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Northern Exposure Newsletter of the New England Garden Clubs, Inc. Connecticut – Maine – Massachusetts New Hampshire – Rhode Island - Vermont

May 2018

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

HAPPY SPRING!!

Or at least we hope it’s really here! It’s been a nasty winter for all of us in New England, so sunshine and temperatures above 40 degrees are both a positive sign.

As we head into May, I know we’re all trying to keep our heads above water! It’s always the busiest month of the year when each state is about to have its Annual/Spring Meeting, club plant sales are happening in every town, the NGC Convention “Love Blooms in Philadelphia” is less than a month away, and we’re all scratching our heads as we try to remember which plant is poking its head above the garden soil. I don’t know about you, but I always

have a tough time trying to remember names of my perennials until they’re several inches above ground . . . is that a brain freeze or the remnants of our winter freeze?

Nancy Hargroves’ Plant America Community Project Grants were distributed to 28 well deserving clubs across the country at the end of January. There were 414 entries received by the committee, so each one of you who received a grant should be proud of your accomplishment. It’s my hope that we can honor all the clubs in NEGC who received this award. Pictures of your

project would be well received by Nancy Atwell, Editor of Northern Exposures, to be added to our next edition coming out in August.

Please remember that National Garden Week is the first full week in June. We hope each NEGC state has received a DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE - continuedproclamation from its governor proclaiming that week a special one for gardeners, one and all. It’s a great time “to promote public awareness of the many goals of NGC within your local cities and towns,” according to NEGC President Nancy Hargroves. Posters promoting the event can be found on the NGC website.

So don’t get too bogged down by all these club happenings . . . take time to smell your daffodils as they bloom, watch those tiny sprouts of your perennials as they poke out of the dirt, and just relish the sun and warmth!

Happy Gardening,Sue Hinkel, NEGC Director

Table of ContentsNEGC Presidents Reports President, Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut – pages 3 - 4 President, Rhode Island Federation of Garden Clubs – pages 5 - 6 Results of NGC Contests for Children – pages 7 - 12 Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl Results – pages 12 -16 2018 Symposium in Connecticut – pages 17 and 18 NEGC 2nd Annual meeting – page 18Hildene in Vermont – pages 19 and 20NEGC Calendar (with deadline for next newsletter) – pages 21 - 23

New England Garden Clubs May 2018

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Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut Our most ambitious fundraiser continues to be the Annual CT Flower Show held each year during February at the Connecticut Convention Center in our capital city of Hartford. This year’s 37th Flower Show under the chairmanship of Cathy Ritch was “Breath of Spring” and was a most welcome and much anticipated event in the middle of winter. The day before members of the setup crew worked feverishly to

get the show ready for the opening.

Participation by Connecticut garden club members both as exhibitors as well as volunteers was at an all time high, numbering over 350. Much to our surprise as well as delight there were over 135 entries in the Horticulture Division.

Of note is that Judges Council Chairman Trish Manfredi got her Bromeliad to bloom just in time for the show – a rare occurrence.

Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut – continued


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PRESDENTS REPORTS

We had 19 of our Affiliates participate in the Educational Exhibits Division; 64 of the most creative entries in the Design Division; and in the newly established Botanical Arts Division featured 12 cleverly created Artistic Crafts and 72 of the most captivating entries in the Photography section. One garden club member scoring the highest number of points in the Design Division not only won the CT Judges Design Award but also the National Award of Design Excellence. A recently introduced People’s Choice Award that gives the public a chance to cast their vote for the most beautiful design was dedicated to the memory of the late Barbara Bruce, a past CT Flower Show

Chairman. That same garden club member, Mary Ellen Unger, also took home that prize. Having been an ardent proponent of classical music all of my life, I personally was touched by the display in the central area of the show. A screen was set up that featured one beautiful flower bud after another opening up to its fullest while gentle classical music was playing in the background. Benches set up around this screen permitted show attendees to sit down and relax and enjoy.

