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It is an absolute honor to send my first President’s message to all the members of The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc. I look forward to working and actively engaging with clubs across the state. I am happy to attend your meetings, special events, represent The Federation at officer installations, or facilitate any club challenges.
As I was developing my President’s theme, I kept thinking about the many extreme weather events we’ve had here in the Northeast and across the nation. As gardeners, we’re used to regular and predictable changing of the seasons. But now, it’s no longer gardening as usual! So I fear for the environment — and my own garden and yours — and wondered how we could help.
After much research, I learned that the experts, Doug Tallamy, Larry Weaner, Pollinator Pathway, Wild Ones, The Audubon Society, and more, are indeed worried about the climate and the biodiversity crises, and encourage a rethinking of the relationship between gardens and nature. Most recommend that the right thing to do in these days of a changing environment — in your yard and garden — is to practice “Sustainability.”
BEE RESILIENT ~ Garden for Nature! is my President’s theme. It urges Sustainable Gardening, Planting Natives, Removing Invasives, Rethinking our Lawns, Avoiding Pesticides, Creating Habitats for Pollinators, and also encourages Community Collaboration and Education. The Project employs Clubs to enhance the beauty of their community and preserve nature in a changing climate by creating small native gardens in a public location with funding (up to $500 per project) from The Federation. Details on the theme and how to start a project can be found later in this newsletter. Additional information and an online application for BEE RESILIENT grant funding can be found on the President’s Project page: https://ctgardenclubs.org/projects/presidents/.
I’m pleased to announce that The Federation’s REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE information exchange program will continue in 2025 and 2026. The next Roundtable event, hosted by Branford Garden Club, is scheduled for June 18, 2025, at Trinity Church, 1109 Main Street, Branford, CT. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn from one another, build connections, and to leave inspired. You’ll find more details on the Roundtables in this newsletter. Registration is open now on our website.
Once again, thank you for this incredible honor and thank you for all you do in your communities. If you have any questions or if our FGCCT Board Members can be helpful to your Club, please let me know.
| | | | Let’s go out and BEE RESILIENT and Garden for Nature, and maybe we’ll help save the planet, one garden at a time! | |
Bee Resilient: Garden for Nature
By Wayne Gura and Anne Djupedal Gura, co-chairs,
FGCCT President’s Project
We’ve both had a lifelong love for the natural world and an interest in environmental protection. In 2018, having retired and with time to pursue our interests, we attended a lecture that was nothing short of life-changing. It happened that several local groups including The Wilton Garden Club brought Doug Tallamy to speak at our local library.
His presentation was pragmatic, inspiring, galvanizing. Using our native songbirds as the familiar and charismatic stand-ins for our natural ecosystems, he said, in effect, that if we care about our songbirds, we need to care about their food/habitat. Which means we need to protect “the little things that run the world” — that is, our native insects. Which means we need to protect the native plants on which those insects depend. And by the way, this co-evolved relationship between insects and their plant food/habitat turns out to be the foundation upon which Nature’s food web has evolved over the millennia — the very food web upon which life on earth ultimately relies. And then the kicker: each of us can help protect it all in our own backyards!
He focused on the importance of the humble caterpillar — the best and most nutritious baby food that songbirds could want for feeding their hungry nestling chicks. And how to do this? We can grow more of the food those caterpillars co-evolved to rely on —everything from the mighty oak down to the humble native violet species. We can stop replacing our caterpillars’ food plants with plants they cannot eat. We can get used to the fact that a plant with zero native-insect damage and zero native pollinators is not participating in its environment. Grad students working under Dr. Tallamy used the ubiquitous chickadee as a stand-in for native songbirds in a landmark study that discovered a critical 70/30 ratio: a suburban yard needs to contain at least 70% native plants for the chickadee to successfully raise a nestful of chicks. In other words, no more than 30% introduced (non-native) plants. This has since become a widely-recognized metric to which project BEE RESILIENT adheres.
Dr. Tallamy gave a clear understanding of just how critical it is to support our struggling native ecosystems; most importantly, remove/lessen the invasive plant species that out-compete/kill them, reconsider our society’s preference for planting introduced plant species to replace them, start re-establishing an abundance of native plant species wherever we can in order to help return them to healthy resilience, and avoid knee-jerk use of pesticides/herbicides.
