 |
In case you missed the fantastic CT Flower Show last week, we have it all covered here and on our website, with collages prepared by Inge Venus, at
ctgardenclubs.org/flowershow.html. We also feature up-to-the minute coverage of the campaign to save Monarch butterflies--there is some good news!
Mark your calendars with the dates for Landscape Design Study School, the Southeast Idea Exchange Symposium, the 88th Annual Meeting at Aqua Turf, and a new "Before Beyond Beginning" series of floral design classes. And finally, you'll find inspiration for working with succulents and creating innovative youth programs.
For the Calendar,
click here.
* Lynn Hyson
News Editor
|
|
Dear Garden Club Members,
What a wonderful
Woodland Enchantment was staged by our Flower Show Chairman, Cathy Ritch, and her fabulous team of workers! Every year the process seems to improve and the results reflect it. But it is only the dedication of the committee chairs and the hard work of all the additional volunteers they recruit that make the process work. And of course, the process means displaying all of the creative entries and beautiful horticulture supplied by all of you across the state. It was an outstanding show where we were blessed with great weather to attract the public. I sincerely hope you were able to attend or volunteer or enter!
Cathy and I were privileged to open the show with (left to right) Roger Swain, and Kristie Gonsalves, President of North East Expos, Inc., the producer of the show.
The creative staging of the show had a central focus of murals depicting deep mysterious forests. They were surrounded by live trees, and grassy paths, then dotted with woodland animals and birds. The scene was enhanced by background music with sounds of the forest, including owls hooting and the occasional thunder. Many sparkling and purple enchanted trees were scattered throughout the space.
|
|
Flower Show Staging Chair Paula Inglese, Flower Show Chair Cathy Ritch, and Federation President Jane Waugh.
|
This message would take the entire newsletter if I began to describe the work of each committee chair, but I sincerely thank each and every one of them. The committee list can be found at the end of this message. Thanks go not only for all the effort, but also for the great attitude. It's not very often that one hears, as I did at the show on Thursday, a committee chair who was having such a good time that she said her cheeks hurt from smiling so much!
I do want to mention a few items new at the show this year. We had fabulous new carts, and plenty of them, for moving around entries on arrival as well as for many other uses. We were part of Kristie's award reception on Thursday evening where, for the first time, we presented the award of Excellence for Landscape Design as judged by the Landscape Design Council. We've given it in the past but not as part of this formal presentation. Also new was that two of our top designers, Cathy Ritch and Trish Manfredi, were invited to give floral demonstrations as official speakers on the show agenda.
|
|
| Members of the Landscape Design Council in front of the winner for Excellence in Landscape Design by Earth Tones Native Plant Nursery. Photo by Nancy Baker. |
And finally, we initiated a People's Choice Award where all attendees could vote for their favorite design in the show. Look for photos and a list of all winners on our
website's Flower Show page.
Other exciting events coming in March are Landscape Design School and another Idea Exchange Symposium, and in April, our Annual Meeting at Aqua Turf where new officers will be presented and we will enjoy a wonderful design presentation. Look for more details in articles below. I hope to see you at one of these events, the final ones of my two-year term of growing together with you.
Happy Spring!
