January Happenings

Feb12

January is typically a quiet time for gardeners and EAGC gardeners are no exception. Our December Happenings post was awash with photos of members enjoying holiday festivities.  This month, in lieu of member photos, you’ll find some creative Valentine’s Day arrangements. It goes without saying, of course, that these photos can’t hold a candle to the lovely faces of our members!

 

Have you ever wondered what goes on in your garden when you aren’t watching? Click on this wonderful video to see the pollination process up close. You’ll be surprised by some of the pollinators in action. Vicki from Environment &Conservation found this for us.

    Some of the finest photography…click on HD for sharper view

    http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/xHkq1edcbk4?rel=0

 

 

February’s Horticulture Tip is available on the website.  Since this is the season for indoor gardening, LuAnn has some suggestion for keeping our houseplants happy. Click here to check it out.

 

 

 

 

Minutes of the past two meetings can be found on the Website. Click here to go to the Meeting Minutes page.

 

 

Carole Chanasyk recently attended the New Hampshire Orchid Society Annual Show and is sharing a few of her photos with us. These gorgeous blooms are guaranteed to brighten any winter day.

           

          

 

It’s Mini-Grant time!

Linda & Edie, from E&C, are kicking off the Mini-Grant application process for 2018. We received fewer applications than usual last year and E&C would like to attract more interest this year. If you know of anyone who maintains a public garden, or who would like to beautify a public spot in our area, please encourage them to apply for a mini-grant. This year the grants will increase to $100 to $400, well worth the time required to submit an application. Click here to go to the Mini-Grant page of our website for much more info on this great program.

 

In keeping with this year’s theme of pollinators, E&C has found an interesting program called “To Bee or Not to Bee” , which will address landscaping to attract pollinators and other beneficial insects. The program is presented by Andi Ross and will be on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 11 to 12:30 at the Newburyport Library. More info can be found here.

 

 

 

 

 

December Happenings

Jan9

The first few weeks of the new year offer a chance to reflect on the festivities of December and to look forward to what’s in store for the coming months. A highlight of December was Susan’s  Promise Tree Luncheon  — wonderful food and great company!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Betsy V hosted her annual Swap Shop Yankee Swap party.  Anyone who’s ever attended knows it’s an afternoon of belly laughs and, ahem, interesting gifts. (See below.)

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The Holiday Luncheon at the Wentworth Country Club, sponsored by the Herb Committee, was an especially festive event.  Members enjoyed a delicious lunch followed by a gift exchange. This event is always a special way to wrap up another garden club year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gift exchange was a hit:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Environment & Conservation Committee is dedicating the entire year to an exploration of Pollinators and the plants they call home, to encourage members to plant with the native plants that will attract pollinators.  Here is an overview, from Chair Linda V, of what we can expect from E&C’s research:

We hope that by May you will want to join our effort to register gardens as part of the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge sponsored by www.MillionPollinatorGardens.org.
At our general meetings we will feature pollinators and the native plants that will encourage them. (Did you know that most pollinators pollinate specific plants?)

Each month we will have our usual posters, but we will also have handouts for you to take home. Be sure to look for them.

In April we will have a sign-up sheet for those who would like a booklet of the information presented during the year. You may use these booklets to educate your grandchildren about the importance of pollination and pollinators.

So – Bee sure to look for our table at each general meeting. We will be presenting the following:
November: Bees and Wasps
January: Butterflies and Moths
February: Other Pollinators in Our Landscape
April: Native Plants that Attract Pollinators
May: Wrap-Up the Year
June Luncheon: Raffle of pollinator items – so remember to bring your coffee cups to monthly meetings to be punched.

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Fresh off the Press — Horticulture Tips!

Be sure to click here to see the January Hort Tips, presented this month by Linda V. You won’t want to miss this timely information. The birds will thank you!

 

 

 

November Happenings

Dec9

November was the month for EAGC to acknowledge the gardening successes of the past summer and to begin preparations for the upcoming Holidays. Here are some highlights of the November General meeting….

 

Anne C, Sue B, and Mary Jo presented our annual Beautification Awards:

Winners of the Residential Award — Sherm and Cathy Pridham of 23 High St., Stratham

 

Representatives from St. Vincent de Paul, 53 Lincoln St., Exeter, who received the

Commercial Award

 

David Donsker accepted an Honorary Award on behalf of his wife, Terri, for the outstanding garden she loved to share with her fellow club members.

