Newsletter Archives

  • September 2023 — Happy fall! Longtime member and auction coordinator extraordinaire Trish Lyons is our Service Award winner, and with good reason. Read all about her. Letter from the President’s Desk: Cheryl Marino talks about our future, both in our new meeting space and in leadership. A lot of firsts: Roy Diblik will kick off our new season of speakers with two talks in our new meeting space at Elmwood Community Center. Be sure to arrive in time for the 6:15 pm talk. More about that and Mr. Diblik on page 3. Check out the lineup and purchase your tickets for our 12th biennial Spring Symposium: Gardening Matters, Our Future is Growing. We’ve got some great photos to share from the many trips and events we offered this summer. Be one of the first to register for next March’s annual flower show trip to Philadelphia. This time it comes with two extra stops and lots of orchids!
  • October 2023 -Writer and CT Hort member Jody Morgan tells us all about how the Pringle Brothers settled in West Virginia, but started by living in a sycamore tree. It’s a great read! The bulb sale is on. Join us October 19 for our speaker, Robin Lensi on A Year in the Life of a Gardener(see page 3 for details), but get there early, about 6:30 pm, to buy some bulbs. Proceeds from the sale go to our scholarships, civic grants and speaker program. Check out the lineup and purchase your tickets for our 12th biennial Spring Symposium: Gardening Matters, Our Future is Growing. Read Tom Christopher’s wonderful nomination of this year’s Mehlquist Award winner, Jane Harris, who has spent years rebuilding the tree life in Middletown and beyond. Be one of the first to register for next March’s annual flower show trip to Philadelphia. This time it comes with two extra stops and lots of orchids. Doug Tallamy is the speaker on October 24 in part two of our free three-part series called “Nature’s Best Hope.” We are thrilled to be partnering with Avon Library on this incredible series. Registration through the Avon library is mandatory.
  • Winter – It’s our annual review of the best gardening books of 2023. In her letter, Past President Cheryl Marino expounds on just how amazing our volunteers are. Ian Caton presents Designing in Challenging Situations: Plants & Techniques that Deliver. We have a lot of new members to welcome on page 11, and don’t forget to register for next March’s annual flower show trip to Philadelphia. It comes with two extra stops and lots of orchids. We’re wrapping up our free three-part series called “Nature’s Best Hope” on November 14. with a panel about Doug Tallamy’s book of the same name. We’ve really enjoyed partnering with Avon Library on this incredible series. Registration through the Avon library is mandatory. October’s meeting with Robin Lensi was truly busy! Find out why on page 12.
  • January – Past President Cheryl Marino shares her thoughts on how you can use this indoor time to plan, prepare and volunteer for a fulfilling and happy spring season. We’ve all heard about community gardens and their ability to raise up a community. Learn how and why they are so successful in our informative panel-style format on Feb. 15 at 7 pm with Urban Gardens: Changing Lives with with Sheryll Durrant and Randell McShepard. Enjoy some photos from our latest workshop. We pay tribute to longtime CT Hort member and volunteer Robert “Bob” Shipman, who passed away last month. The CT Hort Cares Grant Program starts again this month, with our application process opening up on February 15.
  • February – We’re ready for the Symposium, which is only a few days away – this Saturday, February 3rd! Enjoy the newsletter, where we bring you a short glimpse into each of our speaker’s published works. Please register by 5pm Friday afternoon. Past President Cheryl Marino shares her thoughts on how you can use this indoor time to plan, prepare and volunteer for a fulfilling and happy spring season. We’ve all heard about community gardens and their ability to raise up a community. Learn how and why they are so successful in our informative panel-style format on Feb. 15 at 7 pm with Urban Gardens: Changing Lives with with Sheryll Durrant and Randell McShepard. Enjoy some photos from our latest workshop. We pay tribute to longtime CT Hort member and volunteer Robert “Bob” Shipman, who passed away last month. The CT Hort Cares Grant Program starts again this month, with our application process opening up on February 15.
  • September 2022  We’re pretty excited about fall and the new program year here at CT Hort. We’ve got an amazing lineup of speakers, starting with the incomparable David Culp on September 15. Did horticulture help further the process of constructing the U.S. Constitution? Jody Morgan fills us in. CT Hort President Cheryl Marino has a great plan for helping to sustain parks and gardens in Greater Hartford. Read all about the Farm to Flower Tour. Nancy DuBrule-Clemente gives us a peek. This year’s Mehlquist winner discusses her legacy. Learn more about a special holiday trip to Longwood Gardens this Christmas.
  • October 2022 – Check out Jody Morgan’s feature this month about Frederick Law Olmsted and his determination to save the big trees of Yosemite. We have spaces to fill on our leadership board. CT Hort President Cheryl Marino tells us all about it. It’s a two-for! Buy some bulbs at the annual sale to benefit our scholarship fund, and stay for Andrew Pighills’ discussion of “Stone in the Garden” on October 20. We profile our deserving service award winner. We’ve got a “save the date” for next year’s Philadelphia Flower Show. Help us welcome our new members.
  • Winter 2022 – Our 2022 review of gardening books includes 10 wonderful suggestions for you or your friends and family to enjoy. CT Hort President Cheryl Marino discusses her appreciation for bulbs and volunteers. Shrubs are booming, and are a lot more eclectic, according to our November 17 speaker, Lorraine Ballato. Learn more about her. We’ve got more info on next spring’s Philly Flower Show trip. 
