Finding Common Ground : Rubbing elbows with other enthusiasts at plant clubs and societies will feed your passion for the hobby and sometimes fill your stomach.

Gardening is America’s favorite hobby--yes, bigger than macrame--and part of its appeal is that anyone can muck about in a yard and achieve some degree of satisfaction. Success, even. The more we muck about, the more we learn, and the more we crave to learn. Our preferences become more fixed: No begonias, thanks, but bring on the daisies--and our desire to share our knowledge, or get some more, or just to hang out with people of like passion, becomes apparent. It isn’t long before plant societies and gardening clubs become irresistibly appealing.

Very generally speaking, garden clubs are amateur associations usually dedicated to improving private gardens; some garden clubs have tours, some have flower shows, some give awards, even scholarships.

Plant societies are designed for, but certainly not limited to, the passionate specialist, and there are societies for dozens of plants: irises, begonias, roses, geraniums, cymbidiums, fuchsias, orchids, bromeliads, cacti, ferns, daffodils, day lilies and herbs. There’s even a society for a technique: bonsai.

Most of these societies are populated with serious amateurs, including some who hybridize their own plants, plus a few professionals. There are also organizations such as the Southern California Horticultural Society that are mostly, but not exclusively, for professionals, such as horticulturists and botanists from public gardens, arboretums and nurseries, plus a few landscape architects and contractors. Anyone who doesn’t learn from these people just isn’t listening.

The advantages of membership should be obvious: Members bring in cuttings and sell them cheap or give them away; members with experience growing your favorite plant will share their expertise (and so will you) on pest control, fertilizing, new varieties, even grooming. Most plant organizations publish a newsletter. Club and society meetings, usually held monthly, almost always have a program of some kind, a speaker or a demonstration, and most offer an annual show and sale, where you can show off what you’ve grown, sell what you’ve propagated and buy what you’ve always wanted. At a recent pre-sale meeting of the International Geranium Society, the first hour was devoted to preparations for the show and sale: how to groom the beauties for judging, how to transport them without tragedy, where to unload, and, perhaps most important, where and when to eat.

Ah, food: Many of these societies (a notable exception being the Southern California Horticultural Society) serve food at their meetings. The Herb Society members recently brought memorable snacks and two iced teas, all made with herbs, all delicious.

Access to this wealth of gardening information and camaraderie is not free: Almost all clubs and societies charge dues. A few are less than $10 a year and at least one (herbs) is $50 a year ($35 for national, $15 for local, although new members are allowed to be local-only for one year). But even the high-end organizations are worth it. The members’ enthusiasm is infectious, their knowledge invaluable, their attitudes wonderfully generous.

If you are even halfway serious about gardening, start joining.

Where to Begin

Here are some San Fernando Valley-area garden clubs and plant societies. Be aware that most of these organizations are not in the phone book. To find a club or society not listed here--and this is a cursory, incomplete list--track it down at a garden tour or plant show (several plant societies will exhibit at the June 12-13 fair at Sepulveda Garden Center) and corner a member for details. But something on this list might get you started:

Los Angeles Rose Society: Kitty Valendez, president. (818) 882-6000, ext. 106. Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second Monday of every month at Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada Flintridge. Show Saturday at Descanso Gardens.

Bonsai Society: Jack Reynolds, president. (805) 527-7704. Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the last Wednesday at Western Federal Savings and Loan, White Oak Avenue and Ventura Boulevard, Encino. Show/sale, June 12-13, Sepulveda Garden Center, 16633 Magnolia Blvd., Encino.

The International Herb Society: Nancy Berry, president. (818) 339-3346. Meets at 10 a.m. on the fourth Saturday at Los Angeles State and County Arboretum, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia.

International Geranium Society: Mike Vassar, president. (818) 908-8867. Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday at the Arboretum.

San Fernando Valley branch of the International Geranium Society: Eleanor Dobbins, president. (818) 894-1326. Meets at 10:30 a.m. on the third Thursday at Sepulveda Garden Center.

San Fernando Valley Bromeliad Society: Richard Kaz, secretary. (818) 700-1429. Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the fourth Thursday at Valley Plaza, Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Archwood Street, North Hollywood. Show and sale May 22-23 at Descanso Gardens.

Los Angeles Cactus and Succulent Society: Walt Wegner. (818) 225-7336. Meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday at Odd Fellows Hall, 15236 Parthenia St., North Hills. National group’s show is July 3-4 at the Arboretum. The chapter’s intercity show is Aug. 21-22 at the Arboretum.

San Fernando Iris Society: Tanya Lamoreaux, president. (818) 509-3390. Meets at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday at Canoga Park Women’s Club, Valerio Street and Jordan Avenue. Plant sale, Sepulveda Garden Center, June 12-13.

Cherry Blossom Garden Club and West Hills Garden Club: Joi Chase, president of both groups. (818) 347-8658. West Hills meets on the second Tuesday, Cherry Blossom on the first Wednesday, both at 10 a.m. at Orcutt Ranch Horticultural-Center Park, 23500 Roscoe Blvd., West Hills.

Laurel Garden Club: Betty Hofawger, president. (818) 845-6466. Meets at 10:30 a.m. on the third Tuesday in North Hollywood. Plant sale Tuesday at a member’s home.

Sherman Oaks Garden Club: Bettie Rapoport. (818) 789-4256. Meets at 10:45 a.m. on the fourth Wednesday at Sepulveda Garden Center.

Woodland Hills Floral Designers: Larene Carlson, president. (818) 348-5462. Meets 9:30 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday at Orcutt Ranch.

Southern California Horticultural Society: (818) 567-1496. Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second Thursday at Friendship Auditorium, 3201 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles.