The Litchfield Garden Club records document an association that has been actively involved in education and civic improvement efforts as well as local, regional and national conservation and environmental initiatives since the club was founded in Litchfield, Conn., in 1913. The collection consists of minutes, reports, correspondence, membership information, financial records, scrapbooks, photographs, newsletters, publicity materials, clippings, programs, yearbooks, awards, and other items. Of particular note are hand colored glass lantern slides created in 1915 as part of a Garden Clubs of America project to document member gardens for the Smithsonian Archives of American Gardens. Litchfield's club presented the Smithsonian with a copy, keeping the master slides in town.

The Litchfield Garden Club records are arranged in eight series.

Series 1. Administrative records (1913-2013) include documentation of the constitution and bylaws, policy handbooks, history of the Club, minutes and annual reports, membership, account books, committees, officers, yearbooks, correspondence and memoranda, records of individual members, and other members.

The single best general source for information about the Club and its activities are the reports that were prepared for the annual meeting. Sometimes, these reports were filed within the minutes for the annual meeting and in other cases the reports were filed individually. Even if the reports are filed separately, a researcher should always check the minutes for the meeting to see if there are additional reports.

Series 2. Projects and activities (1923-2013) includes records related to the Club's projects and activities, except for flower shows, will be found in this series arranged chronologically. These records relate to the Club's extensive educational, environmental, and civic improvement efforts detailed in the Club's history found in this finding aid. Documents and reports, such as the Action Plan for Litchfield and the Treescape project are found here, along with documentation related to the many speakers and symposia offered. The Club's newsletter, The Compost File, is also found in this series.

Series 3. Flower shows (1932-2009) include records related to the Club's many shows and include programs and posters, invitations, awards, entry categories, and logistical details.

Series 4. Awards and honors (1932-2017) includes awards and honors received by the Club and individuals, Club submissions for awards, and Club awards and citations to members and others. Documentation also includes files maintained by the Awards Committee, 1995-2012.

Series 5. Scrapbooks (1965-2007) are an excellent source of documentation about the club and its activities and cover the mid-1960s-2000s. A variety of materials are found in the scrapbooks, including newspaper and publicity clippings, photographs, awards, and event posters.

Series 6. Photographs (1915-2013) includes glass lantern slides, photographs and negatives, slides, and digital files. They are arranged chronolocially and document flower shows, members' homes and gardens, annual meetings, special events, and other topics.

Series 7. Audiovisual and digital media (1998-2013) includes video, audio, and computer files.

Series 8. Publicity (1932-2021) includes primarily loose newspaper clippings and magazine articles.