Cultivating Our Story
The Garden Club of America 2025–2026 Annual Report
Cultivating Our Story: THE PEOPLE, PARTNER SHIPS , AND PURPOSE THAT SHAPED OUR YE AR Every garden tells a story—not only of what blooms, but of the hands that nurture it, the relationships that sustain it, and the vision that guides its growth. This year, The Garden Club of America continued to cultivate a legacy more than a century in the making. Through dedicated volunteers, meaningful partnerships, transformative programs, and a steadfast commitment to our mission, we strengthened our impact across communities and landscapes nationwide. As we re!ect on the year behind us and look toward the future, we celebrate the people, partnerships, purpose, and promise that continue to shape our story. The oak leaves and acorns featured on the cover of this annual report are an integral part of that story. Symbolizing strength and providing critical habitat for pollinators and wildlife, oaks have been The Executive Board at the April 2026 Annual Meeting
part of the GCA logo since 1921. Their inclusion on our cover connects us to our history, our purpose, and to the generations of members who have carried the work forward. These enduring
Garden clubs turn a shared love of gardening into meaningful
symbols remind us that what we have inherited is the result of those who came before and that each of us has a role in building on that legacy. As you read this report, I hope you see more than a summary
impact by restoring landscapes,
of accomplishments. I hope you see the countless individuals whose
supporting research, educating
written by one individual or a single event but rather it is cultivated
communities, and advocating for
common purpose, their collective impact reaches far beyond what
dedication made those accomplishments possible. Our story is not over time and demonstrates that when people unite around a
the environment. It’s dig-in-the-
any one of us could accomplish alone.
dirt work, but also heart-and-mind
of you, our story continues to grow—rooted in more than a
work.
inspired by the promise of what we will cultivate together in the
Thank you for being part of this remarkable community. Because century of purpose, strengthened by enduring partnerships, and years to come. All the best,
Mary Harman, GCA President 2025–2027 Cultivating Our Story
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GCA by the Numbers
2025–2026
WHO WE ARE
199
Member Clubs in 40 States and the District of Columbia
18,000+ Club Members
400+
Club Members Serving at the GCA National Level
24
Honorary Members
National and Special Committees Providing Resources for Clubs
8
7
98
International Courtesy Clubs
7
National Conferences
12
Executive Board O$cers
12
Geographical Zones with 24 Zone Leaders
Standing and Supporting Committees Providing Organizational Support
$5.6 MM Operating Budget 25–26
$65 MM
Investment Portfolio Includes 30+ Designated Funds
of Clubs Supported Civic Projects and/or Community Grants
30
Merit-Based Scholarships and Fellowships Awarded to 130 Scholars
34
77%
of Clubs held Fundraisers
$3.1+ MM Raised by Clubs
281
Founders Fund Projects in Communities Nationally Since Inception
3
Restoration Initiative Grants
8
The Garden Club of America 2025–2026 Annual Report
85
GCA-Sponsored and Club Fower Shows
665
Club and Zone Awards and Commendations
10
National Medalists
758
Active Participants in the Judging Program
94
Total Freeman Medal Awards Recognizing Underutilized Native Plants
5,030
Gardens Documented for the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Gardens, Including 52 Added in the Past Year
15
Domestic and International Trips O#ered by Visiting Gardens and Other Committees
4,000 +/-
Volumes in the GCA’s Library and the GCA Rare Book Collection at The New York Botanical Garden
W H AT W E G I V E
$604,000 $70,000 Awarded to Three Awarded to 130 Scholars
$34,000 Awarded to Youth Environmental Educators
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91
Active Partners for Plants Projects
Elizabeth Abernathy Hull Awards
Common Ground Collaborative Grants
C LU B S BY T H E N U M B E R S
80%
W H AT W E D O
New Founders Fund Projects
$30,000
Given to Three New Restoration Initiative Projects
$80,000
For Projects Committed to Building Long-term Community Relationships
$81,500
in Grants Conserving National, State, and Local Lands
GCA Staff While GCA volunteers bring our meetings, conferences, publications, and programs to life, a dedicated sta# works collaboratively behind the scenes to help make it all possible. They are valuable partners who hold institutional knowledge and help to facilitate the GCA’s mission with skill and grace.
