Established 1968 – Federated 1982
In the fall of 1968, Pepperell resident Peg Gillette gathered five or six people to discuss the possibility of organizing a local garden club. In the spring of 1969, the elected officers took the helm, and the Pepperell Garden Club grew to twelve members. The Club voted for membership in the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts in 1982. Our purpose, then and now, is to provide beautification to the Town of Pepperell, and to increase appreciation and awareness of horticulture, landscape and floral design, gardening and environmental concerns. Over the years, the Club has held meetings in members’ homes (1968-69), the Lawrence Library (1970-76), the Monument Federal Savings Bank (1977-78), the Methodist Church Parish Hall (1978-79), and the Pepperell Community Center (1979-2005). The Club meeting location changed again in the fall of 2005 to our current venue, the Albert Harris Center (formerly the Pepperell Senior Center). The Club members and spouses built up five additional raised beds at the AHC to make gardening for the seniors more accessible. The beds at the Town Hall have been redesigned, torn up (due to a building sewer issue), and are now being finished. Many native plants have been added. The sidewalk through the rotary was removed (by order of the State). Our two granite benches were removed and have been relocated in the Spring of 2024 to alongside the Rail Trail on Main Street.
The Club has been dedicated to a wide range of horticultural community projects during its history. Our website, revamped in 2024, provides highlights of the hard work and commitment exhibited by our members over the years.