November 2019 Newsletter
Volunteers Making New Canaan Beautiful
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Dear Members,
Last month’s luncheon and speaker got our new year off to a great start, thanks to Gloria Simon and her team. Before we get caught up in the busy holiday season, we have two events for November that you will enjoy. On the 6
th
of November, we will show a film about Beatrix Farrand, the first female landscape architect in America, and on Wednesday, November 13, we have our “stuffing” party. This is when we will assemble the materials for our town wide annual appeal mailing. This is a fun event where we can stuff, snack and socialize. Please join us!
One of the Beautification League’s projects has been to help fund the Gold Star Walk in Mead Park. This is an avenue of trees planted to honor the New Canaan citizens who gave their lives during World War II. Last week, the Public Works crew did a wonderful job of cleaning up the area and replacing some of the trees. This is another example of our partnership with the Public Works Department to make New Canaan beautiful. If you need a new walking route, try a stroll through Mead Park and check out this area.
If you are looking for a special Christmas gift this year, consider one of the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society’s landmark ornaments. One of the ornaments offered is an NCBL hanging basket with the Elm Street clock and American flag. Please contact the NC Museum and Historical Society to preorder or see our article below for more purchasing options.
We wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.
Barbara and Karen
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Welcome Our Newest Members
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Diane Johnson
Delma and Michael Wessner
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If you know of any member who is ill, hospitalized, or has lost a loved one, please let Libby Butterworth or any of the membership chairs know.
Rose Bauersfeld, 203-966-9527, rbauersfeld@yahoo.com
Libby Butterworth, 203-801-0862, eabutter@gmail.com

Sara Hunt, 203-966-3313, skhminky@optonline.net

Margit Mills, 312-925-3861, margitmills@gmail.com
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The Membership Committee has been donating the beautiful arrangements made by Jackie Harmody from our meetings to members who have been sick or who have lost a loved one. Please consider donating any large vases you may have to Jackie Harmody (jacqueline@fleur2u.com or 203-246-6771) to use for NCBL flower arrangements.
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Grab your NCBL Membership Directory!
We have a few corrections:
Barbara Dennis' phone should be corrected to: 203-354-4026
Ulrika Veroude's email should be corrected to: ulrika.veroude@hotmail.co.uk
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There are other films about Beatrix Farrand, however this documentary is new and was released early this year. This is the first local airing of this award-winning documentary!
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Please join us for our November program as we view the documentary,
Beatrix Farrand's American Landscapes,
a new documentary produced by the Beatrix Farrand Garden Association. The documentary follows award-winning public garden designer Lynden B. Miller as she sets off to explore the remarkable life and career of America’s first female landscape architect - Beatrix Farrand.
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You can view a trailer of the documentary by clicking this button:
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Farrand was responsible for some of the most celebrated gardens in the United States and helped create a distinctive American voice in landscape architecture. Although she created gardens for the rich and powerful, including John D. Rockefeller, Jr., J.P. Morgan, and President Woodrow Wilson, she also was an early advocate for the value of public gardens and believed strongly in the power of the natural world to make people’s lives better. Through the documentary, Miller journeys to iconic Farrand gardens, engaging designers, scholars and horticulturists in a spirited dialogue about the meaning and importance of this ground-breaking early 20th-century woman. Lynden Miller’s experience as New York City’s most prominent public garden designer is woven into a wide-ranging biography of Farrand’s life and times. Run Time: 62 minutes
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Registration is needed for this program:
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Beatrix Farrand designed two public gardens in Connecticut: Harkness Estate Gardens at the Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford and a small sunken garden at the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington. You can read about these Connecticut gardens at these links.
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Membership will have a table at Spiga at noon on Wednesday, November 6 after our program at the Library. Our informal lunches are an opportunity for members, especially new members, to get to know one another. It is purely social, and as usual, we will split the bill. Please let Sara Hunt (
skhminky@optonline.net
) know if you can come. Y’all come!
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Volunteers Needed: Bulb Planting
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Bulbs have arrived and it's time to plant at Lee Garden!
Friday November 8, 10:00am - 2:00pm
Cider, donuts and planting bulbs at Lee Garden
We need you! Many hands make light work!
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Volunteers Needed: Hospitality
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DO YOU LIKE TO BAKE?
