BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Garden Club - ECPv6.18.3.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.mainegardenclubs.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Garden Club REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20270314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20271107T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20280312T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20281105T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260818T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260818T203000 DTSTAMP:20260819T141256Z CREATED:20260807T040207Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260819T141256Z UID:10000116-1787074200-1787085000@www.mainegardenclubs.org SUMMARY:Mt. Blue Area Garden Club Public Garden Tour ~ A New Palette for Creativity DESCRIPTION:The Mt. Blue Area Garden Club invites the public to tour the gardens of Laura Bogardus and Thomas Sorensen on Tuesday\, August 18\, beginning at 5:30 p.m.\, at 132 Morrison Hill Road\, Farmington. This is the final stop in the club’s summer garden tour series and\, like all the tours\, is free and open to the public. \nMembers and guests are invited to spend a summer evening exploring a remarkable landscape that has evolved over the past five years into an ambitious blend of ornamental gardens\, productive vegetable beds\, meadows\, and woodland paths. \nBoth Laura and Tom bring extensive horticultural experience to their property. Laura is a certified landscape designer\, a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a degree in Plant and Soil Science and Sustainable Agriculture\, and has worked in both fine gardening and commercial vegetable production. Tom has designed landscapes for numerous new homes and\, as an artist\, has embraced gardening as “a new palette” for creative expression. Together\, they serve as Natural Resource Stewards through the University of New Hampshire Extension and share a deep appreciation for the natural world. \nTheir Maine journey began in 2022 when they purchased Laura’s childhood home from her mother’s estate. The property already featured an established vegetable garden and scattered flower beds\, but the couple quickly recognized its extraordinary potential. \n“We knew right away we had a property where we could have multiple gardens\,” Laura recalls. \nThey began by transplanting countless divisions of favorite plants from their previous home in New Hampshire\, discovering that Maine’s fertile soil rewarded them almost immediately. “Within the first year\, our plants doubled in size due to the fertility of the land\,” Tom says. \nEach season has brought new additions. A shade garden and flowering hedges were followed by winding paths through open fields\, expanded ornamental borders\, additional garden rooms\, and a larger vegetable garden in one of the property’s sunniest locations. \nToday\, visitors will find gardens designed to encourage exploration\, with each path inviting them to pause\, enjoy a view\, or discover what lies around the next bend. \n“Our aspiration is to create European Renaissance-inspired gardens that make use of the property’s generous open spaces while blending native plants with ornamental and hybridized varieties\,” Tom says. \nTom designs and builds the pathways\, maintains the meadows\, lawns\, and trees\, and thoughtfully frames vistas that invite visitors to pause and take in the scenery. Laura oversees the flowers and vegetable gardens while managing the planning and record-keeping that supports the property’s continued evolution. \nFor Laura and Tom\, the gardens are less a finished masterpiece than an ever-evolving canvas. Their vision includes expanding the woodland trails and\, someday\, creating an off-grid retreat where others can enjoy the landscape they continue to shape. \nPlan to arrive at 5:30 p.m. to mingle with fellow gardening enthusiasts and enjoy complimentary refreshments before the guided tour begins promptly at 6:00 p.m. Be sure to dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes as the tour includes exploring outdoor gardens and pathways. Attendees may wish to bring a folding chair for the introductory portion of the program. Note also that parking is limited in the shared driveway\, so carpooling is encouraged. \nGuests and members are also invited to participate