On Sept. 4, the Englewood Garden Club began a new year of gardening with a special program.

President Carolyn Ashbrook announced the appointment of two new officers for the current year.

Before the normal business meeting began, the installation of Peggy Pope as first vice president, and Alice Cassanova as secretary, was conducted by Becky Bullock, chairwoman of the Club’s Meal on Wheels Community Project. Two representatives from the N.C. Department of Transportation Highway Division presented an informative and educational slide presentation of the Roadside Wildflower Program.

Tim Collins, Division Roadside Environmental Engineer, and Brian Glover, narrator, who operate from the Wilson office, explained their roles in the planning, planting and care of the beautiful gardens travel view.

While Collins is responsible for the engineering part, he said that Brian is the “farmer” who does the actual planting. To the Englewood Garden Club members, Brian’s role translated to “gardener” as he explained that roadside gardens are planted where they find the best place to be viewed by highway travelers.

They must also consider soil amendments and access for maintenance by their equipment.

The Wilson office maintains wildflower gardens in several surrounding counties and they continue to look for more areas that will display the beauty found along North Carolina’s highways.