The Four Flags Garden Club

The mission of the Four Flags Garden Club is to encourage interest and enjoyment in all phases of home gardening and promote better horticultural practices, civic beauty and conservation of natural resources.

Top Left: Marilyn Maurer, Helena Kaminski, Carol Shearer and Carol Bronicki planting Amy's purple roses at the train depot. Top Right: Spring Plant Sale at Riverfront Park. Center: Historic Niles Train Depot's Hometown Christmas Celebration sponsored by the Four Flags Garden Club. Lower Left: One of the gardens at the train depot. Lower right: Spring Clean Up at the depot.

The Four Flags Garden Club was organized on March 29, 1966 and held their first meeting on May 19, 1966 and is now celebrating more than 40 years of service to the Niles community. The club meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m., with gardening programs at least 7 times a year. Business meetings are held at the Niles Law Enforcement Center at 1600 Silverbrook Street. Field trips and meetings are also held at various locations in the area. A week prior to the meeting, exact information is listed under the Calendar Section of the Niles Daily Star.

The Four Flags Garden Club has remained a certified member of both the Michigan Garden Clubs and the National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc. Mrs. Joanne Fintze is not only a current member of the club, but also the first club president. Mrs. Carole Bronicki has been an active member for 37 years.

Over the past 40 years club members have participated in hundreds of gardening and beautification projects in and around the Niles area; and the main projects of the club have been to plant and care for the beautiful gardens at the Historic Niles Amtrak Depot and to host the annual Hometown Christmas celebration at the train depot.

Mrs. Joanne Fintze (pictured here), Charter President, in her home garden



Some of the Members of the Four Flags Garden Club

Front row: Phyllis Davis, Karen Persa, Shirley Nevill, Marilyn Maurer, Anita Heemer 
Second row: Jo Flock, Carole Bronicki, Marilyn White, Lisa Croteau 
Back row: Suzanne Beauchamp, Mary Ann Burdue, Donna Ochenryder, Elaine Metzger, John Mishler,  Linda Blanchard, Carla Shier, Mary Jane Thomas


John Gipner (pictured here) was responsible for creating the beautiful gardens at the Niles Train Station. The Four Flags Garden Club created a garden at his gravesite in Silverbrook Cemetery. Mr. Gipner maintained a green house on the premises and planted so many flowers that every lady on all the incoming and outgoing trains were given a flower. He also supplied flowers for the decoration of the dining cars of all the trains. 

Because of Mr. Gipner, Niles was once called "The Garden City."

The Yellow Ribbon Garden at the Veteran's Memorial
(A combined project of the Four Flags Garden Club and the Niles Garden Club)

If you would like more information, or to become a member, view the Four Flags Garden Club's membership brochure.