in MBAGC’s optional summer plant swap tradition. Those wishing to participate are encouraged to bring a responsibly propagated plant\, rooted division\, or seedling from their own garden to exchange with fellow attendees. Plants should be healthy\, free of invasive species\, and never collected from wild native plant populations or sensitive habitats. The swap is entirely optional\, and everyone is welcome to browse\, ask questions\, and enjoy sharing gardening knowledge. \nAll community members interested in gardening\, sustainability\, and beautiful landscapes are encouraged to attend. For more information about this and other events\, visit www.mtbluegardenclub.org or email mtbluegardenclub@gmail.com. URL:https://www.mainegardenclubs.org/event/mt-blue-area-garden-club-public-garden-tour-a-new-palette-for-creativity/ LOCATION:Laura Bogardus & Thomas Sorenson Gardens\, 132 Morrison Hill Road\, Farmington\, ME\, 04938\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261005T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261005T173000 DTSTAMP:20260921T154921Z CREATED:20260921T154921Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260921T154921Z UID:10000117-1791216000-1791221400@www.mainegardenclubs.org SUMMARY:GCFM Board Meeting DESCRIPTION:The GCFM Board of Directors will meet via ZOOM.  A link and agenda will be sent to all board members via email prior to the meeting. URL:https://www.mainegardenclubs.org/event/gcfm-board-meeting-3/ LOCATION:ME END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261027T083000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261027T150000 DTSTAMP:20261102T044138Z CREATED:20230116T235545Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261102T044138Z UID:10000019-1793089800-1793113200@www.mainegardenclubs.org SUMMARY:GCFM Fall Conference DESCRIPTION:FALL CONFERENCE 2026\n“In Harmony with Nature”\n  \nYou are cordially invited to\nThe Garden Club Federation of Maine 95th Fall Conference\nTuesday\, October 27\, 2026\nSnow Pond Center for the Arts\, 8 Goldenrod Lane\, Sidney\, ME\n  \n8:30 am – Morning Reception:  Light breakfast snacks (baked goods\, fruit\, coffee/tea)\n9:15 am – Welcome\n9:20 am – Business Meeting Call To Order\n10:45 am – Break\n11 am – Morning Program:  Bringing Nature Home: Designing Maine Landscapes Inspired by Native Plant Communities\nSpeaker:  Andrew Tufts\, Program Manager of Native Plants\, Maine Audubon Society \nAcross Maine\, a quiet transformation is underway—one that reimagines our gardens not just as beautiful spaces\, but as vital habitat.  In this presentation\, Andrew Tufts explores how gardeners can play a meaningful role in supporting birds\, pollinators\, and broader ecological health by working with Maine’s native plants. Drawing on the work of Maine Audubon’s Native Plants Initiative\, Andrew introduces the concept of designing with natural plant communities—using patterns found in forests\, wetlands\, and coastal systems to guide planting decisions at home. \nParticipants will learn how to: \n\nSelect native plants based on real site conditions like light\, moisture\, and soils\nUnderstand and apply the concept of natural plant communities in residential landscapes\nCreate layered\, resilient plantings that provide food and shelter for wildlife throughout the year\nShift from ornamental gardening toward functional\, ecologically rich landscapes\n\nThrough case studies\, visuals\, and practical guidance\, this talk offers both inspiration and actionable steps for gardeners ready to make a difference—right outside their door. \n  \n12 pm – Lunch:  Sandwich board.  Seasonal baked goods will be provided by members of the Kennebec District Garden Clubs.\n  \n1 pm – Afternoon Program:  Sunset Flowerland & Greenhouses – Creating Seasonal Décor with Natural Materials\nWorkshop leaders\, Cathy and Abby from Sunset Flowerland & Greenhouses\, will be showing us how to make centerpieces and hand-tied bouquets using native plants that are available during the fall such as native evergreens\, dried grasses\, pinecones\, ferns\, willow branches and possibly asters. They will be using a few stems of mini carnations or other cut flowers\, as well.\n \n\n\n\n\n\n2 pm – Business Meeting – Part II\n3 pm – Adjournment\n  \nREGISTRATION IS REQUIRED IN ADVANCE\n  \nMAIL-IN FORM – PLEASE PRINT\, FILL-OUT\, AND SEND WITH CHECK\n(See all instructions on the form)\nCLICK HERE:  2026 GCFM Fall Conference Registration Form\n  \n \n  \nONLINE REGISTRATION FORM\nPLEASE NOTE:  LATE REGISTRATION FEE NOW APPLIES!