an Interview with Jean Taylor, April 2003

by Jasmin Kane

     Jean Taylor grew up trying to help out in her parents’ garden in Grace, Idaho, when she could barely even walk.  Since then she has lived in several “green” areas, including London, England, where she had a “postage-stamp-size” garden.  For the last 24 years, however, she has lived in Laramie and has put her gardening skills to work as President of the Laramie Gardening Club for 2001 and 2002.

     Becoming president was something that Jean wanted to do before her husband retired from his job, and it just so happened that a president was needed.  By the spring of 2001, club membership was on the decline and members were afraid it was eventually going to fold.  Jean knew that something had to be done, so she called a meeting for key members to discuss the membership issue.  She asked the members to play a word association game on what came to mind when they were asked about the club.  Four ideas came out that really spurred recruitment.  These ideas reminded members that the point of the garden club is to gain knowledge, share ideas, increase fellowship, and participate in community service projects.  Today, membership boasts about 70 people of all ages!

     Jean gives credit to Linda Pearson for helping membership to grow.  Linda volunteered to do public relations work for the club by working to get more advertisement out to the public.  She did this with radio and newspaper ads, as well as a marquee spot at First Interstate Bank.  Jean says that “it was very easy to be president with such wonderful people helping out.”

     Presidential duties for Jean were to conduct meetings, make sure everything ran smoothly, and to basically be the go-between with committee heads.  It was a lot of coordination and she is very grateful for everyone’s help.  Typically, the vice president of the club will arrange for two to three guest speakers for meetings throughout the year.  Last year these included an entomologist, Michael Brewer, a waterscapes designer, Greg Sawyer, and a graduate student in Mycology from the University of Wyoming, Josh Herr.

     Outside of meetings she and the club kept busy with community projects.  Some of these included maintaining and establishing community beds in various locations around Laramie, participating in classes and programs within the community, and conducting their annual plant sale, flower show, and garden tours.

     When asked what she loved about the gardening club, Jean said that it is just “really special to make a lot of new friends.”