Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow this year, and the members of the Arbor Garden Club of Clinton are ready to make the most of an early spring for the club’s 60th anniversary year.

“The Arbor Garden Club was founded and federated on 1960 with the purpose of promoting the advancement of gardening, to add beauty to home, town, and state and to aid in the conservation of flowers, trees, and wildlife,” said Club President Virginia Casanova.

The club was founded in 1960 by Jessie Finch and has held yearly events since then. For the 60th anniversary, the group has several fun and free opportunities planned, starting on Thursday, March 12 at 6:30 p.m., when the club will host a presentation in Clinton Town Hall, 54 East Main Street, on the life of honey bees and their environmental impacts.

In April, the group will host a speaker giving a presentation on planting native trees, grass, shrubs, and flowers. A Mother’s Day market is planned for Saturday, May 9 at which patrons can buy baskets of fresh flowers, seed packets, and succulent gardens and children can purchase Mother’s Day gifts as well.

All the events are free to attend and open to members in other towns besides Clinton. The club is planning to host additional events through the rest of the year.

“These are educational things we provide to the community,” said Casanova.

The group is also offering two $1,000 scholarships to Clinton students who are majoring in an environmental science. Casanova clarified that the award, the Lucy Rathbone Elliot Scholarship, is meant for any student who lives in Clinton, not just students graduating from The Morgan School.

“We’re very excited about this,” said Casanova.

Casanova said the club has been engaging in these kinds of events for years.

“We have been donating Arbor Day trees to the town at the end of April and do the flower barrels on Main Street,’ Casanova explained, adding that the Public Works Department is very helpful with installing and maintaining the projects.

Other projects the group is involved in include Christmas in Clinton, a silent auction, and decorating the Vece Gazebo for the holiday season.

As a federated garden club, the club has the ability to enter into flower shows as well as other benefits.

“We can enter our creations in shows, we can take courses offered as well. It also allows the ability to receive scholarships,” said Casanova.

The group has 29 members. Casanova said despite the club’s relatively small size, that its members have won several awards. The club’s roster of full members is currently full, though it is accepting associate members.

For membership information or scholarship criteria and an application, call Casanova at 203-710-0133 or email her at vingin13@yahoo.com.

For more information on the club and its events, visit the Arbor Garden Club of Clinton Facebook page.