El Charco de Ingenio Botanical Gardens

The Garden Club has always enjoyed a close relationship with the botanical gardens, El Charco de Ingenio, recognizing the hard work that has been done in this reserve, a world-class botanical garden and treasure for the community.  The Club contributed to the building of shade houses that contain the collection of rare and endangered cacti and succulents that El Charco maintains in trust for the people of Mexico.

Built near the Conservatory to create a combined public display and education center, as well as a working greenhouse, this facility is used to teach people from rural communities how to propagate cactus and succulents for export and sale to public and private gardens in SMA.  It is all powered with solar energy and subsequently the Club contributed to a windmill that provides an independent source of water to the gardens and assisted in the development of a tree barrier to encroaching housing projects.

Recently, the Club funded new signage for the plants in El Charco, enabling the garden to replace barely legible hand-written signs.  These new signs will not be as vulnerable to the weather, and are also more informative, telling the Mexican origin of the plants.

The Campaign Por Una Cuidad Limpia

The Club has long been active in educational efforts on the importance of a clean community.  It began in 2003 with its contribution to the Campaign Por Una Cuidad Limpia (For a Clean City), and continues up to its funding for instructors and the purchasing of recycling containers for the school programs run by PEASMA.  PEASMA runs environmental education programs and workshops for elementary students.  The programs extend beyond the schools, with students bringing in recyclable materials from home.

100th Anniversary of Parque Benito Juarez

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Parque Benito Juarez, the Club was responsible for the construction and funding of a public drinking fountain.  The fountain which has four separate faucets was built near the children’s playground and features a mural drawn by a local artist Lavinia Ruiz.  The mural is of Fray Juan de San Miguel, the padre and his dog credited with finding the pure water for the early settlers.  Maestro de Ceramica Octavio Corduro Luis then transferred the drawing into tile making the mural both attractive and practical.  More recently, the Club contributed to the effort led by the Amigos del Parque to refurbish the children’s playground at the park.

Alma, Home for the Elderly

The Club sponsored the Alma Vegetable Garden Project that provided the equipment and supplies needed to establish a vegetable garden on the property.  The land was first cultivated and then planted with a variety of vegetables, tended by the home’s gardener.  Alma is the wonderful home for the aged poor of San Miguel and the garden is flourishing and sustaining Alma’s residents with fresh vegetables.

The Tree Fund

The Garden Club of San Miguel plants trees in San Miguel communities via our TREE FUND.  An individual or group may make a donation of 100 pesos or more in honor of a birthday, anniversary, death, wedding — or just to celebrate a life.  Upon that donation, a personalized note is sent to those being honored, or their families, to let them know that a tree or trees are being planted in their honor.  Asked to assist with the landscaping of a new community center, the Club recently donated the trees for the Centro Comunitario Roza Kent.  The people of the Colonia demonstrated the availability of water and their commitment to maintain the trees, which was the requirement for our participation.

The Flower Show

Every two years, the Club presents a flower show that is free and open to the public.  Through this show, the Club hopes to share its love of creative floral arrangements and nature with the community.