Our History

In its early years, the club's members participated in county fair competitions, adhering to regulations that required all flowers in their arrangements to be cultivated by the exhibitor. During the Christmas season, members were responsible for decorating and judging front doors, bestowing blue ribbons upon outstanding displays. The club also organised flower shows at the Ball Ground First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall and collaborated with other clubs within the County Council to participate in flower shows throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

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From 1972 through 1996, the club actively participated in the Ball Ground Community Association’s annual festivals by decorating and entering floats. Notably, in 1983, the club contributed a handmade arrowhead-pattern quilt to commemorate Ball Ground’s centennial celebration. In 1978, the club provided a wreath displayed on a gold velvet-covered board for the Garden Club of Georgia’s Golden Anniversary Gala Auction in Atlanta, where the auctioneer was former President Jimmy Carter’s cousin.

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The club published its first cookbook in 1977, followed by another edition in 2001 to mark its fiftieth anniversary. A third cookbook, released in 2011 to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary, incorporated both new recipes and those from previous editions. This publication, a three-ring hard-backed binder featuring over 600 recipes, contains section dividers with original pen and ink floral drawings by member Paula Dorris, and received both state and national garden club awards.

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In 1996, the club participated in the “Pathways of Gold,” planting gold-coloured flowers to commemorate the Olympics held in Atlanta. In 2010, the club contributed a tree to the Burgess Arboretum at Reinhardt University as a representation of Ball Ground. That same year, the club organized a novice flower show at Sharp Mountain Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, evaluated by accredited judges. The judges remarked that the quality of the show was exceptional, indicating it would have qualified as a Standard Flower Show had an educational section been included. Since then, the club has supported and facilitated Basic Design I flower arranging classes on two occasions, as well as a Basic Design II flower arranging class.

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As a member of the Garden Club Council of Cherokee County, the club contributed to the placement of a Blue Star Memorial Marker at the Georgia National Veterans Cemetery in Canton, Georgia in 2008. The clubs within the Council collectively maintain the area surrounding the marker on a scheduled monthly rotation. The club also provides wreath donations and actively participates in the Wreaths Across America ceremony at the National Cemetery. In 2024, the club oversaw the installation of both Blue Star and Gold Star markers at the Ball Ground Botanical Garden during a commemorative ceremony.

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In 2013, Project Chair Beverly Poag proposed the establishment of an Honorary and Memorial Garden for Main Street. The mayor, however, recommended the development of a botanical garden on the grounds of Ball Ground City Hall. To raise funds for the purchase of plants, the club organized sponsorship and memorial brick sales. In June 2015, the Ball Ground Boy Scouts constructed a pathway and central circle for the new botanical garden. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held during National Garden Week in June 2015, followed by the garden’s official dedication in June 2016.

Club members remain actively involved in the ongoing development and maintenance of the garden, which features distinct sections including the Conifer/Welcome Beds, Four Seasons Garden, Butterfly Garden, Herb Garden, Bog Garden, Native Garden, and East Asian Garden. Notably, the Butterfly Garden is designated as site #53 on the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail. Numerous members contribute to the continuous care of the space, with Master Gardener Diane Smith providing leadership for the Botanical Garden committee.

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The club actively supports the community by participating in the County Fair (winning first place with the Garden Club Council), assisting local organizations like the County Domestic Violence Center, Dominic’s food ministry, Must Ministries, the Pregnancy Center, and the Ball Ground Senior Center. New projects include collaborations with the Ball Ground Library and Ball Ground Stem Academy. Members maintain grounds at Sharp Mountain Baptist Church Fellowship Hall and the Lion’s Club’s “Welcome to Ball Ground” planters, decorate the Botanical Garden for Christmas, and contribute to causes such as Garden Therapy, State Botanical Gardens, Roadside Beautification, Historic Preservation, Cherokee Library, and Natural Disaster Relief through the Garden Club of Georgia.

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On November 16, 2021, the Garden Club commemorated its 70th anniversary at the Wheeler House venue in Ball Ground. The event was attended by Laurel District Director Susan Stephens. Lynn Harris Worthington, daughter of charter member Barbara Harris, was also present. Additionally, Marshall Day, grandson of charter member and inaugural Recording Secretary Mrs. Jewell Groover, attended and presented the minutes from the club’s first meeting, originally recorded by his grandmother seven decades prior. Club Historian Jennie Byers curated an exhibition featuring photographs and memorabilia documenting the history of the organization.

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Since 2018, the club has hosted the Council Tea for the Garden Club Council of Cherokee County, which encompasses the three active GCG-affiliated clubs within the county. The event provides an opportunity for local gardening enthusiasts to collaborate and engage with one another. Additionally, the hat contest consistently attracts impressive entries from participants, contributing to the enjoyment and camaraderie of the gathering.