'A Way We Grow'
Martha's Vineyard Garden Club
March 2022
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The President's Corner...
Dear Garden Club Members,
Spring has arrived! We look forward to a new garden and summer season. Our April meeting will be at Wakeman. The greenhouse is in bloom, and Ty has worked with the rest of the Wakeman Board to have the conference room cleaned. We’ll begin the meeting with a new format: refreshments first followed by updates from the committee chairs and would appreciate your feedback on the meeting.
- Unfortunately, on the heels of spring the Garden Club website was hacked. If you received an email entitled Jody’s Recovery, do not click on the link, but if you did, check your PayPal account. PayPal reports an increase in fraudulent messages since covid and recommends verifying the authenticity of any unusual emails before opening them. This same scam was perpetrated under the Garden Club domain in 2018. We're investigating and attempting to uncover the source of the fraud. - Susan
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From our Vice President...
The Wakeman Center is one of the Martha's Vineyard Garden Club's “properties.” Along with four other conservation/environment organizations (Sheriff's Meadow, The Trustees of Reservations, Vineyard Conservation, and Vineyard Open Land Foundation) we share the space and resources the site has to offer. All organizations have one representative that serves on the board of the Wakeman. Two of the organizations have actual office space at the site. Martha's Vineyard Garden Club's representative to the board is me, Ty Johnston.
What does our club gain from being part of the Wakeman? A lot! We make use of its greenhouse to produce wonderful geraniums and other plants for the yearly plant sale. Several members can be found all winter long tending little seedlings and beautiful plants in preparation for the sale – a major fundraiser for the club. Also, we are able to share the use of a large conference room in the lower level of the building for use for board and monthly meetings. All of the other organizations also have the use of the conference space. During COVID we have not used the space, but we are beginning to now that in-person meetings are acceptable!
Recently the chairman of the board of the Wakeman (Adam Moore, Director of Sheriff's Meadow), began the quest of a new sign to mark the entrance of the road to Wakeman from Lambert's Cove Road. The new sign stands proudly today, and MCGC's logo stands out clearly!
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From our Secretary...
As secretary of the MV Garden Club, I have been busy writing thank you notes to members for their very generous donations to our Scholarship Fund and maintenance of the Old Mill. On behalf of of our club I would like to thank all of our donors. It has been a difficult financial two years for the garden club with Covid preventing our fund raisers. We appreciate the wonderful support from our members.
Joan Eville, secretary.
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There's still time if you missed out on purchasing!
We are participating again this year in the Boston MFA Virtual Tour of their “Art in Bloom” event. The date is Monday, April 11, the time is 4:00pm via Zoom.
This one-hour virtual tour will provide an up-close look at a selection of the work of professional artists matched with that of a professional floral designer. * If you forgot to register, you can still do so @ $30.00 via this link until April 10.
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Martha’s Vineyard Bank Community Impact Grant
As you know from last month's Newsletter, The Garden Club has applied for the Martha’s Vineyard Bank’s Community Impact Grant. Four awards of $5,000 will be made to non-profit organizations, two on Martha’s Vineyard and two in Falmouth. Voting for the MVB Community Impact Grant began on March 7 and will run through April 8 via the MVSB website, community.mvbank.com. Please vote and encourage your friends to do the same!
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From the Greenhouse Committee:
Last fall, some Garden Club members talked about wanting to donate perennial plants from their garden to the Plant Sale coming up in Spring. So... if members have some that are potted up, bring them to the Greenhouse at the Wakeman Center after it warms up and leave them outside. The Committee will make them part of the sale!
In addition, the Committee could use some help as the plants grow and need to up grade and will also start watering every day starting in April. Anyone who wants to help, please reach out to Judy @ 508-693-4924 or 570-898-8896 or email at Cw622@comcast.net
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Our Blooming Art Floral Design Coordinators and The Presentation Committee are thrilled to bring you a 'bonus' meeting/presentation prior to Blooming Art, 2022. Our Garden Club member, Fawn Hurwitz!
