June 14, 2022




Little Garden Club of Rye Annual Membership Meeting

Rye City Recreation Area Pavilion

June 14, 2022 11a.m.


Present: Adler, Amato, Beary, Benavides-Gallagher, M. Collins, Coombs, Dillon, Dorin, Duncan, Galgano, Goldie, Gonzalez-Molina, Hansen, Hauptman, Hicks, Julian, Kehoe, Leonard, Macleod, Marren, Mark, McClure, McGough, Murray, O’Hare, Rohde, Stewart, Taplett (28)

Guests: Kendra Dowling, Miriam Lambert


President’s Welcome and Announcements: Jean welcomed members to the meeting, mentioning changes to the Club’s focus on Community engagement based on members’ expressed interests in the recent member survey. The majority of members preferred not to be assigned to a community site during the summer months but do want to support community projects in some way.

Respondents to the survey also expressed a preference for monthly meetings with hands-on workshops for Horticulture and Floral Design.

Jean requested that the proposed By-Law amendments, which have been distributed to members by email, be read into the minutes of this meeting instead of being read aloud due to their length. (See attachment.) Members can review and comment on the proposed revisions over the summer for voting in September. Jean said that she has added a section to the proposed amendments allowing for a leave of absence from the Club, based on results of the member survey.

Respondents expressed a low level of interest in exhibiting at Flower Shows which may be mitigated by gaining more hands-on experience in entry display and preparing for flower shows.

Jean showed a prototype of a neon safety vest printed with “The Little Garden Club of Rye” for members to wear while working on community sites and projects.


Minutes for the May 12, 2022 meeting were approved.


Hull Award: Based on a Club nomination spearheaded by Mary Julian, the GCA has awarded a GCA Hull Award to Henry Myers, an educator at Rye Nature Center. The award certificate and a check for $1,000 was previously presented to Henry by the Little Garden Club of Rye at the RNC Annual Fundraiser on May 21, 2022. Henry and Christine Siller, RNC Executive Director, thanked the Club for its active support. Members applauded Henry for his fine work.


Horticulture/Daffodil Show Awards: (Adler) Cheryl thanked all who participated in and worked on the Daffodil Show. Although the number of entries was down, due in part to conflicting holidays and Covid, visitor traffic was quite good. Cheryl credited all of the promotion surrounding daffodils in Rye this year.

Winners of Show Awards were:

Nancy Georgi Farrall Award: Cheryl Adler

Anne Berntsen Award: Marilyn Donahue and Chris Murray

George and Robin Russell Award: Chris Murray

Congratulations to all of the participants!


Chris Murray, GCA Horticulture Committee Vice Chair, Judging Program and Horticulture Judge, asked members to bring a stem from their gardens to this meeting and showed them how to present a stem for a Horticulture entry in a flower show, including how to fill out an entry card. The table of staged stems made a nice backdrop for presenters at the meeting. Chris Murray announced that there will be a small Club horticulture show at the September meeting to give members practice. In the recent survey, members expressed an interest in gaining more hands-on experience in entry display and preparing for flower shows. Chris Murray recommends Falco 310 clippers and asked members interested in them to contact her. Cheryl has been successfully growing Coleus from seed inside and outside this spring. However, she found the selection of seed varieties limited and suggested that interested members purchase some of the fancier Coleus varieties now so that they can take them inside in the fall and then take cuttings for propagation and swapping next year. Cheryl distributed a Coleus plant to all attendees.



Floral Design/Flower Show(Duncan)

Chris Duncan brought 4 miniature designs that she prepared according to the rules for the upcoming Southampton Flower Show to display at the meeting. The designs were then judged by Chris Murray, a Horticulture Judge, to give an example of how judges evaluate entries. Members were asked to vote for the design they thought best. Chris Duncan conducted a workshop in Floral Design with flowers and plants that members could buy in the grocery store or pick from their gardens. She showed members how to tape the top of the container to secure blooms and gave each member a container. Chris explained the fundamentals of arranging: The rule of Thirds; Fill – Spill – Thrill! Members chose flowers from the collection of blooms and fern provided by Chris and created their individual arrangements to take home. The remaining material was used to create arrangements for Meals-on-Wheels.


Awards: (M. Collins) GCA Awards will be awarded at the September meeting. Daffodil Show awards were presented by Cheryl Adler as mentioned previously.