Another highlight of the CT Flower and Garden Show, in addition to the 12 beautifully landscaped gardens, was a special exhibit that caught the attention of attendees – that of a “live butterfly experience.” You walk into an area netted on all sides and top to bottom, with gorgeous flowering plants at the center and you are given a foam stick dipped in a liquid honey solution. You then hold up the foam stick and much to your delight you have Monarch and Painted Lady butterflies alight on your stick. Unbeknownst to me, it was all caught on camera and aired by one of our local Connecticut TV channels which I learned about from several of my friends via email. This special exhibit was perfectly suited to my President’s theme of PLANT CONNECTICUT – BE A CONSERVATION CHAMPION by “conserving water;” “assisting pollinators” and “gardening organically.” Several of our garden clubs have already entered my contest of creating a Pollinator-friendly garden or a Xeriscape garden in their community. And individual garden club members are creating a Xeriscape garden on their property. In April 2019 we will be rewarding the winning clubs and individuals for their efforts with a beautiful marble plaque. Our next major event will be the NEGC Annual Meeting and Connecticut Symposium hosted by Connecticut in October this year at the Water’s Edge Inn.


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FGCCT President Inge Venus Rhode Island Federation of Garden Clubs It’s been a busy year. Preparing for our Rhode Island Annual Luncheon I sat down to sign the awards, and commendations, and club anniversary certificates, and it helped me remember that this has nothing to do with me. This has everything to do with our members and giving them and our clubs the recognition and respect they deserve. Whenever help was needed or asked for, it has been there. And so, as I try to recap my first year as President I would like to point out that my 1st Vice President Deborah Ort and 2nd Vice President Sheryl McGookin have been by my side every step of the way laying a foundation for the organization to thrive during their upcoming terms. This is not about my term or first year at all- it is all about looking forward. This year we opened a wholesale account at a nursery for civic beautification plantings. We planted a Habitat for Humanity House in South Providence. Our Judges Council put on an educational presentation by world renowned designer Natasha Lisitsa. Then we moved our storage facility not only saving money but sorting through what was necessary and making inventory more easily accessible. We thought we should be having fun too so went to Newport Polo as a fundraiser. Life Member Group awarded a scholarship to a recipient who also went on to win nationally for a grand total of $8,000. The New England Garden Clubs Annual Meeting and Symposium was held in Warwick which brought in New England State Presidents as well as our National President Nancy Hargroves. We had a lovely Holiday Luncheon courtesy of our past president Catherine

Moore and because of it, truly in the spirit of giving back, we were able to donate over $1,000 to the NGC Disaster Relief Fund. Throughout all of this we were working with RI Builders Association to bring back the Flower Show at the RI Convention Center. And bring it back we did. We worked with RI Builders Association and the Department of Education, CTE programs, FFA and other youth organizations sponsoring work-based learning initiatives. This would include technical training for general carpentry, electrical, plumbing, engineering, landscape and horticulture, and floriculture programs statewide. We had approximately 300 students from over 28 different schools per day assisting with all aspects of the production of the show

which included over 10,000 square ft. of gardens as well as an all-design floral


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exhibition. Connecting people of all ages to gardening and horticulture is exactly who we are and what we did. I Rhode Island Federation of Garden Clubs – continued

couldn’t have asked for a better experience and it was more than any of us could have dared to hope for with publicity, respect, and support on every level. ‘Respect from the ground up’ is the theme for my term and there isn’t a group more deserving of respect than this one.

RIFGC President Blakely Szosz

Designs shown are a Petite design by Vera Bowen and a Group Mass by De Feldman.


