Meetings & Events
| 16 Oct 2025; 06:00PM - 09:00PM AEGC General Membership Meeting |
| 25 Oct 2025; 10:00AM - 05:00PM Bonnie Phelps Memorial Tree Walk |
| 12 Nov 2025; 10:00AM - 12:00PM AEGC Board Meeting |
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Awards
The Redbud District Flower Show was held at the Tucker UMC Activity Center on September 12-13 and the Avondale Estates Garden Club entries received many ribbons that weekend. But what stood out this year was Susan Barton’s Dahlia “Unicorn Dreams” for which Susan was presented the NGC Award of Horticulture Excellence & Redbud’s Elinore Wilson Memorial Trophy.
Susan Barton-Unicorn DreamsAlso, this year there was a new category - photography. Two of AEGC’s gifted photographers – Jean Kingsbury and Karen Liebert – each entered three photos. All three of Karen’s entries: Dahlias at Speyer Cathedral; Lake Avondale; and Orchids won honorable mention. Jean was the big winner in this category – her photos came in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. Night Blooming Cereus won 1st place; Camellia at Lullwater Conservation Garden won 2nd place; and St. Mary’s Georgia Marsh won 3rd place.
Congratulations to Susan, Jean, and Karen! And thank you to all who participated in this event especially AEGC’s Horticulture Co-Chairs: Scott Legg and Donna Tanner!
Jean Kingsbury 1st place
Kingsbury 2nd place
Kingsbury 3rd place
Liebert honorable mention
Lieburt honorable mention
Liebert Honorable Mention
2025 Memorial Tree Walk
The biennial Bonnie Phelps Memorial Tree Walk will be held on Saturday, October 25 Rain or Shine.We welcome back Garbanzo, the orange puppet from the YouTube Video series “Nature Time.” Garbanzo will kick off the event again this year at 9am. Look for Garbanzo and his friends from “Nature Time” at the Gazebo at Lake Avondale.
There will also be children’s craft activities beginning at 9am followed by the adult program at 10am. Award-winning landscape designer and Avondale Estates resident Steve Sanchez will speak on the importance of our natural canopy in our urban areas. In addition to Steve there will be other landscape and tree experts who will lead groups on tree walks throughout our city.
NOW THAT IT IS SEPTEMBER IT IS TIME FOR THE AVONDALE ESTATES GARDEN CLUB TO “FALL” BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS
We hope our members have had a great summer and are ready to get back to participating in all things “Garden Club.”We ended August with the Great Southeastern Pollinator Census in Deborah Levine’s lovely garden.
Now that it is September we will be busy between 9/11 Memorial ceremony, Redbud District Annual Flower Show and, of course, AEGC’s General Membership meeting.
- A couple of years ago, AEGC decided to participate in the city’s 9/11 Memorial ceremony by providing a memorial wreath and having one of our member’s ring the bell to signify when the Towers fell in NY. We are continuing this tradition by providing the wreath and having Peg Wyse ring the bell. Ceremony beings on Thursday, 9/11 at 8:30am on Dewey Brown Plaza. Come out and show your support for our country.
- Later that day we will be getting ready for the Redbud District Flower Show. We encourage AEGC members to bring their horticulture specimens to Patricia Calcagno’s Dining Barn between 9:45am-2:00pm. Experienced members will be present to help you prep your specimens for the flower show. The Redbud District Flower Show will be held on September 12 and 13 in Tucker.
- Now the fun really begins with getting back to meeting again where you will get to see old friends and meet new ones. Our first General Membership meeting will be held on Thursday, September 18 at 6:00pm at The Lake House. Refreshments will be served and our program is “All Things Garden Club” where you will get to hear about our past successes and our future plans for 2025-2026. Also, at this meeting 2025-2026 Yearbook inserts will be handed out.
Welcome
Avondale Estates Garden Club (AEGC) was founded on June 10, 1931 when 34 women, at the invitation of Mrs. Germaine McGovern, gathered at her home at 22 Dartmouth Ave. Shortly thereafter, the women began to beautify public areas of the city.
The inaugural project of the Club was planting the Abelia hedge along N. Avondale Road. Labor was provided by workers from the New Deal’s Work Progress Administration (WPA). AEGC’s beautification program expanded to include the shores of Lake Avondale and the Bird Sanctuary beyond them.
Other sights we enjoy today that are the result of the effort of those hard-working AEGC women, include the Christmas tree at Clarendon and Avondale Plaza. An outstanding characteristic of the Club’s many efforts was the cooperation between the Club and City officials in making all these enhancements possible. Newspapers outside the community frequently recognized these cooperative efforts.
AEGC activities extended beyond its neighborhood and included more than beautification activities. These included contributions to the planting at the Governor’s Mansion and in Piedmont Park, presentation of various educational opportunities, and visiting garden related sites locally and around the state.
AEGC continues to reflect the interests of its earlier members with projects involving the City and areas statewide.