Getting Started: 7 Considerations When Planning Your Kitchen Garden
Date: Feb 17th
Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm
Garden-curious and wondering about the commitment? Growing food is within everyone’s reach! A kitchen garden is smaller than a traditional vegetable garden—and that means it’s a manageable way to experience the joy of growing and harvesting your own veggies, herbs, and fruits. Whether you’ve got grand edible landscaping goals, or you want a potted herb garden just off the kitchen, planning is key when designing your kitchen garden. In this workshop we’ll cover key considerations, from site selection & layout to design elements that add function and beauty. Join us and be on your way to your own potager.

Get Growing!: Planning & Planting Your Kitchen Garden for 8+ Months of Harvests
Date: March 3rd
Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm
You’ve got your garden in place, now how to begin? With some wintertime planning you’ll be relaxed and ready to grow come spring thaw. In this workshop we’ll share tools to help you draw up a planting plan and calendar that takes the guesswork out of growing veggies, herbs, fruits, and even flowers in your kitchen garden from April straight through November (and even longer with season-extending cover methods). We’ll also cover seed and plant sourcing options and pro planting tips to maximize success in your kitchen garden.

Damage Control: Managing Pests & Disease in the Kitchen Garden
Date: March 31st
Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm
Pests and disease are a reality in our kitchen gardens, and weather plays a big role. We can’t avoid them altogether, but simple prevention and control methods can greatly mitigate their damage. In this workshop we’ll identify the most common garden pests and diseases in our area—and which ones affect which crops. Discover the best methods and organic products to employ. Knowing what to look out for, we can prune, pluck, and spray our way to better harvests and a closer understanding of our plants’ needs. We’ll also discuss how adding flowers to your garden will attract beneficial insects and pollinators.

The Country Club of New Canaan

We invite you to join us at the Fifth Annual Lecture & Luncheon to benefit the New Canaan Nature Center. This year’s Lecture & Luncheon will feature a former artist-in-residence at Southampton’s Mecox Gardens, Christopher Spitzmiller. He has been producing his cult-status lamps since 1996. Christopher Spitzmiller is also known to his many friends and Instagram fans as the ultimate weekend farmer, who raises his own chicks, grows his own flowers, and makes his own jam, cider, and honey. In his first book, he treats readers to a full year at his country retreat, Clove Brook Farm. The event will take place at The Country Club of New Canaan.

The 11th annual New Canaan Dog Days presented by Pet Pantry Warehouse will once again be hosted right here at the New Canaan Nature Center in Spring 2022.

You won’t want to miss our live demonstrations, lectures, and meet-and-greets. The New Canaan Police Department Canine Unit, professional dog trainers, dog behaviorists, and veterinarians will be in attendance to educate and entertain attendees. This year’s activities and special event features include but are not limited to the following: Doggie Fun Zone, Fur-tastic K-9’s, Radar Run, Kid Zone, Dog Spa, Pet Pantry Bone Bar, Family Scavenger Hunt, Rescue Village, and Pet Portaits.

Donations are greatly appreciated and will benefit both Adopt-a-Dog and the New Canaan Nature Center.

*This FREE event is rain or shine.*

Lecture at a Private Garden in New Canaan 

We invite you to join us for a self guided garden tour and lecture with Page Dickey. Page Dickey has been gardening passionately since her early twenties, and writing about gardening, as well as designing gardens for others, for the last three decades. She has written eight books, including, Gardens in the Spirit of Place, Breaking Ground , Inside Out, Duck Hill Journal and its sequel, Embroidered Ground. Her new book, Uprooted: A Gardener Reflects on Beginning Again, describes leaving a beloved garden of thirty-four years, finding a home in the northwest corner of Connecticut, and falling in love with its land.
Page lectures around the country about plants and garden design, and has written many articles for magazines over the years, including House and Garden, House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, Horticulture, Elle Décor, Garden Design, and The New York Times.

This spectacular garden is on Ponus Ridge Road – Tickets can be purchased at the door. If you wish to purchase a ticket please contact: jrayher@newcanaannature.org

10:00am – 1:00pm Self Guided Tour of the Garden
11:00am – Lecture with Author Page Dickey

The New Canaan Nature Center will kick off the holiday season by hosting our Holiday Market! We are thrilled to be bringing it back! There will be unique gifts items including jewelry, clothing, candles, and much more. School of Rock will also be playing some holiday cheer!

10:00am – 5:00pm – Indoor Full Shopping Day

There will not be a Preview Party this year.

We will be following CDC Guidelines for the State of CT regarding COVID 19

Friday, October 1st (5:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.)
Saturday, October 2nd (10:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M.)

Join the New Canaan Nature Center for two days of traditional family fun at our 51st Annual Fall Fair! Come and enjoy carnival rides, a crazy maze, spooky stroll, pumpkin decorating, apple sling shot, zip line, and so much more! Food, drinks, & snacks will be available for cash purchase as well.

Friday Night Under the Stars: Unlimited Carnival Rides Wristband
Members: $25/wristband
Non-Members: $30/wristband

Online Wristband Sales are now closed.

*Both Unlimited Carnival Rides Wristbands and individual tickets will still be available on Friday night, at the door.*

Saturday: 
Tickets will be available at the door! (No wristband sales)

The New Canaan Nature Center is hosting our 9th Annual Harvest Festival! This event will be outside under a tent in the meadow.

This is one of our largest fundraisers for the New Canaan Nature Center, it will take place in the meadow, under a tent with beer, bites, wine, and live music by the Acoustic Quarantine.

Individual Tickets: $75.00

VIP Tickets (2 Tickets & Parking): $250.00

Tickets At the Door: $90.00

COVID Clearance: To ensure the health and safety of all participants. All ticket holders must provide proof of vaccination OR proof of a negative COVID PCR test takin within 72 hours of the event to gain entry. Masks will be required to use the indoor restrooms as well.