SUMMER 2011 VOLUME XIV No. 1

Transcription

1 Lilac Letter New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. Member National Garden Clubs, Inc. SUMMER 2011 VOLUME XIV No. 1 Hello Everyone! PRESIDENT S MESSAGE First things first, a very BIG THANK YOU to Wanda Desaulniers and all the clubs of District IV, for a wonderful, beautiful and very fun Annual Meeting/Installation. As most of you know, the very next day found me on a plane with our new New England District Director, headed to the National Garden Clubs, Inc. Annual Conference in Washington, DC. It was a very exciting and fun thing, with lots of work in between. I was awarded a National Garden Clubs Life Membership the very first night. The speaker for the Life Member installation meeting was former White House Chef, Walter Scheib. Chef Scheib was very entertaining and informative. He had several anecdotes of his years as Head Chef during the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations. The food prepared was exquisite! The speaker at the Design Banquet on Friday was Nancy Clarke, former White House Chief Designer. We saw many slides and photos of the White House decorated for the seasons. Saturday was the Awards Banquet. New Hampshire did VERY well with both awards and monetary rewards! Sunday s Installation Banquet was quite elegant. The new National Garden President, Shirley Nicolai was installed as was our New England Director, Joyce Kimball. Since I have returned, I have been gathering information for the upcoming season of NHFGC. I will be installing officers at Old Homestead Garden Club s Annual Meeting on the 8 th of June. We have a very different and fun Fall Conference scheduled for September 28 th at the Urban Forestry Center in Portsmouth. I encourage all to attend. This will be a very casual meeting. We will be having soup and bread for lunch along with muffins and coffee in the morning and yummy desserts. Because this is a state venue, we need to sell any raffle tickets before the event. Please see the registration form in the Lilac Letter and on the web site. My theme for is EVERY Day is Earth Day. Let s live it and teach it to our children and our Neighbors! Ciao, Ginny Meet our New President, Ginny Urdi. Welcome and good luck! Note from the Editor: The Fall 2011 edition of the Lilac Letter will be published in August. Please submit articles and photos by the deadline (August 7). Articles from clubs should contain around 150 words, be single-spaced (double space between paras.) and prepared in Times New Roman Font, 10 pitch in a text format (i.e., Microsoft Word or rich text format (rtf). Photos may be embedded in the text or submitted as an individual.jpg or.bmp file. Pdf files cannot be accepted. When submitting items, please ensure Lilac Letter appears in the subject line of your to avoid classification as spam. Advertisements should be submitted in.jpg format. Lilac Letter P. 1 Summer 2011

2 NHFGC New Life Members Pat Mulone NEW HAMPSHIRE NEWS As Life Membership Chair, what a thrill to announce six new Life Members at our Annual Meeting held at The Granite Rose recently. They are: Michelle Mensinger from the Derry Garden Club Jean Walker from the Goffstown Community Garden Club Sandy Gove from the Opechee Garden Club Carmel Lancia from the Opechee Garden Club Carolyn Temmallo from the Opechee Garden Club Helen Shaw from the Old Homestead Garden Club 2011 NHFGC Awards Presented at the 78 th Annual Meeting Virginia Urdi Awards previously given: Colprit Award $200 award, given annually to a member of Future Farmers of America. This year's award was presented to Raymond Deserve of Dalton, NH. Scholarships: Four NHFGC Scholarships were awarded to the following UNH students: Jean Thompson Scholarship $1,000 Lindsay A. Green Lindsay, a graduate student with a 4.0 GPA, working toward a PhD. in Plant Biology. Karl and Alice Jorda Scholarship $500 Amanda Adams Amanda is from Chichester and is a Junior with a 3.91 GPA. She is a Wildlife and Conservation Biology major. She hopes to use the money from the scholarship to take advantage of an Eco-program in New Zealand which is run by UNH. NHFGC Scholarship $500 Mackenzie McNamara Mac is a Sophomore in the 4 year program at UNH. He is a member of the UNH Organic Garden Club. His interests lie in Horticulture and he hopes to spread the word to the next generation. NHFGC Scholarship $500 Elizabeth Murphy Elizabeth is a freshman in the 2 year program. She currently has a 3.72 GPA. Her goal is to earn an Associate s degree in Ornamental Horticulture and to go on to earn a degree in Business. She hopes one day to work in the horticulture field and perhaps own her own business. Silver Seal Citations Kirby Bickford Keeper of the Learning Garden Ashland Garden Club Anne Anderson Sue Tucker Mike Didio, School Counselor Daisy Bronson Middle School Eleanor Morrison Deborah Bean Suzanne Perley Derry Garden Club Goffstown Garden Club Nominated by Littleton GC New Hampton Garden Club Old Homestead Garden Club Opechee Garden Club Scrapbooks 1 st Place Small Club Fremont Garden Club Lilac Letter P. 2 Summer 2011