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Results of National Garden Club Contests for Children


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The Way Life Should Be

Guide me through a magical place,Where dreams come alive and where everyone is a grace.Where none destroy and all grow.They water and care with rake and a hoe.Who dreams of daisies, skies of blue,That follow the path, to me and you. ~~~~~~~~~~~Taylor Ehrlich Gr. 4Bar Harbor Garden ClubGarden Club Federation of Maine

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Let It Grow

Small pot, small bulbIt’s just so small.But it will grow if you let it.It’s not perfect but soon it will be.I can’t wait till it is.The white daffodil will look beautiful right there.Above my head.And now look at it hanging over me,It’s just so beautiful. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bronwyn Parkhurst Gr. 5Seacoast Garden ClubGarden Club Federation of Maine__________________________

A Child is a Seed and a Seed is a New England Garden Clubs May 2018

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Fighting Three Villains: Blight, Crime and Hunger

Have you ever stopped to ponder where your food comes from? Many nutritious items have roots in agriculture. Whether they are fruits or vegetables, grains or dairy products, modern cuisine has agriculture to thank. However, environmental factors have negatively impacted the quality of these products. Environmentalism can be defined as one’s prime responsibility to protect and preserve nature from negative human interaction. Awareness about the natural surroundings is critical in order for one to understand the importance to preserve our world. One must learn and decipher the vast environmental issues. The villains blight, crime, and hunger result in a domino effect of negativity, in turn creating prolonged predicaments. Fortunately, solutions to these seemingly unsolvable topics can be considered if inquiring minds come together with the goal of eliminating blight, crime, and hunger. What on Earth, pun intended, is blight. Blight and deterioration go hand in hand. In terms of plant life, the word describes the withering away of a plant. Not so differently, however, urban blight, also known as urban decay, refers to an unpleasant area of a community falling into a state of despair. In other words, blight is the politically correct term for the commonly used “ghetto.” It is fairly easy to find an area in the United States that has experienced this issue to some degree. Typically, these areas are vacant, appearing rundown and abandoned. Blight in turn increases the amount of pollution, decreasing property value of homes in particular areas. One may feel that these facts are pretty depressing, and indeed, they are. On a brighter note, light has been shed on this topic with the help and dedication of community organizations. Considerate acts of reporting concerns for abandoned buildings to proper officials can aid in initiating awareness and the potential elimination of blight. Proposed, community-generated ideas can ultimately lead to beneficial solutions for productive use of empty lots. Planting grass, trees, and other plant life increases the amount of oxygen, benefiting the health of the overall community. How do blight and crime complement each other? Crime is notorious for occurring in abandoned areas, most of which are considered blighted communities. Scientific studies prove that increasing the amount of vegetation in a community decreases crime. Therefore, planting a variety of greenery to include grass, trees and colorful shrubs, could not only limit blight but may deter crime as well. According to authorities, creating a community garden is incredibly beneficial. While encouraging positive eating habits through producing healthy food choices, community gardens uphold their cause of involving the “community.” Gardening promotes physical activity and stress relief. It also encourages teamwork and respect for one’s surroundings. Individuals have the opportunity to develop new connections while making life-long friends. Gardens can beautify as area as well,


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making it appealing to the eye. The combined efforts of concerned and creative minds can blossom into a neighborhood paradise. A growling stomach is a recognizable sound to which many can, unfortunately, relate. Imagine having to deal with this uncomfortable and embarrassing occurrence daily. Like blight and crime, hunger presents itself like a famished lion prowling for its prey. For individuals dealing with this feeling regularly, a community garden can be the source to calm the endless growls. Produce grown may be the only means one has to obtain fresh healthy food. In order to alleviate hunger, many gardeners donate their fresh produce to food pantries. Families and individuals may not be able to afford garden space of their own; however, the opportunity to receive items grown with love and care can be incredibly beneficial. It takes many hands to lighten the load of combating and conquering hunger, making volunteering crucial. This selfless act not only provides for those who receive but contributes towards making a memorable difference for those willing to give. As previously shared, blight, crime and hunger, exist in an intertwining fashion much like determined weeds intruding upon a garden. As prevalent as these three villains are, there is hope in decreasing and perhaps extinguishing them altogether.Student: Amaya AllenAge 15, tenth gradeTewksbury High, Tewksbury Garden Club

Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl Results

Greetings from Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl! They want to congratulate the New England Garden Clubs for a job well done! It has been a very successful and enjoyable year. Further, I as NEGC Youth Chair, would like to personally thank the state chairs: Ann Vandosol- Maine; Fern Doucette - New Hampshire; Julie Christina -Rhode Island; Dottie Fox – Connecticut; and, Doris Van Mullan – Vermont for their participation and in encouraging their clubs to promote this worthy and educational contest. All state chairs adhered to the guidelines and submitted the entries in a timely manner. Wiith everything you all do, it was sincerely appreciated.

Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl Results - continued

The Regional Chair Reports: 100% participation with 6 of the 6 states reporting a total of 597 posters! The breakdown is as follows: GCFMA: 235 posters; 4 public schools; 2 private schools; 2 youth organizations GCFME: 54 posters; 13 public schools, 1 Private school, libraries & 2 youth organizations RIFGC: 17 posters; 0 public schools, 1 youth organization NHFGC: 208 posters; 1 public school; 2 private schools; 2 youth organizations


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FGCVT: 22 posters; 1 public school FGCCT: 50 posters; 1 public school; 1 youth organizationThis year, 4 of the 5 advancing state entries to Regional Competition came from one local club. The club and school has had a dedicated and lengthy history of participation. For more than 12 years, the school has integrated the poster contest into its art curriculum. Notwithstanding the talent of all the entries received from other New England states, a majority of posters did not follow the NGC and U.S Forestry guidelines, and therefore could not advance. I am pleased to report the following are the winning Smokey Bear /Woodsy Owl Posters, Grades 1 to 5, which will represent the New England Garden Clubs in the NGC/U.S. Forestry poster competition for 2018:

Grade 1: Jaida Kiarie, St. Michael School - Curbs & Cobblestones Garden Club / GCFMA


Grade 2: Adriana Venezia, St. Michael School - Curbs & Cobblestones Garden Club / GCFMA


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Grade 3: Olivia Sullivan, St. Michael School - Curbs & Cobblestones Garden Club /GCFMA


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Grade 4: Katie Dysart – Hampden Garden Club -Hampden Maine / GCFME

Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl Results – continued


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Grade 5: Madison Maier, St. Michael School - Curbs & Cobblestones Garden Club / GCFMA

Winning Posters advancing to National competition can be viewed on the NEGC website. All though it is clearly stated in the entry rules that posters would not be returned, I returned all posters to the state chairs with certificates (and in some cases ribbons), along with tokens of appreciation, such as pencils, rulers, activity & coloring books, book markers, shoe laces, and stickers, from Smokey and Woodsy for each entry. Congratulations to all and a sincere thank you to the state chairs and clubs that gave their time and effort in promoting this worthwhile youth activity.

Bonni L. DinneenNEGC Youth Chair

2018 Symposium in Connecticut October 16-18


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Plan on attending the 2018 Symposium on the Connecticut shore of beautiful Long Island Sound at October 16 – 18th. The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc. is pleased to invite you to enjoy a wonderful learning opportunity at the delightful Water’s Edge Resort and Spa in Westbrook, Connecticut. The Symposium is open to all, not just judges! Enjoy the beauty of Southern New England in mid fall!

Dorthy Yard, Pennsylvania, will instruct in “Horticulture: Going Green: Container Begonias and Broadleaf Evergreens.” Dorthy has taught Symposia and Flower Show Schools on 39 states, and serves as Chairman of the NGC Flower Show Schools Committee. She is a Five Star member of NGC. Dot oversaw the development of the 2017 Handbook for Flower Shows, and will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Symposium.

Penny Decker, from Florida, will teach Design, specifically two of the new design types: “Grouped Mass and Featured Plant Materials.” Penny also has taught Symposia and Flower Show Schools around the country, and is known for her color-filled creative designs. Penny received a top award for excellence in floral design education from the American Horticultural Society.

