By: Lylanne Musselman

Does spring bring about dreams of gardening, but you’re not sure where to start? Maybe you know a little about some plants, but you’d love to learn more. If so, then Trowel and Error Garden Club is for you. 

The Trowel and Error Garden Club started in Blackford County in 1993. It is a welcoming group who is open to those interested in learning about plants and growing them. Robyn Clamme is the current president of Trowel and Error, and said the club meets the second Monday of the month, except January and February, at 6 p.m. at the Blackford County Historical Society Museum. Their current membership is about 20 people.

The purpose of Trowel and Error Garden Club is to educate members about plants and gardening – really anything outdoors, as they don’t focus on houseplants. Clamme says, “Different plants require different methods of care, and that is why our group meets, to keep learning.” 

Clamme said it was the idea of local gardener Carolee Snyder to start the garden club. When they first began, there were approximately 10-12 people at the first meeting to organize, and these founders selected the name out of several choices because “we felt it suited our group best and it’s fun,” she said.

In case you hadn’t noticed, Trowel and Error is a play on the phrase “trial and error,” and that is exactly what gardening is: planting by “trial” and error, as well as using a “trowel” as a gardening tool. After all, one can be an accomplished gardener and still have mishaps due to the unpredictability of weather, pests, insects, and diseases. Nevertheless, if one follows some basic rules, they can have success.

Philanthropy is another aspect of the Trowel and Error Garden Club. For 20 years, the club has awarded a scholarship through the Blackford County Community Foundation that goes to a Blackford County graduating senior who will study landscape design or horticulture in college. In addition, they give to the Library Summer Program, the Food Pantry, and the Historical Museum, where they take care of planting around the building and the care of plants. They are responsible for spring clean-up and watering the ferns on the porch. The club invested in the bushes and the clock at the Historical Museum, as well.

New this year for Trowel and Error is their program committee, who are planning some exciting field trips for members. Their first excursion was on April 25 to Newfield’s in Indianapolis to take in the LUME, where they enjoyed seeing “Monet and Friends Alive,” then strolling outside through the museum’s vast gardens, where they enjoyed identifying plants and flowers along their walk. On June 24, they’re traveling to Richmond, IN to visit five gardens on a Secret Garden tour. In September, they’re going to Rinard Orchard Greenhouse and the new Environmental Education Center at Ball State University.

Also on Trowel and Error’s agenda this year is a discussion and workshop series. Lisa Weeks will present on houseplants and how to make salsa in August; in October, Carolee Snyder will give a presentation on bees; in November, the group will be making swags to hang at the Historical Museum for Christmas; and in December, they will hold their annual Christmas party at the Blackford County Arts Center. 

Something for the community to look forward to is the Trowel and Error Plant Sale, which always takes place during the last day of Heritage Days in downtown Hartford City. This year’s sale is on May 20 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Historical Museum, just a short walk from the city square. Clamme said that most plants for sale are from members who have potted them, and it’s a chance for newer members to participate. The members bring what they have in their gardens that they want to share. “There are no specific rules for what members bring,” she said.

Plants available at the sale include vegetables, annuals, perennials, bulbs, trees, and bushes. The money raised goes into their treasury and then is used for the club’s philanthropies, including the scholarship. The plant sale is a good time for those interested in joining Trowel and Error to join.

According to Clamme, the easiest plants to grow are perennials, depending on whether they need sun or shade. “If you’re looking for the easiest plant to grow in the sun, it would be zinnias,” she said. “In the shade, it would be hostas.” 

She says her favorite plants are “the ones that grow in the spring, especially daffodils and irises.” 

Even though the Trowel and Error Garden Club meets in Hartford City, Clamme wants it known that their club is not exclusively for Blackford County residents. They already have members from surrounding counties, and would welcome more. Anyone interested in plants or gardening can join, even those who are not naturally “green thumbs.” 

The Annual Trowel and Error Plant Sale will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 20 at the Blackford County Historical Society Museum, 321 N High St, Hartford City. Cash or check payments will be accepted.