Hospitality volunteers are needed to help with food items for our upcoming meetings on
November 6, 2019
and
January 8, 2020
If you would like to help, please
email Anne Tropeano at annietrop@yahoo.com
and indicate if you would like to bring a sweet or savory dish to serve 10-12 people.
Suggested items include; coffee cake, cheese plates, breakfast breads, muffins, fruit platter, deviled eggs, or similar items.
Store bought or homemade items are welcome
and please bring your item on a serving platter. Many thanks!
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Annual Appeal Stuffing Party is Here!
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2019 Annual Appeal: Thanks to our generous volunteers and donors, we have brought in just over $50,000! We will be sending out follow-up letters on November 1 to those who normally give and have not yet done so for 2019.
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2020 Envelope Stuffing Party!
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Wednesday, Nov 13, 2019
9:30am - 2:00 pm (or until we're done)
Lapham Community Center at Waveny Park
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We had so much fun last year! Please join us once again to "stuff" the envelopes to mail for next year's appeal. Come by any time - for an hour or stay all day. Bring a friend; make new ones! ALL are welcome. We will have breakfast and lunch, with hourly door prizes!
Please RSVP to Amy Reid, areid1010@gmail.com or 917-913-8903
We look forward to seeing everyone there! Thank you!
Patricia, Amy, Eva, and Dody
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Wednesday
December 4, 2019
Nature Center Greenhouse
8:30 am - 1:00 pm

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Come and join us on Wednesday, December 4, at 8:30 am - 1:00 pm at the New Canaan Nature Center Greenhouse to make the wreaths that decorate many of our public buildings in town. We will be working in partnership with the Garden Club, an annual tradition and great opportunity to mingle with our friends in New Canaan's other garden group. No experience is necessary as we will show you what to do. It involves attaching fresh cut greenery to wooden frames with staples. Bring hand pruners (if you have them), and gloves. There is no reason to call in advance. You can just show up!
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Are you pruning or trimming your evergreens this year? If so, bring your branches to the Nature Center to be used to create the wreaths that will decorate our town! Starting November 15 through the morning of December 4, they can be brought to the front of the Nature Center greenhouse behind the potting shed.
Please NO boxwood.
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A Hanging Basket for Your Holidays
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NCBL is being celebrated this year as one of the NC Museum and Historical Society holiday ornaments. A hanging basket in an iconic setting with the Elm Street clock, lamp post, and American flag was hand painted by volunteers, many of whom are NCBL members.
You can reserve an ornament by calling the NC Museum and Historical Society or buying one at the Holiday Stroll, Newcomers House Tour, Lapham Center Craft Sale, or Walter Stewart's Market.
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Waveny Arrangements in October
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Visitors, residents, and employees at Waveny Care have been remarking about how beautiful the arrangements have been. Our involvement makes a difference to those who spend time at Waveny!
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Peggy Dannemann created gorgeous arrangements in bright fall colors.
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Liz Kunz continued with the autumn theme by adding sunflowers, wheat stalks, goldenrod, and aster.
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Autumn Luncheon Thank You
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Thank you to everyone who helped make the Opening Luncheon at Woodway so successful. We hosted 115 people at the event!
The flowers, arranged by Jackie Harmody, Peggy Dannemann, Fanny Moran, Carol Seldin, and Gerda Smith were gorgeous. Carol Seldin and the Program Committee brought us a fascinating speaker, Jane Hurwitz, whom we all enjoyed. I also appreciated Sara Hunt and Debera Prosek for their extra assistance with last-minute details.
See you all at our much-anticipated Winter Tea and Luncheon on Wednesday, February 5th.
Gloria Simon, Chairman
Hospitality-Special Events
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Autumn Luncheon Report and Photos
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Our luncheon day was a rainy one, but what perfect weather to be inside socializing with friends and listening to a presentation on butterfly gardening!
Jane Hurwitz shared her knowledge of butterfly gardening basics. If you couldn't make the luncheon, we are sharing a couple of points from her presentation:
- Some butterflies are not nectar feeding insects. The Eastern Comma will feed on animal scat!
- You need at least three nectar plants and at least three caterpillar food plants to get your garden certified through the North American Butterfly Association as a 'certified butterfly garden'.
- Jane's top three nectar plants are the eastern purple coneflower, zinnias, and butterfly bush (as long as the butterfly bush is planted in an area where invasiveness is not an issue).
- Food sources for butterfly caterpillars include parsley, pussytoes, and milkweed.
