Since 1960, the Garden Club has convened each December to make large holiday wreaths for our downtown area and buildings. In 1976, we joined forces with the New Canaan Beautification League. As a result of this collaboration, we have expanded our wreath-making efforts, and our beautiful wreaths now adorn the entrances to Town Hall, the Police Department, the Library, the Train Station, and the Nature Center.
The Holiday Arrangements for Meals on Wheels and the New Canaan Inn developed three years ago as a natural extension of the annual Christmas Wreath Making workshop. Using the small greens pieces left from the large wreaths made for public Town Buildings, we create miniature arrangements for Meals on Wheels trays and centerpieces for dining tables at the New Canaan Inn. Simple floral arrangements made with greens combined with flowers bring holiday cheer early in the season to many senior and homebound citizens.
The November meeting of the New Canaan Garden Club was a joint meeting with the Darien Garden Club. Members of both clubs gathered at Waveny House and were thoroughly entertained and educated by renown floral designer Ariella Chezar, author of Seasonal Flower Arranging and The Flower Workshop.
Kris Johnson and Stephanie Radman had been delivering meals to the Meals on Wheels of New Canaan clients for the past few years. A few years ago, they took it upon themselves to cut flowers from their own gardens to give to the Meals on Wheels clients when they delivered the meals. The small gift of a single flower really meant a lot to the Meals on Wheels clients. The flowers brought big smiles to their faces and made a real difference in their lives.
The Holiday Arrangements for Meals on Wheels and the New Canaan Inn developed three years ago as a natural extension of the annual Christmas Wreath Making workshop. Using the small greens pieces left from the large wreaths made for public Town Buildings, we create miniature arrangements for Meals on Wheels trays and centerpieces for dining tables at the New Canaan Inn. Simple floral arrangements made with greens combined with flowers bring holiday cheer early in the season to many senior and homebound citizens.
Each year Garden Club members decorate trees and wreaths for the annual Holiday Stroll held in downtown New Canaan prior to the holiday season. The trees surround the stage for Santa’s arrival and the wreaths decorate the New Canaan Playhouse windows. After the Stroll, the trees are donated to the town’s Social Services for New Canaan families in need.
Funds were raised in the spring of 2013 to help restore the Peony Walk in Waveny Park. The first phase consisted of simply clearing masses of weeds and extraneous plant material from the peony beds and trimming dead wood and weeding under the row of Japanese maples opposite the peonies. Near the fountain we had the Barberry thorn and dead Miss Kim lilacs removed and replaced them with small boxwood and holly according to a plan drawn up by NCGC’s own Laura Case.