The Windham Garden Club will open its 2026–2027 membership year with its first meeting on Thursday, September 17. Founded on September 20, 1990, the club continues to flourish, with six original founding members still actively involved today. Now 63 members strong, the club celebrated its 35th anniversary last year with a lively mix of special activities, including a garden tour of Ireland, a summer Cocktails in the Garden series, and hands-on workshops such as Fermentation Basics, Herbal Teas, and Glass Etching.
Community members are warmly invited to attend the club’s first meeting of the new year at 7:00 PM at Windham Town Hall. The meeting is open to all, whether you are a member, an experienced gardener, a newcomer, a nature enthusiast, or simply curious about making outdoor spaces more beautiful and welcoming.
Following a brief business meeting, the club will welcome Barb Young of The Big Little Garden in Nashua, New Hampshire. Barb will present “Garden Design Strategies for Maximum Beauty & Wildlife Value,” an engaging program focused on creating gardens that are both visually appealing and beneficial to the natural world.
A plant enthusiast and nature lover, Barb will share practical design strategies for gardens of all sizes. Her presentation will explore how working with nature—not against it—can help gardeners create beautiful spaces that support people, pollinators, birds, and wildlife through all four seasons.
Topics will include:
- Blending New Hampshire native plants with ornamentals to extend bloom time, nectar, and pollen sources
- Understanding host plants and their role in a healthy, vibrant ecosystem
- Using plant density to support pollinators while naturally suppressing weeds
- Choosing plant forms and bloom shapes that add beauty and support pollinators
- Creating winter interest and attractive window views throughout the year
Barb Young completed the UNH Master Gardener Program and attended a Master Class in Garden Design at Chanticleer Garden in Philadelphia. When she is not immersed in her own naturalistic garden, tending native plant communities, or photographing wildlife, she can often be found volunteering at the Community Hospice House in Merrimack, New Hampshire.
All are welcome to join us for an evening of inspiration, learning, and community. Bring a spouse, family member, friend, or neighbor and discover how thoughtful garden design can bring more beauty and life to every outdoor space. For more information or questions, please contact info@windhamgardenclub.com. We hope to see you there!
