East Hampton Old Home Days Parade

The Belltown Garden Club entered a decorated car in the celebration parade.

 

Holly and Sue decked out for the parade.

 

Sue's car was decked out also!

 

Belltown Gardeners Visit Hecht Gardens

On a rainy evening, several garden club members met to tour the gardens of Ann Hecht at the end of White Birch Road.  Here are some photos sent by Bonnie.

January Meeting on January 30, 2013

We had a very nice evening of bouquets, wine and cheese--a couple days after the usual meeting date.  These January meetings are always unpredictable and Monday night was postponed due to hazardous driving conditions.  Lynn, Lisa, Peg, Sue, Kim, Cheryl, Adriana and Bonnie were able to get together on Wednesday.

Cheryl shared a bouquet of "flours" now that she is gluten-sensitive. 

Cheryl offered her arrangement to the public library for display in February.

Thanks, Cheryl!

 

Kim was inspired by Valentine's Day and used festive buttons in her vase.

 

Lynn created a wintry arrangement with pines, pinecone and white tulips.

 

Peggy looked forward to spring using daffodils popping

through a snowy white ground cover of statice.

Sue made a Valentine hat as though her granddaughter would wear her favorite colors.

 

 

And Dianne, who could not attend due to her new granddaughter's arrival

on Tuesday, had this arrangement ready on Monday

but visited the hospital to see Lily Rose on Wednesday.

 

Sue had t-shirts available for those who purchased them. They are in spring colors so provided a needed reminder of gardening in our future.  Sue will have them at the next meeting if you could not attend the January meeting.

Cheryl offered her house for the February 25th meeting. We will repeat the popular gardening book or gardening tip discussion--and more wine and cheese!  We have to survive these winter months somehow! 

We hope to see you at the next meeting. Watch for details in the Rivereast and in emails from Bonnie.

 

 

 



 

Summer Activities for EH Belltown GC

Lori Wilcox entered her boat in the Capt. Grizzy Showboat Parade on Lake Pocotopaug in August and asked the Belltown Garden Club members to join her.  Below are some photos of the members enjoying the day (after a weather delay!). The pontoon boat float had a composting theme.

 

That's a real composter on the back end!

Thank you, Lori, for inviting us to participate in this fun, summer activity

with a conservation theme.

 

The Belltown Garden Club also joined the Old Home Days Parade this past summer.

 

We'll use any opportunity to wear a hat with flowers and fill a boat or car with flowers. 

Thanks to Paul & Sandy's for the posies and Peggy for driving her car.

That's Lori hatless on wheels, rather than pontoons.

 

Sue Hewes, Projects Chairperson, held a summer meeting at the gazebo in the village center

to plan the renovation of the plantings there.

 

While sipping some wine and enjoying some finger foods, several members discussed what plants to keep or discard and what plants to divide or transplant in the fall in time for the plant & craft sale.

The Board of Education agreed to have the overgrown laurel bushes

and grasses removed from the planting bed. 

 

The beds are about 15 years old and the plants are overgrown so that they prevent maintenance of the gazebo (painting and repair of the lattice work). The Lions Club built the gazebo but it sits on Board of Education property (Center School). Paul & Sandy's donated hollies to replace the laurels and some smaller grasses will replace the overgrown grasses soon.

 

The Belltown Garden Club members also took shifts weeding the gazebo planting over the summer to keep it looking fresh.

 

 

Here's Lori weeding at the flag pole planting mid-July.

 

The flag pole planting grew from a Center School student project to a place where the Belltown Garden Club could plant some divisions from the nearby gazebo planting.  Now we help weed it through the summer to keep it looking colorful with bloom.

 

Sue also organzied some members to plant the planters at the EH Senior Center

 

and at the EH Public Library

 

with plants donated by Paul & Sandy's.

Similar plants were used in other civic plantings to keep a theme consistent around town

for the summer of 2012.

 

It's been a busy summer for members of the Belltown Garden Club.

We hope you consider joining us for the 2012-13 membership year

as we embark on another year of promoting interest and activity

in all forms of gardening, encouraging education to will lead to a deeper

appreciation of garden development, and when possible, to use

this knowledge to better our community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall 2012 Plant & Craft Sale

We had a beautiful September Saturday--and the autumnal equinox-- for our fall plant & craft sale this year. This sale funds the Belltown Garden Club Scholarship awarded in the spring to a graduating senior at East Hampton High School who pursues further studies in conservation, horticulture, or any of the sciences.  Hollye Thomas was the chairperson.  She will let us know at the September meeting (tonight) if we made our goal of $250.

