'A Way We Grow'
Martha's Vineyard Garden Club
August 2023
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From our President...
With busy August arriving Tuesday, cooler weather has arrived and will hopefully remain for our Edgartown Stroll on the 10th. At our annual meeting on the 15th we’ll propose our slate of officers for 2024. I’m very pleased in
two regards, that the majority of this terrific group of women will continue on the Board, some by shifting positions, and that three talented newcomers are slated to join the Board.
* Kathy Ploss will replace Alysa Emden as Treasurer,
* Kathy Skinner will become Program Director and free Donna Arold to focus on her Communications magic, and
* Caroline Taylor will become Edgartown VP replacing Trudy Williams. Happily, Trudy will continue to run Brent and Becky’s Bulbs’ Bloomin Bucks fundraiser and was immediately tagged to help support our mission of providing educational programs in conservation and horticulture on a range of activities. In addition to projects such as Walkabouts, our standing committees are:
Archives Committee
Building and Grounds of the Old Mill
Communication
Conservation
Greenhouse
Membership
Programs
Scholarship
Special Projects
Wakeman Rep
Windemere
We are always looking for new ways to engage our members, so please consider joining one of our committees or proposing an activity that you’d like to lead for the members.
- Susan Hobart, President
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A Warm Welcome to our
New Members!
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Liz Adams - C
Betsy Albro - E
Sarah Bostock - WT
Hillary Ellison - VH
Patricia Garbutt - E
Jim Leonard - WT
Liz Leonard - WT
Lane Lytle Moshiri - C
Gina Pitchon - E
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Our Speaker for the July MVGC meeting was Samantha Look, Executive Director of the Vineyard Conservation Society. Her Program, 'Love Song for the Vineyard Lawn' brought awareness as to how we can apply the 'Vineyard approach' to our own backyards. Sam identified watershed conditions and how we affect them based on our own practices. She also suggested we watch a documentary which Vineyard Conservation collaborated on, called 'On Our Watch'. It tells the story of the coastal ponds of Martha's Vineyard, their importance and the threats they face. CLICK HERE to watch it online.
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Judging by the attendance at Samantha's program, outdoor practices is a topic many Club Members and Islanders are interested in learning more about. There were close to 60 people in attendance and it was nice to see how many of our Club members came with a guest!
Samantha brought some suggested reading materials and a sample bag of the best grass seed to use here, on Island.
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Thanks so much to Samantha for saying yes to speaking to our Club. For those who were not able to attend, or those who did and want to stay in the loop of VCS, Click here for their website and maybe consider signing up for their Conservation Almanac! In addition, the MVGC has a Conservation Committee, so those interested are welcome to join! CLICK HERE to contact the MVGC Conservation Committee Chair. New members for all Committees are always welcomed! :-)
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Aside from an incredibly insightful and educational program, the sweets, savories and refreshments provided by the Oak Bluffs club members were enjoyed by all in attendance. Thanks to Linda Shaw, OBVP, for coordinating things and for the cheerful table settings that brightened up our historic Old Mill...and thanks to all who attended and to those members who assisted with setting up the Mill for our meeting! Much appreciated! |
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It's not too early to start thinking about next year's garden.
After all, Spring blooms will come when you plant bulbs in the fall. Buy your (fall planted) spring blooming bulbs such as narcissus, muscari, tulips and alliums or some garden tools by using the link: Bloomin Bucks - Brent & Becky's Bulbs. Use the drop down menu and select the Martha's Vineyard Garden Club. The Club will receive a percentage of your order to go towards supporting the Club's Charitable Initiatives!
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! REMEMBER to look to the left and [Message clipped] View entire message click on it so you can read and see the entire newsletter !
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The Club's Edgartown Garden Stroll...its almost here!
UNPACKING the details!!! ...and readying for the Edgartown Garden Stroll slated for August 10 from 10am-3pm. Posters are hung, online admissions are selling, an ad will be running, and press releases have been submitted to the papers, so its all a GO!
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This is an important fundraiser for the Club so please tell your on-Island friends and family about it! Thanks to the homeowners who have opened their gardens to us, to the Club members who have volunteered as docents at the gardens and to our generous Sponsors who have helped by offsetting
the cost of this event!