We had already lived in Wilton for 28 years when we heard Doug Tallamy’s message. It led us to join our local garden club’s conservation committee; later, we became its co-chairs at the request of other committee members. In the years since, our committee has followed an ethos to promote the beauty and utility of native plants in our gardens and get them out there into the community however we can, from gifting seeds to donating plants to selling natives at our club’s annual plant sale.
Last year, Nan Merolla approached us to discuss her thoughts for her upcoming president’s project, which she intended to center around the powerful, compelling concept of resilience. What a gift to be able to assist her in developing further a concept which was to become Project BEE RESILIENT: Garden for Nature!
Ours is just one of the stories about becoming a gardener and growing in that endeavor.
Every one of us has a great personal story that made us into the gardeners and garden-lovers we are today. And our guess is that a good swath of us already have been working on our own landscapes as Doug Tallamy has described in his writing and lectures.
And now, acting together, we can be a powerful force for nature. Because if not us, then who? We are gardeners!
We hope your own story that brought you to gardens and gardening will inspire you to apply for funding for your Club’s own pollinator garden planting via Nan’s exciting project, BEE RESILIENT: Garden for Nature. What does this mean? It means…
- Redesigning our gardens for RESILIENCE and beauty
- Planting natives specific to our Ecoregion for a succession of bloom throughout the growing season, removing invasives, rethinking our lawns, conserving water and avoiding pesticides/herbicides
- Creating habitats for our native insects, birds and other wildlife
- And for this project, getting your community involved and educating others on the vital importance of this work.
So… find a location in your town, keeping it small and manageable — perhaps it’s at a park, a school, a business, cemetery, or some other spot accessible to the public. Partner with the people there and involve them, or involve a youth or senior group — it’s about education and awareness for the people in your community as well as for your club. The garden could be a Pollinator Garden, Children’s, Memorial, Raised Bed, Rain Garden… there are so many ways you can go to suit your chosen location.
Create your garden design – decide on plants or take your design to a nursery and let them recommend plants. We ask that you plan for at least 70% native, including a keystone plant group (per Doug Tallamy.) Once you have your plan and projected expenses, complete and submit the online BEE RESILIENT Grant Application.
We’ll evaluate your application and contact you with any questions. Your Club will be notified by our FGCCT President Nan Merolla once your application is approved, and the funds will be sent to your Club. Purchase your plants and get planting and have fun! For more details, please visit the President’s Project page where you will find many useful resources: websites; lists of native plants, shrubs and trees; bloom times; sample garden designs; lists of nurseries in CT that sell natives; and much more. And if you have questions, contact us.
You will find that the President’s Theme and Project combines beauty and benefit. Simply put, it is this:
Enhance the beauty of your community and preserve nature in a changing climate by creating small native gardens in a public location with funding (up to $500 per project) from The Federated Garden Clubs of CT, Inc.
We can do this – we can BEE RESILIENT and Garden for Nature! It is an idea whose time has very definitely come.
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Upcoming Events — Mark Your Calendars! | | | | |
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A REGIONAL FGCCT ROUNDTABLE is COMING to BRANFORD!
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Register soon!!
Club Board of Directors and Committee Chairs: Have you ever wanted to speak to your counterparts in nearby Clubs? You’re in luck! The Federation is continuing the very successful Regional Roundtables that were held last year in Waterford, Westport, Wethersfield, Simsbury and Goshen.
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Comments from attendees:
“This was great! Really liked connecting with other local Clubs.”
“Thank you! So many good ideas! I learned a lot!”
“Sharing membership challenges was helpful.”
The next Regional Roundtable will be:
June 18 from 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Trinity Church, 1109 Main Street, Branford, CT
FGCCT Board Members will moderate your exchange of information and ideas
on topics including:
Membership • Fundraising • Finances & Insurance
Programs & Events • Social Media & Promotion • FGCCT Resources & Awards
Clubs wrestle with similar issues and concerns. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn from one another, build connections, and to leave inspired and rejuvenated about the endless possibilities.
There is no charge, however, space is limited, so please register soon HERE:
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SAVE the DATE!
