Prior Southborough Gardeners Projects
​Town Beautification
A master plan covers the specific areas where trees, shrubs and/or flowers are planted in accordance with the design. The project was begun in 1983. The Town Common was redesigned using money generated from the sale of Perennial Palette cookbook.
Composting and Conservation Education
The Club published a “Home Composting” brochure in 1992, which was distributed to the Town for many years.
Southborough Open Land Foundation
In 1995, the Club donated $1500 to the Southborough Open Land Foundation (SOLF) to support their efforts to preserve our community’s rural characteristics and picturesque vistas and to help others recognize that there is great beauty in nature’s garden.
Algonquin Regional High School Landscaping
In 1995, in conjunction with the Northborough Garden Club, the Algonquin Parents’ Association, students, and faculty, Club members designed, organized and executed a new landscape plan for the entrance of the school.
The Turenne Wildlife Habitat
In 1996, the Southborough Gardeners donated time to clean up and assist in planting the Turenne Wildlife Habitat, a naturalized landscape on the fringe of a Southborough nature trail. In addition, the Club donated money for a granite bench to be placed in the habitat.
Junior Education
In 1997, in cooperation with the Southborough School System and Larson Associates, Inc., the Gardeners undertook a project to landscape the new Trottier Middle School with trees used each year in the “Seventh Grade Leaf Project”.
Perennial Palette
Begun in 1997, over a three year period, the Gardeners created, published and sold their own cookbook, Perennial Palette. Besides being honored with the 1998 New England Regional Tabasco Award, the cookbook won the Federation of Massachusetts Publication Award (1999) and the National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc. Award (1999). It was featured in the Better Homes and Gardens Hometown Cooking magazine (August, 2000) and in numerous regional newspaper articles. The project raised over $24,000 to be used for the beautification of Southborough (1999-2001). In 2008, 600 copies of the Perennial Palette were reprinted by popular demand.
Heritage Day
In 1999, information about butterflies was distributed at a Butterfly Booth set up by the Southborough Gardeners.
The Southborough Community House
In 2007, in conjunction with Algonquin High School students, the Club participated in a planting project at the Community House. Each spring, the Gardeners donate hanging baskets to beautify the porch of the Community House.
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This is My Town - A Flower Show
In May 2002, the Southborough Gardeners presented This is My Town, a gift to the people of Southborough on the occasion of her 275th birthday. The Standard Flower Show, which was held at St. Mark’s Taft Hall and Choate Lobby, attracted over 700 guests. The entire year was spent in preparation for the show and included numerous optional design workshops and speakers who demonstrated specific design techniques. As a result of the show’s excellence, the Club was asked to submit a Book of Evidence for a Federation Award.
Kitchen and Garden Tour
In June 2008, the Southborough Gardeners held a Kitchen and Garden tour that saw almost 400 visitors. There were 8 kitchens and gardens on tour. The funds raised were used for Town Beautification.
Fay Field
The Southborough Gardeners were involved in the landscaping of the newly renovated recreation area. As a result of the project, the Club awarded the Recreation Committee with the 1999 Town Beautification Award.
Musuem Without Walls
In 2000, at the request of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Betty Meyer mapped out and described the “Historic Trails of Southborough”, which featured historic, cultural and special geological sites.
Art in Bloom
Club members created floral designs to compliment the artwork of students at St. Mark’s School, (1991, 2006, 2009), Algonquin Regional High School (2013, 2016), Trottier Middle School and Neary Elementary School (2018). Exhibits included evening receptions which were open to the townspeople of Southborough.
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Conservation Trail Maps
The Club supported the printing of conservation trail maps of Southborough by the Southborough Open Land Foundation.
Tree Seedlings
The Junior Education Committee distributed over 600 tree seedlings through the Town elementary schools in an effort to educate children on the importance of trees in our environment.