About

Our History

In March of 1923 the Guilford Garden Club was organized by a group of six energetic ladies. During the first year, twenty-two additional members were invited to join. In 1929 the Club became one of sixteen Charter Member clubs forming the Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland. At that time, Baltimore was building a new art museum in Wyman Park, near the Johns Hopkins University. The Guilford Garden Club designed and established a garden, named the Guilford Garden Court, on the new museum’s grounds. The maintenance of this garden became a major project of the Club for many years
In 1948 the Club became the ninth garden club in Maryland to be made a member of the Garden Club of America. In that same year, the Club organized the Guilford House and Garden Pilgrimage.
1976 saw the establishment of a bicentennial project which included landscaping and planting the grounds of Old Otterbein Church on the corner of Sharp and Conway streets. This was continually maintained until the 1990’s, when the city of Baltimore reshaped the streets to accommodate the building of Oriole Park at Camden Yards and the expansion of the Convention Center.
The Guilford Garden Club continues to attract very talented and dedicated women who are concerned about conserving and maintaining natural resources, wetlands, and park, both locally and nationally.
Today, the Club is active in the design of native plant teaching gardens at the Friends School of Baltimore that has become a kind of prototype for other communities to be inspired by.
Guilford Garden Club had a long-standing relationship with Lake Roland Park and partnered with The Lake Roland Nature Council to hold a Native Plant Sale. Proceeds from the sale went toward funding our GCA scholarship and towards improvement projects in the park.
Guilford Garden Club began a new relationship with the St. Francis Neighborhood Center (SFNC) located at 2405 Linden Ave. in 2021. Our volunteers worked with SFNC staff and SFNC volunteers to transplant plants within the center’s construction site to an off-site location and to design and install new gardens (including apples trees, blueberry shrubs, bulbs and native perennials) along the front of the the newly constructed community center. The relationship continues with maintenance and additional projects.

Artwork by Andi Curran


Leadership

Officers
2023
- PresidentCarol Garinther
- ProgramsKathleen Truelove
- Community ProjectsSuzanne Whitney
- MembershipBetsy Richard
- TreasurerLaura Wiesler
- SecretaryRene Bookoff
President
Carol Garinther
Programs
Kathleen Truelove
Community Projects
Suzanne Whitney
Membership
Betsy Richard
Treasurer
Laura Wiesler
Secretary
Rene Bookoff
Committee Chairs
2023
- AwardsKay McConnell and Terri Smith
- Conservation/LegislationMaryEllen Pease
- Flower Show/DesignBetsy Richard and Corky Goetzke
- Garden History and DesignJean Mellott
- HistoriansLouise Hildreth and Sue Chapelle
- HorticultureNettie Washburn
- JudgingTracy Swindell
- NominatingTracy Swindell
- PhotographyAndi Curran
- Public Relations/CommunicationsMerritt Pridgeon
- ScholarshipMary Drain
- Visiting GardensBeth Gregory
- WebsiteCarol Garinther and Kay McConnell
Awards
Kay McConnell and Terri Smith
Conservation/Legislation
MaryEllen Pease
Flower Show/Design
Betsy Richard and Corky Goetzke
Garden History and Design
Jean Mellott
Historians
Louise Hildreth and Sue Chapelle
Horticulture
Nettie Washburn
Judging
Tracy Swindell
Nominating
Tracy Swindell
Photography
Andi Curran
Public Relations/Communications
Merritt Pridgeon
Scholarship
Mary Drain
Visiting Gardens
Beth Gregory
Website
Carol Garinther and Kay McConnell