November, 2023 Newsletter

Volunteers Making New Canaan Beautiful

Dear Members and Friends,

The October luncheon was a huge success with a large turnout at the Country Club of New Canaan. Two guests even decided to become new members. Our speaker gave us a history of her career and how her work has touched many patients and clients in a variety of situations, including war veterans. Many thanks to Peggy Dannemann, Janet Fonss, Lauren McCusker and so many others who made it happen. 

Ceci Murray's contributions over the years were recognized with an honorary membership award which was presented at the luncheon.

The Greens and Gnomes workshop is Wednesday, November 29. Please sign up to help - and bring a friend! It kicks off the holiday spirit and results in making the town look festive for the season. 

We were finally able to plant the train station slope. Ty Tan and Barbara Wilson did a fantastic job designing it with low maintenance and native plants and hardscape. How satisfying to give such a great gift to New Canaan. Also be sure to check out the new and recycled plantings at the EMS building. It looks terrific. The town has a knack for finding more spots for us to add beauty! 

Many of us 'Dug and Divided' this fall with our first plant swap and look forward to seeing new blossoms from the gardens of friends.

Congratulations Faith Kerchoff and Susan Bergen, who received awards from the New Canaan Community Foundation! Faith was awarded for her multi-pronged approach to her work not only with NCBL, but also with many other fundraising projects over the years, and Susan awarded for her work with the New Canaan Land trust.

And last but not least, we'd like to thank everyone who has made gifts in honor, or in memory, of friends and loved ones. Tributes in the form of donations have been received for Wally Meyer and Spiros and Diane Segalas.

Read more about our past and upcoming events in the newsletter. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Sincerely,

Robin Bates-Mason & Jill Ernst

co-Presidents

Susan Bergen received the NC Land Trust Hall of Fame award from Chris Schipper.

Faith received the Jim Cole Inspiration Award award from NCCF board member, Tracy Karl.

Faith and Susan celebrating their New Canaan Community Foundation awards at Pesca.

Anne Meore spoke at our Autumn Luncheon about the positive effects nature can have on people in a variety of situations. She discussed the science behind it as well as her own work in helping people through a people-plant connection. She told our group that we are "... creating a happy moment for all those people who see your work. You are doing therapeutic horticulture in your community ..."

There are many people to thank for the event: Thank you Janet Fonss and her program committee for finding and coordinating the engaging speaker and to Peggy Dannemann who chaired the event and pulled everything together. Pam Yee and Sarina Vetterli helped with check in; Lisa Ferrante set up the fantastic registration system which streamlined things enormously for Sara & Dave Hunt; Lauren McCusker, Susan Bergen, Jill Ernst, Peggy Dannemann, and Lally Jurcik made lovely flower arrangements. Thank you Fanny Moran for hosting us at the wonderful venue!

Many thanks to Janet Fonss (above) who coordinated the speaker for our event.

Ceci Murray received an Honorary Membership Award from Robin Bates-Mason. This honor recognized her years of service to NCBL which included holding the offices of VP Public Relations, Publicity Chair, Newsletter Chair, maintaining a triangle, and leading garden tours. Thank you Ceci for what you have given to NCBL!

Left: Faith Kerchoff, Stella Clark (Executive Director of Community Engagement and Volunteering at Waveny Care Center), and Lauren McCusker.

Right: A gorgeous arrangement.

Click the button below to see more photos from our Fall Luncheon:

Wednesday, November 1

Social: 6:30 - 7:00 pm

Program: 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.



New Canaan Nature Center 

Preparing Your Winter Landscape

with Jen Cipriano

You've asked for an evening program, and we have one for you!

No RSVP is necessary.

Jenn Cipriano of Copia Home and Garden will provide a tutorial on how to prepare your landscape for the winter. Topics will include what to prune and when, fertilizing, mulching and suggested plantings that will provide interest and color during the winter months. Don’t clean or prune until you attend this program!

