Sudbury Garden Club
PROGRAMS & WORKSHOPS
PROGRAMS:
The Club's membership year runs from September to June. We are proud to offer to our members and guests an interesting and informative garden-related program each month, presented by an expert in the topic. We typically meets the second Wednesday of each month. Most meetings start at 9:30AM, with a brief business agenda, at the Memorial Congregational Church (MCC). Be sure to check each month’s listing since times and locations may vary. Typically, one meeting each year is held on Zoom. Each meeting begins with a social period and light refreshments, followed by a business meeting, and then our featured speaker and program. The public is invited to join us at 10:30AM to enjoy the programs. (We follow the Sudbury School System’s weather-related decisions. If school is delayed or cancelled, our meeting is cancelled. Members will receive notification by email, text or phone.)
WORSHOPS:
In addition to the monthly programs, the Club also offers garden-related workshops. Workshops are fun, hands-on learning opportunities, led by expert guests. To maximize the experience, each workshop is typically limited to a small group. As such, members will receive priority and a discount in purchasing tickets. When tickets become available, look for and click on the "EVENTS" tab on the website menu to purchase.
BOARD MEETINGS:
All members are invited to attend Board meetings which are typically held on the fourth Wednesday of the month.
Welcome Back
September 9, 2026
9:30-11:30 AM
Wolbach Farm
Join us as we gather in the barn at Sudbury Valley Trustees - Wolbach Farm and greet each other with lively chatter about summer blooms and adventures. We will enjoy treats and drinks provided by SVT in appreciation of the beautiful arrangements Sudbury Garden Club provided at their annual fundraiser. After a brief Club update, an expert guide will lead us on a tour of the property’s sustainable plantings.
Workshop: Hands-on Hypertufa
September 22, 2026
4:00-5:30 PM
Memorial Congregational Church
Cost:
Members $15/Non-members $20
Get ready to get your hands dirty at our Hands-On Hypertufa Workshop! Hosted by fellow garden club members, this small-group session is the perfect way to craft your own rustic, custom garden container. In this casual workshop, our members will guide you step-by-step through mixing the materials and packing the molds. You will leave with your very own unique, weather-hardy planter and the skills to make more at home.
Bulbs for All Seasons: Selection and Care
October 14, 2026
9:30-11:30AM
Ever wondered which bulbs to plant for year-round interest, including Spring, Summer, Fall and indoors? Learn how to select quality bulbs and explore the differences between true bulbs, corms, rhizomes and tubers. Topics include planting techniques, seasonal timing and distinguishing between hardy and tender types. The goal is to support informed selection and care for a range of bulb plants well beyond the most common varieties.
Award-winning horticulturist and Mass Horticultural Society educator, Melissa Pace has competed nationwide since 2003, from the Philadelphia Flower Show to specialized succulent showcases. As a URI Master member, she has shared her plant expertise for over 30 years. Her engaging presentations mix practical insights with passion, captivating local garden clubs and national conferences alike.
No Good Food Left Behind:
Boston Area Gleaners' Story & Food Drive
November 4, 2026
9:30-11:30 AM
Memorial Congregational Church
Boston Area Gleaners is a regional food systems organization working at the intersection of farming, food waste and food security. Their mission is to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables across our communities while supporting our region’s farms and reducing systemic food waste. Jalila Waller will share more details about the organization’s mission, background, programs, and volunteering opportunities.
Jalila is the Communications & Outreach Coordinator for the Boston Area Gleaners and has been with the organization since August 2024. She graduated from Bridgewater State University with a degree in communications and loves sharing the Gleaners’ mission and story with audiences and working towards a more equitable local food system for all!
SGC is also doing an optional food drive as part of this meeting. If you are able, please bring non-perishable, non-expired foods to help those in need.
Holiday Party
December 9, 2026
Time TBD
Location TBD
Sorry, members only!
