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The Laurelwood Garden Club is celebrating a numerically unremarkable milestone this year - its 62nd anniversary - but with it comes a remarkable opportunity to reflect on the lasting impact this dedicated group has made on our community. For more than six decades, Laurelwood has quietly but consistently worked behind the scenes to enhance the beauty of Lookout Mountain, enrich local spaces, and bring neighbors together through a shared appreciation of nature.
One of the garden club’s most cherished traditions is the annual holiday mailbox decoration project. Each festive season, mailboxes throughout the community are adorned with greenery, ribbons, and creative touches that reflect the warmth and spirit of the holidays. The club extends its heartfelt gratitude to the many residents who help make this tradition possible by helping to assemble decorations, offering cutting locations, or proudly displaying the finished arrangements. It is this spirit of participation that makes this tradition so special.
Beyond seasonal projects, the Laurelwood Garden Club has played a vital role in the ongoing beautification of our community. Members work to maintain the Ochs’ Highway Triangle, plant flowers along the Navarre Pavilion, and ensure that common areas remain inviting and vibrant. Revitalization of the Watauga strip, including the maintenance of several memorial trees and stones, is an upcoming focus for the club.
Equally important is Laurelwood’s partnership with both Lookout Mountain School and Fairyland Elementary School. Recognizing that the future of any community lies in its younger generations, the garden club has made it a priority each year to donate to general beautification and special landscape projects via each school’s respective PTA/PTO organization.
As the club celebrates 62 years of service, it is also embracing the future and supporting the evolving landscape of the greater Chattanooga area. This year’s programming has spotlighted local women-owned businesses, many with strong ties to Lookout Mountain. Events have included a party-planning workshop with Alicyn York of Allora Creative; a wine-tasting evening hosted by Yancey Martin and Sarah Zane Moore Gomoll at Mosaic Home & Market; and support for a local business launch by Taylor Traglia Stephenson at Understory Tea House, where the club created its own herbal tea blend. The calendar also features visits to Crabtree Farms, a local garden tour, and regular meetings designed to strengthen community connections.
Looking ahead, the Laurelwood Garden Club remains focused on its mission of beautification and community engagement. A partnership with the Lookout Mountain Conservancy to revitalize the Sims Garden on McFarland Avenue is a longer-term joint commitment at a beautiful and historic property in our community.
With continued support from residents and new generations stepping forward to become involved, the club is well-positioned to carry its legacy into the future. There is always more to plant, more to improve and more opportunities to bring people together through shared purpose.
As Emily Askew looks ahead to her role as the 2026–2027 president, she shares, “I am thrilled to continue the Laurelwood Garden Club’s long-standing traditions while introducing progressive and meaningful programs for our members. If you’re seeking community and connection while supporting the beautification of our mountain, we would love for you to join us.”
Here’s to 62 years of growth, beauty, and community - and to many more seasons of blooming success.
by Anna Lee Jones
One of the garden club’s most cherished traditions is the annual holiday mailbox decoration project. Each festive season, mailboxes throughout the community are adorned with greenery, ribbons, and creative touches that reflect the warmth and spirit of the holidays. The club extends its heartfelt gratitude to the many residents who help make this tradition possible by helping to assemble decorations, offering cutting locations, or proudly displaying the finished arrangements. It is this spirit of participation that makes this tradition so special.
Beyond seasonal projects, the Laurelwood Garden Club has played a vital role in the ongoing beautification of our community. Members work to maintain the Ochs’ Highway Triangle, plant flowers along the Navarre Pavilion, and ensure that common areas remain inviting and vibrant. Revitalization of the Watauga strip, including the maintenance of several memorial trees and stones, is an upcoming focus for the club.
Equally important is Laurelwood’s partnership with both Lookout Mountain School and Fairyland Elementary School. Recognizing that the future of any community lies in its younger generations, the garden club has made it a priority each year to donate to general beautification and special landscape projects via each school’s respective PTA/PTO organization.
As the club celebrates 62 years of service, it is also embracing the future and supporting the evolving landscape of the greater Chattanooga area. This year’s programming has spotlighted local women-owned businesses, many with strong ties to Lookout Mountain. Events have included a party-planning workshop with Alicyn York of Allora Creative; a wine-tasting evening hosted by Yancey Martin and Sarah Zane Moore Gomoll at Mosaic Home & Market; and support for a local business launch by Taylor Traglia Stephenson at Understory Tea House, where the club created its own herbal tea blend. The calendar also features visits to Crabtree Farms, a local garden tour, and regular meetings designed to strengthen community connections.
Looking ahead, the Laurelwood Garden Club remains focused on its mission of beautification and community engagement. A partnership with the Lookout Mountain Conservancy to revitalize the Sims Garden on McFarland Avenue is a longer-term joint commitment at a beautiful and historic property in our community.
With continued support from residents and new generations stepping forward to become involved, the club is well-positioned to carry its legacy into the future. There is always more to plant, more to improve and more opportunities to bring people together through shared purpose.
As Emily Askew looks ahead to her role as the 2026–2027 president, she shares, “I am thrilled to continue the Laurelwood Garden Club’s long-standing traditions while introducing progressive and meaningful programs for our members. If you’re seeking community and connection while supporting the beautification of our mountain, we would love for you to join us.”
Here’s to 62 years of growth, beauty, and community - and to many more seasons of blooming success.
by Anna Lee Jones
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