The Hobby Greenhouse Club

HGC Monthly Meeting: Container Contest
2024-06-11 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Our annual container contest. Details to follow. See last year’s winners below.

HGC Monthly Meeting (July)
2024-07-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States

HGC Monthly Meeting (August)
2024-08-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Guest Speaker: Alyssa Winfield, landscape designer

Fall Plant Sale at 2318 Metts Ave
2024-09-06 09:00 - 2024-09-07 18:00 | 2318 Metts Avenue Wilmington NC, 2318 Metts Avenue, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Friday, Sept 6, 2024 (9am – 6pm)
Saturday, Sept 7, 2024 (9am – 6pm)

Cash or checks only

HGC Monthly Meeting (Sept)
2024-09-14 18:30 - 20:00 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States

HGC Monthly Meeting (October): Figs
2024-10-08 19:00 - 20:30 | Pine Valley Baptist Church (Fellowship Hall), 3940 Shipyard Blvd, Wilmington, 28403
Phil D’Angelis – Figs

HGC Monthly Meeting (Nov): Gabriella de Souza "Native Plants"
2024-11-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Our guest speaker this month is Gabriella de Souza on the topic of “Native Plants”

HGC Monthly Meeting (Holiday Dinner)
2024-12-10 18:00 - 20:00 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Please bring a dish to share. The club will provide turkey and ham.
Appetizers at 6pm, meeting at 6:30, dinner at 6:45.
No ugly sweater competition this year.

Carnivorous Plants (Jan 14, 2025)
2025-01-14 19:00 | Pine Valley Baptist Church (Fellowship Hall), 3940 Shipyard Blvd, Wilmington, 28403
Join us for our monthly meeting. All are welcome.
Mr. Lyndon McCall, owner of Nahunga Creek Tropicals in Warsaw, NC, will speak on the topic of “Carnivorous Plants” (such as Venus Flytraps, etc.)
Follow Nahunga Creek Tropicals on Instagram or Facebook
Learn more about our club at hobbygreenhouseclub.org

Camellia Propagation with Nate Buffum (Feb 11, 2025)
2025-02-11 19:00 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Join us for our monthly meeting at the arboretum. All are welcome.
Speaker: Nate Buffum
Topic: Camellia propagation: Cuttings, Grafting, and Air Layering

Learn more about our club at hobbygreenhouseclub.org

Growing Orchids in a Hobby Greenhouse with Paula Paye (Mar 11, 2025)
2025-03-11 19:00 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Join us for our monthly meeting. All are welcome.
Paula Paye will speak on “Growing Orchids in a Hobby Greenhouse.”
Paula is a member of the Cape Fear Orchid Society as well as the Hobby Greenhouse Club. Paula grows many rare and unusual orchids in her 14’x 23′ greenhouse. She was selected as “Grower of the Year” in 2022 by the Cape Fear Orchid Society.

Learn more about our club at hobbygreenhouseclub.org

HGC Spring Plant Sale (Apr 4-6, 2025)
2025-04-04 09:00 - 2025-04-06 17:00 | 2318 Metts Avenue Wilmington NC, 2318 Metts Avenue, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Free
Friday, April 4, 2024 (9am – 6pm)
Saturday, April 5, 2024 (9am – 6pm)
Sunday, April 6, 2024 (noon – 5pm)

Cash or checks only

[Canceled] There will be no April 2025 meeting
2025-04-12 18:30 | TBD
Hi all – we were unable to secure a location for the after sale potluck this year. Checks to sellers will be mailed to you.

How to Successfully Grow Tomatoes in SE NC with Rich Keegan (May 13, 2025)
2025-05-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Pine Valley Baptist Church (Fellowship Hall), 3940 Shipyard Blvd, Wilmington, 28403
Join us for our monthly meeting. All are welcome.
The May 13, 2025, meeting will be held at Pine Valley Baptist Church, Fellowship Hall at 3940 Shipyard Blvd., Wilmington at 7:00 pm.