The following Club Awards were presented by Mary on behalf of the Club:

Heart of the Club Award – Kate McGough who will be moving back to the UK also received a LGCR charm

Kay Donahue Togetherness Award – Karen Coombs

Shining Star Award – Chris Duncan

Generosity of Spirit Award – Mary Collins

Distinguished Service – Kathy O’Hare

Horticulture Award – Cheryl Adler Perennial Bloomer – Marianna Amato

Perennial Bloomer – Josie Beary

Seedling Award – Beth Marren

Seedling Award – Marianne Shea

Civic Appreciation – Rosario Benavides-Gallagher

Behind-the-Scenes Award – Ginny Benzak

Behind-the-Scenes Award – Carolyn Brody

Behind-the-Scenes Award – Mary Kelly-Kehoe

Behind-the-Scenes Award – Nadia Valla


Community Stewardship: (Benavides-Gallagher) While waiting for Rosario’s arrival to the meeting, Jean commended the work Rosario has done this year to get help maintaining and particularly watering the Club’s Civic sites. The Rye DPW will be watering a number of the sites, the Post Office gardens will be redesigned to cut down on work there and an employee will take care of summer maintenance with additional watering help for the DPW and the Club has allotted $1500 in the budget to pay the RNC to hire a summer student intern to maintain the Native Plant Garden there.

Jean mentioned that we will continue our Community Stewardship with projects that require less of a long-term commitment. She asked that members come forward who are interested in participating in ongoing and new collaborations with varied projects at The Osborn, Marshlands Conservancy, local schools, Rye Town Park, and other local organizations interested in gardening and the environment.


Budget: Copies of the proposed 2022-2023 budget were distributed. Josie moved and Barbara seconded approval of the budget. Members approved unanimously.


Membership: (Murray)

Members voted unanimously to approve this year’s provisional members, Beth Marren and Marianne Shea, for active status.

Members approved three new provisional members, Kendra Dowling, Sue Garofolo, and Miriam Lambert. Jean introduced Kendra and Miriam (Sue was absent due to ankle surgery that morning), and Chris M. presented each with a begonia, gloves and a trowel.


Visiting Gardens: (Amato)

Marianna announced a Club member trip to visit Cathy Ludden’s Native Garden on June 17.


The meeting ended at 12:05. Members enjoyed tacos from a taco truck and delicious pies made by members while continuing to create their arrangements.


Karen Coombs, Recording Secretary


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May 12, 2022




Little Garden Club of Rye Business Meeting

Business Meeting and plant sale by Kent Russell

May 12, 2022 10 a.m.


Present in-person:

Adler, Amato, Beary, Benavides, M. Collins, Coombs, Dillon, Duncan, Gonzalez Molina, Julian, McGough, Murray, Shea, Taplett, Valla (15)


Present on Zoom: Goldie, Hauptman, Stewart (3)


Guests: Sue Garofalo, Faiza Imam


President’s Welcome: Jean called the meeting to order at 10:15 and welcomed the visitors, Faiza and Sue.


Minutes for the March 8, 2022 meeting were approved.


Membership Survey: Jean reported that she is analyzing the results of the membership survey sent out by email several weeks ago. Preliminary results suggest that members would like to be able to perform their Community Stewardship work in a variety of ways, showing less interest in routine watering and maintenance at the Civic sites and more interest in working on targeted collaborations with local organizations involved in environmental education and improvement. This confirms what Rosario, the Community Stewardship Chair, has found; only about a third of Active members are regularly working on Civic sites despite the current requirement.


In the survey, members indicated that they would like to learn more about horticulture, flower arranging and botanical arts. They were less interested in participating in shows. Jean suggested that educational programs could make members more comfortable with show participation.


Collaborations: Jean gave updates on several areas of the Club’s new focus on collaborations with local civic groups.

She announced that the new spat (oyster larvae) have been installed at the Rye location of the Rye Middle School Billion Oyster Project.

The Curator/Director at Marshlands Conservancy has requested Club help with planning and structuring projects they are undertaking, including work on the entrance to the Marshlands Conservancy. Volunteers needed.

The new Grow Getter Gardeners group at the Osborn, which members of the Club have worked to assist, now has about 30 members, some of whom entered daffodils in the LGCR Show and won prizes.


