Organized in 1930 at the Episcopal Church of Saint Mary in Falmouth, Maine, St. Mary’s Garden Club is a charter member of the Garden Club Federation of Maine, Inc. The community at large became interested in the club, and in 1935, the constitution was amended and membership was expanded. St. Mary’s Garden club does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, or gender.
Over the years the Club’s objectives have been to promote garden fellowship and to cultivate a spirit of good gardening in the community. Club members are Maine-focused and share a strong interest in gardening, environmental awareness, floral design and educating others in these areas when possible.
Community involvement throughout the past 90 years has included advocating at the Maine legislature to prevent billboard signs on Maine highways, landscaping at many civic sites in local towns and Portland, aiding in purchasing land for conservation and participating in “Keep Maine Beautiful,” a part of the Keep America Beautiful project. Donations over the years have been provided to libraries, botanical projects, the McLaughlin Garden, Friends of Casco Bay, Friends of the Royal River and the Morrison Center. Scholarships have been provided to Southern Maine Community College, Portland Arts & Science High School, the University of Maine and Mast Landing Camp.
St. Mary’s Garden Club currently maintains the public garden at Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church, the Blue Star Marker at the intersection of Rt. 1 and Rt. 88 in Falmouth, and the Lois Murphy Kindness Garden at the Falmouth Middle School. The club also provides a scholarship to a horticultural student at Southern Maine Community College and hosts a plant sale open to the public each spring. Many monthly programs are open to the public.