The below information explains our membership and a selection of the programs and projects our club supports. Each of these offerings allow our members to get involved in various aspects of our community. Thank you for your interest in our club!
Monthly Meetings
The Dunbarton Garden Club provides an opportunity for its members to socialize while learning about gardening, planting, pruning and more. You do not need to be a gardening expert to join the club - you just need a desire to learn and share experiences with some fantastic people. It is especially helpful for people new in town that want to connect with their local community.
Our club meets the second Tuesday of each month from April - December, usually at the library/old town hall on the second floor. Please note that occasionally our meetings are at different times or locations, best to check with us via email or on Facebook if you're coming for the first time. The library building is equipped with an elevator, plenty of parking and two restrooms.
Our meetings may take a few different forms, many of our members are willing to host special garden tours and a few times per year we host guest speakers on various gardening topics usually presented by the UNH Cooperative Extension and local master gardeners.
Our members help to maintain and spruce up the town common and support several community activities and events throughout the year.
Town Garden Clean Up and Maintenance
Throughout the spring, summer, and fall our members help with town garden clean up around the center of town. This includes spring cleaning, weeding and watering throughout the summer, and fall clean up.
Annual Fall Mum Sale
Our mum sale each September is our largest fundraising event and requires much support from our community and members. As a non-profit we rely on fundraising and donations to provide funding for the club. Proceeds from the sale help support our annual scholarship, ROOTS Club, and various other activities.
Look for signs around town each August and check Facebook for most up to date info on our next sale. Our sale is commonly held in early to mid September each year, you’ll find many colors of fall mums, asters, cabbage, pumpkins, and more!
The sale is located at Pages Country Store, 15 Concord Stage Rd. (Hwy 77).
We thank the citizens of Dunbarton and surrounding communities for their support each year!
Dunbarton Elementary School Partnership:
ROOTS CLUB
In partnership with the Dunbarton Elementary School, each year, a few members of our garden club host the ROOTS Club. The ROOTS CLUB has been designed and structured for students in grades 1-6 with a mission of encouraging and developing respect and appreciation in elementary school students for the outdoors and the environment. The club’s concentration in fostering these interests is plants and gardening.
Each year we have approximately forty students enjoying the program which hosts a variety of exciting activities for the students. In 2024, at the Easter Bunny Breakfast the ROOTS Program held a seed planting activity: It was called "Bunny Pots." The kids filled a peat pot that looked like a bunny with soil and some flower seeds. They watch the flower grow until it can be transplanted into their gardens at home.
The ROOTS Club maintains several gardens at the school which they help to weed, plant, water, and maintain. Fostering these hands on activities helps to teach our local students about gardening, weather, soil, teamwork, commitment and so much more.
Every fall, the ROOTS Club enjoys decorating and highlighting jack-o-lanterns for the town to enjoy. As winter approaches, the students decorate the Town Commons holiday tree. This activity requires several supplies for them to create nature-themed ornaments. They often gather and use natural materials they have collected outside for this project. Around the start of the year, The Dunbarton Garden Club gifts each class at Dunbarton Elementary School an indoor gardening project to welcome the new year. Every class is provided with a kit that includes an Amaryllis bulb and planting supplies. The project has been well received by the teachers and students and will spark incredible interest in plants, gardening, and the environment. It is a lovely way to begin the new year, observing the growth of a beautiful Amaryllis flower.
These are a few examples of the amazing projects the Dunbarton Elementary School (DES) does with the support of the Garden Club. We are immensely proud to be part of this special program. Thank you to our dedicated members and staff and faculty at Dunbarton Elementary and in particular, Sharon Conway and Molly Kemp, for leading these projects and creating such memorable and meaningful activities for our students.
DUNBARTON - A GREAT PLACE TO GROW!
Wreaths Across Dunbarton
Each December, volunteers organize a ceremony to place remembrance wreaths on veterans' graves at town cemeteries, honoring their service for National Wreaths Across America Day.
Throughout the year, Dunbarton Garden Club and other volunteers raise funds to sponsor purchasing wreaths. In December, a ceremony is held at the Caleb Stark statue on the Town Common to kick off the wreath-laying. Volunteers then place a wreath on each veteran's grave in Dunbarton's cemeteries. The local effort often involves groups like the New Hampshire Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), which invites its members to participate.
The Wreaths across Dunbarton program brings our community together to recognize the service of veterans while honoring fallen service members and their families. Additionally, teaching our next generation about the value of freedom and the sacrifices made to protect it.
Mentoring Program For Club MemberS
We are excited to offer our members the chance to receive valuable suggestions and tutorials from our own experienced gardeners. Interested members are paired with experienced gardeners who conduct site evaluations, answer questions, and assist with garden planning and plant selection. After an initial survey and meeting, goals are set, and a schedule is arranged for the mentor and mentee to stay in touch throughout the gardening seasons.
This initiative is designed to enhance our members gardening skills and knowledge, and we are thrilled to see the positive impact it has already made.
Old Home Day
You will find us volunteering and participating in the parade at our annual Dunbarton Old Home Day, stop by and say hi!