History of the Garden Center

The Garden Center history is mostly the story of Mrs. William J. Bullough (Hazel), who turned the Utah Associated Garden Clubs' (UAGC) dream of a Garden Center into a reality.

In 1959, as Vice President of the UAGC, Hazel visited many old, available homes and buildings looking for the perfect spot for the center and when elected President of the UAGC in 1960, Hazel pushed ahead with renewed enthusiasm. At the time, UAGC board meetings were held regularly in an old, discarded refreshment stand in Liberty Park. Mrs. Bullough's constant knocking on the doors of the Salt Lake City and County Commission and her contagious enthusiasm finally bore fruit. On Wednesday, December 27, 1961, the Deseret News announced that $10,000 had been budgeted by the Salt Lake County Commission for a garden center and at Hazel’s urging, the Salt Lake City Commission promised to match that amount with building materials and labor.

Liberty Park's refreshment stand was discussed for remodeling or a new building to be built on the same site but Hazel’s garden center dream was located in the new Sugar House Park. She hopefully proposed this location and to her delight, Mr. Harold Fabian, Chairman of the Sugar House Park Authority, approved it.  With the location set, another $10,000 was added to the budget to make sure the new building would do justice to the new park.

On Tuesday, August 28, 1962, groundbreaking ceremonies were held with construction beginning in the fall of 1963. Work halted often due to many setbacks and the constant need for more money, but Hazel's contagious enthusiasm never faltered. She constantly pounded on the two doors of the City and County Building; she pled, begged, and persuaded; and finally, through the joint efforts of the Salt Lake City Commission, Salt Lake County Commission, the Sugar House Park Authority, and the can-do determination of the Utah Associated Garden Clubs' President, Utah's Garden Center was dedicated on September 20, 1964.

Since that time, dozens of garden clubs and other non-profit organizations have been holding their meetings at the Sugar House Garden Center, as well as putting on several flower shows each year. These flower shows are open to the public, and they typically fill all the floor space in both main rooms of the spacious building. In addition, the Garden Center is available to rent for weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries, and celebrations of all kinds.