As I write my message, we’re in the throes of the dog days of summer with heat and humidity covering the state like a blanket. While many perennials are long past bloom, the vegetable gardens are just hitting their stride with a bounty of fresh produce. That’s the beauty of gardening, something is always new and exciting. The excitement of what’s next keeps us going during this time. It’s that way with The Federation – lots of great things on the horizon to look forward to in the coming months.
The first couple of months of my Presidency literally flew by. In early May, I attended the National Garden Club Convention in Biloxi, Mississippi, home state of the new NGC President Gay Austin. As President of the Connecticut Federation, I’m honored to say that I am now a member of the NGC Board of Directors. Sharing ideas with leaders from across the country helps guide future activities. The highlight – bringing back numerous awards that are going to be presented at our Annual Awards Meeting on October 30th.
I had the pleasure of participating in the installations of club officers in Hamden at Spring Glen Garden Club and at the Danbury Garden Club. In early June, being able to be a part of the Riverside Garden Club’s 100th anniversary celebration was a true highlight. A century of gardening and meeting together is a remarkable achievement. You learn so much and experience all that is great about being a member of a garden club while attending these events. My wish is to visit as many clubs as I can during my tenure. I want to hear from you about how The Federation can help make a difference for your club and I welcome your invitation to visit.
There is so much to avail yourselves with in the upcoming two months. If you haven’t already experienced Plant Science Day, make it a point to attend. Mark August 7th on your calendars. You’ll come away with a wealth of information. What better way to get excited about plants and gardening in the dead of summer.
September is shaping up to be a memorable month with a few can’t-miss events. We’re busy working out all the details for what is shaping up to be a great Club Presidents Day meeting on September 25th. Details are forthcoming later in August. Don’t miss this opportunity to exchange thoughts and ideas with fellow Club Presidents and meet with The Federation’s Board of Directors. We’re stronger together.
During mid-month, our Tours Chair, Kathy Lindroth, has put together two incredible evenings on the Connecticut River with boat cruises to experience first-hand the swallows migration. Anyone who has seen the swallows migrating says it is truly amazing. If you’re a bird lover or enjoy nature and being on the water, this evening event is for you.
The renowned Beyond Beginning workshops are back. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn about creative floral design from members of the Judges Council. These classes fill up quickly. The schedule for the workshops is on the
website
. In fact, make it a point to routinely check it out and be sure to bookmark. All events are posted and updated constantly.
Much like kids migrating back to classes in late August, our schools commence in September. First up in the curriculum that’s planned is Gardening School – Course II.
Later in the month, I’ll be representing the Connecticut Federation by attending the National Garden Club Board Meeting in St. Louis. One of the highlights is a visit to the headquarters and viewing all that goes on at the center of our operations. Don’t forget to take advantage of the grants being offered by NGC’s Plant America program, Ames Tools and Espoma. Look for details on the
NGC website.
On the subject of National Garden Clubs, the latest issue of
The
National Gardener
features an article by three Connecticut Landscape Design Consultants ─ Susan Laursen, Sue Kelley and Carol King-Platt. It’s wonderful to see Connecticut represented in our national magazine.
With all that is going on, we can’t overlook my President’s theme – “
Out with
Invasives. In with Natives.”
During the summer especially, everywhere you look you see invasives encroaching on our landscapes. They’re literally pulling down trees and choking out native plants. Give invasives an inch and they’ll take a mile. We have to fight back. It’s not an individual problem; it’s the responsibility of all of us. Imagine the impact if all 6,500 members of The Federation dedicated themselves to eradicating invasives and planting natives. It is overwhelming, but together we can make a difference. Think about club projects in support of this theme. Align with local organizations. We can lead the charge. It begins with us.
Arlene
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Join us at the Annual Awards Meeting, October 30, 2019
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Mark your calendars now for Wednesday, October 30
th
, for the 90
th
Annual FGCCT Awards Meeting and Luncheon at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, CT. Over 80 State and National Awards will be presented for the exceptional work Clubs have done during the past year. You will see some of the winning projects documented by colorful display posters. It is wonderful to see how much can be accomplished and you’ll come away with ideas for projects you can undertake for your town.
The meeting commences at 10:00 a.m. But come early, because from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., one of the highlights of the day will be
“Tablescapes: A Literary Lunch with Favorite Connecticut Authors!”
Reservations are now open. Please note ─ this is a very popular event and we anticipate high attendance, so seating is limited. Register Online or Mail-in Registration can be made - up to 10 registrations with a single payment. Click the buttons below to register
Online
,
Mail-in Registration Form,
Details
or
Click Here
to visit the Awards Web-Page.
