May 2016 - Lexington Field and Garden Club

LEXINGTON FIELD & GARDEN CLUB
139 YEARS OF MAKING LEXINGTON
MORE BEAUTIFUL
Volume 6 Issue 8 May 2016
email: [email protected]
Greetings from the President
“It’s May, it’s May, the merry month of May”
We had a busy, busy April. Main club events alone included the scholarship award presentation at the Minuteman
Regional High School, followed the next day by our meeting honoring our past presidents, then another excellent
speaker, Megan McCue, who got us enthusiastic about starting our gardens. The next night was the evening
groups’ speaker, Elizabeth Farnsworth. Arbor Day was April 29 at Lincoln Park. The subgroups, Strategic Planning,
Technology Committee, and Arbor Day baggers met, We started our potting days. Two Federation events were
back-to-back—the Wallack lecture and the Middlesex District luncheon. Earlier in the month Gardening Study
School met at Tower Hill. Our last month of regular activities (May) will also be full.
I wish all of you a healthy, fruitful, delightful summer!
Mary
Events in May
May 11
May 17
May 18
May 24
May 24-26
June 1
Annual Meeting and Luncheon
Walking tour of LexFarm
Plant Sale
Walking Group meeting
Flower Show School
GCFM Annual Meeting
Potting Days
Tuesday, May 3
Thursday, May 5
Friday, May 6
Monday, May 9
For further information about upcoming events, please go
to these sites:
https://www.facebook.com/LexGardenClub
http://lexgardenclub.org/
http://gcfm.org/
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2016
The craft group enjoyed a flower arranging session with
Kathy Leva.
We welcome new members:
-Jan Avallone, 21 Constitution Rd., Lexington, MA
02421, 781-862-5224, 781-354-2930,
[email protected]
-Marian & William Bruins , 1475 Massachusetts
Ave., #459, 781-538-6645
[email protected]
-Bridget Galdes, 1 Douglas Rd., Lexington, MA
02420, 781-860-7440, 339-933-1788,
[email protected]
This will be our final meeting of the year.
The Hidden Forest Comes to Lexington
Susan Goldhor, PhD, Biologist, will be the guest
speaker at the Lexington Field &
Garden club on Wednesday, May 11. Although what
we see when we walk through the forest are plants,
those plants are supported by huge numbers of
invisible fungi that feed and water them, protect
them from diseases and, finally digest them so that
dead wood doesn't clog the world. The plant-fungal
connection has a long and fascinating history and
includes stories of cheating, murder, and
dysfunctional relationships, as well as our slowly
evolving understanding of what's going on in these
hidden realms. We promise that you'll never look at
the forest in quite the same way after hearing this
talk.
Goldhor joined the Boston Mycological Club a number
of years ago to learn more about collecting edible
mushrooms. This led to her fascination in the role of
fungi in ecosystems. She has been a columnist for
both of the nation’s major mycological journals and
has served as President of the Boston Mycological
Club for the past five years. Although her professional
career was spent looking at sheep, dog and fish
behavior, Her goal now is to get gardeners, foresters,
and conservationists to appreciate the importance of
the Fifth Kingdom.
Refreshments are served at 9:30. The business
meeting is held at 10, and the lecture generally begins
around 10:20. The May 11 program is held at the
Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library.
-Phyllis and David Kominz, 223 Glen Rd., Weston,
02493 781-235-5856 [email protected]
-Beverly Seavey, 1099 Mass Ave, Lexington 024203818, 781-274-0678, [email protected]
-Regina Sutton, 45 Vine St., Lexington 02421, 781862-1042, 339-221-0879, [email protected]
-Carol Tepper, 40 Vine St., Lexington, MA 02420,
781-883-7957, [email protected]
-Joani Whalen, 14 Bacon Place, Newton, MA
02464-1004, 617-527-2023, 617-959-4156,
[email protected]
Biologist Susan Goldhor with a photogenic load
of mushrooms from the forest.
Grow Native First Wednesdays
May 4 700-8:30 PM
Claudia West Co-author of Planting in a Post-Wild
World
Cambridge Public Library
449 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02138
Lexington Field and Garden Club at Garden Study
School, Tower Hill
Maureen Bovet, Ellan Siegel, Mary Nokes, Sue Spicer,
Debby Thompson, Julia Francis
Hot Green Tips
Christel McCarthy
May and June, everything is popping up now. Walk
around your garden and re-assess your flower beds.
