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OCTOBER 9, 2024 Program Wednesday, October 9, 2024: "Painless Pruning: Simple Solutions for Healthy Plants" Speaker - Penelope O'Sullivan Location - New Castle Congregational Church Parish Hall 65 Main Street New Castle, NH Time - Light Refreshments - 4:30pm Program Start - 5:00pm BIO Penelope O'Sullivan is an author, designer, and woody plant lover, who turned her suburban property into a mini-arboretum. Her gardening experiences inspired her to write The Homeowner's Complete Tree & Shrub Handbook: The Essential Guide to Choosing, Planting, and Maintaining Perfect Landscape Plants & The Pruning Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask Both of the books above will be available to purchase at the program. She also has written 11 more books on trees, shrubs, hedges, flowers, herbs and garden design. Penny was the editor of the Coastal Home and Coastal Design regional home, garden & lifestyle magazines based in Portsmouth, NH, and a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Media. She has written for national magazines including Country Gardens, The American Gardener and Organic Gardening. A former director of the Garden Writers Association and trustee of the Wiggin Memorial Library in Stratham, NH, Penny trained as a master gardener in Delaware and earner a certificate in Ornamental Horticultural at Longwood Gardens in PA. She holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Delaware. |
Pruning trees and shrubs is easy when you understand the basics. Discover how pruning
affects the growth and learn when to prune for effects such as maximum bloom, revealing bark, or turning overgrown shrubs into small trees. |
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NOVEMBER 12, 2024 Program Tuesday, November 12, 2024: "Flower Arrangement Workshop/Make Your Own" Speaker - Margo Pullman Location - New Castle Congregational Church, Parish Hall 65 Main Street, New Castle NH Time - Event starts at 2pm. ***This Program is for Members Only*** Note: For Club members who are interested in doing their own floral arrangement after Margo’s Presentation/Demonstration, please RSVP to Peggy Lamb [email protected] no later than Wednesday, Nov 6, 2024. The cost for the flowers will be $40, and please bring your own vase. Please note: the vase should measure 6-12” tall, and no more than 6” across. Margo will be available to help and advise! Program Description: Margo will demonstrate two Fall themed horizontal arrangements. She will discuss how to use line material for drama, how to determine the scale of floral material and how to add a twist with fruit and vegetables. All designs can be inspiration for your Thanksgiving table and your hands-on arrangement. Then along came the MFA Associates Floral Team where she has been involved with the museum’s floral program since 2012. The program’s designers work on the weekly floral arrangements, special events, Art in Bloom and other museum requests. She considers gardening and flower arranging another medium for artistic expression. Her Holiday floral designs and gardens have been featured in Northshore Magazine. |
Speaker Bio: Margo earned an Art & Design degree from Iowa State University. She worked professionally as a creative designer and director for giftware companies, national brands and corporations. She later freelanced and created the Pullman Design Company. Her next career encompassed painting and teaching art out of her West Newbury studio.
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SEPTEMBER 3, 2024 Program
Tuesday September 3, 2024: "Putting Your Gardens to Bed" Speaker - Ron Trexler Location: Macomber Room, New Castle Recreation Center Time: General Meeting — 9AM Hospitality — 9:30AM Program — 10AM BIO Ron Trexler has been a UNH Extension MasterGardener since 2016 and has achieved the level of Advanced Master Gardener. He is extensively involved in the training and mentoring of new Master Gardeners, who wish to participate in the Master Gardeners Speakers Bureau, and regularly presents to libraries, garden. clubs, and community organizations. Ron serves in a leadership a leadership role with the Hooksett Garden Club and serves on the Executive Board of the NH Federation of Garden Clubs. He especially enjoys growing vegetables in raised beds that benefit from his home composting system. |
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Past Programs 2023-24
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Tuesday September 12, 2023: Soil It's Not Just Dirt!
Speaker - Margery Winters Location: Macomber Room, New Castle Recreation Center Time: Refreshments — 9AM General Meeting — 9:30AM Program — 10AM Note: If you would like to get your soil tested ahead of Margery’s presentation to understand your own garden soil’s composition better and to be able to ask Margery questions about your dirt, just download the form at https://extension.unh.edu/agriculture-gardens/pest-disease-growing-tools/soil-testing-services Cost about $20, turnaround time is about 3 weeks. Rarely discussed by gardeners, soil is, nonetheless, the foundation of a garden. Each tablespoon of healthy soil is alive with millions of creatures, many working to keep your plants healthy. Learn about the different types of soils, the connections between soils and plants, how organic matter makes healthy soil, and why you should care about this intriguing ecosystem. Speaker Bio: Margery Winters is the Assistant Director and instructor at Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton CT where she is delighted to be able to share her passion for earth science and nature with students of all ages. She manages the Nature Center’s native plant gardens and is an advocate for the role of natives in our designed landscapes. She is a Master Landscape Design Consultant. Margery serves as on several land use boards in Simsbury. She is chairman of their Inland Wetland / Conservation Commission, a member the Open Space Committee, and currently serves as president of the Simsbury Land Trust. |
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Tuesday October 3,2023 -
Design Tips for Traffic-Stopping Curb Appeal Speaker - Kerry Mendez Location: New Castle Congregational Church Parish Hall Time: General Meeting — 4PM Refreshments — 4:30PM Program — 5PM This eye-opening presentation will cover easy-to-implement design steps for enhancing your home’s curb appeal. Included will be top-performing perennials, annuals, flowering shrubs, evergreens & ornamental trees for head-turning foundation beds. Speaker Bio: Kerry Ann Mendez is an award-winning garden educator, author, design consultant, and proprietor of Perennially Yours based in southern Maine. As an exceptionally popular educator and communicator, she has presented hundreds of lectures to thousands of gardeners in 23 states. In 2014, she received the Gold Medal award from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society for “Exceptional teaching and writing that increases public enjoyment and appreciation of horticulture.” Kerry Ann has written four gardening books, the most recent being The Budget Wise Gardener and The Right-Size Flower Garden. Her e-newsletters go out to over 10,000 subscribers throughout the United States. In 2016, Kerry Ann started producing international gardening Webinars that have been enjoyed by thousands. In addition to local design consultations, she also offers virtual design services to those in hardiness Zones 3 – 7. To learn more about Kerry Ann, please visit her web site www.pyours.com |
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Wednesday November 15, 2023 — Finding Floral Inspiration