“The GCA’s culture thrives on thoughtful discussion, collective wisdom, and a shared commitment to excellence. I’m so truly excited to advance that with you. Thank you for all you do to cultivate this remarkable community.” —Jennifer Barnette, GCA COO
Cultivating Our Story
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People
Growing Leadership and Community
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The Garden Club of America 2025–2026 Annual Report
Clubs in Their Communities Be it installing a rain garden, weeding invasive species at a public park, or restoring an oceanfront habitat, environmental impact at home is what motivates and energizes many GCA club members. Turning commitment into local action, GCA garden clubs support these e#orts through GCA civic grants, area committees, native plant sales, garden tours, and educational lectures. Civic initiatives not only improve the landscape, but also enhance club member engagement, deepen friendships, and nurture new working relationships with local groups. They also build the club’s visibility, strengthen community connections, and help attract new members.
As part of Monadnock Garden Club’s centennial celebrations, members received a Partners for Plants grant to plant 100 native species at Spalding Nature Trail, in Ja#rey, NH, one of the club’s oldest civic projects. The grant allowed for the purchase of plants to restore a native plant understory within a mature red oak, beech, and white pine forest.
Facing page: Flower Flash in Cleveland, OH
The Philadelphia Committee of the GCA (PCGCA) provided a grant supporting food production and education for Food Forest within FDR Park in South Philadelphia. Funds were used to purchase berry plants, native grapes, herbs, shrubs, perennials, and seed packets. Depending on how much is raised annually, on average PCGCA funds 15 projects with grants ranging from $700 to $5,000 per project.
The biennial House and Garden Cruise is the heart of the Lake Geneva Garden Club’s fundraising e#orts. Proceeds provide grants for community organizations such as Holiday Home Camp, Horticulture Hall, Geneva Lake Conservancy, and the Environmental Education Foundation. Cultivating Our Story
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Common Ground Collaborative Grants Piedmont Garden Club and Peralta Hacienda’s partnership, in Oakland, CA, continues beyond the required three-year grant period with new opportunities for the future.
In November 2022, club members and community volunteers provided sheet mulching for the native plant garden.
What began in 2022 with %ve bold partnerships has grown into a movement of connection and community. This year, the GCA deepened that commitment by awarding eight new $10,000 Common Ground Collaborative grants, planting the seeds for even more collaboration, learning, and impact.
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During the grant period, club members taught local children about pollinators, the botany of vegetables, seeds, and soil.
As the partnership evolved into a 2025 Partners for Plants grant to restore native riparian habitat, Peralta Creek hosted GCA in the City.
2026 COMMON GROUND C O L L A B O R AT I V E G R A N T S TO C L U B S A N D T H E I R C O L L A B O R ATO R S Pathway 2 Partnerships. Supporting community gardening workshops, the Gardening with Pollinators and People summer camp for ages 8–11, and senior garden therapy classes for residents of Laurel Housing Authority. Laurel Garden Club, Laurel, MS
Saint Martin de Porres Academy. Creating a pollinator and rain garden and providing environmental education in the garden and the classroom at a school that serves low-income families. Garden Club of New Haven. New Haven, CT
Hartford Public Library. Transforming outdoor areas into green, hands-on learning spaces for demonstrating sustainability, biodiversity, and healthy food systems. The Garden Club of Hartford, Hartford, CT
Planting Seeds with Charles Koiner. Supporting Charles Koiner Conservancy for Urban Farming to sustain the urban farm and help deliver 4,000 pounds of produce to local food banks. Garden Club of Chevy Chase, Chevy Chase, MD
Growing Together. Rebuilding planting beds as a place to learn about Indigenous food culture and for growing food for 400 schoolchildren. Museum of Shenandoah Valley, WinchesterClarke Garden Club, Winchester, VA Bellemeade Micro Forest. Developing a curriculum for an outdoor learning program in an underserved community and planting a micro forest as a teaching tool. James River Garden Club, Richmond, VA
The Garden Club of America 2025–2026 Annual Report
ASL at McAllister Gardens. Expanding a community garden at McAllister House Museum providing a gardening training program for the students from Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind. Broadmoor Garden Club, Colorado Springs, CO Sanctuary Garden at Greenburgh. Restoring Nature Center at Greenburgh’s historic rock garden into a native plant sanctuary garden/ outdoor classroom. Garden Club of Irvingtonon-Hudson, Irvington, NY
Restoration Initiative Grants When communities are devastated by natural disasters, Restoration Initiative grants help fund GCA clubs’ e#orts to assist in the environmental recovery of local public lands.
