Arizona Columbine Garden Club’s April 11, 2024 fundraiser held at the Camelback Inn featured the exuberant floral designer Ace Berry.  His moniker, Ace in Full Bloom was the inspiration for the club’s Full Bloom, Flower Power theme. Ace, featured on the HBO show “Full Bloom,” founded his florist business in Houston. He was named Best Florist in Texas in 2019. He also specializes in designing floral headpieces, beards and other wearable floral accessories. The 450 guests who attended the luncheon were treated to an entertaining presentation by Ace, who quickly designed 10 arrangements on stage while talking about floral design basics and floral trends. 

The event raised funds to benefit The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Urban Heat Leadership Academy in memory of Sydney Dye, a beloved Columbine member.  TNC’s Urban Heat Leadership Academy will help graduates apply their knowledge, resources, and skills to implement projects essential to mitigating heat in their neighborhoods.

Ace Berry’s Philosophy:

"Put your heart into everything you do, because when you do that, when you give someone your heart, you're literally giving them a piece of yourself. It means that much more."

The Arizona Columbine Garden Club of the Garden Club of America (GCA) member clubs in the state of Arizona are pleased to announce the signing of a proclamation by Governor Katie Hobbs on March 26, 2024, officially designating April 2024 “Arizona Native Plant Month”. The GCA has led this effort across all 50 states and Washington, DC to increase awareness of the critical role native plants play in supporting a healthy environment, thriving wildlife and pollinator populations, reducing use of pesticides and fertilizers, cleaning air and water and so much more.

The Garden Club of America and its member clubs are committed to preserving and expanding native plant habitats, helping build awareness about the importance of native plants in sustaining healthy ecosystems, promoting biodiversity, encouraging the removal of non-native, invasive plants, and supporting all efforts to help native bees, butterflies, birds, other pollinators, and wildlife. All plants protect our planet’s natural resources, including air, water, and soil. A significant number of North American native species, including insects, caterpillars, birds, and other animals, are at risk of extinction because they cannot eat non-native plants. In addition, habitat loss, the use of invasive species, climate change, and pesticide use are contributing to their steep decline.

Through a Native Plant Month proclamation, Arizona and its citizens can engage and make a difference right at home.

To access the proclamation and learn more about the initiative, visit www.gcamerica.org.

To read the GCA’s Position Paper on native plants, visit www.gcamerica.org/nnpmi.

Founded in 1913, the GCA is a nonpartisan, issue-oriented advocate for a beautiful, healthy planet. It is a nonprofit national organization recognized for its leadership in horticulture, conservation, creative arts, historic preservation, and environmental protection. Its mission is to bring its 199 member clubs together to cultivate a bond among people, plants, and the environment. The GCA member clubs consist of almost 18,000 club members who devote energy and expertise to projects in their communities and across the United States.

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Download the Proclamation here