January Hort Chat
These are the highlights of the many books and other resources we love. Please feel free to be inspired by one of our choices.
News
Visit to New York Botanical Gardens
Shortly before the holidays, twenty intrepid NCGC members caravaned to the New York Botanical Gardens to see the famed annual Holiday Train Show and to be delighted by the whimsical interpretations of New York landmarks created out of botanical materials. Bark, acorns, twigs and berries were skillfully and artfully transformed into Grand Central Terminal, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and dozens more captivating structures. After the train show, members were treated to a guided tour of Bunny Mellon’s Botanical Art, masterworks from the Oak Spring Foundation, featuring eighty important works ranging from Warhol to Redoute.
Contribution to the New Canaan Land Trust
The New Canaan Garden Club is pleased to announce a financial contribution of $1000 to the New Canaan Land Trust for future stewardship of of the Silvermine Fowler Preserve. Following the purchase, The New Canaan Land Trust will begin additional work on the Fowler property to improve public access in an appropriate way and ensure that the property remain public open space in perpetuity.
According to Garden Club President Jane Gamber, “The Garden Club of America has a commitment to promoting respect for natural resources and responsibility for environmental stewardship. It encourages all member clubs to carry out conservation work locally.” The New Canaan Garden Club has been a member of the Garden Club of America since 1920.
Donations from organizations and individuals for ongoing stewardship of the Silvermine Fowler Preserve can be sent to the New Canaan Land Trust, PO Box 425, New Canaan, CT. 06840.
From Left: Mike Johnson, New Canaan Land Trust Executive Director; Jane Gamber, New Canaan Garden Club President, Lisa Dunn, New Canaan Garden Club Conservation Co-Chair; Walker Holmes, The Trust for Public Land Acting Connecticut State Director; Art Berry, New Canaan Land Trust President
Living in the Garden
By Susan Bergen
I spend a bit of time every day observing my garden and the natural woods surrounding my home. While I started out focusing on flowers and greenery, I soon realized that plants were only half the story. Gardens are complex living habitats where plants and all manner of creatures form mutual dependencies.
I photograph what I see at ground level – up close and personal, so to speak – then I research each subject to gain a better understanding of how our ecosystems work.
Below is a collection of essays which I have recently published in our club’s newsletter. Click on the link to read.
Spicebush Swallow
Purple Coneflower
Potter Wasps
Partridge Berry
Warm wishes and safe travels!
New Canaan in Bloom a big success!
The Town of New Canaan was awash with beautifully creative flower arrangements over the weekend of October 7th – 9th, 2016 to celebrate the fourth New Canaan In Bloom event! Twenty nine stores up and down Elm Street welcomed 52 members of the New Canaan Garden to beautify their store windows,showcase artistic floral design ideas, and to say ‘thank you’ to our wonderful community.
New Brochure for Irwin Park
The revised 2016 Irwin Park brochure is a work in progress. This is the latest update. Hope you will visit soon and often and bring family, friends and your cameras. Fall is a particularly beautiful time of the year.
Irwin Park Brochure 2016
Reestablishing the Boxwood Parterre Gardens at Waveny
Buy your tickets NOW for the New Canaan In Bloom party and auction this coming Friday, October 7th at the home of Tracy and Joe Merrill at 726 Weed Street from 6:30 to 8:30pm. All auction profits and donations will go towards the reestablishment of the Boxwood Parterre Gardens at Waveny. If you are unable to attend and would like to be a part of the restoration of the gardens, please send donations to: Pamela Randon at 38 Main Street or click on the donate button below. Thank you!
Meet The New 2016 Provisional Class
Each fall we welcome a new group of talented and fabulous women from our community to become a part of the New Canaan Garden Club. This year we have a particularly diverse and skilled class.
Click here to see photographs of these women, read their biographies and begin to put faces with the names of the 2016 Provisional Class — we know you will all give them a warm welcome!
Welcome Back!
Our 2016/17 season will kick off on September 14th with speaker Shanyn Siegel and a fascinating discussion of conserving and promoting America’s culturally diverse, but endangered food crop heritage for future generations. Author of The Seed Garden: The Art and Practice of Seed Saving, Shanyn is a sought-after speaker and 2016 recipient of the prestigious American Horticultural Society Book Award.