Allied Topics will feature an inside look at the 21st Century Global Flower Market , presented by Jamal Ansari, President and Owner of East Coast Flowers, a premier floral wholesaler in Norwalk, CT, who has traveled the globe to find the products for East Coast and build relationships with growers and auction houses. He will discuss how the global market for flowers works, from growing to transport to care.


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2018 Symposium in Connecticut October 16-18 - continued

As a counterpoint, Ko Klover, Certified American Grown Council, will share how American grown flowers, and particularly local flowers are becoming a recognizable brand through the Certified American Grown program and contribute to the U.S. economy. Ko is CEO of Botanical Trading Co. LLC. & partner at Pioneer Gardens Inc. in Delaware. The Symposium will follow the New England Region Annual Meeting. Registration will begin Tuesday afternoon, with one Allied Topic preceding a reception and dinner. The second Allied Topic will follow dinner. Wednesday will be Design and Thursday will be Horticulture. You may register for the entire Symposium, Tuesday Dinner/Allied Topics, or individual Design or Horticulture days. Registration materials will be available mid-May, in print, and on-line – with registration to be available via the Web as well. [Please note that for those taking the Symposium for credit, the time allotted for the exam is now 1.5 hours.] We anticipate an interesting selection of vendors. Water’s Edge Resort and Spa is located beachside on Long Island Sound, with beautifully landscaped grounds, bird watching opportunities, amazing amenities and a warm ambience. Nearby are garden centers, lovely Colonial towns, outlet malls and much more. Water's Edge is easily accessible via I-95 and Route 1. For registration materials contact Kris Urbanik, Registrar at [email protected] or in late May, visit https: //ctgardenclubs.org and click on events. You may also contact Trish Manfredi , Symposium chairman at ptm [email protected]

New England Garden Clubs Second Annual meeting We are all looking forward to a warm spring, but before we meet in October we will enjoy spring, summer and the beginning of fall! The NEGC 2nd Annual meeting will commence in Westbrook, Connecticut, at Water's Edge on Monday October 15th. We will enjoy a Community Gardening and CSA presentation by Leslie Martino on Tuesday and a Design Challenge Event on Monday. Vendors will be ready for your enjoyment on Monday afternoon. Online and snail mail will be available in May. We are looking forward to seeing a large group from all the New England States!" Registration forms for the NEGC meeting and symposium will appear in the next (August) edition of Northern Exposure. State presidents will also receive this information at the NGC Convention, the week of May 21st.


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mailto:[email protected]


Hildene in Vermont

In 1863, Mary Lincoln traveled to southern Vermont with her sons to escape the unrest in Washington, DC during the Civil War, electing to stay at the Equinox Hotel, still in operation today. Forty years later, as the successful millionaire president of a railroad company, Robert Todd Lincoln, acting on fond memories of his childhood days in Vermont, purchased the site on which he built an impressive, 8,000 square foot Georgian Revival estate, which he named Hildene. Robert, the only one of President Lincoln’s four sons to live to maturity, hired Frederick Todd, a protégé of Frederick Law Olmstead, to lay out the grounds, resulting in excellent views of the Green Mountains and the little valley into which this property is tucked. There is hardly a better place to view splendid autumn foliage. But it is springtime and early summer which draw visitors to the gardens, which are truly restored, for everything planted in them is a turn-of-the-century plant, and the original paths and beds are exactly as they once were. When Robert served as ambassador to Great Britain, his daughter, Jessie, was inspired


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by the many formal gardens there and returned to Vermont with an ambitious plan of her own. The formal garden, designed to resemble a Gothic stained-glass

window, Hildene in Vermont - continued

was laid out in 1907 on a plateau between the Taconic and Green Mountains, contrasting the natural landscape and the formality of the garden. Four squares topped by an arc are outlined by privet, which acts as the lead of the “stained glass,” while the glass effect is created by an intricate design of colorful flowers in 16 interconnecting beds of large blocks of pink, blue, white and yellow.

