Education — In House

Floral Design Study

The Floral Design Study Group offers a lively and creative way to explore the art of flower arranging. Through lectures, demonstrations, workshops, and outings, members discover new techniques, design styles, and trends. Whether arranging flowers for personal enjoyment or preparing to compete in flower shows, participants gain practical skills, inspiration, and confidence.

Horticulture Study

The Horticulture Study Group brings members together to learn more about growing and caring for plants. From March through November, the group generally offers a monthly workshop, garden visit, or other educational outing, usually on the first Tuesday. These activities provide opportunities to deepen gardening knowledge, exchange ideas, and learn through firsthand experience.

Horticulture Displays & Talks

Our monthly meetings feature small horticultural flower shows where members can exhibit plants and flowers from their gardens. The committee prepares the schedules, arranges for judging according to National Garden Clubs standards, and coordinates awards. These informal shows offer valuable preparation for larger competitions while encouraging members to share their gardening successes, discover interesting cultivars, and improve their horticultural skills. Brief presentations on timely gardening topics add to the educational experience.

Conservation

Conservation is an important part of the Club's mission. Members participate in community environmental projects, including the annual American Littoral Society beach cleanup, the Centerport Harbor Civic Association's spring harbor cleanup, and litter removal in local natural areas. The Club has also assisted The Nature Conservancy with native plant care and invasive plant management.

At monthly meetings, the Conservation Chair shares practical information about recycling, reducing plastic waste, managing invasive species, protecting natural resources, and understanding local environmental initiatives and regulations.

Programs & Speakers

Each month, the Club welcomes knowledgeable speakers who inform and inspire our members. Topics range from horticulture, garden design, and floral arranging to botany, botanical art, garden history, conservation, pest management, and environmentally responsible gardening practices.

Education — Community

Flower Show

Our flower shows celebrate the beauty, creativity, and educational value of horticulture and floral design. Under the leadership of the Second Vice President, who serves as General Chair, the Club organizes shows following the standards established in the National Garden Clubs Handbook for Flower Shows.

These events encourage creative expression, develop members' skills, introduce the public to the pleasures of gardening and floral design, and connect our local Club with the broader National Garden Clubs community.

Junior Floral Arranging Workshops

In partnership with Harborfields Public Library, Club members introduce children to the fun and creativity of floral design through four hands-on workshops each year. This popular program has inspired hundreds of local youngsters to discover the pleasure of working with flowers and creating arrangements of their own.

Garden Therapy

Each month, dedicated Club members work with elementary school students with special needs in the Harborfields School District. Through age-appropriate floral arranging, horticulture, and nature-inspired projects, students enjoy creative, hands-on experiences that encourage learning, self-expression, and a connection with the natural world.

Veterans Garden Therapy

Once a year, Club volunteers visit the Long Island State Veterans Home in Stony Brook to share the joy of flowers with approximately 36 residents. The Club provides the materials and guidance as veterans create individual floral arrangements, often making additional arrangements for family members, friends, or caregivers.

The experience is especially rewarding for both the veterans and the members who participate.

Community Outreach

Christmas Workshop

The Club's annual Christmas Workshop brings members together to create wreaths, centerpieces, and holiday arrangements for community organizations. These handcrafted decorations brighten local firehouses, the library, memorial parks, and veterans facilities, spreading seasonal cheer throughout our community.

Vanderbilt Rose Garden

Club volunteers help care for the beautiful rose garden at the Vanderbilt Museum. From late spring through fall, members plant, weed, deadhead, and fertilize the roses, with major cleanups in spring and late fall.

During the growing season, from May through October, volunteers take turns providing weekly maintenance. Members are encouraged to participate for one or more weeks, helping preserve this much-loved garden for the enjoyment of museum visitors.

Vanderbilt Museum Holiday Decorating

Each holiday season, Centerport Garden Club members are invited to decorate a room at the historic Vanderbilt Museum. Their creative arrangements and seasonal decorations help bring holiday warmth and beauty to this treasured local landmark.

Civic Beautification

The Civic Beautification Committee enhances and maintains public spaces throughout Centerport. Through thoughtful planting, seasonal care, and collaboration with local organizations, members help preserve the character and natural beauty of our community.

Harborfields Library Circle

One of the committee's principal projects is designing, planting, and maintaining the circular garden in front of Harborfields Public Library. Planning begins each April, with annuals typically planted after mid-May, when weather conditions are more favorable.

Throughout the summer, members weed, nourish the soil, and care for the plantings, coordinating with library staff and landscapers to ensure proper watering and maintenance. The garden is cleared and prepared for the following season each fall.

Historic Grist Mill

From May until the first frost, members maintain the perennial plantings at Centerport's historic Grist Mill, helping keep this familiar local landmark attractive throughout the growing season.

Centerport Memorial Park

The Club donated a redbud tree to Centerport Memorial Park in observance of Patriots' Day. Members continue to care for the tree and surrounding planting area, keeping it weed-free and pruning as needed.

Annual Community Plant Sales

Our annual plant sale is a favorite Club tradition that brings gardeners and neighbors together while raising funds to support Club activities and community projects.

Members contribute plants from their own gardens, supplemented by flowering annuals purchased from local nurseries. Visitors can discover a wonderful variety of plants, exchange gardening advice, and support the Club's ongoing work in the community.