GCA Grant Helps Restore Bayou Bend in Houston

September 25, 2024

River Oaks GC Obtained GCA Funds to Restore Storm-damaged Gardens
Jenne Williams

When Houston’s Bayou Bend Gardens was devastated by extreme weather, the River Oaks Garden Club (ROGC) applied for a Garden Club of America (GCA) Restoration Initiative grant.  The GCA’s Restoration Initiative, which funds landscape restoration and conservation projects in communities devastated by natural disasters, provided $10,000 to aid in restoring the grounds after devastating winds and rains of a derecho storm. But “lightning struck twice” and the garden faced further destruction from massive flooding due to Hurricane Beryl.

The Bayou Bend Gardens surrounds the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, a historic house museum that was once the home of Houston civic leader and philanthropist Miss Ima Hogg.  The museum showcases a collection of American decorative arts and paintings. Miss Hogg, who joined River Oaks Garden Club in 1928, entrusted the River Oaks Garden Club with the maintenance of the 14-acre gardens in 1961.  For more than six decades, ROGC member volunteers have worked tirelessly to preserve and enhance the historic grounds.  The GCA’s Restoration Initiative helped purchase plant material to replace storm-damaged yaupon hedges, boxwood, yews, and azaleas. As Bayou Bend is a historical garden, the GCA funds were used to  replace fallen and damaged plants with the exact genus species that were damaged or killed.

Despite the setbacks, Bayou Bend reopened on July 26th, 2024. The dedication of the River Oaks Garden Club and the support of the Garden Club of America’s grant have been instrumental in the restoration efforts. The continued commitment to preserving this cultural treasure ensures that future generations can enjoy the beauty and history of Bayou Bend.

 

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