THE GARDEN CLUB OF AVON  SCHEDULE FOR 2026 - 2027 

2026 - 2027 Meeting & Event Schedule 

2026 Meetings and Events 

September 14 (Monday) Gardening for the Nightshift: Fireflies and Moths

- Lisa Newell

Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall

11:30 a.m. Member meeting

12:00 p.m. Guests welcome for a buffet light lunch and program

Fireflies, or “Lightning Bugs” are often referred to as the “jewels of the night” and

are among the most magical and beloved of invertebrates. Moths, while maybe not as beloved, are equally critical to ecosystem health, and are important pollinators. More than half of invertebrates are active at night, and insect activity is a third higher at night. While we tend to think of bees and butterflies as the important pollinators, moths are critically important pollinators. Both fireflies and moths face the same threats as other insects; habitat loss, pesticides, climate change, light pollution.

This workshop will focus on the basic ecology of fireflies and moths, and what we can do to help save them. We’ll talk about what they need to survive and how the ways that we manage our yards and gardens can impact their survival. There are four simple things we can all do in our own back yards: plant native plants, provide shelter, avoid pesticide use, and spread the word.

Lisa Newell is an Ambassador for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate

Conservation, a volunteer education and outreach role. Lisa has a master’s

degree in Public Health, but has spent the last 20+ years as a professional

gardener, lecturer and grower of native plants. In 2022 Lisa started Rewild, a

native plant nursery in Simsbury.

September 26 (Saturday) West Avon Congregational Church Fair

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Garden Club of Avon members enjoy giving away plants, garden-related items and information  annually at the WACC Fair, making our booth a fair favorite. Club members and friends of our club donate an amazing selection of houseplants and perennials, seeds, flower pots, vases, gardening books, and assorted tools each year. Contact Jody Morgan to donate, volunteer or offer suggestions.

October 19 (Monday) The Enterprising Horticulturalist – Scott Lewis

Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall 11:30 a.m. Member Meeting

12:00 p.m. Guests welcome for a buffet light lunch and program

Come hear about stories from Avon's rich history on Monday, October 19. Scott

Lewis will share information from his book, Avon Connecticut's First Century,

Visionaries and Victims. Of particular interest is the story of an enterprising

horticulturalist named Sherman Eddy who, in the 1920s, created such spectacular home gardens in Avon that people came from all over Hartford County to view them. At least until he had a run-in with Theodate Pope Riddle!

Avon, Connecticut has had a long history of people who challenged conventions and persevered through tragedy. There was the clock peddler’s encounter with

Abraham Lincoln, a suffragist’s political showdown with her cousin Eleanor Roosevelt, and a man who betrayed his brother-in-law, Thomas Edison. Before the Heublein Tower, art patron Daniel Wadsworth built the first of two viewing towers on Avon Mountain. Following the courage of local abolitionist David Bartlett, Black Civil War soldier Leverett Holden fought for emancipation. Shocking events included one of the first murder cases in America to test the

insanity defense, homicides at a house doomed for bloodshed, and the horrific factory fire that shattered the lives of immigrant families. Scott Lewis reveals the stories of the visionaries and victims who shaped the town of Avon’s future.

A resident of Avon, Scott Lewis is on the Board of the Avon Land Trust and has given several presentations on the town’s history. In addition to serving astreasurer of the land trust, he builds and maintains hiking trails in Avon. A descendant of signer Josiah Bartlett from New Hampshire, Scott serves as Treasurer-General for the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, a national genealogy society. Prior to his retirement in 2023, Scott was a senior vice president at the insurance company, The Hartford, where he served as Controller and Chief Accounting Officer from 2013 to 2023. He lives with his wife in Avon and they have two adult children.

October 26 (Monday) Town Hall Clean-up

Avon Town Hall 10:00 a.m.

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

November 16 (Monday) Scarborough Fair 

Annual Fundraiser, Silent Auction and Raffle 

Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall

11:00 a.m. Members and Guests Arrive  

Are you going to OUR Scarborough Fair? Everyone will pitch in once again to make this the biggest GCA event of the year. 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!

November 30 (Monday) Evergreens Workshop, Craft to Take Home (TBD), and Book Swap

Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall

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

Beverages and a light snack will be provided.

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). We will continue our Book Swap tradition and new this year have a short Make your Own Craft workshop, the craft TBD

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

December 3 (Thursday) - December 13 (Sunday) Festival of Trees         

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art 

600 Main Street, Hartford, CT 

December 14 (Monday) Holiday Luncheon

Max a Mia Ristorante

380 West Main Street, Avon, CT

11:30 a.m.

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

2027 Meetings and Events 

January 11 (Monday) Maple Sugaring in Connecticut – Geoff Picard

Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall

6:00 p.m.  Brief Member Meeting 

                 Guests welcome for program. Coffee & dessert will be available.

Learn about the process of turning clear tree sap into rich maple syrup. Late winter and early spring is usually the time to go skiing or start to think about your garden beds. While you are on the slopes or looking at seed catalogs, sugar makers from around our state are producing the sweet, amber-colored liquid we all love on our pancakes, maple syrup. 

Join producer, Geoff Picard to learn about the fascinating process of turning clear tree sap into rich maple syrup. You’ll learn about the history, the process, and the sweet treats that all come from maple sap. Geoff Picard is an educator and naturalist with over 30 years of maple sugaring experience. He is co-owner of Hidden Gem Farm in Killingworth where he and his family raise chickens, ducks, and horses.

