CMGA Events
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Where: Virtual
Resilient, Restorative, Regenerative Gardening
CMGA Members Only
FREE
Registration required
Living Expressions of Harmony, Tradition, and
Craftsmanship in Japanese Gardens
Immerse yourself in the tranquility and enduring beauty of Japanese gardens that are thoughtfully designed to evoke idealized natural scenery. Experts will provide an overview on the rich history, harmonious principles, and masterful craftsmanship behind Japanese gardens, and offer practical ideas for bringing these treasured traditions to Connecticut’s gardens. Together, we’ll explore how these living landscapes encourage contemplation, weave stories through their thoughtful design, and create lasting connections among generations.
For centuries, Japanese gardens have offered spaces of reflection, artistry, and harmony with nature. In this session, you’ll be introduced to the core principles of Japanese garden aesthetics, including balance, symbolism, movement, and therapeutic qualities. Japanese gardens are serene, symbolic landscapes Through the careful arrangement of elements such as stones, water features (or raked gravel), pruned plants, and minimalist structures like bridges and lanterns, these gardens create an atmosphere of peaceful contemplation. Emphasizing asymmetry, tranquility, and the subtle beauty of aged materials, Japanese gardens offer a restorative experience that goes beyond mere ornamentation.
Through Q&A, we’ll be able to gain practical advice for incorporating signature features, like stone groupings, water elements, plant selections, and structures for year-round interest, into our Connecticut gardens.
Presented by the North American Japanese Garden Association (NAJGA), a nonprofit organization committed to preserving and advancing the legacy of Japanese gardens throughout North America.
Registration will open in February.
Attendance limit: 50
Informative and fun lecture and workshop for CMGA members only.
Please join us as owner Nancy Ballek McKinnon gives us a demonstration followed by a workshop where you can create your own patio planter for sun or shade.
TBD. Will need to confirm cost of materials, or workshop.
Bring your garden gloves, containers, and plant materials or purchase your items in the garden center store.
Registration will open in March
Don't miss CMGA’s Annual Nursery Day Fundraiser. Support the CMGA and buy an exceptional variety of plants and grasses.
47 Hartford Avenue, Wethersfield, CT
McCue Gardens is just minutes away from the center of Old Wethersfield which is referred to as “Connecticut’s Most Ancient Towne – deeply devoted to preserving our authentic New England heritage, now over 375 years in the making.” The center of town has many restaurants and businesses, an ancient burial ground and historical museum as well as lovely sidewalk gardens and planters maintained by the businesses and volunteers of the Wethersfield Beautification Trust.
Bruce and Cindy McCue have invited all CMGA Members, MG Interns, and guests to their nursery in charming Old Wethersfield. Founded in 1967 by Bruce when he was still a teenager, today McCue Gardens is a leading wholesale distributor of quality perennials and wildflowers in New England. In a compact amount of space, they offer an impressive selection of over 1,500 varieties of perennials and a great selection of native and woodland plants.
Payment methods accepted are cash, checks and all major credit cards.
Parking: Easily accessible from I- 91 and the Silas Deane Highway (Route 99), parking is available behind the Church of the Sacred Heart, 56 Hartford Avenue, located directly across the street from McCue Gardens at 56 Hartford Avenue. After parking, cross the street and walk down the driveway to the back of the house and check-in at the CMGA table. See you there!
Download lists to attract bees & butterflies before shopping at our
Nursery Plant Sale Fundraiser
Registration required
limit 25
$15 paid to Hollister House
A private tour, given by George Schoellkopf, the designer of the garden, is one of Connecticut's most interesting gardens. Based on the classic English Garden design, it is a loosely formal structure, planted in generous abundance situated in the Litchfield hills of Northwestern Connecticut.
Meet in the barn by the driveway.
Cost: $15 paid directly to Hollister House the day of the tour.
Please see the garden's website for a map before visiting. www.hollisterhousegarden.org
Registration will open in May.
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Free Event for Members & Interns
Attendance limit: 30
The UConn Botanical Conservatory houses one of the most diverse academic collections of living plants under glass in the U.S. This outstanding collection is a core unit of the EEB Biodiversity Research Collections and is used extensively for long and short term research projects and for multiple courses at the University of Connecticut. It also play an increasingly important role in conservation of rare species, especially those connected to the research interests of EEB faculty, staff and students.
