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Mission Statement
Provide leadership in education, resources and networking opportunities for its members to promote love of gardening, floral and landscape design, and civic and environmental responsibility.
Over 90 years of Civic Gardening...
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The History of Petoskey Area Garden Club
Founder - Dorothy Loveless
The Petoskey Area Garden Club was formed in the spring of 1934 to improve the civic appearance of Petoskey and to create interest in gardens. Dorothy Loveless was the founder of the club and elected as its first president. There were 58 Charter Members.
Beautifying Petoskey
Over the past 90 years, the club has been actively engaged to beautify the city by
planting and maintaining flowers and trees in many locations, at public buildings and
parks. Beautification contests were held to encourage residents and merchants to plant
flowers in their yards and boxes outside their businesses.
In 1973, Petoskey Area Garden Club was instrumental in helping to pass a City Parks
Charter Amendment which requires majority approval of the voters in order to change
city park property. For the club’s 50th anniversary in 1984, it raised funds and built the
Gazebo in Penn Park. (Right, photo of Pennsylvania Park Gazebo)
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For the 80th anniversary in 2014, the club refurbished the Gazebo and installed a Blue
Star Memorial Plaque in Penn Park. (Right, photo of memorial plaque area)
Today the club continues to plant and maintain several gardens throughout the city
including in front of the Little Traverse History Museum and the Waterfall area in
Bayfront Park, the garden bed at the South entrance to the city at US 31 and Mitchell
Street, in Pennsylvania Park and at the City Center – both in the heart of town, the
Gaslight bed at US 31 and Lewis Street, the Monarch Way Station at the Bear River
Valley recreation Area, Petoskey District Library, raised beds throughout the city and the
Mitchell Street bridge baskets.