After a tornado swept through Forest Park, St. Louis, downing or damaging over 6,000 trees in May 2025, Ladue Garden Club and The Garden Club of St. Louis banded together to aid the massive restoration e#ort. Partnering with Forest Park Forever, the two clubs’ work continues with oversight of the repair of the tree canopy at the education center, restoration throughout the site, and hands-on seed propagation programs to teach children how to raise saplings. Along with other donations, the GCA Restoration Initiative grant is impacting Forest Park’s recovery e#ort.
Since 2017, nearly 40 Restoration Initiative grants have helped clubs tackle destruction from a variety of causes: a %re in Oregon; a one-two punch of derecho winds and hurricane !ooding in Texas; near cataclysmic winds, rain, and landslides in North Carolina; and a catastrophic microburst that uprooted 200 trees in New York.
This year, the GCA awarded $10,000 grants to four clubs for three projects: Percy and Edwin Warner Park The Garden Club of Nashville Greenhouse at ACCESS Gardens Little Rock Garden Club Forest Park’s Dennis and Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center Ladue Garden Club and The Garden Club of St. Louis Cultivating Our Story
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Founders Fund Grants Since 1934, The Garden Club of America’s Founders Fund has awarded competitive grants to projects proposed by GCA member clubs to restore, improve, and protect the environment through conservation, civic improvement, and education. To date, the Founders Fund has awarded more than $1.6 million in grants to 281 projects.
The $40,000 Founders Fund grant for 2026 was awarded to APPALACHIAN SPRING in Charleston, West Virginia. The project, proposed by the Kanawha Garden Club, will support the purchase of 1,000 !owering trees along streets, in parks, and along the Kanawha River as part of the city’s Capital Connector riverfront initiative. The goal of the project is to strengthen the urban tree canopy, improve wildlife habitat and air quality, expand environmental education, and support the community’s long-term revitalization.
Two $15,000 runner-up grants were also awarded. Proposed by the New Orleans Town Gardeners, Inc., the %rst will support the Garden of Hope (pictured at right), a healing outdoor extension of Walker’s Imaginarium at Manning Family Children’s Hospital, by creating pollinator gardens, educational plantings, and accessible outdoor spaces for children and families. The second (pictured above), proposed by The Grass River Garden Club, will support Community Greening in South Florida by providing equipment to expand the organization’s urban forestry program, enabling volunteers and youth to grow, distribute, plant, and maintain free trees in underserved communities.
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The Garden Club of America 2025–2026 Annual Report
Board of Associates The Board of Associates (BOA) celebrates an extraordinary group of dedicated, engaged, and talented GCA leaders whose contributions over the years have shaped our work and our spirit. They
J U DY F R E E M A N
New Orleans Town Gardeners, Inc., New Orleans, LA Ever wonder what the source of the Montine McDaniel Freeman Medal is? Named for Judy’s mother-in-law, the Freeman Medal for 30 years has been awarded annually to a native plant. There are 94 winners and %nalist Freeman plants to date. Judy has served on the GCA Executive Board and her own gardens !ourish with medal winners.
are a special class of individuals who step up when asked and reach beyond expectations. They are among the GCA’s greatest treasures and the three members to the right o#er a glimpse of their remarkable impact.
F L E U R R U E C K E RT
The Fairfield Garden Club, Fairfield, CT A GCA Floral Design Judge for over 20 years, Fleur Rueckert has chaired diverse committees: Flower Show, Nominating, BOA, and the GCA’s 2021 Annual Meeting held virtually due to COVID. Suitably named Fleur, French for “!ower,” she also served on the GCA Executive Board.
