Civic contributions of the
River Oaks Garden Club

Civic Contribution

Member of The Garden Club of America, The River Oaks Garden Club was founded
in 1927 and has made many contributions to the Houston community in the areas
of conservation, horticulture and civic beautification. Proceeds from the Azalea Trail
support these ongoing projects:

• Maintenance of the River Oaks Garden Club Forum of Civics Building and Gardens. The gardens are open to the public.
• Maintenance of the 14-acre gardens of Bayou Bend, the former estate
  of Miss Ima Hogg, and now the Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens,
  The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
• Establishment of the Bayou Bend Gardens Endowment, a charitable trust
  for the perpetual maintenance of the gardens. The endowment is supported
  by public contributions.
• Host of the annual Sadie Gwin Blackburn Environmental Seminar,
  which is open to the public. Admission is free.
• Publication of A Garden Book for Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast.

Civic Contributions of River Oaks Garden Club

Civic Contribution 2012–2013

Recipients of ROGC’s civic contributions/grants for 2012-2013:

• Buffalo Bayou Partnership
  This represents the second half of our pledge. This will fund the Perennial Gardens at the Wortham Fountain (part of the Buffalo Bayou Park Project).
  River Oaks Garden Club will be recognized with a donor plaque.

• Pro-Vision (a charter school)
  For the school’s Urban Farm (a large agricultural initiative on the campus; the production and sale of produce instills a spirit of entrepreneurialism in underserved young men): Premium Garden Mix soil for ¼ acre of land

• The Brookwood Community
  For the Meditation Garden around the Worship Center: supplies (trees, benches, shrubs, flowers, soil, and irrigation system), the labor to refurbish the area, and the labor for maintenance.

• Nature Discovery Center
  A water feature in Russ Pittman Park (the park is a very popular destination for serious birders) in Bellaire to provide habitat for migrating and native birds. The grant will cover stone, sand, pump, valves, electrical, piping and piping labor, plumbing labor, etc. The Nature Discovery Center is an educational center to enhance and instill a love of nature in children, and to spark an interest in the study of nature and science. School groups visit the Center nearly every day.

• The Women’s Home
  To refurbish the outdoor seating in the pocket gardens at the Treatment and Transitional Housing Program, and to add additional seating in the Serenity Garden at the residential block. The Women’s Home provides programs and shelter for single women who have histories of addiction, mental illness, homelessness, domestic abuse, etc.

More civic contributions