Centennial Celebration
The Akron Garden Club was the first garden club in Akron and was founded by Gertrude Penfield Seiberling in 1924 at her home, Stan Hywet Hall. The club is focused on people, plants, and the environment. It is especially dedicated to
preserving and enhancing the natural beauty of Akron and the State of Ohio. The Club was instrumental in founding the Garden Forum of Greater Akron in 1932, and became a member of The Garden Club of America in 1945.
The Akron Garden Club’s 120 committed members’ unique commitment to civic engagement since 2024 has benefited the local community and beyond in numerous ways. A few examples include:
* Funding the purchase and installation of more than 16,000 plants and trees to enhance local neighborhoods and parks.
* Rescuing some 160,000 wildflowers and native plants for donation to numerous Ohio organizations and historic sites, including the Heritage Garden at the Ohio Governor’s Residence.
* Bringing national recognition to distinguished Ohio individuals and organizations by proposing them for medals awarded by The Garden Club of America, including most recently Ohio Sea Grant and The Ohio State University’s Stone
Lab in 2023.
* Helping to establish Scenic Ohio in 1996.
* Volunteering some 7,000+ hours over 60+ years to maintain the English Garden at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, a national historic landmark.
* Establishing an extensive educational signage program at The Ohio State University’s Secrest Arboretum.
* For a quarter century, helping to landscape the Schumacher Cascade Mills Site and theMustill Store Museum and House along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail.
* Providing more than $675,000+ in grants in support of organizations serving a diverse range of local communities to help stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening and to restore, improve, and protect the quality of the environment
The Akron Garden Club commemorated its 100 th anniversary with a legacy gift to the Akroncommunity, the installation of large native plant gardens beautifying the Valley View Area alongthe Cuyahoga River in Cascade Valley Metro Park
in Akron, and over $80,000 to Summit MetroParks in support.