DIANA B ARROW
Trustees Garden Club, Savannah, GA A member of the BOA for over 20 years, Diana chaired the Bulletin Committee and served on the GCA Executive Board. Her vision and philanthropy extend beyond the GCA, and amplify its mission. Diana and her husband Craig deeded 15 acres of Wormsloe, a family property, to create the University of Georgia’s Center for Research and Education. The Center, its students, and visitors have access to 1,400 acres of wetlands and wilderness.
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Partnerships
Strengthening Connections
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The Garden Club of America 2025–2026 Annual Report
GCA Scholarships
100 YE AR S YOUNG
The creation of the GCA’s Rome Prize Fellowship in Landscape Architecture in 1926 set in motion 100 years of the GCA’s support for research and education. Although a century old, the
Joseph Stull
scholarship program remains vibrant and is
Master of Landscape Architecture Candidate at The Ohio State University
growing. This year, the GCA reviewed 545 applicants and awarded $604,000 to 130 scholars from 70 colleges, universities, and institutions. The 30 merit-based scholarship categories o#ered by the GCA support critical research and encourage future leaders.
Joseph’s research project will explore how the Erie Canal has shaped American history and land use across two centuries. He will compare the design priorities of the original canal designers, land use, and ecological outcomes with early 21st-century canal restoration.
Victoria Ho Third-year undergraduate in Environmental Science and Resource Management at the University of Washington
Victoria’s research explores Japan’s seaweed aquaculture to understand its historical signi%cance as well as its impact on local and international food systems. She will focus on harvesting, processing, and marketing di#erent seaweed species.
GCA News
The Garden Club of America 2026 Scholars Report
Celebrating a Century of GCA Scholarships
The Bulletin :: Summer 2026
Libby Shafer PhD Candidate in Plant Biology and Conservation at Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic Garden joint program
Libby’s project Bees on the Block reimagines lawns as shared ecological spaces. She aims to develop practical conservation strategies to support urban biodiversity.
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Environmental Advocacy NAL and Conservation The GCA is a recognized leader in environmental advocacy. From the National A#airs & Legislation three-day conference, where club members fan out on Capitol Hill to campaign on behalf of nature and the planet, to GCA position papers, and clubs’ grassroots conservation projects, the GCA’s voice is impactful, persuasive, and respected.
CONSERVATION POSITION PAPERS The nine position papers are public documents that summarize conservation issues that are priorities for the GCA.
Agriculture, Soil, Seed Diversity, and Food Security Clean Air Above: Rumson Garden Club and Rumson Environmental Commission, in Rumson, NJ, installed rain gardens in two riverside parks. The gardens were prototypes to teach residents about the benefits of pollinators, native plants, and green infrastructure to filter storm run-off. Right: Garden Club of Lawrence and the Town of Hempstead, NY, are working together to improve water quality along the south shore of Long Island. One focuses on oysters which is creating a protective reef and the other kelp which can later be ground up for fertilizer.
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The Garden Club of America 2025–2026 Annual Report
Climate Change Land Conservation Native Plants Oceans Transportation & Infrastructure Waste Management Water
GCA Medalists and Honorary Members The Garden Club of America recognizes individuals whose leadership, innovation, and service have made signi%cant contributions to conservation, horticulture, civic improvement, landscape design, historic preservation, !oral design, photography, literature, and environmental stewardship. The 2026 medalists and honorary members are a remarkable group of leaders whose work has advanced the GCA’s mission and inspired others through research, advocacy, education, creativity, and public service. Their accomplishments demonstrate the lasting impact that dedicated individuals can have on communities and the environment. The Garden Club of America is honored to recognize these exceptional individuals and to celebrate their commitment to preserving and enriching our natural and cultural heritage. Left to right (top to bottom): American Society of Botanical Artists, Todd A. Forrest, Douglas Hoerr, Uli Lorimer, Mary Pat Matheson, Sara Cedar Miller, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Amy Stewart, Hope Taft, The Nature Conservancy
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HONORARY MEMBERS MaryLynn Mack,
Executive Director, Memphis Botanic Garden
Signe Nielsen,
Founding Principal, Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects
J. Dean Norton,
Director of Horticulture and Livestock Emeritus, George Washington’s Mount Vernon
David Rubin,
Founding Principal, DAVID RUBIN Land Collective
Ken J. Schutz,
Dr. William Huizingh Executive Director, Desert Botanical Garden (2001–2025)
Clockwise from top left: MaryLynn Mack, Signe Nielsen, David Rubin, Ken J. Schutz, J. Dean Norton
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The Garden Club of America 2025–2026 Annual Report
GCA Collaborators MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING The GCA is proud to have Memorandums of Understanding with the following organizations:
American Society of Botanical Artists Assembly of Flower Arrangers Center for Plant Conservation National Park Service National Parks Conservation Association New York Botanical Garden Mertz Library Save the Redwoods League Scenic America Scholarship Institutions Southeastern Grasslands Institute The Garden Conservancy The Smithsonian Weed Wrangle National Arboretum
SCHOLARSHIP
The GCA collaborates with the following organizations on 17 of our scholarships. The expertise they provide helps ensure that the most promising scholars receive funding.
