All the members of The Easton Garden Club want to wholeheartedly thank the community for supporting the 2021 Garden Mart. This past year has been riddled with challenges. Members of the club had to step up mentally and physically to make adjustments so that the club could still hold its annual fundraiser. Support from the community was truly appreciated.
Garden Mart is the annual fundraiser that is traditionally held on the Easton Fireman’s Green the Saturday before Mother’s Day. The fundraiser is widely known around our area as a place to find rare and unusual plants that grow well in Easton soil and weather conditions. The wooded shade plants are also a favorite. However, nothing beats the expertise of local gardeners who can inform customers all about the diverse available flora.
In 2020 the decision was to cancel Garden Mart.
Many people were disappointed about the cancelation. Public safety and peace of mind became the priority this year. As the cold weather warmed, brainstorming began for how Garden Mart could still take place this year. It needed to transform.
The solution was to move the entire Garden Mart plant sale online for pre-orders only. Digging and handling of desired locally grown treasures needed to swap out for more uniform products that could be listed online. Seeds were locally sourced through Connecticut’s Northeast Organic Farming Association (CtNOFA) Ecotype Seed Project. The flowering and kitchen herbs were also locally sourced from Easton’s Gilberties Organics. While Garden Mart wasn’t “normal,” the EGC deliberately sourced items that supported both local businesses and pollinators.
What a delight to know that all the hard work paid off! The Easton Garden Club fulfilled 61 orders that were placed online and scheduled for pickup May 8. Notably, all of the Ecotype seed truffle collections SOLD OUT. Club members are elated that there seems to be quite a demand for the ecotype native plants. In the future these will be available at other fundraisers.
The Club would also like to thank the 14 members who helped sort and load orders for pickup, and the additional five members who worked behind the scenes to make sure everything ran smoothly. Multiple members also spent hours hand rolling over a thousand seed truffles.
The Easton Garden Club could not have done this with without the support of the community. It means a great deal to the club that neighbors participated. With any luck, Garden Mart will be back to the traditional version for May 2022.
For more information about the Easton Garden Club and how to become a member, visit
eastongardenclubofct.
