
A snowman smiles wearing a colorful scarf after the “yarn bombing” by the Shrewsbury Garden Club. (Photo/Courtesy)
SHREWSBURY – Every January, members of the Shrewsbury Garden Club “yarn bomb” the traffic islands on Main Street and Maple Avenue.
“Yarn bombing” refers to decorating everything from the street lamps to snowmen with colorful bands of yarn. The tradition began in 2023 after Shrewsbury Garden Club member and chairperson of the traffic islands Ann Curran sought a way to bring some excitement to the community during the gray winter months.
“[I wanted] to create some winter interests because most times there’s flowers or some kind of plantings in the summer and the spring, but in wintertime it’s pretty boring after Christmas. So, I thought it would be a fun thing to do,” Curran said.
She heard about the idea eight years ago, and after seeing it at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, she became inspired to replicate it for Shrewsbury.

Joe Poulin from Shrewsbury Electric & Cable Operations (SELCO) helped with the annual “yarn bombing.” (Photo/Courtesy)
“It gives people something to look forward to when they come around the corner, or stop at the lights,” Curran said. “Most people like it and I think it’s interesting.”
Curran was assisted by fellow Shrewsbury Garden Club members Jeanne Pandiani, Jane Umphrey and Sudha Chandrasekeran to assemble it.
“This year there were four of us up there, freezing to death,” Curran said. “Jeanne is the principal designer and knitter, and then she had Jane and Sudha do some knitting.”
Joe Poulin from Shrewsbury Electric & Cable Operations (SELCO) also came in with a ladder to help put the clock pieces on.
The publicity from the event has helped garner attention for the club.
“We get lots of thank you’s, and we get some donations,” Curran said. “We were always interested in getting donations, and we’ve also got new members from all the activity that’s going on at the islands.”
Curran encourages anyone hearing about the Shrewsbury Garden Club to get involved.
“Come join us; you can work in many capacities, not just physical labor or maintaining the garden, but there’s all sorts of other activities that people can join in and volunteer,” Curran said.
The group meets once a month and maintains a town garden next to Town Hall. The club also has scholarships for Shrewsbury students, and it manages an adopt-a-garden program.
“It’s a social event, and it’s also volunteering, which is important,” Curran said. “And it’s just fun to meet new people.”
To learn more about the Shrewsbury Garden Club, visit www.ShrewsburyGardenClub.org or on Facebook at Shrewsbury, MA Garden Club.