What We Do
MLGC Civic Development Continuing Community Projects
Liberty Tree and Wye Oak seedlings were planted at Garrett College, enhancing the presence of two of Maryland's most iconic trees. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service supplied the seedlings and conducted the planting as part of the ceremony. Over the past two years, the Forest Service and the Mountain Laurel Garden Club (MLGC) have collaborated with the college's facilities staff to plant a total of 225 trees and shrubs on the McHenry Campus.
“The Wye Oak was once the largest white oak in the country and lived to be nearly 500 years old before falling in 2002,” noted Katherine Phillips, the urban forestry coordinator for the Maryland Forest Service. “The Liberty Oak was a tulip poplar under which American revolutionaries gathered in the name of freedom. It lived to be approximately 400 years old before falling in 1999.”
“The Wye Oak was once the largest white oak in the country and lived to be nearly 500 years old before falling in 2002,” noted Katherine Phillips, the urban forestry coordinator for the Maryland Forest Service. “The Liberty Oak was a tulip poplar under which American revolutionaries gathered in the name of freedom. It lived to be approximately 400 years old before falling in 1999.”
MLGC Civic Development Continuing Community Projects
The Library Gardens Committees coordinate the planting and maintenance of three gardens at the Ruth Enlow Library Branches of Garrett County in Accident (28 years), Oakland (35 years), and Grantsville (15 years).
The Conservation Committee has partnered with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff at the Discovery Center assisting elementary students with activities about pollinators and their plants during field trips to the center in May and June. The students are from Garrett and Allegany County public schools.
The Conservation Committee planted a native pollinator meadow at the Hickory Environmental Education Center. The meadow served as a demonstration garden for all the Garrett County Students who visit Hickory during the school year for their science curriculum.
The Conservation Committee planted a memorial garden at the Yough Glades Elementary School. Classmates of the students who passed away chose the plants and designed the garden with the guidance of the Conservation Committee. We recently planted two sugar maple trees and two flowering shrubs at the entrance sign, and continue to work with the students on the upkeep of the memorial garden.
MLGC held its 24th Annual Country Gardens Tour featuring four farms in Pleasant Valley on Saturday, June 21, 2025.
We decorate a holiday tree for the Festival of Trees. Trees are actioned off as a fundraiser for the Dove Center, Garrett County’s domestic violence and sexual assault services program. All of the tree decorations are handmade by members.
The Floral Design Committee created a special Holiday Wreath for the Maryland State House as FGCMD’s contribution from Garrett County. Garden clubs from each Maryland county contribute a wreath or tree for this project. This wreath depicts the 100th Anniversary of Deep Creek Lake. They also design the holiday table arrangements for the club’s holiday party which are sold as fundraisers.
The Horticulture Committee held a perennial plant sale on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Glades Park in Oakland. Plants were donated from our members’ gardens. This has been an ongoing event for the past 20 years. The committee and club members staff the sale, aid visitors about guidance on planting and maintaining them.
The Habitate Garden Committee partnered with the Garrett County Habitat for Humanity to create the fourth native plant garden at a Habitat for Humanity home in Mountain Lake Park. All plants were selected for their value to pollinators. The H4H Committee builds several items to raffle off as a fundraiser for the next year’s Habitat home.
The Conservation Committee was awarded another $1,000 grant from the Maryland Urban and Community Forest Committee (MUCFC) to continue the landscaping and beautification of the Garrett College campus in the Fall of 2024. We formed an advisory committee at the college and applied for Tree Campus designation through the Arbor Day Foundation, which we received in early 2025. In February of 2025 we received another grant for $716 which was matched by the college for the planting of 56 native flowering trees and shrubs. We were also awarded $1,000 MUCFC grant for Deep Creek Lake State Park where we planted 43 native flowering trees and shrubs near the Tamarack Picnic Shelter. This was done to replace turf grass and provide pollinator plants as well as a more aesthetic area to the park.
The Conservation Committee has partnered with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff at the Discovery Center assisting elementary students with activities about pollinators and their plants during field trips to the center in May and June. The students are from Garrett and Allegany County public schools.
The Conservation Committee planted a native pollinator meadow at the Hickory Environmental Education Center. The meadow served as a demonstration garden for all the Garrett County Students who visit Hickory during the school year for their science curriculum.
The Conservation Committee planted a memorial garden at the Yough Glades Elementary School. Classmates of the students who passed away chose the plants and designed the garden with the guidance of the Conservation Committee. We recently planted two sugar maple trees and two flowering shrubs at the entrance sign, and continue to work with the students on the upkeep of the memorial garden.
MLGC held its 24th Annual Country Gardens Tour featuring four farms in Pleasant Valley on Saturday, June 21, 2025.
We decorate a holiday tree for the Festival of Trees. Trees are actioned off as a fundraiser for the Dove Center, Garrett County’s domestic violence and sexual assault services program. All of the tree decorations are handmade by members.
The Floral Design Committee created a special Holiday Wreath for the Maryland State House as FGCMD’s contribution from Garrett County. Garden clubs from each Maryland county contribute a wreath or tree for this project. This wreath depicts the 100th Anniversary of Deep Creek Lake. They also design the holiday table arrangements for the club’s holiday party which are sold as fundraisers.