* Jane
Flower Show Committee -
The "ARBORISTS" who
created and maintained our "Woodland Enchantment"
* Flower Show Chair - Cathy Ritch
* Second VP & Membership Chair - Arlene Field
* Schedule & Administration - Donna Nowak
* Staging Chair - Paula Inglese
* Floor Plan/Signs/Entry Cards - MaryEllen Unger
* Design Coordinator & Comment Cards - Kris Urbanik
* Design Classification - Eunice Lasala & Carol Martens
* Design Quality Control - Susan Petty-Bailer
* Horticulture Coordinator - Ronnie Schoelzel
* Horticulture Entries - Cindy Marien
* Horticulture Walk-In Entries - Cordalie Benoit
* Horticulture Classification - Jessica Fischer
* Horticulture Placement -Diane White
* Educational Exhibits Chair - Maureen Carson
* Photography Chair - Renee Marsh
* Judges Chair - Trish Manfredi
* Photography Judges Chair - Jeanette Barrows
* Clerks Chair - Margareta Kotch
* Awards Chair - Deb Vallas
* Treasurer - Shirley Hall
* Painting Chair - Karin Pyskaty
* Design Education Signage - Alice Luster
* Publicity Chair - Barbara Bosco
* Entries Facilitator - Jan Hickcox
* Name Tags - Cheryl Damiani
* Hostess/Hospitality Co-Chairs - Linda Brown & Beth Brunone
* Books Chair - Sally Kuslis
|
|
NATIVE OAK TREE PROJECT UPDATE
|
|
The Mountain Valley Garden Club planted a swamp white oak at the southeast corner of the town hall property at Raymond Rd. in West Hartford, which was covered in the
West Hartford News. Left to right in the newspaper photo are Chris Squillante, West Hartford Grounds Department, Mountain Valley Garden Club Members, Marilyn Harmon, Susan Kelly, Wanda Hedman, Virginia Blanch, Judy Roberts, and Gloria O'Meara, West Hartford Library Director, Martha Church, and Rick DiBella, West Hartford Grounds Manager.
|
* Virginia Blanch
Mountain Valley Garden Club
A new swamp white oak was planted by the Cherry Brook Garden Club at Peace Pole Park in Canton.
Submitted by Barbara Deysson
State Project Chair
|
|
|
Hope for Monarchs in the Fight Against Extinction
Monarchs are truly impressive butterflies. They are the only butterflies to perform a "two-way" migration. The very same individual that migrates down to Mexico in the fall will make the return trip to southern parts of the U.S. in springtime. Subsequent generations continue this effort in summer to points north--nothing short of amazing.
Along the way, and upon reaching their destination, monarchs need milkweed and plenty of it. Female monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed plants because it is the only plant their larvae can feed on.
The shocking truth is that monarch populations have declined by 90% in the past two decades, primarily due to extensive loss of milkweed habitat. Nowhere is the problem more pronounced than in the Midwest. Farmers who own much of the land in the monarchs' flight path want their fields to be weed-free. They mow down field edges and spray glyphosate herbicide to accomplish this. The availability of "Round-up ready" seeds has accelerated this practice because farmers can now directly spray crop seed in their fields.
With so much attention given to the plight of the monarchs, many individuals and groups across the country have been planting milkweed in home and community gardens. However, experts believe more needs to be done in order to save the monarch.
You might ask why monarchs are not on the Endangered Species List. Currently, there are 130 animal species waiting to be protected under the Endangered Species Act. Waiting for endangered species protection is not an option for the monarch since it could take years to accomplish this, while their numbers continue to decline. Monarchs just don't have that much time.
A newly proposed project by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) shows promise for saving our vanishing monarchs. The Monarch Butterfly Exchange is a national campaign to partner with large-scale farmers. The idea is to make it more profitable for farmers to protect milkweed habitat rather than destroy it. Under this Exchange, farmers can earn credits for growing milkweed. Credits are then sold through the Exchange to buyers or investors who support the initiative.
The EDF believes this initiative will be the most effective way to help the monarch. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agrees that an exchange program is the best option "for preserving at-risk species." There is also considerable interest among public and private investors for the initiative.
There is tremendous hope for the Monarch Butterfly Exchange initiative--that it will be embraced by farmers and supported by concerned groups and individuals for the protection of this amazing butterfly. And with this success in the Midwest, the initiative will then spread to other farmers and large landowners across the country and to lands near where we live. For more information on the Monarch Butterfly Exchange, go to
edf.org.
