Garden Club of Lexington. GARDEN CLUB OF LEXINGTON The Garden Club of Lexington was founded in 1916 by twelve women who affiliated with the Garden Club of America in 1924. Its purpose is conservation, beautification, and education. In 1950, the Henry Clay Foundation asked the club to create a formal garden honoring Henry Clay on the grounds of Ashland. ASHLAND GARDEN In 1950, the Garden Club of Lexington hired landscape architect Henry Kenney to design a formal parterred garden, which was gifted to the Henry Clay Estate and opened to the public. It is maintained by the Garden Club of Lexington members and contains more than 120 varieties of trees, shrubs, and flowers. Dedicated July 20, 2017.