All events are free for members, unless otherwise specified. Guests are also welcome to attend any event that is not identified as for members-only at a cost of $5.00 per event.
March 26: Book Club Evening
Claremont Royal Canadian Legion
7:30 – 9:00 pm
Join us for our third (now annual) book club event. This year’s book is The Twilight Garden by Sarah Nisha Adams. From the same author as last year’s book, Sara Nisha Adams, the story is about a life-affirming story of small spaces, small pleasures and friendships coming into bloom. It is set in ” a small pocket of the city, between the houses of No. 77 and No. 79 on Eastbourne Road, where there is a neglected community garden. Once vibrant and welcoming, and a sanctuary for the people when they needed it most, the garden’s gate is firmly closed. But it only takes a small seed of an idea for big changes to happen. And as the neighbours’ need for connection grows, the twilight garden comes out of hibernation.” Unfortunately the book is not part of a book club package with either the Pickering or Uxbridge libraries, however both libraries have the book in various formats to borrow.
April 16: Pruning 101
Claremont Royal Canadian Legion
7:30 – 9:00 pm
Pruning does not have to be intimidating. Avery Linford of Vandermeer Nursery will teach us the art of proper cuts, the different tools available, when and why to prune different species, and how to keep your shrubs and trees healthy while doing it.
May 21: Ikebana
Claremont Royal Canadian Legion
7:30 – 9:00 pm
Ikebana, the centuries-old Japanese art of flower and plant arrangement, is a harmonious blend of beauty, balance, and tradition. Aya Sugino, an accomplished Ikebana artist originally from Japan and now based in Toronto, has been teaching Ikebana since 2010. A certified instructor from the renowned Sogetsu Ikebana School in Tokyo, Aya holds the prestigious rank of Teacher’s Diploma, 1st grade.
During the event, Aya will give a brief talk on the history and design principles of Ikebana, followed by a live demonstration of this captivating art form. She will create two exquisite arrangements, one of which will be raffled off that evening.
June 18: Growing your Own Mushrooms
Claremont Royal Canadian Legion
7:30 – 9:00 pm
Mushroom Meadows is a small mushroom farm located in Claremont, Ontario run by two brothers, Geoffrey and Richard Norton. They will be teaching us how they grow their mushrooms as well as share how we can also start growing various edible mushrooms such as Lion’s Mane and Oyster (Pink, Elm and Blue). They will also be bringing along some of their grow kits which you will be able to purchase.
July 14: Member’s Garden Tour and Gathering
Members-only Event
6:30 – 9:00 pm
The house sits on an undulating irregular one-acre patch of cleared land, while the remainder of the 10 acres is covered with a mixed forest of maples, hemlocks, cedar, oaks and beech. By mid-July the two bottle brush buckeyes and other flowering shrubs should be in full flush. Most of the 50+ hydrangeas and 150 hostas will be at their best. Phlox may be out in bloom, amidst sweeps of betony, shasta daisies, helianthus, heliopsis, buddleia, penstemon, and day lilies. For those who wish to wander into the trees, there are extensive moss-covered pathways that wind their way through the forest. They’re a welcome place to stroll on a hot summer day.
September 11: Mushroom and Lichen Walk
Members-only Event
6:00 – 7:30 pm
Join us for a walk in one of our local trails as we search the ground and rotten logs in the mature deciduous forest for a variety of mushrooms. It should be the optimal time of the year for mushrooms and lichens to appear. The walk will be led by two members of North Durham Nature: James Kamstra, a biologist and environmental consultant, as well as by Lynda Kamstra, a retired teacher who has been learning all about lichens. Further details will be provided to members.
September 17: After the Blooms Workshop
Members-only Event
In this hands-on workshop, Margaret Abernathy from Claremont Meadows will demonstrate how to press and dry flowers and provide ideas on what you can do with them afterwards. Then make your own mini dried floral grapevine wreath. This workshop will be capped at 20 participants. Further details and images of the project will be provided to members.
October 15: Soil, it all begins here
Claremont Royal Canadian Legion
7:30 – 9:00 pm
Soil is one of our most important resources and yet many of us know very little about it. Robynne Dunn, a Durham Master Gardener, will provide an introduction to soil, what it is, the different soil textures, the soil food web and how to create healthy soil. As you assess how your vegetable and flower gardens performed during the past growing season, it will be a great time of year to amend your soil for the 2026 growing season.
November 19: Annual Potluck Dinner
Claremont Royal Canadian Legion
Members-Only Event
6:00 – 9:30 pm
The evening will include a raffle and silent auction. All funds raised go towards the Claremont Garden Club’s events and the charities that we support.
You can view our speaker series from prior years: Agenda of Prior Years
