Community Garden Club hosts The Garden Party

On May 19, 2024, the Community Garden Club of Marlin created an exciting fundraising event called the “Garden Party” at the historic Allen House. This festivity to relish in the season’s gifts of blooming flowers was enthusiastically embraced by all attending.

Each guest was presented with a special-made cookie made by Madison Douglas. It was a homemade sugar cookie with royal white icing adorned with a single flower design. Each cookie had a different color flower.

The Garden Party was attended by Sharon Blanchard, Hilda Blann, Nelda Brown, Stella and Jim Cathey, Sue Dunham and granddaughter Phoebe Dunham, Letitia Estep, Janet Evans, Maggie and Jeffrey Frey, Sheila and David Lawson, Susan and Oscar Lee, Melissa Mahoney, Samenthia Milnes and daughter Gabi Milnes-Smith, Rhonda Milton, Beth Mullins, Elizabeth Nelson, Sarah Payne, Jennifer Roberts, Betty Tarver, Byrleen Terry, and Rosebud Mayor Dr. Marlene Zipperlen. Each was dressed in a blend of elegance and comfort.

Amidst the nostalgic, fine furnishings that included the elegant glossy black grand piano, fresh flowering plants dressed the room. The silver punch bowl held the punch of pink lemonade, cranberry juice and ginger ale, served with a silver ladle.

Beautiful linens and a spectacular Peace Lily centerpiece set the stage for the entire table and its ultimate garden party menu: chicken salad and crackers, a selection of cucumber & herbed cream cheese tea sandwiches, pinwheel sandwiches, pimiento cheese sandwiches on white or wheat bread, each delicately rolled and/or cut. Desserts of mini fruit-filled pastries, lemon cake, assorted macaroons and tarts, cupcakes, mini blueberry muffins, petit fours, peanut butter and chocolate truffles, and fresh strawberries plus vegetables with light dips. All were served on pink and gold floral party plates, matching napkins, with gold flatware.

Hostesses of the Community Garden Club of Marlin’s (oldest registered Garden Club in the State of Texas) 2024 Garden Party were: Susan Byrd, Nelda Brown, Letitia Estep, Marjorie Fiola, Terri Glover, Sheila Lawson, Maggie Majors, Samenthia Milnes, Beth Mullins, and Bettye Trotter.

The Community Garden Club of Marlin, now over 101 years, is the oldest registered Garden Club in the State of Texas. Members share the love of gardening, floral design, horticulture, civic responsibilities, landscaping, and environmental concerns.

For  the amateur to the master gardener, educational programs, celebrations, and workshops will again swing into high gear in September. Gardeners provide flowering plants, shrubs, and trees to beautify our community. The Community Garden Club will continue to provide social and physical activities throughout the 2024-2025 year.