What We Do
In the Historic Area
In 2011, a small group of civic-minded residents led by Bob Price, founder of the Vallarta Botanical Garden, recognized that modernization in historic areas would create a concrete jungle unless landscaped space was maintained. They began by planting bougainvillea in city-provided boxes on Calle Basilio Badillo and the Club was soon incorporated.
This ongoing effort, entailing thousands of plants, millions of pesos and countless volunteer hours, has kept the major streets of the historic area in bloom. We also installed new landscaping in the Plaza in front of Our Lady of Guadalupe church for Vallarta’s 100th Anniversary and totally transformed the street leading to Los Muertos Pier. Today, the Club cares for over 500 planters and green spots from the Pier to the Sheraton.
Our New Community Outreach
In 2020, the Board of Directors expanded our service commitment to included community projects beyond tourism streets. The Club has replanted a walking street in Centro and constructed gardens and a client shower for the Vallarta Food Bank. We have an ongoing landscaping and infrastructure revitalization project on the Isla Cuale, and a new landscaping and play area project at Los Mangos Library.
As of January 1, 2023, the Club began using our Spanish name: Club Jardines Vallarta with a new logo and tag line of Creciendo Juntos ~ Growing Together. At the same time, the amazing community group, Amigos de la Isla Cuale, became a permanent committee of the Club, focused on gardening and social activities on this spectacular green space that was reborn after Hurricane Nora’s devastating floods.
Working All Year Round
When the rains come in June, Adan Davila Palomera, our legally-employed gardener and full-time resident volunteers are very busy with maintenance. This is the time when we can add dirt and fertilizer to our plantings and replace plants that have died or have been damaged or stolen.
In October and November, we usually repaint the planter boxes to look good for “Season.” We really hope the City will again help us with repairing their boxes that have cracked from bus encounters or roots, and power wash the “black dirt” on some in Old Town.
And we water with a wheelbarrow! When the rains stop, Adan fills up large plastic jugs from a few spots where we can get free water and goes from planter to planter across town. Yes… that’s correct, no drip, no hoses, and not a lot of merchant help.
This is hard, tedious work, so please say Gracias if you see Adan. We can’t use a large truck with a hose as that would splash merchants and tourists and uproot under-plantings. We’re hoping to raise funds this season for a tuk-tuk or small quad to make the work easier.
Join Us!
The Garden Club is a registered, non-profit, public-benefit Mexican Corporation that is administered by a volunteer Board of Directors and Officers who are elected by the membership. All of our work is funded by private donations that come through annual membership fees, general donations, sponsorships, and the money we raise from our annual gala each winter.
Join us today! All gifts are welcome and very much appreciated.