82 Years of History

Blue Star Memorial Marker On November 9, 2006, the Durham Garden Club dedicated a Blue Star Memorial at the Durham Town Hall. A tree was also planted as part of the Patriotic Trees National Project. For more information about the National Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker Program as well as information about additional markers in Connecticut, click here.

The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc., is an educational, charitable non-profit organization made up of 7,234 individual members and 152 clubs, along with 13 affiliate organizations. The strength and value of our clubs and their members has been gained from the accumulated knowledge of the past 82 years, and has enriched our homes, our gardens and our communities. These responsibilities we share have not diminished; there is still a great deal to be accomplished but as we work, compete, educate and learn, we will continue to meet these challenges with success.

The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc., is one of thirteen charter members of the National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc., now known as the National Garden Clubs, Inc., which was organized on May 1, 1929, (two days after Connecticut's first meeting), and has had almost continuous representation on the National Board.

There are 36 members on the Board of Directors and 13 Honorary members. In addition, there are three Liaisons to the Friends of Connecticut State Parks, Friends of Elizabeth Park, and Habitat for Humanity.

National Garden Clubs, Inc. is a service organization dedicated to the development of gardening, the betterment and beautification of the community and the exchange of ideas. It is the largest gardening organization in the world, comprising over 500,000 members from every state in the union and an equal number of International Affiliates. It is closely unified through the eight regions under a Regional Director, who serves on the Executive Committee.

As garden clubs have grown in Connecticut, The Federation has continued its interests in Civic Development, Environmental Concerns/Conservation, Garden Therapy, Historic and Memorial and Public Gardens, Horticulture, Legislation/Government Action, Public Relations, Scholarships and Youth Activities. It sponsors Flower Show, Landscape Design Study, Gardening Study, and Environmental Studies Schools for the continuing education and benefit of its members.

Members who have taken advantage of the Flower Show Schools and become Flower Show Judges continue their education by attending Judges Council and Symposia (offered once yearly by the six states of New England Region of National Garden Clubs). Graduates of the Environmental Studies School, the Gardening Study School, and the Landscape Design Study School become consultants and continue their education by joining their respective Councils.

Our Connecticut Federation News publication (CFN), which has been in existence almost since the beginning of the Federation, publishes 10 issues each year to keep our members informed of Federation activities. It is now also posted online in the Clubs Only section of this website.

Each year at our Fall Awards Luncheon, The Federation presents a Bronze Medal, our highest honor, to an individual, club or group for outstanding accomplishments in upholding the aims and purposes of our organization. A multitude of traveling silver awards and certificates of achievement are also presented at that time, both to clubs as well as to individuals.

Our office is located in Branford, Connecticut and is open from 9 am to 2 pm, Monday to Wednesday.