The guest speaker is Rich Keegan: “How to Successfully Grow Tomatoes in Southeastern NC”
Learn more about our club at hobbygreenhouseclub.org

HGC Monthly Meeting: Container Contest (June 10, 2025)
2025-06-10 19:00 | Pine Valley Baptist Church (Fellowship Hall), 3940 Shipyard Blvd, Wilmington, 28403
Join us for our monthly meeting. All are welcome. This month is for the annual Container Contest.
The Container Contest is open to members who have paid their 2025 dues before June 1, 2025.
If you would like to participate in the contest, and have not paid your dues, please mail them to
The Hobby Greenhouse Club
P.O. Box 7835
Wilmington, NC 28406
Please arrive by 6:30 pm to get your entries tagged and in place by 7:00 pm for the meeting.
Typical categories include:

Hanging Basket – must be hanging and in a basket type container
Single Planting – one type of plant in container
Mixed Planting – more than one type of plant in a container
Edible Planting – herbs, vegetables, or fruit
Most Unusual Container – anything able to contain and support plant life
Member’s Choice – voted by the members. Each member gets a total of only one vote for their top choice from all the plants entered. Entry with the most votes wins.

Rules:

Must be planted by the person entering
Must be an established planting
Must be planted for a minimum of two weeks
More than one entry per person is allowed
Judging is done by an impartial non-member
Entries (plants or containers) from any previous year may not be resubmitted.

Cash prizes are awarded to the 1st and 2nd place winners in each category and there is a prize for Member’s Choice.
Learn more about our club at hobbygreenhouseclub.org

Interesting Plants of Brunswick County's Green Swamp with Kristin Rahn (July 8, 2025)
2025-07-08 19:00 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Join us for our Hobby Greenhouse Club monthly meeting at the Arboretum. All are welcome.
Kristin Rahn will speak on the subject of interesting plants of Brunswick County’s Green Swamp. Kristin is an experienced speaker and operates an intriguing photography business and website (see additional biographical details). You can follow her on Instagram or Facebook
This meeting will also feature our annual ice cream social.
Learn more about our club at hobbygreenhouseclub.org
Green Swamp Native Plants Calendar with latin names (PDF)

Greenhouse Panel Discussion (Aug 12, 2025)
2025-08-12 19:00 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Join us for our monthly meeting. All are welcome.
This month features our annual Greenhouse Panel Discussion. We will have different panelists than last year, so please come with your questions.
Learn more about our club at hobbygreenhouseclub.org

HGC Fall Plant Sale (Sept 5-6, 2025)
2025-09-05 09:00 - 2025-09-06 18:00 | 2318 Metts Avenue Wilmington NC, 2318 Metts Avenue, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Save the date for our next Hobby Greenhouse Club plant sale: Sept 5-6, 2025 from 9-6 at 2318 Metts Ave, Wilmington, NC
Cash and checks only. Proceeds from the sale fund scholarships for horticultural students at Cape Fear Community College and Brunswick Community College.

HGC Monthly Meeting & After Sale Potluck Dinner (Sept 13, 2025)
2025-09-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
No speaker this month. Join us to celebrate a successful fall plant sale. Please bring a dish to share as part of the potluck.
6:00 Appetizers and social
6:30 Meeting, then dinner following

History and Future of NC Cooperative Extension and the NHC Arboretum with Amy Mead (Oct 14, 2025)
2025-10-14 19:00 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Join us for our monthly meeting. All are welcome. Amy Mead, Director of the Arboretum, will join us as this month’s speaker.
Topic: History and Future of NC Cooperative Extension and the NHC Arboretum
Join new County Extension Director, Amy Mead, to learn about NC Cooperative Extension and the New Hanover County Arboretum. Amy will explore the history, mission, and impact of Extension programs in our community, along with a look at how the Arboretum continues to grow as a hub for horticulture, education, and natural resource stewardship.
Amy bio:
Amy Mead serves as the County Extension Director for NC Cooperative Extension and Director of the New Hanover County Arboretum. Amy’s expertise includes coastal plant ecology, water quality, and sustainable landscaping, developed through years of hands-on work and research. As the County Extension Director for New Hanover County, she assists municipalities, professionals, HOAs, and residents in the areas of stormwater pond management, aquatic pesticide licensing, aquatic weed management, and coastal landscaping. In addition, Amy is an ISA certified Arborist and is passionate about native trees, urban forestry, and proper tree maintenance.
Learn more about our club at hobbygreenhouseclub.org