PLANT SCIENCE DAY 2025
Wednesday, August 6
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Lockwood Farm
890 Evergreen Avenue
Hamden, CT 06518
Come and enjoy a day of fun and education
sponsored by The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES).
The event is free and open to the public.
Visit the CAES Plant Science Day for more information as it becomes available.
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9th Annual Meeting
New England Garden Clubs, Inc.
October 14 – 15, 2025
“We Grow Gardens and Gardeners” Hosted by:
The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc.
Nan Merolla, President
New England Garden Clubs, Inc.
Polly Brooks, Director
Sheraton Hartford South Hotel
100 Capital Boulevard • Rocky Hill, CT 06067
AGENDA
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025
Registration and Vendors: 3:30 – 5:30 pm
Reception: 5:30 – 6:15 pm
In honor of Polly Brooks, NEGC Region Director and her guests,
Donna Donnelly, NGC President, and Susan Miner, NGC 3rd Vice President
Dinner Banquet and Program: 6:15 – 8:30 pm
Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025
Registration and Vendors: 8:00 – 8:45 am
8:45 am – 12:15 pm: Meeting and Program
12:15 – 1:15 pm: Buffet Luncheon
1:15 – 3:00 Program and Awards
Online Meeting Registration Coming Soon!
HOTEL RESERVATIONS:
A special group rate of $149.00 per night is available now.
Last Day to Book: Friday, September 19, 2025
Book your group rate for The New England Garden Clubs
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Treasury Notes: Donations
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Can affiliate clubs of FGCCT receive tax-deductible donations? Yes, our affiliate clubs are independent, tax-exempt organizations under section 501(c)3 of the tax code. Clubs do get that status since they are part of the FGCCT "Tax Group" but you can accept donations which will be potentially tax deductible to the donor, as long as there was no value given back to the donor in exchange for the donation.
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What qualifies as a tax-deductible donation?
One of the benefits of Federal recognition as an educational and charitable 501 (c)(3) is the opportunity to receive donations from individuals, corporations, and other organizations which can help finance the important work our clubs do. Where does your club’s income come from? Many are tempted to say donations, but that is most likely not accurate. For one thing, the dues your members pay may only be considered a donation to the extent such payment exceeds the monetary value of the benefits of membership.
When you sell plants and treasures at your May Plant Sale, those receipts are not donations. What you sell may have been donated, but the purchaser receives something in exchange for the money they pay to your club. That is considered a sale. Now if someone, club member or community member, writes a check to your club to support your plant sale but receives no goods, that is a true donation.
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How does our club handle donations?
The IRS requires that non-profit organizations acknowledge any monetary donation of $250 or more with a written letter which may be used as a receipt for tax purposes. This letter must contain:
- A statement declaring the nonprofit’s tax exempt status as a 501 (C)(3) including your club’s Federal EIN#;
- The name and address of the donor;
- The date the gift was received and the amount;
- A statement that no goods or services were received in exchange for the gift.
Many organizations set a lower limit. For example, The Federation acknowledges any tax-deductible donation of $100 or more with a formal acknowledgement letter, but also acknowledges other donations, regardless of amount, with either a computer generated receipt or a hand-written note from the appropriate Committee Chair.
—MaryAnn Lynn, FGCCT Assistant Treasurer
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Get on the Interest List!
We are in the planning stages of several wonderful tours and you may wish to get on the interest list by emailing us with the name of the trip you are interested in. You'll be the first to get the brochure.
- April 2026 Historic Virginia Garden Week by motorcoach
- May28 - June 5 Burgundy and Lyon, France with a Paris extension
- August 2026 Maine
- October 27 - Nov 7 Morocco
- January 9-27, 2027 New Zealand
Kathy Lindroth, FGCCT Tours Coordinator 860.836.3407 or tours@ctgardenclubs.org
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Coming in 2026 …"The Storybook Garden"
The 2026 Flower Show’s theme, The Storybook Garden, delves into the beauty, mystery, and wisdom of the timeless myths, fables and fairy tales that have been passed down through generations. A draft schedule will be available on The Federation website in early to mid-June, with the final schedule posted in September. Exhibitors can explore the draft schedule for the list of photography classes, a revised horticulture schedule, and numerous design and artistic craft opportunities. Online registration will not be open before September. Also, Judges’ Council has chosen "champagne" as the background curtain color.
