Mission, policies & FAQ
Everything about how Gardening Club works: public and private events, hosting, contributing, and starting a chapter.
About Gardening Club
Gardening Club is run by Veronica Sykes, founder and CEO of Florish Technologies. She has about 25 years of hands-on experience with plants, along with study and work across horticulture, botany and plant science, landscape architecture and design, nursery management, and botanical gardens. It started with a post on TikTok asking if anyone wanted to come garden in her backyard. Far more people said yes than expected, so it became a real-world community: we garden together, learn practical skills, visit interesting gardens and nurseries, take on local projects, and meet other people who care about plants and the places they live.
General
- What is Gardening Club?
- Gardening Club is a group of people who get together to garden, learn things, visit interesting gardens, eat, hang out, and work on projects around the city.
- Do I need gardening experience?
- No. Complete beginners, longtime gardeners and everyone in between are welcome. Some people come to learn, some come to teach, and most of us do a little of both.
- Do I have to join Gardening Club to attend an event?
- Public events are open to anyone who RSVPs. Joining the club means you'll hear about what's happening, can tell us what you're interested in, and find more ways to get involved.
- What does joining the club mean?
- It means you’re part of Gardening Club. You’ll hear about events near you, and you can tell me what you’re interested in or how you’d like to get involved. It’s free.
Events
- What about gatherings at people's homes?
- Sometimes we get together in people's homes and private gardens. Those gatherings are organized privately by the host and don't appear on the public event calendar.
- Can I bring a friend?
- Usually, but check the event details first. For limited-capacity or private events, everyone attending needs their own RSVP or invitation.
- Can I bring food or drinks?
- Often, yes. Food is part of the fun. Some gatherings may be potluck-style, have someone cooking or grilling, or include food from a local spot. Check the event details before bringing anything. If cooking, baking, grilling, drinks or hospitality is something you’d like to help with, tell me through the Contribute form.
Hosting & contributing
- What’s expected of members?
- Be kind, respect people’s homes and gardens, follow the host’s boundaries, don’t make other people uncomfortable, and help leave a place at least as good as we found it.
- How can I contribute?
- If you have a garden, space, skill, connection, food, idea or other way you’d like to help, fill out the Contribute form. You can host, teach, cook, make things, recommend places or people, help organize, sponsor something, or bring an idea we haven’t thought of yet.
Chapters
- Can I start Gardening Club in my city?
- Maybe. I’m starting in Los Angeles and building other cities thoughtfully. If you’d like to help start Gardening Club where you live, choose “Help start Gardening Club in my city” in the Contribute form.
Privacy
- What do you do with my information?
- I use it only to invite you to events and coordinate the club. I never sell it or share it publicly. I may use AI tools internally to help summarize and organize responses so I can match people to events and projects; I review anything that matters. I don't collect passwords, birthdays, or government IDs. Email me any time to see, correct, or delete your information.
- How do I leave the list?
- Email us and I'll remove you right away.
- Will you take photos?
- I often photograph gatherings to share what the club is doing. If you'd rather not appear, tell an organizer at the event and I'll keep you out of the frame or out of anything I post.
- Do you share addresses?
- No. Private addresses, meaning hosts' homes and spaces people offer, are stored privately and shared only with confirmed guests for a specific event.