American Academy in Rome American Public Gardens Association Botanic Gardens Conservation International–U.S. Casey Trees Center for Plant Conservation Cornell University Desert Botanical Garden Landscape Architecture Foundation Longwood Gardens Missouri Botanical Garden National Tropical Botanical Garden Pollinator Partnership Royal Horticultural Society Smithsonian Institution, Smithsonian Gardens, Archives of American Gardens Student Conservation Association University of WisconsinMadison Arboretum William & Mary, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Center for Coastal Resources Management
NATIONAL AFFAIRS & LEGISLATION
We thank these o$cials for participating in our National Affairs & Legislation Conference:
Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska Representative Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon Senator Susan Collins of Maine Representative Gabe Evans of Colorado Representative Jared Hu#man of California Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi Representative Tom Suozzi of New York Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island
CONTRIBUTORS
We appreciate the time, talent, and expertise of all who contributed to the GCA at our annual conferences, study groups, and workshops.
Ansel Adams Gallery Howard Axel
Christina Del%co
iDig2Learn, Open Space Institute
Cathy Deutsch
director of horticulture, Wave Hill
Jerry Dodrill
photographer, instructor
Rad Drew
board chair, C-Change Conversations
Maggie Blomgren
legislative correspondent for Senator Tina Smith
Laura Brannen
U.S. climate policy lead, The Nature Conservancy
Anne Marie Chirieleison
director, Foundation of the State Arboretum of Virginia, Blandy Experimental Farm
Joy Columbus
director, Smithsonian Gardens
Peggy Cornett
curator of plants,Thomas Jefferson Foundation— Monticello
photographer, instructor
Montana Jernigan
senior development manager, Billion Oyster Project
Lesley Kane Szynal
Peckham’s Greenhouse
Warrie Price
founder and president, The Battery Conservancy
Dan Raichel
owner and creative director, Fresh Floral Creations
The Honorable Shannon Estenoz chief policy o$cer, The Everglades Foundation
Dr. Natalie Exum
director, Pollinators and Pesticides, Natural Resources Defense Council
Dr. Wesley Knapp
partner, Hollander Design
CEO, Center for Plant Conservation
assistant professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Jessie Long
David Flores
Jordan Lubetkin
vice president and general counsel, Potomac Riverkeeper Network
videographer, The Battery Conservancy senior director, Ohio River Restoration, National Wildlife Federation
Mikel Folcarelli
Sharon MacKenzie
Dr. Jonathan Foley
Pasha Majdi
Sakonnet Garden
horticulture associate, Virginia Tech, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
Connie Ganley
Blithewold Manor, Gardens and Arboretum, Public Engagement Manager
Roger and Gale Green Simmons Mill Pond
Joanna L. Groarke
vice president for exhibitions and programming, New York Botanical Garden
Joseph P. Gromacki,
docent, Untermyer Gardens chief advocacy o$cer and coalitions lead, Nature is Nonpartisan
Rebecca Martin
Mackenzie Rutherford
4M Watermelon Farm, Santa Fe Workshops
Amy Stewart
photographer, writer, botanical artist
Orrin Sheehan
author, artist
Chip McLaughlin
Hollander Design
Little Compton Historical Society / Awashonks Garden JMM Design Studio
Little Compton Community Center
Dr. Scott Morris
founder and former CEO, Church Health
Kelly Crawford,
Ed Hollander
photographer, instructor
committee staff member, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change, and Manufacturing, U.S. Senate
Little Compton Historical Society / Awashonks Garden
Peggy Olwell
Padma Inguva
Dana Rollison
Keith Maynard
Mary Jo Ho#man