No doubt, as you visit Nurseries or our Plant Sale, you
are itching to buy new plants. Consider some that do
not need deadheading, that always look good and
gives you less work: Geranium Rozanne, Coreopsis
Mercury Rising. Sea Holly Blue Hobbit, and Daylily
Pewter Pink. Check your vines, Clematis, Wisteria,
Honeysuckle, - secure and prune them. We may have
a good amount of rain in May, but do not forget to
water during a dry spell.
Here is a suggestion for living off the land: Make a
delicious salad out of those pesky dandelions as they
emerge. Or add them to a plain buttery pasta dish
with fresh-ground pepper and a little crisp bacon
mixed in; sit in your garden with a glass of wine and
enjoy them.
Wonderful garden tours are offered everywhere now,
take advantage of them. One to consider is the
Garden Conservancy's OPEN DAYS 2016, America's
best private gardens. Visit opendaysprogram.org or
call 1-888-842-2442 9am - 5pm, M-F.
Happy Summer to All, Christel
But though I am an old man I am but a young Gardener.
Thomas Jefferson, 1811 in a letter to Charles W. Peale
The Tech group is forging
ahead. They are working on
incorporating a data base,
Little Green Light, which
should make keeping our
records and correspondence
easier and more accurate.
You will be able to use Pay Pal for your Plant Sale
purchases. We are experimenting with Signup Genius
for future events.
Nametags
We are taking orders now for the LFGC
magnetic name tags. Price is $8.00, cash or
check made out to the LFGC. Contact Sue
Spicer if interested.
LFGC Walking Group
Announcement of Organizational Meeting
All are welcome to join!
This will be an informal group that meets on a regular
basis starting this spring. The first meeting will be
held at the home of Marilyn Goske Rudick, 12 Luongo
Farm Lane, Lexington 02421 on Tuesday, May 24,
2016, from 10-11a.m. At this meeting the group will
set the schedule for the following: regular day(s) of
the week, time and place to assemble for each walk.
Co-chairs: Laura Husarik, 781-933-9269; Marilyn
Goske Rudick, 216-347-2575; Jane Fanburg, 781-8626159
After our May Meeting
12:00-3:00 p.m.
CHURCH OF OUR REDEEMER HALL
6 MERIAM STREET, LEXINGTON
BUFFET LUNCHEON $18.00
Julia Francis
34 Greenwood Street, Lexington, MA 02421-6631
Make checks payable to LFGC
Some parking at the church is available but carpooling is
advised.
A donation for the food pantry would be appreciated.
And Next Week
ANNUAL PLANT SALE
Wednesday, May 18
7 am to noon
We are excited to have a new location for our sale, the
Hadley Public Works Facility at 201 Bedford Street. This
location accommodates both potting and sale in the
same location.
Please mark the sale date on your calendars and plan to
be there to help make this a record sale.
Potting days are as follows, with a Morning Session from
10:00 AM to noon and an Afternoon Session from 1:00
PM to 3:00 PM:
Potting days are a wonderful way to start your spring
gardening, meet old and new friends, gain some
knowledge of plants and cultivation practices, all while
contributing to this great fundraising event. This year’s
potting co-chairs are Georgia Glick,
[email protected], Betsy Pollack,
[email protected], and Barbara Shafer,
[email protected].
Should you have perennials to donate to the sale but are
unable to dig them, Georgia Glick has graciously agreed
to be our Plant Collection Coordinator. Please contact
her to discuss the potential of garden club members
digging such perennials from your garden. Similarly, if
you are aware of a property where perennials are slated
to be uprooted for possible construction, please contact
Georgia. She will evaluate whether plants can be
salvaged for our sale.
Your Plant Sale co-chairs, Leslie Masson,
[email protected] and Meg
Himmel,[email protected].
This year's Lexington Field & Garden Club Plant Sale
is one of the largest garden club sales in Middlesex
County. A wide variety of locally grown perennials
donated by members will be available at very reasonable
prices. In addition to many long-standing favorites, the
club will have some hard-to-find beauties. Additionally,
we will offer many varieties of dahlias well on their way
to blossoming, cannas, as well as organic vegetable and
herb seedlings, along with garden paraphernalia and
tools to make gardening tasks easier. This endeavor
strengthens our community and strengthens our
involvement with one another. (And hopefully makes
money!)