Jennifer Cipriano is co-owner of Copia Home and Garden. She attended Cornell University, earning a BS in Ornamental Horticulture and has worked at Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Denver Botanic Garden. She particularly enjoys giving plant workshops in our area. Jenn and her husband Peter have recently started their own farm raising eggs, growing perennials, trees, shrubs, and organic vegetables.  

🎄SIGN UP NOW!🎄

Greens and Gnomes Workshop

Wednesday, November 29

Each year, the New Canaan Garden Club and NCBL partner to make wreaths and gnomes for public buidings and spaces in New Canaan. The greens are supplied by residents and the town through tree trimmings and delivered to the Nature Center where volunteers staple or tie them onto forms. Finished products are delivered and placed or hung by the DPW. This is a fun day and an excellent way to support the town at the holiday season. NO ARTISTIC TALENT REQUIRED.

WORKSHOP DATE: Wednesday, November 29 9am - 2pm 

at New Canaan Nature Center. 

It's a wonderful way to start the season and enjoy the friendship of our members.  Talent is not a requirement; only energy and interest.

Sign up using the button below!

Our Greens co-chairs, Kathleen Murphy and Barbara O'Shea

We need your evergreens, berries, and cones, for our Greens and Gnomes Workshop!

Drop off days will be Monday November 27 and Tuesday November 28 at a marked area by the Nature Center greenhouse.

If you can hold off on your pruning until then, we would greatly appreciate it, as our wreaths are only as special as the contributions of material we receive!

January 3, 2024

9:30 am

via Zoom

(registration to come)

"Exploring Connecticut's Historic Gardens"

with Laurie Masciandaro, Site Manager of Historic Roseland Cottage

Laurie Masciandaro introduces us to the history and beauty of the 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. 

February 7, 2024

9:30 - 11:00 am

via Zoom

(registration to come)

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.

Volunteers Needed to Make Flower Arrangements

Waveny Care Center

Mondays in December

Flower arrangements are an integral part of making Waveny the attractive home it is for its residents.

The volunteer commitment is about 1-1/2 hours and you are welcome to work with a partner.

Detailed instructions will be sent by Amy S. and Amy R. with regard to sourcing flowers.

If you are able to help on one of the dates below, please sign up by clicking the button below.



Still needed for our December 2023 dates:

Monday, 12/4 - two volunteers needed

Monday, 12/18 - two volunteers needed

Sunday, 12/24 - PLEASE NOTE SUNDAY INSTEAD OF MONDAY, one more volunteer needed

You can sign up by clicking the button below:

If you are new to this project, please contact Amy Reid or Amy Sorensen for orientation prior to working.

areid1010@gmail.com

ac_sorensen@yahoo.com

Got extra flowers? Our flower arrangers could put them to good use at Waveny Care Center. Contact Amy Sorensen or Amy Reid if you have any garden flowers or greens to donate. We especially need greens for December. Thank you!

Pickleball Court at Mead Park

Tiger has asked if we would like to assist the town crew in planting this area.

Keith Simpson Associates will design the area and plants will be provided by the town.

Please let Faith know if you would like to be on her notifications list

for this project and other Traveling Trowels projects that arise.

faithkerchoff@hotmail.com

After three years of planning and Covid delays, the train station is planted!

The train station was landscaped in 2000 by NCBL, but after 20 years, many plants were overgrown or covered by invasive weeds. The town needed to put in new sidewalks and a new fence, so Faith Kerchoff and Tiger Mann, Director of Public Works for the town, worked together on a total renovation. 

Ty Tan, landscape designer, and Barbara Wilson, landscape architect, both NCBL members, worked on the renovation plans. Barbara did the hardscape drawings and Ty did the plantscape design. 

Mose Saccary and the DPW crew came out to help the 10+ NCBL members with the planting from Thursday to Saturday, October 19 - 21 despite the rain and ensuing mud. The rain let up each day enough for us to get everything planted. We await the plaza bluestone work, new stairs and benches, and new fence to complete the project. The irrigation has been set up.