  • January 2023 – Check out the annual Garden Trends Report from the Garden Media Group, one of the most published garden studies in trade and consumer news. You’ll see why technology, social media, Greece, and millennials are inspiring our gardening habits. CT Hort President Cheryl Marino reflects on what we accomplished in 2022. James Dillon continues our speaker series on January 19th with Designing with Native Plants, We’ve got some new trips to share with you through Friendship Tours. Learn how a donation to CT Hort may be able to benefit you, tax-wise.
  • February 2023 – You will love Jody Morgan’s fascinating article about George Washington’s forethought in planting native trees at Mount Vernon. CT Hort President Cheryl Marino gives us a sneak peek into some great events coming up. Deborah Chud continues our speaker series on February 19th with New Perennials: A Love Story (presented virtually on Zoom only). We’ve got some more information for you about the Spring Plant Sale & Auction scheduled for May 5. Learn how to graft dwarf conifers with Kevin Wilcox in a fascinating workshop.
  • March 2023  The CT Hort CARES Grant Program has launched—with an aim to support community activities that bolster the mission of our organization. Check out the application here. CT Hort President Cheryl Marino muses on an early spring and next year’s programs. Poppies, Peacocks and Parterres – Gardens of Scotland is our next presentation on March 16. We can’t wait to hear Nancy Stevens reveal some of the secrets of Scottish gardens! Learn how to graft dwarf conifers with Kevin Wilcox in a fascinating workshop this Saturday. Click here to register. Spend a week amongst the wildflowers and Rocky Mountains of Denver and more. We have a new trip to share with you on page 7.
  • April 2023 – Russ Cohen, our featured speaker this month, shares some information about one of his favorite native edibles, Shagbark Hickory nuts. He’ll be bringing some edibles to share at his talk, April 20 at Emanuel Synagogue. Join us! We’re looking forward to our Spring Plant Sale & Auction on May 5, and we have more information to share. Please come join in the fun. For additional information or questions please email [email protected]. There’s still time to submit an application for The CT Hort Cares Grant Program. Check out the application here. Friendship Tours has a really exciting new trip scheduled to Quebec’s Eastern Township Gardens. While the details aren’t in yet, you can email Barbara to be one of the first people to learn all about it. Spring brings events! We’ve got lots to share in our Hort Happenings section.
  • May 2023 –The CT Hort Plant Sale & Auction is this coming Friday! Be sure to join us. Details are on page 6. Our feature article is about the magnificent Hollister House Garden, lovingly written by their president and founder George Schoellkopf. Learn its history and how Mr. Schoellkopf slowly turned the space into the masterpiece it is today. Board President Cheryl Marino mourns the loss of Rudy Favretti, our longest-standing member, and a giant in the landscape architecture field. He’d been a member of CT Hort since 1954. Get ready for a great talk with Dr. Nick Goltz on May 18th, who will discuss “Healthy Plants, Indoor and Out.” We’re proud to have him on our Board of Directors, and hope that you’ll join us in person or on Zoom for his talk. Invite a friend, too! Know someone is a hard-working, unsung hero of CT Hort? Nominate them for the annual CT Hort Service Award. More information can be found on page 11.
  • June 2023 – We’re excited to announce the winners of the grants from our new CT Hort Cares grant program. Read about the organizations selected by the committee and what they plan to do with the grant money. President Cheryl Marino is looking forward to summer as much as we are. Read all about it. We’re excited to welcome Edwina von Gal as our final speaker for the 2022-2023 season of talks. Her talk, “Eye of the Beholder: Is It Messy, or an Acquired Taste?” is sure to inspire all of us to make some fun and environmental changes in our own gardens. Learn more about Ms. Von Gal on page 3. Our Plant Sale & Auction last month was a record-breaking success. Check it out on page 5. This summer, we’re co-hostingtwo daytime bus trips with Friendship Tours, featuring our favorite tour guide, Nancy DuBrule-Clemente! She’s going to take us through the gardens of Woodbury, CT one day, and the south coast of Massachusetts on another. Check out the details on page 7. And as a reminder, June 1 is the deadline to sign up for the trip to see Quebec’s Eastern Townships. Click here for more information on what promises to be an amazing trip. Our 2023-2024 speaker season is official! Check out the lineup on page 8. You may  notice an announcement about the fact that we are moving our meetings to the Elmwood Community Center starting in September. We’ll provide more information about that in the coming months.
  • Summer 2023 – Thomas Jefferson’s garden legacy is invaluable. Read about it in Jody Morgan’s account of just how and why the delicious summer vegetables we eat and love are due to his foresight and experimentation. Letter from the President’s Desk: Cheryl Marino talks about our future, both in our new meeting space and in leadership. A lot of firsts: Roy Diblik will kick off our new season of speakers with two talks in our new meeting space at Elmwood Community Center. Be sure to arrive in time for the 6:15 pm talk. More about that and Mr. Diblik on page 3. We’ve got some info on the Perennial of the Year, as well as a member-driven tribute to the incomparable Anita Ballek, who passed away in the spring. We’ve got lots of trips coming up, including our two day-long bus trips this summer, as well as a chance to see the beautiful gardens of Quebec.
  • September 2021 – The history of Ruth Bancroft’s amazing garden, and how her legacy continues today. What are your garden follies? Our President Cheryl Marino chronicles her many crazy and hilarious stories about her adventures in the thick of the blooms. We welcome David McCarthy, our new Director of Marketing & Community Relations. Read and write–a review! We still have books that need reviewing for our Winter Marketplace edition of the newsletter. Don’t forget to sign up for the Kaminski Garden Tour on September 25.
