Education

Our meetings are generally held on the third Tuesday of each month from September through May in our clubhouse at The Francis Tracy Garden Center. The general public and guests are welcome to join us. Come hear our program speaker at 11:00 AM followed by a brief business meeting. Join us earlier for a social hour that begins at 10:00 AM to have a chance to meet other members. The list for the 2025-2026 fiscal year is shown below. 

General Membership Meetings FY 2025-2026

• September: Foodscaping in the Florida Keys, by Kathryn DePoo

• October: Biodiversity and Why it Matters, by Jack Grove

• November: Demonstration on Growing Sprouts, by Laurie Brooks and Charlene Regenhardt

• December: Holiday Potluck Luncheon for Members

• January: Recycling and Composting, by Melody Tuschel

• February: Botanical Work and Restoration in the Keys, by Ryan Hess 

• March: The Magic of Nature, by Ellis Brown

• April: Florida Keys Beekeeping and Pollinators, by Jeff and Paula Wingate 

• May: Annual Potluck Luncheon and Installation of Officers for 2026-2027

We are currently in our summer recess (June through August) and working on our schedule for 2026-2027 speaker presentations. Come back later for more information as our speaker presentations are confirmed. Meetings are listed on the calendar on our home page.

From time to time, we host educational events, often in celebration of a special date such as Earth Day or as participation in a national event. Events held last year included:

• Tree planting event at the Francis Tracy Garden Center in celebration of Arbor Day

• Participation in The Great Pollinator Count 

• Participation in the iNaturalist City Nature Challenge. 

These events are announced on Facebook and on the club calendar.

The Wild Allamanda newsletter began in September 2025. In prior years, the Garden Club published News & Notes, which included member and public versions. Splitting communications into two newsletters enabled each publication to be more focused on either internal communication or educational outreach. The Wild Allamanda is designed to offer education, and inspiration to our cherished members and the wider public who share our passion for the natural beauty of the Upper Keys. 

Whether you're a longtime member or a curious newcomer to our club, we invite you to dig in and explore the stories, tips, and seasonal wisdom cultivated just for you. 

Links to recent issues of The Wild Allamanda are provided below (educational articles listed in parentheses).

The Wild Allamanda Issues

• 2026 April: Beekeeping, How Bees Make Honey

• 2026 March: Strange Plant Adaptations, Harnessing Nature to Make Magic in Your Own Backyard

• 2026 February: Spotlight on Dove Creen Hammock Wildlife and Environmental Area (WEA), Invasive Plant Removal Guide 

• 2026 January: Compost tips for Home Gardeners

• 2025 December: Plants for Christmas and Hanukkah, Food for the Holidays (Fruitcake and Potato Latkes)

• 2025 November: Sprouts vs Microgreens, how to grow sprouts in a Jar, the Easiest Sprouts to Grow Indoors and How to Use Them

• 2025 October: How to Minimize Microplastics in Your Vegetable Garden, Endemic and Near Endemic Species of the Florida Keys

• 2025 September: Container Gardening: Maximizing Yield and Nutrition in Small Spaces, The Microplastic Conundrum

News & Notes Issues

• 2025 May: Gardening for the Birds and Bees

• 2025 April: Peat Moss vs Coco Coir - Which is the Better Choice? 

• 2025 March: Microgreens: The Garden in Your Kitchen

• 2025 February: The Evolution of Home Gardening -- What Will the Future Bring?

• 2025 January: New Years Resolutions for Keys Gardeners

• 2024 December: Plant of the Month: Spiderlily

• 2024 November: Books about Foraging for Edible Plants, Plant of the Month: Cocoplum

• 2024 October: The History and Origin of Bonsai, Brief Introduction to Bonsai, Plant of the Month: Dollar Orchid

• 2024 September: Hugelkultur -- A Sustainable Method of Gardening; Plant of the Month: Breadfruit

• 2024 May: How to Create a Spiral Herb Garden, Plant of the Month: Rosemary

• 2024 April: Companion Planting and Guilds, Books About Permaculture and Food Forest Perennial Plants

• 2024 March: An Introduction to Permaculture and Food Forests, Books About Permaculture and Food Forests

• 2024 February: Providing Food for Birds with Native Plants, Florida Keys Exotic Task Force List of Invasive Plants

• 2024 January: Recommended Florida Native Beach and Dune Plants

Open to the public, our grounds are a place to enjoy the serenity and beauty of a peaceful garden and to learn about plants, gardening in the keys, and conservation. We welcome visitors to walk the grounds and learn more about our unique tropical environment. 

The Francis Tracy Garden Center includes more than 300 plant species; nearly half of them are native to the Florida Keys. Botanical markers provide the scientific and common name and indicate  species that are native to the Keys. The property is designated as a bird sanctuary and native hammock. 

We also created a brochure that describes the various gardens found on the property that can be used as a Self-Guided Garden Tour. It can be found in the kiosk in front of the clubhouse or downloaded here. 

The Monroe County Extension Service holds plant clinics several times each month. Master Gardeners staff the clinics to help assist with plant identification, disease diagnosis, insect identification/control and other services related to gardening or landscape problems.

Several of our members are Master Gardener s and participate in the Plant Clinics held at the Key Largo Library (first Wednesday of the month), Garden Club (third Tuesday of the month from September through May), and Islamorada Library (third Thursday of the month). The plant clinic brochure can be viewed or downloaded here.

In addition to supporting the plant clinics, the garden club coordinates with the extension to provide demonstrations at the library locations and provides the materials for them. Demonstrations have included topics such as sprouts, herbs, leafy greens, tropical plants, and more. Attendees are offered items such as sprouting jars, seeds, or potted plants to take home with them.