What a difference many hands and 29 evergreen shrubs, 49 deciduous trees and shrubs, and over 850 perennials, grasses, and sedges can make!

The train station before...

...and after.

There were a lot of helping hands in this huge project. above: Faith Kerchoff; Ty Tan, Designer; Kathy Lapolla; Sandy Siegal; Lois Himes; town employees, Jeff Manella, Tony Zallo, Jimmy Peck and Mike LeBlanc. Other NCBL members helping: Betsy Sammarco; Cindy Bamatter; Fanny Moran; Pam Yee; Robin Bates-Mason; Gay Clark; Eniko Szatai; Claire Perkins; Robin Bates-Mason.

And, thank you to NC Police Department for watching the train station for a few nights while we had loads of flats of plants sitting there waiting to be planted. 

Peter Hanson, photograph

A stunning Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' with a Pinus strobus cultivar in the background.

This Continus hybrid (Purple Smokebush) has beautiful fall color.

To see the full Train Station plant list click the button below:

Lee Garden volunteers were contacted by a new homeowner to see if we would be interested in taking a couple of plants he needed to get rid of. Kathy Kwiatkowski and Faith Kerchoff went to the home and with help from the homeowner, dug out two rhododendron to plant on the side of the new driveway at Lee. Here they are in their new home:

It's Leaf Swatting Season



As fall arrives, the large trees at Lee Garden shed their leaves onto azaleas and rhododenrons. When snow falls on those leaf-laden bushes, it breaks branches, hurting the plants. With that in mind, we ask that members go to Lee this fall, use your gloves or pick up any old stick, and gently 'swat' the fallen leaves off the bushes. Thanks for your help!

SLOBs Help at Lee Garden

L - R: Dad, Shane Williams, Lucas Williams, Tyler Santiago, Graham Jackson.

Working with them from NCBL were Sandy Siegel, Kathy Lapolla and Faith Kerchoff.

The New Canaan SLOBs, aka Service League of Boys, from NC High School, came on Saturday Oct. 28 to spread wood chips along the road by our azaleas for winter protection. We will see the SLOBs in the spring when they will put chips on the trails. Thank you SLOBs!

A curb was added to the new driveway at Lee. One large and 5 smaller Rhododendrons were transplanted from the police station to add screening.

We are looking for volunteers to work in the garden for

an hour or two per week. 

It is a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors and

Lee Garden has a lot to teach us.

Want to learn more about azaleas and rhodies, ground covers, shade plants,

pruning and more? You will at Lee.

We'll be planting bulbs in November.

Our extensive book collection is available for all to enjoy.

We are there Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30-1pm or you can email Faithkerchoff@hotmail.com to set up a different time to meet.



Members of the Bartlett Master Gardener program have been volunteering at the garden this year and we thank them for all they've helped us accomplish.

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!

Planting the NCVAC Building

NCBL transplanted a tree, bushes and plants from the NC Police Department, undergoing renovation, to the side and front of the New Canaan Volunteer Ambulance Corps (NCVAC) building. According to Kathy Lapolla, this is how it happened:

"One of the best recycled plants stories, although there are many. Earlier this fall, the New Canaan Volunteer Ambulance Corps approached Robin, who approached Faith and bada bing ... Traveling Trowels were recruited and another NCBL project has been completed. I love my job!"

Members helping out included: Pam Yee, Lois Himes, Stephanie Hutter, Kathy Lapolla, Claire Perkins, Angela Materna, Eniko Szatai, Kathy Kwiatkowski, Sandy Siegel, & Faith Kerchoff.

Thank you to the NCPD for allowing us to take plants, and to the town for bringing in their big equipment to help. Working together on projects seems to be a positive experience for all.

Included in the new garden: Eastern red cedar, azaleas, Russian sage, red bee balm, serviceberry, blunt mountain mint, creeping phlox, hosta, boxwood, and Leucothoe. All plants were transplanted from the NCPD.

A note of appreciation:

Greetings!

