The Talbot County Garden Club maintains multiple gardens around Easton.

Five Corners Fountain Garden

The Five Corners Fountain Garden was created in 1987.  Located at the intersection of Harrison, Washington, and Idlewild, the primary focal point for this garden is the beautiful “Glebe Villa Fountain”.  A garden, designed by one of our members, was created around the fountain with boxwoods, perennials and colorful annuals. It is maintained year-round by Club members.

Frances Plate Memorial Children Garden

The creation of the Frances Plate Memorial Children’s Garden in Idlewild Park, funded by a portion of a bequest from Frances, was dedicated in 2001.  With the fortuitous gift from a devoted Garden Club member the membership approved creating a children’s garden.  The town of Easton gave TCGC one-quarter of an acre of land at the south end of Idlewild Park (now a beautiful garden plot that has since been returned to the Town), and landscape architect Rodney Robinson of Delaware was selected to design the garden.

More than 15 years since the creation of the Frances Plate Memorial Children’s Garden, the Club added a fence and garden beds to create a new entrance from Idlewild Avenue.

Talbot Historical Society Garden

The story of the Gardens begins in 1956 when the Historical Society of Talbot County purchased an old brick house, the James Neal House, on the corner of Glenwood Avenue and South Washington Street in Easton.  The Talbot County Garden Club contributed toward the purchase of the property soon funded a garden wall to enclose the street sides of the property.

Great attention was paid to detail whether it was a terrace garden, brick steps, or a troublesome area of erosion.  The early garden was designed with plantings that would have been found in an 18th Century garden.  Later projects created a Federal period garden and, still later, a 19th Century garden.

The Club reduced the cost of maintenance by scheduling regular spring and fall workdays and the gardens, taking their own tools and stopping only for lunch in the old kitchen. This still goes on today.

When the Historical Society wanted access to the Garden from Washington Street, the Garden Club used funds from the House and Garden Pilgrimage to construct an entrance and gate.

In the past decade, many more projects were completed in the Garden including the installation of an irrigation system improving the Huxley Herb Garden, and replacing boxwoods with native trees and shrubs.

Gardens of the Talbot County Public Library

Upon completion of the new Talbot County Free Library building in Easton in 1977, the Talbot County Garden Club was instrumental in adopting a landscaping plan and committing the Club to helping fund the purchase and installation of plants.

The Club maintains the gardens and flower pots surrounding the library.  A variety of bulbs, hostas, annuals, perennials and shrubs provide visual appeal year round.

The Club also donates books acknowledging outgoing presidents, significant contributions to the Club and in memory of deceased members.

Easton Beautification

For over 20 years, all the members of Talbot County Garden Club come together in the early spring by contributing their time to beautifying Easton, MD and many of the parks and public spaces that the club maintains. The day is fondly referred to as Easton Beautification Day, and marks the beginning of the gardening season for the club by planting all new Annuals. Participating gardens include: Frances Plate Children’s Garden, Five Corners Fountain Garden, Talbot Historical Society Gardens, and the Talbot County Free Library garden and planters.

Talbot County Courthouse

The Talbot County Garden Club became involved with the grounds of the Talbot County Courthouse in 1926.  The Club’s work began with the planting of some 1,120 boxwoods, propagated by member Ernest Hemming. When the south wing was added, the Club continued to add plantings throughout the grounds, including a Cedar of Lebanon and several magnolias. The Club no longer maintains the gardens.