* Holly Kocet
Garden Club of Newtown & Protect Our Pollinators
*****
Pollinator Protection Act Update
When the Connecticut Act Concerning Pollinator Health became law in 2016, it was hailed as groundbreaking legislation, not only because it provided comprehensive strategies to protect pollinators, but also because it passed unanimously in both the House and Senate, a rare occurrence.
The law required a number of studies and reports on various aspects of the problem including the use of dangerous pesticides, loss of habitat, varroa mites, and increased state involvement. Now many of those strategies are being rolled out by various state agencies, some actually ahead of established deadlines. While not perfect, these strategies, if implemented properly, should go a long way in making a difference to the health of Connecticut's bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
Some of the resulting actions and reports that have already been published include:
Neo-nicotinoids are reclassified as restricted use only. (
Background: Neonicotinoids are a class of widely used pesticides that are toxic to bees and other pollinators. Until now they have been distributed in a variety of ways and products easily available to the public.)
With the new classification as "restricted use," they will be available only to certified commercial and private applicators. The date for this reclassification was specified January 1, 2018, but the Department of Energy actually moved this date forward by one year.
Neonicotinoids excluded on plants in bloom. As of 2016, no neonicotinoids are to be applied to plants that are in blossom (except in a greenhouse that is inaccessible to pollinators. (As specified in the legislation.)
Establishment of a Pollinator Advisory Committee. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station shall establish a Pollinator Advisory Committee to serve as an information resource for the General Assembly. That committee has been established. Members are Dr. Richard Cowles (CAES); Mr. Mark Creighton, State Beekeeper (CAES); Mr. Nelson DeBarros (DEEP); Dr. Kirby Stafford III, State Entomologist (CAES); and Dr. Kimberly Stoner (CAES).
Study of varroa mites. By January 1, 2017, the State Entomologist shall make recommendations to offsetting the effects of varroa mites. (
Background: Varroa mites are microscopic and debilitating parasites that attack both honey bees and brood. They were first found in Connecticut in the early 1990's and by 2007 were found in virtually all inspected colonies.)
The published guide for recommendations for control can be found at:
(
Background: Much of the decline of pollinators in Connecticut is due to loss of habitat from development, natural plant succession, pesticide usage and changes in the way agriculture is carried out.)
This 26-page report has been issued and contains sections on developing pollinator habitats for beekeepers, farmers and orchardists, managers of large land areas, and gardeners. Each section is complete with references and suggested plants. This guide can be found at
http://conta.cc/2lD29kJ
Department of Transportation (DOT) to identify opportunities for planting native grasses along highways by January 1, 2017.
(Background: In total, over 10 million acres of roadsides exist in the United States. Roadsides represent one of the most widespread networks of linear habitats on Earth, acting as corridors for species distribution by connecting fragmented existing landscape patches. This land supports a diversity of wildlife by providing shelter, food, and breeding opportunities for many species, including presently threatened pollinators.)
The DOT has issued an extensive report concerning replacement of non-native grasses with native plant communities along highways to create model pollinator habitat. It contains much valuable information for local highway departments and others to begin this process. Of note are over 100 pages of pictures and specifications for native plants. This report can be found at
http://nenativeplants.uconn.edu/references.php.
By March 1, 2017, the DEEP shall report on restrictions on the planting of seeds coated with neonicotinoids. (
Background: The main concern about seeds coated with neonicotinoids is acute exposure to bees from airborne dust associated with the planting process. Other concerns are chronic exposure to foraging bees from nectar, pollen and plant guttation [the secretion of droplets of water from the pores of plants] as these are transported back to the hive.)
That resulting report offers information and alternatives to farmers and can be found at:
http://conta.cc/2lD8mgu
Connecticut can be proud of our leaders who have taken significant steps to address the serious decline of pollinators in our state. However, it will be important that citizens also take steps in their own yards and communities to promote pollinator habitat by planting native species (bees after all co-evolved with native plants) and limiting or eliminating the use of harmful pesticides. We know that pollinators are a keystone species that supports not only agricultural pursuits but also whole ecosystems. Without them, the world would be a very different place.
