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.

Mini Flower Show and Wine & Cheese

Thirteen garden club members and a guest brought flower arrangements and cheese to the February meeting. It was a social function, but we did have a short business meeting followed by each participant in the flower show explaining the inspiration for their floral arrangement.

Bonnie shared her puppy arrangement inspired by a web site idea

using Pom Pom Chrysanthemums. Cute!

Gloria's arrangement of three glass vases with ribbons and brooches

was inspired by an article from Victoria magazine.

Donna's contribution was named "Tea in the Garden"

with African violets nestled in a teapot from her collection.

Peggy's arrangement in two glass vases of white carnations connected by

a swirling metal wire was inspired by a watercolor painting of a brook in winter.

Dianne's arrangement was inspired by a design in a book--and a desire

to add some stunning color to our winter "blahs".

Cheryl's arrangement was called "Winter Beach" and included

grasses and other "finds" from her winter walks on beaches.

Eleanor brought an orchid submerged in a glass over an LED light.

The arrangement was inspired by her daughter's wedding flower arrangements.

JoAnn's arrangement of yellow tulips and forsythia from her yard

were arranged in her grandmother's vase.  Her grandmother always

filled the vase with forsythia in the spring.  JoAnn found a magazine article

which combined tulips and forsythia and also showed how to fill

a square or rectangular vase with forsythia and shear it into hedge-like shapes--

which she will try when the forsythia branches are in full bloom.

Kim's arrangement included her collection of distressed architectural items, moss, and clay pots.

Kim used green hydrangea (which she soaked to force open) and orange roses--

a nice contrast to dispel winter's bleakness.

Deb explains her arrangement

of white tulips in a bowl of pebbles. If you are careful to keep

the water level below the pebbles, it looks like the tulips have sprouted

from the center of the pebbles.  Deb sometimes uses washed river stone or

black stones for highter contrast.  The tulips do well in this high globe vase

 as their stems keep growing and bending as it is displayed in a warm room.

Sue's arrangement was inspired by artwork (see photo) in which her mother

printed leaves and blooms by covering them with paint and pressing them

on the paper surface. Sue included ferns from her walks, a potted cyclomen and dracaena,

and some rhodendron from her yard.

Karen was inspired by her busy, active weekend with her grandchildren

to create an arrangement that explodes with energy, texture and enthusiasm--

in a champagne flute!  Does the calla lily yearn for relaxation?

Dear Garden Club,

This is a bouquet (boca) for you.

Love

Karen's granddaughter sent the garden club this "boca".

We used it as a centerpiece for the cheese display.

Thanks to everyone who brought a cheese to sample. We had a good variety: Wexford Vintage Cheddar (Irish), Red Leicester (Irish), cheddar and pepperdew, baby swiss, cheddar, pepper jack, brie, Rondele Gourmet spreadable cheese, Pecorina Romano, and olive spread from Maine.  The cheese was accompanied by olives, dried apricots, almonds, red and green grapes and strawberries, crackers and, of course, wine.

In a short business meeting we discussed the plant sale in May headed by Hollye Thomas.

Hollye and her committee need any help you can give them. Please be thinking of plants

you can donate to the sale--or time you can offer for Dig 'n Donate.

President Karen also mentioned that she and past Belltown Garden Club Presidents Liz and Susan will enter a floral arrangement in the

Wadsworth Atheneum's Fine Art & Flowers event April 26-29.

(Click on the underlined link above for more information on that event.)

Karen encouraged everyone to enter the art museum event

or another event sponsored by Elizabeth Park, Wine & Roses on June 22nd.

(More information on the Rose Garden event later, but May 1st is the deadline

for floral arrangers to register. Call Karen for details if you want to participate.)

The next meeting will be Monday, March 26th at 7 p.m. at the East Hampton Public Library.

A representative of Woodward Greenhouses in Chaplin, CT 

will demonstrate making wreaths with succulents.

