November, 2022 Newsletter
Volunteers Making New Canaan Beautiful
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Dear Members and Friends,
Fall has arrived with spectacular colors and fun activities. We enjoyed a lovely autumn luncheon at Woodway Country Club. Jana Milbocker's presentation "The Garden Tourists' Hudson Valley" suggests that we might want to plan some field trips. (See below if you are interested.) We are looking for a venue with better curtains for next year.
Traveling Trowels planted grasses and some shrubs at Saxe Middle School. They continue to work with the library to save plants by transplanting them during construction. The DPW removed the hanging baskets downtown and were provided with a much-appreciated lunch in thanks for their help. . For the second year, we decorated the Rotary's Lobsterfest tables with mums-in-gourds arrangements and more mums!.
Terrence Rhodes will present great holiday ideas with 'Pots with Pizzazz' on November 2nd at 7 p.m. There will be wine and cheese served at 6:30 thanks to the hospitality committee.
Over the years, two members have made extraordinary contributions to our group and town. Judy Bentley and Jane Campbell are being recognized with honorary memberships. We wish Jane bountiful blossoms with her move to Charleston. Thank you and congratulations!
Warmly,
Robin Bates-Mason & Jill Ernst
co-Presidents
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Golden hues of Coreopsis sp and Amsonia sp at the mail box drop off in October.
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Pots with Pizzazz
A Tutorial on Creating Stunning Containers
for the Fall Season and Holidays
with Terrance Rhodes
owner and principal of Floral & Landscape Designs by Rhodes
November 2, 2022
6:30 pm refreshments
7:00 pm program
Free and open to the public
All attendees will be entered into a raffle to win one of Terrance’s stunning arrangements!
New Canaan Nature Center
144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan
Note: this is an evening program!
Come for a chance to win one of Terrance's arrangements!
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Containers add instant color and create a welcoming focal point to a porch or garden. Have you ever wondered how to create a container that reflects your own unique style? Local floral and landscape designer Terrance Rhodes will demonstrate how to create stunning containers that pop with color and personality. He will provide tips on how to choose the right seasonal plants and flowers along with essential elements needed to make that perfect impression. Terrance will create two containers: one fall themed and one holiday themed. Attendees will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win one of these beautiful creations! Come celebrate the warmth of the season with this fun demonstration! |
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About Terrance: Terrance Rhodes brings his botanical knowledge and creativity to container gardening with over 30 years of floral, wedding and special events design experience. An alumnus of Alfred State college with a degree in Landscape Development, he has been in the Interior Design community in Connecticut for over 12 years. He creatively designed for the New Canaan Holiday House Tour in 2019 and has worked on numerous special events in Texas, New York, Connecticut and several other states. As owner and principal of Floral & Landscape Designs by Rhodes, Terrance has a passion for nature and utilizing natural materials in his artistic creations. Container designing is one of his specialties: he keenly understands all design elements - from a plant's growing requirements to how color, texture and layers all come together to create balance and harmony. He believes there are no hard and fast design rules and firmly believes in creative freedom - whether to create natural design, whimsical drama or just seasonal fun. He hopes to inspire you in either creating your own holiday containers or investing in someone to do it for you.
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Wednesday
November 30, 2022
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IT'S TIME TO SIGN UP FOR THE HOLIDAY GREENS WORKSHOP!
- A huge thank you to everyone who has signed up for the Holiday Workshop🎄
- Many more volunteers are needed for the 10:30am- 12:30pm slots so please look at your calendars and try to join us.
- If you are planning on having any tree trimming done on your property, please remember greens are needed for this workshop and the drop off is November 29 at the New Canaan Nature Center.🌲
The New Canaan Garden Club and NCBL create the wreaths, arrangements and woodland gnomes that give New Canaan a special sense of festivity and cheer. This year, there will be three shifts and many opportunities to share your talents at the workshop at the New Canaan Nature Center. This is a truly fun workshop and a great time to visit with members of both groups while making items to bring holiday spirit to the season. Your time is greatly appreciated by us as well as the town.
Please get in touch with Kathleen Murphy (kapmgo@gmail) or Barbara O'Shea (barbara636@mac.com) if you have questions.