— Vonice Carr, FGCCT Flower Show Chair
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95th Annual Meeting Installs New Officers & Committee Chairs
Spirits were high on a beautiful Spring day on April 16 as attendees from many garden clubs throughout the state came to AquaTurf Club to enjoy the installation of new officers, applaud the work of outgoing president Karin Pyskaty, and hear the keynote speaker Larry Weaner.
Karin Pyskaty called the Annual Meeting to order at 10AM. She reviewed the accomplishments made during her term as president. Highlights of the meeting included Susan Miner, New England Garden Clubs Director, conducting a charming “Rose-themed” installation ceremony of Nan Merolla - President, Kelle Ruden - First Vice President, and Norma Jean Macauto - Second Vice President. Officers and Committee Chairs for the 2025-2027 term were introduced and asked to stand.
Nan Merolla introduced her 2025-2027 President’s Theme and Project: Bee Resilient ~ Garden for Nature! The theme promotes sustainable gardening in a changing climate by planting natives, removing invasives, and creating habitats for insects, birds, and other wildlife. The Federation is offering grant applications to garden clubs who are interested in the project’s objectives.
Larry Weaner, author and a landscape architect specializing in creating native landscapes, explained how to begin transforming gardens into ecologically-sound landscapes. His talk, “If You Do Nothing Something Will Grow,” expanded on his theme of replacing traditional home gardens with more environmentally-friendly gardens.
Karen Grava was thanked for all her work in planning the day’s events. The Wilton Garden Club was thanked for providing the lovely table floral arrangements. Vendors lined the dining hall selling interesting and varied plants, crafts, and jewelry. The end-of-day drawing was a huge success and guests went home happy, well-fed and, for many, with a souvenir of the day.
— Linda Kaplan, FGCCT Publicity Chair
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With the glorious spring weather upon us, the FGCCT Gardening Council is thinking of the Lovely Garden Award! Again, this year we will be accepting only online applications beginning on April 15 with a firm cutoff date of August 15. Any garden club member may apply for their own garden or another member's garden. The only requirement really is a love for gardening!
Gardens will be scheduled for a visit by the evaluation panel within two weeks of applying.
Allowing a two-week window to schedule a visit to the last garden will ensure that we meet the submission deadline of the Awards Committee. Digital images of the gardens help with on-site evaluation and one of the winning recipient's garden may be used at the Awards Meeting on October 22, 2025.
Questions? Contact Lovely Garden Committee Chair Shelley Hedberg
shelley.hedberg@ctgardenclubs.org
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Just Call It Liatris
By Renee Marsh, FGCCT Horticulture Chair
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Perhaps it’s just me but there are some common plant names that I just cannot abide. They are often over the top or cloyingly sweet, like a marketing firm worked overtime to promote them. Take for example Blazing Star or Gayfeather. Certainly, the genus name, Liatris, is more dignified than those Susie-Q names. But natives rarely get the respect they deserve and this native plant had to travel to Europe and back before it gained any fame. My first encounter with Liatris in the horticulture world was with the cultivar ‘Kobold’, a compact form of Liatris spicata which was cultivated in Germany, hence the name which means "goblin" or "imp.” It was not until the native plant movement that I began to see other species of Liatris available in nurseries.
Let’s back up to the beginning and meet the family. Liatris is a genus in the Asteraceae family and there are 40 to 50 species, all of which are native to North America, particularly the United States, Canada, and northern Mexico. While many species are concentrated in the eastern and central U.S.—such as Liatris spicata, Liatris pycnostachya, and Liatris aspera—others extend into the western and southern regions, adapting to drier, more arid environments. The Liatris genus is a distinctive part of our native flora, especially in prairie ecosystems, where its tall, spiky blooms provide a crucial nectar source for pollinators like butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
The dense, vertical flower spikes, which can reach 1 to 5 feet tall depending on the species or cultivar, are commonly purple to lavender, though some species bloom in white or pink. The flower heads are actually made up of many tiny, tubular florets. Liatris blooms in mid to late summer and uniquely, blooms from the top down—unlike most flower spikes, which bloom from the bottom up. The narrow, grass-like foliage grows in a clump at the base and turns an attractive bronze color in the fall.