 

Hollye (in blue) and Donna Marsden set up the crafts table.  We had brownies and pickles, herbs and dried flowers in a lovely old pitcher, greeting cards, notepads and luggage tags and a yoga bag for sale--just to mention a few of the creative and crafty items donated.  Thank you, members!

 

 

We also had many plants from the gazebo planting.  Sue Hewes had a work night at the gazebo planting beds.  With the help of many members, we dug and divided Black-eyed Susans, Hostas, Helianthus, Siberian Iris, daylilies and Coreopsis.  Members and other gardeners donated several varieties of plants from their gardens to make a good selection of plants.  Again, thanks to all you donated their time, effort and plants to make this sale successful.

 

See you Monday, September 24 at 7 p.m. in the

East Hampton Public Library Community Room

for our membership meeting

featuring

Michael Corcoran

avid birder, conservationist and citizen scientist

presenting

"Native Plants for Our Native Birds"

 

$20.00 annual member dues will renew your membership for another year

of great programs and activities with the

East Hampton Belltown Garden Club.

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Plant Sale for Scholarship Fund September 22nd

President Karen Gallmon has put out an "all call" for Belltown Garden Club members to participate in the fall plant sale on Saturday, September 22nd from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  This miniature version of our spring plant sale will be held in conjunction with the East Hampton Farmers' Market in the parking lot of the East Hampton Congregational Church on Main Street in the village center.  The proceeds of this sale are set aside exclusively for the scholarship fund awarded annually to a graduating senior from East Hampton High School.

Please contribute one or more items that reflect your interest in gardens or gardening. It could be from the bounty of your vegetable garden:  salsa, pickles, jam, etc.  Or it could be something that uses your talent and your interest in plants:  a painting or a painted vase or tray, garden stepping stones or chimes you've created or purchased on your summer travels, or cards with pressed flowers or photos of your flower garden. Good-sized, healthy perennials are also needed. Anything with a garden or nature theme would be much appreciated and goes to a very worthy cause.

Karen also needs volunteers to work at the event. Please call or email Karen to let her know when you can work and what you might be contributing. 

Last year's Fall Plant & Craft Sale at the Farmers' Market

September Meeting Announcement

“Native Plants for Our Native Birds”

Creating a more bird-friendly suburban landscape

 

East Hampton Belltown Garden Club

Monday, September 24, 2012

7:00 PM

East Hampton Public Library

 

Join avid birder, conservationist & citizen scientist, Michael Corcoran as he discusses Connecticut's songbirds, their role in our natural systems, and what we, as landowners, can do to help support them.   With a basic understanding of a songbird's life-cycle and their relationship with our native flora, even the smallest of properties can provide safe haven for our breeding birds, and provide a vital "stop-over" for migratory songbirds as the travel through our state.

 

 

Michael Corcoran is a life-long birder, with a particular passion for migratory songbirds. Over the past 20 years, he has participated in countless citizen-based bird population studies. A Connecticut Audubon Society volunteer since 1994, Michael has helped maintain a migratory bird banding station at CAS’s Birdcraft Sanctuary in Fairfield, CT.  Birdcraft, established in 1914, is the oldest privately owned bird sanctuary in the country and one of the earliest examples of “Birdscaping”.  Michael is a 2010 Coverts cooperator through the University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.  The Coverts Project promotes sound forest stewardship practices for wildlife, clean water and forest sustainability. It advocates for the management of grassland, shrubland and young forest habitat for wildlife on Connecticut’s private lands. 

Michael has taken the knowledge of bird behavior gained as a bird bander, and his experience in the field, and applied it to his own 3 acres in South Glastonbury. With a simple understanding of how our native songbird and native plant communities are linked, he has provided safe haven for breeding birds and created a migratory “stop-over” for birds during their seasonal movements. To date, he has recorded 128 bird species on a 13-year “yard-list”.

Leading trips a field, and speaking throughout the state for birding clubs, garden clubs and conservation organizations, Michael is an advocate for bird conservation, promoting bird appreciation not only for their intrinsic beauty but, as a valuable natural resource. His conservation efforts have been recognized with the Connecticut Audubon Society’s 2012 Environmental Excellence Award and with a citation from the State of Connecticut’s General Assembly.

 

Please mark your calendar and

plan to bring a friend or neighbor. 

We hope to see you there.