HGC Monthly Meeting: Officer Elections (Nov 11, 2025)
2025-11-11 19:00 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Join us for our monthly meeting, in which we’ll elect next year’s officers. All are welcome. Learn more about our club at hobbygreenhouseclub.org

HGC Monthly Meeting: Holiday Dinner (Dec 9, 2025)
2025-12-09 18:00 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Please bring a dish to share. The club will provide turkey and ham.
Please wear your most festive holiday attire.
Appetizers at 6, meeting at 6:30, then dinner.

HGC Monthly Meeting (Jan 13): The Scented Geranium with Sally Jernigan
2026-01-13 19:00 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
The topic of our meeting January 13th (7pm, Arboretum) is The Scented Geranium. I will be presenting it and will bring different type to be felt and smelt. Examples supplied by Shelton Herb Farm.

HGC Monthly Meeting (Feb 10): Native Plants with Duane Truscott
2026-02-10 19:00 | Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States

HGC Annual Greenhouse Tour - March 7
2026-03-07 09:00 - 17:00 | NC
The Hobby Greenhouse Club sponsors a free self-directed tour of local hobby greenhouses every March. HGC members open their greenhouses to the public and are available 9am-5pm to answer your questions. No early birds, please.
Printed descriptions and directions to all of the greenhouses will be available on the day of the tour at the Arboretum (6206 Oleander Drive). The George Ross Greenhouse is the location of a plant and garden-related raffle.
2026 Tour Descriptions (PDF) – Describes each of the greenhouses
2026 Tour Directions (PDF) – Step-by-step directions from one greenhouse to the next
2026 Greenhouse Tour Google Map An interactive Google map that includes greenhouse descriptions
Image of all locations below:

HGC Monthly Meeting: March 12: Propagating Plumeria
2026-03-12 19:00 | Seagate Baptist Church, 6115 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403
When: (NEW NIGHT) Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 7:00 pm
Where: (NEW LOCATION) Seagate Baptist Church Fellowship Hall
Directions: Seagate Baptist Church is located about a block from the Arboretum on the opposite side of the road at 6115 Oleander Dr., Wilmington. The meeting site is off the side street next to the church on Bagley Ave. So, you will turn off Oleander onto Bagley Ave. and look for the Hobby Greenhouse Yellow/ with black arrow directional signs that will be at the corner of Oleander and Bagley and on Bagley going to the parking lot. (These are the signs used for the Greenhouse Tour)
Guest Speaker: Jenny Keeling- “Propagating Plumeria”

HGC Spring Plant Sale: Fri-Sun, April 10-12
2026-04-10 09:00 - 18:00, 2026-04-11 09:00 - 18:00, 2026-04-12 12:00 - 17:00 | 2318 Metts Avenue Wilmington NC, 2318 Metts Avenue, Wilmington, NC, 28403, United States
Free
Friday (9am – 6pm)
Saturday (9am – 6pm)
Sunday (noon – 5pm)

Cash or checks only
2318 Metts Ave

HGC Monthly Meeting: Thurs May 14 Snakes of the Carolinas
2026-05-14 19:00 | Seagate Baptist Church, 6115 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC, 28403
Snakes of the Carolinas presented by Ken Hackney
This months program is not about plants or greenhouses, but it will be exciting and educational. The subjects of the presentation may be welcome or unwelcome guest to our gardens or greenhouses. SNAKES. Ken Hackney from Coastal Snake Management will be our speaker. He is a Herpetology Educator, he can help identify and may relocate snakes.