FASLA, president, Hollander Design
Blithewold Manor, Gardens and Arboretum
director of horticulture, Little Island, Manhattan, Smithsonian Archives of American Gardens
manager of horticulture, Morris County Parks Commission
photographer
Liz Ridley
COO, National Parks Conservation Association
Amy Mooney
Bart Hassam
senior project attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council
Robin Martin McKenna
John Gwynn
Thomas Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects
Lucas Rhoads
Christina Selby
Julie Moir Messervy
Monica Hand
Melissa Reavis
associate director of collections, programs, & engagement, Smithsonian Gardens
preservationist, parner, Jenner & Block, LLP Sakonnet Garden
botanical artist
Rowan Family Foundation professor of real estate and finance, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Charles & Melissa Needle
museum specialist, Smithsonian Gardens
The Peckham Family
Ben Keys
owner and creative director, Maison Fleur Floral Design
Bruce Crawford
executive director, Georgia Rivers
Bruno Duarte
Barbara Bell Shea
Kathleen Biggins
Adam Jacobs
Rena Ann Peck
Olga Prinku
Laurie Fox, Ph.D.
photographer, instructor
photographer, instructor
executive director, Outdoors America, Open Space Institute
executive director, Project Drawdown
Matthew Benson
Denise Ippolito
photographer, educator
Four Freedoms Park Conservancy, Inc. founding president, Casey Trees
2025–2026
photographers, instructors
former plant conservation and restoration program lead, Bureau of Land Management
Alison Strickler Lisa Switkin
FASLA, PLA, FAAR, partner, Field Operations
Françoise Weeks
%oral designer, botanical artist, educator
Ethan Weitz
director, Hero and Heart Film Company
Michael Wise
photographer, instructor
Thomas Woltz
FASLA, CLARB, Thomas Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects
Marjory O’Toole
Little Compton Historical Society / Awashonks Garden
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Purpose
Advancing Our Mission and Impact
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The Garden Club of America 2025–2026 Annual Report
Conferences Exposure to ideas and issues, knowledge, and enjoyment are just a few of the bene%ts the GCA conference attendees experience. From the Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference promoting learning and love of plants to the annual meeting’s inspiring coverage of all things GCA, conferences are designed to stimulate and foster love of gardening and stewardship of nature. In addition, virtual conferences on photography, !oral design, and garden history and design, where experts share ideas and demonstrate new techniques, are open to all 18,000 GCA club members.
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Publications ByDesign
Cultivating and sharing the GCA’s story both internally and beyond is a key focus of our communications e#orts. Through the Bulletin, the Communications
A PUBLICATION OF THE GCA FLORAL DESIGN COMMITTEE | SUMMER 2026 | VOLUME 40, NO. 2
Committee, and our committee magazines: The Real Dirt
ConWatch A publication of the GCA Conservation Committee • Summer 2026
(Horticulture), ConWatch (Conservation), By Design (Floral Design), and Focus (Photography), we bring our mission to life.
We are expanding the GCA’s reach through our weekly Public Page News. In the last year alone, the GCA’s Instagram followers have doubled. By sharing stories of community action, conservation, horticulture, and !oral design we are connecting with new audiences and raising the visibility of the GCA’s work. Junior Ladies’ Garden Club members installed a Flower Cart in the lobby of Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital, GA. The post received over 900 “likes” on the GCA’s Instagram.
