Civic Activities and Memorial Scholarship
Harriet Koons Memorial Scholarship
The club awards a $1000 scholarship annually to a Southbury resident who is enrolled in an accredited institution, and is majoring in horticulture or a related field of study. The major must reflect the club’s goals of promoting horticulture, conservation and/or the creative use of plant material.
The scholarship is also available for adult learners who are seeking continuing education in flower design, horticulture, or a related field.
Please contact Scholarship Chair Helen Smith at 203-405 6304 or at portlandgh@yahoo.com for full details.
Click here for the application form, which is also available at the Southbury Public Library.
Southbury Green (Regency Centers)
Southbury Plaza (Gatto Development)
Donations to Safe Haven
The Club makes donations of essential items and gifts twice a year to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault staying at the Safe Haven shelter.
Here, Garden Therapy Chairperson Joanna DaSilva loads her SUV to transport the gifts.
National Garden Week
National Garden Week is celebrated each year in June.
SGC participated in 2019 with an official proclamation recognizing the importance of gardening and the many contributions of the Southbury Garden Club, the National Garden Clubs, Inc., and all gardeners.
First Selectman Jeffery Manville signed the proclamation, which acknowledged that gardeners contribute: beauty and nutrition by growing herbs, vegetables, foliage and flowers; preserve the country’s spirit of independence and hard work; strive for a balanced and productive ecology; promote a healthy lifestyle that lasts a lifetime and make a difference in their communities worldwide.
The club also displayed plants and garden-related books throughout the Southbury Public Library.
Civic Awards
SGC is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Civic Awards for Exceptional Plantings and Landscaping:
· Newcomer Category: Willie’s Automotive
· Independent Category: Lake Wine & Spirits
· Corporate Category: Southbury Green (Regency Centers)
· Continuing Excellence: Southbury Plaza (Gatto Development)
The club recognizes and thanks these businesses for contributing to the beautification of Southbury.
Youth Activities
Chairperson Helen Smith organizes several hands-on workshops for children each year.
Willie’s Automotive
Lake Wine & Spirits
Southbury Gardens
SGC maintains a produce garden for donation to the local food bank at Heritage Village, an herb garden at the Bent of the River Audubon Center, and other gardens at Ewald and Ballantine Parks.
Pollinator Garden at Settlers Park
The SGC's Pollinator Garden at Settlers Park provides a tranquil spot for local residents to escape stress in a beautiful natural setting.
The garden not only provides a beautiful spot to observe pollinators up close, but the covered bulletin board features important educational materials explaining the need for such a project. A second pollinator garden is being planned for Town Hall in 2024.
President Elizabeth Berlenbach and First Selectman Jeffrey Manville officially dedicated the Pollinator Garden on June 24, 2019 while a large group of club members and local residents looked on.
This exciting project, designed to celebrate the SGC’s 60th anniversary of civic involvement in the area, addresses the important issue of pollinator decline due to habitat loss, use of pesticides and other environmental factors and provides a habitat for these important birds, bees, butterflies and other insects who play such a vital role in the human food chain. The new garden consists of native plants and no invasive species, reflecting the motto of the 2019 president of the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc..
As you enter Settlers Park the garden is located at the first right turn just beyond the horse farm’s paddocks. There is a small parking lot and a large covered bulletin board to mark the spot. It is at the trailhead of a bucolic walking trail and is a wonderful addition to the community. If you haven’t been there yet, it is certainly worth a visit.
AN OAK TREE GROWS IN SOUTHBURY...
The Southbury Garden Club purchased a northern red oak tree and donated it to the Town of Southbury. The northern red oak is an adaptable, widely planted species with a rapid growth rate. It will reach a height of 60 to 70 feet and a spread of 40 to 60 feet when fully grown.
Past President Cheryl Smith, said: “Planting a tree is a symbol of hope because it will be enjoyed by future generations and the club hopes area residents will enjoy this tree for many years to come.”
With help from the Town of Southbury Public Works Department Director John Cottell, Public Works Foreman Jim Sugden, and his hard-working crew, the tree was planted on a hill in Community House Park in late spring. A plaque commemorating the event will be added later.
The inspiration for the tree occurred when Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut Past President Jane Waugh installed the new Southbury Garden Club officers and inspired us with her passion for trees.
During her two year tenure Jane chose the theme “Growing Together: Tiny Acorns to Mighty Oaks,” a program encouraging clubs to plants native oaks trees in their communities. She reminded us we don’t plant trees for ourselves, but for future generations. Jane observed: “We have planted a forest of oaks across the state. A lot of tiny acorns are on their way to becoming mighty oaks!”
The program resulted in approximately one hundred new oak trees in communities across the state.
The Southbury Garden Club is a non-profit group and undertakes many civic projects benefitting the local area.
