Club History

On November 9, 1948, a small group of ladies met in the home of Mrs. Nell Richter to organize a garden club in Hondo, Texas. Their purpose and mission statement was to “beautify and improve their surroundings and to better serve the community.” Mrs. Nell Richter served as the first president.

The club was federated with Texas Garden Clubs, Inc., in January, 1950. The year 2008 marked the 60^th anniversary of the Hondo Garden Club, and it has maintained a Gold Club rating for most of those years.

The Club’s first major project, to landscape a one-block area on Highway 90 between Avenue M and Avenue K adjacent to the Southern Pacific Railroad depot, was conceived in 1949, and plans continued into the following year during the Presidency of Mrs. Jane Hardy. After lengthy negotiations with Southern Pacific officials, approval was granted.  Club members armed with rakes, hoes, and trashcans cleaned the area in preparation for planting. With the help and direction of the Highway Department landscape division, the planting was completed in 1951, during the tenure of Mrs. Annie Garrison.

The Garden Club as well as the City of Hondo has received numerous awards for this beautification, as well as favorable comments from throughout the country from appreciative travelers. The Garden Club assumed the responsibility of maintaining this parkway, even as it expanded through the years to include fourteen blocks along the highway. The Hondo City Council agreed to furnish a sprinkler system in 1957.

Maintenance of the Parkway proved quite costly.  In order to raise funds for this and other projects, at the suggestion and guidance of Mrs. Eugenia Lanham and during the presidency of Mrs. Jerry Berger (1953-1954), the Thrift Shop was born. The present site of the Thrift Shop (site #6) was purchased in 1999.

The Hondo Garden Club Thrift Shop on Hwy. 90 (19th Street)

After more than twenty years of the Garden Club maintaining the parkway, the City of Hondo accepted that responsibility.

In the early years, the club sponsored the residential Christmas lighting contest which was promoted by the Sears Company. The $50.00 prize (a significant amount at that time) was awarded for two consecutive years. Then, there was the national energy crisis. Everyone was asked to conserve by eliminating unessential lighting.

At the request of the Hondo Chamber of Commerce, the Garden Club began sponsoring the Christmas lighting again each December in the residential areas, judging the displays, and awarding the prizes.

Our Garden Club requested the Blue Star Marker when we federated in 1950 with an application and a check to the NGC Chairman. The Blue Star Memorial marker was awarded the club and placed on the Highway parkway with special plantings. This Marker is a living tribute to the Nation’s Armed Forces…to the men and women who have served, are presently serving, or will be serving in the future, so that we might continue to live in peace and freedom in America. The Garden Club has maintained the area surrounding the marker. At the completion of the upcoming Highway 90 road-widening project, the marker will be again placed on the highway as a tribute to our armed forces.

Through the years, many beautification projects have been accomplished. The “new” (1965) Post Office and Municipal Building were landscaped, as well as the Hondo Public Library, and the Medina Memorial Hospital grounds. The club provided care and upkeep of the Hondo Cemetery for five years and provided and installed Christmas lights at the County Courthouse.

For a number of years, the Club held an annual flower show and later staged specialty shows such as those with art and music combined with floral interpretations.

For 40 years four therapy programs were held each year at the Medina County Association for Exceptional Citizens Center until the Center closed. For the past 5 years the Club therapy program has worked with the Hondo High School Life Skills Class twice a year in their greenhouse facility helping with plant propagation for the class’s fund raising plant sale.

For the past 45 years two “Golden Age” teas have been hosted annually around Christmas and Easter at each of the two local nursing homes.
                The Garden Club holds a plant sale each spring to encourage citizens to beautify their yards at nominal expense. Plants are also available weekly at the Thrift Shop at nominal cost.

For several years a Christmas tree was furnished and decorated with handmade Christmas ornaments for the Memorial Hospital waiting room. Birdbaths were also placed on the grounds for the patients to enjoy.  Seven Purple Martin houses were purchased and placed at various locations around town, including the hospital.

In 1976, the Garden Club initiated the planting of trees for the observance of our country’s bicentennial, even before District VII adopted the idea. One club member (Mrs. Lillian Schweers) provided two hundred Red Oak seedlings that were planted in the community. Also in 1976, the Texas Forest Service through the Texas A&M University System approved the application for a historical marker for the “Wiemers Oak”.  (Maybelle Wiemers was a club member). On October 16, 1977, the Garden Club held the dedication ceremony with most members participating. This beautiful oak is featured in the publication “Famous Trees of Texas.”

Hondo’s Centennial was celebrated in 1982. The Garden Club sponsored a “King and Queen” contest, complete with a formal coronation, a Ball, and a Blue Ribbon float in the parade.  The club also encouraged local citizens to plant a total of 100 crepe myrtles to commemorate Hondo’s 100^th birthday.  A large number of these shrubs were purchased by The Hondo Garden Club and planted along the driveway at Medina Memorial Hospital.  Unfortunately most of these shrubs were destroyed during the reconstruction process this past year.

For the past 21 years members have been encouraged to participate in the flower arrangement and horticulture exhibits at the Medina County Fair each fall.  A decorated car is entered in the parade.

In the late 1960's the Garden Club was instrumental in the purchase and relocation of the old Southern Pacific Depot to be used as a museum.  Mannequins were also donated for the early clothing display.  It has become an interesting museum, housing many articles of early Medina County history.

The Garden Club has worked with children for many years.  At one time there was a very active Junior Garden Club. Since that time, the Club has sponsored both State and National Garden Club projects of Youth Communication and Environmental Poster contests in local schools, with monetary prizes.  Some posters have even won at the State level.  The purpose of these projects is to make the children more aware of their environment and the need to protect it, and hopefully make them better citizens for the future.  For the entire 60 years middle school students have also gathered for the annual citywide clean up drive.  The Garden Club coordinates the drive, furnishes refreshments and supplies, and makes a monetary donation to the school.