Fawn moved to Needham, MA 14 years ago from New York (if you can’t tell by her accent) when a friend asked her to join the Beth Shalom Garden Club even though she didn’t own a pair of scissors or know what oasis was. Fawn loved the garden club so much that she decided to join the Needham Garden Club, and later joined the MV Garden Club. Fawn has held almost every position within the Beth Shalom and Needham clubs and has held positions in the Garden Club Federation of MA. She was co-president of the Metro West District, as well as being an assistant at the MFA’s Art in Bloom. She is a key designer in Needham's 'Art in Bloom' where garden club members are paired with art work by talented Needham High School art students for floral interpretation. Fawn loves doing live demos for the Needham Art in Bloom and we are thrilled to have her show us her process of concept and design at her presentation to the MV Garden Club in late May. (Fawn's presentation is slated for Tuesday, May 24 @ 1pm; location TBA, either Old Mill or Wakeman Center.)
Additionally in her spare time, Fawn studies Ikebana which is the art of Japanese flower arrangement. Below are two of Fawn's arrangements that she created for the Needham Show, 2022. To see more and read about Needham's Art in Bloom, click here.
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*NEXT MONTH'S MEMBER SPOTLIGHT WILL FEATURE TWO SISTERS WHO NEVER SAY NO WHEN IT COMES TO STEPPING UP FOR THE CLUB!
Can you guess who they are?
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UPCOMING MEETING INFO:
April 19, 2022 - 1:00pm @ The Wakeman Center
Luanne Johnson - 'Stewardship 101: Everyday Actions to Sustain our Biodiversity'
In this presentation, conservation biologist Luanne Johnson will discuss the current state of the island’s habitats and species at risk and offer some actions you can take to ensure the island’s biodiversity remains for future generations.
*Meeting details re: refreshments, format, etc, to be shared after the April Board Meeting. Refer to the website for updates.
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The West Tisbury Community Preservation Committee
The West Tisbury Community Preservation Committee approved the Garden Club’s application for a $20,000 grant to conduct a building feasibility assessment of the Old Mill. It will appear on the town warrant on April 12 at 6:00pm and the meeting will be held at the West Tisbury School! If you live in West Tisbury, please attend the meeting and vote for it! This was a multi-stage application process, with two written submissions and a presentation to the town. The documents we submitted for consideration are on the Members Only section of our website if you wish to read them.
The Mill is a wonderful historic gem and wouldn’t it be gratifying to be able to use it more for Garden Club events and share it with the island community?
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The presentation is looking at hosting a Book Swap and Speakers Forum in the Fall! Please let us know what topics are of interest to you and we'll do our best to get speakers that fit the bill!
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A WARM WELCOME TO THESE
NEW CLUB MEMBERS !
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Carol Chapman - VH
April Levandowski - VH
Juliana Rogers - VH
Julie Rowell - E
Joy Thoma - E
Lois Wolkowitz - C
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Thanks to Deb Silliman Watts for taking the lead on
Garden Aprons for our Club!
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Something new and exciting for our Club...we will be selling MV Garden Club aprons! The aprons are made of cotton canvas, 24" in length and have our GC logo and name and we plan for docents and volunteers to wear them at GC events. Aprons are available on a first come, first served basis for members to purchase and there will be a limited quantity available. Do place your order asap if you want one (or two!). Carol Goldstein is handling orders and will reserve and and distribute the aprons at our GC meetings starting in April.
Beginning April 1, if you are interested in purchasing, contact her via email to reserve. She will collect checks and begin distribution of the aprons at the April meeting.
We also plan to sell aprons to the general public at our Garden Club events as a bit of a fundraiser, so if you want an apron, DO RESERVE as the supply will be limited.
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Some Spring buzz about pests in the Garden... |
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The Spotted Lanternfly...
