Tag Archive | community service

October Happenings

Oct6

We know Fall has arrived when our Awards committee presents EAGC’s annual awards for Outstanding Gardens. This year, our Awards ceremony was moved up a month to September, allowing members more time to look over the gardens of our recipients before a fall frost arrives. A slideshow of the spectacular winning gardens was presented by Carmen G. & new Awards chair, Ginelle H., reflecting three very different gardens – all beautiful in their own way. The winning gardeners or a representative were present at the meeting to receive their awards and answer member questions about their gardening techniques and experiences.

Lisa & Greg Wenger, Exeter
Martha & Ken Kiper, Newfields (award accepted by daughter Brittany Drew)
Barry Brewster, Exeter

For photos of these three Outstanding Gardens, click here.

This September kickoff meeting was well-attended, with members exchanging summer garden information and learning about what the club has in store for this 2024-25 season. New Yearbooks were distributed (if you missed the meeting, pick yours up at the October meeting) and there were plenty of sign-up sheets for Yuletide Fair workshops. The sales table had a good selection of donations and members were encouraged to hang a leaf on the Promise Tree – some fun activity that will bring us together, an opportunity to get better acquainted. And of course, the refreshment table – always mouth-watering.

Bird’s eye view of refreshments

Thanks to Carmen G. Ann H. and Nickky J. for the photos. (And to the drone that took a photo of the refreshment table!)

Club News

  • The October 17th meeting will be a busy one. Environment & Conservation will be presenting a slideshow of the Beautification Mini-Grant recipients for 2024. Civic Beautification will show us some slides of the gardens our club maintains. The NH Federation of Garden Clubs will introduce their organization and take questions.
  • This will all be followed by Patti E. who has arranged a Seed Swap. Please bring baggies or small envelopes for the seeds you would like to try – and a marker. If you are providing seeds, be sure to label them so that members can copy when they take SOME of your seeds.
  • Following all this, there is time for committees to meet and brainstorm about their year, as we have the room till 1pm.
  • Please bring your checkbook to the October meeting, as we will be doing sign-ups for the December 5th Holiday Luncheon, at the Wentworth Country Club, Rye, from 11:30 to 2. Our headcount and food choices must be submitted to the country club before our November meeting, so sign up now. If you’re unable to come to the October meeting, contact Paige C. to sign up and choose your entree.
  • Mark your calendars for our Election Day Bake Sale – on Nov. 5, from 7 a.m. to noon at the Exeter polls. We are coordinating drop-off locations on Monday, Nov. 4th for your baked goods. A sign-up sheet will be available at the October meeting for help at the sales table on the 5th. Johann S. will be providing more details.
  • Reminder: Lee C. and Ellen J. are holding a Holiday Gnome Workshop on Thursday, October 10 from 10-12 at the Wiggin Memorial Library in Stratham.
  • The Design Committee is planning an Instructional Greens Workshop for Thursday, Dec. 12. More info will be available at the October and November meetings.
  • Mark your calendars: we will be holding our annual Yuletide Fair Workshop on Nov. 22, in preparation for the Fair on Nov. 23rd.

Lynda B.’s Fall Photos

Hollyhocks at community garden at Wagon Hill, Durham
Award winner proudly displaying his sign
Pumpkins in Portsmouth
Portulaca and pumpkin on my balcony
Roses in Exeter

October Happenings

Nov7

November has launched with a flurry of activity for EAGC members. We’ve been tidying up our community service gardens, planning for our Holiday Luncheon, attending workshops for the Yuletide fair, and best of all, welcoming new members to our busy club. But first, let’s recap our October general meeting.

Our Awards Committee, chaired by Carmen G., took center stage in presenting EAGC’s annual Outstanding Garden Awards. This year, three awards were presented – Outstanding Residential Garden, Outstanding Commercial Garden, and the new Lifetime Achievement Award. After visiting a number of beautiful gardens, the committee chose these three as the most impressive.

Outstanding Residential Garden: Elizabeth Niebling, Exeter. Her gardens are a wonderful example of all that can be accomplished on a modestly-sized town property.

Outstanding Commercial Garden: Inn by the Bandstand, Robin Davis (partner of Jamie Lopez, owner of Inn at the Bandstand). The Inn’s location at the center of Exeter near the bandstand is the perfect location for a front garden and planters that help beautify the historic downtown.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Jack Fermery of Hampton Falls received the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award for his many years of dedicated care and maintenance. A photo of a bit of his beautiful gardens show why he earned this award.

Award Recipients Jack Fermery, Elizabeth Niebling, Robin Davis, and EAGC member Judy Roberts

Carol C., a member of our Horticulture committee, provided a detailed Hort Moment for attendees that focused on the plant, bay laurel. Her presentation, including posters and plant cuttings, covered all aspects of this useful plant. A transcription of her program can be found in Hort Tips on the website.