The Horticulture Committee held a perennial plant sale on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Glades Park in Oakland. Plants were donated from our members’ gardens. This has been an ongoing event for the past 20 years. The committee and club members staff the sale, aid visitors about guidance on planting and maintaining them.
The Habitate Garden Committee partnered with the Garrett County Habitat for Humanity to create the fourth native plant garden at a Habitat for Humanity home in Mountain Lake Park. All plants were selected for their value to pollinators. The H4H Committee builds several items to raffle off as a fundraiser for the next year’s Habitat home.
The Conservation Committee was awarded another $1,000 grant from the Maryland Urban and Community Forest Committee (MUCFC) to continue the landscaping and beautification of the Garrett College campus in the Fall of 2024. We formed an advisory committee at the college and applied for Tree Campus designation through the Arbor Day Foundation, which we received in early 2025. In February of 2025 we received another grant for $716 which was matched by the college for the planting of 56 native flowering trees and shrubs. We were also awarded $1,000 MUCFC grant for Deep Creek Lake State Park where we planted 43 native flowering trees and shrubs near the Tamarack Picnic Shelter. This was done to replace turf grass and provide pollinator plants as well as a more aesthetic area to the park.
Our Conservation Committee members completed the landscaping at the Performing Arts Center at Garrett College yesterday. We underplanted the area where native flowering shrubs had been added last month to fill in the area, providing stabilization of the slope with native flowering perennials. These will flower throughout the summer and until the fall frosts. Added plants were blue mist flower, butterflyweed, bee balm, cat mint, and New England asters.
MLGC Scholarship
The MLGC scholarship has been established to be awarded to a qualified Garrett College student, entering the sophomore year, who is majoring in a field of study related to Agriculture, Forestry, Environment, Horticulture, Natural Resources or Wildlife Technology.
The MLGC Scholarship Board was formally organized in 2008. Initially students were requested to apply directly to the MLGC Scholarship Board. The first MLGC scholarship recipient was awarded the amount of $500 for the academic year 2009-10.
The MLGC Executive Board approved increasing the scholarship amount to $1000 in 2012. A Memorandum of Understanding between Garrett College, the Garrett College Foundation, and MLGC was signed in July 2013. The Garden Club specified the qualifications to be met. The agreement puts the application process and the selection of recipients under the direction of the financial aid office. Since then, a $1000 scholarship has been awarded each year.
In April 2015 the members of the Scholarship Board met with Cherie Krug and discussed how to best manage the money in the scholarship fund which at that time amounted to over $11,000. The Scholarship Board recommended, and the Executive Board approved moving $8,000 the Garrett College Foundation, an interest-bearing account.
It was also approved that $250 be allocated annually from the MLGC budget to fund a special continuing education activity for a MLGC member or family member. In November 2015, the Executive Board approved a motion to reclassify/rename the Scholarship Board as a standing committee with representation on the Executive Board. The Scholarship Committee consists of three MLGC members appointed by the president, plus Cherie Krug who is currently serving as ex-officio member.
MLGC offers a $650 scholarship for a Garrett County high school student to attend the Natural Resource Career Camp at Hickory Environmental Education Center each July. This is done through the Garrett County Forestry Board who screen and choose the applicants.
The MLGC scholarship has been established to be awarded to a qualified Garrett College student, entering the sophomore year, who is majoring in a field of study related to Agriculture, Forestry, Environment, Horticulture, Natural Resources or Wildlife Technology.
The MLGC Scholarship Board was formally organized in 2008. Initially students were requested to apply directly to the MLGC Scholarship Board. The first MLGC scholarship recipient was awarded the amount of $500 for the academic year 2009-10.
The MLGC Executive Board approved increasing the scholarship amount to $1000 in 2012. A Memorandum of Understanding between Garrett College, the Garrett College Foundation, and MLGC was signed in July 2013. The Garden Club specified the qualifications to be met. The agreement puts the application process and the selection of recipients under the direction of the financial aid office. Since then, a $1000 scholarship has been awarded each year.
In April 2015 the members of the Scholarship Board met with Cherie Krug and discussed how to best manage the money in the scholarship fund which at that time amounted to over $11,000. The Scholarship Board recommended, and the Executive Board approved moving $8,000 the Garrett College Foundation, an interest-bearing account.
It was also approved that $250 be allocated annually from the MLGC budget to fund a special continuing education activity for a MLGC member or family member. In November 2015, the Executive Board approved a motion to reclassify/rename the Scholarship Board as a standing committee with representation on the Executive Board. The Scholarship Committee consists of three MLGC members appointed by the president, plus Cherie Krug who is currently serving as ex-officio member.
MLGC offers a $650 scholarship for a Garrett County high school student to attend the Natural Resource Career Camp at Hickory Environmental Education Center each July. This is done through the Garrett County Forestry Board who screen and choose the applicants.
MLGC Scholarship Committee members with 2024-25 recipient Aydan Fitzgerald