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Got Worms? This is a great video which talks about the invasive jumping worms we have been hearing so much about the last several years. Do take the time to check it out...a video and the knowledge this ecologist in this clip shares really is worth knowing if you're a gardener! https://youtu.be/0bFl6Pw6nzQ
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The Beach Grass volunteer event mentioned below is suggested by Nancy Weaver to Garden Club members. Here's what Nancy says about the day..."I’ve done this in the past - One year other garden club members came. (Along with all kinds of groups- the tribe, the football team, the Girl Scouts…) I enjoyed it- it is very physical and usually colder than you think." - Nancy
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The annual Beach Grass planting to restore and preserve the natural sand dunes along Lobsterville Beach on Aquinnah’s North Shore is scheduled for April 9th from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
As you may be aware, the Tribe, through the US Army Corps of Engineers, was able to utilize dredge spoils from the Menemsha Creek dredge project to reestablish a major section of Lobsterville’s dunes washed away by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. There has been diligent work done with the assistance of several federal agencies, to strengthen and restore the structure of the dunes.
One of the most critical steps in the efforts of restoring Aquinnah’s coastal landscape is the planting of natural, native species of grasses and shrubs, such as American Beach Grass. This is where the public can help! With the assistance of volunteers there have already been hundreds of thousands of Beach Grass shoots planted since the efforts began and once again, the public's assistance is requested in helping to plant 20,000 more along Lobsterville’s dunes. The Natural Resources Department will be offering volunteers refreshments and a meal on site, provided by Quitsa Cuisine. Volunteer hour certificates will be available upon request. If you are interested or need more information, please contact:
Beckie Scotten Finn
Environmental Programs Coordinator
Natural Resources Dept.
Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)
Office: (508) 645-9265 x 143 or Cell: (508) 560-6168
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SOME
GARDEN FUN!
An Island-Wide Garden Competition is taking place this Summer!
Island Gardeners are invited take part by submitting photos of their garden in their choice of one in five garden style categories.
Categories are: Container Garden, Grand Garden, Pollinator or Demonstration Garden, Kitchen Garden, or Whimsical Garden.
You have the opportunity to win bragging rights, a commemorative garden award AND a professional photo shoot which will appear in the MV Times!
Click here to visit the Competition website for details on how to enter!
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Wiet reminds us to...
SAVE THE DATE!
On April 23rd from 10am to 1pm, MV Community Services is hosting Shred Day: an easy, secure, and safe way for Island businesses, nonprofits, organizations and individuals to destroy paper documents and files.
The charge is $10 per storage file box, with proceeds directly benefitting MV Community Services. Those bringing 5+ boxes are asked to email Rebecca Pierce (rpierce@mvcommunityservices.org) to schedule an expedited drop off time.
Drop offs will be held at MV Community Services’ Early Childhood Center.
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Our March meeting was held once again at the Edgartown library as the program room at Wakeman is still 'under construction'. Dan's presentation on 'Garden Gems' was a great way to kick off an 'almost Spring' presentation! Here are some photos he shared with us for garden inspiration! And by the way, those of you who are interested in Dan's plant list, it is located on the bottom of the programs page on the website. Click here to get there.
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MVGC Website... in the past 7 days our website has had 263 page views / 71 unique visitors!
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FOR YOUR GARDEN...
Here's a great little read about choosing plants for your Martha's Vineyard Garden!
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There have been some big changes the MV Garden Club website, so do check it from time to time! There are some brand new pages and now a listing of virtual and live Garden events that may be of interest along with informative gardening websites that Club members have suggested! Our goal is to enhance communication with current Garden Club members and to attract new members to our Club. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and our website will no doubt make it easier for our Club to be found via social media and for us to be recognized as the dynamic, creative and community focused Club we are. Do join us on social media if you have not already, and share our pages with your friends. That's how we will grow together!
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Climate Week on the Island is the second week of May 2022, from May 8 to May 14. It would be wonderful if several members or a small group would put together a Committee to be involved on behalf of the MV Garden Club. Interested parties, please put together a plan and contact our President, Susan Hobart.
CLICK HERE for the Climate Week Agenda... (date says 2021, but Climate Week was changed from 11/2021 to 5/2022.)
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