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Karen Sneirson, Barbara Beall, Carol Seldin, Jane Hurwitz, Gerda Smith, Jolley Frank, and Nancy Malling. photo: Michele Sloan
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See our luncheon photo album by clicking the button.
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At the end of her presentation, Jane displayed an informative slide listing nectar plants for butterflies and host plants for caterpillars. It is available for download with her permission at this link.
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The New Canaan Advertiser published a great article online about Jane's presentation.
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Jane wrote a comprehensive book jam-packed with information and gorgeous photos. The book was available for sale at the luncheon, but don't worry, the book is widely available, and you can get your own copy from Elm Street Books.
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Want to learn more about butterfly gardening? Get on Jane Hurwitz' newsletter list and have her ideas and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Click on her website button and scroll down to add your email to her list.
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The flowers at the luncheon were spectacular!
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Jacqueline Harmody and her crew of volunteers: Peggy Dannemann, Fanny Moran, Carol Seldin, and Gerda Smith, created beautiful and colorful arrangements with butterfly friendly flowers. You could even spot faux butterflies 'flying' among the flowers.
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Peggy, Jacqueline (back), Gerda, Fanny, and Carol.
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Flowers used in these gorgeous arrangements included
Dahlia
,
Ranunculus
butterfly,
Nigella damascena
(white nigella)
,
Thlaspi
'Green Bell',
Celosia
,
Salvia
,
Chrysanthemum '
Green Button Poms',
Dianthus
'Green Trick'
, and
Asclepias tuberosa
(butterfly weed).
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It's official! Post office drop off is part of the Pollinator Pathway!
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The post office drop off area on Pine Street received its official sign for being part of the Pollinator Pathway in New Canaan. Want to learn more about the Pollinator Pathway? Click the button:
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Members: Please remember to report your "hands-on" hours to your committee chairs. This includes planning sessions and "hands in the dirt" time.
Committee chairs: Please remember to report your hours to Karen Mactas. Estimated hours can be reported as in the example below:
6 people at the Post Office drop-off worked for 2 hours. The person that coordinated that event would email Karen with the following:
Date: September 2
Event: Civic Beautification @ PO drop
Number of People: 6
Total Hours worked:12
Please let Karen know if you have any questions, and thanks for your assistance with this new procedure.
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New Plantings at Lee Garden
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The front area to the left of the driveway was cleaned up and planted. Many of the plants were donated by Lois Himes from her personal garden.
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This bright pink beauty was already attracting bees soon after being planted.
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This pretty purple aster feels at home.
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Three red
Monarda
were donated and planted near the bridge, and toad lilies purchased from Copia were planted in the newest section of the garden, The Secret Garden.
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The newest addition to the Secret Garden section of Lee Garden are six toad lilies.
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Berries abound this time of year and Lee Garden has its share! The two varieties of winterberry by the bridge are covered in berries. They will soon be devoured by birds and other wildlife.
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Ilex verticillata 'Winter Gold'
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Help Needed at Lee Garden: The Azalea Skiffle
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Lee Garden needs help with the following that you can do at your own pace and time:
Put some garden gloves on and swipe off leaves that have fallen on top of the azaleas. If we get heavy wet snow, and if leaves are there, they'll hold the weight and branches snap off.
Removing the leaves saves branches!
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This month, we are providing links to the following essays by Joan:
We are building her collection each month, and you can access Joan's essays by clicking the following button:
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Correction from October's Newsletter
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In last month's newsletter, we listed some of the plants used on the post office slope on Pine Street, and
Verbena bonariensis
was listed as a perennial. While this plant is in fact a perennial in zone 7-10; in our neck of the woods, it is a self-seeding annual. One thing for sure ... it certainly does attract butterflies!
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From Our Members' Gardens
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Delightful dahlias were in full bloom in October and we are sharing photos from two members' gardens below:
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Dahlias from Carol Seldin's garden.
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Dahlias from Rob Carpenter's garden.
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Monday, November 11, 2019
Climate Change: Is There Still Hope for Humanity?
an Evening with Bill McKibben.
Sponsored by New Canaan Library, New Canaan Garden Club, Elm Street Books, New Canaan Land Trust
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Our NCBL Newsletter is used to distribute information regarding NCBL activities and announcements that pertain directly to our stated mission. The newsletter shall not be used for political issues, or for the promotion of merchandise or services unless such merchandise or services are part of a joint venture with NCBL.
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New Canaan Beautification League
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