September 2026

Thursday, Sept. 3 

Visiting Gardens Trip  | Long Island’s Gold Coast
8:30 departure
Old Westbury, NY

Tuesday, Sept. 8

Board Meeting 
8:30am Arrival | 9am Start
Karen Perry’s home. 354 Hollow Tree Ridge Road

Wednesday, Sept. 9

Floral Design | Kick-Off Tea
1pm Start
Laurie Orem’s home       43 Noroton Avenue

Thursday, Sept. 10

Conservation | Kick-Off Meeting
5pm Start
Sue Hayes’ home            6 Tanglewood Trail

Monday, Sept 14

Provisionals | Welcome Meeting, Lunch & Workshop
11am-1pm
Susan Ballard’s home 16 Indian Spring Trail

Horticulture | Dahlia Workshop & Hort Kick-Off
4pm Workshop | 5pm Meeting
Ingrid Teschner’s home    5 Tokeneke Trail

Tuesday, Sept. 15

Membership Meeting
9:30am Social | 10am Start
DCA
Program: Alice Ely: “Seed Saving Secrets”

Horticulture | Dahlia Cut Stem Competition
8-8:30am Drop Off

Floral Design | Coffee Can Competition
8:15-8:45am Drop Off

Photography | Exhibition: Favorite Summer Photo

Thursday, Sept 17

Photography Kick-Off Meeting       
5pm Start
Tokeneke Club Picnic Area

Pollinator Pathway | Elise Howard - Plant This, Not That Co-Sponsored with Darien Library, Pollinator Pathway, Green Wave & Darien Land Trust 
7pm Start
Darien Library

Friday, Sept 18

Newsletter | Deadline for October newsletter

Saturday, Sept 19

Horticulture | Trip to Litchfield Flower Show & White Flower Farm
Litchfield

Wednesday, Sept 23

Community Gardens | Welcome Coffee
9:30am
Museum of Darien

Monday, Sept. 28

Zone II Meeting | Set Up                 
9am Start | Volunteers needed
HTMX Industries 27 Seir Hill Rd, Norwalk

Horticulture | Gavel Challenge 
Debby McLean’s home   45 Contentment Island Rd

Tuesday, Sept. 29

Nature’s Pearls ~Garden Club of America Zone II Meeting
HTMX Industries 27 Seir Hill Rd, Norwalk

Floral Design, Botanical Arts and Horticulture entries accepted and passed
9am-12 noon

Guest registration; Flower show drop-off, passing, and floral design assembly
9am-12 noon

Judges luncheon
12 noon

Judges briefing
12:45pm

Judging begins
1pm

Flower show evaluation and refreshments
3pm

Wednesday, September 30

Nature’s Pearls Zone II Meeting & Flower Show
HTMX Industries  27 Seir Hill Rd, Norwalk

Refresh and maintenance of exhibits
8:30-9am

Flower show opens
8:30-9:15am

Flower show closes; all entries must be removed
4pm

October 2026

Monday, Oct. 5

Board Meeting
8:30am Arrival | 9am Start
Kelly Stewart‘s home        24 Point O Woods Road

Pleasure Through Plants | Kick-off Meeting
5:30-7pm
At the home of Alison Kohlmeyer at 23 Westmere Avenue, Rowayton

Tuesday, Oct. 6

Pleasure Through Plants 
10am Set Up
Mather Center & Elderhouse

Floral Design | Niche Workshop
TBD

Thursday, Oct. 8

Visiting Gardens | Trip to Untermyer & Wave Hill
Bronx, NY

Week of Oct. 12

Provisionals | Visit to East Coast Wholesale Flowers
Date and time TBA
1 Muller Avenue, Norwalk

Tuesday, Oct 13 

Community Gardens | Clean-Up  
9am Start (Coffee & Pastries)
Cherry Lawn

Photography | Drop Off                      
11am Deadline
Karen Perry’s home      354 Hollow Tree Ridge

Wednesday, Oct. 14

Joint Membership Meeting with New Canaan Garden Club
9:30am Social | 10am Start
Waveny House             New Canaan