  • October 2021 – Gordon Hayward is our speaker, and we can’t wait to learn about garden rooms. Writer and CT Hort member Jody Morgan tells us how Romani-inspired wagons offer a number of uses in gardens. Writer Roald Dahl was a huge fan. Live hornets nests and other avenues of wonder take center stage in Cheryl’s monthly column. Read all about our very deserving service award recipient. The bulb sale is back! Put your temptation to buy them elsewhere away and join us for the sale at the speaker meeting on October 21, to benefit the CT Hort Scholarship fund. What was our library (full of rare, classic and useful books) is now accessible to you once more from their new homes. Read about how they found their homes and where you can find them now.
  • Winter (November/December) 2021 – It’s almost time to curl up with a good book, and boy have we got some great suggestions for you! Our annual edition of book reviews includes some wonderful new titles that make for great reading and offer lots of wonderful ideas for your garden. CT Hort President Cheryl Marino recaps what was a really successful October program featuring Gordon Hayward and our annual bulb sale. We’ve got a wreath workshop coming up in December, held at Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden. Read all about it and register quickly because spots are limited and will fill up. Click here to register now. Our scholarship fundraising is off to a great start, especially thanks to our bulb sale. Our biennial CT Hort Symposium is a go for Saturday, February 5! It will be a virtual event for the first time.
  • January 2022 – Our featured symposium speaker Kelly Norris shares his views on what a garden really is, just in time for his featured speaker role in our symposium this month. President Cheryl Marino puts speaker Linda Beutler’s talk in January to work. Timothy Tilghman will give us the birds eye view of the spectacular Untermyer Gardens on Feb. 17. Hort Happenings are picking up! It must almost be gardening season again. Learn about the Friendship Tours trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show and Brandywine Valley, and more!
  • February 2022 – Our featured symposium speaker Kelly Norris shares his views on what a garden really is; President Cheryl Marino puts speaker Linda Beutler’s talk in January to work; Timothy Tilghman will give us the birds eye view of the spectacular Untermyer Gardens on Feb. 17; Hort Happenings are picking up! It must almost be gardening season again; learn about the Friendship Tours trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show and Brandywine Valley, and more!
  • March 2022 – Robert Clyde Anderson, our speaker this month, provides us with a list of great books to get you through the rest of the cold weather. President Cheryl Marino reminds us why we need to keep on planting. Do you know someone worthy of the Mehlquist or Service Awards? We want your nominations. Learn about the Friendship Tours trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show and Brandywine Valley. Save the date: May 13 is our annual plant sale and auction.
  • April 2022 – Don’t prune just yet! Before you start to cut everything back in anticipation of spring blooms, read “Waking up your Spring Garden with Pollinators in Mind” by Nancy DuBrule-Clemente. We return to Emanuel Synagogue (with the option to watch on Zoom as well) on April 28 when we present Amy Ziffer, who will be discussing “Structure and Ornament in the Garden.” We’ll also be honoring members, businesses and organizations celebrating special anniversaries. We’ve got the details on the CT Hort Spring Plant Sale & Auction on May 13. Check out the new trips planned by Friendship Tours! If you love the desert, you’ll be interested in the trip to Santa Fe! If you just want to enjoy a day out, then may we suggest a trip to Hollister House and White Flower Farm?
  • May 2022 – Family history and flowers collide in Dan Furman’s wonderful piece about how Cricket Hill Farm evolved—and how he evolved with it. Mr. Furman is also our featured speaker this month; he’ll present “The World of Peonies” on May 19. CT Hort President Cheryl Marino takes a whack at the weeds and more in her monthly letter. The Plant Sale & Live Auction on May 13 is going to include a number of rare and wonderful items. Check out some more new details on the event, and don’t forget, your participation in this event supports our future “crop” of horticulture students! How about a nice, relaxing, and beautiful trip through Santa Fe this June? Check out this amazing six-day trip to Santa Fe. If you prefer a daycation this summer, perhaps a ride out to Hollister House and White Flower Farm will fit the bill. We’re honoring the many folks who celebrated special member anniversaries this year. Thanks, as always, to all of you for your membership!
  • June 2022 – Our featured June speaker, Page Dickey, reflects on starting her garden and her life in a new space, over after more than three decades in a beloved one. President Cheryl Marino discusses the importance of furthering educational opportunities for our up and coming gardening students. Our plant sale and auction was an overwhelming success. Read all about it. If you can make it there, you’re going to love this trip to New York!
  • Summer (July/August) 2022 – In the Collinsville battle of natives vs. knotweed, natives are winning, thanks to a devoted and hardworking group of master gardeners. CT Hort President Cheryl Marino ponders why gardeners always seem to muster the energy to garden. David Culp is slated to start the Fall speaker season off in September – We can’t wait! We’ve got the 4-1-1 on the Perennial of the Year. Learn more about a special New York trip, which features sites from Hudson Valley to Brooklyn, and also get a sneak peek at a new trip to Longwood Gardens this Christmas!
  • September 2020 – Audubon Connecticut lists the Must-Visit Birding Locations in our state. CT Hort office is closing. Joann Vieira is our September guest and will show us how to choose plants for the benefit of local birds. Communications Director Barb Skomorowski is looking for readers to review this year’s gardening books for the Winter issue of our Newsletter. The Auction Committee will try an online auction to generate dollars for college scholarships. Christmas Weekend at Cape Cod is still a go! Visit Sue and Dick Kaminski’s joyful Train Garden for a tour on September 12.
  • October 2020 – Learn about the rise and fall in the popularity of daffodils from writer and member Jody Morgan. President Cheryl Marino encourages us to focus on the days ahead. October speaker, Karen Bussolini shows us how to Jazz Up the Garden. Congratulations to Mehlquist Award winner Sarah Bailey and Service Award winner Heidi Wheeler Isaacson. Fall Bulb Sale must go on!
