The story of the Talbot County Garden Club might seem like a simple one to tell. Still, after 100 years of existence, it is safe to say that documenting its history is not. That’s why Easton residents Pat Lewers and Martha Horner embarked on the incredible task of condensing decades of volunteer work into ten large volumes over ten years.
Pat and Martha would meet almost every week to begin the sometimes tedious job of recusing old documents, repairing faded photographs, and recording an almost endless list of artifacts to create this massive profile of the Garden Club’s leaders and civic projects spanning a century.
Now, that labor of love has reached a final resting place. Sometime in the late spring, all ten volumes will be donated to the Talbot County Free Library Maryland Room to ensure that future generations can access this remarkable history.
These beautiful leather-bound books are works of art, with calligraphed inscriptions and precision museum-quality document mounting. They include primary and photocopied source materials – captioned photographs, invitations, programs, news clips, and more. They tell the story of diversely talented and community-minded women who joined together because of a mutual interest in horticulture and the art of flower arranging. They engaged their collective gardening skills and environmental concerns. In concert with many willing supporters, they accomplished a great deal to enhance the beauty of our area.
The Spy sat down with Pat and Martha last week at the Spy studio to discuss their project.
This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information about the Talbot County Garden Club please go here.
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