Speaker - Margo Pullman Location: New Castle Congregational Church Parish Hall Time: Refreshments — 3PM General Meeting — 3:30PM Program — 4PM ***This Program is for Members Only*** Note: For Club members who are interested in doing their own floral arrangement after Margo’s Presentation/Demonstration, please RSVP to Peggy Lamb [email protected] no later than Wednesday, Nov 8, 2023. Please note: the vase should measure 6-12” tall, and no more than 6” across. Margo will be available to help and advise! Margo Pullman is an artist and gardener who was able to combine her two passions when she became a floral designer for the MFA Boston. She considers flower arranging another way for creative expression. She will give a presentation on varied inspirations for flower designs followed by a floral demonstration – and then you’ll have an opportunity to make your own arrangements! (see above). Speaker Bio: Margo earned an Art & Design degree from Iowa State University. She worked professionally as a creative designer and director for giftware companies, national brands and corporations. She later freelanced and created the Pullman Design Company. Her next career encompassed painting and teaching art out of her West Newbury studio. Then along came the MFA Associates Floral Team where she has been involved with the museum’s floral program since 2012. The program’s designers work on the weekly floral arrangements, special events, Art in Bloom and other museum requests. She considers gardening and flower arranging another medium for artistic expression. Her Holiday floral designs and gardens have been featured in Northshore Magazine |
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January 9, 2024 -- Orchids All Around Us
Snow date: Jan 10 Speaker - Jean Stefanik Location: Macomber Room, New Castle Recreation Center Time: Refreshments - 9AM General Meeting - 9:30AM Program - 10AM "Orchids All Around Us" includes discussion of native orchids, some of which can be seen in the wild and a few that can be cultivated in home gardens. Learn about the main groups of tropical orchid groups, commonly seen for sale and grown indoors. Learn what to look for when purchasing orchids. Ask questions during the culture demonstration including repotting - please bring in your personal orchids – and your questions about their care - and they will be included in the discussion of do's and don'ts. Speaker Bio: Jean is an Educator and Naturalist, whose passion is for species orchids, and the habitats to which they have adapted throughout the world. She enjoys traveling, photographing orchids and other plants and animals in nature, and becoming friends with people from near and far. North American travels have ranged from the polar Arctic tundra in Canada, to California and the Olympic Peninsula; from New England and the Maritimes to Arizona to the Florida swamps including extremely rare ghost orchids. She has also spent many months in Costa Rica, Ecuador, and New Zealand, giving talks, judging, and spending time with other orchid enthusiasts. Conservation of native orchids means conservation of native habitats, a theme that permeates her talks. She continues to serve as Conservation & Education Chair for the New Hampshire Orchid Society, is an accredited American Orchid Society judge, a member of the AOS Species Identification Task Force, on the Board of Orchid Digest, and participates in many annual Native Orchid Conference symposiums and field trips. She enjoys being a member of the Manchester Garden Club. |
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Tuesday, February 6, 2024 - Earth Friendly Gardening
Snow date: Feb 7 Speaker - Mark Richardson Location: Macomber Room, New Castle Recreation Center Time: Refreshments - 9AM General Meeting - 9:30AM Program - 10AM We’ve all learned to live our lives a little greener in recent decades. From reusable grocery bags to electric cars, many of us take pride in making choices to lead more sustainable lives. Gardening should be no different. Learn about how gardening impacts the environment and how you can be a more earth-friendly gardener. Speaker Bio: Mark Richardson is the director of horticulture at the New England Botanical Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston, MA. Mark came from the New England Wild Flower Society where he was horticulture director since 2012. He led all aspects of the Society’s Horticulture and Horticulture Research and Development Departments, including the 45-acre native plant botanical garden, Garden in the Woods in Framingham, and Nasami Farm Native Plant Nursery in Whately. Environmentally-friendly gardening, once considered on the fringe, has surged in interest in the pandemic, according to Mark. “So many people are interested in how they can garden in a more sustainable way,” Richardson, who sits on the Ecological Landscape Alliance's board, said. He added that “people are specifically invested in learning how they can support pollinators, wildlife, and how to garden in a way that's not environmentally damaging”. |
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Tuesday, March 5, 2024 - Green Thumbs in the White House
No snow date.
Speaker - Kevin Bragg
Location: Macomber Room, New Castle Recreation Center
Time: Refreshments - 9AM
General Meeting - 9:30AM
Program - 10AM
No snow date.
Speaker - Kevin Bragg
Location: Macomber Room, New Castle Recreation Center
Time: Refreshments - 9AM
General Meeting - 9:30AM
Program - 10AM
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Take a journey through time at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, as we examine the horticultural history behind the "Executive Residence". Through images, accounts and diaries, learn about the Presidents, their wives, architects, gardeners, and children who left their mark on the White House grounds. From muddy tidal flats and tobacco fields to grand allées, greenhouses, putting greens, and Victory Gardens, this illustrated presentation will show glimpses of the "President's Park" as it has changed from 1790 to the present.
Speaker Bio: Kevin Bragg is owner of Canterbury Plantation. Kevin managed Murray Farms Greenhouses in Penacook, NH for 13 years, and spent 8 years at D.S. Cole Growers in Loudon, NH. In 2008 he became Coordinator of Historic Gardens and Agriculture at Canterbury Shaker Village. From 2012-2021, he supervised NH Field operations for the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, measuring the pulse of agricultural activity in the Granite State. All along, since 1997, he has operated Canterbury Plantation. As a 10th generation Isles of Shoals descendant, with a passion for history and plants, Kevin enjoys exploring the relationships between each and sharing these stories with others. |
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Tuesday, April 2, 2024 - Re-Wilding with Native Groundcovers, Shrubs, & Trees: Native Plants, A Sequel
Speaker - Sheila Steele Location: New Castle Recreation Center Macomber Room Time: Refreshments - 9AM General Meeting - 9:30AM Program - 10AM This program builds upon the original Go Native presentation. It will cover an in-depth discussion of specific native plant materials (groundcovers, shrubs, and trees) to teach people how to use specific native plants in these categories in their landscapes. A simple discussion on how to get started with some design ideas will be included. Speaker Bio: Sheila Steele is an Advanced Master Gardener through the University of NH Extension Service with a special interest in all things native in the plant world. She holds an MS degree in science education and has spent much of her life teaching. She is a proud member of the Amherst Garden Club and a volunteer in the Edible Garden Program at the Souhegan Valley Boys and Girls Club. She loves teaching people about the value of native plants. |
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May/June - Date TBD GIGC Private Tour of Bedrock Gardens - Members Only Tour & Lunch, details to come There will be no charge to Club members |
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Past Programs 2022-2023
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September 7 — Plant Communication: Let’s Listen In!