3 Awards (Scrapbooks) continued 1 st Place Medium Club Fitzwilliam Garden Club 2 nd Place Medium Club Bow Garden Club 3rd Place Medium Club} Atkinson Garden Club New Hampton Garden Club 1 st Place Medium Large Club Ashland Garden Club 2 nd Place Medium Large Club Windham Garden Club 3 rd Place Medium Large Club Old Homestead Garden Club 1 st Place Extra Large Club Mountain Garden Club 2 nd Place Extra Large Club Opechee Garden Club Yearbooks 1 st Place Small Club Hooksett Garden Club 1 st Place Medium Club Bow Garden Club 2 nd Place Medium Club Atkinson Garden Club 3 rd Place Medium Club Hampstead Garden Club 1 st Place Medium Large Club Ashland Garden Club 2 nd Place Medium Large Club Derry Garden Club 3 rd Place Medium Large Old Homestead Garden Club 1 st Place Extra Large Mountain Garden Club Special Awards The Governor s Bowl The Diane McMillen Bowl The President s District Bowl Community Star Award Old Homestead Garden Club Hooksett Garden Club District III Derry Rotary Club Nominated by Derry Garden Club Special Presidential Citations District IV for fundraiser for the NHFGC Operating Fund Blanche Garone and Derry GC for the youth vegetable garden at the Derry Boys and Girls Club Mountain GC for their outstanding Strategic Planning and Operations Guide Old Homestead GC for the multi-year landscaping project at the Keene Public Library Windham GC for Salute to Veterans fundraiser for Memorial Garden for the Families of the Fallen Sylvia Swartz for editing the Lilac Letter long distance Eleanor Morrison for all the roles she plays for NHFGC Audrey Kincaid for chairing the Nurture the Earth Girl Scout event Patricia Mulone Purple Finch Award for her outstanding service to NHFGC over many years Kudos to ALL award winners! NEW ENGLAND REGION, Joyce Kimball, Director Theme: Observe, Conserve and Preserve the Beauty All Around You Regional Project: Plan Before You Plant Website: My theme is taken in part from an ancient Navajo prayer I came across several years ago. This was also my theme as NHFGC President ( ) and I simply could not find one I preferred more. I turned to my dictionary for help in relaying to you what I personally derived from these words: Lilac Letter P. 3 Summer 2011