This is an educational and social opportunity for our members.
Main Campus of UConn in Storrs, the facility is located behind the Biology/Physics Building.
REGISTRATION will open in June
Our special speaker is Andrea Candee. She brings over 30 years experience in the natural health world to her seminars on medicinal herbs and healing plants. She will be sharing her presentation, The Healing Kitchen.
Free Event for Members & Interns
$10 Fee for Guests
Speaker: Catherine Wolko, Humble Bee Honey Company
”Protecting Our Pollinators, Bees & Butterflies"
9:00 AM - Business Meeting
10:00 AM - Speaker Presentation
Catherine Wolko, the “bee lady”, is a second-generation beekeeper and owner of The Humble Bee Honey Company and The Hive @ The Pin, a Farm Store and Honey House, located in Oakville, Connecticut. Cathy believes that protecting our pollinators begins with us. Learn about the plight of the monarch butterfly, the honey bee, and the endangered native bumblebees, and how we can do our part to save these fascinating pollinators.
Free and open to all
Registration Required Attendance Limit: 35
No visit to Hammonasset Beach State Park would be complete without tours of the gardens at Meigs Point and Nature Center. The gardens were started by the Madison Garden Club in the mid-1990's. In 2015 volunteers working with UConn Master Gardener Program initiated restoration and expansion. Currently there are 13 themed gardens. The Meigs Point Nature Center is an environmental education facility run and operated by the CT Department of Environmental Protection. Under the direction of Ranger Russ Miller there are a variety of programs open to the public. The Center is also host to several native animals.
Rain date 10/16
Registration is closed for this event.
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE WAITLIST. IF A SPACE BECOMES AVAILABLE, YOU WILL BE CONTACTED.
Join us for a Members Only tour of the historic gardens at Enders Island. The tour is open to 2025 CMGA members and interns.
One of the highlights of the Enders’ Island gardens are Dahlias. Dahlias come in all shapes, sizes, and colors – and you’ll find over 300 varieties of prize-winning Dahlias throughout the Island. The Enders Island Dahlias have been recognized as one of the largest collections of Dahlias in all of New England.
Registration will open in August.
Cost: $10 cash only payable at the garden.
Registration Required (limit 25) If the event reaches 25 registrations, you will see a message “sold out”. You may submit your name to the waitlist by clicking the Waitlist for Enders Island button. You will be notified, if a slot becomes available for you to attend
There is no rain date.
Free and open to all
Registration Required Attendance Limit: 30
Hidden Gem was established in 2017 on land that was formerly part of Southbury Training School Farm. It consists of 3,600 apple trees grown on 6 acres. Most of the trees were planted in 2017 and 2018. Presently, 32 varieties are grown and more are being added yearly. Some are common varieties that consumers are generally aware of such as Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Gala, Courtland and Fiji. Others are either uncommon or antique apples that are not readily available. Examples included varieties such as Esopus Spitzenburg, which was Thomas Jefferson's favorite apple grown at Monticello and a 16th century French Variety, Calville Blanc. There are hilly areas within the orchard however there is a wagon to transport those that may need assistance..
Event is Free, limited to 35.
Rain-date: 8/13/25
Lockwood Farm, which was purchased in 1910, is named after William Raymond Lockwood, a Norwalk resident who willed his estate to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station to "use and apply all the balance or net income in the promotion of agriculture by scientific investigation and experimentation, and by diffusing a knowledge of the practical results thereof...". The original farm was 19.6 acres and since then adjacent lands were purchased enlarging the property to 75 acres. It's official mission is to develop, advance and disseminate scientific knowledge, improve agricultural productivity and environmental quality and protect plants. All produce grown on the farm is donated to the CT Food Bank.
Free Event for Current 2025 CMGA Members, 2025 Interns and MG Coordinators
$10 Fee for Guests
Speaker: Peter Picone
Practical Ways to Improve Your Backyard for Wildlife
9:30 - Business Meeting
10:00 - Speaker Presentation
When you choose a plant for your property are you considering its “ecological function” and how it complements wildlife habitat? Learn about habitat and what you can do to improve or enhance your yard for songbirds, hummingbirds, reptiles, amphibians and beneficial insects.