Location: Macomber Room Time: Refreshments — 9AM General Meeting — 9:30AM Program — 10AM Note to members: Due to Labor Day, the program has been moved to Wednesday. Member’s guests are welcome to attend. Masks are recommended since the space does not accommodate social distancing. Check the website for updates and whether or not a zoom hybrid will be available. Presenter Margery Winters is the Assistant Director and instructor at Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton CT where she is delighted to be able to share her passion for earth science and nature with students of all ages. Scientists are learning more about how plants communicate with each other. Margery will explain how they get their messages to each other and what they are saying. Fascinating new scientific findings on the battle tactics and alliances between plants, insects and fungi. (Including the discovery of the Wood Wide Web) should make us rethink some of our gardening practices. We hope you can join us! |
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October 11 — Go Native! Incorporating Native Plants into Your Landscape
Location: New Castle Congregational Church Parish Hall Time: Refreshments – 6:30PM Program – 7PM Note to members: The New Castle community is invited to this evening program. Masks are recommended since the space does not accommodate social distancing. Check the website for updates and whether or not a zoom hybrid will be available. There will be no general meeting. Presenter Sheila Steele is a retired science educator and a UNH Extension Master Gardener with a passion for native plants. She’ll discuss what native plants are, why they are important to add to existing and new landscapes and where to purchase them. Sheila will show beautiful examples of native plants incorporated into gardens - and even containers. She hopes her presentation will inspire attendees to make small changes in their gardens with native plants. As an added bonus, a lucky participant will receive Sheila’s favorite gardening book as a door prize. We hope you can join us! |
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November 1 – Art in Bloom Road Show with a live floral design demonstration
Location: Macomber Room Time: Refreshments — 9AM General Meeting — 9:30AM Program — 10AM Note to members: Guests are welcome to attend. Masks are encouraged since the space does not accommodate social distancing. Check the website for updates and whether or not a zoom hybrid will be available. A colorful PowerPoint presentation depicting behind-the-scenes preparations for Art in Bloom with stunning examples of floral interpretations of MFA art objects is followed by a live floral interpretation of a museum masterpiece by an MFA Senior Associate floral designer. The demonstration will include expert arranging tips. The floral arrangement which will be raffled off to a lucky participant. |
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Holiday Luncheon - Members Only
The Wentworth Country Club December 13, 2022 11:30a.m. |
Jan 10, (Jan 11 snow date) Gardening in a Changing Climate
Presenter: Mike Koutelis
Location: Macomber Room
Time: Refreshments — 9AM
General Meeting — 9:30AM
Program — 10AM
Later frosts in the fall, earlier planting times, heavier rain events and longer stretches of drought. Gardeners are on the front line as witnesses to the changes in climate that have been occurring in recent years. This presentation provides a brief look at the science of climate change and the impact it has on our daily lives while also offering ideas about how we can adapt our growing strategies and habits to both reduce our impact on climate change and keep growing the plants we enjoy.
Michael (Mike) Koutelis became a Master Gardener in 2021. With several Master Gardeners, he was involved in rebuilding the rain garden at the NH Audubon Massabesic Center in Auburn, NH. Mike has been involved in the energy/environmental field for over 30 years and considers sustainability as the key for understanding how we individually and collectively protect our ecosystems. Gardening has become part of his connection to this effort, and he continues to expand his knowledge of gardening through the UNH Extension Master Gardener program.
Presenter: Mike Koutelis
Location: Macomber Room
Time: Refreshments — 9AM
General Meeting — 9:30AM
Program — 10AM
Later frosts in the fall, earlier planting times, heavier rain events and longer stretches of drought. Gardeners are on the front line as witnesses to the changes in climate that have been occurring in recent years. This presentation provides a brief look at the science of climate change and the impact it has on our daily lives while also offering ideas about how we can adapt our growing strategies and habits to both reduce our impact on climate change and keep growing the plants we enjoy.
Michael (Mike) Koutelis became a Master Gardener in 2021. With several Master Gardeners, he was involved in rebuilding the rain garden at the NH Audubon Massabesic Center in Auburn, NH. Mike has been involved in the energy/environmental field for over 30 years and considers sustainability as the key for understanding how we individually and collectively protect our ecosystems. Gardening has become part of his connection to this effort, and he continues to expand his knowledge of gardening through the UNH Extension Master Gardener program.
John Forti www.jforti.com is a garden historian and ethnobotanist who has directed gardens for Plimoth Plantation Museum, Strawbery Banke Museum, Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and Bedrock Gardens. As a Slow Food Slow Food USA Governor and biodiversity specialist, his preservation work has helped to restore countless native and heirloom plants and has brought traditional artisanal practices to modern thinking. He has won numerous awards for historic garden preservation, children’s garden design, herbal and historical education and the 2021 Award of Excellence from National Garden Clubs, one of the nation’s most-recognized nonprofits and largest volunteer gardening organization in the world. His new book was inspired by his posts as The Heirloom Gardener - John Forti which go out regularly to millions on Facebook.
An illustrated talk which brings history to life through the exploration of heirloom herbs. By “digging in” to our historic roots of herbalism, participants will come to understand traditional artisanal herbal crafts and perspectives on cultivating and preserving herbs. Historic garden design and ethnobotany will help shed new light on growing and using herbs that will inspire gardeners, cooks and herbalists of the 21st century.
