GREAT FALLS — For the past 50 years, the Rainbow Garden Club in Great Falls has been planting flowers outside of the Cascade County Courthouse during National Garden Club Week.
Patty Schlaeger, recently named as the Garden Club Member of the Year, said they try to pick the most vibrant, colored flowers to allow for people to see them from the street or when driving by.
“During the year, Rainbow Garden Club works on a variety of fundraising activities which help us pay for flowers for a variety of our projects around Great Falls,” said Schlaeger. “We have been doing the Cascade County Courthouse for probably close to 50 years.”
The Rainbow Garden Club does several projects each year, and this long-standing beautification project consists of gold and yellow marigolds, petunias, and other bright colored flowers.
Their goal: To beautify the community, one flower at a time.
“When we had a larger club, a younger club, we used to plant the entire surroundings of the courthouse, now we just do the steps and the raised bed,” added Kathy Austin, corresponding secretary for the Rainbow Garden Club.
Rainbow Garden Club has a few upcoming projects, including the installation of sensory gardens.
“Statewide, our club and two others in Cascade County represent over 700 members in and across the state of Montana, and we’re all doing as many beautification projects [as we can],” Schlaeger said.
The next project coming up for the Rainbow Garden Club will be installing sensory gardens at the Montana School for The Deaf and Blind, but they are still looking for donations as well as sponsors for the project.
To receive more information on how you can help, contact Patty at rainbowgardenclubgreatfallsmt@gmail.com