*
Mary Gaudet Wilson
Garden Club of Newtown & Protect Our Pollinators
|
|
Southeast Idea Exchange Symposium
Based upon the success of the symposia held in 2015 and 2016, another is scheduled for March 16, 2017, at Mercy By The Sea in Madison. The Southeast Idea Exchange Symposium provides a forum for clubs in the southeast area of our state to come together to share ideas and discuss meaningful topics ─ all with the goal of helping to make our clubs as good as they can be. Look for an invitation in your "inbox."
* Arlene Field
FGCCT Second Vice-President and Symposium Chair
|
|
ANNUAL REPORTS DUE!
It's that time of year again when we are asked to complete and submit our Annual Reports to The Federation to document our activities and accomplishments in the past year and become eligible for FGCCT awards.
The fillable interactive annual report forms for 2016-2017 were sent to your club president for distribution to your committee chairs. They are also posted on our website. Go to
www.ctgardenclubs.org. Click the Club LogIn page, and click on "Click here for Annual Report Forms for 2016-2017" at the top of the page. You may type directly into the page and then print your completed form to send in to our FGCCT Office by the April 1st deadline.
If you wish to email your report to our office, or to save a copy of your report on your computer, FIRST save the blank PDF to your computer before filling it in. (If you fill in the form online, print it, and then try to save it, it likely will save only the blank document, without any of the data you have keyed. The exception is if you have a more advanced version of Adobe Acrobat.) Once you've completed and saved the reports on your computer, you can attach them to an email to send to The Federation office or to others in your club.
* Inge Venus
Headquarters Director and Website Chair
|
|
|
Landscape Design Study School,
Course III
March 21-22, 2017
in New Haven
Why take a course in Landscape Design?
* The Landscape Design Study School's purpose is to educate club members and the public on good landscape design practices. Often members choose to update their own yards, advise town committees, or be competent professionals in landscape design.
What's involved?
* This school is a two-day course with an optional multiple choice exam. The curriculum of the program is divided into four courses; one course is given in CT each year. Courses
may be taken in any order.
* Garden club members passing two courses are offered provisional membership in the Landscape Design Council whose activities include programs, speakers, fabulous
trips and other aspects of continuing education in landscape design.
* Garden club members may apply for a Landscape Design Consultant Certificate by attending all four courses and earning grades of 70 or better.
Questions? Contact Susan Laursen at 203-415-2077 or
[email protected]
To register, download the form at
www.ctgardenclubs.org/education.html
* Susan Laursen
Landscape Design Study School Chair
|
|
Join us at the 88th Annual Meeting and Luncheon, April 19, 2017
A wonderful experience awaits you at our Federation's Annual Meeting and Luncheon on Wednesday, April 19, 2017, at Aqua Turf Country Club. Jane Waugh finishes her successful two-year term and Inge Venus will be installed as our new President, along with new officers and committee chairs.
To add to the enjoyment of the day, designer extraordinaire, Jeanne T. Nelson, will create gorgeous floral designs that will delight and inspire you. Jeanne is a former President of NYSFGC and former Director of Central Atlantic Region, a NGC Accredited Master Judge, the NY State Awards Coordinator and the NGC Flower Show Achievement Award Chair. Two of her designs appear in the WAFA book, "Flower Arranging...The American Way" and she is a blue-ribbon design winner at the Philadelphia Flower Show. Jeanne has been elected to the Presidency of the National Flower Arrangers, a group dedicated to creative design and inclusion of international designers.
Make your reservation soon for this lovely day.
Click here for the registration form.
I hope to see you there. If you have any questions, please contact me.
