HISTORY OF THE SUSSEX GARDENERS
1937 Nassau Garden Committee organized with eight members. Dress code was Sunday best with hats and gloves. Meetings were held in the members’ homes.
1939 Nassau Garden Committee reorganized and became Nassau Gar- den Group. There were twenty-four members and each member was asked to plant a Rose of Sharon in her front yard as evidence of club membership. Dues were .05 cents a month.
1945 The club voted to serve refreshments on special occasions only and to meet on the 3rd Thursday of the month except for August.
1946 An extra special meeting was held at Anna Fisher’s home with fifty members and guests present. It was the Club’s celebration and con- tribution to Art Week. “Creation of Spring Hats” was the feature. After the Hat Parade an auction was held and 15 hats were sold for a total of $69.95.
1947 Nassau Garden Group was renamed Sussex Gardeners. Anna Fisher was elected President. She bought the gavel that is still in use today and presented it to the Sussex Gardeners when she resigned due to illness in 1951. Charter Member Maude Knapp designed the logo that is used on all printed materials of Sussex Gardeners. Sussex Gardeners held their first Standard Flower Show.
1948 All Day Greens Meeting held in basement of Rehoboth Methodist Church to make wreaths for churches, homes, and members.
1951 Through a generous donation of land owned by the Dodd Family (Charter Member Eleanor Dodd) along Route 1 plans began for Dodd Park, a roadside picnic area for motorists. Sussex Gardeners joined the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania.
1952 Members planted 1,000 daffodil bulbs in Dodd Park.
​
1953 Members planted 1,000 more daffodil bulbs in Dodd Park. These bulbs were a gift from Hoorn, Holland. In June 1953 the first picnic tables and benches were made and installed. Dodd Park was used by many residents and tourists visiting the area. Due to potential liability issues, Sussex Gardeners gave Dodd Park to the State of Delaware in the early 1980’s. The site is now the location of the Sea Shell Shop and Rehoboth Fire Station 1 on Route 1.
1954 Charter Member Mary Esther Mills’ interest in Stockley Center, a facility that provided services and housing to people with disabil- ities prompted her to begin a Garden Therapy project at Stockley Hospital. The project continued for 50 years and included working in the gardens at Stockley Center and manning a booth at the Rehoboth Christmas Shop. This Garden Therapy Project evolved into Garden Therapy monthly visits at Brandywine Assisted Living in Rehoboth and quarterly visits at The Moorings in Lewes.
1958 Sussex Gardeners joined the newly formed Delaware Federation of Garden Clubs.
1959 Sussex Gardeners planted and maintained plantings in the Route 1 median opposite the Dodd Park. The median plantings were turned over to the State of Delaware in 1963.
1965 Club meetings were moved from member homes to the Village Improvement Association (VIA) clubhouse.
1966 Sussex Gardeners printed the Delaware Wildflower Book.
1970 Sussex Gardeners introduced State Bill 535, an anti-litter law, that became law. The law allowed for prompt prosecution of violators before a magistrate eliminating lengthy court proceedings.
1983 The 25th Anniversary of Garden Therapy at Stockley Center was celebrated. Gladys Henry was honored for her leadership in land- scaping and maintaining the Stockley grounds.
1985 A Micro Park was planted by members between the VIA clubhouse and the Rehoboth Boardwalk. Sussex Gardener member Harriet Diver was the landscape designer.
1987 Sussex Gardeners celebrated their 50th Anniversary and honored the last surviving Charter Member, Mary Esther Mills and the former presidents.
1988 Members helped clients of Gull House, individuals with limited mobility, make pine cone ornaments to hang on the Christmas Tree. Gull House is a division of Beebe Hospital.
1994 Sussex Gardeners decorated the dining room at Woodburn, the Governor’s Mansion, for the holidays.
1996 Club members planted beach grass along the Delaware Coast and flowers in the Rehoboth Beach islands on Rehoboth Ave.
1997 Sussex Gardeners planted a tree in front of the Lewes Cheer Center in memory of long-time member Mary Leach. Elva Davidson was elected as the first Sussex Gardeners member to be President of the Delaware Federation of Garden Clubs. She served from 1997-
1999.
1998 The Rehoboth Wildflower Park was restored by Sussex Gardeners with the help of Eagle Scout Candidate Joe Jazemski, Troop 85.
2001 “Yummm” cookbook, with favorite recipes of Sussex Gardener members and community members, was produced as a special fundraising project.
2007 In conjuction with Delaware Hospice, Sussex Gardeners helped with a caring project, "New Hope Holiday", for children coping with loss of a loved one.
2009 Sussex Gardeners created a new garden, “Saluting our Police” at the Troop 7 State Police Barracks along Route 1 in Lewes. The garden honors two troopers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 1990 and 2004. Wanda Davis was the second Sussex Gardener to be
elected President of the Delaware Federation of Garden Clubs. She served from 2009-2011.
2014 Sussex Gardeners created and dedicated a Memorial Garden at VFW Post, 7447, Rehoboth Beach, DE, to honor the men and women in the military.
2017 Sussex Gardeners celebrated their 80th Anniversary with a luncheon and published “Sussex Gardeners Through the Years” booklet.
2020 Sussex Gardeners took a break from in-person meetings during the Covid-19 pandemic and met via Zoom.
2022 Sussex Gardeners celebrated their 85th Anniversary.
2023 Sussex Gardeners named 1st place recipients of the “DFGC PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE”.
2024 In support of the "A Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative", three dogwood trees were planted at Brandywine Seaside Pointe Assisted Living Facility in Rehoboth. This initiative is part of Delaware's comprehensive plan to respond to climate change.