The General Meeting was called to order by President Carol Ross on Monday, April 4, at 12:17 p.m., at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut.
President Carol Ross welcomed everyone to the April General Meeting and introduced Debby Moore, Program Chair.
Program
Debby Moore provided an introduction for guest speaker, Ronda M. Brands, a freelance garden designer, horticulturist, and adjunct professor at Columbia University. Ms. Brand’s work includes designing public parks and private gardens in the New York City area and beyond. She presented a slide show, “Public Garden Design – Creating Success in Spaces.”
Suggested gardens to visit:
◦The Heather Garden, Fort Tryon Park Trust. http://www.forttryonparktrust.org/gardens/heather_garden.html
◦ Conservatory Garden in Central Park, N.Y. http://www.centralpark.com/guide/attractions/conservatory-garden.html
◦Robert J. Wagner, Jr. Park. http://www.bpcparks.org/bpcp/parks/parks.php
◦Lynden B. Miller’s personal garden. Open to the public during “Trade Secrets Rare Plant and Garden Antique Sale & House Tour, Sunday, May 15, 2011. (860) 364- 1080 www.tradesecretsct.com
Suggested Readings:
◦Parks, Plants, and People, by Lynden B. Miller
◦Green Nature, Human Nature, by Charles A. Lewis
◦Design work and publications by William H. (Holly) Whyte, considered the mentor for PPS (Project for Public Spaces)
Suggested Plant Specimens:
◦ Oak Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) - a native plant to the U.S. which provides 4-seasons of interest.
◦Liriope (genus) - also called lilyturf or a grass (although not a lily, nor a true grass). Use as a low edging or ground cover.
Business Meeting
President’s Report
• President Carol Ross thanked the guest speaker, Ronda M. Brands, for her enlightening presentation.
• Thank you to Marty Dauwalder for preparing the minutes.
• Buck Gentry has graciously donated books from Betsy Gentry’s collection to the GCNH. These books are displayed on the side table, are for sale, and the profits will be placed in a Legacy Fund.
• The urn with floral arrangement for sale on the side table was donated for by the family of Sue Crosby.
• Thank you to Lucy Elliot for donating the plants on the side table offered for sale.
• Actions of the Board of Directors at the March 31 meeting included the approval of a $20 increase in membership dues. Provisional dues increased to $135, Active to $160, and Associate to $170. Sustaining membership will remain at $125, Associate/Non-Resident at $95, and Lifetime is waived. The reasons for the increase were founded upon GCNH’s need to begin paying for meeting space during the months of January, February, and March beginning in 2012, when the Jones Auditorium will no longer be available for meetings during those months (due to winter snow and ice); GCNH payments per member to GCA continue to steadily rise; and fees of the excellent program speakers GCNH books have risen, also.
• Actions of the Board of Directors at the March 31 meeting included a review of the Proposed Bylaws. An ad hoc committee composed of President Carol Ross, Susan Ehrenkranz, and Debbie Edwards reviewed the GCNH Bylaws and brought their proposed recommendations to the board for review. There is record that the Bylaws were reviewed in 1979, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1998, and 2005. The 2011 ad hoc committee chose to combine the Bylaws and Standing Rules into one document, allowing for redundancies to be removed, improved consistency in wording, and where applicable and allowable, the content streamlined for clearer accuracy (please note: the Articles of the Bylaws cannot be changed). Among the proposed changes—new standing committees, roles and responsibilities were added, and the name of the Newsletter committee was changed. The ad hoc committee presented the Proposed Bylaws to the Board of Directors for review, discussion, and recommendations. A quorum vote was taken on the board’s recommendations and the proposed Bylaws amended. Copies of the amended, proposed Bylaws were given to members present at this General Meeting, and will be emailed or mailed to those not present. A vote on the amended, proposed Bylaws will be taken by the General membership at the GCNH General Meeting of May 2, 2011.
• President Ross joined everyone present in welcoming Ruth Martin back after her hospitalization and recovery from surgery. Ruth thanked all members present for their thoughtful get well wishes and cards she so appreciated.
• It was reported Louise Carter was absent from the meeting due to broken ribs (broken from coughing).
•The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc., April 2011 issue of the Connecticut Federation News listed the GCNH members who exhibited and won ribbons in the 30th Annual Connecticut Flower & Garden Show, “Capture the Magic,” in Hartford, CT. Congratulations to Vicki Arkins, Lisa Lovejoy, Cordalie Benoit, Amy Estabrook, and Susan Ehrenkranz.
• Buck Gentry has invited GCNH members to the memorial service for Betsy Gentry, which will be held on Sunday,
April 17, 1-5 p.m., at the New Haven Lawn Club.
• With regret, President Ross reported the passing of GCNH member, Nancy McAllister. A memorial service will be held this coming summer, a date and time to be announced.
• A thank you has been received from Colleen Murphy-Dunning, Director, Hixon Center for Urban Ecology, Urban Resources Initiative (URI), for the donation of $2,500 from GCNH. This donation will be used specifically for the planting of trees in the City of New Haven.
• Thank you to Cordalie Benoit for the recent clean-up work and mulching of the planting beds at Phelps Triangle Park.
• Reminder to members to submit information to be included in the GCNH blog newsletter to Anne Hoefer by the Sunday after the General Meeting.
• Sign-up sheets are on the side table for all members to volunteer their assistance, talents, to be a host home for out-of-town garden club guests, a host home for dinners, or to help with whatever needs to be accomplished by the numerous committees that have been created to prepare for the Zone II meeting GCNH is hosting October 26-27, 2011.
