FLYERS FOR OUR NEXT FEW EVENTS 

THE ENTIRE SCHEDULE FOR 2024 - 2025 FOLLOWS

2024 - 2025 Meeting & Event Schedule

2024                                     

September 16 (Monday) NOURISHment from a Plant-based Diet – Terry Walters

Church of St. Ann’s - Father Bennett Hall

11:30 Member meeting
12:00 guests welcome for lunch and program

The Garden Club of Avon is excited to welcome friend, neighbor, and best-selling cookbook author, Terry Walters. Terry's award-winning cookbooks include CLEAN FOOD, CLEAN START, EAT CLEAN LIVE WELL, and most recently, NOURISH: Plant-based Recipes to Feed Body Mind and Soul. She is a James Beard Foundation Award finalist, recipient of the Nautilus Gold and Silver Book Awards, and recipient of the World Gourmand “Second Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the World” and “Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the United States” Awards. 

Terry has been teaching plant-based cooking and wellness for over twenty years.  She'll share her easy to grasp approach to nutrition and healthy home cooking. Her presentation is guaranteed to inspire and empower. There will be ample opportunity for Q&A, so bring all of your questions.

September 21 (Saturday) West Avon Congregational Church Fair

10:00am – 3:00pm

We will once again be participating in the West Avon Congregational Church Fair. This is a Saturday event. We will be giving away plants, seeds and gardening related information. Volunteers are needed. If you are interested in participating in this event, contact Jody Morgan, Committee Chairperson.

October 15 (Tuesday) Town Hall Clean-up @ 10:00

Wear your garden attire and bring your tools.  We will be putting the Town Hall Gardens to bed.

October 21 (Monday) The Art of Bonsai - Vinnie Tanner and Joe Matson                  

Church St. Ann’s - Father Bennett Hall

11:30 Member Meeting
12:00 guests welcome for lunch and program                              

The Garden Club of Avon welcomes Vinnie Tanner and Joe Matson from the Bonsai Society of Greater Hartford for a presentation on bonsai, the Japanese art of growing small trees in containers.  Bonsai is an amazing hobby that blends horticulture and design to create an artistic, idealized image of nature in miniature.  They’ll discuss bonsai history, care, techniques, display, kusamono and more.  

The Bonsai Society is an educational, non-profit club that is open to the public and dedicated to spreading knowledge and fostering interest in the art of bonsai.

November 18 (Monday) High Tea

Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall

High Tea Fundraiser - Silent Auction, Raffle and Lunch

11:30 a.m. Members and Guests Arrive  

Time for Tea… our annual High Tea, that is.  Everyone will pitch in once again to make this the biggest GCA event of the year and this year we’re calling it, The Gilded Garden Party!  There’ll be a delightful luncheon, exciting silent auction and raffle items and lots of company to share the anticipation of winning a special find!

Auction items will run the gamut from attic treasures, hospitality baskets, gift cards from local merchants, garden themed items (can we ever have enough?), and beautiful hand made things to keep or gift - the holidays are right around the corner!

Advisor: Jody Morgan

Chair: Lynn Pellegrini

Hostess: Anita Marcotte

Committee: Anita Marcotte, Judy Nelson, Norma Ingram, Kaye Robertson, Gail Osland, Donna Paye, Elaine Guillot, Liz Silvestri, Claudia Voaden, Ann Clark, Jane Hawley, Mary Harrop, Marsha Fried-Scherer     

Set-up: 

Breakdown: Lynne Scarpa, Robin Capuano

Members will be asked for additional support for this event.

December 2 (Monday) Evergreens Workshop and Book Swap

Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall

9:30 a.m. Member Meeting followed by workshop

Enjoy being together for this long time Garden Club tradition.  Members will make wreaths and swags for town buildings. Please bring garden gloves, clippers, scissors and decorative garden greens such as holly, boxwood, pine and berries (no hemlock).

If you would like to participate in a Book Swap, bring a maximum of 5 books or magazines and find some new reads to take home with you.

Non-perishable food items are welcome for the Avon food bank.

Hostesses: Mary Harrop, Jane Hawley

Set-up: Karen Macbeth, Gail Macbeth, Tammy Lynn Gillett         

Breakdown:  Cathie Matthews, Elaine Guillot

Beverages and a light snack will be provided.

December 12 (Thursday) Holiday Luncheon

Farmington Woods Clubhouse   

43 Heritage Drive, Avon, CT

12:00 p.m.

Gather with members to spread holiday cheer and good tidings with friends. 

2025

January 13 (Monday) Craft and Chat 

Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall

11:30 a.m. Member Meeting
12:00 p.m. Bag Lunch followed by workshop

It is cold outside but not at FBH!  Enjoy a post holiday gathering for members only to beat the winter doldrums! We will meet together to create a garden related craft to take home as we await the spring thaw.
Set-up:  Judy Nelson

Breakdown: Cathy Schulman

February 10 (Monday) Valentine Arrangement Workshop: Give one Take one 

            Orchid Growing Made Easy – Karen Timko

Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall

11:00 a.m. Member Meeting & Valentine Workshop 

1:00 p.m.   Orchid Program open to guests with a light lunch, desserts and beverages. 