I hope to see you there. If you have any questions, please contact me.
Nan Merolla,
FGCCT Meetings Chair
203-216-0884
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Floral Design Workshops ~ Beyond Beginning 2019
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If you want to improve your floral design skills, there is always room for one more to join a Beyond Beginning workshop. Coming this fall:
* Working with wood - September 6, (CAES) New Haven
* Tips and Table Designs - September 26, Old Saybrook
* European Designs(ADV) - October 4, (CAES) New Haven
* Duo Creative Design - November 1, (CAES) New Haven
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Whether you want to learn new skills and techniques or get ready for the CT State Flower Show in Hartford, you will certainly be inspired by the workshops. T
his photo uses the container that will be used in the Nov 1 workshop on Duo Designs to make a beautiful 2 sided Creative Design for holiday tables.
For additional info, including registration forms -
Visit our Website
. Don’t forget that you can always sign up to be on the WAIT LIST for a workshop (no cost).
Cathy Ritch
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2019 PLANT SCIENCE DAY
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
9:30 am - 4:00 pm
Lockwood Farm
890 Evergreen Avenue
Hamden, CT 06518
Come and enjoy a day of fun and education sponsored by Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES). The gates open at 9:30 and programs begin at 10:00. There will be barn displays, 80 field plots and exhibits, technical demonstrations, plant disease diagnosis, plant and insect identification as well as passports for children. The event is free and open to the public. For more specific information -
Click HERE
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Planning Ahead for Historic Virginia Garden Week - Late April 2020
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Each spring visitors are welcomed to over 250 of Virginia's most beautiful gardens, homes and historic landmarks during "America's Largest Open House." This 8-day statewide event provides visitors a unique opportunity to see unforgettable gardens at the peak of Virginia's springtime color, as well as beautiful houses sparkling with over 2,300 flower arrangements created by Garden Club of Virginia members.
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October 16-18, 2019
Arlene Field, FGCCT President
Suzanne Bushnell, New England Regional Director
Gay Austin, NGC President
The Kellogg Environmental Center
500 Hawthorne Avenue
Derby, CT 06418
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That Four Letter Word – Turf!
By Renee Marsh
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Sometimes, I just don’t get it. And in this case, what I don’t get is people’s obsession with lawns. I hate turf (turf grass is the horticulture term for the grass used for a lawn). First off … it’s not from here. Very, very few turf-type grasses growing in America are native. Buffalo grass is one of the few native grasses that has been adapted to be grown as a lawn and then only in special circumstances. Second off … the maintenance of lawns requires huge inputs of fertilizers, pesticides, petrochemicals (think lawnmowers, string trimmers, blowers and trucks), and one dwindling natural resource … water. It is an environmentally and economically unviable monoculture that supports nothing but chinch bugs, Japanese beetles and landscapers. So why are we doing this again?
Do I have one? Well, kind of... It is a mish-mash of grass, dandelions, plantains, violets, creeping Charlie and various and sundry weeds. At this time of year when the sun is hot and the rain scarce, it browns out just wonderfully. Being dependent on well water, the last thing I would ever do is water it. Where I can, I am letting the trees overshadow it but I am challenged, as most everyone is, with what exactly to replace it with! More high maintenance perennial beds is not an option. And from a design standpoint, I like a grassy area to open up space and rest the eye. Plus there is the argument that, as humans, we like to be able to see that lion coming. Open spaces appeal to us. What’s an environmentalist to do!? Well, here are the options I am exploring.
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For sunny areas, I am testing Prairie Dropseed (
Sporobolus heterolepis
), a native grass that forms an attractive mound of fine-textured, emerald green leaves up to 3’ wide and 1½’ tall. It loves hot, dry conditions. In late summer, 2-3’ tall spikes emerge from the clump and end in airy, tan colored seed heads reportedly with a fragrance that is a combination of popcorn and cilantro. In the late fall and winter, dropseed takes on a golden hue that ranges from yellow to golden orange. As a bonus, the highly nutritious seeds are much sought after by birds.
What’s to hate? Here’s the catch. Although prairie dropseed can be grown from seed, it is slow growing, taking about 4 years to reach blooming size. To speed things along I am using plugs which can be purchased online and will be planted one foot on center. This is not an effort for the impatient.
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For shadier areas, I am going with Pennsylvania Sedge (
Carex pensylvanica
). Shade is a tough environment for turf grass anyway. Has anyone ever had any success with those “shade” tolerant grasses? With fine textured leaves and a creeping rhizome habit, this sedge does well in dry soils, shade or full sun. It reaches heights of 6-12” when blooming and forms a dense low growing “turf” that never needs mowing.
