STARKVILLE — Jeff Fulton, a landscape architect from Mississippi State University, presented “The History of Landscapes Starting in France and Culminating in the United States” at the Oct. 3 meeting of the Starkville Town and Country Garden Club held at the home of Lynda McReynolds.

“It was interesting to learn about some of the historic gardens across Europe. I especially enjoyed learning about Middleton Place, America’s oldest landscaped gardens and a National Historic Landmark, just outside of Charleston, South Carolina,” said Kathryn Davis, president of the Starkville Town and Country Garden Club. “We also learned a lot about the Central Park gardens in New York City.”

Fulton moved back to Mississippi 22 years ago, and he co-owned a plant nursery for about seven years. He has been teaching in the Interior Design Department at Mississippi State University for the past 10 years where he and Beth Miller established a Master of Art degree in historic preservation.

Fulton received his undergraduate degree in landscape architecture from Mississippi State University and his master’s degree in interior design from Pratt Institute in New York City.

In addition to the presentation, garden club members donated money to purchase gardening tools and kits for the junior garden club, Garden of Goodness & Glory, which is sponsored by the Starkville Town and Country Garden Club.

“Our junior garden club has a garden in Brooksville Gardens, and they sell produce every weekend at the Starkville Farmer’s Market with the help of Cindy Melby, one of our club members and co-chair of the Education and Young Gardeners Committee,” Davis said. “We encourage everyone to visit their booth and to purchase their plants, flower bouquets, and notecards.”

Hostesses for the October meeting were Dinah Clark, Bettye Forbes, Joan Hamilton, Bettie Cummings, Debbie Fox and Lynda McReynolds.
The Starkville Town and Country Garden Club strives to improve the knowledge of its members through monthly educational programs, regional workshops, and the sharing of information and resources among club members and the community.