Program: The Therapeutic Power of Nature - Meghann Smith   Founder of Awaken Wellness and Empower Nature  

Floral Design | Niche Competition
8:15-8:45am Drop Off

Photography | Quiet Reflections Competition

Wednesday, Oct. 14

Horticulture | Propagation Workshop        
Immediately Following Meeting
Waveny House             New Canaan

Thursday, Oct. 15

Community Gardens | Clean Up
9am (Coffee & Pastries)
Herb Garden

Monday, October 19-22

2026 Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference
At the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California

Tuesday, Oct. 20

Provisionals | Bulb Forcing Workshop
Copia Nursery            South Salem, NY

Wednesday, Oct. 21

Newsletter | Deadline for November newsletter

Thursday, Oct. 22

Provisionals |GCA Grant Writing 101
Time TBA
via Zoom

Friday, Oct. 23

Photography | Wildlife Sanctuary Walk
8:30am Tailgate | 9am Walk
Cove Island Sanctuary

November 2026

Monday, Nov. 2

Board Meeting
8:30am Arrival | 9am Start
Maeve McGovern’s home. 66 Five Mile River Rd

Provisionals | Ikebana Workshop
Time TBA
Silvermine

Tuesday. Nov. 3

GCA Conservation | Study Conference
Zoom

Thursday, Nov. 5

Zone II Leadership Council Meeting - All Committees should send a chair or representative
Agriculture Station         123 Huntington St         New Haven, CT

Monday, Nov. 9

Photography | Competition Drop Off                      
11am Deadline
Karen Perry’s home         354 Hollow Tree Ridge

Tuesday, Nov. 10

Membership Meeting
9:30am Social | 10am Start
DCA

Program: Dacia Skrobala          Floral Design

Floral Design | Design On A Dime Competition

Photography | Migration Magic Competition

Wednesday, Nov. 11

Community Gardens | Clean Up
4pm ( Wine and Cheese)
Herb Garden

Thursday, Nov. 12

Community Gardens | Clean Up
9am (Coffee and Pastries)
Cherry Lawn

Fundraising | J McLaughlin Event
J McLaughlin, Darien

Friday, Nov. 13

Community Gardens | Clean Up
9am (Coffee and Pastries)
Tilley Pond

GCA Garden History & Design Conference
Zoom

Tuesday, Nov. 17

Pleasure Through Plants
10am Set Up
Mather Center and ElderHouse

November TBA

Thanksgiving Centerpiece Workshop
TBA

Wednesday, Nov. 18

Newsletter | Deadline for December/January newsletter

December

Tuesday, Dec. 1

Pleasure Through Plants
10am Set Up
Mather Center and ElderHouse

Monday, Dec. 7

Board Meeting & Holiday Greens
8:30am Arrival | 9am Start
ASMT Scout Cabin        140 West Avenue

Wednesday, Dec. 9

GCA Holiday Tea
GCA Headquarters          14 E 60th St, NYC

December TBA

Holiday Gathering
Evening Social with Spouses
TBA

December TBA

Outdoor Pots Workshop
TBA

January 2027

Monday, Jan. 4

Board Meeting
9am Start
via Zoom

Tuesday, Jan. 5

Pleasure Through Plants
10am Set Up
Mather Center and ElderHouse

Tuesday, Jan. 12

Membership Meeting
10am Start
via Zoom

Program: TBA

Wednesday, Jan. 20

Newsletter | Deadline for February newsletter

January TBA

Visiting Gardens Movie Night
The Gardener
TBA

January TBA

Floral Design | Winter Blues Workshop
TBA

February 2027

Monday, Feb. 1

Board Meeting 
8:30am Arrival | 9am Start
Carol Glassmeyer’s home      4 Coves End Road

Tuesday, Feb. 2

Pleasure Through Plants
10am Set Up
Mather Center and ElderHouse

Thursday, Feb. 4

GCA Photography Conference
via Zoom

Tuesday, Feb. 9

Membership Meeting
10am Start
via Zoom

Program: TBA

Thursday, Feb. 11

Horticulture | Forced Branch/Bulb Workshop
11am Start
The Gardener’s Center 1396 Post Road

