Summer is slowly winding down and the temperature is starting to cool a bit. We’re not ready to clean and store our garden tools just yet though. In a few weeks, September 18th, we’ll be getting together to catch up, enjoy some tasty nibbles and learn about what’s in store for the club. Be there!
The Awards Committee is excited to share the winners of this year’s garden awards at the September meeting. We’ll see pictures of the the amazing properties the committee visited. Ginelle H reminds us that late summer is a great time to take note of properties you have been admiring in the area. Please share the address of any exceptional gardens with Ginelle or any other committee members for next year’s consideration.
Carol Chambers welcomed seven club members into her beautiful home – tucked inside the historic Exeter Mill – for a lovely Promise Tree event. Her cozy space, with its charming décor, original wood floors and wood ceilings with massive exposed beams, was perfect for an afternoon of conversation and camaraderie. Carol treated us to an array of homemade appetizers, complemented by wines and other refreshing beverages. Thank you, Carol, for a delightful midsummer gathering!
The Environment and Conservation committee visited the mini grant recipients’ gardens last week in the heat and humidity. Betsy V points out that this summer, especially these last few weeks, has been very hard on gardens and the recipients had to really work to keep their new native plants alive. Once these natives are established, though, they’ll be attracting those pollinators.
This month club members had a wonderful time at Cynthia Hosmer’s flower arranging workshop, learning from her wealth of experience as an accredited flower show judge and international participant in floral shows. Participants brought partly finished arrangements which Cynthia refined with insightful suggestions while teaching design principles. We then created new arrangements with her gentle guidance using a plethora of fresh and dried flora, fruits, vegetables, driftwood, and even rocks! Many thanks to Kathryn J, Design committee, for bringing Cynthia to us, and to both Kathryn and Lee C, Design Chair, for the organization of our special event.
Holiday Creativity in Bloom! Linda S, our new Ways and Means Chair, is teaming up with garden club committees to prepare festive creations for the upcoming Yuletide Fair. To support her efforts, Design Chair Lee gathered a small group of designers to craft wood-inspired arrangement examples featuring bark, foraged elements, and rustic accents. Jane J., Jenny M., Dianne A., Ann H., and Lee contributed a variety of examples, while Linda stopped by to check out the progress. The Design Committee welcomes ideas and suggestions—feel free to reach out to Lee if you’d have design ideas to share!!
Those vegetable gardeners among us might be interested in an article from Nan Sterman of WaterWise. The topic is tomatoes and the question is “To Prune or Not to Prune Tomato Plants”. Get Nan’s take on how advisable it is to prune your tomatoes. Find the article at https://waterwisegardener.com/2025/06/16/pruning-tomato-plants/
Finally, members are urged to walk their gardens and bring some specimens for the hort table at the September meeting. Please label them with common names and Latin names if you can. We love seeing what is in other gardens, and we love showing off our own specimens!
Club News
Our first Board Meeting is September 4 at 9:30 a.m. in the Hutton Room of the Stratham Community Center.
Our first General Meeting is September 18th in the Morgera Room of the Stratham Fire Station. The Awards committee will be presenting the awards for Outstanding Gardens. We will have Committee introductions and time to mingle. Members of the hostess team will be reminded of the 8:30 set-up time. As usual, we are responsible for set-up of the tables and chairs. This year, however, we are also responsible for returning tables and chairs. Hostess team members who cannot stay to put chairs and tables away, please find a replacement and inform the hostess team coordinator.
Local Items of Interest
August 25 – 27 International Master Gardener Conference. “There Is No Planet B” Virtual, open to public. imgc2025.com
September 6, 9:30 – 11 a.m. The Demonstration & Teaching Garden Workshops at NH Audubon’s Massabesic Center features “Composting – How and Why?” http://extension.unh.edu/events
September 16, 10 – 11:30 a.m. Senior Garden Tour and Potting Activity. Experience a private tour of the Demonstration Garden at NH Audubon’s Massabesic Center. http://extension.unh.edu/events
September 20 & 21 – The Friends of the South End Fairy House Tour (Portsmouth) provides two days of magical, outdoor family entertainment for the benefit of local schools and nonprofits. The tour is a whimsical, family-friendly event celebrating art, gardens and community. This year’s tour will feature 200+ hand-crafted fairy houses displayed on the historic grounds of Strawberry Banke and the Langdon House on Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21. info@fairyhousetour.com
October 4, 9:30 – 11 a.m. The Demonstration & Teaching Garden Workshops at NH Audubon’s Massabesic Center features “Beginning Gardener Series: Gardens in the Fall; Season Extension and Fall Planting.” extension.unh.edu./events
Connie Alesse & LuAnn Faber, Editors
Ann Hohenberger, Photos