Peter Picone is a wildlife biologist at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. He has been working in this field for over 25 years and will share his insights on improving your backyard as a habitat for wildlife. You can make a difference for wildlife in your surroundings by creating an environment to benefit wildlife biodiversity!
Click Here to listen to the recording of the 2025 Semi-annual meeting. You must enter the passcode (case sensitive).
Passcode: #CACj0Ry
The recording will be available until August 10th.
Handouts
Wildlife
Natives List
Invasives List
Meadow
Visit the webpage Presentation & Events Handouts for additional resources.
Open to Members and Interns.
Cost - $17 payable at the door.
Situated along the picturesque Lieutenant River in Old Lyme, Connecticut, the Florence Griswold Museum embodies the artistic spirit of its legacy as the home of the Lyme Art Colony. From the impressive Georgian architecture of the home of namesake Florence Griswold, to the light-filled and modern spaces of the Krieble Gallery, to the rolling landscape of our 12-acre site, the Florence Griswold is a truly special place that is privileged to serve as the home of American Impressionism.
Includes self-tour of the museum and guided tour of the grounds.
View the Garden Walks.
Raindate - 7/23/25, 10:30 AM
Registration is closed
Click here to add your name to the lunch reservation list.
Free Event for Members & Interns
Attendance limit: 30
The UConn Botanical Conservatory contains one of the most diverse living plant collections at a public academic institution in the US. This outstanding collection is a core unit of the EEB Biodiversity Research Collections and is used extensively for long and short term research projects and for multiple courses at the University of Connecticut. It also play an increasingly important role in conservation of rare species, especially those connected to the research interests of EEB faculty, staff and students.
This is an educational and social opportunity for our members.
SORRY, REGISTRATION IS CLOSED
Don't miss CMGA’s Annual Nursery Day Fundraiser on Wednesday, June 11th. Support the CMGA and buy an exceptional variety of plants and grasses.
47 Hartford Avenue, Wethersfield, CT
McCue Gardens is just minutes away from the center of Old Wethersfield which is referred to as “Connecticut’s Most Ancient Towne – deeply devoted to preserving our authentic New England heritage, now over 375 years in the making.” The center of town has many restaurants and businesses, an ancient burial ground and historical museum as well as lovely sidewalk gardens and planters maintained by the businesses and volunteers of the Wethersfield Beautification Trust.
Bruce and Cindy McCue have invited all CMGA Members, MG Interns, and guests to their nursery in charming Old Wethersfield. Founded in 1967 by Bruce when he was still a teenager, today McCue Gardens is a leading wholesale distributor of quality perennials and wildflowers in New England. In a compact amount of space, they offer an impressive selection of over 1,500 varieties of perennials and a great selection of native and woodland plants.
Payment methods accepted are cash, checks and all major credit cards.
Parking: Easily accessible from I- 91 and the Silas Deane Highway (Route 99), parking is available behind the Church of the Sacred Heart, 56 Hartford Avenue, located directly across the street from McCue Gardens at 56 Hartford Avenue. After parking, cross the street and walk down the driveway to the back of the house and check-in at the CMGA table. See you there!
Download lists to attract bees & butterflies before shopping at our
Nursery Plant Sale Fundraiser
Garden Tour is FREE
The Bellamy Ferriday house is a historic house museum that was built in 1774 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Caroline Ferriday designed a formal parterre garden that features roses, peonies, lilacs and numerous fragrant trees and shrubs. A social justice and human rights champion, a fictionalized account of Caroline's life is the subject of the New York Times best selling book, Lilac Girls by Martha Lee Kelly.
Registration is limited to 25. Parking is limited to 20 cars. Please try and carpool to the event.
The House Tour is $12, payable at the door.
36 Hours
April 21, 7:00 AM - April 22, 7:00 PM
Mark your calendars! UConn Gives 2025 is coming April 21-22, 2025. Join UConn Nation as we come together for 36 hours to raise critical funds for various university programs and causes, strengthening UConn’s impact and reach. UConn Gives harnesses the power of crowdfunding, connecting groups across all campuses and UConn Health with supporters worldwide through individual giving pages.
Your gift to the Master Gardener Fund supports the program by providing financial resources for equipment, supplies, educational programs for the public, classes for volunteers, conferences and so much more!
