Minutes, October Meeting

GARDEN CLUB OF NEW HAVEN, INC.

REGULAR MEETING

www.gcnh.blogspot.com

October 5, 2009

Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

The Regular Meeting was called to order by President Carol Ross on Monday, October 5, 2009, at

12:17 p.m., at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT.

Program Chair, Debbie Moore, introduced the guest speaker, Vince McDermott of Milone & MacBrooom in Cheshire, CT. Mr. McDermott spoke about “The Farmington Canal Project: Past, Present & Future.”

The minutes of the May 2009 meeting were read and approved.

Treasurer’s Report—Sondra Haller

The treasurer reported that as of October 1, 2009, GCNH is solvent. Reports will be detailed at the in a brief format.

Total Income: $4,288.46

Total Expenses: $2,888.67

New Worth (roughly): $ 117,304.78

President’s Report—Carol Ross

The president thanked Martha Alexander for opening her home to our club last June for the annual meeting and celebration of the Garden Club of New Haven’s 86th anniversary and thanked all club members for helping with GCNH summer projects.

At the September 26 Common Ground School annual fall event, “Feast From the Fields,” the Garden Club of New Haven was recognized for its civic actions in the city of New Haven for the past 85 years and awarded a plaque by Joel Tolman, Director of Development and Community Engagement. A perennial garden will be planted at the Common Ground School in our honor.

GCNH’s proposal for a Garden Club of America “Founder’s Fund Grant” has been drafted and recently completed. In November this proposal will be presented for review.

The 2011 Zone Meeting will be hosted in New Haven; a steering committee has been appointed.

Hospitality—Rosita Murphy

Thank you to all GCNH members who provided food and table arrangements for the October meeting. Nancy Ahlstrom provided the arrangement on the registration table, and Joan Gordon provided the tomato centerpiece on the serving table. Members were reminded to check their names in the GCNH Directory to see what food item and month they have been assigned.

Corresponding Secretary—Elaine Anderson

GCNH 2009-2010 Directories were available on the registration table. Directory changes should be reported to Elaine Anderson. Members were reminded to sign the Attendance Roster at each meeting.

A thank you letter was received from Dr. Louis Magnarelli, Director, Agriculture Experimental Station, New Haven, CT, for the $350 donation from GCNH (donation is used to help support the agency).

GCNH received a thank you letter from FGCCT for our $250 donation to their scholarship fund.

Conservation—Mikey Hirschoff

The Conservation Committee agenda will again involve the community in conservation efforts (to be determined). Conservation notes will continue to be placed in the GCNH newsletter. Mikey Hirschoff will represent our club in Washington, D.C. as a lobbyist.

A sign-up sheet was available for members wishing to join the Conservation committee.

Flower Arranging—Lisa Lovejoy

A survey was given to all members; members were asked to fill-out it out and turn it in at the end of the meeting. A list of upcoming flower shows and courses was also provided.

•October 17, 2009, Garden Club of Madison House Tour and Standard Flower show themed “Autumn in the Air,” 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

•October 27-29, 2009, Flower Show School at the Jones Auditorium, Agriculture and Experiment Station. Julia Flaveck, a well-known table designer, will be instructing.

•November 12-14, 2009, Wilton Garden Club Standard Flower Show themed “A Feast for the eyes—A Taste of Georgetown.” Carpools to this show will be arranged for November 13; a sign-up sheet was available (contact Lisa Lovejoy).

•February 18-21, 2010, Federated Garden Clubs of CT Flower Show themed “Spice of Life.” Classes will be available at this show. Betsy Nininger is our club liaison. There are group exhibits, and GCNH members are encouraged to enter.

Debbie Edwards received a second place award for the jewelry box she made and entered in the New Canaan Flower Show.