  • Winter (November/December) 2020 – Ten of this year’s gardening books are reviewed by members. President Cheryl Marino shares her end-of-year message. Ellen Ecker Ogden returns on Nov. 12 to give a preview of her upcoming book, The New Heirloom Garden. Welcome new members. When holiday shopping remember our business supporters and nurseries that offer a 10% discount to members. Gardener’s Marketplace will open mid-November to generate funds for scholarships.
  • January 2021 – Garden Media Group’s 2021 Garden Trends Report is summarized. See what’s trending! President Cheryl Marino welcomes the new year. Joseph Tychonievich will take us through his presentation, Confessions of a Plant Nerd at our January meeting. Ballek’s Garden Center reaches out to children with an activity called Gardens of Hope and Gratitude. Philly Flower Show will be outdoors in June this year
  • February 2021 – Writer and member Jody Morgan provides the history of Sub-Edge Farm. Farm steward Rodger Phillips will discuss working the land at Sub-Edge with his family for the past seven years at the Feb. 18 virtual Speaker Meeting. June trip planned to the Philadelphia Flower Show. Cape Cod holiday trip for 2020 rescheduled for the 2021 holidays. Meet the latest additions to two of our board members families.
  • March 2021 – 2018 Mehlquist Award recipient Robert Herman suggests perennials for your dry, shade garden. March speaker Karen Perkins will discuss Epimediums: Jewels of the Shade at the March 18 virtual Speaker Meeting. Last call for Service Award nominees. Also accepting nominations for the Mehlquist Award. Help wanted: Director of Communications.
  • April 2021 – Elizabeth Park Rosarian Peter Winne suggests which roses to buy for your Connecticut garden. Guest speaker Leslie Duthie will talk about her love of ferns in her upcoming presentation – Fronds with Benefits! Gordon Hayward is seeking photos of members’ garden rooms to use in his October talk. Sign up for the trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show. Mehlquist Award nominations requested.
  • May 2021 – Member and writer Tom Christopher describes Abra Lee’s successful search to uncover the historical stories of African-American gardeners. Member and community volunteer Marilynn Palmer explains how the collaborative efforts of several local organizations enhance Hop Brook Landing park in Simsbury. Send in pictures of your Garden Room. Tom Christopher is this month’s speaker and he’ll discuss the gardens of Wave Hill. Nancy DuBrule Clemente will offer a virtual workshop entitled ‘The Weed Wars’ on June 24 at 7 pm. A few seats left for the Philadelphia Flower Show. Member anniversaries recognized.
  • June 2021 – Read through the cover story to see what makes a perennial best-in-class, and see if your garden includes any plants that have been designated Plant of the Year. Our June guest will be Christine Froelich, whose talk will focus on Gardening With What You Have. See why Christine loves to find solutions to gardening blunders. Our originally scheduled June guest, Gordon Hayward, has been rescheduled to October. Gordon would like to receive photos of member’s garden rooms to use in his fall talk. Find out where to send yours! Next season’s speakers have been contracted. See who will be lecturing. Nancy DuBrule-Clemente of Natureworks, a member favorite, will present a virtual workshop – The Weed Wars! – on Thursday, June 24 at 7 pm. Look inside for details! Member and Mehlquist Award winner Robert Herman introduces three stunning asters with ‘local’ names.
  • Summer (July/August) 2021 – Just in time for our country’s birthday celebration, read how plants were used to create dyes for our iconic flags. Author and garden preservationist Bill Noble kicks off our speaker season in September to discuss New England Gardens. We want YOU…to be a book reviewer! Find out how to volunteer to help us pull our annual book review together. Look inside for details. Peaches take center stage in our monthly listings of Hort Happenings. Get yours now! The Kaminskis are generously opening their gardens again this year.
  • September 2019 – CT Hort member, Photographer and Garden Coach Karen Bussolini reflects on Dr. Doug Tallamy’s message that he presented at the June Speaker Meeting. Matthew Benson, our September speaker will offer a hands-on photography workshop the day after we hear him speak. We bid a fond farewell to Past President and CT Hort friend, Ken Stubenrauch. 2019-20 Speakers and their topics are listed. Looking for readers to review gardening books for the Winter Newsletter. Save the date for the 2020 Symposium – February 1. Fall Plant Sale & Auction takes place on September 27. Check out the new trips!
  • October 2019 – Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) Professor Christopher Tuccio prepares us for his upcoming January 16, 2020 presentation with an article on ‘Finding Your Backyard Zen.’ 2018 Mehlquist Award winner (and retired NVCC professor) Robert Herman offers several Anemone options for your autumn garden. Eric Breed will visit us from the Netherlands to talk bulbs on the night of our next Speaker Meeting and annual Bulb Sale – October 17. Reserve your seat for the 2020 Philadelphia Flower Show trip. See what topics will be discussed at the February 1, 2020 CT Hort Symposium.
  • Winter (November/December) 2019 – Several CT Hort members review the latest gardening books. November 21 guest speaker C. Marina Marchese will discuss ‘The Sweet Life of a Beekeeping Entrepreneur’ at the Thursday, November 21 Speaker Meeting. This issue contains ads from advertisers and supporters of CT Hort who can help to make your holiday shopping a breeze! Successful Fall Plant Sale & Auction is recapped.
  • January 2020 – Garden Media Group’s industry report for 2020 indicates that being green is gathering momentum. Sign up for the CT Hort 2020 Symposium by January 10 to get the best price. Member and Naugatuck Valley Community College Prof. Christopher Tuccio will show us how to add zen to our garden. CT Flower Show preparations are underway. Bartlett Arboretum adds an interesting garden to their property.