• President Ross presented a power-point slide show, “Neath the Elms,” showcasing GCNH and the agenda that has been planned for the two-day, Zone II meeting. The New Haven Lawn Club will be used as the meeting headquarters, with tours and other activities held at different venues in the city. There are 20 garden clubs in Zone II.
• The Zone II Agenda is tentatively scheduled as follows:
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
◦ Staging at the New Haven Lawn Club for the Flower Show ◦
◦ 7:00 p.m. Early arrival guests will attend a dinner at the home of GCNH member, Susan Ehrenkranz and her husband, Dr. Richard Ehrenkranz.
Wednesday, October 26
◦ 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast and Registration at the New Haven Lawn Club.
◦ 8:00 a.m. Set-up and Registration for the Flower Show.
◦ 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. GCA Business Meeting.
◦ 12:00 noon – 6:00 p.m. Flower Show at the New Haven Lawn Club. Open to the public.
◦ 1:00 p.m. Box lunch pick-up at the New Haven Lawn Club.
◦ 1:15 – 2:30 p.m. Lunch and viewing of the Grove Street Cemetery film (Karyl Evans Productions, LLC) at the New Haven Museum and Historical Society.
◦ 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Walking Tours to Phelps Triangle; to the New Haven Green; and to the Grove Street Cemetery.
◦ 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Tea at the Yale Beinecke Library and a display of rare, botanical prints. ◦ 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Cocktails at the Elizabeth R. Hooker House (designed in 1914 by Delano & Aldrich and listed on the National Historic Register), owned by GCNH member Martha Alexander and her husband, Mr. James Alexander.
◦ 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. Catered dinners with notable guest speakers hosted by individual GCNH members in their homes.
Thursday, October 27
◦ 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Breakfast at Kroon Hall, Yale University. GCNH Conservation Committee responsible for this event.
◦ 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. Presentation by Mark Simon, architect, and tour of Kroon Hall.
◦ 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Flower Show at the New Haven Lawn Club. Open to the public.
◦ 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Brunch at the New Haven Lawn Club, Awards presentations and entertainment by Yale
University’s “Proof of the Pudding,” an all-female a cappella group specializing in jazz and swing.
• The question was asked whether buses would be provided to transport Zone II attendees to and from scheduled activities, venues, the Omni hotel, and the New Haven Lawn Club? President Ross stated buses would be available for rides between the Omni Hotel and the New Haven Lawn Club. Martha Alexander suggested garden club attendees needing a ride after leaving the flower show might be able to ride in another member’s car if somebody was available in the parking lot to monitor this. President Ross asked GCNH members to submit their ideas and suggestions regarding the Zone II meeting to her. It is hoped every GCNH member will take an active interest in the event by participating and volunteering to help.
Committee Reports
Scholarship—Vickie DeSesa
• Christine Janis reported on behalf of Vickie DeSesa. A letter was received from the Garden Club of America Scholarship Committee notifying Vickie DeSesa that Kelly O’Leary (principal at the St. Martin de Porres Academy) had been selected as one of the recipients for the 2011 Elizabeth Abernathy Hull Award. GCNH nominated Kelly O’Leary for this award.
Fundraising—Betsy Hartmayer
• Save the Date. GCNH Spring Wine Tasting (a fund-raising event for the Zone II meeting), Thursday, May 26, 2011,
6:00 – 8:00 p.m., at the home of Dr. Richard and Susan Ehrenkranz. Le Petit Gourmet will cater the event, and wines will be donated by Amity Wine & Spirit Company.
Flower Arranging—Lisa Lovejoy
• Kitchen One Workshop, Wednesday, April 20, 2011. Participants in this flower arranging workshop will create a symmetrical design. Cost is $45. A sign-up sheet is available on the entry table, or contact Lisa Lovejoy.
• WAFA Flower Show (World Association of Flower Arrangers), This Glorious Earth, at the Seaport Trade Center, Boston, MA, June 15-19, 2011. As of this date, six GCNH members have signed-up to attend. Please see the sign-up sheet available on the entry table if interested in going, or contact Lisa Lovejoy. http://www.wafausa.org/about_the_show.php
• Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art presents April Showers, Money Flowers, the 30th annual fine art and flower show, April 28 – May 1, 2011. Thursday & Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. GCNH members can enjoy a “Ladies Day” trip to this show. A sign-up sheet is on the entry table. http://www.wadsworthatheneum.org/pdfs/FineArtFlowers2011.pdf
Hospitality—Rosita Murphy
•Thank you to all who brought refreshments to today’s meeting—Judith Cushingham, Anne Calabresi, Marty Dauwalder, Lucy Ambach, and Jeanne Ciravolo Bjorkman. Thank you to both Anemone Schweizer-Kaplan for the beautiful orchid plant and to Lucy Ambach for the beautiful roses.
Phelps Triangle—Cordalie Benoit
• More volunteer help is needed from GCNH members at Phelps Triangle Park. The next work days are scheduled for Saturday, April 16, and Monday, April 18. Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Please plan on spending at least one hour during this time to help work on the park. Should the plants to be planted in the park arrive before these two dates, Cordalie will send out an email notifying members of the date help will be needed for planting.
Guests
• Kathy Higgins (guest of Bonnie Byers), Trish Helms (guest of Cordalie Benoit), and Karen Barrett (guest of Debbie Edwards).
Announcements
• Debbie Edwards thanked President Carol Ross for her wonderful power point presentation, “Neath the Elms.”
There was no further business for discussion.
M/S/P to adjourn at 1:42 p.m.
Minutes submitted by recording secretary, Marty Dauwalder
The next GCNH General Meeting will be held on May 2, 2011, at 11:45 a.m. in the Jones Auditorium, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
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