June, 2022 Newsletter
Volunteers Making New Canaan Beautiful
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Dear New Canaan Beautification League Members and Friends,
The extraordinary beauty of our own Lee Garden continues to be a bona fide treat in June. While the dazzling azaleas are going by, bold rhododendrons are blooming robustly. Look carefully and you will also see so much more - astilbe, lily-of-the-valley, and an impressive collection of Epimedium curated by our own NCBL expert Lois Himes. You just might find inspiration for your own garden from what you discover at Lee Garden. Also, look for news about the new entrance gate to be built at Lee Garden!
Our May Tea & Luncheon was a huge success thanks to Gloria Simon and Sara Hunt who put together a terrific committee. Members brought a vast assortment of delectable dishes. A few pictures are in the newsletter, but many more are available by clicking on the link provided. The luncheon provided the perfect opportunity to recognize Peggy Dannemann for her visionary leadership in reconfiguring George Lee's former home into a unique structure that meets the needs of Beautification League so well. Look for the special commemorative plaque on the building when you visit.
We are grateful to all the enthusiastic recruits who have signed up to create flower arrangements for Waveny Care Center - and many thanks to Eniko Szatai and Betsy Bilus for spearheading this hugely appreciated service. Stop & Shop on Norwalk’s Main Avenue and the Market at Pound Ridge have generously donated all the fresh flowers we use for our Waveny projects. Please be sure to thank them if/when shopping at these stores.
Faith Kerchoff has designed and installed a garden at the base of the pool sign at Waveny, honoring Steve Benko.
In response to popular demand, Nancy Malling will be heading up a committee for local garden visits. How exciting to launch this new initiative!
June is a month for traditional celebrations - graduations, weddings, start of summer and installation of the Board officers for NCBL 2022-2023. Robin Bates Mason and Jill Ernst are uniquely qualified to serve and lead as NCBL co-Presidents. Congratulations to all new and returning Board members - and thank you!
We are ever grateful to the Board and all members for your support, enthusiasm and resilience! We worked together to adapt methods and approaches as we learned to function safely and productively in a world with Covid. On a final note, it has been our great privilege - and a lot of fun - to serve for the past two years as your co-Presidents.
Have a great summer!
Warmly,
Carol & Karen
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Thanks to Robin Bates-Mason & Planet New Canaan, there was composting and recycling at May Fair this year.
Above, Robin and Jill Ernst, incoming co-presidents
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NCBL is looking for a tripod for an iPhone to record meetings. If anyone has one we can borrow, please contact Patricia Spugani. Many thanks. |
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Annual Dues are due!
If you joined the League after January 1, 2022, you need
not pay a thing.
Otherwise, kindly fill out the membership form again so we
have your most current information
and send it along with your check for $50 to:
NCBL Membership
P.O. Box 1244
New Canaan, CT 06840
Checks must be received by June 15, 2022.
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The Triangle Committee has an orphan triangle.
Luke’s Wood Road and Oenoke Ridge Road
The work takes an hour or two per month, and is fun and rewarding. Your efforts will play a prominent role in making New Canaan even more beautiful.
Please consider taking a triangle with the knowledge that we are here to help you every step of the way in maintaining your new garden.
Let Claude know if you are interested. nccolabella@hotmail.com
N. Claude Colabella
Barbara Wilson
Greg Brown
co-Chairs of the Triangle Committee
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This beauty at Oenoke & Luke's Wood is in need of a volunteer. |
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New Exit 36 Welcome Sign Triangle is Planted |
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This new sign at exit 36 is now an NCBL triangle, tended by new member Angela Materna. The goal of this planting was to focus on native and pollinator friendly plants. The native plants placed in this area were Viburnum dentatum (arrowwood viburnum), Cornus sericea 'Baileyi' (red twig dogwood), Pycnanthemum pilosum (hairy mountain mint), Ascelpsias incarnata (swamp milkweed), and Rudbeckia fulgida sullivantii 'Goldsturm' (black-eyed Susan).