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April 4
Growing a Pollinator Garden Presenters: Pam Appleton and Doris Buco Location: TBD Time: Refreshments — 9AM General Meeting — 9:30AM Program — 10AM Insects such as bees and butterflies are helpful, and in some cases, essential, in pollinating many of our food crops such as apples, berries and vegetables. In recent years, there has been a significant decline in the populations of these wild pollinators. Planting patches of flowers, wildflowers, grasses, shrubs and flowering trees with an emphasis on the use of native plants can encourage and support natural pollinators as well as enhance backyard landscapes. Recommendations will be presented on creating a pollinator habitat in your yard. |
Pam Appleton became a Master Gardener in 2021. She loves working in gardens and sharing her enjoyment of all pollinators. Previously, Pam volunteered with the New Hampshire Beekeepers Association as their newsletter editor, often highlighting longtime beekeepers and NH bee-related businesses. In her own garden, Pam loves planting a diversity of pollinator-friendly plants in the hopes of strengthening the native bee populations. Pam looks forward to inspiring all gardeners to incorporate pollinator plants in their landscapes. Doris Buco became a Master Gardener in 2021 after working as an educator for thirty-nine years. She developed a love of gardening from her parents who had extensive flower, herb, and vegetable gardens. Doris has been a member of the Herb Society of America for the past twenty years and is now actively involved in several Master Gardener projects. She continues to expand her gardening knowledge through participation in a variety of Master Gardener learning opportunities and is particularly interested in how to attract pollinators to one’s garden by growing native plants. |
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May 2nd No May meeting
Volunteer Training for the Garden Tour will be held Monday May 8th. Details to follow. |
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Annual Meeting
June 20, 2023
Location: TBD
June 20, 2023
Location: TBD
Past Programs 2021-2022
September 14, 2021 (Rain date 9/15) 9:00am Welcome Back Social and General Meeting
Location: New Castle Common
Our first meeting of the year will be a Welcome Back Social at the pavilion overlooking Walter Liff’s artist sculpture. Hospitality will provide goodies. We kindly request that members bring their own beverages. We will not have a guest speaker, but instead use the time for members to become reacquainted after our long in-person hiatus. The social will go from 9 to 10, followed by a general meeting.
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October 5, 2021 9:30am – Tovah Martin – Maximizing Space in the Garden
This will be a zoom meeting. You’ll receive your email invite before the program. Participants will be muted during the presentation and can either type questions into the chat window or verbally ask questions afterwards. A GIGC business meeting will begin directly after the Q&A. Tovah’s presentation will begin at 9:30. The General Meeting will start after the Q&A. This will be a zoom meeting. You’ll receive your email invite before the program. Participants will be muted during the presentation and can either type questions into the chat window or verbally ask questions afterwards. Tovah is a horticulturist, author and lecturer. She’s accredited with NOFA as an Organic Land Care Profession, has published over 4 books and her articles have appeared in publications such as Country Home, Flower Magazine and Yankee. She appears frequently on television and radio – she was a guest on the CBS Sunday Early show, the Martha Stewart Show and the PBS television gardening series “Cultivating Life.” No matter if you’re gardening in a close-knit neighborhood or a sprawling estate, you want to garden efficiently, prolifically, sustainably, and beautifully. Using her own garden as an example, Tovah will describe how to create layers in varied habitats including the perennial, berry, and vegetable gardens. The result is visually fulfilling, low maintenance, and mulch-eliminating when plants go wall-to-wall. This lecture shares how that shakes down to serve our needs as well as the needs of pollinators and other creatures. You can expect to hear many innovative ideas beyond the usual solutions. |
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Special Note: Our thoughts and well wishes go out to Bill Graham who had to cancel his presentation due to illness.
November 2, 2021 9:30AM - Jana Milbocker "The Garden Tourist's Northeast" Attention: This is a zoom meeting. Jana’s presentation will begin at 9:30. The General Meeting will start after the Q&A. Jana is the principal of Enchanted Gardens Designs, a lecturer and author. She combines horticulture, design, and travel tips to educate, inspire and delight both new and seasoned gardeners. Jana loves to visit gardens and historic sites in the U.S. and abroad, and share her trips through her books, photos and blog. She published The Garden Tourist’s New England in 2020. Do you enjoy touring beautiful gardens? Jana will show you the best public gardens, nursery display gardens, and private gardens open to the public in the Northeast to visit for inspiration! Learn about each garden's highlights, ideal times to visit, and enjoy a visual tour of each amazing destination. |
December 1, 2021 –Strawbery Banke Holiday Stroll By Day
9:30 Gather in the parking lot by the greenhouse.
We will be touring the holiday decorations by day followed by hot cider on the patio. The wreaths are all made by the Horticulture department and volunteers. The trees are decorated by local businesses. The grounds are muddy so please wear appropriate footwear. Photos are encourage, bring your cameras.
9:30 Gather in the parking lot by the greenhouse.
We will be touring the holiday decorations by day followed by hot cider on the patio. The wreaths are all made by the Horticulture department and volunteers. The trees are decorated by local businesses. The grounds are muddy so please wear appropriate footwear. Photos are encourage, bring your cameras.
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If you have additional questions from our January 4, 2022 Zoom Meeting with Cris Blackstone on “Invasive Plants" her contact information is; [email protected] 603-738-2195 January 4 7-8 pm – Cris Blackstone “Invasive Plants January Meeting is open to the Public. It will be a zoom meeting. |
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February 1 – 9:30AM Joe Marttila “Bee Keeping”
Attention: This is a zoom meeting. Joe’s presentation will begin at 9:30AM. The General Meeting will start after the Q&A.
Wherever fruits and vegetables are grown on the Seacoast, it is likely that honeybees managed by Joe’s company, SeaBee Honey & Apiaries, are playing a vital part. Joe started his company in 2010 with the mission to preserve pollinators and farmland in the Seacoast region. He provides free pollination to local farms such as Applecrest, Salt Box Farm, and Little Brook Farm. Joe has also worked with local schools to teach children about the importance of pollinators and helped set up a top bar observation beehive for the children at the Dondero Elementary School in Portsmouth.