4 New England Region continued Observe: To notice; perceive. Do we really notice and then perceive or become aware of directly through the senses the beauty that is all around us? Not enough I fear, in these busy times. I hope that we will all try just a little harder over the next two years to fully observe and appreciate all of nature s wonderful gifts to us. Conserve: To protect from loss or depletion; to use carefully, avoiding waste. We are continually striving to protect our open lands and watersheds and we have made great strides in educating the public in addition to ourselves as to the importance of conserving our natural resources; we have become much better at limiting our daily usage of water and electricity in our homes, recycling and through a variety of other methodologies, all in the name of conservation. Our environmental chairmen will be working diligently during my administration providing our state garden clubs with information and sound ideas promoting conservation to pass on to their member clubs. Please utilize this natural resource. Preserve: To keep safe; to maintain unchanged. The preservation of our New England Region historic gardens, for instance, is very important but what is perhaps more important overall to keep safe and to maintain relatively unchanged is the networking so enjoyed within our local garden clubs, districts, state federations and regions. As garden club members, we obviously have many common interests, although geographically there are considerable differences between our states; size, climate and available natural resources for example. Some of us live where there are mountains, others oceans and still others are blessed with both; however we are all devoted garden club members who believe in perpetuating and preserving the basics of our national organization: NGC Mission Statement: National Garden Clubs, Inc. provides education, resources and national networking opportunities for its members to promote the love of gardening, floral design, civic and environmental responsibility. As we move through our term, let us take the time to observe the beauty all around us, to work at conserving this wonder for those who follow and finally, to preserve our collective mission and thus, our future NGC President, Shirley Nicolai s Special Projects for Plantings for Public and Special Places Betsy L. Steele, Coordinator (betsysteele@truvista.net) Suggestions: Gardens with Edibles Patricia Rupiper, Chairman (arupiper@bright.net) Container Gardens Susan Robinson, Chairman (rerob@mac.com) Trees and Shrubs Lissa Williams, Chairman (erw510@aol.com) Protecting Aquatic Ecosystems Mary Sue Colvin, Chairman (jhcolvin2@bellsouth.net Photo Archiving of Accomplishments Robin Pokorski, Chairman (robinp@juno.com) Please visit for projects details. Let s be visible!! NHFGC Chairman for these projects is Leandra MacDonald (leandra49@myfairpoint.net) Lilac Letter P. 4 Summer 2011

5 HAMPSHIRE NEWS - continued Nurture the Earth Diane McMillen The New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs has had the great pleasure of planning and presenting a one day event with the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. Nurture the Earth, held at Camp Kettleford on May 21 offered Junior Girl Scouts and Junior Garden Club members an opportunity to participate in experiential learning activities that allowed them to learn about five different areas of interest. Nearly 100 participants were greeted by Smokey Bear who was accompanied by a Forest Ranger and NHFGC s Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl Poster Contest Chairman, Fern Doucette, from the Ashland Garden Club. Smokey talked about the importance of preventing wildfires and the poster chairman introduced the NGC poster contest to the participants. We hope that many of the scouts will enter the contest this next year. After the opening ceremony, scouts were divided into five groups and participated round-robin style in the five program segments: Native versus Invasive Plants were discussed with a walk through the woods and a search for native plants. Audrey Kincaid of the Goffstown Community Garden Club and Diane McMillen of the Atkinson Garden Club showed examples of the Bully plants (invasives) and encouraged the campers to eliminate them wherever they grow. Endangered Species were introduced through a game involving the identification of these species led by Michelle Mensinger of the Derry Garden Club. Emphasis was given to the plants and animals that are threatened or endangered in NH. Planting a Vegetable Garden was led by Margaret Hagen, Coordinator for the Master Gardener Program in NH. The kids laid out and planted a vegetable garden in a sunny area of the camp. Summer campers will continue to grow and harvest the vegetables. Cooking with Vegetables from the Garden was led by one of the summer camp cooks. Participants learned kitchen safety and also had fun making recipes that utilized the vegetables from the garden. Get the Word Out provided the campers with an opportunity to film and interview other groups as they learned about the various subjects. The completed films will be posted on the Council s Face Book page. NHFGC is pleased to have initiated this partnership with the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains and is especially happy with the overwhelming success of this event. We hope to continue to work with the Council on other programs of mutual interest. Advisory Board Meeting Sandy Gove, Meeting Chairman The NHFGC is indeed fortunate to count so many remarkable garden clubs in its membership. Seven of these clubs were invited to brag a bit at the Advisory Board Meeting, April 27 th. They showcased their special projects and successes following a brief business meeting. With 14 clubs in attendance, the following clubs prepared displays and shared helpful information to hopefully inspire other clubs to consider new possibilities. Kudos to each of them! They make a significant difference in their communities, and their participation was greatly appreciated. Derry Garden Club, Presenter: Blanche Garone Beautify Blight Youth Garden Littleton Garden Club, Presenter: Lucy Magoon 73 Years of Community Gardening Mountain Garden Club Strategic Planning Process Presenter: Angel Williams, President New Hampton Garden Club, Presenter: Priscilla Toshack Rejuvenation of the Korean-Vietnam Memorial Garden Old Homestead Garden Club Garden Therapy Presenter: Marcia Esche, President Opechee Garden Club- Homes for Holidays House Tour Presenters: Carmel Lancia, President & Carolyn Temmallo Windham Garden Club, Presenter: Beatrice Heinze, President Fundraising for Dover, Delaware Memorial Gardens Special thanks to the Executive Board who ensured the morning got off to a great start with a variety of tempting goodies, and to Ginny Grand Prè, Ways & Means Chair, who previewed the new and varied items available for members to purchase at the Annual Meeting. Lilac Letter P. 5 Summer 2011