Click Here to learn more about UConn Giving Day.
Informative presentation by special guest speakers Joyce Leiz, Executive Director of the CT Audubon Society and Board Member and author of the Homegrown Habitat series, Sarah Middeleer.
Please join us for their virtual presentation on Planting for and Protecting Our Pollinators as they discuss the benefits of native gardens for birds and pollinators, key features to attract birds, and pesticides that are causing harm.
Free to CMGA 2025 Members & 2025 MG Interns
$10 Fee for guests
The presentation will be recorded and available for two weeks to all those who have registered.
Sarah Middeleer’s email address: Swmiddeleer@gmail.com
Attendance limit: 50
Informative and fun lecture and workshop for CMGA members only.
Please join us as owner Nancy Ballek McKinnon gives us a demonstration followed by a workshop where you can create your own basket or small container. You may bring your own container or purchase one.
Bring your garden gloves, containers, and plant materials or purchase your items in the garden center store.
Ballek’s has offered a 10% discount on materials purchased for the workshop.
If you receive a “SOLD OUT” message, when attempting to register, click on this button to add your name to the waitlist.
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Where: Virtual
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Debra Prinzing
Todd Bittner
Debra Kaye
Closing speaker: Ethan Kauffman
The 2024 CMGA Annual Meeting and Speaker Event will be held virtually on Saturday, November 16, 2024. A business meeting to approve officers, directors, the 2025 budget and meeting minutes will begin at 9:00 AM. All current 2024 CMGA Members are eligible to vote at the meeting.
The meeting will be followed at 10:00 AM by a presentation by Sheryll Durant who will give a one-hour lecture entitled the Kelly Street Garden, followed by a 10-15 minute Q & A period.
Sheryll Durrant is an urban farmer, educator, and food justice advocate. She has been the Resident Garden Manager at Kelly Street Garden since 2016, and is the Food and Nutrition Coordinator for New Roots Community Farm, managed by International Rescue Committee (IRC).
Located in the South Bronx, New York, Kelly Street Garden’s focus is to use food as the entry point to healing a community. The garden functions as a vehicle for addressing generational trauma which has caused many health disparities resulting from systemic racism.
The meeting is free to all 2024 CMGA members. Guests and the public are welcome to join us for the meeting and presentation for a fee of $10 and must register separately.
The presentation will be recorded and available for a limited time to all those who have registered.
Join us for a Members Only tour of the historic gardens at Enders Island.
One of the highlights of the Enders’ Island gardens are Dahlias. Dahlias come in all shapes, sizes, and colors – and you’ll find over 300 varieties of prize-winning Dahlias throughout the Island. The Enders Island Dahlias have been recognized as one of the largest collections of Dahlias in all of New England.
Registration Required (limit 25)
The tour is free for 2024 CMGA members and interns.
There is no rain date.
Join us for a Members Only tour of the historic gardens at Enders Island.
One of the highlights of the Enders’ Island gardens are Dahlias. Dahlias come in all shapes, sizes, and colors – and you’ll find over 300 varieties of prize-winning Dahlias throughout the Island. The Enders Island Dahlias have been recognized as one of the largest collections of Dahlias in all of New England.
The tour is free for CMGA members and interns. You can register here for the tour:
Business Meeting: 9:15 am - 10:00 am
Speaker Presentation: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Renée Marsh is a garden designer, an advanced master gardener and a horticulturist. She is the owner of a gardening design business, A Simpler Place, and believes our gardens should be a healthy ecosystem where people, plants, animals and insects are in balance. Doing it right means less chemicals, less maintenance and more enjoyment. Renée teaches gardening classes for the New York Botanical Garden and adult education programs, speaks to many community groups including garden clubs and writes on gardening topics for local publications. In her spare time she works on her 1803 homestead in Shelton, Connecticut.
Registration required. Free to CMGA members and current interns. $10 fee for Non-CMGA members.
You will receive an email with a zoom link and passcode prior to the meeting.
Renée Marsh, working in her garden
Don't miss CMGA’s Annual Nursery Day on Wednesday, June 12. Support the CMGA and buy an exceptional variety of plants and grasses.