Joe will explain why honeybees, so important to agriculture, are now in decline, along with other native pollinators. And he will outline steps we can take to protect these vital pollinators.
Wherever fruits and vegetables are grown on the Seacoast, it is likely that honeybees managed by Joe’s company, SeaBee Honey & Apiaries, are playing a vital part. Joe started his company in 2010 with the mission to preserve pollinators and farmland in the Seacoast region. He provides free pollination to local farms such as Applecrest, Salt Box Farm, and Little Brook Farm. Joe has also worked with local schools to teach children about the importance of pollinators and helped set up a top bar observation beehive for the children at the Dondero Elementary School in Portsmouth.
Joe will explain why honeybees, so important to agriculture, are now in decline, along with other native pollinators. And he will outline steps we can take to protect these vital pollinators.
March 1 – Art in Bloom Road Show – 9:00AM
March 1 – Art in Bloom Road Show – 9:00AM
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The Art in Bloom Road Show
Attention: This is a zoom meeting. Jana’s presentation will begin at 10:00. The General Meeting will start after the Q&A. |
The Art in Bloom Road Show
In this remote presentation Karen Recco and Margo Pullman will present a colorful PowerPoint presentation depicting behind-the-scenes preparations for Art in Bloom with stunning examples of floral interpretations of MFA art objects.
Karen started as a MFA associate in 2014 as a guide helping visitors from around the world get up close and personal with the Museum’s amazing collections. She has participated in supporting AIB since 2015 and misses not only seeing these fabulous arrangements but also witnessing the looks on people’s faces when they observe the amazing creations by local garden clubs. Today she continues as a Sr. Associate giving tours, working at Sharf, supporting the Road Show Committee, and being a member of the Sr. Associate Board. While not at the MFA, Karen enjoys playing golf, trying her hand at her own art projects-taking remote painting classes, giving remote tours of the McMullen Museum at Boston College, and playing with her grandchildren.
Margo earned a BA from Iowa State University in Commercial Art & Design and worked professionally as a creative director and later created the Pullman Design Company. Her next career encompassed painting and teaching art out of her West Newbury studio. Then along came the MFA Associates Flower Team where she has been involved with floral design since 2012. She considers flowers another medium for artistic expression. Her Holiday floral designs have been featured in Northshore Magazine.
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April 5 – 9AM - John Forti, “The Heirloom Garden: Traditional Plants and Skills for the Modern World”
Location: Macomber Room Attention: As of now, this is scheduled as a hybrid meeting. Social time will be held in the Macomber Room from 9-9:30. The General Meeting (9:30) and John’s presentation (10) be held both live and via zoom. John Forti www.jforti.com is a garden historian and ethnobotanist who has directed gardens for Plimoth Plantation Museum, Strawbery Banke Museum, Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and Bedrock Gardens. His preservation work has helped to restore countless native and heirloom plants and has brought traditional artisanal practices to modern thinking. John’s program shares inspiration from our long history of heirloom preservation, garden craft and homestead lifeways. Artisanal lifestyles that are helping us to rebuild vibrant local agricultural economies and celebrate sustainable cottage industries that are contributing to our new, homegrown American arts & crafts movement and backyard environmentalism. At a time when we could all use a little good news, we hope you will join us for a refreshing look at how you can make a difference in your own backyard and community. The Heirloom Gardener: Traditional Plants and Skills for the Modern World: Forti, John: 9781604699937: Amazon.com: Books |
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May 4 – Spring Luncheon
Details TBD
Plant Sale May 21, 2022
June 7 – Annual Meeting – 9:30 Location TBD
Details TBD
Plant Sale May 21, 2022
June 7 – Annual Meeting – 9:30 Location TBD
GIGC Past Programs 2020/21
October 6 9:30am – Joan Butler “The Propagating Perennials Workshop”
Attention: This will be a zoom meeting. You’ll receive your email invite one week before the program. The program is 45-50 minutes long followed by a 15-minute question and answer session. Participants will be muted during the presentation and can either type questions into the chat window or verbally ask questions afterwards. A GIGC business meeting will begin directly after the Q&A.
Joan has been an enthusiastic gardener and plant collector for over 35 years, and believes gardens should invite you to linger in the world outside your door. She’ll discuss how to: increase your perennial collection, replace mature plants, grow varieties that may not be offered for sale, and even produce new hybrids! In this beautifully illustrated lecture, you will learn different propagation techniques and skills including growing from seed, cuttings, and divisions of a wide range of perennials.
October 13 – 9:30am Hypertufa Pumpkin Workshop *Members Only **Reservations Required
The birdbath program was such a success that we’ve decided to add a second workshop for October. This time we’ll be creating three stackable hypertufa pumpkins (ranging from 6” to 10”) using cement and pantyhose! These easy and fun to make artificial stone pumpkins will add a festive touch to either your indoor or outdoor fall décor.
Location: Churchill Gardens, 12 Hampton Rd, Exeter NH.Churchill Gardens will supply masks and gloves since we’ll be working with concrete. The workshop will be held outside and social distancing will be observed. The program will be capped at 20 participants. No refreshments will be served but you are welcome to bring your own beverage. The cost to members is $45. Please send a check made out to GIGC, to PO Box 49, New Castle
Location: Churchill Gardens, 12 Hampton Rd, Exeter NH.Churchill Gardens will supply masks and gloves since we’ll be working with concrete. The workshop will be held outside and social distancing will be observed. The program will be capped at 20 participants. No refreshments will be served but you are welcome to bring your own beverage. The cost to members is $45. Please send a check made out to GIGC, to PO Box 49, New Castle
November 10, 2020 9:30AM
- Dawna Blum “Twelve Elements of the Thoughtful Bird Feeding Station”
Attention: This will be a zoom meeting. You’ll receive your email invite one week before the program. The program is 45-50 minutes long followed by a 15-minute question and answer session. Participants will be muted during the presentation and can either type questions into the chat window or verbally ask questions afterwards. A GIGC business meeting will begin directly after the Q&A.