6 NEW HAMPSHIRE NEWS - continued 2012 VISION OF BEAUTY CALENDAR The New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs will be placing an order for the new Vision of Beauty Calendar If your club wishes to place an order with NHFGC, at a significant saving, please fill out the order form at the bottom of this page and return it to the NHFGC Assistant Treasurer, Nancy Barrett. The Vision of Beauty Calendar is a 5 1 / 2 x 8 1 / 2 desk calendar created annually by National Garden Clubs, Inc. It contains full-page color pictures of floral designs. The deadline for orders is July 15! ORDER NOW! Send to: Nancy Barrett, NHFGC Assistant Treasurer 41 Goffstown Road, Hooksett, NH Tel: tommy03106@comcast.net Please order Vision of Beauty $6 each (subject to change), for the Garden Club. Contact Person: Address: Lilac Letter Official publication of the New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. Virginia M. Urdi, President National Garden Clubs, Inc. Shirley Nicolai, President New England Region Joyce Kimball, Director The Lilac Letter is published the first week of April, July, September, and November. Deadlines for submission of articles for publication are the 7th of March, June, August, and October. Editor: Sylvia Swartz 4030 SW 9 th Place, Cape Coral, FL Tel LLeditor@nhfgc.org Circulation Manager: Eleanor Morrison Advertising rates One seasonal issue Full year 4 issues Full page $100 $300 Half page $60 $200 Quarter page $40 $150 Page inch $20 $72 Lilac Letter P. 6 Summer 2011

7 A TASTE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE S UNDISCOVERED TREES TUCKED WITHIN OUR ONLY SEAPORT IN PORTSMOUTH, NH GIVE TRIBUTE TO THE WORLDS TALLEST PLANTS THE MIGHTY TREES! New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. 77 th FALL CONFERENCE Wednesday, September 28, 2011 URBAN FORESTRY CENTER 45 ELWYN RD, PORTSMOUTH, NH PRESERVED ACRES MANAGED BY NH STATE AGENCY WITH MARSH, WOODLAND AND FIELDS. 9:00 am Registration & Coffee 9:30 am Business Meeting 10:30 am Workshops/Social time Noon Soup and Bread Luncheon 1:00 pm Program with John Parry 3:00 pm Approximate conclusion of Festivities Program JOHN PARRY URBAN FOREST SPECIALIST WITH U.S. FOREST SERVICE RAFFLE TICKETS WILL BE PRE-SOLD AT 6 FOR $5.00 AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED WITH YOUR REGISTRATION MEETING REGISTRATION FORM Registration due by September 15th, 2011 MORNING COFFEE, LUNCH AND DESSERT INCLUDED ONLY $10.00.ALL PROCEEDS GO TO NHFGC PROJECTS! ENJOY HOMEMADE SOUPS AND DESSERTS BRING YOUR MUFFIN TIN TO SAMPLE ALL OF THE DELICIOUS OFFERINGS! Please register as a club thru your Treasurer making your check payable to your club. If you need to register individually, make check payable to NHFGC, Inc. Thank you! Mail to: Catherine Persson P.O. Box 512, Hampstead, NH NAME: CLUB: PHONE: Special Food Needs: Lilac Letter P. 7 Summer 2011