* Nan Merolla
Meetings Chair (
[email protected])
|
Meet Sally Kuslis
When you attend the Annual Meeting, perhaps you really will meet Sally Kuslis, our Chair for
Books and National Gardener magazine. In this position, she faithfully supplies the books for sale at meetings and the CT Flower Show. She is the source for the required reading for all the NGC courses-Flower Show School, Environmental Studies School, Landscape Design School and Gardening Study School-and a selection of general interest gardening books. The recent NGC book for children, The Frightened Frog, was a big seller. And now Sally has the long-awaited new edition of the Handbook for Flower Shows. The handbook is available from the NGC website for $25 plus $8.95 shipping, but if you see Sally at a meeting, you can purchase it from her for $26.80, including tax.
Sally grew up on a dairy farm in Watertown, and helped with the chores. "Every season after the fields were harrowed, we would 'pick rocks' as my father called it," she remembers. "We would chase cows into the pasture and then back for milking and feed the cows with silage and hay." she says. "Then there were the never-ending summer chores: rolling the bales of hay, moving and stacking them...You might think all that work would turn me off, but it made me appreciate nature more," Sally notes.
In fact, she earned her degree in biology, which led to a 33-year career at the UConn Health Center, where Kuslis specialized in "all facets of female reproduction." Though she retired in 2010, Sally still works one day a week, saying, "I love the people there."
Married and the mother of two, Sally didn't have time to join the Watertown Garden Club until 2010, which she had wanted to do for years. " I was so happy I did join, I really like working with everyone.". As a gardener, she says, " I like a bit of everything." When her children were young, the family had a kiddie pool in the yard. Later she and her husband dug it out deeper and built a pond, surrounded by willows, grasses and perennials. She also likes to mix annuals and perennials, sticking tomatoes in with the flowers. "My goal is to rid the lot of all the grass," Sally laughs.
Kuslis's activities for the Watertown Garden Club earned her The Lillian M, Rathbun Award at The Federation's Annual Awards Luncheon three years ago for all around excellence in all phases of garden club work. And that was when she was asked to take on her current position. "I really like working with the people in The Federation. They are an interesting group with all kinds of knowledge and are very helpful, Sally says.
* Lynn Hyson
News Editor
|
|
|
|
 |
NEW OFFERING:
"Intro to Creative Floral Design" or "Before Beyond Beginning"
This is the Series of workshops to sign up for if you are a beginning designer and want to learn to be a better designer, enter Flower Shows, and/or make beautiful designs for your home. "
Before Beyond Beginning" (BBB) is a NEW hands-on workshop series about Creative Design. If you don't know what Creative Design is, this series is for you! If you want to learn more about Creative Design, this series is for you! If you want to learn new techniques and practice, this series is for you! Even if your interest is really Traditional Design, you'll learn basic floral design fundamentals to help you with your Traditional designs (and perhaps open up to you a new world of Creative Design).
The workshops are sponsored by Judges Council with support from the Marita Wezowic Fund. They are led by NGC Accredited Judges and include a lecture/demonstration of a design type, followed by a hands-on workshop. Upon completion of the designs, judges will aid participants in critiquing their designs based on the Principles and Elements of Designs in order to improve their design skills. Classes begin promptly at 10 am and are finished by 12:30 pm. They are held at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (Jones Auditorium), 123 Huntington St, New Haven CT.
April 21 Introduction to Creative Design
May 19 Introduction to Mechanics
June 9 Introduction to the Color Wheel
July 7 Flower Show from Schedule to Concept & Finished Design
ALL workshops include the materials to make your own creative design. Cost is $30 per workshop.
To enroll, send a check made out to FGCCT for each workshop you want to attend to Cathy Ritch, 11 Old Fire Rd, Trumbull, CT 06611. We have 26 spaces, and workshops fill quickly, so send your check as soon as possible and include: workshop dates for which you want to register, phone number, email, Garden Club name. You will receive a confirmation email. It is possible to audit/observe the workshops without cost, but you must pre-register. If you must cancel at a later time, refunds will be given if a substitute can be found to take your place. Any questions, email Cathy Ritch,
[email protected]
For participants who have taken previous Beyond Beginning (BB) sessions, we are trying to open BB workshop participation to more designers, so enrollment for this Intro Series is different than in the past...