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Greens and Gnomes memories from 2021 |
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A finished gnome is ready to bring smiles to town. |
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Susan Bergen, Lois Himes, and Angela Materna work on a large wreath. |
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Finishing touches are placed. |
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Autumn Luncheon 2022 Memories |
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Despite the obstacles that confronted our autumn luncheon, it was a success! Many thanks to Janet Fonss and Gloria Simon for organizing this wonderful event, and for persevering even when things got difficult. With teamwork and our amazing volunteers, our League makes it happen! |
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photos clockwise from upper left: Eva Wingate and Gloria Simon
co-Presidents Robin Bates-Mason and Jill Ernst
Lisa Ferrante, Fanny Moran, Nancy Kalal, Jill Ernst
Janet Fonss and Laura Ault
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Thank you to all who attended our October Autumn Lunch at Woodway Country Club! Despite a few technical hiccups (including our Speaker becoming ill from Covid), it was a huge success on a beautiful sunny afternoon. Special thanks to Jacqueline Harmody, who was helped by her daughter and new member Amy Sorensen, for the beautiful table arrangements and Sara Hunt and Gloria Simon for coordinating all of the details. Also, HUGE shout out to Roger Williams for the extraordinary technical assist! We hope you enjoyed the beautiful slides of gardens in the Hudson Valley that were exquisitely presented by our speaker, Jana Milbocker.
Janet Fonss
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A note from Gloria Simon: |
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It takes a village to produce a successful fall luncheon…and that’s what we had on Thursday, October 6th!
First, without the amazing technical skills of Janet Fonss and Roger Williams, we wouldn’t have had the wonderful program on Hudson River Valley gardens. With the assistance of Patricia Spugani they rushed to figure out a Zoom program when our speaker came down with COVID earlier in the week. And thanks also, to Kirsten Gregorio for her overall program guidance.
As always, Jacqueline Harmody's artistic skills at flower arranging were on display on our tables, making them the perfect fall complement to our luncheon. Thank you to Jacqueline's daughter and new member Amy Sorensen who helped with the flowers!
Last but not least, Sara and Dave Hunt provided invaluable assistance in so many ways. Everyone had gorgeous place cards and name tags thanks to them. Behind the scenes they gave me daily help that brought the entire event together.
Thanks all!
— Gloria Simon
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January Program - Save the Date |
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The Nature of Oaks
with Doug Tallamy
January 4, 2023
9:30 am
This program will be a Zoom webinar.
Further information and the registration link will be available in our December newsletter.
Save the date! You don't want to miss this informative presentation with the esteemed Doug Tallamy!
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We are looking for someone who might like to head up a committee (or act solo) and put together a few day trips for NCBL members to public or private (but not member) gardens. The volunteer would need to identify gardens to visit, coordinate with said gardens, arrange transportation (probably carpools) and put out an email to interested NCBL members about the opportunities.
If this is of interest, please contact Fanny Moran.
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Just one more volunteer needed! |
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Our smallest triangle needs a little help.
Our smallest triangle at the intersection of Talmadge Hill Rd. & Hollow Tree Ridge, needs a friendly visit 1-2 times a year to do a little rose pruning and pull a few weeds. (The hosta pretty much take care of the weeds.)
Please let the triangles committee know if you are willing to help out.
Thank you!
barbara@wilsonlandscapearchitect.com
nccolabella@hotmail.com
greg@carlinobrown.com
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Ponus and Cascade triangle |
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The triangle at Ponus and Cascade is all set for fall. Thank you to triangle steward Carol Seldin. |
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Despite the chain link fencing and construction close by, Center Bell triangle stewards, Kathleen and Peter Murphy and Betsy Bilus, weeded, pruned, and planted on a beautiful October day. |
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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 want 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 and the history of the town while you're doing it, please email Faith at:
faithkerchoff@hotmail.com
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Thanks so much to the following Traveling Trowels! Claire P., Cindy B., Eniko S., Stephanie H., Katherine H., Robin Bates-Mason, Madalene L and Faith K. We got two truckloads of plants to distribute from our library dig including:
20 Japanese Ferns
3 flats of Grape hyacinth
4 Spirea
8 Coral bells obsidian
3 large Sedum Autumn Joy
5 Pow wow white echinacea
20 Echinacea purpura
4 Feather grass
20 Solomon seal
4 clumps red monarda
2 small Azaleas
Thanks to Yvonne H. and Fanny M. for planting the Sedum 'Autumn Joy' at the mailboxes. And we put 4 red Monarda bunches and 5 white Echinacea at the Mead Park entrance. They take sun and dry conditions so are perfect for that location. And thanks to Jill for coming over with 3 gallons of water for them.
A very good day!
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Library Diggers: Cindy Bamatter, Eniko Szatai , Faith Kerchoff, and Madalene Laudani |
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The Beautification League is very grateful to Chris Schipper and his
COLORBLENDS BULB CO.
for their donations of bulbs for the large town hall planters each spring.
When the bulbs have gone by, they are dug up and re-planted elsewhere around town: The gift that continues to give year after year!
COLORBLENDS went paperless this year, publishing their catalog online.
Bulbs we add around town and at Lee Garden are usually obtained from this local and generous company.
Visit their beautiful and informative website by clicking their logo below.
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Town hall tulips from previous years. |
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Thank you to all the kind volunteers who signed up to brighten the days of Waveny's residents. Your generosity makes a huge difference in their lives. THANK YOU!