We will have a “double header” today. Once again we will be making small Valentine arrangements for the residents of Apple Rehab in Avon plus have the opportunity to make an arrangement to take home.

After our lunch we will enjoy a program about orchids presented by Karen Timko who is a member of the Orchid Society of CT.

Have you ever thought, “I’ve got this pretty new orchid, now what do I do with it?” This talk will give you the answer to this and other questions you may have about growing orchids in your home. We will review the key considerations related to orchid growing - light, temperature, humidity, and nutrition. We’ll also discuss why watering your orchid with ice cubes may not be the best idea, considerations for repotting your orchid and tricks to rebooting your “green pet”.
Karen Timko has been growing orchids for more than 8 years. She is currently a student judge in the American Orchid Society’s Judging Program and is past President of the Nutmeg State Orchid Society where she now serves the office of Secretary.  

Set-up: Tammy Lynn Gillett        

Breakdown:  Norma Ingram, Lynn Pellegrini

February 20 (Thursday) - February 23 (Sunday) SIGNS OF SPRING        

Federated Garden Clubs of CT Annual Flower Show
Convention Center, Hartford CT
Discount tickets will be available 

The Garden Club of Avon will once again participate by doing touch up painting of the tables. Contact Norma Ingram if you would like to help. 

March 10 (Monday) Bring Back the Pollinators - Lisa Newell

Professional Gardener, Owner of Rewild Native Plant Nursery and

Ambassador for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall

11:30 a.m. Member Meeting
12:00 p.m. Guests welcome for lunch and program 

Pollinators and other insects are essential for the reproduction of flowering plants and more than two thirds of the world’s crop species.  The fruits and seeds they produce are a major part of not only our diet, but that of the entire animal kingdom!  

Lisa will focus on the basic ecology and importance of native pollinators and what we can do to help them.  She’ll tell us what they need to survive and the four simple things you can do to help save them:  plant native plants, provide shelter for them, avoid pesticide use and spread the word.  What will you do to help bring back the pollinators?

Hostess:  Linda Mierzejewski

Committee:  Beth Ferrari, Penny Dahle, Cathy Schulman, Jane Breckenridge, Lee Lester, Geri Bunnell

Set-up:          

Breakdown:            

March 14 (Friday) – March 15 (Saturday) Tablescapes

The North House, Avon CT

The Garden Club will enter its fifth design table in Avon Historical Society’s annual fundraiser, Tablescapes, at the North House in Avon. This is a great opportunity to share your creativity while supporting a wonderful civic organization. If you have not already volunteered to help with this event (design, set up, hosting), please contact Norma Ingram who will serve as committee chairperson. Of course, please purchase a ticket to enjoy the many interesting tables and support our Club. Discounted tickets will be available to members prior to the show. 

April 21 (Monday) Welcoming Hummingbirds to Your Yard & Garden - Catie Resor
Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall

11:30 a.m. Member Meeting
12:00 p.m. Guests welcome for lunch and program.

Catie Resor is Education Program Director of the CT Audubon Society of Greater Hartford. She will speak about these lovely and entertaining birds. We will learn more about the unique adaptations and life history of nature's tiny hummingbirds as well as how to provide a welcoming space to support them in the face of challenges to their future survival.

Hostess:   Heather Maguire

Committee:  Kathy Apuzzo, Vera Ehnen, Lynne Scarpa, Tammy Lynn Gillett, Jennie Boswell, Robin Capuano, Kaye Kellogg 

Set-up:  Marion Spalvieri             

Breakdown: Marilyn Kaufmann

May 12 (Monday)  Integrating Hydroponics into Your Garden 

            Alia Te - Community Engagement Coordinator 

            Levo International, Bloomfield, CT

Co-sponsored by GCA and Avon Free Public Library

7:00 p.m. - Avon Public Library 1st Floor Meeting Room

Have you ever started talking with someone about plants and they respond with, “I kill every plant I own!”?  Well, Alia will talk about all things hydroponics which is growing plants in water!  Levo International has developed a simplified method that will have you harvesting your own fresh produce within a few weeks with limited space or maintenance.  

It all started as an Eagle Scout project, with Christian Heiden building a greenhouse outside his high school.  Working with his family, Christian founded Levo International, whose mission it is to empower people to end poverty. A major way this is realized is by leveraging hydroponics to establish food security and work force development in impoverished areas locally and internationally. 

May 19 (Monday) Town Hall Planting 

Rain Date: May 20 (Tuesday)            

Avon Town Hall @ 10:00 a.m. 

This is our annual Town Hall beautification project.  We will be planting at the Town Hall Complex and Veteran’s Memorial just in time for Memorial Day. 

June 3 (Tuesday)     Annual Bus Trip (See flyer above)

June 10 (Tuesday)   Annual Luncheon