8 Curious Cat Cat White FEATURES In the chill and damp of this peculiar-even-for-nh spring I live for my greenhouse. It s a small shed with a steep roof, mostly glass on the sunny side. There is a 3 and a half foot wide by 12 foot long table covered with three heating mats. This arrangement feeds the heat directly into the trays of soil and greatly accelerates the sprouting of seeds. I spend hours there puttering and potting, repotting, transplanting sometimes I just sit in the sun recharging my solar powered self. In this I am joined enthusiastically by Autumn, the small orange cat. Each morning I carry a bucket of hot water out to the greenhouse to be mixed with the bucket of cold water sitting there. This tempers the water so that I don t shock delicate seedlings and discourage them. The second trip from the house transports Autumn. She travels snugged up in my shirt or sweater. I tuck the tail of the shirt into my belt and she travels securely to and from the greenhouse in a pouch like a kangaroo s joey with only her head poking out. This keeps the cold air from shocking her delicate self. Summer, the wooly Shepherd, frisks around us, but still has so much coat that she finds even the mildly elevated temperature of the greenhouse floor oppressive. She seeks out the last decaying snow drifts until they are gone. In the greenhouse Autumn perches on the potting bench or a tiny corner of heated growing table, all of her energy focused on her prey, the empty seed packets. I put bits of things, sometimes kibble, in the emptied packets so they will rattle and entertain her. After a suitable period of hunting she will collect them and hide them behind stored snow shovels or inside an empty pot. Once that game is done she will lounge in the sun watching me messing about in the dirt. If mice have nested in pots over the winter they flee; wisely choosing not to become a new game. The new plants, unmolested by mice, grow quickly making the most of the spring sun. Autumn watches through the glass as I take trays of greenery out to the cold frames. She will stretch, flexing her toes in the space vacated on the growing table. Her luxury is short lived as new trays will be started until the end of May. Once the weather has warmed, the plants, the cat and I will abandon the greenhouse. Does she miss our trips? I don t think so. Now she has an open window onto a screened porch where she studies a whole new world and plays with water endlessly dripping from a bamboo pipe, moved from spring hopefulness to summer idyll. Tracey Burhoe Ashland Garden Club CLUB NEWS The Ashland Garden Club would like to invite you to Lunch in a Summer Garden A Progressive Lunch and Garden Tour On Sunday, July 17 (rain date July 24) the Ashland Garden Club will be offering a lunch, with everything from appetizers to dessert, all enjoyed in four area gardens. Each course will be offered in a different garden with a focus on real home gardens where plantings are maintained by homeowners who have busy lives, but enjoy doing their own digging, planting, and pruning. The gardens are all located within five miles of downtown Ashland. You may begin the tour any time between 11:30 am 1:30 pm. Tickets are $20.00 and include the garden tour and a delicious lunch made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. For more information and tickets call Fern Doucette at or Tracey Burhoe at One of the beautiful gardens on the tour - not to be missed! Derry Garden Club Pat Mulone The Derry Garden Club had a very successful Annual Plant Sale recently. The day was bright and sunny and everyone came out to the sale. Also the Derry Garden Club along with the other Clubs of District IV hosted the 78th Annual Meeting at The Granite Rose. The program "Spring Ahead" by Bert Ford of Ford Flowers was outstanding and everyone enjoyed his presentation. We would like to thank our District IV Director, Wanda Desaulniers, for all her hard work in putting this meeting together. The day was enjoyed by more than 125 in attendance. Lilac Letter P. 8 Summer 2011

9 CLUB NEWS continued ATKINSON GARDEN CLUB Jeanne Vickery We have experienced a whirlwind of spring/summer activities, ranging from the practical to the sublime! We proudly announce our new website with Brian Finn, husband of member Marnie Finn, as web master. In addition, we have finally broken the gender barrier and welcome a very active Men s Garden Group within our club. They have already sponsored their first public meeting, featuring Frank Wolfe from Lake Street Garden Center. Our Petals and Palettes flower and art show, co-chaired by Nina Gray and Leann Moccia was a huge success, with Hedi Shikes receiving the People s Choice Award. Joanne Krause s remarkable talent and floral designs were featured at both the Boston Flower Show and Manchester s Petals to Paint. Cindy Knight and Linda Jette were responsible for our outstanding creative design featured at the MFA s Art in Bloom. Lilac Letter P. 9 Summer 2011

