Speaker Event

Karla Dalley
How to Be a Lazy Gardener
April 21, 2026 6:30pm
Rocky Hill Congregational Church
805 Old Main Street Rocky Hill, CT. 06067

This event is free and open to the Public.
Park on Church Street behind the church


Karla Dalley is a garden columnist who has also judged national gardening competitions. She is a published photographer and part time lecturer at Capitol Community College.

How to Be a Lazy Gardener is one of her most popular topics. We all want beautiful and productive gardens but may lack the time or stamina. Come join us for a very informative, helpful, and entertaining program!

Winding Brook Maple Syrup Tour

Members of the Rocky Hill Garden Club toured Winding Brook Maple Sugar House in March, 2026. Located in Hebron, it is run by Wayne Palmer. Wayne is a third generation maple syrup producer and produces one of the largest supplies in Connecticut. He has won many awards and has been a judge of maple syrup at fairs and Maple Syrup events.

Producing maple syrup from maple tree sap is a labor of love and an intricate craft of chemistry and intuition. There is a very narrow time frame for making maple syrup. The maple trees need an environment of freezing and thawing to start the sap flowing. Sap must be collected daily to ensure freshness. Boiling is where the chemistry happens. The ideal ratio is 40 to 1 for the best flavor. But beware! Many commercial maple syrup companies can legally sell a product with a ration of 10 to 1. Last is the filtering process to get the best clarity.

Maple syrup comes in three grades: golden, amber, and dark. Taste and clarity is also considered in grading the syrup. The color of the sap is determined by when the sap is collected. Earlier in the season the sap is lighter. By the end of the season the sap is darker.

Phoenix Farm Tour

Members of the Rocky Hill Garden Club toured Phoenix Farm in October, 2023. Located on 76 Nooks Hill Road in Cromwell, it is run by Christine and John Whitney. It is an organic farm. Christine explained the process of transitioning from outside fields to winter gardening in their greenhouses. We toured the outside fields, listened to how they farm organically, saw their seedlings for inside and how they run their greenhouses. Their store was open to buy their organic vegetables including pumpkins and baked goods. There are displays with photo opportunities.

Mason Bee House Project

In March, 2019, members created Mason bee houses to promote these native bees to their gardens. Mason bees do not sting and they are excellent pollinators.

Teabags Project

In November, 2016, members brought together the herbs they have grown all season with some other purchased ingredients to make tea. Members filled new teabags guided by herbal and black tea recipes as well as their own experiments. After, we sampled our different teas.

Vegetable Quilt Project

In 2014, members created a beautiful quilt showcasing vegetables, the theme of the year. It was raffled to a very lucky entrant.

Leafy Greens Containers

Members created beautiful containers of leafy greens to adorn their porches and patios for the summer.

Fall Wreaths

Members met at Comstock Ferry for a workshop to create a seasonal wreath of dried greens and flowers.

Giuffrida Park Hike

Members hiked the trails of Giuffrida Park in Meriden, CT on a crisp bright autumn day.

Thankful Arnold House Tour

Members met at the Thankful Arnold House in Durham for a house and garden tour of the historic property.