GCA Awards:

Jean announced that a GCA Hull Award will be given to Henry Myers, an educator at Rye Nature Center. Mary Julian coordinated the nomination.

The LGCR has submitted two letters of intent for Founders Fund Awards: one for the Jay Heritage Center and one for the Rye Nature Center. The Rye Garden Club is the Supporting Club for both.


Donations : Jean distributed copies of the proposed LGCR 2022 donations budget. (attached) The $1550 budget focuses donations on local organizations that the LGCR has a relationship with. In addition to the donations, there is a proposal to move the $1,500 funding for Rye Nature Center to the Community Stewardship budget line to sponsor a summer intern. Members unanimously approved.


2022-23 Budget: Jean distributed copies of a draft 2022-23 budget. She proposed an annual dues rate of $175 for all membership categories, which would mean a $25 increase for Actives and no change for Affiliates and Non-resident members.

Members at the meeting unanimously approved.

Members will vote on the Budget proposal at the June meeting.


By-Laws: Jean has been working on amendments to the LGCR By-Laws that would clarify the difference in membership categories and eliminate the Affiliate membership category, combining the current Affiliate and Active categories.

One purpose for the recent Membership Survey was to assess how members felt about such changes.

Currently, Active members are required to work on Civic sites (although, as noted earlier, a majority do not) while Affiliates are not required to work on Civic sites and are assessed higher dues. Jean’s proposal would require all Active members to join a Club committee and participate in Club collaborations with local environmental organizations and schools. An informal poll of members at the meeting found that all thought merging Actives and Affiliates would be a good idea.


Community Stewardship: (Benavides) Rosario is spearheading the Club’s collaboration efforts with Rye City, RNC, Marshlands, Knapp House and other local organizations. The goal is to have members involved in different ways, providing more advice and ideas, and less weeding and watering.

The LGCR sponsored summer intern at RNC will take on watering and maintenance projects there.

Rosario has contacted the Rye City maintenance department and the Post Office to get summer watering assistance. Construction at the Knapp House may affect garden work there.


Horticulture: (Adler) Cheryl announced that awards for the Daffodil Show will be given out at the June meeting. Her winter sowing project was a big success.


Floral Design/Flower Show: (Duncan)

Chris D. announced that Marianna Amato is the winner of this year’s Teacup Challenge. Chris thanked all the participants and said she will continue the challenge next year. She showed dried materials that she has found for sale now that make a dramatic addition to floral arrangements. Timing for a future LGCR Flower Show was discussed. The agreed upon date is September 2024. A more specific date will be confirmed after checking the calendar for religious holidays and venue availability.


Field Trips: (Amato)

Marianna discussed plans for the trip to Sleepy Cat Farm on May 17 and Lyndhurst on June 8, 2022.


The meeting ended at 12:30. Members enjoyed coffee and a cake to celebrate Marianne Shea’s birthday and shopped at Kent Russell’s display of perennial and annual plants in the driveway of Jean’s home.


Karen Coombs Recording Secretary


Next Meeting: Tuesday, June 14, 2022, Annual Membership Meeting & Luncheon at Rye Recreation Center on Midland Road in Rye.


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March 8, 2022




Little Garden Club of Rye Business Meeting

Rye Free Reading Room

with Nola Anderson "immersion: Living in an Olmsted Garden"

March 8, 2022 10 a.m.


Present: Amato, Beary, Benavides, Benzak, M. Collins, Coombs, Dillon, Duncan, Hansen, Hauptman, Hedges, Julian, Kehoe, Leonard, Macleod, McGough, Murray, Rohde, Shea, Taplett, Valla (21)


President’s Welcome: Jean welcomed everyone to our in-person meeting. She introduced a visitor Kendra Dowling, a prospective member.


The February meeting minutes were approved.


Field Trips/Visiting Gardens: (Amato) Marianna passed out calendars listing upcoming proposed Club trips:

-April 7, a visit to the GCA daffodil garden in Central Park with the possible addition of a visit to GCA Headquarters. (Date tentative.)

-April 29, a visit to the GCA Annual Flower Show in Parsippany, NJ with Chris M. as docent.

-May 7, a visit to Clove Brook Farm in Millbrook.

-May 17, a visit to Sleepy Cat Farm in Greenwich, CT. (May 24 rain date.)

-June 8, a visit to the rose garden at Lyndhurst.

