History of Festival

In 1951, the Molly French Garden Club was formed by a group of women passionate about
gardening and eager to introduce unique plants to the region. These women had already brought azaleas to the area in the 1940s. To further their efforts, they reached out to a respected nurseryman from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to find a source of early-blooming azaleas from the South. While wild azaleas could be found north of the area, cultivated varieties were still uncommon.

Thus began their grand experiment. Some plant varieties arrived successfully, while others did not. Soon after the club’s founding, one member proposed planting dogwoods around Charleston. This led to the first Dogwood tree initiative, which saw 150 trees planted in the town that year. By 1953, the club hosted its inaugural Molly French Garden Club plant sale, with the goal of promoting civic planting and enhancing the beauty of Charleston. The sale offered dogwoods, azaleas, and other plants to residents at affordable prices.

As more people noticed the stunning displays, they were eager to add these plants to their own landscapes. The club provided educational materials to help ensure successful planting and offered only the hardiest varieties for sale.

Over time, Charleston blossomed into a picturesque town, with vibrant azaleas flourishing beneath a canopy of pink and white dogwood trees each spring. After years of successful plant sales and promotions, the idea for a tour emerged, eventually growing into what is now known as the Dogwood-Azalea Festival, showcasing Charleston’s renowned floral beauty to visitors.