  • February 2020 – Member and UConn Master Gardener Program Coordinator, Sarah Bailey, cautions us to watch for signs of new invasives. CT Master Gardeners extend their book sale to CT Hort members. CT Flower & Garden Show starts on February 20 and runs through the 23rd. CT Hort scholarship recipient, UConn’s Jackie Stupienski, is recognized with a national award. April 24 is the date of the Spring Plant Sale & Auction. Reserve your spot for the Philadelphia Flower Show trip.
  • March 2020 – Leslie Duthie will discuss ferns in her March 19 talk – Fronds with Benefits – that was rescheduled from last season, when we had a weather cancellation in November! Learn about an extensive fern garden located at one of our member organizations – Bartlett Arboretum in Stamford. Sign up for the ever-popular Ballek’s Greenhouse gathering. Two day trips added. Longtime member, Gene Goodwin, passes.
  • April 2020 – Member and writer Jody Morgan introduces us to Ruth Bancroft whose garden helped found the Garden Conservancy. Spring Plant Sale and Auction canceled. Pres. Brett Isaacson and VP Cheryl Marino share an uplifting message. Welcome new members! Latest update on the status of trips. Try your hand at seed starting.
  • May 2020 – Guest speaker Ellen Ogden agrees to a virtual presentation and will also return in person in November. Writer and member Jody Morgan discusses plants with healing qualities. Virtual classes and garden tours become more popular. Spring plant deliveries delight long-time members.
  • June 2020 – Writer and member Jody Morgan shares Thomas Jefferson’s recipe for vanilla ice cream! Jan Johnsen, final speaker of the season will present her talk online. Identify this orchid, if you can!
  • Summer (July/August) 2020 – Author and garden coach, Karen Bussollini explains why some native plants provide greater benefits for pollinators than their related cultivars. Next season’s speakers announced. Alternative ways to generate scholarship funds while in-person auctions are not an option. Be mindful when planting milkweed and dogbane.
  • September 2018 – Welcome a new season at CT Hort! Learn about renowned German plantsman, Ernst Pagels as seen through the eyes of Robert Herman, the 2018 Mehlquist Award winner. Membership renewal begins for the 2018-19 season. New CT Hort President, Brett Isaacson, sends his greetings. Mehlquist winner, Robert Herman, will also be our speaker and will discuss Hardy Geraniums. Member Rose Riley contributes to her community. CT Hort heads to Broadway! Flower Show preparations begin.
  • October 2018 – Member Sarah Bailey explains the science behind Phenology – using reoccurring horticultural events to help determine when certain pests or problems are likely to appear. Tovah Martin will present Boot Camp for Your Senses in the Fall & Winter Garden at this month’s Speaker Meeting. Garden Show activities begin with the Fall Bulb Fundraiser taking place at the October meeting. Welcome new members! Marketplace ads. Master Gardener program turn 40 this year. Trips include a Broadway Show, a day in Boston and the Philadelphia Flower Show.
  • Winter (November/December) 2018 – CT Hort members review 10 gardening books to give a gardener you love or choose for yourself. This season’s scholarship recipients are noted. Broadway Show trip sells out. Enjoy a December day in Boston or sign up for the Phila. Flower Show! Even though many tax changes became effective in 2018, there is still a way to receive a tax credit for your charitable donations.
  • January 2019 – See what’s trending in the world of gardening based on the annual survey and report from Garden Media Group. Member Karen Bussolini launches a new Eco-Friendly e-newletter. Educational events at Ballek’s and February Floral Design in Bristol. David C. H. Austin Snr OBE VMH; rosarian and founder of David Austin Roses Ltd. dies peacefully at his home at the age of 92. New trip to Ithaca NY is in the works! Flower Show updates.
  • February 2019 – Member Jody Morgan and American Violet Society member Elizabeth Scott discuss violets and butterflies. Service Award nominees requested. Get full details on the Ithaca trip. Flower Show specifics on the last page.
  • March 2019 – CT Hort celebrates its 60th year of awarding scholarships to plant science students at UConn. Review the timeline of this extraordinary commitment to plant science secondary education. Looking for enthusiastic plant buyers to attend the 4/26 CT Hort Plant Sale & Auction. Mehlquist Award nominees requested. “Go a Little Batty!” workshop announced. Earth Tones Native Plant Nursery receives the CT Hort Best-in-Show Award at the CT Flower and Garden Show.
  • April 2019 – The April Speaker, Kim Eierman, writes about the incredible biodiversity you’ll find in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. She also suggests some items to consider before shopping for plants this spring. Member anniversaries will be celebrated in April. See how CT Hort and the New Britain Museum of American Art crossed paths. It’s the Spring Marketplace issue – please support the businesses that give so generously to CT Hort. Tickets to the New Britain Symphony Orchestra Spring in Bloom concert are available to members at a reduced rate. See you at the Spring Plant Sale & Auction. Welcome new members. Consider the one-of-a-kind trip to Ithaca. Attend the Go a Little Batty! workshop on the 9th.
  • May 2019 – CT Hort Director of Communications, Barbara Skomorowski, offers several resources to search for eco-beneficial plant species for Conn. New England Wild Flower Society is renamed to Native Plant Trust and receives special certification. See who celebrated their anniversary. Spring in Bloom concert takes place May 5. Travel to Ithaca this summer. See how we made out at the Spring Plant Sale & Auction.
