Community Projects

The MGC is involved in our community through support and active projects that help preserve and/or maintain gardens, parks and forests.
The Club supports:

~Society for the Protection of NH Forestry https://forestsociety.org/
~The Monadnock Conservancy https://www.monadnockconservancy.org/
~Audubon Scholarship Program https://hogisland.audubon.org/programs/scholarships


MGC maintains three local projects throughout the gardening season:

Wyman Tavern
Ashuelot Park
The Dora Spalding Trail

Wyman Tavern, Keene NH

Wyman Tavern

Wyman Tavern is located on Main Street in Keene, NH.

Since 1981, the MGC, with the help of Kristin Fenderson, noted landscape author and designer, undertook the mission of creating and maintaining a historical garden at the Wyman Tavern. Gardens in the 1800’s were not “pretty” gardens but utilitarian consisting of vegetables, fragrant and bitter herbs and flowers. They were used in cooking and/or healing.

Ashuelot Park

photo of three women by Ashulot Park rock
Ashulot Park

In 1998 MGC member Nancy Shepard was asked to design a Specialty Garden in Ashuelot Park to celebrate the upcoming turn of the century. The Asian-inspired design emphasized simplicity, creating a serene and calm oasis in the park.

Since that time MGC members of the Specialty Garden in Ashuelot Park Committee have maintained the garden at Ashuelot River Park.

In the Spring of 2019 the club installed a plaque on a signature rock in the center of the garden acknowledging the efforts of club members, and we provide ongoing planting and cleanup of the site.

Spalding Trail

Spaulding Trail

The Dora Spalding Trail, a 7 acre parcel, is located on the north side of Poole Memorial Road, the entrance road to Monadnock State Park.

In 1940 MGC began developing and creating a nature trail to foster the growth of wildflowers, ferns, shrubs and other species representative of the Appalachian Trail Range. In addition to inventorying the plants, signs are created to identify each species with the common and Latin name.

MGC continues to work on the trail and recruit students who learn as they volunteer to maintain this beautiful trail.

Directions to the Dora Spalding Trail In Monadnock State Park

From Jaffrey Center:

From the Jaffrey Meeting House take Rte 124 toward Marlborough .6 mi. Turn right on Dublin Rd. at the sign for Monadnock State Park. Go 1.3 mi and turn left at the sign for the State Park Headquarters, Poole Rd. (immediately after the Jaffrey Christian Ministries). Go .4 mi. You will see the Spalding Trail kiosk on your right with a small parking area.

Coming from Keene:

Turn right on Rte 124 in Marlborough. In about 10 mi., just short of Jaffrey Center, turn left on Dublin Rd. at the big sign for Monadnock State Park. Continue as above.
As you walk up the trail, you will see another small kiosk with a sign-in book. Please sign; it’s fun to see who uses the trail.