Friday, Feb. 19

Newsletter | Deadline for March newsletter

Thursday, Feb. 25

Horticulture | Book Group - The Orchid Thief
7pm Start
Ingrid Teschner’s home 1 Harbor Road

February TBA

Photography | iPhone Photography Workshop
via Zoom

March 2027

Tuesday, Mar. 2

Pleasure Through Plants
10am Set Up
Mather Center and ElderHouse

Monday, Mar. 8

Photography | Drop Off                      
11am Deadline
Karen Perry’s home      354 Hollow Tree Ridge

Tuesday, Mar. 9

Membership Meeting
9:30am Social | 10am Start
DCA
Program: Joe McNally, National Geographic Photographer

Horticulture | Forced Branch Competition
8-8:30am Drop Off

Floral Design | TBA Competition
8:15-8:45am Drop Off

Photography | The Silent Landscape Competition

Sunday-Wednesday, Mar. 14-17

GCA NAL Conference
Washington, DC with virtual options

Wednesday, March 24

Newsletter | Deadline for April newsletter

April 2027

Monday, Apr. 5

Board Meeting 
8:30am Arrival | 9am Start
Kate Muir’s home      30 Crooked Mile Road

Horticulture | Daffodil Workshop
5pm Start (Wine & Cheese)
Dale O’Brien’s home 394 Brookside Road

Photography | Drop Off                      
11am Deadline
Leslie McCarthy’s home      6 Lantern Lane

Tuesday, Apr. 6

Membership Meeting
9:30am Social | 10am Start
DCA
Program: Brian Reagor, The Billion Oyster Project

Horticulture | Daffodil & Spring Flower Competition
8:15-8:45am Drop Off

Floral Design | TBA Competition
8:15-8:45am Drop Off

Photography | April Showers, May Flowers Competition

Wednesday, Apr. 7

Community Gardens | Clean-Up
9am Start (Coffee & Pastries)
Herb Garden

Thursday, Apr. 8

Community Gardens | Clean-Up
9am Start (Coffee & Pastries)
Tilley Pond

Tuesday, Apr. 13

Pleasure Through Plants
10am Set Up
Mather Center and ElderHouse

Thursday, Apr. 15

Community Gardens | Clean-Up
9am Start (Coffee & Pastries)
Cherry Lawn

Wednesday, Apr. 21

Newsletter | Deadline for May newsletter

May 2027

Monday, May 3

Board Meeting 
8:30am Arrival | 9am Start
Kathleen Weinstock’s home      41 Deepwood Road

Tuesday, May 4

Pleasure Through Plants
10am Set Up
Mather Center and ElderHouse

Monday, May 10

Photography | Drop Off                      
11am Deadline
Karen Perry’s home      354 Hollow Tree Ridge

Tuesday, May 11

Membership Meeting
9:30am Social | 10am Start
DCA
Program: John Michelotti, “Befriending Fungi: Allies of the Forest, Gardens, People and Planet”

Photography | Painted Shores Competition

Horticulture | Division Workshop
Immediately following meeting
DCA

Community Gardens | Group Planting
4pm Start (Wine & Cheese)
Herb Garden

Wednesday, May 19

Newsletter | Deadline for June newsletter

Friday, May 21

Horticulture | Plant Exchange
10am Start
Ginger Morgan’s home 1 Peach Hill Road

May TBA

Art in Bloom | Show & Reception
TBA

June 2027

Monday, June 1

Board Meeting 
8:30am Arrival | 9am Start
Leslie McCarthy’s home      6 Lantern Lane

Tuesday, June 8

Annual Membership Meeting and Luncheon
TBA

Floral Design | Annual Rose Competition
Two classes: Home-grown and store-bought.
Please see the Floral Design landing page for details.

Horticulture | Rose and Early Summer Cut Stem Competition
9:15-9:45am Drop Off
Please see the Horticulture landing page for details.

Photography | 2026-2027 First Place Photo Exhibition

June TBA

Floral Design | Flower Crown Workshop
TBA