About Us

Click here for a current list of officers

History of Salem Garden Club

The Salem Garden Club was organized in January, 1928 and by its second meeting had already reached its limit of 60 members and 25 associate members. The following year the club joined the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts.

The organization's first decade was one of intense activism. In 1930, at the suggestion of local architect Phillip Horton Smith, members rebuilt (and continues to maintain) the garden at the Brookhouse Home on Derby Street. For a few years in the 1930s the club also sponsored a garden contest for children who were active in the Salem summer playground program. Cash prizes were awarded to the youngsters in each of the city's wards who were deemed to have grown the best home gardens.

Beginning in 1929, the Salem Garden Club began participating in the annual spring Flower Show in Boston. By 1938 the organization felt secure enough to hold its own horticultural show in historic Hamilton Hall on Chestnut Street. To raise money for the event, the club sponsored the city's first garden tour in the summer of 1937. More than 300 people visited the ten gardens, some on Chestnut and Federal Streets and others in the Salem Common neighborhood, that were open to the public.

A second, smaller garden tour was held in 1941 to celebrate the opening of the Gardner-Pingree House on Essex Street. The Salem Garden Club had taken on the responsibility for the replanting of the garden at this magnificent Federal mansion which had been designed by the great Salem architect, Samuel McIntire.

The beginning of World War II forced the Salem Garden Club to curtail many of its activities. During the course of the conflict, Mrs. Willis Ropes, the group's conservation chairperson, provided advice and assistance to citizens wishing to plant their own war gardens. During this period, members of the club had begun reading and exchanging interesting facts and fun stories surrounding their gardens which had been kept in their diaries since the club’s inception. In 1945, a committee was appointed to compile this information, and ultimately, under the leadership of Mable C.H. Pollock, President, a history of the gardens was published in 1946.The publication was entitled Old Salem Gardens*.

The activism of the Salem Garden Club's first decade gradually reappeared after the war and escalated in the 1970s and 1980s. During that period the organization was involved in planting and beautifying efforts at Lappin Park in Town House Square, Winter Island, the Salem Common, and Shaughnessey Hospital. Club members also planted and maintained gardens in traffic islands on either end of Washington Street and flower boxes at Salem City Hall and the Bowditch House on North Street.

In 1978 the organization began offering an annual scholarship to a student who planned to study horticulture, the environment, or a related field. A few years later, the Salem Garden Club began a tradition of participating in the annual "Christmas in Salem" house tour initiated by the Salem Visiting Nurse Association and now run by Historic Salem, Inc. The club also took on the yearly task of decorating a room in the House of Seven Gables for the Christmas season
.
In addition to these projects, and to serving as guides and participants at the Topsfield Fair and the annual "Art in Bloom" show at the Museum of Fine Arts, club members also built or helped to build gardens at Camp Naumkeag, The Emmerton House and at the Custom House at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. In 2006 the Garden Club took on a major renovation of the Essex Street islands. They planted hundreds of plants such as hostas, daylilies, grasses and daffodils to beautify and enhance the downtown area.

As well as being a member of the “Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc.”, the Club is also a member of “The National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc.”. In 2008, the club has 100 active members, 20 associate members and 2 honorary members.

* This publication can be purchased by contacting the Salem Garden Club.
• First Edition - $6.00
• 2001 Reprint -$5.00

OFFICERS
2008-2009

PRESIDENT
Darleen Sadoski

VICE PRESIDENT
Maribel Steadman

RECORDING SECRETARY
Betty Shea

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
Sally Hayes

TREASURER
Meg McMahon

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Theresa Beaupre, Roberta Clement,
Judy Giunta, Mimi Ballou and Eleanor Soucy

COMMITTEE CHAIRPEOPLE

Civic Development-------------------- Flower and Sunshine------------------ Historian------------------------------ Horticulture--------------------------- Hospitality---------------------------- Program------------------------------ Newsletter & Program Book--------- Publicity------------------------------

Jane Koza Theresa O’Grady Gail Sados Pam Jendrysik Joan Berry Susan Balou Sara Whittredge Hannah Diozzi

back to top