2022 Grant Project Reports

As the alumni association for certified Connecticut Master Gardeners, we provide opportunities to share our knowledge and love of gardening with others. Through sponsorship of grants and leadership of volunteer projects throughout the state, CMGA members are helping to educate and beautify our communities. 

In 2022, through the generosity of our members and other donations, we were able to award almost $6,000 in Grants for 16 Master Gardener and Master Gardener Intern projects.  

• Hebron Interfaith Human Services Pantry

• Great Neck School Garden, Waterford

• Auerfarm Medicinal Garden, Bloomfield

• The Homestead Project/Stephen Main Homestead, North Stonington

• Hamden Seed Library

• Creation of an Active Teaching and Learning Composting System, Enfield

• Healing Garden Project/Chesterfields Health Care Center, Chester

• Bacon Academy Auditorium Entrance Sign Garden, Colchester

• Pollinator Garden at Great Plain School, Danbury

• Tomato Trellis Supports and Repairs to Handicapped Accessible Raised Beds, Colchester

• Colchester Elementary School Butterfly Garden

• Brookfield Pollinator Garden at Eriksen Farm

• Dragonfly Pollinator Garden at Lyme/Old Lyme Foodshare Garden

• Roundhill Wildlife Garden, Salem

• Wilton Historical Society Colonial Garden Rejuvenation

Great Neck School Garden, Branford

The Great Neck Elementary School Garden has been providing hands on gardening experiences for their students since 2013 to enhance nutritional learning. The entry to the garden needed updating and the support beds were in serious need of repair. The grant helped to supply seeds for classroom lessons on planting, lumber for strengthening existing raised beds and stones to help establish pathways for walking between beds. It is now a beautiful entrance where the students have also planted bulbs and flowers in the entrance beds. 

Auerfarm medicinal garden, Bloomfield

The goal of this project was to Identity and provide educational material on each plant in the Medicinal Garden at this 4H Educational Community Farm. The garden had been established with the intent to demonstrate how these herbs and plants used many years ago for healing were still valuable for health and wellness today. The gardens and signage had fallen into disrepair and needed upgrade and replacement. The grant funds were used for plant replacement and investment in sturdy signage. In addition, extensive research was done to update the information on the signs and the creation of engaging content.

The Homestead Project/Stephen Main Homestead, North Stonington

This project had as its goal to create programs and self-guided tours through an historic garden. They also strove to inspire homeowners to create their own landscape that is historic and environmentally sustainable.  The CMGA grant helped pay for plants for the garden as well as the creation of a brochure on pollinators.

Creation of an Active Teaching and Learning Composting System, Enfield

With the goal of teaching town gardeners the benefits of composting, the Master Gardener created on-site composting bins at the town gardens as well as detailed signage describing the composting process. They also developed a program to teach residents how to compost materials from their own home.  The CMGA grant helped to pay for signage for the gardens.

The Healing Garden Project/Chesterfields Health Care Center, Chester

The Master Gardener created a passive therapeutic garden for residents in a local nursing home in order to create an outdoor peaceful and healing environment.  The garden plants were selected specifically for their visual beauty as well as aromas.  The CMGA grant helped to pay for the plants for the garden.

Bacon Academy Auditorium Entrance Sign Garden, Colchester

The Master Gardener worked with students at the school to enhance and improve the garden and entrance sign to the school, which is regularly used as a backdrop for school event photos.  Students learned about invasive plants, native and pollinator plants, and planting small gardens.  The CMGA grant paid for native shrubs and flowers for the garden.

Pollinator Garden, Great Plain School, Danbury

The Master Gardener worked with students at this town elementary school to create a pollinator garden at the school, which included flowers and vegetables.  Students, staff and parents participated in this learning experience. The CMGA grant paid for plants, soil, tools, and mulch.

Tomato Trellis Supports and Repairs to Handicapped Accessible Raised Beds, Colchester

In the community garden that donates fresh produce to the food pantry, this project built permanent tomato trellises and made repairs to a raised bed that can be used by the disabled.  The CMGA grant was used to purchase materials for the trellises and materials to repair the raised bed.

Colchester Elementary School Butterfly Garden

The Master Gardener designed and built a playground butterfly garden in order for children who use the playground at any time of the year to learn about butterflies.  CMGA grant was used to purchase native shrubs and pollinator plants.

Brookfield Pollinator Garden at Eriksen Farm, Brookfield

The Master Gardener used the opportunity to clear an area of invasive knapweed at an open farm space to create a pollinator pathway garden. One of the successful goals of this project was begin to educate the public about the importance of pollinators.  The CMGA grant was used to purchase native plants for the pollinator garden.

dragonfly pollinator garden, Lyme/Old Lyme Foodshare Garden

The Master Gardener created a pollinator garden in the shape of a dragonfly at the community garden that benefits the food pantry for the towns of Lyme & Old Lyme. The project including creation signage to educate the public about pollinators and beneficial insects.  The CMGA grant helped to purchase mulch and signs for the garden.  

Roundhill Wildlife Garden, Salem

The goal of this project was to clear invasive plants and create a wildlife garden in a public park. It also an educational component to include signs about invasive species and how native plants can be used in a garden.  The CMGA grant was used to purchase native shrubs, plants, and seeds, as well as materials for signs.

Wilton Historical Society Colonial Garden Rejuvenation

The goal of this project was to restore and improve the historical accuracy of the herb garden at the town historical society. The Master Gardener also developed an educational curriculum for children to learn about life in the colonial era.  The CMGA grant was used to purchase plants, signs, and garden mulch.