Tuesday, May 3, Thursday, May 5, Friday, May 6,
Monday, May 9, Wednesday, May 11
President Betty Sanders
And The Board of Directors
invite you to join in
“Growing Together”
The 88th Annual Meeting of the
Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc. June 1, 2016
You are encouraged to come. For info go to
http://gcfm.org/Meetings/AnnualMeeting.aspx
Lexington Field & Garden Club
Combined Monthly & Annual Meetings & Installation, May 13, 2015
The combined Monthly and Annual Meetings of the Lexington Field & Garden Club were held on May 13, 2015.
President Sue Spicer called the monthly meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. and welcomed our guests. She thanked
our greeters as well as Barbara Mahoney, Marilyn Rynglewicz, Joan Farr, Claire Bertucci, Carmelle Awad, Cecille
Platek, and herself for providing this morning's refreshments. President Spicer thanked Joan Farr for her lovely
floral arrangement.
Recording Secretary Sue Harris read the minutes of the April monthly meeting. They were approved with an
amendment made to the date of the Garden Tour.
Treasurer Ann Webster then presented the Treasurer's Report in which she noted that the Club spent a lot of
money in April, as was expected. Treasurer Webster noted that dues and fund raising activities do not cover all of
the Club's costs and that we could either pay more dues or have more fund raising activities to cover the
remaining costs. Treasurer Webster presented a two year summary of our Club's activities that demonstrated
that 42% of our $30,000.00 in income was from dues, another 42% was from last year's Plant Sale, and 15% was
from the 2013 Garden Tour. In comparison, the Club had $42,000.00 in expenses. As of the end of April, the Club
has a $68,000.00 balance.
President Spicer presented a donation from our Club to the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library in thanks for
providing Maxwell Auditorium for our monthly meetings and for graciously meeting the needs of our speakers.
Accepting the donation on behalf of the museum was Bruce Work, director of Finance & Administration. He
thanked us for the donation and gave his good wishes to the incoming Slate of Club Officers.
President Spicer noted that for members who have purchased tickets, our Annual Luncheon will take place today
at 12:30 in Room 205 of the Adult Learning Center of Grace Chapel. The address is 2 Militia Drive, and the
parking lots and entrances are on the side and the back of the building, with an elevator to the second floor
available.
President Spicer reminded members that our Annual Plant Sale will be held on May 20th and asked for volunteers
both on Tuesday to help set up and on Wednesday to help with the sale itself and with dismantling it afterwards.
She thanked those members who have helped pot up the donated perennials for this important fund raising event
and asked that all members support it. She noted that a professional tool sharpener will be there. Our Plant Sale
Co-Chairs, Meg Himmel and Leslie Masson, have invited all those who have contributed to the Sale to a post-sale
tea at Leslie's home on May 27th from 3 to 5 p.m.
President Spicer announced that at the GCFM's Annual Meeting on June 2nd & 3rd, incoming officers and board
members include several of our members, as follows: Caroline Nijenberg - First Vice President, Ann Webster Treasurer, Kathy Leva - Middlesex District Director, and Bonnie Rosenthall - Chairman of the Environmental Study
School. A round of applause followed this announcement.
President Spicer announced that members can sign up today for tickets to our June 6th Club's biennial Garden
Tour. The price is $20. You can also order tickets from Ellan Siegel with a self-addressed stamped envelope before
May 28th. Otherwise, tickets will be on sale both at the Lexington Visitors Center and at Wilson Farm after May
22nd . The price of tickets on the day of the tour will be $25. President Spicer also noted that the Garden Tour
Committee is requesting donations of baked goods that do not need to be refrigerated and that won't melt.
Please contact Debby Thompson if you can provide baked goods.
As there was no new business, President Spicer adjourned this morning's regular meeting at 10:35 a.m. President
Spicer then called the Annual Meeting to order.
Recording Secretary Sue Harris read the 2014 Annual Minutes, and they were approved.
President Spicer noted that Treasurer Ann Webster has already presented the Annual Treasurer's Report during this
morning's regular monthly meeting.
