Marlin Community Garden Club in its 102nd Year!

Texas’ oldest, federated, and continuous garden club is The Community Garden Club of Marlin, established in 1923. The Community Garden Club of Marlin is a member of the National Garden Club, Inc.South Central Region and The Texas Garden Clubs, Inc.-District V Zone XI.

Members look forward to 2025-2026 and completing the 103rd year! (Just look at those smiles in the photograph!) This year’s members are Derinda Austin, Nelda Brown, Rose Castillo, Treasurer Susan Byrd, President Letitia Estep, 2nd Vice President/ Historian Terri Glover, Irv Hardin,1st Vice President Sheila Lawson, Judy Morrow, Samenthia Milnes, Beth Mullins, Olga Rosas, Jan Smith, Recording Secretary Betty Tarver, Betty Trotter, Eamona Watson, Mary Wilson, and Mildred Wilson.

All year-long, they will maintain several garden areas in town. Firstly, the Community Garden Club (Garden Club) will keep the statue and flower bed located in front of Falls County Community Hospital. Secondly, Faulkner Park owes its trimmed and clean state to the Garden Club. Thirdly, the beautiful rose bushes at the triangle on the corner of the Falls County Courthouse, the Pink Rose Memorial Garden, are the result of Garden Club members having planted nine Texas A&M recommended pink rose bushes. Fourthly, City Hall can depend on Community Garden Club members to keep its exterior plants healthy and attractive. Most importantly, armed with a small plant and seeds for growth, members welcome newcomers to the community; they try to answer questions, point out services, and in general help the newcomer feel welcomed in their new community.

The club focuses on gardening, civic beautification through maintaining public areas, and environmental stewardship. Members share horticultural knowledge, participate in fundraising, and community service. They meet on the third Friday of most months at the Marlin Senior Civic Center, Marlin.

Monthly programs include Bird Nests from the Ground Up (Birds/Education), Plant Biodiversity? (Biodiversity/Education), Using Plants from One’s Garden to Decorate for the Holidays (Plants/Education), Christmas Party at The Historic Allen House and National Garden Club Article. 2026 begins with Pollinators (Pollinators/Education), Future of Water in Texas (Conservation), Gardenias (Horticulture/Education), Monarch Butterflies (Pollinators/Education), and Pocket Prairie (Conservation/ Landscape).

Key activities include a pilgrimage to the Ft. Worth Botanical Gardens on Saturday, April 4, 2026. And an elegant Garden Party with program and Fundraiser at the Allen House on May 30, 2026.

Year-round, the Garden Club is committed to community service, whereby members volunteer with local organizations and participate in charitable work. The club promotes water conservation, healthy composting, and recycling efforts. Horticultural education means offering workshops, courses, and sharing knowledge with members and the community. Community engagement moves members to welcome newcomers to Marlin by providing plants and information about local services.

Ultimately, what is the Community Garden Club’s passion? During summer, they grow personal gardens and share vegetables, plant clippings, plants, and/or seeds with neighbors. They propagate plants to share throughout the community, and some members grow vegetables in the community garden.

As one drives throughout the city of Marlin, one will see Community Garden Club members, who also in their walks in the fresh air about town and neighborhoods, port a trash bag and pick up any litter they might see. “We have in the past adjusted our goals for the season to accommodate social distancing, of course, but even in the heat of summer, we will continue our civic beautification work,’ stated a member.

Community Garden Club of Marlin’s next general membership meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 17, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., at the Senior Citizen Center, 104 Hays Street, Marlin, TX.