The town crew prepped the area, brought equipment to dig holes for large evergreens and lift them into place, and mulched. They will water it as needed to give the plants a healthy start.
Thank you Angela for volunteering to tend this triangle and for your visions for the area. Thank you Kathy Lapolla and Faith Kerchoff for helping Angela on planting day!
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INFORMAL GARDEN VISITS
June 8: 3 gardens
June 22: 3 gardens
9:30 - 11:30am
rain or shine
The NCBL Board has enthusiastically agreed to a new activity this summer: Informal Garden Visits. We are so happy to have Nancy Malling organizing this new initiative.
There will be 3 local gardens to visit on Wednesday, June 8th and 3 gardens on Wednesday, June 22nd from 9:30-11:30 a.m., rain or shine. The visits are free, but each visitor must register by emailing Nancy Malling nancy@themallings.com. Registration for each day will close once 25 people have responded.
Please put NCBL Garden Visit in the subject line and indicate the date you wish to attend. A confirmation will be sent to you and addresses and parking information will be sent to each registrant the day before the event.
Members/spouses/significant others only.
Registration required and is limited to 25 people per day.
Sadly, we can not accommodate children or pets.
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If you would like to have your own garden on the list for August, please contact Nancy Malling.
This new activity depends on our members' willingness to open their gardens, so we can learn by sharing our knowledge and experience.
All gardens are a work in progress. Good is good enough. Weeds happen.
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more information to follow |
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NCBL's Traveling Trowels care for:
The Gold Star walk and plaza at Mead Park on Richmond Hill Road
The mail box drop-off at the corner of Pine and Park Streets
Town Hall's pots and the garden running atop the wall along the driveway
The railroad station
Traveling Trowels, lead by Faith Kerchoff and Rob Carpenter, takes on the task and has a lot of fun in the process!
We need members who are willing to pitch in when garden help is needed.
If you'd like to be part of the group, meet more members and learn a lot about the plants we grow, the history of the town and laugh while you're doing it, please email Faith at
faithkerchoff@hotmail.com
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Town Organizations Helping Each Other |
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Faith Kerchoff, Victor Lopez of NC Library, Jen Cipriano of Copia Home and Garden
Talk about New Canaan organizations helping each other! NCBL planted native perennials purchased by New Canaan Library at the library property. Come fall, the library will donate those perennials back to New Canaan Beautification League to be used around town. The plants were purchased through the Planet New Canaan native plant sale with Copia Home & Garden to benefit NC Nature Center.
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Faith Kerchoff explains the work that was done that day:
Tulips were removed and put in our tool shed to dry. We planted Monarda 'Raspberry', Phlox 'David White', Rudbeckia 'Wow', and Heuchera 'Obsidian'.
Stephanie laid seeds (sunflowers, cosmos, alyssum) over by the children's room. After watering the bed, we sprinkled the seed area with hot pepper and cinnamon to keep creatures from stealing the seeds.
In the fall when this area is removed, we will take the plants which were paid for by the library to transplant elsewhere. A win/win deal, arranged by Robin Bates-Mason.
Double gold stars to Cindy Bamatter, Stephanie Hutter and Robin Bates Mason for all their work that day.
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Planting for Steve Benko dedication
Faith designed and oversaw the planting of a pollinator garden which will sit below the sign dedicating New Canaan's swimming pool to Steve Benko.
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Town Hall Planters
The planters at town hall are planted for summer, thanks to Kathy Lapolla, Lois Himes, Yvonne Hunkeler and Lisa Carpenter.