\nPlease note: You do not need a PayPal account to register online. 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Must match your card statement.Date\n \n \n \n \n \n Registration Fee*\n \n \n Member $45\n \n \n \n Non-member $50\n Late Registration Fee After 10/15/26*\n \n \n Member $55\n \n \n \n Non-member $55\n Club*District*MembershipCheck any and all that apply.\n \n GCFM President\n \n \n Past GCFM President\n \n \n Current Club President\n \n \n District Director\n \n \n GCFM Board Member\n \n \n National Life Member\n \n \n State Life Member\n Total\n \n Payment Method*PayPal CheckoutCredit Card\n MasterCardVisaSupported Credit Cards: MasterCard\, Visa\n Card Number\n \n \n \n Expiration Date\n \n \n Security Code\n \n  \n \n \n Cardholder Name\n \n \n Submit PaymentThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n  URL:https://www.mainegardenclubs.org/event/gcfm-fall-conference/ LOCATION:Snow Pond Center for the Arts\, 8 Goldenrod\, Sidney\, ME\, 04330\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261117T123000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261117T150000 DTSTAMP:20261108T061755Z CREATED:20261108T061622Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261108T061755Z UID:10000119-1794918600-1794927600@www.mainegardenclubs.org SUMMARY:Discover the World of Succulents - And Create Your Own Dish Garden! DESCRIPTION:While autumn gives way to winter and Maine’s outdoor gardens settle into dormancy\, local gardening enthusiast Mary Batt knows that the growing season doesn’t have to end. With more than 100 houseplants\, including an extensive collection of succulents and cacti\, Mary has found a way to enjoy gardening year-round. \nOn Tuesday\, November 17\, the Mt. Blue Area Garden Club invites the public to discover the fascinating world of succulents with Mary\, a member who brings decades of experience growing and propagating plants. Her presentation will be followed by an optional hands-on workshop where participants can create their own succulent dish gardens to enjoy at home. These living miniature landscapes will feature succulents decoratively arranged in shallow containers. \nMary’s fascination with plants was ignited at age 10\, when her aunt gave her an African violet. By the 1970s\, she had turned her passion into a business called Batt’s Belfry\, which she operated for three or four years\, growing bonsai and creating designer terrariums for sale at home parties\, much like the popular Tupperware parties of the era. Along the way\, she developed techniques for propagating succulents in quantity\, including using fluorescent lights to support their growth. \nHer enthusiasm has continued and evolved throughout the years. When planning a home in Maine\, Mary specifically requested southwest-facing windows with extra-wide sills to accommodate her growing collection. Today\, at her Farmington home\, she tends 15–20 varieties of succulents alongside numerous other houseplants. \nAmong her favorites are burro’s tail\, with its cascading stems of plump leaves\, and elephant bush (Portulacaria afra)\, a succulent native to southern Africa that can grow into a substantial shrub or small tree in its natural habitat but can also be cultivated as a miniature\, bonsai-like specimen. She also enjoys unusual jade varieties\, including the quirky “Shrek’s Ears” jade (Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’)\, whose trumpet-shaped leaves develop striking reddish tips in bright sunlight. \nFor Mary\, succulents offer more than their remarkable diversity of shapes\, sizes\, colors\, and textures. “It’s how I get through the winter\,” she explains. “Our gardens shut down\, but having a succulent collection is a great way to get through the winter.” As an added benefit\, their ability to tolerate periods without watering makes them particularly appealing to gardeners who enjoy traveling\, another of Mary’s passions. \nDuring the program\, Mary will share practical advice for growing healthy succulents\, including choosing appropriate lighting\, soil\, containers\, watering practices\, and fertilizing techniques. She’ll introduce varieties commonly grown in Maine\, including cacti\, which