  • June 2019 – June is Pollinator month with National Pollinator Week falling on June 17-23. CT Hort member and writer Jody Morgan explains some of the strategies plants have developed to lure pollinators to them! Doug Tallamy will be our June speaker! It’s also the evening of the end-of-season, Ice Cream Social. View the upcoming Officers and Board of Directors for the 2019-20 season. See what this year’s holiday trip includes!
  • Summer (July/August) 2019 – The first town in Conn. to be designated by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) as a Community Wildlife Habitat was Colchester. See how Colchester Garden Club and Colchester Land Trust partnered to achieve the NWF designation and how they maintain their status to this day. Writer and CT Hort member, Jody Morgan, shows us how trees may have played a diplomatic role at the start of our country. Doug Tallamy’s June talk had the audience on their feet. A copy of his handout is included in this issue. Sarah Bailey, CT Hort member and State Coordinator for the UConn Extension Master Gardener Program, discusses the science behind those DIY weed killer recipes that are making the rounds… are they really NATURAL?! Catch Tom Christopher on his new radio show on WESU-FM at 88.1. His show airs on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Listen to a past show by visiting wesufm.org and choosing Archives.
  • September 2017 Mehlquist Award recipient, Tom Christopher, writes about the joy of making hard cider. Membership drive begins for the 2017-18 season. Fall Plant Sale & Auction scheduled for Sept 29 in Tolland. Larry Weaner will be this month’s speaker. Symposium and monthly speakers announced. Ballek Farm Protected by Connecticut Farmland Trust. 2018 Philadelphia Flower Show trip announced.
  • October 2017Excerpts from “Planting Bulbs for a Meadow Effect” by the late-Wayne Winterrowd set the stage for the October CHS Bulb Sale and October speaker – daffodil aficionado – Jason Delaney. Businesses support CHS with ads place in this October’s Marketplace issue. Two articles discuss the importance of keeping fields and meadows uncut from May to  October to protect the habitat for pollinators. Anita Ballek provides tips on bringing houseplants in without bringing in bugs.
  • Winter (November/December) 2017The year’s Top Garden Books are reviewed. John Lonsdale is the November speaker. 2017-18 Scholarship recipients are honored. CHS joins Amazon Smile. Upcoming trips include the Philadelphia Flower Show and the gardens of Washington D.C.
  • January 2018 – The 2018 Garden Trends Report from Garden Media Group indicates that people are looking to nature for solace. Symposium is just a month away! Dawn Pettinelli from UConn is the January speaker. Meet Board of Director, Clare Meade. Beginner Vegetable Gardening workshop offered by Education Committee.
  • February 2018Read an excerpt written by revered German plantsman Karl Foerster as translated by CHS member, Robert Herman. Register for popular Beginner Veggie Garden series being repeated in March by Education Committee. February speaker, Don Leopold will discuss Terrestrial Orchids of the Northeast at the February monthly meeting. Nominations being accepted for the 2018 Service Award. Meet Board member Justine Leeper. New trip being organized for May to The Cloisters. Spring Auction will take place on May 4th in Berlin.
  • March 2018After attending the lectures at last month’s Symposium Sarah Bailey ponders ‘next steps.’ The spring Washington D.C. trip brings you to some of the most exquisite gardens in our nation’s capital. See who won the CT Hort Best in Show Award at the Flower Show! Eric Hsu will visit from Chanticleer for our March 15th Speaker Meeting. Meet Heidi Wheeler Isaacson – CHS Treasurer and Board Member. Consider nominating someone for the CHS 2018 Service Award by March 30. Nominations are also being accepted for the prestigious Mehlquist Award.
  • April 2018 – Lorraine Ballato takes some of the mystery out of getting your hydrangeas to bloom consistently.  Last call for Mehlquist Award nominations. Eugenia Bone discusses the importance of fungi to the ecosystem. Shipmans receive lifetime membership. Spring Marketplace ads. Garden Design magazine offer. Anti-aging benefits of mushrooms. Committees looking for volunteers.
  • May 2018Member Jody Morgan adds context to botanical nomenclature. Two Education Committee Workshops are planned in June. Louis Raymond presents his thoughts on building a terrace during his presentation, At Play, with Nature. Member Anniversaries are celebrated. Plant buyers needed for Spring Plant Sale & Auction.
  • June 2018 – With Paul Zimmerman, rosarian the June speaker, learn how to keep cut roses fresh for indoor enjoyment. Final meeting of the season wraps up with an Ice Cream Social. Member Jody Morgan writes about the history of bridal bouquets. The Spring Auction & Plant Sale is recapped. See upcoming workshops.
  • Summer (July/August) 2018 – See how CT Hort members benefit their communities through gardening and nature. Check out the speaker lineup for next season. Learn about an unusual use for goldenrod. Consider attending the two June workshops. Travel to three outstanding gardens in August. Membership pricing to remain the same for next year.
