Charlotte Council of Garden Clubs and Member Club Gardens
The Charlotte Council of Garden Clubs sponsors and maintains two gardens. One is the garden surrounding the Betty Little House. Much of the work is done by a gardener, Sally Brown. There are also garden work parties throughout the year. The second garden is the Blue Star Memorial Garden at the North Carolina Welcome Center at mile marker 1 on 77 north. Blue Star Memorial Gardens are created under the auspices of the National Garden Club. CCGC’s garden was dedicated in 2017. It is maintained under the leadership of the Blue Star Memorial Chairman, Iris Grieswell.
All CCGC club members are welcome to help in both gardens at any time and can sign up to be on the garden committee for each garden.
Betty Little House Gardens
The Betty Little House front garden has seen many renovations. In 1995 it was changed from a yard with grass to a cottage garden. Trees and colorful perennials and annuals were surrounded by a white picket fence covered with roses. This design won the Charlotte Council of Garden Clubs Landscape Critics Award in 1997. As the trees grew, the front garden was renovated in 2008 with paths and more drought and shade tolerant plants, and work on the back gardens was begun.
In 2010 the Council Trustees worked with Bill Blair of Landscape Logic, Inc. to give the front garden its most recent design…a sunny garden with four quadrants to showcase possible urban garden designs: Asian, butterfly, edible and native. The central area is planted each fall and spring with annuals and perennials that reflect the season and changing color schemes. The concrete patio was replaced with tiles and planting blocks for a more permeable surface in accord with the design’s more ecologically sound focus. This design continues to be preserved as plants are replaced and shrubs and trees are maintained.
In recent years the back gardens have been renovated under the leadership of Sally Brown, the Betty Little House gardener. Most of the nandina bushes (an invasive plant) have been removed and replaced with non-invasive shrubs and beautiful perennials, many of which are natives. A small section was carved out for an iris garden containing irises that are connected to CCGC members. These gardens surround the parking lot and provide a lovely welcome to members and visitors.
Blue Star Memorial Garden
Blue Star Memorial Garden
Charlotte, NC
Mile Marker #1 Hwy 77 N
Nationally, the Blue Star Memorial Program began in 1944 with the New Jersey Council of Garden Clubs planting 8,000 dogwood trees dedicated to World War II veterans. In 1945 the National Council of State Garden Clubs, now called National Garden Club, adopted the program – named for the blue star in the service flag, which hung in windows of homes and businesses to honor service men and women. Mrs. Frederick R Kellogg, National Council of State Garden Clubs (NCSGC) president designed the highway marker used today. Since 1978 local garden clubs can request approval to install a marker through the National Garden Club, Inc. and NC Department of Transportation.
At the suggestion of Judy Barnes, then President of the Garden Club of NC and member of the Council, the Blue Star Memorial Garden Committee was established. The extensive garden was designed and planted by Council members with the help of co-sponsors, Daughters of the American Revolution, and NCDOT who prepared the soil.
Our Blue Star Memorial Marker was dedicated on October 29, 2016. The president of the Garden Club of North Carolina spoke along with a veteran and a representative of the DOTNC. High school students sang and made up an honor Guard to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The garden has undergone a number of changes since its creation. Each year sees more native plants, being added to the garden. To date the Garden boasts 57 different plant species. Paths allow visitors to wander through the garden, which features native plants for sun and shade. Plant labels help visitors with plant identification. The Garden became a Registered Butterfly Highway in 2020. A plot of milkweed is maintained to attract monarch butterflies.
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