Dawna is a wild bird enthusiast and owns a shop in Woburn MA called Wild Birds Unlimited. She will discuss the best location for feeders, types of feeding stations, and food that will attract a variety of birds to our gardens. All the items she presents are available on her store website which is: https://woburn.wbu.com
You may want to visit the website for your holiday gift giving.
- Dawna Blum “Twelve Elements of the Thoughtful Bird Feeding Station”
Attention: This will be a zoom meeting. You’ll receive your email invite one week before the program. The program is 45-50 minutes long followed by a 15-minute question and answer session. Participants will be muted during the presentation and can either type questions into the chat window or verbally ask questions afterwards. A GIGC business meeting will begin directly after the Q&A.
Dawna is a wild bird enthusiast and owns a shop in Woburn MA called Wild Birds Unlimited. She will discuss the best location for feeders, types of feeding stations, and food that will attract a variety of birds to our gardens. All the items she presents are available on her store website which is: https://woburn.wbu.com
You may want to visit the website for your holiday gift giving.
December 1 – 9:30AM - Lisa Wise “Gardening in a Changing World”
Attention: This will be a zoom meeting. You’ll receive your email invite one week before the program. The program is 45-50 minutes long followed by a 15-minute question and answer session. Participants will be muted during the presentation and can either type questions into the chat window or verbally ask questions afterwards. A GIGC business meeting will begin directly after the Q&A.
What impact does climate change have on plants and our gardens? Climate adaptation expert Lisa Wise, Climate Adaptation Program Manager with NH Sea Grant Extension, will provide an overview of climate change and share actions we can take to both slow climate change and adapt to the impacts, with a focus on activities in our own gardens and backyards. You will learn about relevant resources and opportunities to engage in local community science and stewardship efforts.
What impact does climate change have on plants and our gardens? Climate adaptation expert Lisa Wise, Climate Adaptation Program Manager with NH Sea Grant Extension, will provide an overview of climate change and share actions we can take to both slow climate change and adapt to the impacts, with a focus on activities in our own gardens and backyards. You will learn about relevant resources and opportunities to engage in local community science and stewardship efforts.
January 5, 2021, 9:30 AM
Jamie Colen
“Understanding Soil Dynamics and Common Sense Gardening in New England”
This will be a Zoom Meeting
Jamie is the Garden Director of Fuller Gardens in North Hampton. He’ll be discussing Rose and plant care along with dispelling prevalent gardening myths.
February 2, 2021, 9:30
Liz Barbour, "Sheet Pan Meals"
This will be a Zoom Meeting
Liz is owner of Creative Feasts and cookbook author. Cooking an entire meal on a single sheet pan is the latest cooking trend. Spreading your ingredients out on a large pan is simple and gives your meal a crispy, colorful, and intensely flavorful result. Whether you are cooking for a crowd or for 2, this method will meet your needs. Liz will demonstrate recipes and give you ideas for many more combinations you will want to try on your own.
March 2, 2021
9:30 am
Members Only Workshop
9:30 am
Members Only Workshop
Terrarium Hands on Workshop **Members only
Attention: This will be a zoom meeting. You’ll receive your email invite one week before the program. The program is 30-40 minutes long followed by a 15-minute question and answer session. Participants will be muted but are encouraged to ask questions during the presentation. A GIGC business meeting will begin directly after the Q&A.
We will be partnering with Natalie from Churchill Gardens to create a beautiful terrarium for your home. The club will pick up the instructor’s fees. Members may purchase a kit for $27 or buy the supplies on their own. The kit will include, a glass container, 3 terrarium plants (check back here in February when plant options will be announced) , rocks, charcoal, soil and moss. Natalie will demonstrate, via zoom, how to make the terrarium. Members will follow along from home. If you are interested in purchasing a kit, please fill out the contact form below and send a check, made out to GIGC for $27 to PO Box 49 by Feb. 16. Information to pick up the kits will be emailed to you once your purchase has been made.
Attention: This will be a zoom meeting. You’ll receive your email invite one week before the program. The program is 30-40 minutes long followed by a 15-minute question and answer session. Participants will be muted but are encouraged to ask questions during the presentation. A GIGC business meeting will begin directly after the Q&A.
We will be partnering with Natalie from Churchill Gardens to create a beautiful terrarium for your home. The club will pick up the instructor’s fees. Members may purchase a kit for $27 or buy the supplies on their own. The kit will include, a glass container, 3 terrarium plants (check back here in February when plant options will be announced) , rocks, charcoal, soil and moss. Natalie will demonstrate, via zoom, how to make the terrarium. Members will follow along from home. If you are interested in purchasing a kit, please fill out the contact form below and send a check, made out to GIGC for $27 to PO Box 49 by Feb. 16. Information to pick up the kits will be emailed to you once your purchase has been made.
April 6 – Deborah Trickett “Jaw-dropping, traffic stopping, get your neighbors talking container gardens” 9:30am
Attention: This will be a zoom meeting. You’ll receive your email invite one week before the program. The program is 45-50 minutes long followed by a 15-minute question and answer session. Participants will be muted during the presentation and can either type questions into the chat window or verbally ask questions afterwards. A GIGC business meeting will begin directly after the Q&A.
Deborah, owner of The Captured Garden, is an award-winning container garden designer whose work has been featured in The Boston Globe, Garden Gate magazine, New England Home magazine and on the TV show New England Dream Home. She is a Massachusetts Certified Horticulturist. She will do a hands-on demonstration on how to take your containers from blah to spectacular. Deborah will start with the basics of appropriate containers, soil mixes and plant preferences for different site condition. She will proceed to new and unusual plant material and uncommon container choices for exceptionally beautiful results.
Attention: This will be a zoom meeting. You’ll receive your email invite one week before the program. The program is 45-50 minutes long followed by a 15-minute question and answer session. Participants will be muted during the presentation and can either type questions into the chat window or verbally ask questions afterwards. A GIGC business meeting will begin directly after the Q&A.
Deborah, owner of The Captured Garden, is an award-winning container garden designer whose work has been featured in The Boston Globe, Garden Gate magazine, New England Home magazine and on the TV show New England Dream Home. She is a Massachusetts Certified Horticulturist. She will do a hands-on demonstration on how to take your containers from blah to spectacular. Deborah will start with the basics of appropriate containers, soil mixes and plant preferences for different site condition. She will proceed to new and unusual plant material and uncommon container choices for exceptionally beautiful results.
