FITCHBURG — The Laurelwood Garden Club will open its 2026-2027 season on Friday, Sept. 11, with a meeting focused on member participation, upcoming programs, and the club’s many activities throughout the year.
The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Fitchburg Art Museum, 185 Elm St.
President Marilyn Talley will welcome members and officially open the new season. Presentations will be given by garden club members, including those who chair various committees and events. The meeting will also provide an opportunity to discuss participation and expectations for monthly meetings and activities.
Members will share the results of their planting experiments as part of the club’s Sunflower Project. Each member received a packet of sunflower seeds at the club’s annual meeting last June.
The Program Committee completed the club’s schedule of programs over the summer, and laminated calendars of events have been mailed to members.
The season will continue on Oct. 9 with a PowerPoint presentation, “The Garden World of Jane Austen,” by renowned landscape designer and author Jana Milbocker.
At the Nov. 13 meeting, members will have the opportunity to create and take home a fresh fall arrangement. Member Kat Nowosielski will lead the workshop. Advance registration and a fee will be required.
In November, club members will also enter a decorated, themed tree in the Festival of Trees at Leominster City Hall. The event supports the city’s fuel assistance program.
The club’s annual holiday luncheon will be held Dec. 11 at Il Camino Restaurant. Members will be asked to bring a new pair of mittens or gloves to be donated to a local charity.
One of the club’s major annual events, Art in Bloom, will return to the Fitchburg Art Museum in April. The 29th annual Art in Bloom is scheduled for April 22-25, 2027. The Laurelwood Garden Club partners with the museum each year for the popular floral event.
The club also continues its civic beautification efforts during the summer months by maintaining a floral garden in a half-ton cast-iron horse trough at Renaissance Park on Main Street in Fitchburg. The garden features an array of colorful flowers and greenery and was made possible through a grant from the Fitchburg Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Members also gathered in July for the club’s sixth annual Picnic in the Park, which featured an “unbirthday party” theme, trivia and games.
“The floral display is currently in full bloom for the public to continue to enjoy its floral beauty before the season ends,” said Julie Palioca, civic beautification chair.
Laurelwood Garden Club meetings featuring speakers and programs are held in the mornings on the second Friday of each month from September through June at various locations.
Founded in 1965, the Laurelwood Garden Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a member of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts Inc. It is also affiliated with National Garden Clubs Inc. and the New England Region.
The club currently includes members from Fitchburg, Leominster, Lunenburg, Lancaster, Ashby, Ashburnham and Westminster. All North Central Massachusetts residents are welcome.
Membership and meetings are open to guests who enjoy gardening of any kind, are interested in floral design or would like to learn more about the club’s programs and activities.
For information about attending a meeting or membership, contact Public Relations Chair Julie Palioca at 978-537-7630. More information is also available at gcfm.org/laurelwoodgardenclub.
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