Happy Gardeners Club of Clinton marks 40th anniversary

Pictured (l to r) are officers and hostesses for the September meeting of Happy Gardeners, front row: President Barbara Barnett, Secretary Gloria Wright, Program Committee Chair Teresa George and Treasurer Mary Katherine Callahan; and back row: hostess Emily McInnis and Bonnie Plants’ Toby Lee.

Special to The Clinton Courier

Happy Gardeners Club celebrates forty years of beautifying homes and public spaces in Clinton this year. The group kicked off its anniversary year on September 28.

The club was formed as an activity of the Clinton Newcomers Club in 1986 with twenty charter members. Jewell Longabaugh, who still resides in Clinton, was one of these original members.

Projects through the years have included landscaping at Clinton Community Christian Center, providing birthday bouquets at nursing homes and, most recently, co-sponsoring with the Clinton Courier Yard of the Month homes.

September’s guest speaker was Toby Lee. Lee is station manager for Bonnie Plants’ Mississippi division. Bonnie Plants supplies vegetable and herb starter plants nationwide to independent retail garden centers and big box stores including Home Depot, Kroger and Walmart in Clinton. Working from a facility with eighteen commercial greenhouses in Pearl, Lee’s staff provides plants to stores in most of Mississippi and eastern Louisiana. He gave club members cabbage, collard and basil plants for their gardens.

Officers for the 2026-’27 year are president, Barbara Barnett; treasurer, Mary Katherine Callahan; and secretary, Gloria Wright. The next meeting will be Monday, October 26. For more information, contact Sandy McGuire at 601-954-9448 or by email to slmcguire8@bellsouth.net.