May 4– Plant Sale Work Session 9:30am
Location: TBD
May 22-Annual Plant Sale
New Castle Common
June 2 – Spring Luncheon – Cancelled
June 8 – Annual Meeting – 9:30 this will be zoom meeting.
Location: TBD
May 22-Annual Plant Sale
New Castle Common
June 2 – Spring Luncheon – Cancelled
June 8 – Annual Meeting – 9:30 this will be zoom meeting.
GIGC Past Programs 2019-2020
September 10, 2019 Coffee 9:00 a.m. Business Meeting 9:30 a.m.
Location: Macomber Room 10:00 Speaker: Penny O’Sullivan " Spatial Design"
Hostesses: Jane Page and Beth Paulson
Penny is an author, designer, and woody plant lover, who turned her suburban property into a mini-arboretum. Her gardening experiences inspired her to write more than 11 books on trees, shrubs, hedges, flowers, herbs, and garden design. During her presentation, Penny will discuss successful landscapes that create positive physical and emotional connections between designed spaces and the people using them. This talk explores how we can manage our garden experiences by appealing to the senses and using the tools of design.
October 1, 2019 Coffee 8:30 a.m. Business Meeting 9:00 a.m.
Location: Macomber Room 9:30 a.m. Speaker: Liz Barbour, “Cooking with Herbs and Edible Flowers”
Hostesses: Glicka Kaplan and Jane Finn
Liz is owner of Creative Feasts and cookbook author of ‘Beautifully Delicious-Cooking with Herbs and Edible Flowers.’ She will take us on a slide show of her cottage sized edible gardens and demonstrate 2 delicious recipes for everyone to taste.
November 5, 2019 Coffee 9:00 a.m. Business Meeting 9:30 a.m.
Location: Macomber Room 10:00 a.m. Speaker: Bert Ford, “Holiday Decorating”
Hosteeses: Andrea Wilson and Margie Heindel
Bert is the owner/operator of Ford Flower Company and is well known for his beautiful floral designs. He will create decorations for the home using live flowers and plant materials. Organic, traditional and trendy décor will be demonstrated.
As an added bonus, Bert’s creations will be raffled off to members at the end of his presentation.
December 3, 2019 – Holiday Luncheon Reservations Required
January 7, 2020 (Snow Date January 14)
Speaker: Maria Noel Groves "Backyard Medicine-Herbs to grow and Use"
Hostesses: Wendy Tauber and Pat Wilson
Maria is a clinical herbalist and author of two award winning and best selling books: Body into Balance: a Herbal Guide to Holistic Self Care and Grow your own Herbal Remedies: How to Create a Customized Herb |Garden. She will present the medicinal benefits of some common and uncommon herbs to include in your garden. She will share her top 10 easy to grow garden herbs and their multi-faceted healing properties.
February 4, 2020 –9:30 AM (Snow Date February 5)
Location: Wentworth Greenhouses – The Art Bonsai for Beginners Workshop
We will meet at the Wentworth Greenhouses at 141 Rollins Rd, Rollingsford NH. Learn the basics of growing bonsai! We will begin with the difference between indoor and outdoor care and focus on the most important general care including pruning, fertilizing and maintenance. Watch a demonstration repotting and pruning and after class you will have the option to select your own bonsai to repot with our guidance. You may bring in a container from home that is appropriate for bonsai culture or purchase one from our selection. Please bring gloves and your own snips if you plan to get crafty with bonsai. There’ll be no food or beverages at this event, but feel free to bring a coffee.
March 3, 2020 – 7:00 p.m. (Snow date March 4)
Location: Macomber Room Speaker: Emma Erler, Knowing and Growing Hydrangeas – Open to the Public
Hostesses: Judy Groppa and Pauline Elkin
Emma is from the UNH Extension program and will discuss a subject that baffles many gardeners, novice and experienced alike—successfully getting hydrangeas to bloom. There are several species of hydrangeas commonly grown in New Hampshire, and all of them have very different growth habits and pruning requirements. Fortunately, hydrangeas are really quite simple to care for; as long as you understand which species you have in your garden.
CANCELLED April 7, 2020 – 9:30AM - CANCELLED!
Location: Rolling Green Nursery – Spring Mixed Container Workshop – Opened to members only-no guests.
This is a member only workshop due to a limit on the number of attendees allowed.
We will meet at the Rolling Green Nursery, 64 Breakfast Hill Rd, Greenland to create beautiful spring containers! After a demo, you’ll pick plants to fill your own containers. All plants are a la cart. You may either bring containers from home or purchase one there.
CANCELLED May 5, 2020 – Spring Lunch
June 2, 2020 – Annual Meeting (Macomber Room) 9:00 Coffee 9:30 Meeting
Hostesses: Marsha Sieve and Julie Thomas
Location: Macomber Room 10:00 Speaker: Penny O’Sullivan " Spatial Design"
Hostesses: Jane Page and Beth Paulson
Penny is an author, designer, and woody plant lover, who turned her suburban property into a mini-arboretum. Her gardening experiences inspired her to write more than 11 books on trees, shrubs, hedges, flowers, herbs, and garden design. During her presentation, Penny will discuss successful landscapes that create positive physical and emotional connections between designed spaces and the people using them. This talk explores how we can manage our garden experiences by appealing to the senses and using the tools of design.
October 1, 2019 Coffee 8:30 a.m. Business Meeting 9:00 a.m.
Location: Macomber Room 9:30 a.m. Speaker: Liz Barbour, “Cooking with Herbs and Edible Flowers”
Hostesses: Glicka Kaplan and Jane Finn
Liz is owner of Creative Feasts and cookbook author of ‘Beautifully Delicious-Cooking with Herbs and Edible Flowers.’ She will take us on a slide show of her cottage sized edible gardens and demonstrate 2 delicious recipes for everyone to taste.
November 5, 2019 Coffee 9:00 a.m. Business Meeting 9:30 a.m.