The species most common in nurseries is Liatris spicata (Dense Blazing Star). Native to the eastern U.S., it evolved in moist prairies and meadows, and so prefers more moisture than other members of the Liatris family. It wants full sun as does all the genus. There are a number of cultivars out there. Among the most popular is, of course, ‘Kobold’, known for its compact habit (around 18–24 inches tall), sturdy stems, and rich purple flowers. There is also a pure white-flowered cultivar, ‘Alba’, which also is compact at about 18 inches tall. Other notable cultivars include ‘Floristan Violet’, bred for uniform flowering and commonly used in the cut flower trade, and ‘Floristan White’, which offers crisp white blooms. The Floristans are on the taller side with 3-foot flower spikes and are known for having an especially long bloom period.
| | 'Kobold' (Walters Gardens, Inc.) | | ‘Floristan White’ (Walters Gardens, Inc.) | | |
Liatris pycnostachya, Prairie Blazing Star, is native to the central U.S. and is one of the tallest species of Liatris, growing up to five feet tall. It is known for its longer bloom spikes. It also prefers moist soil and will lose its leaves in dry conditions. The densely fuzzy flower spikes are a lovely shade of rosy purple. The cultivar 'Lavender Glowsticks' has exceptionally tall flower stalks — making up more than half of the plant’s total height — and long period of bloom.
At right, ‘Lavender Glowsticks’ (Walters Gardens, Inc.)
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Liatris aspera, Rough Blazing Star, pictured at left, is shorter than other Liatris species (2' - 3' tall) and unlike its cousin Liatris spicata, has widely spaced flower heads which gives it a more open, slightly zigzag and naturalistic look. This drought tolerant Liatris likes well-drained dry to medium soils and is happy in sandy and rocky situations. Avoid planting it in moist areas, or locations where the soil remains consistently wet during winter.
What I like most about Liatris is that the fine, basal foliage allows it to blend well with neighboring plants, adding an assertive linear note to the garden without adding bulk. The three species covered in this article grow from a corm (a rounded, swollen underground stem). Over time, the corm will multiply and form small clusters, gradually expanding the plant’s footprint but not running all over. However, I have found it will reseed itself quite easily — who can’t use more plants? The other word of caution: some of the taller ones can get a bit twisty and floppy depending on light (too little) and nutrients (too much).
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Liatris pairs beautifully with many native perennials and grasses. So, pictured here to close, is ‘Kobold’ again, playing with 'Cheyenne Spirit' Coneflower (Echinacea), which will produce a variety of different bloom colors but over time may settle into one predominant color.
Go ahead, add a little spike to your life!
| | Above, 'Kobold' and 'Cheyenne Spirit' ( R.Marsh) | | | | |
SPOTLIGHT on our FGCCT Affiliates! | | | | |
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The Connecticut Unit of the Herb Society of America
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The Connecticut Unit of the Herb Society of America has joined The Federation as an Affiliate! Founded in 1955, the Connecticut Unit’s purpose is to cultivate a deeper understanding and appreciation of herbs, guided by their mission to promote their knowledge, use and delight. They offer diverse programs including educational tours, lectures, plant sales, and their extremely popular annual symposium celebrating the beauty and benefits of herbs. Among their signature projects, the Connecticut Unit proudly maintains the Herb Garden at Elizabeth Park in West Hartford, sponsors the annual Brinley Lecture, and hosts a highly popular annual herb symposium at the Pond House. In addition, they run an educational program at the York Correctional Institution, instructing incarcerated women about herbs, their culinary uses, and gardening.
| | | | In 2025 The Connecticut Unit of the Herb Society of America will celebrate 70 years at their September 17 symposium with the theme is “Let’s Celebrate Lavender,” featuring natural beauty expert Janice Cox. | | For more information about the society and their programs, please visit their website. | | | | |
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"Club Corner" is a place for clubs to showcase exceptional or notable club achievements and activities. Has your club done something unique (or uniquely successful?) that you'd like to share? Visit "Club Corner" on the FGCCT website for more news from clubs! (This area is NOT for upcoming events—you can post those on the FGCCT Club Calendar.)