* Flower Show School participants will be given first priority for seats until March 15.
* Anyone who has attended 6 or fewer previous workshops can enroll, but will be on a wait list until the March 15 deadline.
* Anyone who has attended more than 7 workshops can enroll, but will be on a wait list until
April 1.
* Everyone will receive an email acknowledgement of enrollment or a check refund if the seats are filled.
* Audit/observing at no cost is possible (up to 15 people per session).
* Create-your-own sessions are open to everyone (they will be scheduled at a later time).
* Cathy Ritch
Flower Show Chair
|
|
EYE ON HORTICULTURE:
The March Garden
|
|
|
Come March I'm chomping at the bit to get outside and get my hands dirty. By this time I find that having read every plant catalogue I could get my hands on no longer satiates my gardening desires, so I turn to the very diverse group of plants known as succulents to help keep these desires at bay. Succulents are a vast group of plants that have gained in popularity over the past decade. Their flowers can be quite lovely but it's their strikingly unusual foliage that draws you in. And what interesting foliage it is. The overall forms of these plants run the gamut from spike like to those with a rosette form to a variety that resembles a string of pearls! The textures range from smooth to fuzzy and the colors from nearly white to blue, yellow, red, purple every shade of green and many combinations thereof. They have a uniqueness unto themselves that is not found in other parts of the plant world.
The current trend is to utilize these differences in groupings. The solitary Jade Plant (
Crassula ovata) I grew when first married some 30+ years ago still has its merits but it is these groupings that fascinate me now. The smooth blue elongated leaves of
Senecio mandraliscae (Blue Chalk Sticks) combined with the fuzzy gray, brown edged leaves of
Kalanchoe tomentosa (Chocolate Soldier Panda Plant) with the rosette shape of any of the
Echeverias (Hens and Chicks) thrown in and you have the basis for a beautiful planter. The diversity of these plants makes it easy for anyone to create a grouping of their own personal preference, and I've never met a grouping I didn't like. The mixed plantings have become so popular they even have their own category at plant shows. Especially gaining in popularity with the younger crowd, I've seen them incorporated into wedding bouquets and centerpieces. Individually planted in mini tin pails we used them last summer as favors at my daughter's wedding.
Even though they are easy to grow the one problem to watch out for is they will do poorly if the soil is too rich in organic matter. They prefer a lean well drained porous soil that water will run straight through. A 50/50 combination of potting mix and sharp sand will do the trick.
Inexpensive and readily found in the trade, endless combinations can easily be made. A great place for inspiration is The CT Cactus and Succulent Society's Annual Show which will be held on April 1, 2017 at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury. See for yourself the endless varieties. A picture is worth a thousand words.
* Liz Rinaldi
Horticulture Chair
|
SCHOLARSHIP NEWS
We are pleased to announce that the Glastonbury Garden Club has donated $500 to the FGCCT Scholarship Fund.
Our candidate for the National Garden Clubs Scholarship has just been submitted and we will look forward to another winner.
Thank you to all of you who support the wonderful scholarship fund.
Our students appreciate everything!
* Judy Joly
Scholarship Chair
|
|
Rowayton Gardeners
Tory Woodruff
Youth Activities Chair
The Rowayton Gardeners offer an amazing number and variety of youth programs. They work mainly with pre-school and elementary age groups, but occasionally offer a program for middle school children.
In the past few years, they have renovated their Potting Shed, which is on the grounds of the Rowayton Community Center. The majority of their programs are held here and many of the programs are done in conjunction with other activities at the Community Center. The Potting Shed is the site for pre-school programs and nature or gardening puppet shows in the Spring. It is also the location for a six-week summer program of garden-focused workshops centered around the national summer library theme.
