Cordele Garden Club Hosts Annual Camellia Celebration at Local Hospital

The club's long-running flower show brings joy to hospital patients and staff.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Cordele Garden Club held its annual Camellia Celebration at Crisp Regional Hospital on February 4th, showcasing a variety of white, pink, red, and variegated camellia blooms in the hospital lobby. The event, which used to be a formal flower show with credentialed judges, now allows visitors to vote on their favorite blooms. After the celebration, the flowers are taken to residents in the hospital's assisted living facility, brightening their day.

Why it matters

The Camellia Celebration is a long-standing tradition for the Cordele Garden Club, which was founded in 1927. The event not only brings the community together to appreciate the beauty of camellias, but also provides a meaningful way for the club to give back by sharing the flowers with hospital patients who may not otherwise get to enjoy them.

The details

The Cordele Garden Club used to hold a formal flower show with credentialed judges at the Cordele Club House, but the show eventually lapsed. Now, the club allows visitors to the Camellia Celebration to vote on their favorite blooms. After the event, the flowers are taken to residents in the assisted living facility at Crisp Regional Hospital, where they are enthusiastically received. The club's organizers, including Clair Miller and Marilyn Morrison, find the residents' reactions to be very touching, with some who rarely respond becoming excited and clapping when they see the beautiful camellia flowers.

  • The Cordele Garden Club held its Camellia Celebration at Crisp Regional Hospital on February 4, 2026.

The players

Cordele Garden Club

A community gardening club founded in 1927 that hosts the annual Camellia Celebration at Crisp Regional Hospital.

Clair Miller

A member of the Cordele Garden Club for around a decade who helped organize the Camellia Celebration.

Marilyn Morrison

The current president of the Cordele Garden Club, which she has been a member of for around 10 years.

Canadace Johnson

A member of the Cordele Garden Club who was drawn to the club by friends and a desire to learn how to grow flowers year-round.

Crisp Regional Hospital

The local hospital in Cordele, Georgia where the Cordele Garden Club holds its annual Camellia Celebration.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It's been a wonderful experience, not only socially, but to learn about flowers and plants.”

— Clair Miller, Cordele Garden Club Member (Cordele Dispatch)

“When they saw those Camellias, they were just so excited and clapped. The woman in charge of that section of the nursing home cried, because a lot of times they don't respond to anything, but when they got those Camellias, they were so excited.”

— Clair Miller, Cordele Garden Club Member (Cordele Dispatch)

What’s next

The Cordele Garden Club plans to continue hosting the annual Camellia Celebration at Crisp Regional Hospital, bringing joy and beauty to patients and staff.

The takeaway

The Cordele Garden Club's long-running Camellia Celebration demonstrates the power of community organizations to spread happiness and connect people through shared appreciation of nature's beauty, even in the context of a hospital setting.