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The Garden Club of America 2025–2026 Annual Report
Cultivating Creativity Whether novice or expert, all GCA club members have access to the creative arts through workshops, virtual conferences, programs, and !ower shows. Club members learn new techniques in photography, !oral design, and botanical arts which cultivate stunning artistic expression inspired by nature. By Design and Focus digital publications provide inspiration, ideas, and opportunities to showcase creativity. Be amazed by what club members have accomplished!
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Promise
Investing in Tomorrow
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The Garden Club of America 2025–2026 Annual Report
Hull Award
F O R E N V I RO N M E N TA L E D U C ATO R S
The Garden Club of America celebrates educators who inspire a love of nature and a concern for the environment in children under the age of 16. This year, 34 educators across the country were recognized for furthering an appreciation of the beauty and fragility of the earth.
2 0 2 6 H U L L AWA R D W I N N E R S Tyler Lucas
Kerry Linderoth
Bruce Gatling-Austin
Rebecca Woodland
Julia Lunn
Bailey Slice Parker
Ravonne Barrett
Jeanne Fernandez
Avery Dickins de Giron
Rachel Riesbeck
Ford Church
Annie Webber
Nate Snader
Elise DeMoss
Anna Zielinski
Mindi Maneck
Dionne Procell-Brown
Andria Cossolotto
Marissa Mizeski
Denise Ellsoworth
Amanda Smith
Lexi Carter
Dana Swisher
Amanda Delperdang
Laura Johnson
Dan Brubaker
Alyssa Wood
Proposed by: Kanawha Garden Club Proposed by: Magnolia Garden Club
Proposed by: The Garden Club of Hartford
“Miss Hull knew that getting young people interested in gardening
Proposed by: The Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton Proposed by: Garden Club of Buzzards Bay Proposed by: Garden Guild of Winnetka
meant lifelong
Proposed by: Garden Club of Somerset Hills
environmentalists.”
Proposed by: The Garden Club of Cleveland
—Chris Duncan, Civic Improvement & Grants Committee, The Little Garden Club of Rye, Rye, NY,
Proposed by: Glenview Garden Club
Kevin “KT” Williamson Proposed by: South Side Garden Club of L.I.
Kesia Tosh
Proposed by: The Portland Garden Club
Proposed by: The Little Garden Club of Rye Proposed by: Lake Forest Garden Club Proposed by: Ladue Garden Club
Proposed by: New Orleans Town Gardeners Proposed by: Mill Mountain Garden Club Proposed by: Shreveport Garden Study Club
Proposed by: Shaker Lakes Garden Club Proposed by: Marin Garden Club Proposed by: Hortulus
Cindy Quiroz
Proposed by: Little Rock Garden Club
Camilla Sherman
Proposed by: Sand Hills Garden Club
Proposed by: Albemarle Garden Club
Proposed by: The Palmetto Garden Club of South Carolina Proposed by: Paducah Garden Club
Proposed by: Nantucket Garden Club Proposed by: New Canaan Garden Club Proposed by: Cedar Rapids Garden Club Proposed by: Indianapolis Garden Club Proposed by: Greenville Garden Club Proposed by: Perennial Planters
Angela Llerna
Proposed by: The Garden Club of Barrington
Allison Murray
Proposed by: The Garden Club of Barrington
Alison Chesney
Cindy Quiroz was honored for her transformative garden education programs inspiring central Arkansas youth to discover and connect with the rhythms of the natural world. Proposed by Little Rock Garden Club
Proposed by: The Little Garden Club of Memphis
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GCA in the City GCA in the City (GCAITC) is introducing a new generation to the bene%ts of garden clubs through fun, informative, and hands-on events ranging from learning about the e#ect of habitat loss on the Xerxes blue butter!y and touring historic gardens to concocting botanical cocktails and urban birdwatching. Since the %rst sold-out event in New York City in 2018, GCAITC has hosted over 40 social and educational programs for more than 1,500 metro-area non-members and added %ve other metropolitan areas: Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Boston, Nashville, and Atlanta. GCAITC is generating a fresh new group of gardeners, creatives, environmental advocates, and future GCA club members.
“GCA in the City is carrying the GCA spirit of knowledge and engagement forward through conservation and advocacy programs that educate, engage, and inspire the next generation.” —Lisa Frulla, Membership Committee, Perennial Garden Club, Washington, DC
GCAITC in Washington, DC, hosted an evening tour of the gardens and museum treasures at Hillwood, Marjorie Merriweather Post’s estate.
