Representing Significant Individual Accomplishment
Four and Five Star Membership represents a significant individual accomplishment and entitles the eligible member to be recognized by NGC and their state garden club for having successfully completed all four of the National Garden Club Schools, and then graduating to master status in each School. These members are recognized and honored as a small minority of garden club members who have successfully completed these demanding requirements. Four and Five Star Members receive a special certificate and are eligible to purchase special lapel pins.
Four Star Member
A Four Star Member has successfully completed all aspects of all four NGC Schools.
The Four Star program is designed to encourage garden club members to complete all four National Garden Club Schools and achieve Consultant and Judge Status. This requires passing all of the required exams, belonging to an NGC affiliated garden club, and maintaining a subscription to The National Gardener magazine as reference material.
One must become a Judge in order to achieve Four Star status for Flower Show School. This includes acquiring appropriate exhibiting and judging credits, writing a schedule and passing the Handbook Exam.
Five Star Member
A Five Star Member has achieved Master Status in all Four NGC Schools.
The Five Star Program is designed to encourage Four Star Members to continue their education and pursue a higher level of learning and skills. In order to achieve Five Star status, one must acquire Master status in each of the four National Garden Club Schools over a 20 year period. Course refreshers are required at least every five years for ES, GS, LD; and every three years for Flower Show School. Members can complete refresher courses as often as one time per year. Members are not be eligible for Five Star status with master completion in less than all four National Garden Club Schools.
Other Rules
Achieving Four or Five Star status does not change or reduce the refresher requirements for any NGC School. However, after Master status is achieved for multiple schools (ES, GS, LD), one is allowed to receive simultaneous credit from a Bi-Refresher or Tri-Refresher for each school in which they are a Master; unless taking credit for a school for which they are not yet a Master.
Note: Motions passed at the 2013 Board of Directors Meeting in Seattle in May:
Motions were passed to eliminate (effective January 1, 2014) the requirement to collect The National Gardener labels (proof of subscription) for all NGC Schools. This does not change the requirement to subscribe to, and read, The National Gardener, the official source of news about our school programs.
Ohio’s 4 Star List – Those who have obtained Consultant Level in all four National Garden Club Schools:
Dot Blum – July 2009
Patricia Rupiper – August 2009
Dianna S. Mullins – Sept 2009
Debra Sickmiller – June 2010
Karen Hovey – April 2011
Mickie Marquis – Nov 2011
Mary Ann Ferguson-Rich – Sept 2015
Winifred Garabis – Oct 2016
Celine Hallier- 2017
Mary Lou Smith – June 2018
Gail Chuck – June 2018
Betty Cookendorfer – June 2018
Carolyn Doerflein – June 2018
Marilee Zarbock- May 2021
Ohio’s 5 Star List 2018 – Those who have obtained Consultant Level in all four National Garden Club Schools:
Mickie Marquis – May 2013
Patricia Rupiper – May 2016
Dianna Mullins – June 2016
Mary Ann Ferguson-Rich – June 2016
Karen Hovey – June 2018
Schools offered by National Garden Club, Inc:
Flower Show School
Gardening School
Environmental School
Landscape Design School
Submitted by: Pat Rupiper – Chairman