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Beautiful irises taken during a weeding session at the train station with Pam Yee and Faith Kerchoff. |
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The Pine Street mailbox dropoff area has approximately four different cutivars of salvia that are blooming now. |
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Lee Garden Barn Plaque Dedication to the Dannemann's |
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At the beginning of our Spring Buffet & Luncheon, Peggy Dannemann was surprised with a plaque dedicated to her and her husband Eric, that is now displayed on the Lee Garden Barn. Carol Seldin gave a short speech of Peggy's efforts to bring the Lee Garden Barn to life and you can read it by clicking the button below: |
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Faith Kerchoff reads the plaque inscription as Peggy and Carol look on. |
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The plaque reads: "With appreciation to Peggy & Eric Dannemann for the transformation of George Lee's House. 2019" |
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Photos from a wonderful May at Lee Garden |
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Above: This mixed color azalea can be found in the front garden and is a Glenn Dale Azalea 'Quakeress'. |
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Above: Starflower (Lysimachia borealis) is a native of eastern North America and was found blooming behind the tool shed.
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Above: From doctor of dentistry to doctor of sign-hanging and cold-frame re-building, Dr. John Kerchoff uses his many talents at Lee Garden. Thank you! |
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Karen Hanson, Yvonne Hunkeler, Faith Kerchoff, and Lois Himes meet among the azaleas on the day of the Azalea Festival. photo: Peter Hanson |
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Vistors to Lee Garden were treated to drinks and snacks up on the patio.
photo: Peter Hanson
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A gorgeous place to sit.
photo: Peter Hanson
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George Lee's nephew, Toby Winiarski came to visit on Saturday, May 21 and "oh boy", was it hot!
From Faith Kerchoff:
Toby Winiarski and his friend Joan Lupardo came to visit Lee Garden on May 21. (We first met them in 2021.) It was one of those terribly hot days, but Toby, George's nephew, and Joan still took their annual walkabout in the garden.
He brought us a digitized video clip of George's parents's 50th anniversary celebration. In it we see George, his wife Olive, George's brother Frederick, from Washington, DC, and little Toby who was 7 or 8 years old at the time.
Frederick is the one who gave George the first 6 azalea plants as a house warming present, and that was the beginning of Lee Garden! Frederick, a Washington DC constitutional lawyer, was credited with practically writing the New Deal for Roosevelt! Interesting times.
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above: Snippets from Toby's family movies. Left to right: Olive Lee and Toby, Toby with Frederick Lee, George Lee. |
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Above: Gable Azalea 'Stewartstonian'. To read an excerpt from George Lee's Mousetrap Nursery Plant Sale leaflet, where he describes this azalea and more, click below. |
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A New Gate for Lee Garden!
A new powder aluminum gate, complete with pedestrian entrance, is due to be installed in the fall. Cars will be able to pull in off the street safely to get out to open the gate. It is being made by Vinnie's Custom Metal Fabricators in Norwalk which also made the gates for Bristow Sancturary. Thank you, Faith, Kathy, Yvonne, Rob, Lois, Karen and Carol and all those who worked so tirelessly to make this happen.
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Faith Kerchoff, Robin Bates-Mason, and Carol Seldin measure twice for the new gate. |
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Plein Air Painters Returned
Local plein air painters returned to Lee Garden again in May to paint the colors and beauty of our own woodland garden.
The beautiful painting on the left was painted in acrylics by Ginny Awn. If anyone is interested in buying this painting, they can contact Ginny at:
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The Hanging Baskets have arrived! |
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The town is looking mighty good thanks to the NCBL hanging baskets. Hanging Baskets chairs Jessica Havens and Betsy Sammarco were joined by members Ginny Dobbs, Eniko Szatai, and Pam Yee to help Walt Jaykus and the DPW crew load the baskets onto town trucks early on delivery morning. The baskets were delivered on May 24 and by early morning May 25, all 224 were hanging! |
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The weather was wonderful and NCBL was represented at the Memorial Day Parade. Thank you to Laura and Andrew Ault, and Robin Bates-Mason for organizing our league for this event. |
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Flower Arranging at Waveny Care Center |
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Flower Arrangements for Waveny Care
Thank you to everyone who signed up to make arrangements. We are all set for the month of June and appreciate everyone's help!