I was away last week and returned to a beautiful transformation at NCEMS! Your work is truly beautiful and we so appreciate your efforts on behalf of the Corps! The use of plantings from the Police Department makes it especially pleasing to know those pieces didn’t go to waste as the Town moves forward with the renovation work.

Kudos to you and your team, and our sincerest gratitude!

Best,

Amy Kennedy, MPH, EMT-B

Captain

New Canaan EMS

Gold Star Walk and Mead Park Cleanup

Stephanie Hutter, Lois Himes, Ann Flinn, Kathy Lapolla, and Faith Kerchoff cleaned up the Gold Star Walk and Mead Park Plaza. They left most of the seed heads for the birds.

Jill Ernst, photographer

Shared Cuttings Make it to Mead

Eniko Szatai gave Lois Himes cuttings of Montauk daisies in early spring 2022. Eniko had begun to root them in water and Lois stuck them in a cold frame at Lee Garden. Lo and behold they took off, and Lois planted 3 of the single rooted cuttings at the entrance to Mead Park. As there is no irrigation (yet) at Mead Park and the summer of 2022 was very hot and dry, Lois watered them frequently. One didn’t make it but two did! Here they are, a year later. Thank you Lois & Eniko for showing up just how successful cuttings can be.

Town Hall Planters get a New Look for Autumn

Kathy Lapolla, Kathy Kwiatkowski & Faith Kerchoff prepared the town hall planters for fall. Skip Hobbs donated 2 wonderful pumpkins from his farm where Planet NC takes all the leftover pumpkins for his cows to eat. Last summer, the entire manure pile was abloom in pumpkin plants of all kinds and sizes. Nature has its way and we are calling them 'poo pumpkins'. The plants are Stokesia laevis (Stokes' aster), Rudbeckia fulgida 'Little Goldstar', Heuchera 'Obsidian' (coral bells), ornamental kale 'Peacock', ornamental cabbages in white and purple, and a few pansies. 

The Triangle Co-Chair team, led by Barbara Wilson along with Claude Colabella and Greg Brown, is eager to help volunteers keep the triangles looking their best. Please follow these guidelines for fall clean-up:

1. After the first hard frost, you may cut back perennials to almost ground level, or for pollinator-friendliness, you may leave perennial stalks standing as they provide shelter for hibernating and egg-laying insects. It’s your choice to cut back or not.

Leaving leaves and vegetation for the winter if possible will help wildlife.

2. If you determine that leaves need to be removed, rake or blow leaves to an appropriate place. Some triangles will have blown leaves picked up by a landscaper or the town.

3. Leaf pick up dates will be determined - and advertised - by the town (usually November).

4. Replace any plants as needed.

5. Prune trees or shrubs as needed.

6. Plant bulbs if appropriate. (Let us know if you need bulbs.)

7. Leave ornamental grasses for winter.

Political signs are NOT allowed in NCBL triangles.

Claude will be the contact person if you have any problems or questions: nccolabella@hotmail.com.

And, thank you for all your hard work as

we continue to make New Canaan beautiful.

Thank you to all who took part in October's Dig and Divide. We will run another plant swap in the spring. We had fun digging and dividing and we will have new blooms from friends' gardens come spring. Plan ahead and join in next year.

If anyone would like to add plants to the list or receive the list of plants currently available please email Camilla Austin. 

Centerpieces created again this year by NCBL:

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.

Spotted Lanternfly lay their eggs in the fall. Want to know how to spot them and what to do when you find them? Watch this short but informative 3 minute video from Penn State Extension.

If you missed the program on the Spotted Lanternfly held at the library this summer, you can still view it by clicking the video icon below.

Welcome to our newest members!



Carol & David Graham

Marianne Grandin

Ann Grieves

Susan & Martin Spatz

Member Olga Sweet, is a talented artist and has created portraits for many distinguished clients, including President Jimmy Carter and current US Attorney General Merrick Garland. She also created a portrait of our own distinguished and recognizable Walt Jakus of the DPW who waters our hanging baskets. Didn't she capture him beautifully?