To submit: send high-resolution photos, along with a writeup (200 words or less, please) and photo captions, to martha.sherman@ctgardenclubs.org to be considered for inclusion. Please ensure that you have appropriate permissions for all photos. We reserve the right to edit copy and select photos for inclusion.
| | Featured Club: The Shippan Point Garden Club | | |
At Shippan Point, an Exciting Anniversary Marking 100 Years!
The Shippan Point Garden Club in Stamford is extremely excited to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Established in October 1925, the club has a rich history of promoting horticulture, conservation, and civic beautification within the local community.
Founded by a group of avid gardeners, the club has grown over the decades into a cornerstone of Stamford's cultural and environmental landscape. The mission of the club is to stimulate interest and promote education in the areas of gardening, floral design, civic planting, and conservation.
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The 100th anniversary celebration is more than just a milestone; it is a testament to the enduring spirit and dedication of its members.
Centennial activities began in March, but it has four more events scheduled throughout the year to commemorate this special occasion including:
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June 13 (10:00-3:00)
Beauflora Centennial Garden Tour at Shippan Point
For more information and tickets, click here!
July 17 (3:00-6:00)
“Time to Remember: 100 Years of Beauty & Blooms”
NGC Small Standard Flower Show at the Stamford Yacht Club
November 2
Second Annual Hill of Blooms Planting Party at Czescik Park
December 4
Doors of Shippan Holiday Wreath Contest
The club has also created a historical exhibit of its accomplishments over the past 100 years that will travel around town to be displayed at most of their events as well as in the Stamford main library and the Historical Society. The club has created an online version that you can view here: The Shippan Point Garden Club History 1925-2025.
As the Shippan Point Garden Club enters its second century, it is still committed to fostering a love for gardening, promoting conservation, and enhancing the beauty of Stamford.
Visit their website at shippanpointgardenclub.org for more information about the club and all their 100th anniversary events.
| | Goshen Garden Club Welcomes Spring with Trees and Awards | | |
Goshen Garden Club President Janice Martin and GGC Scholarship Committee Chair Vicky Bothroyd, congratulate Abigail Ceritello as the 2025 recipient of the Goshen Garden
Club Scholarship. Abigail is the daughter of Samantha Ceritello of Terryville. The scholarship is awarded to a qualifying graduate of Lake View High School who plans to continue their education majoring in Environmental Studies. A qualifying
candidate must show outstanding academic achievement, significant community service and personal maturity. Abigail will be attending Northwestern Community College in the Fall of 2025 with a plan to continue at the State University of New York
(SUNY) Cobleskill campus.
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Nan Merolla, President of The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc., recently presented Janice Martin, President of the Goshen Garden Club, with two awards.
The first citation was awarded for the successful Regional Round Table that was hosted by the Goshen Garden Club at Camp Cochipianee.
The second award was in recognition of the contributions the Goshen Garden Club is making to the Trees for Goshen project.
Learn more about this club here!
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The Story Behind "Trees for Goshen" …
Arbor Day in Goshen began early with “Trees for Goshen” coordinator Mady Flynn. She and her team have been working tirelessly for the past two years with Sustainable CT, DOT, Goshen Selectmen, arborist Patrick Flynn, Goshen residents, and local businesses to prepare for and contribute to a major construction project at the Route 4 and Route 63 rotary intersection in town. The Sustainable Goshen Team, Goshen Garden Club and other “Trees for Goshen” volunteers wanted to plant trees along both sides of Route 63 and Route 4 on the four way approach to the rotary.
When the Sustainable Goshen Team earned the Bronze certificate for Goshen, they began looking for other projects. They collaborated with Sustainable CT for suggestions and conducted a townwide long-range planning session which included all organizations and business people of Goshen. Through a process of elimination, the consensus was “we want to beautify Goshen.” The core team of seven divided the responsibilities of print media, social media, holding information sessions with various town organizations and schools, local businesses, and meetings with DOT, etc.
Eleven trees – red maples, white oaks, redbuds, and flowering dogwoods — were planted in front of the Town Hall, Goshen Center School and the front lawn of a neighboring town resident.
Under the direction of Lakeview High School’s Vocational Agriculture instructor, Tom DiMarco, several students of the “Stakeholders Engagement Committee” volunteered to assist with the planting, mulching, & raking of existing garden beds in front of the Town Hall. Mr. Flynn instructed the students in several aspects of planting newly transplanted trees for their success.