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It's official! We have our NCBL Board for the 2022 - 2023 season. Welcome to our Board members and thank you in advance for all you do!
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We want to thank our Spring Tea & Luncheon chairs, Gloria Simon and Sara Hunt for a wonderful event!
Gloria and Sara write:
Our Victorian Tea/Spring Buffet luncheon on Wednesday, May 4th was a great success! Everyone indicated how much it meant to be back together.
The wonderful food was abundant and varied thanks to all our members' great contributions.
Our deep appreciation to the spirited team that made the set-up so efficient—Robin Miner, Cindy Bamatter, Barbara Beall, Angie Brenninkmeyer, Kathy DeMarco and Nancy Malling. Sandy Siegel led a great clean-up crew. If we missed anyone, we apologize.
The tables were gorgeous thanks to the exquisite flower-laden teapot centerpieces created by Jacqueline Harmody! She always “puts the cherry on top” of every NCBL event.
Gloria Simon & Sara Hunt,
Co-Chairmen, Hospitality-Special Events
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Our Annual Meeting, held at The Mather Homestead in Darien was a lovely success! Our host, Heather Raker, was a superb speaker. very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. If you missed this meeting, you will want to schedule a visit yourself. Thank you Kirsten Gregorio for organizing this meeting and program. |
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left to right: Carol Seldin, Heather Raker, Kirsten Gregorio, and Karen Hanson. |
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Click the buttons below to see more on The Mather Homestead and how you can visit this local historic gem, and see gorgeous photos from the day taken by Peter Hanson. |
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COCONUT SHORTBREAD COOKIE
Everyone seemed to love these at the Fredrick Law Olmsted event, so we thought we'd share the recipe!
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2-1/4 cups flour
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut, ½ cup unsweetened coconut
½ tsp. salt
DIRECTIONS:
Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla and combine. Slowly add flour, salt, and coconut just until mixed.
Place dough on waxed paper and roll it into a log and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Slice dough in ½” slices and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle top with coarse decorator sugar before baking. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden.
Let sit on pan for a few minutes then cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.
Submitted by Anne Tropeano
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Welcome to our newest member(s)
Madalene Laudani
interests: triangles, Lee Garden, traveling trowels, baking
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If you have changed any of your contact information (home address, email address, or phone number), please let membership know. |
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Please let me know if a member of our NCBL family needs some cheering up in the form of a card, or perhaps, some flowers.
to provide me with the appropriate information.
Many thanks for your thoughtfulness!
Libby
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Looking for 'Blooms'
We want to be sure everyone feels welcome.
We have new members joining us each month and we need volunteers to be 'blooms' to help us welcome our 'buds'. Just share your enthusiasm and alert them to upcoming events.
For more information or to volunteer, please contact our membership committee.
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Pollinator Pathway Garden Tours |
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Saturday June 25 in Connecticut
Sunday July 24 in Westchester County
Public and private native and pollinator friendly gardens will be open for touring and inspiration.
For more information, click the button below.
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Buy Native Plants and help the Nature Center |
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Planet New Canaan is holding the native plant sale with Copia again this Spring. Buy $75 worth of native plants (perennials, shrubs and trees) and Copia will donate $10 of native plants to New Canaan Nature Center. Sale ends June 30th. Please mention Planet New Canaan when making your purchase to ensure credit. |
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My Garden of a Thousand Bees
Watch this charming and amazing PBS documentary. A wildlife filmmaker spends his time during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown filming the bees in his urban garden and discovers the many diverse species and personalities that exist in this insect family.
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The Garden Conservancy Open Days has begun! Click on the logo left to find a garden to visit near you. |
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iNaturalist and Seek
For plant identification on your smart phone, try 'iNaturalist' or 'Seek'.
Both are created by the same company (iNaturalist). You can download the app and read about the differences in the two formats by clicking the button below.
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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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visit our website:
New Canaan Beautification League
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