  • September 2016 – Renew your membership, Nancy DuBrule-Clemente tell us how the Natureworks staff cares for Monarch Butterflies, Milkweed that butterflies need, Fall Plant Sale & Auction, July Workshops recapped
  • October 2016 – Karen Bussolini shares her favorite bulbs in “Great Bulbs that Last,” Sarah Bailey says goodbye to her hummingbirds for the season, Fall Marketplace, welcome new CHS Leadership
  • Winter (November/December) 2016 – Nancy Ballek Mackinnon shares her hugelkultur experience, “All The Presidents’ Gardens” is reviewed by Tom Christopher, Fall Plant Sale & Auction results
  • January 2017 – Garden Trends Report for 2017, Gideon Welles 6th Grade Green House Growers, Society Personality-Mary Anna Martell, Ask Anita
  • February 2017 – 130-year History of CHS, Upcoming CT Flower & Garden Show preparations, Society Personality-Ken Stubenrauch, Ask Anita, Closing of Gledhill Nursery
  • March 2017 – Explore Lacto-fermentation with Wayne Mezitt, 130-year History of CHS, call for Service and Mehlquist Award nominees, CT Flower & Garden Show Award Winner
  • April 2017 – Robert Herman opens our eyes to the beauty of Bergenias, last in a series about the 130-year history of CHS, upcoming CHS Spring Plant Sale & Auction, spring Marketplace Ads, and nurseries that offer a 10% discount to members
  • May 2017 – Grab your containers and plant some edibles this season. Karla Dalley shows you how easy it is to plant herbs, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and MORE in containers. Plant sales and lectures abound – check out Hort. Happenings.  Anita Ballek suggests a less-taxing approach to gardening. Still time to sign up for the Nursery Crawl on May 24. And we say goodbye to long-time member, George Zars.
  • June 2017 – Learn how important bats are to humans and how their population has been devastated over the past decade. See which member made the Top Ten list of ’60 over 60.’ C.L.Fornari is the season’s last speaker and offers a Workshop earlier in the day. Meet Plant Sale and Auction Committee Chair Trish Lyons. Member Kathy Niver reminds you to beware of ticks, especially this year.
  • Summer (July/August) 2017 – Doug Tallamy reminds us how important plant selection can be to maintaining a balanced ecosystem. Learn how you can make a difference in your own backyard. See upcoming workshops and Horticultural Happenings around the state. Check out the new Broadway Show trip. Meet Karen Bachand, enjoy a note of gratitude from one of our scholarship recipients, and Elaine Widmer is recognized with the 2017 Service Award.
  • October 2015 – Landscape Dreams to Reality by Geo Siriotis, The Upside and Downside of Drought by Sarah Bailey
  • Winter (November/December) 2015 – The year’s top ten gardening books are reviewed,  just in time for winter reading and gift giving!
  • January 2016 – Your winter blues will melt away as you’re taken on a tour of the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida
  • February 2016 – Get extra enjoyment from your houseplants during the winter months with these tips
  • March 2016 – The March Newsletter discusses gardening trends forecast for 2016
  • April 2016 – Learn about an alternative to traditional grass lawns
  • May 2016 – Discover the appeal of gourds in the garden and as works of art
  • June 2016 Heirloom veggies have often-colorful, always-interesting pasts. Find out what makes them so special
  • Summer (July/August) 2016 Sarah Bailey offers ideas on how you can use less water and still enjoy a full and colorful garden
  • September 2014 – Renew Your Membership, NYBG Curator Kristin Shleiter on the Native Garden, How New to Horticulture Plants are Discovered
  • October 2014 – Kevin Wilcox on Fall Flowers, Fruit and Foliage, Lee Reich Featured on Pomonas Secrets: Fruits for the Northeast Garden, Spring 2015 Travel, Auction Results, How to Navigate Our New Website
  • Winter (November/December) 2014 – 55 Years of Scholars, All New Trips for Spring, Krissie Boys – Gardener at Cornell Mundy Wildflower Garden – Speaks, New Scholars are Introduced to Members
  • January 2015 – 15 Gardening Trends for ’15, Speaker Karen Bussolini Teaches Us About the Relationship of Photography and Gardening, Catch Up with CHS Scholarship Recipients From the 1980’s
  • February 2015 – Learn All About Starting Your Own Seeds – Seed Starting Chart, Say Farewell to Member Emeritus David Smith, Meet Board Member Keri Milne, See What You Missed at Our Last Meeting
  • March 2015 – Get Ready for the Spring Plant Auction, Learn About “Biochar”, Read About our March Speaker, Take part in Education Committee Workshops/Plan Exciting Trips/and Much More
  • April 2015 – Learn About Growing Winter Hardy Cacti in Connecticut, Education Committee Events, CHS Plant Auction
  • May 2015 – Get Your Soil and Lawn Ready for the Season, See the First in a New Series on CHS history, Check out our Many New Members, Exciting New Travel Opportunities
  • June 2015 – Learn how to Make Compost Using Worms, Read About the Spring Plant Auction Success, Plan a Wonderful Trip to Spectacular Gardens, Get Ready for Robert Adzema to Speak on Sundials for Your Garden
  • Summer (July/August) 2015 – Larry Weaner on Gardening in Partnership with Nature, Dirr visits CT
  • September 2013 – Great Plants for Adorning Autumn, David Culp Garners Gold Medal from Garden Writers Association, Tovah Martin: A Passion for Plants and Prose, Education Committee Programs, Travel to the New York Botanical Garden & Tower Hill Botanical Garden
  • October 2013 – Reinventing a Great Garden, Chrissie D’Esopo’s Avon masterpiece grows and transforms, Dr. Carl Salsedo searches for sustainabilty, Education Committee programs, Trips to Equinox and Tower Hill Botanic Garden
  • Winter (November/December) 2013 – Four Fine Fruits to Eat and Admire, Adam Wheeler Speaks on Frutiful Shrubs for Autumn Beauty, Save the Date for Spring into the Garden – An Exciting Day of Ideas and Inspitation, Society Personalities: Barry Avery, CHS Scholarships, Trips to Little Rock/Bentonville Arkansas and Tower Hill Botanic Garden, The Invasive Worm Nobody Wants to Know
  • January 2014 – Colston Burrell and Sustainable Gardening, Dave Daly from BBG speaks: Getting Kids into the Garden, Society Personalities: Diane Erling
  • February 2014 – Perennials as Houseplants by Tovah Martin, Michael Singer of Weslayan Speaks: Insect Drama
  • March 2014 – Native Magnolias Shine by Kevin Wilcox, Andrew Pighills Speaks About Stone Walls of New England, What’s New for 2014 Gardening
  • April 2014 – Beautiful & Bountiful Fruits and Vegetables by Nancy Dubrule, Christie Higginbottom speaks on Heirloom Vegetables, Garden Show Award
  • May 2014 – Solomon’s Seal: King of the Shade Garden, Speaker Mike Ruggiero Gives a Talk on Container Gardens, What Happened to my Rhododendrons?, Horticulture Happenings Around the State, Events, tours and more for members
  • June 2014 – Awesome Aliums, Helping Your Landscape Cope With Fickle Weather, Speaker Rob Cardillo on The Well-Designed Garden Photograph, Bloomfield Gardens Open for The Garden Conservancy
  • Summer (July/August) 2014 – Renew Your Membership, The Calendar of Speakers 2014, Ideas to Spice Up the Summer Garden, Education Program Preview, Travel and more!
