A Spring Chat w/Milford Garden Club

The Milford Garden Club has long been a fixture of Milford. When was it first started and how has the club changed over the years?

Our club began in 1929. There were quite a few requirements to join and you had to go through an interview to see if you were up to snuff. There was actually a waiting list to get in! Over the years we have contributed to many project in Milford and we have extensive records that date back over the decades.  

If anyone would care to see the newspaper articles and photos I would be glad to show them. They are a part of our City's History. As you can well imagine many things have changed since 1929 and our Club reflects that change.  

We come from all walks of life. Some are  schoolteachers, nurses, artists,authors, scientists and we even have a former flight attendant! Basically our love of gardening, curiosity about current trends in gardening and the environment are what draw us all together in one cohesive unit. 

You don't have to have a garden to join and you don't have to have a green thumb. Its a learning process! I often think there is a thread connecting the current membership to the past in that we all love the City of Milford and care deeply about retaining its natural beauty as did the members back at the founding of our Club eighty six years ago. 

People often like to know what flowers would be best to grown in their garden at home. Do you have any recommendations or personal favorites?

Personally I like the easiest maintenance-free garden possible. Things like bulbs for the spring and fall( daffodils narcissus ), lavender and herbs for the summer, and native trees and shrubs such as Franklina and eastern Redbud (cercis canadensis) come to mind.

Our Club maintains a native plant garden in front of the Milford Public Library. We have labeled the plants so if anyone sees one that is appealing to them, drop by and take a look to see which one you like. 

The garden of native plants requires little maintenance...watering and perhaps a bit of compost at the start of the season. And of course weeding is important too. Annuals are always fun to "fill in" your open spots. I would caution the public not to purchase the impatience plants this year as there is a disease circulating which kills them off.  Why be frustrated? 

Pick something that has a chance to live happily in your garden. Pay attention to sunshine, soil and growing conditions when you plant your garden. And the good news is...even if you "fail" one year, you always have the next year to retool and try again. Gardeners are usually patient people in that regard. We know there is always next year. 

What happens at a typical Milford Garden Club meeting? How would one go about joining the club? 

At a typical meeting we discuss our committee work, planned projects and environmental concerns. We do bring in samples of horticulture from our gardens or even houseplants. Several members of our club are federated flower show judges and so they can "critique" the plants. We also do floral design. 

It's a learning process for all of us and actually it can be quite a lot of fun. We had a Flower Show last year at the Milford  Historical Society where several hundred people from Milford came and saw what the Garden Club is all about. It was really quite special. We maintain a garden at the MHS as well.  We usually have a speaker from outside the Club who shares information and creative ideas that have to do with gardening, flowers, or a related topic.  

Our members take turns on a hospitality committee so each month we do have spectacular lunches.  Its simple to join the club.  Just come to a meeting and see if you like it . Contact our membership chair  203 874-7470 or check out our website www.milfordctgardenclub.org. We meet from September to June on the second Tuesday of the month.  You can get more details from our membership chair. 

What advice do you have for people who want to become involved with gardening, but feel that they don't have enough time for another activity?

It's not rocket science. Start small with a potted plant on your deck or on your balcony if you live in a condo.  Plant tomato, herbs and some flowers. Water and watch the fun begin. Don't be afraid to make a mistake. Start small and you will get a great deal of satisfaction. 

I would like to invite the public to our annual May Market Saturday May 11 at 9:00 am. The Fowler Pavilion behind the Library will be the place you can get homegrown perennials from our members gardens, delicious  home baked goods, speciality crafts that will delight for Mothers Day, and much more!

If you purchase a plant we will be gift wrapping it at no charge for Mothers Day! A special garden tuteur among other wonderful surprises will be going home with some lucky attendee.  

We will have a Membership Table to answer all your club  questions, and a Master Gardener Table for all your gardening questions.  Please come and support the Milford Garden Club.

Also, the Milford Garden Club offers scholarships to graduating seniors. Last year we gave two scholarships to two seniors one from Jonathan Law and one from Foran high school.