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Visit THIS LINK for pre-sale admission @ $50.00 per person. Online pre-sale admission has been extended through August 6, and past that date, the cost of admission will be $60.00 per person. Admission on the day of the Stroll can be purchased beginning at 9:30am at the Gate House @ the Cooke House and Legacy Gardens, 51 School Street, Edgartown on the day of the Stroll. (Corner of Cooke and School Streets)
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We hope we can count on your support!
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Thanks, Penny Nemzer for sharing your cheerful,
active and aromatic Edgartown garden with the Club!
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Thank you, Sarah Glazer Khedouri for opening up your picturesque
Chilmark garden to the Club!
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The Annual Meeting is
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Tuesday, August 15 at 1:00pm
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@ The Old Mill in WT
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12:30 for Social Time and refreshments
The Presentation is: ‘Climate Change and the Natural Environment’
Speaker: Liz Durkee of the Martha's Vineyard Commission
Climate change is stressing the natural environment, from coastal erosion to biodiversity loss. The best way to adapt is to work with nature/ not against it. We'll look at the impacts, what's being done to address them, and positive action you can take to help make the Island as climate change resilient as possible. Liz hopes attendees will gain an understanding of how climate change is affecting the island's natural environment and inspiration to take positive action to address the impacts.
Liz's BIO: Liz is the climate change planner at the Martha's Vineyard Commission. She spent summer vacations on the Island growing up and moved here full-time in 1983. She was the conservation agent for the Town of Oak Bluffs for twenty-two years before being hired as the Commission's first climate change planner in 2021. As the conservation agent she became concerned about sea level rise and that led her to months of off-duty research to understand how climate change would specifically affect the Vineyard. The result was 9 fifteen-part series in the Vineyard Gazette/ way back in 2011, called Climate Change on Martha's Vineyard. Last year the Commission released the Island's first Climate Action Plan, The Vineyard Way: Connected to Our Past, Committed to Our Future.
This Program is FREE to MVGC Members / Open to non-members @ $10.00 pp
Vineyard Haven members and VP to provide snacks & refreshments.
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From Ty Johnston, MVGC Vice President...
100th ANNIVERSARY The first meeting of the “100th Anniversary Committee” happened in July. Present were Ty Johnston, Susie Wallo, Gaye Smith, Joan Eville, Wiet Bachelor, and Irene Ziebarth. We discussed the upcoming historic year and possible ways to celebrate. One thing was certain, there will be many strands of this important occurrence, not just one! The main event will take place in summer of 2024, however, as most of our members will be on-island then. Be on the look-out for more news about this!
WALKABOUTS The walkabouts are continuing, with the two lovely gardens of Penny Nemzer in Edgartown and Sarah Glazer Khedouri of Chilmark presented in July. Our thanks go out to those who presented in May and June, too: Donna Arold, Joan Cavazutti, Susan Hobart and Nancy Weaver of Oak Bluffs, Ty and Bob Johnston and Nancy Kilson of West Tisbury, and Peter Norris of Chilmark.
Two more pieces of our island will be presented in August – both up-island in Chilmark, so stay tuned for them. On Thursday, August 31, Laurisa Rich and Irene Ziebarth will each open their gardens to members. It's so much fun to see all these special places and see what people have done with their small, large, or in-between -- gardens!
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Thanks to our members who contributed garden pics! |
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This macrophylla hydrangea is called Froggy...and Garden Club member Linda Pashman added it to her garden after hearing about it at the hydrangea pruning demo in May! The name sure reflects its appearance. So cool! |
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This is Club member, Peter Norris' Giant Himalayan Lily which he says is incredibly fragrant and 4 feet tall! Ahhhmazing! |
Below are two photos from Garden Club member Kathie Skinner's garden...one is of her stunning arborescens hydrangea which she pruned for us at her demo in January...and the other is of a funky garden planter I could not resist photographing! |
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Thanks to Linda, Peter and Kathie for sharing a bit of your garden with us! Members, please send us some of your favorite garden pics to share in an upcoming newsletter. Send pics and description to news@marthasvineyardgardenclub.org
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A little recap of JULY's Four O'CLOCK Friday
gathering at the Old Mill!