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The Garden Club of America 2025–2026 Annual Report
Clubs in Service By sharing the knowledge and wonder of the natural world with children and introducing them to the beauty of !ora, fauna, and wildlife, GCA clubs are fostering an appreciation for the environment in future generations. Whether manufacturing wild!ower seed bombs in a grade school classroom, propagating tomato plants, or leading a class on a walk in the woods, GCA club members are helping to nurture a lifelong love and curiosity for nature.
The Garden Club of Summit’s Hands to Nature program annually underwrites the expenses for inner-city students to spend the day at ReevesReed Arboretum in Summit, NJ. This year, they welcomed St. Michael’s third graders for a morning of education, crafts, and lunch. The students toured the grounds where they learned about greenhouse planting, the herb garden, and animal signs. Hands to Nature is a wonderful introduction to the enjoyment of being outside and learning about nature.
The Garden Club of Hartford and the Hartford Public Library initiated an educational program to teach children about gardening and pollination at the Park Street Library @the Lyric branch which serves Hartford, CT’s, Latino community. This year, the children will be planting vegetables and herbs used in Latino cuisine.
North Country Garden Club of Long Island has a long-standing involvement with the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club. Each year the club designs projects to bring an appreciation of nature to a diverse community of students. Here they offered a science experiment to demonstrate how oysters help filter our bay waters.
A honeycomb sparks curiosity as young learners explore the world of pollinators at Mission of Mary Cooperative, in Dayton, OH. The Garden Club of Dayton’s support helps sustain the program’s urban farm which produces healthy, fresh food for the surrounding neighborhood, while inspiring children to become thoughtful stewards of the environment.
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GCA Financial Report Year Ended June 30, 2025 ASSETS
Cash and Receivables Prepaid Expenses Investments Operating Lease Other Assets TOTAL ASSETS
ASSETS
%
$232,474 $311,353 $62,884,829 $2,001,895 $271,647 $65,702,198
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
0% 0% 97% 3% 0% 100%
• Cash and Receivables • Operating Lease • Prepaid Expenses • Other Assets • Investments
%
LIABILITIES Accounts Payable & Other Liabilities Operating Lease Liability TOTAL LIABILITIES
$374,221 $2,261,808 $2,636,029
1% 3% 4%
NET ASSETS Without Donor Restrictions Board Designated Endowments With Donor Restrictions TOTAL NET ASSETS
$4,621,976 $7,054,515 $51,389,678 $63,066,169
7% 11% 78% 96%
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
$65,702,198
100%
$704,037 $402,875 $1,136,494 $951,745 $2,048,424 $326,717 $405,619 $5,975,911
12% 7% 19% 16% 34% 5% 7% 100%
• •
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Total Liabilities Without Donor Restrictions
Designated • Board Endowments • With Donor Restrictions
STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES SUPPORT AND REVENUE–OPERATING
Unrestricted Contributions Restricted Contributions Membership Dues Registration Fees Endowment Fund Draw Funds Released from Restriction Other TOTAL OPERATING REVENUE
%
OPERATING EXPENSES
Program Services Scholarships Civic Projects Medals and Awards Educational Programs Supporting Services Management and General Fundraising TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES
$695,525 $367,198 $99,274 $2,851,338
13% 7% 2% 52%
$1,131,117 $274,288
21% 5%
$5,418,740
100%
$557,171
NET INVESTMENT INCOME
$6,882,327
DRAW AND FUNDS RELEASED FROM RESTRICTION
($2,375,141)
32
The Garden Club of America 2025–2026 Annual Report
• Registration Fees • Endowment Fund Draw Released from • Funds Restriction • Other
%
NET OPERATING INCOME
INCREASE IN NET ASSETS
SUPPORT AND REVENUE
• Unrestricted Contributions • Restricted Contributions • Membership Dues
$5,064,357
OPERATING EXPENSES
• Scholarships • Civic Projects • Medals and Awards
• Educational Programs • Management and General • Fundraising