Location: Macomber Room 10:00 a.m. Speaker: Bert Ford, “Holiday Decorating”
Hosteeses: Andrea Wilson and Margie Heindel
Bert is the owner/operator of Ford Flower Company and is well known for his beautiful floral designs. He will create decorations for the home using live flowers and plant materials. Organic, traditional and trendy décor will be demonstrated.
As an added bonus, Bert’s creations will be raffled off to members at the end of his presentation.
December 3, 2019 – Holiday Luncheon Reservations Required
January 7, 2020 (Snow Date January 14)
Speaker: Maria Noel Groves "Backyard Medicine-Herbs to grow and Use"
Hostesses: Wendy Tauber and Pat Wilson
Maria is a clinical herbalist and author of two award winning and best selling books: Body into Balance: a Herbal Guide to Holistic Self Care and Grow your own Herbal Remedies: How to Create a Customized Herb |Garden. She will present the medicinal benefits of some common and uncommon herbs to include in your garden. She will share her top 10 easy to grow garden herbs and their multi-faceted healing properties.
February 4, 2020 –9:30 AM (Snow Date February 5)
Location: Wentworth Greenhouses – The Art Bonsai for Beginners Workshop
We will meet at the Wentworth Greenhouses at 141 Rollins Rd, Rollingsford NH. Learn the basics of growing bonsai! We will begin with the difference between indoor and outdoor care and focus on the most important general care including pruning, fertilizing and maintenance. Watch a demonstration repotting and pruning and after class you will have the option to select your own bonsai to repot with our guidance. You may bring in a container from home that is appropriate for bonsai culture or purchase one from our selection. Please bring gloves and your own snips if you plan to get crafty with bonsai. There’ll be no food or beverages at this event, but feel free to bring a coffee.
March 3, 2020 – 7:00 p.m. (Snow date March 4)
Location: Macomber Room Speaker: Emma Erler, Knowing and Growing Hydrangeas – Open to the Public
Hostesses: Judy Groppa and Pauline Elkin
Emma is from the UNH Extension program and will discuss a subject that baffles many gardeners, novice and experienced alike—successfully getting hydrangeas to bloom. There are several species of hydrangeas commonly grown in New Hampshire, and all of them have very different growth habits and pruning requirements. Fortunately, hydrangeas are really quite simple to care for; as long as you understand which species you have in your garden.
CANCELLED April 7, 2020 – 9:30AM - CANCELLED!
Location: Rolling Green Nursery – Spring Mixed Container Workshop – Opened to members only-no guests.
This is a member only workshop due to a limit on the number of attendees allowed.
We will meet at the Rolling Green Nursery, 64 Breakfast Hill Rd, Greenland to create beautiful spring containers! After a demo, you’ll pick plants to fill your own containers. All plants are a la cart. You may either bring containers from home or purchase one there.
CANCELLED May 5, 2020 – Spring Lunch
June 2, 2020 – Annual Meeting (Macomber Room) 9:00 Coffee 9:30 Meeting
Hostesses: Marsha Sieve and Julie Thomas
Past Programs 2018-2019
September 11, 2018
Melissa Paly, Conservation Law Foundation
"Reflections on the Water - the health of the Great Bay - Piscataqua Estuary"
For hundreds of years, the rivers and bays of the Seacoast region have formed the backbone of our regional history, economy and identity. Yet decades of growth and development throughout the watershed have caused unprece- dented ecological decline. What is the state of the estuary, and what is the prognosis for restoring the health of the waterways that make the Seacoast re- gion such a spectacular place to live, work and play?
October 2, 2018 Rain Date Oct 9th
A Tour of Bed Rock Gardens with John Forti
Meet at 9:00 at the Rec. Center to car pool to Lee NH. If you wish to drive on your own please arrive at garden at 10:00. There will be no coffee at the garden so if you wish to drive through your favorite coffee place please do.
Bedrock Gardens is in the process of becoming the premier public garden in NH. They are comprised of an amazing collection of plants from around the world, joyfully interrupted by imaginative works of art and all created by Jill Nooney and her husband. It is a must see and a great outing.
November 6, 2018 7PM Open to Public Please invite friends and loved ones to this timely topic.
Rodney Rowland
“Water has a memory: The Impact of sea-level Rise on Cultural
Resources”
Rodney is on the Local Advisory Committee for the Historic Resource
Study for the city of Portsmouth and is Director of Special Projects and Facilities at Strawbery Banke Museum.
Rodney will bring us up to date with the exploratory work that has been done at Strawbery Banke and the city of Portsmouth to predict how sea level rise will affect us. He hopes to help us prepare for any new threats that might arise from future storms.
December 4, 2018
Holiday Party
January 8, 2019
Garden Chat/ Deedee Hammer Garden Video
February 5, 2019
Brian Burris “Hydroponic Gardening”
Brian Burris of Two Bees Produce based in Hampton NH has a thriving business growing micro-greens, and distributing to local area restaurants. Two Bees Produce uses a fraction of the water that is normally required for growing greens, thus minimal waste. He grows them vertically to conserve space, and utilizes LED light technology for energy consumption reduction. Brian may also share stories about his visiting hummingbirds.
March 5, 2019 9:30 AM at Rolling Green Nursery Note: Snow Date March 12
Succulent Workshop
Today we are meeting at Rolling Green Nursery, 64 Breakfast Hill Rd,
Greenland. Beth Simpson will host a workshop on Succulents. You are welcome to bring your own containers, they need to be shallow and have drainage. If you need to purchase a container there will be plenty of
options at the nursery to purchase. The potting soil is complimentary and the plants are a la cart. There will be no coffee provided so if you wish to drive through your favorite coffee place please do.
April 2, 2019 at The Music Hall Loft
Marta McDowell
“All The Presidents Gardens: Madison’s Cabbages to Kennedy’s Roses”
Marta McDowell writes and lectures on gardening topics and teaches landscape history and horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden . Her par- ticular interest is in authors and their gardens, the connection between the pen and the trowel. She is the author of All the Presidents’ Gardens, Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life, and Emily Dickinson’s Gardens.
May 7, 2019
Spring Luncheon
June 4, 2019
Annual Meeting