OUR HISTORY

A Group with a Common Passion

While researching this information, the similarities over the years focused around our purpose as a Garden Club. In many instances, their activities were more involved with flower shows than the present.

There were more projects that involved the beginnings of Quail Botanical Garden (now the San Diego Botanic Garden), the Buena Vista Lagoon and Magee House, whereas today our efforts revolve around the Agua Hediondia Lagoon Foundation. Our outreach programs are similar in terms of scholarships to Mira Costa and to Camp Pendleton.

Until fairly recently, the Carlsbad Garden Club was completely independent. Around 2004, we joined the National Garden Clubs, California Garden Clubs, and the Palomar District.

PAST CLUB PRESIDENTS

1932 – 1934    Carrie Kleindinst
1934 – 1936    Alice Greenwood
1936 – 1938    Sarah Parks
1938 – 1940    Mrs. Emmett Cilley
1940 – 1942    May Boiliot
1942 – 1944    Kermodle Pearson
1944 – 1946    Florence Pierce
1946 – 1948    Esther Gaiser
1948 – 1950    Mrs. C.B. Elmer
1950 – 1952    Alice Davis
1952 – 1954    Eva Felt
1954 – 1956    Ellen Gibbs
1956 – 1957    Vina Hankins
1957 – 1958    Grace McKelvey
1958 – 1959    Mildred McIntosh
1959 – 1960    Florence Large
1960 – 1962    Rita Wick
1962 – 1963    Ann Williamson
1963 – 1965    Doris Simpson
1965 – 1966    Wanda Bond
1966 – 1967    Ann Williamson
1967 – 1968    Jane Kane
1968 – 1969    Oreilia Kurily
1969 – 1970    Eldora Wieden
1970 – 1971    Betty Wollrich
1971 – 1972    Ruby Anderson
1972 – 1973    Jackie Shafer
1973 – 1975    Shirley Lackey
1975 – 1976    Irene White
1976 – 1977    Harriett Mansell
1977 – 1978    Hilma Hill
1978 – 1979    Alyce Malcolm
1979 – 1981    Christine Geisler
1981 – 1982    Marian Tift
1982 – 1984    Anne Clarke
1984 – 1986    Audrey Avery
1986 – 1987    Kay Topham
1987 – 1989    Sally Todd
1989 – 1991    Bonita Weinstein
1991 – 1992    Eleanor Kimball
1992 – 1994    Niga Bernard
1994 – 1995    Diane Racano
1995 – 1997    Alice Miller
1997 – 1999    Dorothea Martin
1999 – 2000 Molly Chilinski
2000 – 2001 Gerry Matter
2002 – 2003 Dorothy Dunkle
2003 – 2005 Elaine Willingham
2005 – 2006 Barbara Diamond
2006 – 2008 Anne Smith
2008 – 2010 Ellen McGrath-Thorpe
2010 – 2011    Gretchen Ashton
2011 – 2012 Sharon Kent-Lanes
2012 – 2014    Anne Smith
2014 – 2016    Susan Osmanski
2016 – 2018    Stevie Hall
2018 – 2019    Katie Gibson
2019 – 2020 Stevie Hall

2021-2022 Julie Adamik

2022-2023 Julie Adamik

SINCE 1932

1932-Carlsbad Garden Club began and in that same year the Club set up their own “Rose Tournament”; began the practice of sending flowers to the sick at to Post Office; Tree plantings throughout Carlsbad

1933-Won silver cup and blue ribbon at Encinitas Mid-winter Flower Show; Participated in Escondido Grape Day Fair

1934-Field trip that included lunch with Miss Kate Sessions

1935-Joined the SD Floral Association; Won in Fall Flower Show in San Diego; Participated in Freesia Day

1936-Worked on beach cleanup

1937-Participated in Oceanside Flower Show

1940-“My Pink and Silver Garden” in CA Garden Magazine about Florence Pierce, Club

Historian from 1932-40; Gave plants to Red Cross & containers to Camp Pendleton

1942-Participated in a Rehabilitation Program of Prisoners at Camp Pendleton

1950, 77, 78-Winners in Carlsbad Holiday Flower Show at Plaza Mall

1957-61-Helped to create an evening Garden Club with Oceanside…O.C. IT GROW; co-chaired flower shows with them and protested with them the use of Quail Park for any purpose other than botanical garden and bird sanctuary

1950 ++-Sponsored and/or participated in Carlsbad Flower Show; Gave a scholarship to Mira Costa students

1957-61-Helped to create an evening Garden Club with Oceanside…O.C. IT GROW; co-chaired flower shows with them and protested with them the use of Quail Park for any purpose other than botanical garden and bird sanctuary

1962-Tea to install Officers; Won top award at Southern CA Exposition

1975-Won 2nd Place in Hat Show at Del Mar Fair

1976-Cactus & Succulent at Flower Show; Contributed to the time capsule which was part of Carlsbad Bicentennial Celebrations

1977-Sixth race at Agua Caliente Day named for us

1978-4 trees planted from Mount Vernon Estate given to the city of Carlsbad (tulip poplar tree). Involved in setting up Buena Vista Lagoon & Magee House

2005-2 articles on Members, Helene Trosian & Robin Griswold’s gardens in Carlsbad Magazine

2007-9-Articles on Annual Garden Tour in Carlsbad Magazine

2008-“Still Growing Strong” in North County Times featured Edie Westree (age

101 at the time), June Johnson and Anne Smith and 75 years as a Club; 2 other articles on the grant to Poinsettia Elementary School

2008-Also see article on 75 year anniversary in the San Diego Tribune

2008-Featured in Carlsbad Calendar & Community Guide Because of 75 years

2007-2008 Spent the year preparing for, and celebrating our 75th year, this ended with a luncheon and auction of over 70 gift baskets. The entire Club participated with Marilyn Kasperick as Chair. Besides the traditional donations, we used the extra money earned by joining the AHLF as a Community Member. We gave grants to 4 Carlsbad Elementary (Calavera Hills, Hope, Jefferson and Poinsettia), the Carlsbad Senior Center, Rancho Carlsbad Seniors for Boys and Girls Clubs and Petals for Patriots

2008-9-Article in CGCInc magazine, Golden Gardens on the Petals for Patriots program

2008-9-Discovery Events included making organic fertilizer, chaired by Sue Kelly-Cochrane. We also toured Cuyamaca College. We attended the CGCInc Winter Board Meeting. Gretchen Ashton, former Webmaster won First Prize in the state for the website. We had workshops where we made dish gardens. We were asked to join the Friends of the Library’s Book Sale at Cole Library. Our own Members gave demonstrations for the September Meeting, great start to the year!

2009-10-A big move from Heritage Hall to Dove Library for our meetings. Published article by President Ellen McGrath-Thorpe on the Petals for Patriots in the Golden Gardens, the magazine of the California Garden Club, Incorporated. We toured Casa Romantica in San Clemente. We gave grants to the Rancho Carlsbad Seniors Boys and Girls Club community gardens. We helped the Magnolia Elementary School recover from some terrible vandalism that destroyed their school garden. We honored Dos Gringos who has been donating all of the flowers to the Petals for Patriots project in North County and in San Diego at the May Installation Meeting. Our Club received a certificate from the CGCI for our participation in the P4P Project which was presented by the Palomar District Director Jane McKee.