February 8 (Monday) 

Valentine Workshop and Cacao Beans and Their Flavor Journey – Fernando Velez

West Avon Congregational Church - community room 

11:30 a.m. Member Meeting & Valentine Workshop

12:30 p.m. Brown Bag lunch 

1:00 p.m. Guests welcome for Program. Coffee & dessert will be available.

Meet Fernando Velez—a true creative spirit who has seamlessly transitioned from graphic design and music to the delightful world of chocolate making! His chocolates are not just treats; they embody a remarkable journey of resilience, adaptability, and innovation. 

With a deep passion for design and music, Fernando discovered another love in fine chocolates, inspired by the enchanting aromas of his childhood spent near a chocolate factory and visiting his uncle’s cacao farms. Now, at his charming shop in Avon, Connecticut, he and his talented team skillfully roast specialty cacao beans and craft exquisite chocolate bars, truffles, bonbons, and unique drinks that promise a delightful experience for every chocolate lover. Fernando's story is a testament to following one’s passions and creating something truly special!

February 18 (Thursday) - February 21 (Sunday)

Art Blooms in Connecticut: Where Creativity, Nature and Artistry Flourish

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 8 (Monday) Light Pollution and Its Effects on Birds, Wildlife, and Human Health: Learn How You Can Help – Craig Repasz 

Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall

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

Millions of birds pass through Connecticut every spring and fall on their way to and from their summer nesting grounds. Because our state is located along the Atlantic Flyway, many birds use our shorelines and green spaces to rest and refuel during their trip.

But light pollution has wreaked havoc on our night sky. Artificial light emitted by our homes, buildings, streetlights, bridges, and other structures can confuse and disorient birds, causing them to land near buildings, crash into windows, and/or circle around for hours until they drop from exhaustion. The result is catastrophic: There are nearly 1 billion bird deaths in North America each year.

Light pollution also impacts other wildlife, human health, and energy waste.

Please come to learn about the problem and what could be done to mitigate the damage.

Craig Repasz is Director and Co-founder of Lights Out CT. Craig focuses on the overall operations of the organization. Lights Out Connecticut is a special project of Menunkatuck Audubon Society. He is also President of the Friends of Stewart B McKinney NWR, an organization devoted to supporting this important refuge. He is past president of the New Haven Bird Club, currently serving as their Conservation Chair. He is past conservation chair of the Connecticut Ornithological Association. He has been the volunteer coordinator for the Connecticut Bird Atlas for six years. He enjoys backpacking and frequently volunteers with the Appalachian Mountain Club as volunteer Naturalist.

March 12 (Friday) – March 13 (Saturday) TABLESCAPES

Friday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.   Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 

The North House, 1 Nod Road, Avon CT

The Avon Historical Society’s 9th Annual Tablescapes Fundraising event. This two-day showcase features creative table displays designed by local businesses and creators, along with a tableware tag sale. 

April 19 (Monday) – Restoring Nature’s Infrastructure for the Next Generation - Brian Pellegrini
Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall

11:30 a.m. Member Meeting
12:00 p.m. Guests welcome for a buffet light lunch and program.
Ecological restoration companies assist in returning degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems such as streams and wetlands to a resilient, biodiverse and sustainable form. A restored wetland creates habitat for a wide range of native plants and animals, improves water quality, reduces flood risks and more. But how do you restore an ecosystem? Who and where does money come from to do this work? What are the signs of a damaged stream?  Learn how this work happens, what an impaired stream and wetland look like, what the consequences are of inaction, and what a restored ecosystem can do for us.  

Brian Pellegrini is the CEO of Restored Ecologies, an ecological restoration company that works across the Eastern US restoring streams, shorelines, and wetlands. Restored Ecologies employs over 120 staff, from scientists to designers to construction crews and operates a native plant nursery.

May 10 (Monday) - Herbs Beyond Enclosures – Jane Aldieri

Church of St. Ann - Father Bennett Hall

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

Well behaved Women never make history and neither have well behaved Herbs ever made history! 

Let’s explore including herbs as companion plants in your existing beds and beyond! We will look at small and large scapes as well as potted Herbs for windowsills and outside patios. 

Jane will introduce some lesser utilized herbs that might not be in your repertoire. She will also bring cuttings of scented geraniums to share to start your own plants! Scented geraniums or pelargoniums, are aromatic herbs with amazing culinary uses.  They often sport beautiful flowers as well, and they are easy to grow.  

Jane Aderi transitioned from 14 hour work days in the corporate field to fun stuff in the garden after she retired in 2017.  She had a long career in the diagnostic imaging industry with experience in clinical, management, and sales roles for companies such as Konica Medical Corporation and Philips Medical Systems. Her lifelong interest in herbs began in the 80’s when she was part of the CT Herb Study Group that met monthly for the study and enjoyment of herbs. Meanwhile she became a “self-taught” floral designer for wedding and events where she incorporated herbs into her designs. After moving to Haddam Neck she joined the Haddam Historical Society, Haddam Neck Fair Association, Bell Town Car Club, and Haddam Land Trust, developing three pollinator gardens in Haddam Neck as part of a larger CT River Valley Pollinator Pathway. She works with The Nature Conservancy in their New Haven office, and currently is Membership Chair of the Herb Society of America CT Unit as well as the Elizabeth Park Chair and Charitable Giving Committee Chair. The HAS-CT Unit maintains a classic herb garden within Elizabeth Park.

May 17 (Monday) Town Hall Planting

Rain Date: May 18 (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 TBD                  Annual Bus Trip

June TBD                  Annual Luncheon