Poynette Area Garden Association - Who Are We?
The Poynette Area Garden Association, Inc. (PAGA) is a non-profit 501c3 public charity. Our mission is “Building relationships through education, beautification, and preservation of our community". Our membership consists of approximately 14 non-paid volunteers (majority retirees). We are small but mighty! The PAGA also partners with Village of Poynette staff and other community organizations on some activities.
The PAGA is the caretaker for several of the Village of Poynette’s gardens and planters. We renovate, plant and maintain 13 gardens and 32 annual planters throughout the Village of Poynette. This work includes garden cleanup, planting/transplanting annuals/perennials/grasses/conifers, applying mulch, ongoing weeding, fertilization and watering. PAGA purchases plants and supplies in support of these activities. PAGA also manages the Rowan Creek Community Garden.
Village Gardens Maintained by the PAGA
⦁ Village of Poynette Municipal Garage Garden – Corner of Old Hwy S and E North Street
⦁ Multiple gardens around the Village of Poynette Municipal Building – 106 S Main Street
⦁ Multiple gardens around the Village of Poynette Police Department – 118 S Main Street
⦁ Mill Street Garden (Site of Poynette’s 1st High School) near intersection of W. Mill and Cross Streets
⦁ Garden at the Southeast corner of N. Main and E. Seward
⦁ Poynette’s American Legion Veterans Memorial Garden – S. Main across from Police Department
⦁ Adopt-a-Planters – 32 planters placed along Poynette’s business district/Main Street.
⦁ Rowan Creek Community Garden - Corner of S. Franklin and Van Buren St
⦁ PAGA Greenhouse – Corner of S. Franklin and Van Buren St
Some of the PAGA’s recent/future activities
- In 2025, we expanded the Rowan Creek Community Garden and replaced fencing, added new gates. Added 2 benches and planter to the northside of the Village Hall.
- In 2024, we offered - Gardening 101 classes in coordination with the Columbia County Master Gardeners
- and Village of Poynette Parks & Recs Dept.
Continue to partner with a local day care and Columbia County Master Gardeners to offer a Micro-Green Growing program for day care kids and other opportunities to offer gardening experience to kids as they are identified. - added new 100-gallon water tank to our gator used for watering the Main St Adopt a Planters
- In 2022, the Poynette Area Garden Association (PAGA) renovated two Village gardens (the rose
garden at the Poynette Village Hall and a conifer/grass garden at the Municipal Garage).
We began installation of a greenhouse to start flowers for planters earlier in the season.
Installation was completed in 2023.
Poynette Library – partner with Library’s Garden Art initiative for school age children.
Partner with a local day care and Columbia County Master Gardeners to offer a Micro-Green growing
program for daycare kids.
Manage Rowan Creek Community Garden – Manage rental of 20 garden plots of varying size,
maintain garden fences, schedule workdays for weeding/mulching paths, etc.
Maintain PAGA greenhouse – monitor, repair greenhouse used to jump-start Main Street planter
flowers.
Community Education through Website, Facebook and monthly PAGA member meetings (public is
invited to join)
For 2026, we are planning the following new community outreach activities:
Offer educational Master Gardening opportunities for its members
Add raised beds to the newly expanded Rowan Creek Community Garden
Participate in the Friends of Rowan Creek Trail Epansion Project
Meetings are held at the Village Hall at 6:30pm on the 3rd Monday of the month. (No mtg in December)
To learn more contact us at: poynettegarden@gmail.com - Call or text: Rose Leckwee, President (608) 635-2195 Facebook: Poynette Area Gardening Association https://www.facebook.com/PoynetteAreaGardeningAssociation. Updated: November 2025
Poynette Area Garden Association - Projects
- 2024 Spring clean-up and Adopt a Planters on Main Street
- 2023 Fall clean-up
- 2023 October, work with local boy Scouts to pick up Adopt a Planters from Main St
- 2023 Spring clean-up and Adopt a Planters on Main Street
- 2022 Garden Renovation Project - Revamp both the Village Maintenance garden and the Village Rose garden
- 2022 In August, hosted the Evelyn Keilman Bench Dedication Ceremony (past PAGA member/president)
- 2021 Purchased bench in memory of Evelyn Keilman
- 2021 Spring clean-up around Village
- 2021 Erect a new greenhouse by the Community Garden - April
- 2020 Fall Clean-up around Village and Main St Adopt a Planters - November
- 2020 Spring clean-up and Adopt a Planters - May 19th and 20th
- 2019 Spring cleanup and Adopt a Planters - May 20th
- 2018 Fall Clean-up, October 15th
- 2018 Workdays, throughout the summer check our calendar for updates.
- 2018 Plant and Bake sale, June 2nd
- 2018 Spring clean-up. Adopt a Planters on Main Street. Farmers market plant and bake sale. Plant and maintain flowers around the Poynette Village Hall. Plant and maintain the flowers at C-Tel lot on the corner of Seward and Main St.
- 2017 Spring clean-up. Adopt a Planters on Main Street. Farmers market plant and bake sale.
- 2016 Spring clean-up and Adopt a Planters on Main Street
- 2015 Spring Clean-up and Adopt a Planters on Main Street
- 2014 the PAGA worked with our local American Legion to design and plant flowers at the newly redesigned Veteran's Memorial
- July 2011 the PAGA and the Friends of the Poynette Area Library, sponsored a very successful historic Home and Garden Tour (which included Prairie Splendor Bed and Breakfast) along with the Arts and Craft fair.
- July 2010, the PAGA, Friends of the Fine Arts and the Friends of the Poynette Area Library, sponsored a very successful historic home and garden tour along with an arts and crafts fair.
- In spring 2010, the PAGA took a corner lot in downtown Poynette and transformed into a beautiful native garden setting.
- July 2009, the PAGA, the Friends of the Poynette Area Library, and the Friends of the Fine Arts sponsored a very successful historic home and garden tour along with an arts and crafts fair.
- Spring of 2009, assisted in an expanded beautification project at the Poynette Middle School.
- Spring of 2009, assisted in a beautification project planting with the agriculture students at Poynette High School.
- Fall of 2008, assisted sixth-grade science students in planting annuals and perennials in their outdoor classroom at Poynette Middle School.
- July 2008, PAGA and the Friends of the Poynette Area Library, sponsored a successful and fun garden tour along with an arts and crafts fair.
- Designed and planted a 3-season perennial flowerbed in front of the Poynette Municipal Garage. Watch for a spectacular daffodil display in the early spring.
- Planted hundreds of spring-flowering bulbs in front of the Poynette Police Station and the Poynette Municipal Garage.
- Removed undesirable shrubs and planted a 3-season perennial flowerbed on the west side of the Village Hall (by the Police Station).
- Designed and planted a butterfly garden at the Veteran’s Memorial in downtown Poynette.
- Initiated an Adopt a Planter program on Main Street in Poynette.
- Redesigned and planted a new flowerbed at the Poynette Industrial Park sign.