are themselves a type of succulent. Showing specimens from her own collection\, she’ll also discuss propagation methods for turning one plant into many and how to avoid mistakes that can frustrate even experienced gardeners. Her presentation will help gardeners of all experience levels understand what these distinctive plants need to thrive. \nFollowing the presentation\, registered participants will create their own dish gardens to take home. The club will provide an assortment of succulents\, planting medium\, and decorative pebbles. Participants need to bring a shallow planting dish\, preferably terracotta\, approximately 6–8 inches in diameter and 2–4 inches deep\, with drainage holes and a saucer to catch excess water. Bring gloves and dress accordingly for the potting activity. Also consider bringing your own optional decorative accents\, such as unique stones\, driftwood\, or miniatures\, which can add a personal touch to the finished garden. \nThe presentation is free and open to everyone\, including those who simply wish to learn about succulents and observe the dish garden demonstration. For those wishing to create a garden to take home\, the hands-on workshop costs $10 for Mt. Blue Area Garden Club members and $15 for nonmembers. Space is limited to the first 20 registrants\, with advance registration required by November 13. \nThe program will take place at Trinity United Methodist Church\, 612 Farmington Falls Road\, Farmington. Arrive at 12:30 p.m. to enjoy refreshments and meet fellow gardening enthusiasts before the program begins at 1:00 p.m. To register for the hands-on workshop\, visit Workshop Registration Form. Payment will be collected at the door by cash or check payable to Mt. Blue Area Garden Club. \nWhether you’re an experienced gardener looking for a new winter pursuit or a beginner hoping to keep your first succulent alive\, Mary’s workshop offers an opportunity to discover how a little knowledge can bring a unique variety of living greenery into your home\, even when the garden outside is buried in snow. URL:https://www.mainegardenclubs.org/event/discover-the-world-of-succulents-and-create-your-own-dish-garden/ LOCATION:Trinity United Methodist Church\, 612 Farmington Falls Road\, Farmington\, 04938\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261208T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261208T141500 DTSTAMP:20261110T055806Z CREATED:20261110T055503Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261110T055806Z UID:10000120-1796722200-1796739300@www.mainegardenclubs.org SUMMARY:The Blaine House Holiday Tea DESCRIPTION:Continuing a 50-year tradition\, the Kennebec Valley Garden Club will be decorating The Blaine House for the holidays and they invite GCFM members to attend and tour the beautifully decorated rooms\, enjoy coffee\, tea\, and treats prepared by the Blaine House chefs. This year’s theme is “Farming\, Fishing\, and Forestry in Maine”.  This event is FREE\, but you must register in advance and it does get booked quickly! \n \n  \nThere are three available time slots: \n\n9:30 AM – 10:15 AM\n11:00 AM – 11:45 AM\n1:30 PM – 2:15 PM\n\n  \n  \n\n\n\n\n\nTo reserve your slot\, please email PAMMYJLJ@GMAIL.COM with the following information:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPreferred time slot\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFull legal name as on your license\nDate of birth\nResidential address\nPhone\nEmail\n\n\nPlease have your driver’s license available for Blaine House security to check you in. URL:https://www.mainegardenclubs.org/event/the-blaine-house-holiday-tea/ LOCATION:The Blaine House\, 192 State St.\, Augusta\, ME\, 04330\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20270615 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20270617 DTSTAMP:20261026T145631Z CREATED:20261026T145631Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261026T145631Z UID:10000118-1813017600-1813190399@www.mainegardenclubs.org SUMMARY:95th Annual GCFM Convention DESCRIPTION:SAVE THE DATE!\nThe Stroudwater District Invites You To\nThe 95th Annual GCFM Convention\n“Keeping The Joy in Gardening” \nDouble Tree by Hilton\n363 Maine Mall Road\nSouth Portland\nMore Details to Follow! URL:https://www.mainegardenclubs.org/event/95th-annual-gcfm-convention/ LOCATION:ME END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR