History

2013

• Interior renovation of the Green Learning Station commences thanks to grants from generous local foundations.
• Green Learning Team STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) enrichment program launches with first group of high school students’ field trip.

2011

• Green Learning Station exterior renovation completed, site opens to the public with a festive Dedication ceremony. Field trip program begins.
• School Gardens Program launched as a 3-year pilot program funded by the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation.
  

2010

• Green Learning Station groundbreaking ceremony with Ohio’s First Lady, Frances Strickland
• Renovation of the Memorial Shade Garden and Rededication as the Serenity Garden.

2008

Twenty-fifth anniversary of Community Gardens program begins annual Flavors of Community Gardens.

2004

The Peg Macneale Memorial Daffodil Garden was dedicated in memory of our first Exec. Director.

2002

Hundreds of classes of grade school children have attended Compost Kids field trips. Since that time, hundreds of adults have also taken the nine-hour training session on composting certification offered twice a year.

2000

The Civic Garden Center is named the Official Compost Demonstration Site by Hamilton County Environmental Services – an Outdoor Classroom is constructed, build with compost education information and various compost bins.

1999

Phase one of the Pat Kipp Memorial Shade Garden was planted to honor the noted Hosta expert and Civic Garden Center Horticulture Director. Mrs. Kipp was one of the first Cincinnati gardeners to herald the diversity and beauty of Hosta in the shade garden.

1997

The Growlab program is established in collaboration with Cincinnati Public Schools, helping to bring the wonderful world of plants into the curriculum of Cincinnati Public School.

1981

Civic Garden Center Director, Margie Rauh, and Education Director,Gary Goosman, initiated the Community Gardens outreach program. The success of the program quickly became a national model that other cities adopted. The Over-the-Rhine People’s Garden was such a community success, it gave birth to the Civic Garden Center’s Community Gardens Program.

1971

Operation Green Thumb’ began to promote children’s outdoor gardening. Junior Conservation Corps, Mini-Gardens and Project Grow were developed as part of the program to educate and promote the scientific and aesthetic value of plants.

1960

Origins of the annual Plant, Herb and Hosta sale began when the Valley Hills Garden Club met at the Civic Garden Center to swap herbs and discuss their merits.

1951

Cornelius J. Hauck’s generous land donation in his beautiful ‘Sooty Acres’property became a permanent home for the Civic Garden Center. The new building provided a designated location to house the horticultural library and demonstration space for classes and floral displays. The original building is now the Hoffman Library.

1949

The Civic Beautification Awards event was established to honor businessesand organizations who demonstrate excellence in design and maintenance of greenspace.

1942

Mrs. Charles Bosworth, then president of Federated Garden Clubs of Cincinnati, and Mrs. Arthur Osmond introduced the concept of a horticultural center to provide Cincinnati residents with answers to gardening questions. The Civic Garden Center was officially opened in March of that year with the late Peggy (Pogue) Macneale appointed as first director.