Reviving Colonial Gardens
January 13, 2027
7:00 PM
Zoom meeting
As America celebrates its 250th birthday, look back at how we honored our historic roots a century ago. Discover how one gardener landed in the right place at the right time, just as the 1920s historic preservation movement gained momentum. This era sparked a sudden demand for gardens that were designed in the imagined style of our colonial ancestors to complement restored historic houses. In this engaging lecture, you will enjoy colorful slides highlighting the exact plants and layouts she utilized.
As a historian with experience in fine gardening, sales and management, Priscilla Hutt Williams founded and ran Pumpkin Brook Organic Gardening for 22 years. She also co-authored the first U.S. organic landscape standards with NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association). Her career includes speaking engagements for the NOFA Organic Land Care Program, garden clubs and historical societies.
What's Wrong with my Houseplant?
February 3, 2027
9:30-11:30 AM
Memorial
Congregational
Church
As with our outdoor gardens, many things can go wrong when you grow plants indoors. Learn the factors that make for happy houseplants - including light, water, and soil - and how to provide them. Common houseplant pests and diseases are also on the agenda, as well as how to treat them.
Bonnie Power is a Lifetime Massachusetts Master Gardener, joining in 2016, and an MMGA Speakers Bureau member since 2018. Bonnie serves on the MGA Soil pH Testing team and spent 15 years volunteering as a guide at the Native Plant Trust's Garden in the Woods. At her Marlborough home, she draws on a lifetime of experience to grow a variety of vegetables and organic ornamentals, with a strong bias for native plants.
Workshop: Sowing Seeds with Tia
February 10, 2027
2:00 PM
MCC Ames Hall
Details to follow.
Movie Day: The Buzz on Native Plants
March 10, 2027
9:30-11:30 AM
Maynard Fine Arts Theater
19 Summer Street
Joint Meeting with Thursday Garden Club (Members Only.)
For our Annual Joint Meeting with the Thursday Garden Club of Sudbury we will be gathering at the Maynard Fine Arts Theater to watch the movie, The Buzz on Native Plants. This movie explores the relationship between native plants and pollinators and how they can benefit local ecosystems in our ever-changing climate. The goal of the film is to raise awareness about the importance of biodiverse native ecosystems.
We will have some time to mingle and hold a short business meeting. The Thursday Garden Club will be supplying refreshments to enjoy during the film.
Establishing a Home Herb Garden
April 14, 2027
9:30-11:30 PM
Memorial
Congregational
Church
Herb gardening has been popular for centuries, but herbs were not grown solely for culinary use, as we think of them today. Herbs were used for medicine, dying cloths, keeping clothes and house fresh, among many other things. We will explore the world of herbs and look at a modern-day herb garden.
Kathi Gariepy is a former special needs preschool and kindergarten teacher who has been gardening since she was a child. She is a Lifetime Master Gardener with the Massachusetts Master Gardener Association. She is also the recipient of the MMGA’s Lifetime Achievement Award (the Golden Trowel). She owns the garden design company Pleasant Vistas. Kathi lives in an old farmhouse with perennial borders, herb gardens, a vegetable garden, grapes,
blueberries, raspberries and some very old, still-producing, apple trees.
Petals and Plans: Future Programs, Plant Sale, and Flower Bar
May 19, 2027
9:30-11:30 AM
Memorial
Congregational
Church
Join us for "Petals & Plans," a lively morning of creativity and collaboration! We are gathering to map out our club’s exciting future, and your voice is essential. Over a selection of delicious small bites, we will break into casual, small groups to brainstorm upcoming monthly programs and review strategies for both our past and future plant sales.
The highlight of the morning will be our interactive Flower Bar, where you will have a chance to channel your inner florist, by selecting fresh, vibrant stems and designing a custom bouquet to take home. Whether you are bursting with new workshop ideas or just want to socialize with fellow plant lovers, this meeting balances productive club planning with hands-on floral fun.
Bring your appetite, your best ideas, and your passion for all things green.
Let’s cultivate a fantastic year ahead together!
Annual Meeting
June 9, 2026
Time: TBD
Place: TBD
Members only!