Swarthmore Garden Club Records

The Swarthmore Garden Club was founded in September 1958 when a group of ten charter members met at the home of Ann Peters (Mrs. Hugh Peters). Mrs. Peters had served as president of a garden club in Virginia, and she proposed a similar organization for Swarthmore. She became the first president of the Club which began meeting on the second Monday of the month, usually in members' homes.

Previous to the founding of the Garden Club, the Woman's Club of Swarthmore had sponsored an active Garden Committee and held an annual Flower Show in its clubhouse. While refusing to assume responsibility for the Flower Show, members in the early years were especially interested in flower arranging and exhibiting and participation in the Philadelphia Flower Show.

In the mid 1960s, the Club began to hold an herb sale as a fundraiser and became more involved with community projects such as the herb garden at the Caleb Pusey House in Upland, Pa., which members established in 1970, and supporting civic projects such as Philadelphia Green and Ronald McDonald House. Since 1998, the Club supports a annual scholarship award presented to a graduating senior who lives within the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District.