Perennial Plant Sale at the Spring Market

Lori, Hollye, and Judy ready to help a fellow gardener find the "just right" plant.

It was not a sunny morning, but the temperatures and the humidity made it feel like summer.  Surrounded by plants from members' gardens and people looking for plants to put in their own gardens, it was a good beginning to summer.  The customers were steady and we hope that we made enough money to fund our activities for the upcoming year.

Cheryl brought some tea cups filled with Hen and Chicks or Sempervivum.  Ellen really cleaned out her garden and brought lots of perennials.  Everyone brought divisions from their own gardens to offer to the public.  So many customers were appreciative of the low cost and personal stories and information members could provide about the plants.  We had many repeat customers who want to find that "just right" plant for a bare spot or difficult location in their garden, whether it is new or mature.

We just awarded our annual scholarship this week to Molly Maturo, a senior at East Hampton High School who will attend Mount Holyoke College to study environment science and political science.  Karen Gallmon, President, gave Molly a check at the Senior Awards night, May 24th. Congratulations, Molly! We wish you all the best as you pursue your mission to make this world greener, cleaner and more efficient.

And we have an invitation to visit a local garden belonging to Mary Drews of 181 Quarry Hill Road, Haddam Neck.  She has many poppies, peonies, daylilies and Siberian iris blooming right now in her old farmhouse borders.  Give her a call at 860-267-2631 -or- just come and park on the barn side of the road and walk around the gardens if she's not home. If you see a car, knock on the door and she'll give you a little tour. She's so proud of the perennials and wants to share the joy!

And we have a new member, Holly Stackowitz. Welcome, Holly.

Watch for information soon on the Progressive Garden Tour coming up in June.

It's that time of year we all love!

Plant Sale Saturday, May 26th

Hollye and the Plant Sale Committee need your help.

Call Donna Nicholas to volunteer to work Saturday 8 -11 or 11-2.

Volunteers are also needed for set up on Friday night.

Hollye also needs donations from your gardens.

We hope every member can contribute.

Please divide and pot your perennials and drop them off Friday night or bring them Saturday morning to the East Hampton Congregational Church parking lot.  Our plant sale is located just off the parking lot by the side of the church. Perennials should be labeled at least with common name and whether they prefer sun or shade.

There are many systems for labeling but you might use one of these:

• wooden tongue depressors or popsicle sticks written with permanent marker
• metal blind slats written with permanent marker
• wood skewers available at Stop 'n  Shop and other supermarkets with paper labels

Hollye also has a box of pre-printed labels, clear plastic tape and wood skewers available at the plant sale for labeling "on the spot."  Call Hollye for pots, if needed, or any questions.

 



Upcoming Plant Sales

As we prepare for our annual Perennial Plant Sale on Saturday, May 26th, we wanted to let you know about two other garden club plant sales in May.

• Enfield Garden Club has a plant sale Saturday, May 5th from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Senior Center on Elm Street in Enfield.  They have many perennials including a lot of daylilies from a  CT daylily enthusiast.

• Middle Haddam Garden Club will hold their plant sale at the Cobalt/Four Corners Saturday, May 19th.

Let us know if you have more information on local opportunities to buy plants from gardeners by adding a comment to this blog posting.

As you divide perennials from your own garden, please remember to pot them up and bring them to our plant sale at the Congregational Church Spring Market on Friday evening, May 25th or early Saturday morning, May 26th, the day of the sale.  This is our one fundraiser for the year.  We use the proceeds towards the scholarship and general fund.  Help us make this year a successful sale with your donations.

April Meeting Tonight at 7 p.m. at EH Public Library

The clean up at the Village Center Gazebo has been postponed to next Monday, April 30th at 5 p.m. --or whenever you can make it that evening. Keep your gloves, shovels and pruners handy for next week.  And bring some pots and newspaper if you have those items available.  The garden club will provide trash bags, potting soil for potting up new divisions and a tarp.

