CALENDAR OF MEETINGS
2026-2027
All meetings will be held at 9:30 am social; 10 am brief business meeting and presentation.
Hillsborough United Methodist Church
130 W. Tryon St.
Hillsborough, NC
SEPTEMBER 10, 2026
PROGRAM: Fall Flower Fling
PRESENTER: Rachael Price, Owner, Tre Bella Flowers and HGC Member
Welcome to our new garden club year as we continue the tradition of sharing flowers from our gardens and ideas for making beautiful arrangements with our annual Fall Flower Fling. Our talented member, Rachael Price, owner of
Tre Bella Flowers, will guide us and give tips for turning these blooms from our home gardens into outstanding arrangements for our tables.
Be sure to bring flowers, greenery, grasses, seed heads, snips and a vase.
After Rachael’s demonstration, we will head to the flower bar to create our own
spectacular arrangements. Let’s bloom together!
OCTOBER 8, 2026
PROGRAM: Designing Thoughtful Outdoor Rooms - Spaces for Living, Gardening, and Gathering
PRESENTER: Justin Durango, Owner, Garden Harmony, Certified Permaculture Designer and NC Licensed Landscape Contractor
An opportunity for meaningful connection to the natural world, our landscapes provide an extension of our everyday lives. Because so much of modern life takes place indoors, thoughtfully designed outdoor spaces can bridge the gap between home and
garden, inviting us to spend more time outside. What design elements define a successful outdoor room, and how can they be used to create spaces that are both practical and inviting? This presentation explores the principles of outdoor room design, highlighting techniques that support the needs of the garden, the gardener, and everyone else who enjoys the space.
NOVEMBER 12, 2026
PROGRAM: Historic Moorefields, a Hillsborough Treasure
PRESENTER: Cecily Nesbit, Executive Director, Friends of Moorefields
Cecily Nesbit is a graduate of Sotheby’s Institute of Art and Cornell University and has been with Moorefields since May of 2025, leading the effort to further the organization’s archaeological, artistic, environmental and historic preservation goals. Cecily will share the history of Moorefields and its owners from its creation in 1785. In addition to being the oldest home open to the public in Hillsborough, the property encompasses 70 acres of woodlands and permanent pasture that are maintained as a wildlife preserve, owned and managed by the Friends of Moorefields. Cecily will update us on the formal gardens and the Hillsborough Garden Club’s grant to support the visitor experience through education.
DECEMBER 10, 2026
PROGRAM: A Floral Designer’s Amazing Journey &
Our Annual Cookie Swap
PRESENTER: Morgan Moylan, Owner, West Queen Studio and HGC Member
An accomplished floral designer, instructor, and creative entrepreneur, HGC member Morgan Moylan has traveled a remarkable path to her current home in Hillsborough and her role as owner of West Queen Studio. Morgan will share her journey—one filled with creativity and unexpected opportunities that led her to the exciting work she does today. With her signature wit and engaging style, Morgan will take us behind the scenes of her floral design career, showcasing photographs of some of her most distinctive and memorable installations.
***Bring your favorite cookies for the swap and an extra container to take home a delicious assortment of treats!
Thursday, January 8
Program: Discovering the Natural Wonders of the Wild South
Presenter: Georgann Eubanks, author
Georgann Eubanks, a Carrboro author, has spent her career in the natural landscapes that shape the South. She has published six books that document North Carolina's disappearing
cultural and literary landscapes. Her first, Literary Trails of the North Carolina Mountains, is a travel guide to the hometowns of authors and the places they write about (two additional titles cover writers from the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions). “Over the years, I’ve become increasingly passionate about preservation as the state loses parts of its history, Eubanks explains. “While working on the literary trails books, I often visited locations I had read about, only to find that there was no longer a ‘there’ there. I found myself imagining these missing places through the words of the writers.” Her most recent project, The Fabulous Ordinary: Discovering the Natural Wonders of the Wild South, encourages readers to protect the delicate environments that define our landscapes.
Thursday, February 12
Program: Plant That Tree the Right Way!
Presenter: Jesse Breden, ISA Certified Arborist, and Owner, Knotty by Nature Trees and Natives
Have you wanted to plant a special tree in your yard but didn’t know how to give it a good start? Jesse Breden, certified tree arborist, will give us instructions on the why and how of proper tree planting. With his expert guidance, you’ll be able to keep your trees healthy, strong, and thriving.
Thursday, March 12
Program: Rethinking the Traditional Southern Lawn
Presenter: Danesha Seth Carley, Associate Professor in Horticultural Science at NCSU and Director of the Southern Integrated Pest Management Center
A dynamic speaker, Denesha has extensively researched and written about sustainable managed landscapes with an emphasis on insect pollinator habitat conservation and how urban landscapes can contribute to pollinator protection. She will be giving ideas on how to reduce turf grass in your yard, including why and how, as well as tips and tricks and inspiration.
Thursday, April 9
Program: Creating Art From Recycled Materials
Presenter: Ann Brownlee Hobgood, Renowned Hillsborough Artist and Designer
What an honor it is to have American artist Ann Brownlee Hobgood as our guest. As a designer, teacher, decorator, and artist, Ann has always had art as a part of her life. After retiring in 2006, she began making art using recycled materials, mostly figurative assemblages using metal and wood.
Her list of juried shows is long and we are lucky she is going to share her talents with us. Let’s learn to create some exciting art for our gardens!
Thursday, May 14
Program: Using the iPhone for Amazing Photos
Presenter: Dennis Szerszen, Art Photographer and Educator
Dennis is a Hillsborough-based fine art photographer who works in both traditional and digital photographic methods. He has taught iPhone photography for several years through Duke University’s OLLI educational program. He is also a member of the Orange County Art Guild. Now he will help us learn to take those amazing photos we will be happy to share.
Thursday, June 11
Program: Share the Bounty with Friends - Food and Flowers
Presenter: Members of HGC
Gardeners love to meet and show off their talents, whether culinary or horticulture. Let’s share both as we celebrate the end of another successful garden club year with a scrumptious potluck and a lovely plant for the garden. Bring a dish for the potluck and a plant to share!
