Once called “The Garden City”, Niles first pressed a green-thumbprint on the map during the Chicago World Fair in 1893, when the newly renovated and impressive gardens at the Michigan Central Railroad (what we now know as the Amtrak Depot) stunned travelers and locals with masses of foliage and flowers. Head gardener, John Gipner, planted so many that they adorned each trains’ dining car, and each woman, coming and going, received a fresh bloom.
The Four Flags Garden Club of Niles sows the seeds of passion and enthusiasm, while working diligently to continue John’s labor of love. They “encourage interest and enjoyment in all phases of home gardening, and promote better horticultural practices, civic beauty, and conservation of natural resources.” The Four Flags Garden Club was formed in 1966 through the efforts of four women, and though it began as an evening club that catered to women in the workforce, membership is now open to anyone.
“Since 1975, maintaining the gardens at the historic Niles Amtrak Train Depot has been our largest and most beloved project,” says Four Flags Garden Club historian and Vice President, Elaine Metzger. “Our members do annual Spring and Fall cleanups at our April and October meetings, and pair up to do two-week cleaning stints all Summer long to keep them weeded and looking beautiful.”
Additional beautification projects around the City of Niles include: the Yellow Ribbon Garden at the Veterans Memorial at Niles Riverfront Park (created in 2006 in cooperation with the Niles Garden Club and part of a National Garden Clubs program to pay tribute to America’s Armed Forces), the commemorative garden at the grave of John Gipner & family at Silverbrook Cemetery since 2010, and planting flowers in the courtyard of the Niles Law Enforcement Complex.
Handling soil that is rich in history is certainly a perk of working within this organization, but they have evolved into so much more. The Four Flags Garden Club has an enormous presence in the community, giving back every chance they can, providing multiple services throughout the area.
Every December, the Four Flags Garden Club hosts the Hometown Christmas Event, where the Amtrak depot sparkles with lights and decor, inside and out. Cookies and punch is served, and Santa gives away two Amtrak tickets to kickoff the Christmas season. In cooperation with the Howard Township school system, a family is also adopted by FFGC for Christmastime.
“Twice a year we donate to a Niles elementary school, and in the Fall we fill a basket with school supplies,” says current FFGC President Ronnie Shipe. “Around Christmas, we donate hats, gloves, and mittens to the children also.”
In previous years, the garden club sponsored the annual Rose Trophy at the Berrien County Youth Fair, and currently, they sponsor a sculpture at the Hunter Ice Festival, and host an apple giveaway at the Four Flags Area Apple Festival. Their good work can also be seen in their contribution to Fernwood’s Railway Garden, and the Michigan Garden Club Scholarship Program. They also offer nature programs throughout the year, held on the third Tuesday of the month, that support their goals and their mission.
Saturday, May 7th, the Four Flags Garden Club is holding their Annual Spring Plant Sale at the Amphitheater at Niles Riverfront Park, from 9 a.m. to Noon. The Plant Sale is the organizations only fundraiser, and enables them to purchase plants, mulch, and supplies to care for the many gardens they create and sustain throughout the city, while also aiding in the costs of Hometown Christmas and other various projects.
“We offer local perennial plants to our community at bargain prices. Plants come from member gardens, the Niles Amtrak Depot Garden (lots of iris from there this year), and donations from the gardens of friends. Members are on hand to assist people in choosing the best plants for their needs, and this year, there will be a flower planting activity on-site for children,” says Elaine.
Plants that do not sell are donated to ‘Plant It Forward’, a project of the Indian Hills Garden Club.
Extraordinary groups deserve extraordinary support: the Four Flags Garden Club not only enhances the beauty of Niles, but offers gardening guidance, gives back to the community, and works toward improving our planet. Find yourself at Niles Riverfront Park the day before Mother’s Day, and purchase gorgeous perennials to support this organization. To learn more, become a member, or find answers to Plant Sale questions, please visit their page on the City of Niles website, or their Facebook page.
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM Contributor