Let Cheryl or Bonnie know if you would like this event to be "hands on"

which means you could make a wreath at a cost to be determined.

Watch for more details on this opportunity later on the blog or by email.

Thanks to everyone who participated by bringing a floral arrangement and their inspiration.

We had a really nice social event --and our own flower show-- on a winter evening!













Wine & Cheese and Mini Flower Show Monday, February 27

We're having a Wine & Cheese

and a mini flower show

Monday, February 27th at 7 p.m.

12 South Hollow

Please bring a cheese to sample.  Wine will be provided by the Belltown garden club.

Also, bring a flower arrangement and your inspiration whether it is a vase, a piece of artwork, a quilt, some fabric, or an article you found in a magazine, book or web site.

Please R.S.V.P. to Bonnie at 860-267-4584 for directions and details.

You can also order fresh blooms and greenery from Leah Ahearn at It's So Ranunculus Flower Shoppe in Marlborough.  The phone number is 860-295-1562 to order if you know what you want.  Or stop by at 3-5 East Hampton Road in Marlborough with your inspiration and Leah will help you order what you'll need.  Phone or stop in Thursday or early Friday for pick up on Saturday.

P.S.  You can use these photos for ideas!

We hope you can join us.

It's going to be fun

and colorful

and just like being in our gardens.



CT Horticultural Society Symposium Links

Peggy and Dianne attended the all day symposium on Saturday.  Since these conferences can be expensive--and also very informative, here's a summary of the speakers with links to their web sites for more information. I'm sure you're all thinking about your gardens right now!

Tony Avent of Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh, N.C. spoke twice: Landscaping in Drifts of One--Residential Design for Plant Collectors and Perennials--What's New and Exciting, Overlooked.  His presentations were informative and humorous.  He deplores rows of "meatball" bushes in our American landscapes.

He likes pushing the borders and boundaries with single plants all mixed for contrasting shapes, textures, and color. Tony encourages making vignettes and then backing up to create scenes and views using the three design elements--and as many plants as possible. He also talked about "healing" plants: grasses for sunny areas and ferns for shady areas.  They help the eye make transitions from vignette to vignette and scene to scene. 

Tony Avent claims native plants are not always necessary (as Doug Tallamy professes!).  New plants are created every day and we should try them because they give such pleasure.  His nursery catalog is available through his nursery's web site. The web site is great because helpful lists of plants with beautiful photos and information on each are listed on the left hand side of the home page.  Look on the right side to sign up for his monthly newsletter.

Nan Sinton spoke on Romancing the Site. She leads travel tours to gardens all over the world. Through her photographs of gardens in Ireland, Italy and Morocco; Michigan, Delaware, and South Carolina, she encouraged everyone to use light and shadow to create magic in the garden.  She always uses a "river" of color or texture or shape in her designs to transport the viewer of the garden to a dreamlike state.  Think of the garden as an oasis, another dimension.  Include in your garden whatever you love, even if it's an old shoe!  Make a story using these beloved items and always include a sitting area. Use the spaces between the plantings to add mystery.  Keep in mind that all garden design is problem solving because of the site or the exposure or the budget.  Keep an eye out along the road for great ideas you could use in your own garden.  To visit a garden with Nan check out her web site.

The last speaker was Kerry Ann Mendez, author of books of lists for gardeners: The Ultimate Flower Gardeners' Top Ten Lists and Top Ten Lists for Beautiful Shade Gardens.  Kerry is a self taught gardener and focuses on time-saving and work-saving gardening techniques and choosing plants that work for you (not the other way around!).  Her talk on Perennials for Shade: Cool, Outrageous Foliage--No Prima Donnas! was informative and humorous.  She claims it is easier to garden in the shade because you use less water, you have fewer weeds, you do less deadheading (fewer flowers), and you have less growth in the shade.  You are also cooler while you're working!  Kerry has a web site at Perennially Yours. Check out her books and the photos of her garden in Ballston Spa, NY.