Events
The Garden Club meets the first Thursday of each month from September through June, except in January. Our meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. at the 1910 Building Annex at 381 Main Street, West Newbury, MA. Exceptions to the date and time are noted below. Refreshments are served and guests are always welcome. There is a $5 guest fee when we have a speaker.
Below are the programs and events for the 2026-2027 season.
September
Thursday, September 3, 2026 6:30 p.m.
1910 Building Annex, 381 Main Street, West Newbury
Welcome Back Potluck Dinner and Slide Show
Help ring in our new year with a potluck dinner. We will revisit our 90th anniversary slide show – a wonderful walk down memory lane.
October
Thursday, October 1, 2026 6:30 p.m.
1910 Building Annex, 381 Main Street, West Newbury
Heather Crowe Connor: Growing Your Garden Strength
Everyone faces physical challenges with mobility and strength which can affect our ability to garden. Hand strength, lifting, bending, kneeling, and even what to do when you’ve “done too much” will be the focus of this presentation. Whether you chose to sit or stand, Heather will lead us in activities designed to move with less pain and more ease in the garden. There will be time for members to share their own tips and favorite garden tools.
Heather Crowe Conner is a Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach. She is a long-time member of the Garden Club, a 25-year resident of West Newbury and former professional tennis player on the WTA tour. Successful recovery from surgeries and injuries is an area of expertise.
November
Thursday, November 5, 2026 6:30 p.m.
1910 Building Annex, 381 Main Street, West Newbury
Karen Fitzgerald: Inside the Tournament of Roses Parade
Karen will explain the history of this traditional New Year’s celebration, the fascinating behind the scenes work and logistics that go into creating this parade. Close up photographs of the floats which use all natural materials at the "Float Fest" will be presented, showcasing the spectacular beauty of flowers.
Karen earned a certificate in Floriculture from the Essex Agricultural and Technical Institute. A volunteer at the Art in Blom exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston since 2021, she also creates the large floral arrangements that grace the entrance, the information desk and the courtyard restaurant. She is a member of the Marblehead Garden Club.
December
Thursday, December 3, 2026 6:30 p.m.
1910 Building Annex, 381 Main Street, West Newbury
Holiday Wreath and Table Arrangements
This community service evening is aways one of our favorite meetings where we create wreaths and holiday arrangements for town buildings and the residents of the West Newbury Community Housing. Please come with items to decorate the wreaths such as ornaments, bows and greens. Glue guns are also needed.
February
Thursday, February 4, 2027 6:30 p.m.
1910 Building Annex, 381 Main Street, West Newbury
John Forti: Traditional Plants & Skills for the Modern World
John will share inspiration from our long history with native and heirloom plants, while exploring the richness that comes from practicing backyard environmentalism, seasonal living and gardening as a craft.
John Forti is a nationally recognized lecturer, garden historian, ethnobotanist and garden writer. He is the Executive Director of Bedrock Gardens in Lee, NH. Before this position, he was the Director of Horticulture for the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. He previously served as the Curator/Director of Historic Landscapes at Strawbery Bank, and as the Director of Horticulture at Plimoth Plantation Museum.
March
Thursday, March 5, 2026 6:30 p.m.
1910 Building Annex, 381 Main Street, West Newbury
Kathy Mandeville: Ticks and Mosquitos and Poison Ivy, Oh My!
As we start our gardening season, long time garden club member Kathy Mandeville will review tips to keep ourselves safe from worrisome insects and plants.
Kathy’s gardening started with a packet of nasturtium seeds and sack of summer bulbs where she learned by trial and error. She served as president of our garden club from 2016 to 2021. She achieved Principal Master Gardener status in 2023. In 2024, Kathy was honored by the Massachusetts Federation of Garden Club’s Unsung Hero Award “for outstanding service and dedication to the West Newbury Garden Club”.
April
Thursday, April 1, 2027 6:30 p.m.
1910 Building Annex, 381 Main Street, West Newbury
Nancy Pau: Bountiful by Nature: Foraging Food Fellow garden club member Nancy Pau will share wild edible plants that can be found in our neighborhoods and in our gardens. She will go over identification, harvesting, and favorite recipes.
Nancy Pau is a Wildlife Biologist and a member of the WNGC since 2012. She grew up foraging on a small island in China and was thrilled to find familiar plants in the US (currants, raspberries, plantain). Nancy tries to grow many wild foods in her garden to rewild her yard and to make foraging easier.
May
Thursday, May 6, 2027 6:30 p.m.
1910 Building Annex, 381 Main Street, West Newbury
Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner
Please join us for our bountiful and delicious end of the year potluck and annual meeting where we will elect our new Board of Directors.
June
Thursday, June 3, 2027 6:30 p.m.
1910 Building Annex, 381 Main Street, West Newbury
Joan Butler: Designing Shady Garden Retreats This presentation explores a variety of intriguing gardens that will inspire you to create your own shady retreats. Learn about design techniques and strategies to light up shady corners, highlight unusual plants that thrive in low-light conditions, and illustrate the creative use of art objects, seating and water features.
Joan has presented programs at botanic gardens, flower shows, numerous garden clubs and libraries in the northeast. She has a Certificate in Landscape Management from UMass. and is a Master Gardener, a former Chairperson of the Massachusetts Landscape Design Council, a member of the Garden Consultants Council and an Accredited Life Flower Show Judge.