The regular meeting will still be held tonight at the East Hampton Public Library Community Room. We have a lot of planning to do for the annual May Perennial Sale.  We also need to discuss civic projects to replace our upkeep of the Village Center traffic triangle and finalize details for garden tours and field trips for summer.

We hope to see you there tonight. The rain is supposed to end this afternoon, but it will be too wet to work at the gazebo. We can always meet and talk!

Gazebo Clean Up Monday, April 23rd

Pack up your rake, garden gloves and trash bags--

and come on down

to the Village Center Gazebo

on the Congregational Church front lawn

for the annual spring clean up of the two civic plantings

maintained by the

East Hampton Belltown Garden Club.

We could use your help:

"Many hands make light work!"

and you will enjoy being part of the work crew.

Wear your EHBGC "Dig It!" capris--or your best garden hat.

We will be dividing perennials for the May Perennial Plant Sale.

Come early at 5 p.m., if possible.

The Projects Committee will be there that early.

Otherwise, join us at 6 p.m. at the gazebo

Or later at 7 p.m. for the regular meeting and pizza

at the East Hampton Public Library.

We hope to see you there.

Call Bonnie Desaulnier (Program Chairperson) at 860-267-4584

or

Sue Hewes (Projects Chairperson) at 860-267-1269

with questions or for more information.

Making Live Succulent Wreaths

Karen and Jeff Woodward of Woodward Greenhouses in Chaplin, CT, visited East Hampton last night to make live succulent wreaths with members and guests of the East Hampton Belltown Garden Club.  Several people made wreaths along with Jeff and his wife, Karen, who assisted.  Many other attendees listened to Jeff's instructions and demonstration, hoping to make a wreath of their own later with supplies or plants purchased at the meeting or at local garden centers.  Everyone thought the wreath would make a great gift too.

Jeff has been in the greenhouse business for 40 years but has only recently been growing succulents. When he discovered what could be done with succulents, other annuals and houseplants in the form of wreaths, he began experimenting with good sources and techniques for making the live wreaths.  He found a good quality sphagnum moss (The dehydrated form is a cube!) from New Zealand with little extraneous material and good water retention. The hydrated sphagnum moss is in a pile behind the cube. Jeff tried regular Christmas wreath forms, but finally found a preferable form made specifically for live wreaths.  See the circle form (green) in Jeff's hands and the square form (silver) on the table.

JoAnn followed Jeff's instructions and demonstration to make her own wreath. Peggy took some notes to remind her what to do later on her own.  JoAnn filled the wreath frame with 16 plants alternated by tennis ball sized clumps of sphagnum moss inserted into the frame.

Adrianna and Kim complete their wreaths. The hardest part is to fit the last plant into the wire frame.  There were three different varieties of Hen and Chicks or Sempervivum to arrange on the inside and outside of the frame alternately. Jeff told us to water the wreath next week by allowing the wreath to stand in 1-2 inches of water until it absorbs what it needs, then don't mist or spray or water again for another week, at least.

Jeff shows Donna and Diane how the wreaths can be made with pansies, ferns and other plants.  The Woodward Greenhouses web site has a wonderful photo gallery of wreaths made with all kinds of materials.  The photos are sure to inspire you to make a wreath.  Just ask a Belltown Garden Club member how to do it!

Live Succulent Wreaths Monday, March 26th

Making Live Succulent Wreaths

Presented by

Karen and Jeff Woodward

Of

Woodward Greenhouses

Chaplin, CT

Monday, March 26th at 6:30 p.m.

This is an early than usual start time!

East Hampton Public Library Community Room

Please contact Bonnie by phone at 860-267-4584

or email bonniedesa@gmail.com

to pre-order materials to make a live succulent wreath at the meeting.

You do not have to make a wreath at the meeting. 

Karen and Jeff will demonstrate how to

gather materials and make a live wreath for all attendees.

But you do have to pre-order materials through Bonnie to

be able to make a wreath at the meeting!

Please let Bonnie know by Friday, March 23rd.

The picture above is not a sample of the wreath we will be making--just an example!

Go to the Woodward Greenhouses web site for photos of all kinds of living wreaths,

including ones made with succulents.