The Town and Country Garden Club was founded in 1932. The club was limited to twelve members, six who lived in Washington, D.C., and six who lived in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, hence the name Town and Country.
The first President, Mrs. Paul C. VanNatta (Amy), wrote a theme song for the club:
“Garden Club Song
We wanted to know how to grow flowers
To be familiar with plants and trees
How to plan and plant our gardens
To build pools and rockeries.
So twelve of us at a meeting
Each month discuss and read
In our Town and Country Garden Club
We get knowledge and pleasure indeed.”
During the early years, Town and Country Garden Club was a member of the Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland. Members met monthly in each other’s homes.
Activities centered on Prince George’s County. In addition to personal garden activities, members entered flower arrangements and conservation exhibits each year in the Southern Maryland Fair in Upper Marlboro. For five successive years, members won blue ribbons at the fair for their entries. Members also participated in annual projects for a worthy cause or charitable institution.
The club planted trees along the Marlboro Highway and decorated the Prince George’s Hospital with Christmas trees and wreaths.
In 1954, Town and Country received a silver engraved bowl for being selected as winner of the Evening Star Award at the National Capital Flower and Garden Show.
As the years progressed, members came from Leonardtown, Frederick and Mayo, Maryland and McLean, Virginia. Members decided to amend their constitution to include not more than twenty-five or less than fifteen members. The club joined the National Capital Area Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc., District I. Town and Country supported the Federation by participating in the annual Christmas Greens Show at the U.S. Botanical Garden, which was the Federation’s gift to Washington. Decorating a holiday door and setting a holiday dining table were several club projects displayed at the Christmas Greens Shows. Elizabeth Taylor Warner and Linda Bird Johnson were several dignitaries who cut the ribbon at the Christmas Greens Shows.