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A History of the Lusaka Garden Club
- Dr. Ngoza Lwao
- Jun 18
- 5 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Zambia has a rich history of gardening and central to this history is the Lusaka Garden Club (LGC), which has been a hub of knowledge sharing in the gardening community for decades.
Because of groups like this, Lusaka residents were able to source plants for their gardens, even before the more formal plant nurseries developed. It is one of several plant hubs that used to exist in the city including Maluwa Cooperative and the Lusaka City Council Nursery.
Lusaka Garden Club was started prior to Independence and was known as the Lusaka Garden and Horticultural Society. Marjorie Rundle, the first recorded Chairperson of the Garden Club (1960s-1971), as well as Elsa Boedekar, an avid member, are buried in the LGC garden within the Showgrounds.
Since it's inception, the clubs location has been to be a hive of activity, hosting a monthly bring-and-buy market with a restaurant run by the club. Today, members continue to sell fresh produce and plants from the premises. The club continues to host workshops at it's showgrounds venue but the highlight continues to be the monthly garden tours where they visit gardens around Lusaka.
Scenes from outside the Lusaka Garden Club inside the Agricultural Showgrounds in Lusaka.
Among the notable members was Mrs. Anne Phiri who chaired the club three times (1976, 2002, 2006), including during a period of transition after independence when they started accepting their first black members.
Anne Phiri remembered that in 1974, when she joined the club ‘the ladies of the club were almost exclusively white and British but they decided it must change into a multiracial club welcoming all. I was to be on the committee for a year and then take over as Chairperson. I was asked to introduce as many Zambian members as I could. The change took place and more and more black and Indian Zambians joined our club. Many of those ‘old-timers’ have passed on but I will never forget them or their passion for gardening.'
Anne Phiri at a garden club meeting hosted by Mrs Edna Kamanga
Mrs. Vista Simuziya was the first black Chairperson (1993). She joined the club in 1987. During her time in the club she participated in all garden club shows and would at least get a first prize in the various categories. She was awarded honory membership in 2019
Mrs. Vista Simuziya
She set up a nursery called Vista View Gardens in the heart of Makeni Bonaventure. At this nursery she would often volunteer to host the LGC club for the monthly meetings where they would navigate the beautiful English garden which has still carried her vision till today where the gardens offers a variety of exotic plants ands venue for variety of events
In addition the gardening hobby gave birth to other related businesses such as landscaping, flower loral arrangements and supply, and maintenance of flower pots, which she was very passionate about with her clientele being corporates and the government.
Also she never forgot about her childhood work which her father instilled in her which was general farming. With this skill she grew various vegetables which she would deliver to the garden club shop and also her shop in Kalingalinga and also the various big supermarkets
Wardasha Zumla was the first chairperson of Asian origin.
Wardasha Zumla (1995/6 Chairperson)
Clare Barkworth was another passionate gardener, who also served as LGC Chairperson (2009-2011), and is the founder of Trees 4 Zambia and Chifwema Arboretum, donated the stunning Erythina abyssinica tree in the LGC garden.
Like many other members Clare lives out her passion for gardening in her own home garden, but also shares her plant knowledge through Chifwema Arboretum, Zambia's first registered botanic garden, which she and her husband Adam set up as an education centre in 2023 to teach future generations about Zambia's Indigenous trees.
Another one of the more prominent senior members is Mrs. Ethel Jiri comments that she joined the club in the 1980s and developed ‘positive obsession’ with plants. ‘Being a member of the Lusaka Garden Club is such a joy because we all speak the same language - and all other things do not matter!'
The spirit of shared passion that Ethel cherished was a common thread among the club's leadership. Mrs. Jiri remains active in the garden club and continues to serve as a judge for the Annual Flower Show.
Mrs Ethel Jiri at various LGC events
Another key figure who carried this torch was Mrs. Edna Kamanga, who, like many of her peers, grew up surrounded by a love for gardening, which was fostered by her mother who was a passionate gardener and grew everything from vegetables to rose bushes around their home.
In those days, the City Councils used to run city-wide garden competitions including for homes in the predominantly compounds where blacks were forced to live. ‘My mother won first prize 2 years running in a Home and Garden Competition sponsored by Hendriche’s Syndicate Ndola (LTD), in the African Township of Chifubu in the 1950s!' demonstrating that a vibrant culture of home gardening has existed among Zambians for many years.
Edna Kamanga also served as Chairperson of the LGC (2015) and is an expert in growing staghorn ferns amongst other plants. She went on to develop a 100 acre farm with 5 acres under greenhouses with roses for export.
Mrs. Edna Kamanga
Like Mrs. Kamanga, many members continue to run successful businesses in the horticulture industry.
One of highlights of the Lusaka Garden Club calendar is the LGC Annual Flower show. Every year gardeners from all over the country compete by showcasing their specimen plants and having them judged by expert local judges, with the winner receiving a trophy from the President of the Republic of Zambia during the Agricultural show, which runs concurrently.
This event allows gardeners an opportunity to demonstrate their expertise as well as to learn from their peers. This cycle of knowledge sharing - from the established 'old-timers' to newer generations - remains central to the club.
Video of the 2024 Annual Flower Show
Other members include Mrs. Mwiche Horne who served as chairperson of the club and convenor of the show. You may remember her from the Greenspace Youtube series where she shared her home garden with us as well as her journey starting a garden centre.
Under my current leadership as Chairperson, our garden club is looking to expand its horizons even more by creating new ways for the wider gardening community to engage with us.
I also have the honor of being the granddaughter of Vista Simuziya, the first Black chairperson of the club. Currently holding this position for the second time, it is a role that I am honoured to take on because I understand the legacy that the club has established and the social impact that a group like the LGC can make in bringing diverse groups of people together.
Video of the 2025 Annual Flower Show
The LGC in collaboration with Pam Golding Properties, hosted a garden competition in 2026 where LGC club members competed against each other for the best garden. Through their video series we enjoyed a peek at some of these magnificent videos.
By expanding its membership and embracing community-wide competitions, the LGC is not just preserving the history established by Rundle, Phiri and others, but actively ensuring that the "same language" of gardening remains a vibrant, unifying force for the next generation of Lusaka gardeners.
The club is highly accessible to anyone looking to connect with fellow green thumbs in the city. If you are interested in joining one of their upcoming garden tours or attending a meeting you can contact Mary on 0962274678 or by visiting their hub directly at the Showgrounds.
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