In the early spring of 1924, Mrs. Clara Driscoll Sevier called a meeting at her home, Laguna Gloria, for those interested in community beautification. The club became federated with National Garden Clubs, Inc, on November 10, 1928 during the first convention of Texas Garden Clubs. The poet O. Henry called Austin “The City of the Violet Crown”. So the name Violet Crown Garden Club was adopted. The club met for 26 years in the Crystal Ballroom at the Driskill Hotel, then at various other locations. They helped to build the garden center at Zilker Botanical Garden and have been meeting there since their 40th anniversary in 1964.
Violet Crown is famous and known for its Flower Shows that are done twice a year — in the fall, usually in October, and in one in the spring. Flower Shows are fun and are a way to show our community the beauty of well grown plant material and creating floral designs. We are blessed to have some of the BEST designers in the District. June Wood, one of our outstanding designers, served as President of the National Garden Club and helped write the handbook on flower shows and judging.