January, 2024 Newsletter

Volunteers Making New Canaan Beautiful

Dear Members and Friends,

NCBL has three exciting programs coming up, the first of which will explore Connecticut's historic gardens with Laurie Masciandaro, Site Manager of Historic Roseland Cottage on January 3. February's program will feature Deborah Chud who will speak about new perennial gardens and her extensive research into them. Registration for both January and February are below while registration for the March program, given by the Texas Tree Lady, will be available in our February newsletter.

On February 1, New Canaan Library will host Jeff Speck, a nationally known expert on walkable cities and towns. Mr. Speck will take a walking tour of New Canaan prior to his talk where he will give us ideas on how to improve our town. The program is being sponsored by several local non-profits, including NCBL. Please see below for more information and registration.

Please recycle your Christmas tree by taking it to the Steve Benko Pool in Waveny Park from 9am-3pm through January 8. The trees will be shredded and the chips spread on trails at the NC Nature Center.

Three upcoming lecture opportunities in January will demonstrate how to replant houseplants, educate us on re-wilding our property, and care for our trees. Further information on these presentations can be found below.

Finally, the nominating committee will soon be looking for members to fill positions on the board and we hope you will give serious consideration to sharing your talents.

We wish you all good health and much happiness in 2024.

Sincerely,

Robin Bates-Mason & Jill Ernst

co-Presidents

January 3, 2024

9:30 am

via Zoom

"Exploring Connecticut's Historic Gardens"

with Laurie Masciandaro,

Site Manager of Historic Roseland Cottage

Register for this webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CYA1yHmTRSOi4LJVK1A3CQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Laurie Masciandaro introduces us to the history and beauty of the Connecticut gardens that have charmed and inspired visitors for a century or more. Laurie is Site Manager of Historic New England’s Roseland Cottage in Woodstock CT, where she enjoys one of Connecticut’s loveliest gardens every day.  Join us for this long-awaited webinar to hear about these beautiful gardens in our own backyard!

February 7, 2024

9:30 - 11:00 am

via Zoom

Deborah Chud presents

New Perennials: A Love Story

(a personal introduction to design principles of the New Perennial Movement)

Deborah Chud is a retired Massachusetts physician turned garden-maker, consultant and educator. Her 6 years of research on New Perennial gardens, including  New York’s High Line, Chicago’s Lurie Garden, the Oudolf Meadow at Delaware Botanic Gardens, and Oudolf Garden Detroit, generated the most comprehensive existing database of New Perennial plant combinations and led to the creation of her own highly unusual New Perennial garden. She will be speaking to us about her research at our February program.

Register for this webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_J11JHuPpSw2Ky2cZydgZrg

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Texas Tree Lady

with Janette Monear, President and CEO of Texas Tree Foundation

March 6, 2024

9:30 - 11:00 am

via Zoom

(registration info to come)

Janette Monear, President and CEO of Texas Trees Foundation, will speak to us about her work with the urban forestry non-profit dedicated to connecting people with trees to improve the quality of life in cities.



The motto of the Texas Trees Foundation is “The Greening of North Central Texas". This foundation sustains a tree planting initiative for neighborhood parkways and medians, schools and other public open spaces, a tree growing facility to assure a healthy supply of trees for the future, and education programs to teach the importance and benefits of maintaining a healthy urban forest.

National planning expert Jeff Speck has spent his career studying what makes cities thrive and has boiled it down to one key factor: walkability. From economists, epidemiologists, and environmentalists to preservationists, planners, and parents, all agree that walkable communities are better communities in just about every way. Speck explains why walking is useful, particularly regarding land-use, zoning, transit, and parking, and then focuses on how, by sharing examples of places where walking is safe, comfortable, and interesting.

Jeff Speck is an award-winning planner who co-authored Suburban Nation (The Wall Street Journal calls it "the urbanist's bible”), and wrote Walkable City, the best-selling city-planning title of the past decade, translated into eight languages. His TED talks and YouTube videos have been viewed six million+ times. Speck has been named a fellow of both the American Institute of Certified Planners and the Congress for New Urbanism. In a recent Planetizen poll, he was voted one of the ten “most influential urbanists of all time.” Mr. Speck was the 2022 recipient of the Seaside Prize, whose former awardees include Jane Jacobs and Christopher Alexander.

Mr. Speck's books will be for sale at the event.

NCBL has created many arrangements for Waveny Care Center this fall. Our next opportunity for this activity is in June. Watch the newsletter for your chance to help!

The bandstand was decorated with green roping and red bows for Christmas Eve Caroling. New Canaan Beautification Holiday Greens Chairs Robert Strong and Barbara O'Shea and their dog, Jack, on the right, were joined by Dan Eng and Faith Kerchoff. Missing from photo were co-chairs Kathleen and Peter Murphy. 

Have you seen the new triangle at the Mead Park exit?

Eniko Szatai is the caretaker of the new Mead Park triangle.

A note from New Canaan's Director of Public Works, Tiger Mann:

"Just want to say that the island looks great. 

Thanks for all the hard work."

On nice days, come to the garden for a walk, use a cart from the patio to collect sticks and then dump them in the corner of the parking lot. The town will pick up loads every once in a while. 

We still need to 'swat the leaves' off the azalea plants. A heavy wet snow will make leaf bunches hold more snow, possibly snapping azalea branches. 

The garden is open, from dawn to dusk. Open the gate to park in the lot.

(The gate is kept closed to keep the deer out.)

Right: Branch pickup from just the patio, after wind and rain.

Our extensive book collection is available for all to enjoy.

Email Faithkerchoff@hotmail.com to set up a time to peruse the collection.

Hospitality would like to thank Nora Fay for making her delicious Blueberry Coffee Cake for the hungry elves at the Greens Workshop! 

Missed the recipe? You can find it in our October newsletter.

The Nominating Committee will soon begin the process of recruiting volunteers for the 2024-5 Board of Directors. Our outreach efforts will begin in mid-January, and our goal is to have a final slate in place by early March.

We are looking for people to fill leadership positions in a variety of areas, including computer skills, membership, photography, beautification, programming, fundraising, and more. If you would like to share your talents in this way, reach out to the Nominating Committee to discuss your thoughts about a possible commitment. You can contact any of our Nominating Committee members below:

Barb Achenbaum, Cindy Bamatter, Janet Fonss, Karen Hanson,

Faith Kerchoff, Fanny Moran, and Pam Yee.

NCBL Vests



We are taking orders for our nifty green fleece vest with an embroidered

NCBL Logo.

Sizes available: XS-S-M-L-XL- 3X-4X (the sizes run a bit large).

They are men’s sizes and are being made by 84 Sports in New Canaan.

Send or drop off money ($48) to Faith Kerchoff.

NCBL Long Sleeve



If Triangle/Traveling Trowels volunteers would like long-sleeve, bright green T-shirts, let Faith know. They are free for our volunteers.

Jumpsuits



There are still five jumpsuits available for anyone who would like one.

Contact Jill Ernst if you think this would make your volunteer work easier!