In 1997, the Garden Club created an annual $1,000 scholarship to be presented to a worthy student planning to pursue the study of some form of horticulture, agriculture, landscape design, environmental science or other related fields.  This scholarship follows the student through his or her studies as long as a 3.0 grade point average is maintained.  The scholarship has now evolved into the Hondo Garden Club Scholarship Fund, with monies being contributed monthly by the Hondo Garden Club.  At this time, the Club has three recipients…Emmett Muennink, Dustin Lilly, and Tyler Luce.

In observance of the 50^th anniversary the Club donated, installed, and landscaped a very attractive and impressive stone and iron entryway to the Hondo City Park.  The groundbreaking and dedication for this new structure was held October 1998, and was presented to the City of Hondo on November 6, 1998.  The Garden Club still maintains the landscape at this entrance.

In 1999, the Rick Taylor Recreation Center was landscaped.

In the fall of 2001 the Garden Club began the landscaping of a butterfly garden at Wools Intermediate School.

In 2002 the dream of the Birding and Butterfly Trail was presented to the City.  It would be a few years before this idea took flight.

In May 2003, at the Texas Diamond Jubilee – Crown Jewels of Texas Celebration in Tyler, Texas, President Sue Durrett of the Texas Garden Clubs, Inc. presented Crown Jewel Citation #124 to Hondo’s outstanding member, Mrs. Elaine Bybee in recognition of her commitment and service toward accomplishing the mission of the Garden Club organization.

In 2004, the Garden Club began spearheading the plans for the Nature and Birding Trail in earnest.  Working with the City of Hondo, an application for a grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department was submitted and awarded.  Work on the Nature Trail began.  The Hondo Garden Club committed funds and in kind services toward completion of the Trail.  The Hondo Nature Trail is part of the City of Hondo’s Master Parks Plan.

In August 2005, the Guard Station at Hondo High School was landscaped.

In May 2006, the entrance to Barry Field was landscaped in time for graduation exercises.  This area is still maintained by the Garden Club, with the high school assisting with irrigation.  Also in May, the Garden Club assisted the City in sprucing up the landscaping at Memorial Square for upcoming Memorial Day Ceremonies.

In February of 2007, the Garden Club designed and landscaped the Hondo City Swimming Pool area…dedicating this area to past active Garden Club members.

Arbor Day ceremonies in March of 2007 honored all octogenarians in the Club, and a tree was planted in honor of each one.  The Hondo Garden Club has celebrated Arbor Day every year of its 60-year history.

The Garden Club has been working with all schools in the Hondo Independent School District to establish Backyard Wildlife Habitats on the school campuses to generate student interest in this environmentally friendly concept.

In 2008 the Hondo Garden Club became a sponsor of the Hondo Education Foundation and also donated additional monies to the foundation. The Hondo Nature Trail came closer to completion with the combined donation of $52,500 to put up a Gazebo’s (that is now in place) and the gardens that will be viewed there.  Club members worked with the Hondo High School Life Skills Class, teaching them to propagate plants and build a butterfly garden behind their greenhouse. Arbor Day brought members of the Woolls Intermediate School’s Honor Society together with club members planting an oak tree in front of the school. The kids even named the tree ‘Nate’.

The club was honored as “Volunteer of the Year’ by the Hondo Area Chamber of Commerce at the beginning of 2009 and our community benefited from the annual plant sale.

Through the years, the Hondo Garden Club has followed the guidelines set forth by the National and State Garden Clubs, Inc., and participated in the projects they have outlined.  Hondo has hosted five District Conventions in 1971, 1977, 1984, 1996, and 2008.  Several members have held various offices and chairmanships at both the District VII and State levels…Mrs. Elaine Bybee, Dr. Hazel Taylor, Mrs. Lillian Schweers, Mrs. Margaret Haegelin, Mrs. Doris Saathoff, Mrs. Elsie Rothe, and Mrs. Lee Taylor. 

The Hondo Garden Club has received awards that are far too numerous to list.  The most significant ones are probably in the area of Civic Development, such as the National Cleanest Town contest (three times), work with exceptional children, Hondo Chamber of Commerce award for Outstanding Organization, and the continuous Gold Club rating from the Texas Garden Clubs, Inc.

Monetary contributions of sizeable amounts have been made throughout the years to worthwhile community projects including: Friends of the Library; Medina Community Healthcare Fund; Medina County Museum; Hondo Volunteer Fire Department; Community EMS; The Cemetery Fund; Child Care Board; Association for the Handicapped; Special Olympics; Medina County Family Life Center; Salvation Army; Goodwill Industries; Hondo High School Greenhouse Fund; Sponsorship of Youth Projects; Hondo “Pride”; Bluebonnet Children’s Center; Lions Club; Hondo Area Chamber of Commerce; Medina County Nutrition Center; Medina County Food Pantry; Make a Wish Foundation; Hondo Ministerial Alliance; Hondo Economic Development Corporation; Devine Area Health and Hospice Resource; Hondo Nature Trail; City of Hondo as needed or requested and many other organizations as needed or requested amounting to many thousands of dollars.

All of this is made possible by the dedicated service of the Garden Club members who continue to volunteer their time to operate the Thrift Shop.  This service provides a twofold purpose… besides the money made that is given back to the community, the Thrift Shop helps those in need clothe their families and purchase small household items at a tremendous savings.

So you see...the original purpose of the Garden Club is still being fulfilled ...to beautify and improve our surroundings and to better serve our community.  We are thankful for those who have gone before us and are proud to carry on the tradition.

A garden is a friend you can visit!