DO NOT MISS 2026 OPEN DAYS & DIGGING DEEPER: SATURDAY, JULY 25 & SUNDAY JULY, 26!
From Our President
The Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee (GCGM) is very fortunate to have been established in 2022, after 100 years with Milwaukee Art Museum as a support group. Now as an independent nonprofit our Club can pursue our mission, make decisions, and have a significant impact with our members and in our community. Here are a few areas we will focus on this year:
. Learning by providing programs, tours, workshops, interactive newsletters and an informational website. We want to include those areas that interest our members and reflect our mission.
. Experiencing community outreach by gardening, hiking, book group discussions, scholarship awards and photography activities.
. Enjoying by getting to know each other better, by having the opportunity to gather for monthly luncheons, and by finding our common interests.
. Caring as we find ways to connect with other members and our community, so we feel we all belong.
We have a year full of activities, events, programs, tours and time to be together! Join us whenever, and wherever you can . . .
I hope to see you often!
Susan Ballje
OUR MISSION
Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee’s mission is to educate members and the community about the art and science of gardening, floral design, landscape design, and horticulture.
We embrace best practices that promote sustainability, protect the environment, and conserve our natural resources. We volunteer in our community to share our passion for the natural world.
OUR STORY
The Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee, Inc. (GCGM) was originally founded in 1921 as the Milwaukee Art Museum Garden Club. In 2022, we incorporated as a separate entity and remain one of the largest garden clubs in Wisconsin currently 200 members strong. Members of the Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee are proud to continue a long, rich history of conservation, education, and community service.
Current community service projects include providing volunteers and monetary support to Lakeshore State Park, Alice’s Garden, annual Habitat for Humanity Plant Share and other community initiatives. In 2026 we plan to award $18,000 worth of scholarships to students studying horticultural, environmental or agricultural subjects in Wisconsin colleges, universities and technical schools.
In 2021, GCGM entered into a partnership with The Garden Conservancy to allow members of the public to visit extraordinary private gardens in the greater Milwaukee area as part of its nationally recognized Open Days program. The Open Days program is our primary fund-raising event.
At the heart of GCGM’s success is the hard work of our volunteer members, without whom there would be no Garden Club.
GCGM holds monthly meetings featuring well known speakers on various topics of interest to our members at the Women’s Club of Wisconsin, located at 813 E. Kilbourn Avenue in Milwaukee. The programs are free and open to GCGM members only. The central location of these events supports our mission to connect members and engage with the greater Milwaukee community. View meeting location on map