News

HOW LUCKY ARE WE! The rain held off for all the shoppers at our annual Spring Market sale Saturday, May 9 – thanks to all who came and shopped at our annual fundraiser. The event benefits our club’s mission of conservation, sharing gardening knowledge and civic beautification through the maintenance of eight community gardens. Special thanks to sponsors Davey Tree Expert, drbank and Reynolds Farms Nursery for their support.

The Rowayton Gardeners’ after-school nature program is back for a second session! Join us at the Potting Shed to explore nature’s wonders. Guided by instructors, children ages 7 – 10 years will learn about the interdependence between people, animals and plants.

Our second spring series will include two programs:

• May 20 – Flower Superpowers
• May 27 – Talking Plants

Each program will be held after school these two Wednesdays at 4–5:15 pm.

• The programs will only be offered as a series (2 classes)
• The cost of the series is $70
• Scholarships to support students are available upon request

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

The Rowayton Gardeners ushered in the month of April with a presentation by Laura Green, Research and Extension Forester for the Yale Forests at the Yale School of the Environment. Her program “Our Changing Forests: Past, Present, and Future in Connecticut’s Woods” gave great insights on the state of our region’s woodlands. Laura manages over 10,000 acres of forestland across three states – her work emphasizes the overlooked components of forest ecosystems and the connection between land management and wildlife. Laura’s presentation was exceptionally informative, evidenced by the high level of audience engagement and numerous follow-up questions!

THANKS TO ALL who donated food and funds to buy more breakfast goodies for Person to Person plus the hardworking Rowayton Gardeners who worked hard on Friday and Saturday during the Rowayton Civic Association Egg Hunt. Here’s a photo recap – taking donations and loading up the van with food.

Click here to make a donation!

The Rowayton Gardeners’ after-school nature program is back in action! Join us at the Potting Shed to explore nature’s wonders. Guided by instructors, children will learn about the interdependence between people, animals and plants.

Our spring series will kick off on Earth Day and focus on:

• April 22 – Seasons, Seeds & the Water Cycle
• April 29 – The Magnificent of Trees 

Each program will be held after school these two Wednesdays at 4–5:15 pm.

• The programs will only be offered as a series (2 classes)
• The cost of the series is $70
• Scholarships to support students are available upon request

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

The Rowayton Gardeners March General Meeting was well attended despite the rainy weather! Members and guests were enthralled with Debra Kaye’s program “The TLC Approach to Gardening: There’s Always a Fix” and story of her life from business executive to one of the country’s top dahlia growers. Debra’s talk with stunning images captured the spirit of renewal and transported us to springtime.

Joy Dibiase’s presentation, “Houseplant Care: the Winter Edition” hit all the right notes on a sunny but cold morning, for the Rowayton Gardeners’ February program. Houseplant guru and Greenhouse Manager at The Gardener’s Center in Darien, Joy shared great tips on caring for our houseplants during the colder months of the year and turned members myriad of questions into learning moments for an eager audience. Seven beautiful and healthy houseplants donated by the Gardeners Center and a floral arrangement curated by member Calista O’Brien, made for coveted door prize drawings. The delicious refreshments provided by our Hospitality Committee were warmly received.

Happy New Year! 55 members turned out for our January New Year Kick-off Brunch with delicious savory and sweet offerings as well as good company. The group watched an inspiring retrospective video featuring RG highlights of 2025 (see link below) and debuted the “Sowing Seeds for Tomorrow” initiative for 2026.

The Rowayton Gardeners annual Christmas Market was the place to be on Saturday, December 6! Thanks to all who came and shopped our festive decor in Pinkney Park plus sponsor Fairfield County Bank and supporting sponsors Howard & Gay Insurance, Tammy Langalis & Katie Sparkman with William Raveis. Happy Holidays!!