A Brief History of the Greater New Bedford Garden Club
In 1923, Mrs. James C. Baker, along with six young ladies, joined in forming a garden club that many years later would continue to beautify and protect the local community.
The club was chartered in 1928 and joined the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts in 1928.
The oldest records date to 1934, when meticulous records of the club’s activities attest to the design and planting of yews at the center library. The Garden Club pioneered the first year of the Community Gardens project, later sponsored by the Women’s Organization of New Bedford and The Standard-Times. Garden Therapy members visited shut-ins at the Otis Air Force Base Hospital. Our Garden Therapy program continues today with members visiting two or more Greater New Bedford Assisted Living or Nursing homes where they create floral arrangements with the residents.
In 1956 the club established the Junior Gardeners for children between the ages of 7 and 14 who met on Saturday mornings in South Dartmouth. The Garden Club started promoting the conservation of wild flowers by plantings on property owned by St. Luke’s Hospital, which was then woodland on Page Street.
Allen Haskell, who became a nationally renowned horticulturist, impressed the club with his expertise at an early age. At the suggestion of President Margaret Carrier (1957-’59) the club decided in lieu of a scholarship to award a young Haskell a cash check for $300 to buy equipment. At the age of 28, he was awarded the President’s Cup at the Boston Flower Show. This honor was considered the most prestigious nationwide by horticulturists.
The club received national recognition in 2003 when a planting at “The Octopus” in Peter Francisco Square received the “American in Bloom” third prize.
Other benchmarks: The Rose L. Murphy Scholarship is awarded yearly to an area student interested in the study of horticulture, conservation, landscape architecture, environmental science or any related field.
The GNBGC celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023 and members were treated to a trip to New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston.
