Cultivating the Bond Between People, Plants and the Environment
Did you know that the Community Garden Club (CGC) is one of Marlin’s most rewarding associations? It is. For over 102 years, the Community Garden Club of Marlin has continued to promote environmental stewardship, has fostered a sense of community, and has provided educational and social benefits.
On October 15, 2025, Program speaker Terri Glover presented “Biodiversity”. Essentially, biodiversity is the sum of all life on the planet and how it all interacts. Biodiversity is the foundation for food, clean water, medicine, and other materials we rely on. Thousands of native plant and animal species make their home in over 800 habitat types in Texas. Each individual is a steward of these life forms. Why? For various reasons, one is that biodiversity ensures a variety of food sources, from the pollinators that help grow crops to the microorganisms in the soil that keep it fertile.
The Community Garden Club’s environmental and community impact is seen in the beautification of public spaces through community garden projects, park maintenance, and beautification initiatives. In 2021, the Community Garden Club, aided by two Falls County employees, removed 30 rambling rose bushes, some as tall as 7 feet, from the Falls County Courthouse WW II Memorial Garden. CGC members then established nine Belinda’s Dream roses, a rose recommended by the Texas A&M Horticulture Department. Today, the rose bushes are uniformly over four-feet tall, strong, and abounding in hundreds of blooms. Belinda’s Dream Roses are pink and symbolize admiration, gratitude and appreciation, befitting a WWII Memorial. Garden Club members also renovated the Falls County Liberty Bell Rose Garden. CGC continues to care for Falconer Park, the statue bed in front of the Falls County Medical Center, and City of Marlin shrub beds. It lent a hand in rejuvenating the beds at the Public Library.
The Community Garden Club of Marlin also plays a vital role in conservation efforts, such as protecting habitats and increasing green spaces. Benefitting from education from such program speakers as Gil Eckrich, former instructor of state and federal government courses for Central Texas College and a wildlife biologist in Fort Hood’s Natural Resources Management Branch, CGC members are able to identify which native plants are vital to birds in the area and which to plant. To CGC members, another emphasis is creating a pollinatorfriendly garden habitat; Planting native plants of the region using plants that provide nectar for adults plus food for insect larvae, such as milkweed for monarchs are a priority. The CGC promotes sustainable practices like composting, water conservation, and organic gardening, in turn helping to reduce reliance on chemicals and helping to improve air quality.
The Community Garden Club provides opportu-nities for people to connect, collaborate on projects, and build a stronger sense of community pride and safety by reclaiming and beautifying neglected spaces. On September 2025, CGC welcomed new members, Derinda Austin, Rose Castillo, and Olga Rosas. In 20252026, the Community Garden Club of Marlin will host a variety of educational programs.
On education, Professional Horticulturist Beth Irwin, National Garden Clubs instructor for Gardening, Environmental, and Landscape Design Schools, has presented to the CGC “All About seeds”, the collection (including ethical considerations), cleaning, storing, and germination practices of seeds. The CGC supports meritorious education achievements through the Falls County Junior Fair, also.
The Community Garden Club will continue its commitment to cultivating the bond between people, plants and the environment.
The Community Garden Club meets monthly at the Marlin Senior Citizens Center, has special holiday and year-end celebrations at the historic Allen House, and pilgrimages and socials throughout its year September through May.
Community Garden Club Officers 2025-2027 are President Letitia Estep, First Vice President Sheila Lawson, Second Vice President Terri Glover, Recording Secretary Bettye Tarver, Treasurer Susan Byrd, and Historian Terri Glover.