The Guilford Garden Club

Community Projects

 

Garden Therapy at Hospice

Scholarship Award

The Thomas Griswold House

The Hyland House

The Town Hall

Guilford Garden Club Tree Fund

Mary Schmitt Garden

Participation in Local Events

Club's 65th Anniversary

 

Garden Therapy at Hospice: Members arrange flowers for the public areas and the patients' room at Hospice in Branford during the third week of each month year round.  The Club was honored in 2009 to receive an FGCC award for our efforts. 

 

 

 

Scholarship Award: The 2009 recipient of the Guilford Garden Club Scholarship Award is Laura Nygren. She graduated from Guilford High School in June 2009 and is attending Skidmore College.   She will major in Environmental Studies.

 

 

 

The Thomas Griswold House: In 1974, the GGC designed and planted the Colonial Gardens at the Thomas Griswold House. These gardens, and an herb garden are ongoing club projects. GGC members provide and arrange fresh flowers  to decorate the museum all summer.  Inspired by   National President June Wood and FGCC President Meg Bremer we participated in their Restoration of Historic Gardens programs by renovating the gardens at Griswold House. We were rewarded with a FGCC plaque to add to this historic spot.

                                                   

 

 

 

The Hyland House: The GGC arranges fresh flowers twice weekly, six weeks of the summer in the historic Hyland House Museum. Flowers are donated from the gardens of Club members.

   

 

 

 

 

The Town Hall: Another important part of the GGC's public service involves decorating public buildings with living plants or flower arrangements. Every year the Club plants and maintains annuals and bulbs in front of the Town Hall, the trough on the Green and the window boxes at the Guilford Post Office. 

 

 

    Guilford Garden Club Tree Fund:   In 2007 the GGC began a project "The Greening of Guilford."  The basis of the program is to generate funds over the next 5 years for the planting of trees throughout the town.  Local businesses and organizations were asked to join the GGC in this effort. Locations and types of trees are chosen by the Town Tree Warden who also oversees their care. The GGC kicked off the program with a donation of $1600 to be applied to the planting of 4 trees and funded the purchase of an additional 8 trees. As of August 1, 2009, donations from community organizations have purchased 38 trees.  

Lillian Comstock (above), who originated and chairs the program, accepted the "Lee Bauerfeld Beautification Award for Outstanding Civic Project."   

 

     

In May 2004, we dedicated the Mary Schmitt Garden at the intersection of State Street and Nut Plains Road.  Mary was a devoted Club member who chaired flower shows, served as treasurer for many years, did spectacular floral arrangements and kept us on track with her "no nonsense" attitude.  Club members joined Lou Weady and Mike Guerrera at the installation of the new sign (provided by Mr. Weady) at Mary's Garden.  Mike has been very generous in helping us maintain the garden.

 

 

The GGC Participation in Local Events:

The "A Better Chance" (ABC) Program's "Secret Gardens of Guilford", held in June each year, offers tours of selected gardens in Guilford.  The Guilford Garden Club participates by providing Hostesses to sit at gardens on the day of the tour.

Guilford Clean-up Day.  The GGC organizes its members to participate in this town-wide activity each year.

Ronald MacDonald House:  The Guilford Garden Club helps decorate the House each Christmas. 

 

65 Years and Growing: In 2004, to celebrate our 65th "Birthday" we planted 65 daffodil bulbs at the Guilford Land Conservation Trust's historic Olmsted Lookout.  

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Copyright©  2007-2010 The Guilford Garden Club

Last modified:   01/01/2010

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