) and Mrs. Edward Whittaker (1969-1970) and, in later years, BGC members De Feldman (2005-2007), Sandi Tinyk (2013 -2015) and Blakely Szosz (2017-2019) also served as federation presidents. (In its early years, members were identified with their husbands’ first names, a practice discontinued in the late 1900s.)

In recent years, highlights of the club’s history were researched by a dedicated group over a five-month period, and a club history was written by former presidents Sue Redden and Tinyk, while then President-Elect Rebecca Burke created a handsome book complete with photos documenting this impressive history. In the past 95 years BGC has held true to its original mission as written in the first bylaws: “The object of the club shall be to promote an interest in gardens, to co-operate in the protection of trees, wildflowers, and birds, and to encourage public planting and beautification.”

Through the seasons, BGC has demonstrated its adherence to these goals in many ways. The town is made more attractive through the club’s intensive civic beautification commitments. Promoting an interest in gardening is diligently pursued through educational programs at club meetings, field trips to public and historic gardens for inspiration, and workshops. 

This is a club which enjoys sharing its knowledge and creativity through flower shows and garden tours, which take place primarily in members’ homes and gardens, although there are exceptions. Blithewold Mansion and Arboretum, St. Andrew’s School, and other venues hosted some of these shows. In 1939, BGC held its the very first flower show during a heavy rain. $12.10 was taken at the door, and the cost of putting on the show was $11.50, for a profit of 60 cents. In its early days, the club often offered three shows per year. (Members today may not be aware of this fact, and when reading this account, will be aghast.)

A great many flower shows and garden tours have been offered by BGC over the years with names which reflect their themes, such as Bouquets and Waterways, The Honor of your Presence, Points of View, Riversong, Diamond Jubilee, Bays, Beaches, and Bouquets, and many more. This tradition continues this June as BGC prepares for its upcoming tour.  

This year’s special event will feature nine private gardens, four of which are owned by club members. Entrance to this self-guided tour is included in the ticket for the garden tour. The diversity of the gardens is immediately observed, with gardens ranging from formal creations to waterfront gardens, including four overlooking water and four with large greenhouses. Above all, these gardens are packed with ideas that people can apply to their own gardens. 

This event, chaired by immediate past president Rebecca Burke, will see Barrington residents and non-residents adding to the town’s foot traffic, supporting area businesses and the town. Both have been very supportive of Barrington Garden Club and its events.    

Advance sale tickets are $40, and $50 on the day of the event. For more information on purchasing tickets, visit the club’s website, BarringtonRIGardenClub.org. Programs detailing location and information about the gardens will be sent to ticketholders 24 hours prior to the tour. New purchasers may secure tickets at St. John’s Church on the morning of the tour. Additional programs will be available at each garden. Tour hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Regular meetings of BGC will not be held until September; this does not mean a “vacation” for the club, as all members will be actively involved in the maintenance of town gardens and Osamequin.  

Details about the September meeting will be announced later his summer. To request information about the club, attending a regular meeting or becoming a member, send an email to vice president Jen Dahler at BarringtonRIGardenClub.org.