The Garden Club of Princeton
Our History
The Garden Club of Princeton is proud to have been a part of our community for over 100 years. Founded in 1911 by Mrs. Archibald Douglas Russell, we are one of the oldest garden clubs in the U.S. We are a charter member of The Garden Club of America, which was established two years later.
Our Mission
The GCP's mission is to further the interest in, and knowledge of gardening and kindred matters among its members and the Princeton community, to promote activities initiated by The Garden Club of America, and to engage in such other educational and charitable enterprises as the membership may elect from time to time. The Garden Club of Princeton is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Our goal is to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening through our projects, programs and activities.
GCP Hort 2025-26 Species of the Year
HELLEBORE - Helleborus orientalis
A clump-forming, late winter-blooming perennial that features large cup-shaped, rose-like nodding flowers with center crowns of conspicuously contrasting yellow stamens. Hellebores are evergreen. Click here for more information from the Missouri Botanical Garden website.
Image at right is a hellebore planted and cared for by GCP at All Wars Memorial Park.
Conservation 2025-26
Species of the Year
Black Swallowtail Butterfly - Papilio polyxenes
The Eastern Black Swallowtail butterfly is native to eastern North America. Their habitat is usually meadows and fields where they are attracted to butterfly bush, phlox, zinnias, purple coneflowers, and milkweeds but they also live in urban gardens and parks. The butterfly feeds on nectar and is partial to plants in the carrot family such as dill, parsley, carrots and fennels as well as Queen Anne’s lace.
The black swallowtail butterfly is native to New Jersey and has been the state’s official butterfly since 2016.
Civic Projects & Our Community
We work to restore, improve, and protect the quality of our environment in and around Princeton. The Garden Club of Princeton is proud to partner with our community on different projects that boost the environmental health of the surrounding area. Our members are active in the climate change space and the restoration and maintenance of different Princeton parks and nature preserves.
Most recently, we were excited to support and participate in the restoration of Princeton's Monument Park Garden. Additionally, The Garden Club of Princeton secured two generous grants to help with an eighteen-acre forest restoration project at Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve in 2022. We helped raise the initial funds for the All Wars Memorial Park in 1925 and have actively maintained the memorial ever since. Over the 100 intervening years, we have been involved with many of Princeton's marquee institutions including Marquand Park, D&R Greenway, The Watershed Institute, Morven Museum & Garden, Princeton Public Library, Princeton Public Schools, and the Princeton Y.M.C.A.. Additionally, we have created over 250 special holiday arrangements annually to be delivered by Mercer County Meals on Wheels since 1974.
All Wars Memorial Park was designed by Harvey Wiley Corbett. The bench inscription reads "Hold dear our sons and daughters who gave their lives for freedom in the World War."
The French Market
The Garden Club of Princeton established the French Markets in 1914 during World War I for French war relief and continued the sale to raise funds for the club's civic projects. Over 100 years later, the tradition of the French market continues with four markets held annually on Mercer Island at the intersection of Nassau and Mercer Street all income from the French market is used to support the clubs involvement in various Civic projects and charitable giving, including the ongoing maintenance of All Wars Memorial Park in downtown Princeton.
VISIT OUR FRENCH MARKET
2025-26 DATES
OCTOBER 17 - DECEMBER 5 - APRIL 3 - MAY 8
The market will be held from 10 am - 12 pm on the above dates at
the corner of Nassau St and Mercer in downtown Princeton
(across from Sotheby's Realty)