“Trees for Goshen” does not rely on tax money and more than $4,000 was raised privately and was matched dollar for dollar by Sustainable CT.
— by Rosemary Bonaguide, Goshen Garden Club
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Guilford Garden Club Dedicates Blue Star Memorial Marker
On Friday, April 4, 2025, the Guilford Garden Club dedicated a Blue Star Memorial Marker at Rollwood Park. Master of Ceremonies Greg Gullette, along with Guilford Garden Club Presidents Shelley Gullette and Catherine Walker, welcomed guests: Channel 8 Meteorologist Gil Simmons; First Selectman Matt Hoey; U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro; VFW Commander Larry Santamaria, Post Darrow-Rebuzzini 48 Color Guard; Federated Garden Clubs of CT President Karin Pyskaty; and the Reverends Dr. Brasher-Cunningham and Rev. Sweeney from Guilford churches. After the presentation of the Colors by Post 48, an Invocation, singing of the National Anthem by choir members of the First Congregational Church of Guilford, and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Commander Santamaria, Karin Pyskaty shared the history of the Blue Star Memorial Markers placed by garden clubs throughout the United States, Gil Simmons gave a history of the Blue Star Markers and along with Greg Gullette, recognized Gold Star and Blue Star attendees, thanking them for their service and sacrifices for our country. Rep. Rosa DeLauro spoke to the importance of the monument and also gave a tribute to all veterans. After speeches were given, The Blue Star Memorial Marker was unveiled and dedicated. The ceremony concluded with a Benediction and a retreat of the colors. Such a beautiful day to honor our military!
The Blue Star Markers were inspired by the practice during WWI when Blue Star Banners were displayed in the windows of families with members serving in the Armed Forces. A Blue Star Highway system was begun in 1945 as a way to honor veterans of World War II. It now covers thousands of miles across the Continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii. The stretch of Interstate 95 from New Haven to the Rhode Island border was designated as a Blue Star Highway in 1949. Over the years, the Blue Star Memorial Highway expanded to include By-Way Markers and Memorial Markers placed in locations such as veterans’ facilities, national cemeteries, parks and other civic locations. Recently, the Gold Star Memorial has been added to this program to honor families whose loved ones paid the ultimate price defending the United States of America. The National Garden Clubs, of which the Guilford Garden Club is a member, supports the Blue Star Memorial Program to pay tribute to all men and women who have served, or now serve or will serve in the United Sates Armed Services Forces. The Blue Star Marker recognizes the importance of remembering and honoring our armed forces, past, present and future. The Guilford Garden Club is honored to dedicate a Blue Star Marker as part of our 85th year celebration.
Visit the Guilford Garden Club's website to learn more about this club!
| | WTNH Meteorologist Gil Simmons and Greg Gullette | | (L-R): Matt Hoey, Shelley Gullette, Catherine Walker and Rosa DeLauro in front of the Blue Star Memorial Marker | | FGCCT President Karin Pyskaty is flanked by Shelley Gullette, left, and Catherine Walker | | |
Clinton Arbor Celebrates 65 Years!
With this being a milestone year of service for our club, we are adding a celebratory flair to our public events and adding community service projects to commemorate our many years of service to the shoreline town of Clinton.
May began with a bang! We held our Spring Market on Main Street, featuring our own members’ baked goods, artisan crafts, plants, as well as the work of 35 craft vendors. Two-thirds of our club participated in some way that day. Live music helped draw in passersby, making for a great day.
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On Mother's Day Saturday, we offered our consulting services to a local nursery, which happens to be one of our strongest community partners. There we shared a Clinton Arbor Garden Club Anniversary cake with the public. As it was also the nursery owner’s birthday, we gave him second billing on the cake and "cutting rights.” Our planters along main street are starting to build, making our presence known.
This coming June we will showcase our club’s long history in the Clinton Town Hall’s Museum Room during National Garden Week.
Our larger project this year will be to restore the garden at Town Beach, which was first addressed by club members some years ago. Keeping town employees in mind, we will focus on ease of maintenance.
