The New Canaan Garden Cub has a deep and rich history of civic outreach projects and plantings in town to improve and beautify New Canaan. Even in 1909, NCGC’s founding year, the Garden Club donated two Maple trees to be planted on the front lawn of the recently completed Town Hall. In 1913 NCGC completed the first civic plantings at Center School on South Avenue and for various triangles throughout the Town.
In 1959, NCGC donated the first decorated wreath which was hung on the outside wall of the Post Office. 
We continue this tradition of donating wreaths to the Town with our annual Holiday Greens workshop with the New Canan Beautification League. In 1975, NCGC began its commitment to the newly opened Waveny Care Center by providing floral arrangements and Horticultural Therapy to its residents. We continue these activities today.
Our relationship with the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society began in 1981 with the first restoration of the 18th Century Herb Garden. NCGC continues to tend and make improvements to the Colonial Herb Garden today.
In 1994, NCGC’s President Alice Parker led the Garden Club’s efforts in restoring the Walled Garden at Waveny. This was a massive undertaking that included working with numerous Town officials and conducting a major fundraising campaign. The newly designed and planted “Wedding Garden” is cherished and continues to be tended to by NCGC’s members. Additional large renovations at Waveny 
include the Peony Walk and the Parterre Garden. Recently, in recognition of GCA’s Olmsted 200 Celebration, NCGC replanted a circle in Waveny’s driveway.
The Town of New Canaan acquired Irwin Park in 2005. NCGC was named the stewards of the park overseeing numerous beautification and enhancement projects funded mostly by an endowment given to NCGC by the Irwin family. These projects include – planting over 90 trees and 50,000 daffodil bulbs, installing a gazebo, a dog-friendly drinking fountain, and a children’s garden with a mushroom maze designed by architect Richard Bergmann. NCGC also coordinated the installation of a fully accessible Flexi-Pave permeable pathway that encircles the entire park.
Currently, the Irwin Park Committee has undertaken the Irwin Park Restoration Project to eradicate the invasive weeds and replant with native species to restore ecological balance and support pollinators.
Over the last century, there are few places in New Canaan that have not received attention and care from NCGC members. One-time civic improvements such as the landscaping of 1975 Railroad Station bulkhead at the end of the tracks, and new plantings on Route 123 in 1992 were an amazing benefit to our community at that time. Even the beautiful wrought iron welcome signs on our town’s borders were originally commissioned by NCGC.
NCGC has also partnered with other organizations to bring in high quality speakers, authors and researchers to educate the public on a variety of topics. Noted speakers have included Dr. Paul Alan Cox, Doug Tallamy and Bill McKibben.
In 2023, NCGC held its first Gardens in Bloom Garden Tour to raise funds to support our Civic initiatives. The success of this tour and the one in 2025 has enabled the Club to support a rejuvenation of the Colonial Herb Garden and the Irwin Park Restoration Project.
NCGC has expanded and adjusted its activities since 1909, but the compelling vision that originated over a century ago continues to motivate our members today. These initiatives are all important parts of our tradition as we fulfill our NCGC mission through our shared interest of service to improve and enhance our local community and the world around us.
Colonial Herb Garden
Since 1981, the New Canaan Garden Club (NCGC) has maintained the Colonial Herb Garden at the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society. Designed as an educational space, the Herb Garden is used by museum docents to teach visiting students, about the vital role plants and herbs played in the daily life in the colonies. The garden is open to the public for self-guided exploration.
Flowers on Wheels
In 2018, NCGC members Kris Johnson and Stephanie Radman founded Flowers on Wheels. Having volunteered together for many years delivering meals to clients of Meals on Wheels of New Canaan, they began cutting flowers from their own gardens to bring along with the meals. This small gesture—a single flower—brought joy and comfort to the clients.
Holiday Greens
Since 1960, the Garden Club has convened each holiday season to make large holiday wreaths for our downtown area and buildings. In 1976, NCGC joined forces with the New Canaan Beautification League for this annual project. 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.
Holiday Stroll
New Canaan Garden Club annually decorates trees for the annual Holiday Stroll held in downtown New Canaan prior to the holiday season. The trees surround the stage that features Santa’s arrival and additional festive performances. After the stroll, the trees are donated to the Town’s Social Service department to be given to New Canaan families who otherwise would go with out a tree during the holiday season.
Horticulture Therapy
The Horticultural Therapy Program at Waveny Care Center was established when Waveny opened in 1975. Professionally trained volunteers, including several New Canaan Garden Club members, met weekly with residents to work on plant-related activities. The original program won several awards, including a Certificate of Achievement from the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut in 1981. Horticultural Therapy is known to help focus, mood and motor skills. Well-being is promoted through engaging with nature and the social interaction that takes place among residents and volunteers during the activities.
Tray Touches
NCGC has a history of providing Tray Touches (originally referred to as Tray Favors) to Meals on Wheels clients. Small miniature arrangements are created by our members and delivered to Meals on Wheels clients as well as to the residents of the New Canaan Inn.
Waveny Care Flowers
NCGC’s involvement at Waveny Care Center is longstanding, starting when the center opened in 1975. Championed and nurtured by pioneer flower volunteer and NCGC member Allison Caesar, the volunteer-based flower arranging program has grown over the years. Many local organizations in town are involved and send volunteers at the beginning of each week to create beautiful floral designs to brighten the building and bring joy to the residents. The volunteers return over the following days to change water and freshen the arrangements. These arrangements bring beauty to the dining rooms, reception areas, and various other common areas at Waveny.
Waveny Gardens
The Waveny Walled Garden was originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted’s firm as a formal rose garden. The garden had fallen in disrepair and in 1995 a committee of Garden Club members restored and redesigned the garden as a “Wedding Garden”. Alice Parker, then NCGC President, spearheaded the renovation and fundraising efforts. The design today incorporates roses in a long border along the east side. The remaining three sides, bordered by brick walks, showcase deep herbaceous borders that include perennials, small trees, flowering shrubs, bulbs and annuals.