Thousands of Hildene’s famous herbaceous peonies constitute the pink and white portions of the squares of color, at their peak in mid-June. A restored kitchen garden, woodland trails, and a rose garden are all worthy of a visit, and the house, furnished with original period pieces, as well as historic memorabilia related to the President, is also open to the public; indeed, a view of the garden from the mansion’s second floor is a must to fully appreciate Jessie’s garden plan. Hildene (1005 Hildene Road,Manchester, VT) is open seasonally, from mid-May to October; for specific opening hours, visit the website, www.hildene.org or call (802) 362-1788.

Other gardens to view and/or purchase peonies:

White Flower Farm, Route 63, Litchfield, CT

Cricket Hill Garden, Thomaston, CT: Both herbaceous and 400 varieties of tree peonies. This year, the owners Kasha and her son, Dan, anticipate tree peonies (Paeonia Suffruticosa) to bloom from the 16th of May, with a good show of bloom until June 1st.

Sandi TinykNEGC Public and Historic Gardens Chairman


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NEGC Calendar Deadline for the August 2018 issue of Northern Exposure is July 27 – please e-mail articles or questions to editor Nancy Atwell at [email protected]

Regional MeetingsOctober 15 – 18 - NEGC Annual Meeting/Symposium in Connecticut at the Water’s Edge Inn in Westbrook, CT. For more information contact Karin Pyskaty at [email protected]

State Garden Club Meetings May 16 – Board Meeting, for more information contact Inge Venus at [email protected].

May 30 - NHFGC 85th Annual Meeting, Keene Country Club, Keene, NH.

June 4 – Federated Garden Clubs of Vermont Annual Meeting at Hildene.

June 18-20 – Garden Club Federation of Maine Annual Convention, Sebasco Estates, ME. Marta MacDowell, author of All the Presidents’ Gardens and Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life: The Plants and Places That Inspired the Classic Children's Tales, will speak.

September 19 - NHFGC Fall Meeting, location TBA Flower Show Schools, Design Workshops and Symposiums


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May 10 – Beyond Beginning Design Workshop at Acton Library, Old Saybrook, CT [email protected].

June 1 – Beyond Beginning Design Workshop at CAES [email protected]

June 5-6 – FGCCT Flower Show School Course III, Kellogg’s Environmental Center, Derby, CT. Contact Pat Dray at [email protected]

NEGC Calendar –continued

June 21 – Beyond Beginning Design Workshop at Acton Library, Old Saybrook, CT, [email protected].

October 15 – 18 - NEGC Annual Meeting/Symposium in Connecticut at the Water’s Edge Inn in Westbrook, CT. For more information contact Trish Manfredi at [email protected]

Gardening Study SchoolsOctober 1-2 - Gardening School Course I at The Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, CT. For more information contact Katherine Patrick at [email protected].

Judges Council Meetings

May 15 – Judges Council Meeting at CAES, for more information contact Trish Manfredi at [email protected].

Landscape Design SchoolsSeptember 12 - 13 - Landscape Design School Course IV in Falmouth, Maine, for more information contact Harriet Robinson at [email protected]


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Native Plant Forum

May 15 – Garden Club Federation of Maine, in partnership with the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine, holds a day-long event dealing with using native plants in home gardens. Lectures on native plant propagation by Shawn Jalbert, landscaping with natives by Lois Berg Stack, using native seeds by Heather McCargo and CMBG research biologist Melissa Cullina will discuss the recent book on Kate Furbish that includes Cullina’s essary and Furbish’s drawings. Forum runs from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and includes a 2 hour docent led tour of the Gardens. Registration cost from $20 - $42, depending upon a person’s membership in GCFM NEGC Calendar –continued

and/or CMBG. For more information and a registration form visit the GCFM web site at www.mainegardenclubs.org

Please note: CAES stands for Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven.

‘Beautiful Señorita’, a Japanese variety, has a double row of deep, pink guard petals and a creamy center.


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