Garden History and Design—Karyl Evans

In 1914 GCA formed the Historic Gardens Committee to recognize not only the gardens of GCA members but also historic gardens of the past and present, thus preserving their history and promoting good garden design. A few years later (in 1919), the Slide Committee was added to record these gardens visually. From 1920-1935 over 2,000 glass lantern slides of gardens were commissioned, many of which were hand colored. These slides became the source for the GCA supported publication, Gardens of Colony and State. Continued efforts of the two committees over the years provided the GCA with a collection of 3,000 glass lantern slides and over 22,000 35 mm slides, a collection which was given to the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Gardens in 1987. The purpose of this standing committee remained steady, but its name changed over the years to ‘The Archive of American Gardens-Garden History and Design Special Committee’ (1992) and then to the ‘Garden History and Design Committee’ (1996) which we recognize today.

The Roxanna Laughlin 35 acre property in West Cornwall, CT, was selected by the Garden Club of New Haven for documentation for the Smithsonian Garden History & Design Project. Extensive historical information about this property has been gathered and pictures have been taken. On June 8 the committee met with Donna Stout, Zone II Representative, to review all the slides and prints and to select 24 viable slides of the property for submission to the Smithsonian Archives. After the meeting, Karyl labeled all of the slides, prepared an image list describing each of the 24 slide images, prepared a Slide View Plan, prepared a Features Plan and a Garden Features List. She also secured a photographer’s release form. Now the committee is in the process of duplicating the images and compiling a more extensive history of the site.

As we begin the year, the committee welcomes new members. A sign-up sheet was available for members wishing to join the Garden History & Design committee.

Horticulture—Cordalie Benoit

Ten Elm seedlings were brought to the meeting for members to take home and grow. Members were asked to sign the list provided by the Horticulture committee tracking the growth of each seedling. In three years the Elms can be planted in the member’s yard or given back to GCNH for planting elsewhere in the community. To care for the Elm seedling, sink the pot containing the seedling into the ground for the winter. Elm seeds are also available for planting; Cordalie Benoit will send growing directions to you.

“Snoopy” Begonias propagated from cuttings from Betsy Nininger were on display.

Succulents are for sale at the green house in Edgerton Park, and will also be for sale at the November Regular Meeting.

A sign-up sheet was available for members wishing to join the Horticulture committee.

Ways and Means—Vicki Arkins

Photos showing the Holiday Bulbs for sale this year were displayed, and orders were taken. Ordering will continue this week through next Monday when the sale will close.

Ways and Means invites suggestions for items other than food that can be made and brought to sell at the December Holiday Sale (for example, clove-studded oranges and lemons).

New Member Education--Bonnie Sullivan

Please welcome new provisionals Lucy Ambach, Jeanne Bjorkman, Kitty Champlin, Deborah Desir, Adele Edgerton, Mae Festa, Christy Moore, and Shelby Wilson.

Visiting Gardens—Darlene Zimmermann

A thank you was extended to those who opened their gardens for viewing this past spring and summer.

November 12, 2009, a trip to the New York Botanical Gardens is scheduled. Members will carpool; please arrange your own ride.

A sign-up sheet was available for members wishing to join the Visiting Gardens committee.

Photography—Amy Estabrook

This new committee will be responsible for taking photographs of all members to be used in the GCNH Directory. A photo contest for members is planned. Members are encouraged to take photographs of things in nature, or in their own yards, that would be of interest to club members. A collection of photographs taken at club events throughout the year will be displayed at the end-of-the-year meeting.

A sign-up sheet was available for members wishing to join the Photography committee.

The Elm Project—Debbie Edward

A report will be provided at the November meeting.

Other Business

October 5, 2009, 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., URI (Urban Resources Initiative) event at the Sage Restaurant, $50 per person. GCNH member, Jody Bush, is the current president of URI. The mayor will talk about the new, enhanced street planting project and the city’s commitment to it.

Clippings were brought in for sale and cost $5 per bag (located on the side table).

Karyl Evans thanked everyone who came to the recent screening of her film, Grove Street Cemetery.

Members were asked to bring dried, plant material sprayed gold or silver to be used in the Christmas arrangements for nursing homes; more about this project at the next meeting.

Ruth Martin was released from Yale New Haven Hospital and is in rehab at Whitney Manor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Hamden. Ruth appreciated the cards sent from everyone.

M/S/P to adjourn at 1:38 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Recording Secretary, Marty Dauwalder