Page 64 - Wallingford Magazine Issue 53 Early Spring 2025

The Wallingford Garden Club

95 YEARS STRONG

by Karen Ciosek, President
During the Depression, America was steeped in a time of scrimp and
deprivation. On June 9, 1930, Lydia B.S. Hall founded The Walling-
ford Garden Club. Lydia and her 36 members had a vision to educate
themselves and Wallingford with gardening knowledge. They donated
gardening books to the Public Library as well as hosted flower shows.
Those initial steps in 1930 have greatly expanded in 2025 and it is now
known that working with nature provides an improved state of mind
and spirit, a hopeful outlook for the future, a more positive sense of
self, reduced stress, and overall physical benefits.

Ninety-five years later, Lydia’s gardening movement continues its tra- Celebrate Wallingford 2024 (L-R) Linda Burr Vice President and Chair
dition. The Wallingford Garden Club continues to promote community of Celebrate Wlfd, Karen Ciosek President, and Linda Thomas Co-
Chair of Celebrate Wlfd committee
awareness of horticultural practices through speakers at Club meet-
ings (open to the public), youth programs on plants and wildlife at the
Wallingford Public Library, civic garden projects at town gardens, and
environmental and conservation collaboration with the town regard-
ing invasives. In celebration of its 95th anniversary, the Club plans to
launch a campaign, “Keeping It Green” which will lead to our 100th
Anniversary in 2030.

“Keeping It Green” activities include: Festival of Trees committee members at Coalition for a
Better Wallingford November 2024
• May 17 Kick-off WGC Plant Fair and Sale on the Wallingford Green.
Booths include:
✓ Garden tool sharpening / Fresh Air house plants
✓ Go-Native plants/ Perennial favorites
✓ Master Gardener & Tips for Organic Gardening
✓ Garden Treasures/ Hanging baskets
✓ Kids FREE planting and bee bath station
✓ Know CT Invasives and How to Control Them Organically Healing Therapy and Senior Gardening at Skyview
• Renaming of Pond Hill Garden and Crescent Garden Nursing Home. (L-R) Cheryl Solomon, Joellen Nel-
lums, Suzanne Surato, Crissy Besaw, Betty Wilson
• “Fine Arts, Flowers, and Verse” presentation at Wallingford Senior
Center June 6 and 7
• “Celebrate Wallingford” Booth on October 4 and 5 Autumn
wreaths and bulbs, raffle baskets
• Fall planting of daffodil bulbs and companion plantings (WGC mem-
bers will plant them in civic gardens)
• Holiday Tea December 9 (snow date Dec 10) at the WPL (Free to
the public)
• Festive Tea planned for spring or fall 2026 Jeanne Lawrence, Kathy Bryson, Annmarie Wolfer,
MaryEllen Morganti, Wendy Hartley hostesses at the
Hartford Flower Show “Signs of Spring” February 2025

Please join us in these celebratory events. The Wallingford Garden Club has served the town with the best in-
tentions to make Wallingford a wonderful place to live and grow … and we are still going strong after 95 years!

64 Wallingford Magazine - Early Spring 2025