The Pulaski Courthouse was built is two sections. The first section was completed in 1887 and the second in 1913. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The areas around the courthouse that the PC Master Gardeners are responsible for maintaining are the Alexander-Butler Rose Gardens. One garden is at the north end of the park and one garden is at the south end of the park. The name of the garden that covers the entire city block next to the courthouse is the Count Pulaski Park.
Our committee spent several hours at the Butler Center researching the history of the rose gardens. For many years the Little Rock Garden Club maintained the gardens. In early pictures, very early pictures, gardens were at both ends of the park, but the first mention of the LRGC was in 1951. They took on the care of the gardens for a rose festival that same year. As early as 1919 Little Rock was called the City of Roses. The city celebrated by selecting a Rose Queen and having a Rose Parade with floats. The next year, 1952, the LRGC voted to take the rose gardens as a full time project. Over the years they planted 31 Bradford pear trees, numerous oaks, and many other plants in the park. They also gave the beautiful fountain and the brick walkways. In 2010 they decided the project was too labor intensive for their membership and told the County Judge, Buddy Villines, they were relinquishing their commitment. However, true to their community spirit, they paid to have a plan designed to refurbish the rose gardens and included funding for all the new plants. That is when the garden roses were changed from work buster hybrid teas to Knockouts and one variety of Chinensis rose, Mutabilis. The garden languished without the dedication of the LRGC.
In 2016 PC Master Gardener Melody Parsley met with the County Judge, Barry Hyde, to discuss water issues concerning her property owners association. After learning she was a MG, Judge Hyde approached her about getting PC Master Gardeners to take care of the gardens at the courthouse. This project is important for the community and because the PC County Judge and PC Quorum Court pay part of the funding for PC Pulaski County Extension Service, that is us! We want them to know that with our training and dedication we can make an unattractive area beautiful.
The Courthouse Rose Gardens became an official PC MG Project on February 16, 2016.