At the start of United States' involvement in WWI, families with soldiers in service hung a blue star banner on their doors. The color of the stars was changed to Gold if the soldier was killed. In 1944, the Blue Star Memorial Program was begun as a way to honor soldiers fighting in WWII. In 1951, the program was expanded to honor everyone who has served, or is currently serving, in the United States armed forces.

In 1945 the program was adopted by the National Council of State Garden Clubs (now National Garden Club, Inc.). There are three types of Blue Star Memorials: 1) the Highway Marker; 2) the large Memorial Marker and; 3) the smaller By-Way Marker. 

The Edwardsville Garden Club maintains the Blue Star Memorial “By-way Marker” garden at the Edwardsville City Park, located at 101 South Buchanan Street, Edwardsville, IL. Adjacent to the garden is a Gold Star Memorial, commemorating local-area soldiers who have given their lives while in service to our country.

In  2011, a Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Pharmacy student wanted to start a medicinal herb garden on campus, but needed help with research and design. She contacted Myrah Marks, an EGC member at that time, to see if club members could help. Ms. Marks agreed to do the groundwork, and provided the basic garden design, complete with detailed plant information. 

 In 2012, after the student graduated, the SIUE Pharmacy Department approached the EGC about maintaining the garden.  Since then, the club has continued to cultivate a collection of plants with medicinal and pharmaceutical interest on the campus of SIUE. This garden is temporarily unavailable due to a construction project. The anticipated re-opening date is slated for fall 2025.

Our club hosts a variety of events to enhance appreciation and conservation of natural resources, especially birds and butterflies. Regular activities include Earth Day projects at the Watershed Nature Center, Hummingbird Banding events during the summer and purchasing trees for the City of Edwardsville.

The Madison County Historical Museum’s herb garden was installed in 1994 and has been tended by the Edwardsville Garden Club since then. The garden focuses on herbs of both current and historical use. The garden is adjacent to the Madison County Archival Library 801 North Main Street in Edwardsville.

The Macie Crow Butterfly Garden is a small memorial garden located in Rotary Park (804 Hadley Ave, Edwardsville). Macie was a 7 year old and a 2nd grade student at LeClaire Elementary, one block away. On March 27, 2009, she was playing with her brother when a concrete culvert-like structure collapsed on her. The Edwardsville Garden Club established this memorial garden in 2010. Currently it has a crab apple tree that flowers in the spring and provides summer fruit for birds. The garden also features a pink butterfly bush, coneflower, Black-eyed Susans, and asters.  

The Glen-Ed Pantry was formed in 1981 and serves approximately 200 families living within a 20 mile radius of Edwardsville. For over 25 years, the Edwardsville Garden Club has supported the Glen-Ed Pantry’s mission and vision. Our club organizes multiple canned food and toiletry donation events each year. Through the generosity of our members, the EGC helps the Glen-Ed Pantry provide nutritious food and other resources to local families.