10 Atkinson continued Jim Parks from Wingmasters presented an engaging program on birds of prey in April and Norman Russell introduced us to the wonders of mushrooms in our June meeting. Meanwhile, Mary Birdsall and Nina Gray coordinated all our efforts in cleaning up winter s debris and planting and reviving our gardens, pots and planters in Atkinson s common areas. Mary is again providing assistance to our local Girl Scout s successful gardening efforts. Catherine Persson and committee members hosted a successful plant sale as well as creating a spectacular float which dazzled in our Memorial Day parade. And along with Sheri Turell and Janet Snowdon s efforts, our May Garden of the Month was chosen. Also, our Yearbook, Scrapbook and Pressbook received awards at the Annual Meeting. Lastly, to celebrate National Garden Week, 3 local gardens were featured and opened to the public for evening garden walks. Armed with pruners and shovels for spring cleaning are Dorothy Cole, Judy Sirois, Catherine Persson, Kay Galloway and Janet Snowdon. Littleton Garden Club Betsy Fraser During this quarter, the Littleton Garden Club selected two students who the club will sponsor to attend New Hampshire s Barry Conservation Camp. The Club s April meeting featured Erika Krauss, of Two Sisters Gardening and Landscaping, an organic landscaping business. Everyone learned design concepts that can be applied to new or existing gardens and landscapes. Our June meeting on NH Wildflowers focused on methods of wildflower identification and the many photos gave members the feeling that they were taking a wildflower walk through fields and forest edges. Also in June, Club members are taking a road trip to visit Cady s Falls Nursery and New Leaf Design in Vermont. These unique nurseries have beautiful gardens and feature plants for northern gardens. Cady s Falls Nursery propagates distinctive plants including ladyslippers, which should be in peak bloom during our visit. NEW LONDON ANTIQUE SHOW Sally Bergquist Dealers from all over New England will be gathering in New London on Saturday, July 23, for the New London Garden Club s Annual Antique Show. Held under tents on the town green, the show is a major annual attraction for local people and visitors alike. Garden Club members have been working for months in preparation for this event which is the Club s chief fund raiser. Open from 9 am to 4 pm, there is an early bird admission at 8 am with coffee and doughnuts. Lunch will be served from 11 am to 2 pm and consists of homemade salads, gazpacho, sandwiches, and desserts. A Garden Club table will feature plants, cut flowers from members gardens, and arrangements. Everything from large pieces of antique furniture to small collectibles will be on sale. Glassware, linens, estate jewelry, paintings and prints, silver, ceramics, pottery, and garden ornaments will be among the many articles on display. This is New London Garden Club s 45th antique show. The show is held rain or shine and is fully equipped for a less than wonderful weather day. Lilac Letter P. 10 Summer 2011

11 Old Homestead Garden Club Marcia Esche, President It has been my honor to preside over the Old Homestead Garden Club for the past two years. Our members are so creative, enthusiastic, and involved that my job has been a LOT easier! Our annual plant, bake, and craft sale will be held this coming Saturday, June 4, at the gazebo in Swanzey. Our members will provide many of the plants and home-made goodies for this endeavor. We will complete this year of A Rainbow in My Garden with our June meeting, featuring Maureen Christmas, demonstrating a Rainbow of Designs. We are also delighted to have our new NHFGC President, Ginny Urdi, as our guest, and are so pleased that she will do the installation of new officers. Our club will be presenting $1000 scholarships to graduating seniors in 2 local high schools in June. These students are selected from numerous applicants who are pursuing a career related to horticulture. Enjoy the summer, and I hope you find a Rainbow in Your Garden! Opechee Garden Club Sandy Gove Bill Graham s Little Black Dress highlighted a successful evening event in April open to the public. Members have diligently prepared various community gardens despite the rains, and spring programs included Fung Shui for the Entrance, Michelle Mensinger s floral arranging workshop, and the annual luncheon meeting celebrating another rewarding year. Suzanne Perley's floral interpretation of a Chinese etching in Opechee's Art n Bloom held at Gilford Library in April The 15 th self-guided Garden Tour, Gardening for All Ages, on July 16, 9 AM 3 PM, includes six unique gardens in the heart of the Lakes Region, two lakeside, and one mountain top boasting a spectacular vista, each featuring table settings with floral arrangements. Special guest, Greg Moonie, Advanced Master Gardener and Lecturer, Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens, Stamford, CT., will be available for gardening questions. Denise Ortakales, author/illustrator of children s books, will demonstrate her techniques at a children s garden. Tickets at $20.00, include luncheon, and can be ordered in advance by contacting: or opecheegardenclub@yahoo.com. Purchase tickets day of tour only at the Gilford Community Church, Potter Hill Rd., Gilford Village, or at the Laconia Library, 695 Main Street, Laconia. Peterborough Garden Club Marcia Osborn On Saturday, May 14, the Peterborough Garden Club held its Plant Sale and Swap. This annual event is justly popular and always well attended and this year proved to be no exception. It s an occasion to pick up exciting new plants as well as heirlooms and to share a wealth of gardening know-how with more experienced hands. The stars of the show were more than 50 hypertufa containers of various sizes pots, basins and troughs made by members. These hypertufa creations were filled with herbs or annuals while others were ready to be planted up by their new owners. Proceeds from the Plant sale are earmarked for scholarships to the "Wol s Nest", a children s summer day camp run by The Harris Center for Conservation Education in nearby Hancock and for scholarships awarded to graduating seniors at Conval High School who have a particular interest in horticulture and environmental studies; two more ways in which the Peterborough Garden Club contributes to the community. Windham Garden Club Beatrice Heinze Our May Plant Sale was held on a sunny Saturday following a week of rain. We sold more than 3,500 plants, with the remainder donated to the Manchester Animal Shelter fundraiser. Our Raffle Grand Prize, a handmade floral quilt by Jill Martin, was won by Ellen Davis. Ellen Davis wins WGC Raffle Quilt handcrafted by Jill Martin Lilac Letter P. 11 Summer 2011

