Wreath week is a highlight of the Garden Club of the Back Bay’s program year, for many of our members.  The companionship, added to the warm and welcoming atmosphere and the ability to create works of art, has brought back former and far-flung members each season.  Members who have moved away plan around their schedules to be able to attend.  One member, now living in Manhattan, comes up to work the front desk.  Another, from Martha’s Vineyard, booked into The College Club for the week in order to decorate.  A member from Cape Cod, unable to be here due to conflicting concert schedules with her singing group, drove up Sunday with materials from her garden.  We’ve already mentioned our Las Vegas member who mails baked goods for the volunteers.  We’ve had, in prior years, friends from Texas and California stay to help. We emphasize that volunteers need not be members of the Club – they just need to be willing workers with a good attitude and a smile.  Below is a picture of a matched pair with gold bows and gold and copper accents made for a member’s Commonwealth Avenue windows.

The Garden Club of the Back Bay wishes to thank the many wreath buyers who, in addition to their orders, made a general donation to the Club.  This money is especially valuable to us because it represents a vote of confidence in all our projects.  We are a not for profit Massachusetts corporation and a 501c(3) corporation registered with the Internal Revenue Service, so contributions are tax deductible.  The price of a wreath, however, is not deductible, since one receives something of value in exchange for payment.  All donors receive a written thank you and acknowledgement of their gifts.  The wreath below, with a gold bow and red apples, symbolizes our buyers’ generosity of spirit.

The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s wreath project is one of two fundraising activities we plan each year, the other being our early summer Twilight Garden Party.  The net proceeds from wreath week are used to plant, prune, and care for the street trees of the Back Bay.  Therefore, since we wish to maximize our profits, we encourage walk in orders for wreaths with bows, or just plain wreaths.  Unfortunately, we cannot sell fully decorated wreaths during wreath week – these must be ordered in advance.  Our time at the Church is limited, and the number of fully decorated wreath orders we accept is also limited.  Many who come by are so impressed by our output that they want to buy a decorated wreath on the spot, and are disappointed.  We put names on our mailing list and those who are interested will receive an order form next fall.  If anyone reading this post wishes to be put on the mailing list, simply email info@gardenclubbackbay.org with your name and address.  The wreath below, a fantasy of copper and gold, received much attention from members and customers this year, and probably will be a much requested “look” next season.