Spring Market 2025

The annual Spring Market returns Saturday, May 10 at the Potting Shed located behind the Rowayton Community Center from 10 am to 1 pm (rain or shine). It is a wonderland of over 400 hearty and gorgeous perennials donated from our local gardens plus pollinator-friendly plants, herbs and greenhouse-grown veggies, as well as a limited number of fabulous annuals. And don’t miss the Second Hand Rose boutique, loaded with lightly used garden items and home accessories. Plus this year there will be a cafe with a great selection of home baked goods, all wrapped and ready to take home.

Our Master Gardeners will be on hand to help answer any of your garden questions and arborists from Davey Tree will also be there to answer tree and yard questions. Come support our club’s mission of conservation, sharing gardening knowledge and civic beautification through the maintenance of eight community gardens. Special thanks to our sponsor drbank and supporting sponsor Davey Tree Expert Company for their support!

Spring After-School Nature Explorers Series April 23, 30 & May 14, 21

Join us at the Potting Shed at the Rowayton Community Center where, guided by teachers, children will explore nature’s wonders and expand their love of science.

Our spring series will include four programs:

• April 23 – The Wonders of Soil
• April 30 – The Majesty of Trees
• May 14 – The Beauty and Bounty of Flowers
• May 21 – The Ingenuity of Pollinators

Each program will be held after school Wednesdays from 4:00–5:00 pm.

• The programs will be offered as a series (4 classes) or as individual classes.
• Individual classes cost $35 with a discounted fee of $120 for the full series.
• Scholarships to support students are available upon request.

We can only accommodate 15 children (7-10 year olds), so please register as soon as possible. Hope to see you there!

Register and pay online. There are no refunds for classes missed by the students. Should a class be cancelled by the Rowayton Gardeners, there will be a make-up class or refund offered.

Click HERE to sign up!

Questions or need further info? Contact: Elizabeth Harleman (eharleman@gmail.com)

April 2025 Meeting Recap

“Top Five Garden Problems and How to Solve Them” by Karla Dalley

The Rowayton Gardeners and guests turned out on a cold and damp April morning for speaker Karla Dalley’s presentation “Top Five Garden Problems and How to Solve Them” on Thursday, April 3. Karla shared tips and her expertise on a variety of topics with the appreciative audience. Her informative talk was followed by a Q and A session, so everyone could benefit from her experience.

Karla Dalley has been gardening since she was a youngster. A former lawyer, Karla is an avid gardener, lecturer, garden columnist and author of a popular gardening blog, Gardendaze.

Breakfast Food Drive 2025 Recap

THANKS TO ALL who donated food and funds to buy more breakfast goodies for Person to Person, plus all the hardworking Rowayton Gardeners who planned and staffed the event. Here’s the Person to Person van filled with donations – top photo is RG President Bridget Bennett (left) with Food Drive Chair Julie Griffiths and bottom photo (left to right) is Ellen Bobka, Ellen Duggins, Mariann Covello, Bridget Bennett, Julie Griffiths, Sarah Boles and Lisa Lahaussois.

Huge thanks to all of our amazing members that volunteered and donated to this year’s event!

The turnout was fantastic and we collected :
1173 lbs of food
$700 in grocery gift cards
$2200 in donations

Everyone can still give at this link here to make a donation. Please join in this effort to provide nourishing meals for individuals and families who are food insecure in lower Fairfield County!

March 2025 Meeting Recap

“Around the World in 80 Gardens” by Dr. Richard Benfield

The March Rowayton Gardeners’ Program was just the antidote after a cold winter season for the appreciative members and guests who were mesmerized by Dr. Richard Benfield’s presentation “Around the World in 80 Gardens.” (Shown in the first image below with Rowayton Gardeners President Bridget Bennett and Vice President Kevin Tepas at right). The magnificent and colorful photos along with Dr. Benfield’s vast knowledge and repartee, took us on a global sojourn to Singapore, Australia, the Seychelles, the Canary Islands, Europe and the English gardens of Richard’s home country, as well as to unique gardens in Canada and the United States. Dr. Benfield generously brought seed packets for members to take home. It was a memorable morning, to be sure!

Dr. Benfield is the former Chair and Professor of Geography at Central Connecticut State University. His current research interests include biogeography, garden tourism and the use of tourism as a conservation tool through the great botanic gardens of the world.