President Spicer then presented the President's Annual Report. In it, she noted all of the ways in which our Club's
members have fulfilled the theme of “Learning – Sharing – Doing” that she had chosen to guide her during her term
as LFGC President.
President Spicer announced that two of our members are recipients of the LFGC's scholarships to a National
Gardening Club School. Deborah Thompson will attend the Gardening Study School and Kathy Leva will attend the
Landscape Design School.
President Spicer turned to the Installation of Elected Officers. She used a gardener's color wheel to symbolize a color
for each office as the officers' names were called and they came forward. For Membership Co-Chairs, Gail Harris and
Barbara Shafer, there was the color orange, to symbolize cheerfulness. For Treasurer Leslie Sargis, there was the color
green, to, symbolize money. For Corresponding Secretary Joan Farr, there was the color bright pink to symbolize
enthusiasm and warmth. For Recording Secretary Deborah Thompson, there was the color yellow, to symbolize
alertness. For Co-Vice Presidents, Molly Nye and Ashley Rooney, there was the color blue, to symbolize loyalty and for
President Mary Nokes, there was the color purple, to symbolize leadership. President Spicer noted that all the colors
work together to uphold our Club's purposes. Each new officer received a fresh flower tinted with the color of her
office. Then, everyone in the audience stood to acknowledge and support our Club's new slate of officers. The Annual
Meeting was then adjourned.
Vice President Mary Nokes introduced this morning's speaker, Neal Sanders, a mystery writer whose wife, Betty, is the
incoming President of the GCFM. Mr. Sanders has written 9 mysteries, all set in gardens with strong women
characters. He gave an entertaining presentation demonstrating just how Gardening is Murder!
-Respectfully submitted, Sue Harris, Recording Secretary
General Meeting Minutes
April 13, 2016
President Mary Nokes called the meeting to order at 10 am, thanking several members for delicious baked goods,
cheese, fruit, and a flower arrangement. Mary next honored nine past presidents of the LFGC by giving her
predecessors small gifts. They also received a loud round of applause as they stood before the club. Past presidents
honored were: Kristine Burton, Lillian Cohen, Joan Farr, Kate Gill, Harriet Hathaway, Nancy Hubert, Sue Spicer, and
Ann Webster.
Next Ashley Rooney made several announcements. The Joint Evening Groups Meeting will be held April 14th at St.
Brigid Church. The program by Elizabeth Farnsworth is entitled Strange but True: Fascinating Plant Behaviors. One
of our members, Kathy Leva, is holding a flower arranging class on April 19th at the Community Center, at the cost
$15. Please contact Kathy should you wish to take this class. Marilyn Rudnick is organizing a Walking Group around
the theme “Spring is Here,” and those who wish to participate should contact Marilyn. The town Arbor Day
ceremony will be on April 29th at 11 am at Lincoln Park and includes a tree planting. Anyone who can help with
bagging small trees for the First Grade Arbor Day Program is invited to Ann Webster’s house on April 23, 1-3 pm.
Emory Park needs more volunteers to work on Mondays, 10-12am.
The Plant Sale will be held at the DPW on Bedford Street. Potting begins on April 25. No sales of plants will occur
before the date of the sale itself so the Club will be able to offer customers the best possible selection. The Annual
Luncheon will be held May 11th at the Church of the Redeemer following Susan Goldhor’s presentation on The Hidden
Forest. Please contact Julia Francis if you would like to go, cost $18.
The meeting was then turned over to Megan McCue of McCue’s Garden Center, who about growing vegetables.
Megan is the third generation in this family business, and in 2012 they knocked down their home to expand their
parking lot. The family has always prided itself on a friendly staff and excellent customer support which is the heart
of the business.
To grow a vegetable garden, Megan explained that the first step is planning. One should decide what one wants to
eat and select the seeds, and then divide these crops into cold and warm planting groups (a cold vegetable would be
spinach, kale or lettuce, for example). The next step is to survey the terrain and decide where one is going to plant:
directly in the ground, in containers, using potager (a fenced in garden style that has carried over from medieval
times), or perhaps using square foot gardening (in which each square is planted with the mature plant size in mind).
Square foot gardening is very popular these days.
