WHAT IS THE ORDER OF FREE GARDENERS?
It is an ancient fraternal society that evolved out of the craft guild system in England and Scotland. The International Order of Free Gardeners is an affiliated order composed of surviving and newly-established Free Gardeners Lodges that recognize the importance of establishing international amity.
WHEN WAS IT FOUNDED?
As an operative guild, the earliest record of a Fraternité of Gardeners in London dates back in 1345. They also have charters as a London craft or trade guild dated 1605 and 1659. In Scotland, the oldest documentary evidence of a Lodge of Free Gardeners is the minutes of the Haddington Lodge, opened August 16, 1676, which begins with a compilation of fifteen rules called Interjunctions for ye Fraternity of Gardiners of East Lothian. These groups evolved into speculative lodges or clubs at the beginning of the 1700’s when the guild system began to decline.
Many English fraternal orders actually evolved from the trade or craft guild system. In fact, there were over 100 craft guilds in London alone by the year 1300’s such as the Worshipful Fraternité of Free Carpenters, Worshipful Company of Free Shepherds, Worshipful Company of Free Masons, Order of Cabinet-Makers, etc. All these organizations follow a similar initiation degree structure based on the craft guild system: Apprentice, Fellow or Journeymen, and Master of the Craft. Journeymen or fellows of the guilds also formed their own associations to protect their interests from the guild masters known as Companions or Journeymen Associations as early as the 1600’s to which it is believed where the Ancient Order of Odd Fellows really originated.
When Queen Elizabeth passed the Statute of Apprentices, it removed apprenticeship from the guilds. As a result, many operative guilds evolved into speculative lodges or social clubs with fraternal and ethical purposes. As their numbers began to increase, these clubs or lodges eventually formed an affiliated Order such as the Free and Accepted Masons, Ancient Order of Free Gardeners, United Order of Cabinet-Makers, Ancient Noble Order of Odd Fellows, etc.
WHAT ARE THE DEGREES IN THE FREE GARDENERS?
The oldest known mention of the existence of a secret initiation in the Free Gardeners appears on January 28, 1726, when the fraternity studied an internal complaint that accused one of its members of defaming certain of its officers in saying they could not correctly give its words and signs. In 1772, other documents established that the fraternity of the Free Gardeners had ‘Words’ and ‘Secrets’. The degrees are modeled after the guild system:
First Degree or Apprentice
Second Degree or Journeyman
Third Degree or Master Gardener
WHAT IS THE MOTTO OF THE FREE GARDENERS?
Light, Harmony, and Truth.
- To preserve the legacy of this ancient fraternity, upholding its initiation degrees, core principles, and longstanding fraternal traditions.
- To gain wisdom from the teachings embedded in its ancient ceremonial degrees.
- To use Free Gardenry as a platform to support the craft of gardening and champion environmental causes.
WHAT IS THE STRUCTURE OF A FREE GARDENERS LODGE?
The standard list of Officers for a lodge are as follows:
1. Worthy Master
2. Deputy Master
3. Chaplain
4. Secretary
5. Treasurer
6. Auditor
7. Almoner
8. Conductor
9. Garden Gatekeeper
10. Tyler
11. Tool Bearer S
12. Tool Bearer F
13. Tool Bearer L
14. Tool Bearer R
15. Musician