The Mother-Son Dirt Fest is a two-hour program and dinner that is held on the same day as a community Father-Daughter event. It includes building and planting projects and a puppet show. Soccer Saturdays is a six-week program of nature-inspired garden crafts held in the Potting Shed during the time that the town-wide soccer program games are being played on adjoining fields. In the Fall, the garden club volunteers present a three-day Carve-a-Thon Event which culminates in a community open house where there is an opportunity to see the carved pumpkins and to play garden-themed games.
At the Spring Plant Sale, the club offers a special event to entertain the children while their parents shop. It varies from year to year and may be a craft project or a program involving a visit with cool creatures from the Stamford Nature Center.
In addition to presenting all these programs in their own community, they work with the Grassroots Tennis program in Norwalk. In the Spring, members teach a garden lesson and help to refresh and clean up the raised beds. Club members then volunteer to be on an outreach team that visits weekly to help with tutoring and gardening tasks.
About 25 Rowayton Gardeners volunteer for these programs each year. There is a budget to cover the cost of youth programs. However, a fee may be charged for some of the nature craft classes and for the Mother-Son Dirt Fest and Dinner.
While not every club can offer such an ambitious schedule of youth programs, you might be able to choose one that fits your club. Offering programs in conjunction with other community activities provides an opportunity for great publicity and may result in new members. Charging a fee for a program or two allows you to provide youth programs when you have a small club and a limited budget.
* Ann Germano
Youth Chair
|
|
Down Memory Lane
In high school, I studied Greek, not Latin. Thanks to my mother-in-law, who walked me through the woods around her farm, I learned plants had Latin names and common names.
She'd say, "Oh. Look. There's a (Latin name)." Then she'd stop, cross her hands, and say, "Of course, that's commonly known as (fill in the blank)." I realized fairly quickly my companion was a walking encyclopedia.
In hindsight, Virginia Warrington Morosani was trolling for a provisional garden club member.
While she and I had subjects about which we agreed, and others on which we agreed to disagree, I cannot tell you how grateful I am to her for opening to me a world she loved.
She was a Past President of our Litchfield Garden Club. Her mother was a Past President of another garden club.
She and her husband planted 10,000 narcissi here in the summer of 1941, which have been naturalizing ever since. Each spring, my neighbors and my not-so-neighbors clog our little country road to enjoy her plantings.
She sparked in me a new curiosity, and the spark's never gone.
Because of her, I was offered membership in our town's garden club. I was clueless enough to think it was a social club, and I'd need hats and gloves (in 1983? Was I clueless!)
I reiterate my gratitude. I have learned so much, about horticulture (tabula rasa), design (ditto) and conservation (easy first connection) from my mother-in-law and from others in my club, like Bronwyn (Ronnie) Schoelzel, another Past President.
Why do I reiterate my thanks? These gifts--knowledge shared, curiosity encouraged, lore-- ancient and technological--are as the ad says, "Priceless."
What was true, remains true. We need to share what we know and love to encourage the next generation of gardeners to join us.
* Polly Brooks
Former Environmental Studies School Chair
|
In Memory of Susan Faulkner
The Federation was sad to learn of the passing of Susan Faulkner on February 21st. Susan was a long-time resident of Darien, an active Federation Board Member and Federation President from 1995 to 1997. Susan and her husband Jack were ardent conservationists and Susan had a bench in his memory placed at Lockwood Farms near the Bird and Butterfly Garden.
|
|
Share your garden
If you have a particularly nice photo of your garden, we'd love to share it. Email a .jpg file of your picture to [email protected] and we will try to include it in an upcoming issue of the CF News.
|
|
| A view from last season's garden, by Cindy Golia of the North Haven Garden Club. |
|
|
Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc.
[email protected]
http://www.ctgardenclubs.org
6537 Members 124 Clubs 17 Affiliates
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