  • September 2012 Kevin Wilcox suggests several plants, Rick Darke: The Layered Landscape and the New Wild Garden, President’s Letter, Society Personalities: Joan Stubenrauch, November Symposium: ‘The Garden Home in All Seasons,’ Businesses Offering 10% Discount to Members, Notes of Interest, Emerald Ash Borer Alert, Book Reviews, Cambridge, Mass trip, Christmas in Bethlehem Pa trip, Horticultural Happenings & Announcements, Fall Auction, Education Committee Programs
  • October 2012 Garden Tourism by the Numbers by Richard Benfield, President’s Letter, Dan Furman: The World of Peonies, November Symposium: ‘The Garden Home in All Seasons,’ Treasurer’s Report, Passive Bed Preparation, Cambridge, Mass trip, Christmas in Bethlehem Pa trip, Historic Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown N.Y. trip, Horticultural Happenings & Announcements, The Raffle Lowdown, Education Committee Programs, Employment Opportunity
  • Winter (November/December) 2012 Toward an Understanding of One Japanese-inspired Garden Shôyôan Teien, The Freeman Family Garden by Stephen A. Morrell, Letter from the President, Rooftop Farming at the Brooklyn Grange Farm with Ben Flanner, Employment Opportunity, November Symposium: ‘The Garden Home in All Seasons,’ From the Field, Welcome New Members, Fall Plant Auction Report, In Memorium, Berkshire Christmas trip, Historic Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown N.Y. trip, Holiday Potluck Dinner, Horticultural Happenings & Announcements, Education Committee Programs
  • January 2013 The World’s Gardener, the Honeybee by Mark H. Creighton, Letter from the President, The Rise and Fall of Two Great Trees with speaker Eric Rutkow, Acknowledgement: Mickael J. Polasko, A Festive Event: ‘The Garden Home in All Seasons,’ Flower Show Exhibit: Taking Leave of Lawn, From the Field, 2013 Philadelphia Flower Show trip, Education Committee Programs, Horticultural Happenings & Announcements, At the Holiday Potluck: A Gift from the Isaacson Family
  • February 2013 – The Green Industry: Gardeners as Consumers, Isaacson Gift: Speaker Endowment, Jerry Fritz: Cutting Edge Plants for New England Landscapes, From the Field, Education Committee Programs, Flower Show Travel
  • March 2013 – Delighting in White: The Pleasures of a Monochromatic Garden by Linda Olson, Letter from the President, Eat the View: Relocalizing the Food Supply to Our Own Backyards with Roger Doiron, Society Personalities: Bonnie Penders, Honoring Volunteers Who Help CHS Bloom, Education Committee Programs, Spring Blooms! trip, Horticultural Happenings & Announcements, Apple-tree Grafting Workshop at the Noah Webster House
  • April 2013 – Rain Gardens: Reining in the Rain, Ruth Rogers Clausen: Yesterday’s Herbs for Today’s Gardens, Hosting at the CHS Flower Show Exhibit, “Breaking Up” wins Five Awards, From the Field, Businesses Offering 10% Discounts to Members, Horticultural Happenings
  • May 2013 – Sharing the Bounty, Internet-style by Maureen Farmer, Letter from the President, The Story of The Polly Hill Arboretum with Tim Boland, Treasurer’s Report, New Members, From the Field, In Memoriam, 12th Annual Nursery Crawl trip, Summer by the Sea: Portsmouth, N.H. trip, Glorious Gardens of the United Kingdom trip, Education Committee Programs, Horticultural Happenings & Announcements, Board Nominations for 2013-14
  • June 2013 – A Garden is Restored: 25 Years Later by Lea Anne Moran, Of Laurels and Legacies, Letter from the President, The Buzz on Bees, the Comings and Goings of the Queen of Pollinators with Dan Conlon, June Ice Cream Social, From the Field, Summer by the Sea: Portsmouth, N.H. trip, Glorious Gardens of the United Kingdom trip, Horticultural Happenings & Announcements, Farewell from the Editor, Success at the Spring Plant Auction
  • Summer (July/August) 2013 – Leaves of Burgundy and Gold Add Drama by Steve Silk, Letter from the President, Speaker David Culp, CHS Scholarship Fund Tops $11,000, Thanks to Auctions, Raffles, and a Special Event, Society Personalities: Ellen Bender, New Members, New York City’s High Line Park trip, Broadway, Kinky Boots ORCHESTRA SEATS! trip, Three Ways to Renew Membership for 2013-14, In Memoriam: Joanne Luppi, Leslie Shields Named 2013 CHS Service Award Winner, Education Committee Programs

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