Keeping Washington in Bloom

The flagpole outside of the Washington Parks Department office near Lions Lake is adorned with an ornamental tree, shrubs, flowers and a bench. Its a beautiful tribute to the late Lucile Mauntel, a great among many in the Washington Garden Club, but it wasnt always so.

There was a time not too long ago when the ground surrounding the flagpole, which was dedicated to Mauntel, was barren.

Enter the Washington Garden Club.

Once it came to their attention, members dug in, literally, to plan and plant a garden that would be worthy of Mauntel, who served as president of the National Council of State Garden Clubs at a time when there were 400,000 members.

Today the Lucile Mauntel Flagpole Memorial Garden is one of three gardens around Washington that the club maintains.

Others are the pocket garden at the corner of Lafayette and Second streets, across from the Downtown Post Office, and at the Lions Lake bridge, where many people come to take photos for proms, graduations and weddings. Washington Garden Club members also help with gardens at the Downtown Washington Post Office, the old water works building on Front Street and at the Washington Public Library.

For 75 years now the Washington Garden Club has been actively working to make the community a more beautiful place, even if the approach has changed over the last 7 1/2 decades their commitment has not.

Theres a verse that I read when I was in middle school, and I think it holds so much meaning for our garden club, said Sally Bocklage, president:

I have found that those who love a dog, a tree, a bird and flowers are usually thoughtful of larger needs that may be ours.

Organized in 1939 With 21 Members

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Keeping Washington in Bloom