Ok … same catch. Seed is slow to germinate so the best option are plugs that are planted one foot on center. The plugs will spread 3-8" a year depending on the soil moisture. The plants can be divided over the years to get a solid covering.
So yes, there are many challenges in my turf eradication mission, including a male of the species who believes in “order”. If it ends up looking like an abandoned lot, there will be much hand wringing. I will let you know how it goes (on the mission, not the man). It may not be your Levittown suburban dream, but hey, the world changes and so do our dreams.
Top Image - Prairie Dropseed
Bottom Image -Pennsylvania Sedge
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Tribute Awards & Life Memberships, two ways to Recognize Club Member -
note d
ate
below for submission
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Tribute Awards are different from other awards clubs have applied for this year. They are distinct awards determined by the Federation's Second Vice-President to honor individuals who have made a real impact on your club, The Federation and/or the community. Anyone in The Federation can nominate anyone in The Federation.
A nomination for a Tribute Award may be made in one of the following nine categories; Civic Development, Conservation, Design, Garden Therapy, Horticulture, Landscape Design, Photography, Youth and All-Around Excellence.
The deadline for submissions is August 15, 2019
Karen Pyskaty, Second-Vice President
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The Litchfield Garden Club Restores Wild Flower Garden Monument
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In 2015, the LGC Projects Committee, led by Victoria Sansing, began the painstaking process of relocating the obscured monument from its original site to a more visible area on the corner of Old South Road and Gallows Lane. The four-year project culminated with the June ceremony.
Pictured on the right - Maryanne McNeill and Jane Hinkel, Projects Committee co-chairs , stand by the newly dedicated monument, and show the book, "LGC: A Century of Cultivation." Written in 2015 by former club member, the late Lynne Brickley, the book includes a chapter on the history of the Wild Flower Preservation Garden.
By Doreen Tango-Hampton, Litchfield Garden Club
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Cheshire Fifth Grader Places First in New England Poster Contest
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Participating students entered a National Garden Clubs contest by drawing a poster featuring the icon Woodsy Owl whose motto is “Lend a Hand – Care for the Land," with emphasis on Recycling, Reusing, Reducing and Rotting (Composting).
Fifth Grader Geetha Benzy is presented with her first place certificate by Dottie Fox, Youth Committee Chair of The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc. Next to her is older sister Eleventh Grader Aish Benzy, standing in for her brother Krishna, who took first place several years ago for his poster. Holding up his poster with her is Ophelia Frazier, Cheshire Garden Club’s immediate former president.
The Cheshire Garden Club and The Federation were pleased to recognize Geetha at the July 11
th ceremony.
Inge Venus
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(L-R): Inge Venus, Cheshire Youth Committee Chair, is holding the Woodsy Owl poster that took first place among all elementary students in the six New England states.
Photo courtesy of Andi Benzy.
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Hort Flower Show was presented at the North Haven Library!
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The Daytime Gardeners of North Haven presented a Horticultural Flower Show at the North Haven Library to exhibit their specimens and to provide an educational opportunity for the community. Visitors enjoyed seeing the variety of plants and flowers and took advantage of the event to ask questions about the exhibits and about their own plants.
Sally Brockett
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Azoti Earns National Recognition
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Terry Azoti, a member of The Garden Club of Orange, earned national recognition by the National Garden Club, Inc. for her photograph “Tornado” in the category of Climate Change: Altered Reality Using Creative Techniques. The photographic competition entitled “In Wilderness Is the Preservation of the World” (Thoreau), featured images of the national environment of the Americas and received 225 entries, from the United States, South America and Central America. Azoti’s photo was one of 24 entries selected for exhibition at The National Garden Club convention in Biloxi, Mississippi April 28 to May 3, 2019. Terry Azoti was the former co-editor of the garden club’s newsletter
News ‘n Notes
, which received First Place Awards from The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut.
The Garden Club of Orange is a member of The FGCCT, NEGC and NGC. For membership information contact Joanne Friedrichs 203-795-4266.
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Start Spreading the News!
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We need volunteers – is that you? One opportunity to serve The Federation is the position of
Awards Chair
. Another opportunity is the position of
Environmental School Chair. Please contact Arlene if you are interested and she will give you information on the position and the time commitment.
We are also actively seeking a talented and motivated person with social media experience to share all the great things that are happening with the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut. You'll have the unique opportunity to build a social media presence for The Federation across the likes of Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. It's an opportunity to make a significant impact by helping us further engage with clubs and build the value of The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut. Does this sound interesting?