12 Windham Garden Club continued WGC was represented at Art In Bloom by Jerry Parsons and Rosemary Pothier; at Petals to Paint by Gail Salcito and Robin Heider; and at Pallets and Petals by Bea Heinze. WGC Conservation sent 12 helpers to Earth Day Cleanup in Windham. Three of our five Civic Gardens were planted before Memorial Day. Our Meeting Speaker in April was Dr. Nicole Saad, whose program was Do You Know Where Your Food Comes From. May was Craft Nature Printing with Joan Szoke. We helped District IV host the NHFGC Annual Meeting at The Granite Rose in Hampstead, supplying the centerpieces, the raffles, and manning the Ways and Means table. CALENDAR OF EVENTS We look forward to seeing you! June 22 Bow Garden Club presents A Gathering at the Gazebo Art in the Park. Free and open to the public 5 8 PM at the town gazebo, 3 Bow Center Road, Bow. Light refreshments will be served July 9 July 16 July 23 Sept. 8 Sept. 28 Oct Oct Reception honoring newly-installed NHFGC President, Ginny Urdi, at the Gazebo in Bow, NH (corner of Bow Center and Knox Roads). Rain location: Old Town Hall, 91 Bow Center Road, Bow, NH Opechee Garden Club 15 th Annual Garden Tour, Gardening for All, Luncheon, Boutique and Raffle, Gardens for All Ages, 9 am to 3 p.m. Ticket details P. 19 New London Garden Club 5 th Annual Antique Show on the Green, New London, 9 am to 4 pm. Early Buying from 8 to 9 am. $20 admission. Luncheon 1 to 2 pm at the Garden Café. Ticket details P. 18 Good Things Come in Small Packages Petite Standard Flower Show, 1 to 4 pm, sponsored by the NHFGC Judges Council, White Rock Senior Living Community, Bow, NH NHFC Semi Annual Meeting Urban Forestry Center, Portsmouth, NH NER Meeting Chelmsford, MA NER Symposium, Chelmsford, MA Note from the Editor: The Fall 2011 edition of the Lilac Letter will be published in August. Please submit articles and photos by the deadline (August 7). Articles from clubs should contain around 150 words, be single-spaced (double space between paras.) and prepared in Times New Roman Font, 10 pitch in a text format (i.e., Microsoft Word or rich text format (rtf). Photos may be embedded in the text or submitted as an individual.jpg or.bmp file. Pdf files cannot be accepted. When submitting items, please ensure Lilac Letter appears in the subject line of your to avoid classification as spam. Advertisements should be submitted in.jpg format. Lilac Letter P. 12 Summer 2011