Carol C.’s Bay Laurel Presentation

At our November 16 General meeting we will host Betty Sanders, a Massachusetts Lifetime Master Gardener, a former District Director for the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, and an accredited Flower Show Judge. Her talks share her knowledge and experiences on a diverse set of topics. She will be sharing the following talk:
Going Native: Low Maintenance Trees and Shrubs — Native trees and shrubs evolved in New England without our help. They have adapted to hot, dry summers and cold winters, to browsing deer, and local insects. The flowers and fruit they produce attract birds and butterflies, and along with their foliage add color to your landscape. Nativars—the cultivars of native plants—have expanded the color palette and options for the homeowner.

While at the meeting, don’t forget to sign up for the Holiday Luncheon, which will be on Thursday, December 7th, 11:30 a.m. at the Wentworth by the Sea Country Club. You must sign up no later than Nov. 23rd to attend.

Yuletide Fair Committees at Work Club members have been attending workshops, organized by Lee C. & Johann S., to prepare sale items for the Nov. 18th Yuletide Fair in Stratham. Many projects have been completed, with impressive results, but our biggest preparation effort will be the workshop held on Friday, Nov. 17 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Stratham Municipal Center. We’ll be working on fresh arrangements, gourd decorating, and finishing up the amaryllis containers for sale. Here are Yuletide committees at work and a preview of some of the completed sale items talented members have created:

With Veterans Day soon upon us, Linda S. and her Beautification committee spent a few hours this week tidying up the Stratham Memorial Veterans Garden for the upcoming ceremony. Spent plants were pulled, leaves were raked away, and grasses were trimmed. Applecrest Orchards in Hampton Falls donated their remaining mums for our use, adding some color to the garden.

The cleanup crew

And lastly…

Lynda B. took some time during her walks in Exeter (and on Star Island) to document some of the summer’s highlights and has shared them with us.

October Happenings

Nov10

As we busily gear up for our debut appearance at the Yuletide Fair on November 19, let’s take a look at what’s been going on for the past month. The Awards Committee, under Mary Jo C.’s expert leadership, provided an impressive program for the October general meeting. We were fortunate that a number of award recipients were present to accept their awards and discuss their gardens.

The award for Outstanding Civic Garden was presented to Eric Chinburg, President and CEO of Chinburg Properties, Chestnut Street Apartments in Exeter (Accepting the award on his behalf was Lexi Jackson, property manager of Chestnut St. Apts.) Also receiving the award were Barbara H. Beardsley, designer and lead gardener of the sustainable meadow at the Chestnut St. Apts. and Ann Smith, the assistant gardener. The Outstanding Residential Garden Award was presented jointly to Sherri and Kim Brown, 12 Brown Rd. in Hampton Falls.

Ann Smith (L) and Lexi Jackson (R) with Awards Committee members Lynda B & Jann B
Sherri & Kim Brown, Ann Smith & Lexi Jackson
Back: Committe members Lynda B., Patti S., Dianna T., Mary Jo C., Anne C., Jann B. Front: Sherri & Kim Brown, Ann Smith, Lexi Jackson

Photos of the Brown’s lovely gardens:

The “Meadow of Hope” at the Chestnut St. Apartments:

The Hort Table at the October meeting held a surprisingly colorful selection of garden cuttings for this time of year. Committee chair, Ann H. would like to thank the members who shared horticulture from their gardens at the meeting. With variable weather becoming our new normal, it was good to see what fall plants were flourishing in spite of the dry conditions in our New Hampshire Seacoast.

Paige C.’s Monkshood didn’t make it to the Hort table

Other highlights from the October meeting:

EAGC’s newest member?
Promise Tree offerings

Our November General Meeting, on Nov. 17th, will feature speakers whose previous presentation was cancelled due to Covid precautions. Jana Milbocker & Joan Butler from Enchanted Gardens in Massachusetts will speak on “Artists’ Gardens in New England.” Some of our most beloved painters, sculptors and authors were inspired by the gardens they created. Visit the private havens of Edith Wharton, Julian Alden Weir, Childe Hassam, Daniel Chester French, Emily Dickinson, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Celia Thaxter and others. Learn about the gardens’ histories, design and horticultural highlights in this richly illustrated presentation.

Making for a busy week, our general meeting will be followed the very next day by our Yuletide Fair workshop, at the Stratham Municipal Center, from 1 to 5 PM. Expect amazing creativity to happen as we assemble floral arrangements for the fair. This will be a fun and productive event. If you haven’t signed up yet, check with Ann H. or Lee C. to get the details. And then bright and early the following day, Nov. 19, members will be transporting our creations to the Cooperative Middle School in Stratham for the fair, which starts at 9 AM. Volunteers have been recruited for our sales table, set-up, and clean-up. A large crowd typically shops at this fair, so we’re anticipating a successful (and probably exhausting) day.

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.

 

 

 

 

 

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.”