47 Hartford Avenue Wethersfield, CT
The Bellamy- Ferriday house is a historic house museum that was built in 1754 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Caroline Ferriday designed a formal parterre garden that features historic roses, peonies, lilacs and numerous fragrant trees and shurbs. She spent 78 summers on the property. A social justice and human rights champion, a fictionalized account of Caroline's life is the subject of the New York Times best selling book, Lilac Girls by Martha Law Kelly.
Bellamy-Ferriday House
9 North Main St, Bethlehem, CT 06751
This event will be limited to 30
The Connecticut Science Center is excited to announce its 4th annual Make It Grow event, in conjunction with their Family Gardening Day in Hartford overlooking the Connecticut River. The focus is to highlight the importance of growing healthy, smart, green and local through engaging on site and virtual demonstrations and activities including a large plant sale. This event is planned in partnership with the CT Master Gardener Association.
Please Consider Donating Plants this Year for the Connecticut Science Center's MakeFest Plant Sale. CMGA volunteers will pick-up your plants at your local extension center.
This year CMGA is again partnering with the Connecticut Science Center for CSC MakeFest/Make It Grow, an event held in conjunction with their Family Gardening Day. A key part of the event is the plant sale, which not only raises money for the CSC but provides additional funds for CMGA to support its outreach activities.
To make this event a success, we need your help. Please consider growing a few extra veggies this year or dividing some of your healthy native perennials to give to the sale. In order to make it easier, this year CMGA volunteers will coordinate plant pick-ups at the various extension offices during the week prior to the sale.
CLICK HERE for more information about plant donations.
What plants do we need?
Donate native plants or veggies in 4” pots, using a clean potting medium. Please label clearly. House plants or patio plants for smaller spaces are also welcome.
Please send any questions about plant donations to MakeFest@ctmga.org.
668 Lake Ave., Greenwich
A treasure in the center of Greenwich, Sleepy Cat Farm is a private residence surrounded by 13 acress of gardens & landscapes. It's nothing short of magnificient. Join us for this extraordinary private tour at Sleepy Cat Farm in Greenwich. The hillsides and vistas change almost minute by minute, in this undulating landscape of surprises, intrigue and unexpected beauty.
Due to limited on-site parking (8 -10 cars), we recommend meeting at the Commuter Park & Ride Merritt Parkway - Exit 35, High Ridge Road at 9:30 a.m. so we may carpool.
Rain date - May 2nd
Registration limit: 25 (Registration closed as limit reached)
Click Here to add your name to the waitlist or to be notified if additional tour dates added.
The recording of this presentation is no longer available.
The survey of the presentation is no longer available
The 2023 CMGA Annual Meeting and Speaker Event will be held virtually on Saturday, November 18. A business meeting to approve officers, directors and the 2024 budget will begin at 9 a.m. All current 2023 CMGA Members are eligible to vote at the meeting. The meeting will be followed at 10 a.m. by a presentation given by local landscape designer, Kathy Connolly.
Registration has closed
Registration is free to all 2023 CMGA members. Guests and the public are welcome to join the meeting and presentation for a fee of $10. The presentation will be recorded and available for a limited time to all those who have registered.
Let’s get social! Master Gardeners and Interns from Lower Fairfield (Bartlett), Fairfield (Bethel) and New Haven extensions, CMGA Board Members and Office Coordinators are invited to mingle and share gardening news with your peers. This will be a great opportunity to network and compare notes with other Master Gardeners in your community. Please note that we will be planning a similar social event for the other extension offices in 2024.
Please click on the link below to sign-up for the event. Registration is FREE.
Join fellow CMGA Members, Interns and your guests for a tour of Broken Arrow Nursery, a producer of of high quality plants grown in an ethically responsible manner.
Broken Arrow has been a part of their community since 1947, and in 1984 established the nursery with the goal of inspiring a love of plants and education of their customers. Today, the nursery is one of the few retail nurseries in Connecticut that propagate and grow most of the plants sold.
You don’t want to miss this opportunity to check out their native plants!
Registration is FREE and also open to guests, who must register separately. The tour is limited to 30 people so sign up today. We hope to see you there!
Did you ever wonder exactly what happens at an agricultural experiment station? Join us for this free tour of Lockwood Farms, which has been actively involved in agricultural research for over 100 years.
Free and Open to all but registration required
Parking on the grass by the tractor barns at the entrance to the farm
