RIVER OAKS Landscape designers to give tips on gardening Jan. 20 event is free and open to the public

"Our goal is to get the public interested and involved in gardening," said River Oaks Garden Club member Stephanie Fox, who is co-chairing the event with fellow member Mary Gregory. "We'll be learning how, as a city, we can create beautiful public spaces for people to experience and enjoy."

Fox, a landscape designer who lives in the Museum District, said the River Oaks Garden Club has been beautifying along Post Oak Boulevard, around Buffalo Bayou and in Memorial Park.

"A lot of organizations in Houston do the same thing to some extent," Fox said. "It's great because that way we're generating even more enthusiasm."

River Oaks Garden Club, 2503 Westheimer, was established in 1927, but you don't have to live in River Oaks to be a member. Memorial resident Mary Gregory said the club's 400-plus members are from all over the city.

"Maybe not everybody digs in the dirt," said Gregory, who joined in 2005, "but everybody loves the aspect of beautification using flowers."

River Oaks Garden Club is a member of the Garden Club of America, a nonprofit organization made up of 18,000 individuals and 199 member clubs.

West Houston resident Sadie Gwin Blackburn served as president of the Garden Club of America from 1989-1991.

The same year her presidency ended, River Oaks Garden Club launched its Sadie Gwin Blackburn Environmental Seminar series.

"It's a continuing effort to forward gardening traditions we highly value," said Blackburn, who joined River Oaks Garden Club in 1969. A native Texan, Blackburn graduated as valedictorian from Lamar High School in 1941.

She eventually went on to earn a master of arts degree in history from Rice University, and co-authored a book titled Houston's Forgotten Heritage: 1822-1914, published by Rice University Press in 1991.

Obviously Blackburn was interested in studying history, but gardening comes easily.

"I have always loved the outdoors," Blackburn said. "My grandmother was an avid gardener, so it comes down rather naturally."

Now Blackburn has a lengthy history in gardening, has participated in numerous lectures, written several articles for gardening publications, and is a frequent recipient of gardening awards.

"The study of plants is fascinating," Blackburn said. "I've traveled extensively and seen a tremendous variety of plants and garden design."