The Program Committee is thrilled to announce our speaker, Kerry Patel, on November 13th at the Presbyterian church of New Vernon at 5 pm. It will be a joint evening meeting with the Plainfield Garden Club. She will show us how to design beautiful Thanksgiving floral creations.

Kerry, a GCM member, is a floral designer based in Madison, having designed beautiful tablescapes for many weddings over the years, Kerry recently shifted her focus to custom-designed tablescapes for dinner parties and intimate gatherings. She teaches classes on the artistry of floral design and sustainable floral design practices.

Her designs will be raffled off at the end of the meeting so be sure to get your tickets.

A small group met at Gibbons Pines Swale for education and work. Beth Riley demonstrated the best ways to trim trees and we set to work on the River Birches there. They look fabulous and the beautiful Amsonia in the pollinator bed is much more visible. Plans for continuing maintenance of the site are in the works.

Our next meeting will be at 10:00 on Tuesday, November 14 at Kathryn Leonard's home, 20 Chadwell Place, Morristown. We will begin discussion of the book, Kiss the Ground by Josh Tickell. New members are always welcome!

Our December meeting will be at Sustainable Haus Mercantile in Summit, Tuesday, December 5 at 10:00am. The owner of the shop, Janette Spiezio, will speak to us about the ways we can live a zero waste, non-toxic lifestyle. The shop offers a full line of zero waste homegoods and they will be available for purchase after the presentation. All club members are welcome. Look for the sign-up.

A Conservation Minute

"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or savor) the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." -E.B. White

Holiday Luncheon

The Annual GCM Holiday Luncheon will be held on December 7, 2023 at the Morris County Golf Club. The price will be $75 per person. Your invitation will be arriving shortly via email. Please RSVP at your earliest convenience.

Payment Options:

Zelle: [email protected]

Check: payable to GCM and sent to Maureen Philipps

128 Green Village Road, Madison NJ 07940

By-Laws

We are in the process of reviewing the GCM By-Laws. If anyone has any additions, deletions, or edits, please forward them to Maureen Philipps by December 31, 2023.

There will be a review period and the Board will update membership early next spring. Our goal is to conclude the Update Process with a final vote one or before June 2024.

After a fun morning potting 'Erlicheer' paperwhites in compotes for the November meeting, the Floral Design Committee is busy prepping for their Advent Wreath-making workshop on December 4th. This workshop will be held at MCAC beginning at 9:30am. Please note registration has closed.

A big thank you to all those who volunteered to help hang the DDC's decorative Scarecrows on Waverly Place in October 18th. They all looked great.

Mt Kemble Home Holiday Boxes:

As in year's past, the Civics committee is asking our members to decorate and fill a gift box for the Homeless Solutions Mount Kemble Women's Shelter in Morristown. The ladies look forward to their boxes every year. Boxes are filled with personal items for the ladies in the home, who are older single women, items such as lotions, shampoos, gloves and scarves, simple jewelry, personal care items, socks, etc. No candles or other lit items.

All boxes will need to be brought to the holiday luncheon on Dec 7.



If you do not have the time to decorate and fill a gift box, please considering donating towards the purchase of one or more gift cards. We include gift cards from the Morristown Business Partnership in each box; these cards allow the ladies to shop in almost all stores and restaurants in Morristown. Donations can be mailed to Garden Club of Madison or you can Venmo Kate (@Katherine-Ransom-Silliman). Please include memo: Mt Kemble. Funds must be received by Dec 3.

CLICK HERE to sign up

The Hort committee is getting excited for their Bulb Lasagna Workshop next week. Registration is now closed. Maureen Philipps will lead the group and then we will enjoy some real lasagna, made by Holly Mandala.

This years Challenge Class for the May Hort Show is the Allium 'Ambassador.' If you want to enter this category in the show, be sure to get your bulb in the ground soon.

Upcoming GCA Scholarship Events: GCM members are invited to join the GCA Scholarship Committee in celebrating our former scholars. Click HERE to view the invitation and to register.



Sharing GCA/RHS Fellowship News! Click HERE to read the thank you messages from 2022 Fellows Sam Fry and Silas Zoeller.

On October 20, despite the gray and drizzly weather, Visiting Gardens, had its first tour and program, led by Greenwood Gardens of Short Hills Director of Horticulture, Sonia Unterhoeven. The program was Putting Your Garden to Bed for the Season. This was followed by a tour of the gardens and composting facilities. Who knew such lovely gardens are practically in our own backyard?!

CLICK HERE to ensure that your order will help contribute to the NJC.



Please support a valued community partner! The Thursday Morning Club (TMC) will be hosting their annual Le Bazar de Noel on Friday, November 10th starting at 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday 11/11/23 starting 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.

TMC is once again offering La Patisserie, Gift Baskets, soups and much more.

TMC owns and operates the Madison Community House.