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North Stonington Garden Club - Heather Watkins-Shepherd is Winner of 2019
NSGC'S Anna Coit Memorial Scholarship
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The North Stonington Garden Club announces Heather Watkins-Shepherd of Pawcatuck as this year’s winner of the $1,500 Anna Coit Memorial Scholarship. Formal presentation of the award took place at the North Stonington Garden Club’s July 16
th
General Meeting.
As a student at Stonington High School, Heather pursued the study of environmental science in honors and Advanced Placement courses. In addition, she is an intern at Hewitt Farm in North Stonington. This project involves creating a butterfly way station to sustain monarchs with milkweed host plants as well as nectar plants for food during their arduous migration. This fall, Heather will continue her studies in environmental science at Simmons University in Boston.
NSGC awards a Memorial Scholarship each year to a candidate pursuing a higher degree in agriculture, conservation, environmental studies, horticulture, landscape design/architecture, plant science or a related field.
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As the gardening season gets underway, lots of homemade weed-killer “recipes” are cropping up on social media, usually containing some combination of vinegar, Epsom salts and Dawn dish-washing soap. These are often accompanied by a comment such as “no need for pesticides!” It may feel good to use familiar household items to control pests in your garden, but it’s important to understand the science behind such mixes – and the potential risks.
First and foremost, these mixtures ARE pesticides. They are intended to kill a pest, in this case weeds.
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Youth Report from Dottie Fox
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I’m pleased to announce the themes for the upcoming National Garden Club Poetry Contest for the next two years.
- 2019-2020 Adventures in the Garden
- 2020-2021 Exploring Backyard Mysteries
Students from K-9th grade are eligible to participate. Now is a wonderful time of year to have the children get started on their poems. The poems must be submitted to
Dottie Fox
by January 1, 2020.
The High School Essay Contest themes have also been announced for the upcoming two years.
- 2019-2020 - "Challenges in Preserving Our Natural Habitats"
- 2020-2021 - "Adapting Our Actions to Protect Our Natural Habitats"
Students from 9-12 grade are eligible to participate. The essay can be up to 600-700 words and all characters/words are counted. The essays must be submitted to
Dottie Fox
by January 1, 2020.
I’ll provide information on how to complete the required contest forms at both the Club Presidents’ meeting on September 25th and the Awards Meeting and Luncheon on October 30th. See you then.
Dottie Fox, Youth Chair
Below are essay contest winners from the North Haven Garden Club. Topic was:
The Impact of Bottled Water on the Environment and the Water Supply.
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Donations by Garden Clubs to our Scholarship Fund, Garden Therapy & World Gardening Fund.
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We thank the following Garden Clubs for their recent donations to the FGCCT Scholarship Fund, the Garden Therapy and the World Gardening Fund. Our appeal is still ongoing for the remainder of the year to give all of our clubs the opportunity to make a contribution in the amount of their choosing and forward it to our Office Headquarters at PO Box 854, Branford, CT 06405.
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Note of Interest - New Deadline for Yearbook & Publication Awards
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New October 1 Deadline for Yearbook and Publication Awards
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Club Presidents and Awards Committees:
Our new deadline will make entering Yearbooks and Public Relations Award Applications even easier. For the Yearbook Awards, please make three copies and mail them to the Yearbook Contest Manager,
Inge Venus
. Your yearbook must arrive by October 1 to be in the running for an award. Please send your Public Relation entries to the Publicity Chair,
Becky Paul.
With all the brochures, news articles, websites, Facebook postings and other PR materials that technology allows us to produce these days, judging is very time consuming. In the past, judging took place during the hectic Holiday season when reaching you with questions was difficult. With our new deadline of October 1, everyone will be free to celebrate. Visit our
Website
for all Award Deadlines!
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Publications from National Garden Clubs, Inc. and
New England Garden Clubs, Inc.
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Why we changed the formatting on the CFNews & tips to navigate the new design ~
CFNews has moved from a “Long-Form” Articles email to a Linked “Read More” Snippets email. We changed our format to encourage you to scan all the headlines, even if you don't read or digest the full content. Many of our articles are linked to our website. Once on the site, we hope that you will explore other topics/pages.
Finally, the new format will display content properly on mobile devices.
Click
HERE
for tips to navigate the new design.
Joan Burgess, CFNews Manager
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Deadline to submit articles/photos, ads and calendar events for the October/November issue of the Connecticut Federation News is September 10, 2019. Please submit to:
ARTICLES/PHOTOS
Joan Burgess
ADVERTISING
Barbara Rombald
PO Box 854, Branford, CT 06405
203.488.5528
CALENDAR
Ellie Tessmer
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State, Regional &
National Events
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