Visit the club's Facebook page to learn more!
| | A Tree Dedication Honors a Long-Time Club Member in Orange | | |
We are thrilled to share that we had a wonderful turnout at today’s tree dedication honoring Gail Nixon, a devoted 60-year member of the Garden Club of Orange (GCO), who passed away suddenly last year. In celebration of Gail’s incredible service, an American Elm was planted at High Plains, near the tennis courts, as a lasting tribute.
The ceremony was graced by many friends with notable attendees, including First Selectman Jim Zeoli, Sandra Horling and Betty Hadlock, officers of the GCO, Dr. Lawrence Messina from the Land Trust, Father Norman Brockett from Holy Infant, and Jared Nixon, Gail’s son. Thank you to everyone who joined us to make this Arbor Day event so special.
Your presence and support helped make this a fitting tribute to Gail’s legacy and love for our community and its green spaces.
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Otto the Octopus Goes to School!
The Garden Club of Orange is excited to share that Otto the Octopus found a new home for the month of May at Mary L. Tracy School!
Originally crafted by club members to decorate a room at the Osborn Homestead in Derby for the holidays—where the theme was “the deep sea”—Otto has been on quite an adventure. After the holidays, Otto reached out (with all eight arms!) to Elaine Watson, the principal of MLT, asking how he could stay busy. She had the perfect idea: display Otto at the school for all the students and teachers to enjoy!
To make Otto’s visit even more special, the Garden Club of Orange purchased and donated 12 wonderful books about ocean life and octopuses, so students can learn about Otto’s world and engage with him through both reading and sensory activities.
Club members hope all the students at Mary L. Tracy School enjoyed visiting with Otto and discovering the wonders of the deep sea!
| Learn more about the Garden Club of Orange here. | | | | |
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Donations to FGCCT's Scholarship Fund; Healing, Therapy and Senior Gardening Fund; and World Gardening Fund | |
We thank the following Garden Clubs for their recent donations to the FGCCT Scholarship Fund.* For almost 40 years, the Federation has awarded scholarships to college and university students who major in Agronomy, Botany, City Planning, Conservation, Environmental Studies, Floriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Land Management, Landscape Design, Plant Pathology, or allied subjects. We welcome donations of any size. Our appeal is ongoing to give all of our clubs the opportunity to make a contribution in the amount of their choosing.
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Please send all Scholarship Fund donation checks to the appropriate chair (see below). Make checks out to "FGCCT" with the appropriate Fund listed on the memo line.
*Please note that due to the deadline for articles and information for the CFNews, some donations may not be received and deposited in time to be included in the bi-monthly donation acknowledgement, but will be included in the next issue of our newsletter.
PLEASE MAIL CHECKS TO:
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For World Gardening & Healing, Therapy and Senior Gardening:
The Federated Garden Clubs of CT, Inc.
Attention: Rosemary Bonaguide
PO Box 902
Wallingford, CT 06492
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For FGCCT Scholarship Fund:
The Federated Garden Clubs of CT, Inc.
Attention: Carole Fromer
PO Box 902
Wallingford, CT 06492
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Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
FGCCT is on Facebook and Instagram and we love to post your news and photos! Please send upcoming events, club activities, civic projects, milestones, and hort tips. Include photos and a brief writeup of the news your club would like to share. The best format is text in an email with jpg photos attached. Take active photos showing members at work or showcasing beautiful gardens, flowers, and plants (please name the flower if it is a hort only photo). Let’s follow each other! Send submissions to social@ctgardenclubs.org
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Just a reminder …
Please send all correspondence to the new FGCCT office:
The Federated Garden Clubs of CT, Inc.
P.O. Box 902
Wallingford, CT 06492
Did you recently elect new officers? Email their names and contact information to us at office@ctgardenclubs.org so they will receive Federation correspondence. If you need assistance, please contact FGCCT Office Administrator Joan Lenart at office@ctgardenclubs.org or by phone at 203-488-5528 on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 10 am to 2 pm.
| | | Deadline to submit articles/photos, ads and calendar events for the August / September 2025 issue of the CFNews is July 10, 2025. Please submit to: | | |
Reminder: NGC's The National Gardener is ONLINE and free!
The official publication of the National Garden Clubs, The National Gardener, appears quarterly, and features articles of interest to environmentalists, gardeners, landscapers, floral designers, educators and photographers. Subscribe here.
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State, Regional &
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