Megan reviewed the importance of pH, the use of manure and compost, emphasized the value of information on the
back of the seed packet (as long as one knows the date of the last killing frost in your area), the trade-off between
planting from seed versus using starter plants, the variety of vegetable strains available, and finally the value of
keeping a journal and saving plant tags. She also mentioned that McCue’s is working toward being able to offer
beneficial insects for sale in a few years.
Megan knew exactly what she was talking about and displayed an excellent command of information which she
presented in an easy and charming way. Megan did a great job of reminding us that growing vegetables is fabulous
fun.
-Deborah Thompson
Walk with Friends/See the Farm
LFGC members are invited to come explore and
learn about Lexington Community Farm at 52 Lowell
Street. On 7.5 acres, adjacent to the Arlington
Reservoir, the property is owned by the town of
Lexington and leased to the non-profit Lexington
Community Farm Coalition. The Farm operates a
small stand plus a glass greenhouse and a
hoophouse. Join us on Tuesday, May 17 (rain
date: Thursday, May 19) and learn about the Farm's
many educational programs for children, families
and adults. There is no charge for the tour. We shall
meet at the farm at 9:30am. The tour, which can
accommodate up to 20 people, will run from 9:30am
to 10:30am, after which, we will meet for coffee at
Panera in Lexington center. Kindly RSVP to Betsy
Hansen at [email protected].
Tim Hines
Farm Manager
Lexington Community Farm
Althea Phillips Award Ceremony
On April 12, we presented a certificate and a check to
two seniors in the horticultural program at Minuteman
Regional High School, followed at lunch at the Fife and
Drum Cafe
Middlesex District Luncheon
Kathy Leva, our member and our District Director, made
(yes she made it) a delicious lunch for the Middlesex
District Meeting of the Garden Federation at St. Brigid’s.
Past GCFM President Marisa McCoy demonstrated
flower arranging for art in bloom, and made lovely
arrangements.
LEXINGTON’S INTERFAITH GARDEN WELCOMES
VOLUNTEERS
If it’s April, it’s spring at Lexington’s Interfaith
Garden where volunteers from all over town join
together to grow organic produce for Lexington’s
Food Pantry. The Garden has produced over 4 tons
of three dozen different organic vegetables, herbs,
and flowers since its beginnings in 2010.
Begun as an interfaith effort of a dozen faith
communities in town, the Garden welcomes
volunteers from other groups and as individuals.
Each season over 500 volunteer spots need to be
filled. We have welcomed Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts,
youth groups, environmental interns and students
seeking community service hours. Some come one
time; others sign up more regularly. We are grateful
for any amount of time that volunteers can offer
DETAILS: The location of the Garden is convenient:
across from the Green right next to First Parish.
Gardening days are twice weekly: Tuesday
afternoons (4:30 – 6:00 pm) and Saturday mornings
(8:30-ish – 10:00am).
Art in Bloom at the MFA 2016: LFGC Arrangers, Kathy
Leva and Janice McDonough
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Reclining Nude 1909
WE INVITE YOU: Join us…once or twice or more
often. No experience needed! Children, youth, and
adults—all are welcome. (LHS community service
hours are available.) Please contact Marty Kvaal at
[email protected].
We had a successful celebration of Arbor Day. I send my heartfelt thanks to the following: Jane Beswick chaired the
event in an organized and cheerful manner. Liz Haines made wearable flowers for family members. Joe Pato
presented the proclamation from the selectman. Mary-Beth Whiteside entertained us with her portrayal of the
program she, Debby Thompson, and Kitty Galaitsis presented to Lexington’s first graders, and Ann Webster manned
her props. Ashley Rooney made comments about our four honorees. Peter Lund photographed the event. Matt
Foti donated the London planetree. The Jeweltones graciously provided us with a musical interlude. We are
fortunate to have a DPW which helps us in many ways. Chuck Filadoro made comments and he and his staff set up
the podium, sound system, and chairs. Many of our members attended.
Happy Arbor Day Baggers
Cheryl Fouche, Corrine Steigerwald, Ann
Webster, Deborah Thompson, Laura Husarik,
Mary-Beth Whiteside, Cecille Platek
Lexington Field and Garden Club
P. O. Box 133
Lexington, MA 02421
Place
Stamp
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