 

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The Design Committee arranged a showing of  the beautiful Holiday centerpieces made by members at their November design class. It’s evident that we have some talented floral arrangements amongst us:

 

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The Beautification Committee met late in the month to decorate the Exeter Historical Society for the Holidays. As always, the results are colorful and festive:

 

Lynda models the Folsom Tavern door wreath…

 

Lots of volunteers make for quick work….

    

 

  

 

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Are you wondering what to buy your gardening friends for the Holidays?  Just in time for last minute shopping, E&C Chair Linda has put together a list of Pollinator-oriented books for gifting….

Books to Put on Your Christmas List

Attracting Native Pollinators – The Xerces Society    An informative and easily read book about pollinators, pollination, and how to incorporate them into your landscape…no matter what size.

Bringing Nature Home – Douglas W. Tallamy    Wonderful discussion of native plants and how to plant so you encourage the pollinators you want. Not all pollinators pollinate everything.

The Wildlife-Friendly Vegetable Gardener – Tammi Hartung    How to attract and encourage pollinators and other insects that are beneficial to your vegetables.

A Book of Bees – Sue Hubbell     All you want to know about bees and their lives.

 

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If you missed the November General Meeting, see what you missed in the Minutes, which can be found on the Website, under “Members Only.”

 

 

 

 

 

October Happenings

Nov1

What could go better with leftover Halloween candy than an entertaining look back at October’s garden club fun?  Unwrap a couple of those mini candy bars and enjoy the pictures!

A hard-working team of volunteers cleaned up the plantings at the bandstand for the winter. Chair Nance J promised a sunny day for the job – and Mother Nature followed through.

 

                             

 

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Liz Barbour impressed attendees with her “Edible Landscaping” presentation at the October General Meeting. Not only did she explain her recipes, but she also demonstrated them for an attentive audience, which included members of the Rye Driftwood Garden Club.

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

                

 

 

      

 

         

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“Halloween Howl”
A Promise Tree Event 

A spooktacular time was had by eleven members of EAGC at a Halloween Promise Tree bash at Max’s home in Newburyport. Our hosts, Max and Betsy V., greeted guests, all of whom were decked out in Halloween colors… and/or costumes. Spooky tablescapes and ghoulish decor met guests at the door, with numerous zombies, black cats, crows, and witches greeting everyone throughout the rooms.

After libation, nibbles, chitchat, and a stroll through the garden, our party-givers presented guests with a smorgasbord of ghostly delights for lunch and dessert. Quizes and prizes and much laughter filled the afternoon. Everyone had a hauntingly good time and much appreciation goes to Max and Betsy for planning the event. 

Friends:

                   

 

     

Food:


  

 

Fright:

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Congrats!:

Nancy B was the pleased winner of a surprise drawing at the September General Meeting. She went home with this very pretty sedum, after her name was drawn from the meeting attendees. The board will be holding other drawings at General Meetings  — be sure to look for them at the Membership table.

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Mini-Grant Followup:

EAGC received the following thank you email and photo from  one of the volunteer gardeners who tends to the beds in Swasey Parkway. She and her fellow volunteers were awarded one of our Beautification Mini Grants this past spring.

Bjarni Brown wrote:
Hello,
I just wanted to update the EAGC about our use of the 2017 mini-grant we were awarded.

4 Swasey Parkway volunteers met this morning (Oct. 29) to plant $200 worth of bulbs at 3 different locations on Swasey Parkway in Exeter. We planted various tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, scilla and crocus at the Entrance Garden, pavilion and “the rock.” I have attached a picture of Lilly Moran, of Exeter, who helped out. She was working to fulfill her Community Service hours through her 6th grade at CMS. Also in the picture are Susan Moran (volunteer) and Mark Damsell, Swasey Parkway Trustee.

Once again, thank you very much for awarding us this grant. Swasey Parkway will have beautiful spring bulbs for all to enjoy this coming spring!
Best,
Bjarni Brown                                           

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New to The Website:

The minutes of EAGC’s Board and General Meetings will be posted each month on a new website page titled “Meeting Minutes”. This page can be found under “Members Only” on the site. To see the minutes from the most recent meetings, click here.

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A Reminder:

If you know of a member who would enjoy receiving a card from our club — get-well, sympathy, encouragement — please contact Florence W, our Corresponding Secretary, and Florence will send the appropriate card. You can find her contact info on the website under “Members Only” or in your Yearbook.

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If you’re having any problems with the links on this post, or have any other website-related questions or issues, don’t hesitate to contact me. That’s why I’m here!

LuAnn