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July's Four O'Clock Friday was a steamy, hot evening at the Mill...but was nicely attended! Thanks to those who braved the heat...Here are some photos that were shared with us! |
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Do join us for the next gathering...August 25 from
4:00 - 5:30 at the Old Mill.
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All Garden Club Members are invited...and do bring a guest or a friend! The only rules are Carry In / Carry out, (just like when you go to the beach), whatever snack and drink you want to enjoy and/or share with others, bring it along! Time is from 4:00 - 5:30 and the vibe is extremely casual! Four O'Clock Fridays are the last Friday of each month at the Old Mill in West Tisbury and will continue until the temps get cold. We hope to see our new members there! |
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From Joan Eville, Secretary and Windemere Chair: On July 19 Joan Eville and Gay Smith led the Garden Club monthly flower arranging activity at Windemere. As usual flowers were generously supplied by Donaroma Nursery. This month Joan and Gay expanded the program working with Nancy Cabot on a water color painting exercise with stencils of flowers and birds Nancy designed for them. The participants’ joy in both painting and flower arranging is reflected in their smiling faces. The afternoon concluded with a celebration of Helen’s 103rd birthday.
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Edgartown Garden Stroll Press Release which was submitted to the papers:
EDGARTOWN GARDEN STROLL TO BENEFIT HISTORIC OLD MILL BUILDING
The Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club’s Edgartown Garden Stroll is a fundraiser primarily in support of planned improvements to the Old Mill, which is owned by the MV Garden Club.
Set for August 10, the event features five private gardens and one public botanic garden, all located within the Edgartown historic district. The gardens will be open for touring from 10am - 3pm and attendees are invited to enjoy strolling the town and the gardens at their own pace. Homeowners and docents will be on hand to guide visitors and answer garden related questions. Each of the private gardens belongs to members of the MV Garden Club, is unique, and reflects the owners’ vision reflecting the historic nature of their home. The Garden Club wants to extend sincere appreciation to the Sponsors of this event; Jardin Mahoney, Donaroma’s, Cronigs Market, Quitsa Landscape & Home Care and Stephanie Roache of Donnelly + Co., and we hope we can count on visitors to the Island and those in our Island Community to attend and support this summertime fundraising event.
Everyone on the Island has driven past the historic Old Mill across from the Mill Pond in West Tisbury, but few know that it is the only building in West Tisbury on the National Register of Historic Places and is owned by the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club. The building was constructed in 1848 to produce satinet fabric with the wool from the nearby sheep farm, but as early as 1650 the site housed a grist mill. The satinet fabric was used by sailors, but as whaling declined, so did the building. In 1942 the Garden Club was able to purchase the Mill, and in turn saved the Old Mill from demolition.
The Club has restored and protected this Island treasure and uses it for summer meetings, Club socials for members, the Club’s spring plant sale and the well-known Blooming Art fundraiser that the members host in June. The building is rarely open to the public and is beloved by members and visitors to the Mill, but with steep, narrow stairs, a musty interior, no running water, and a porta-potty in the parking lot, the building is not a comfortable event or meeting venue.
In 2022 the Club applied for and received a $20,000 grant from the West Tisbury Community Preservation Committee for a building assessment. Sullivan + Associates Architects and Sourati Engineering delivered a detailed roadmap of potential improvements that address structural repairs, accessibility, and amenities such as plumbing. With a desire for indoor plumbing but an eye toward safety, the Board hopes to focus first on the steep, narrow interior stairs, and related structural repairs.
Susan Hobart, Garden Club President says: “The Club is very proud to have restored and maintained the Old Mill. We want to continue to protect and improve this historic building and are very grateful to have expert recommendations on what can be addressed. Now we are seeking the resources to put the plan to action. The Club spends over $12,000 a year simply to maintain the building. That is a substantial responsibility for a volunteer organization with a mission of natural conservation and horticulture, but it has been part of our legacy, and we are committed to caring for it to the best of our abilities.”
The MV Garden Club is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) which was formed in 1924 and is the island's first and oldest conservation organization.
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A photo of The Old Mill from the Martha's Vineyard Garden Club's archives...here's The Old Mill 'way back when'. |
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A photo of one of the gardens folks will see along 'the Stroll'... |
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