WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO:
The Grand Valley Daylily Society is a non-profit organization which was founded in January of 1985 by several local daylily enthusiasts. Approximately 40 people joined the club that first year, and many of them are still actively participating in the club today.
The purpose of the Society is to promote and encourage the development and improvement of the daylily and to increase interest therein, as a means of home and civic beautification. We are accomplishing these goals in a variety of ways. We have provided plants for Habitat for Humanity homes and other projects to showcase the daylily in our community. In July of 1998, we hosted a Regional Daylily Meeting, and we host an annual July Daylily Show displaying a variety of daylily blooms to encourage use of the daylily in local gardens and landscaping.
The Society has also developed a plant acquisition program designed to introduce newer daylily hybrids to our community. Volunteer growers bring the increase of these hybrids to the annual spring auctions. Door prize plants are won at monthly club meetings. In this way, members and the public are able to acquire newer hybrids at affordable prices.
The Grand Valley Daylily Society hosts both spring and fall plant auctions which are eagerly awaited by all members, and not just daylilies are sold! The auctions are a means of gaining new plants, sharing of the abundance of one's own, and raising funds for the benefit of the club. The proceeds are used to subsidize our plant acquisition program, the printing of our quarterly newsletters, bus trips to daylily hybridizer gardens or other places of gardening interest, our annual Christmas party, and other activities and projects as approved by Society membership vote.
The Grand Valley Daylily Society also used funds to become a charter member of the West Michigan Horticultural Society which is now housed at the Frederick Meijer Gardens. Many of the daylilies seen at the Gardens were donated by the Grand Valley Daylily Society.
When does the Society meet?
The Grand Valley Daylily Society meets the first Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m. except for the months of January and May. Our meetings are held indoors at Frederik Meijer Gardens from October through April and feature a wide variety of daylily and general gardening programs by notable local gardening and horticultural enthusiasts as well as out-of-town daylily experts. Admission to both Frederik Meijer Gardens and the club programs are free.
In May, we hold our annual spring auction on the second Thursday of the month. This is a fun and exciting way to kick off the upcoming gardening season! During the summer months of June, July, and August, Grand Valley Daylily Society members graciously open their gardens for summer garden tours so we can see a wide variety of our favorite flowers in bloom.
Our fall auction is held in September, and then it's back indoors for great daylily programs until May, except for our annual Christmas dinner which is held at a local restaurant the first Thursday of December.
The public is always invited to join us at our monthly meetings and other club activities.
Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Grand Valley Daylily Society is a 501(c)7 non-profit organization created to promote and encourage the development and improvement of the daylily and to increase interest in its use as a means of home and civic beautification.
Copyright 2015 Grand Valley Daylily Society. All rights reserved.