Countryside Gardeners Club will soon be decorating the Half Moon Inn on Court Street in Newtown in Colonial Williamsburg style holiday greens to prepare for the Newtown Historical Association’s Holiday House Tour on December 6. For many years, Countryside Gardeners decorate the outside and two floors inside the historic Half Moon Inn located on 105 Court Street. Club members prepare evergreen arrangements for all the wide window sills, decorate the five fireplaces, and bookcase. Members also make oyster trees and apple topiaries. Outdoor window swags, pine roping, and wreaths are added to the outside of the Inn.
Countryside Gardeners, founded in 1933 in Newtown, hold their monthly meetings at the Half Moon Inn on the first Monday of the month at 10 am. October’s meeting included a demonstration of making the colonial style arrangements and swags by members Lydia Lewis and MaryJo Garner.
Two days before the Holiday House Tour, members of the club will bring greens cut from their gardens and spend several hours decorating throughout the two-story, historic building. We try to fill the Inn inside and outside with holiday greens! Indoor arrangements and oyster trees are available for purchase during the Holiday House Tour. Eileen Siddell is the chair of the Decorating Committee.
Countryside Gardeners also have educational speakers on gardening with native plants, helping pollinators, pruning, floral design, and horticulture. “We try to provide instructions on floral design so members can participate in our mini flower shows at our meetings and to help make flower arrangements we sell at our club booth at Newtown Market Day in October,” says Anne Bucher, Club President. If you are interested in membership information for Countryside Gardeners, please email countrysidegardenersclub@gmail.com and check us out on www.facebook.com/countrysidegardeners. We meet about once a month, go on garden tours, maintain the gardens at Half Moon Inn, and have two special events with Newtown Market Day and the December Holiday House Tour, both organized by the Newtown Historical Association.
The Newtown Holiday House Tour will be held Saturday, December 6 from 10 am - 4 pm. It features 13 private homes and public buildings organized by the Newtown Historical Association. For more information and ticket sales, visit newtownhistoric.org.