Lois Sandberg (left) is a first-time volunteer with Waveny Care Center flower arranging. Lois created some beautiful arrangements with Betsy Bilus this month. Working with donated flowers requires flexibility in trying different color combinations and our volunteers are enjoying the challenge.
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Kirsten Gregorio and a cart of flowers she and Betsy Bilus arranged. |
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A pretty fall arrangement |
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Many thanks to Eniko Szatai for not only coordinating the donations of flowers from local stores, but for also donating bunches of her own hydrangeas for this month's arrangements! |
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Thanks so very much to the Service League of Boys (SLOBs) for help in mulching the azaleas at Lee Garden. And thank you to Matt and Michelle Riley for your help as well. |
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L-R: Martin Scofield, Matthew Riley, Luke Adamczyk, Mason Williams and Ryan Little |
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L-R: Kai Williams, Lucas Williams, Parker Arakelian and Matthew Riley |
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A whopping 11 people turned out to plant bulbs at Lee on Friday!
Kathy L, Kathy K, Yvonne, Faith, Lois, Fanny, Madalene L, Diane C, Steph P, Stephanie H, Eniko S!
Thank you everyone!
We planted the following bulbs:
Winter Wolf's Bane (Eranthus hyemalis). It's other common name, Winter Aconite, comes from the early flowering time and is the first to bloom at Lee Garden.
Anemone blanda (blue variety) is also known as Grecian Windflower, and is a very attractive tuberous perennial that provides drifts of bright colors in mid-spring.
Iris reticulata 'Harmony' have sweetly-scented flowers, bloom in shades of royal blue with a white hemmed citrine sprinkle at the throat.
Glory-of-the-Snow (Chionodoxa forbesii) is one of the earliest and loveliest spring flowering bulbs,
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) are one of the first of all spring flowers to bloom. Depending on the region, they appear in February and March, even in snow.
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Madalene Laudani and Faith Kerchoff |
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Eniko Szatai & Lois Himes |
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Diane Colgan & Yvonne Hunkeler |
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An pathway at Lee in autumn bloom. |
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It is now LEAF-SWATTING season at Lee Garden
What is leaf-swatting and why do we do it?
As falling leaves - and clusters of leaves - fall onto the azaleas & rhodies,
they get stuck in the Y's of the branches, letting other leaves build up on them.
Heavy snow will build up on those leaf platforms, breaking the branches and snapping off next year's buds.
Put on gloves, remove leaves from the branch intersections, and if you can't reach one, use a stick.
The garden will thank you - as will we!
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Another Wreath-making Opportunity |
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Make a wreath for "Deck the Walls" to benefit The Carriage Barn
Seeking any Beautification volunteers who enjoy making one-of-a-kind wreaths!
A letter from the Carriage Barn:
In past years you have kindly created lovely wreaths for the Carriage Barn for which we have been very grateful! We were hoping you'd like to participate in 'Deck the Walls' this year and create a wreath(s) on behalf of the Beautification League.
Your participation would help support educational arts programs at the Carriage Barn Arts Center. Donors will be showcased at the Carriage Barn Gallery, online and through social media. We would include a card with 'Beautification League' next to your wreath(s) in the gallery.
Wreath Delivery Dates:
The delivery date to the Carriage Barn for faux wreaths is just before Thanksgiving on Tuesday 11/22 or Wednesday 11/23 between 10am and 1pm.
Delivery date for fresh wreaths is Tuesday 11/29 or Weds 11/30 between 10am and 1pm.
Dates for Deck the Walls events:
"Deck the Walls" annual small works exhibit and wreath auction is open at the Carriage Barn from November 27-December 10.
Artist Opening Celebration: Sunday Nov 27, 1-5pm
"Off the Wall" Benefit and 45th Anniversary Cocktail Party: Dec 1, 6.30-10pm
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Examples of a variety of wreaths from a prior Deck the Walls .
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Judy Bentley, former president and vice president was made an Honorary Member by unanimous vote of the NCBL Board. Here she is with her certificate. Thank you, Judy, for everything you've done for NCBL! |
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Welcome to our newest NCBL member:
Stephanie Pineo
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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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Landmark Ornaments for Sale |
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There are about 10 'Gnome' New Canaan ornaments
for sale at the NC MUSEUM & HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
They cost $20 each and proceeds benefit the Historical Society.
The New Canaan Ornaments are made in New Canaan by volunteers
and are in limited editions.
Contact NC MUSEUM at 203-966-1776 if you would like to buy one.
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There are five NEW ornaments for 2022. To view the ornaments and download an order form click the button below: |
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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 membership.
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A recent article in Outside Online, is a charming and engaging read on Fairfield County's own Louise Washer and Donna Merrill, the Pollinator Pathway, and the author's own experience in building an ecologically friendly lawn. You can read it 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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