-June 17 a visit to Cathy Ludden’s Native Garden in Hartsdale.

Marianna will be sending out emails to members with more details as plans firm up.


Rye Daffodil Day: (Duncan)

Chris D. asked for volunteers for Rye Daffodil Day on April 30 from 12 to 4 p.m. Similar to last year, children will bring in cut daffodils from their gardens to display and receive a certificate. The hide and seek will be within the park. Children will find daffodil pinwheels, hear poetry readings, and receive cookies as prizes.

Volunteers are needed for set up and clean up, and for the sign in desk. Kate has distributed 2500 bulbs to the children of Rye this year, which will provide Daffodil Day entries, adding to the bulbs children planted last year. Chris D. is exploring the presentation of a certificate of honor by the mayor of Rye to Roy Bostock for his promotion of daffodil plantings along Manursing Way. She believes this would tie in with Daffodil Day, the 30th Anniversary of the LGCR Daffodil Show, and the Olmsted 200 daffodil plantings at RTP.


Floral Design: (Duncan)

Chris D. asked members to vote for one of the 3 teacup challenge entries displayed this month. She gave each member present a set of covered ties to use in floral arrangements.


By-Laws: Jean discussed an on-going review of the By-laws. She will be sending out surveys to ask how members feel about a proposal to reclassify all Affiliate members as Active, and how members feel about changing the monthly general meeting day from Tuesdays to Wednesdays because of a conflict with GCA meetings.

Other changes to membership under discussion are the creation of a new Honorary category and replacing the current Honorary category with a new “Emeritus” member category. Emeritus members would be required to continue to pay dues. Jean would also like to have a requirement that all active members join at least one committee and reintroduce the requirement that all members sign-up to do Hospitality at a monthly meeting.

Jean said that she will be reviewing the proposed amendments with Anna Parker for her legal perspective and experience with past By-law revisions.


Announcements: Jean announced that Amy Hardis has resigned as 1st Vice President because she has moved to North Carolina. She will continue her membership in the LGCR and remains available to share her knowledge from many years in the Club in many roles including as our past President.

Dorothy Yewer has resigned as she has also moved from Rye.

The Club has received a number of thank you notes from Osborn residents who appreciated the Valentine flower arrangements made and delivered by Club members. Jean passed around flyers for the East Hampton and Greenwich Flower Shows.


The LGCR Daffodil Show will be April 14 at Jay Carriage House.


Rye Free Library Seed Share: Chris Shoemaker, Library Director, described the Library’s Seed Share program. They acquire seeds from The Hudson Valley Seed Company, as well as seed donations that are clearly labeled with care instructions, and offer them for free to the public. They try to find natives that will do well in this area. Seed packages are in the repurposed Card Catalog on the Library patio. Takers should sign out the seeds they take and are encouraged to practice seed saving so that they can make future donations to the Seed Share.


The meeting ended at 10:45.


Program: Presentation by Nola Anderson, “Immersion: Living in an Olmsted Garden.”


Karen Coombs, Recording Secretary


Next Event: LGCR Annual Daffodil Show, April 14 at Jay Carriage House.


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February 8, 2022



Little Garden Club of Rye Business Meeting

February 8, 2022 at 10am

Little Garden Club of Rye Business Meeting followed by a joint program with Rye Garden Club via Zoom Dede Petri on Frederick Law Olmsted


Present:

Adler, Amato, Benavides, M. Collins, Coombs, Donahue, Duncan, Eyler, Hardis, Hauptman, Julian, Leonard, Macleod, Marren, McGough, Murray, O’Hare, Schmiedeberg, Schubert, Stewart, Taplett (21)


President’s Welcome:

Jean welcomed everyone to the Zoom meeting. The January meeting minutes were approved as amended with the addition of Ann Collins as present.


Awards:

(M. Collins) With the recent reorganization of GCA Committees, the GCA Civic Improvement Committee now includes the Founders Fund and Hull Awards, as well as some other awards. As a result, Jean proposed that the LGCR split its awards presentations into several parts, giving the major awards, as in the past, at the June meeting, but giving Club awards in the spring or fall. This would have the additional benefit of shortening the June program and possibly inspiring and rewarding members’ special efforts throughout the year.


Mary Julian is working on an application for a GCA Hull award to be given to an employee at Rye Nature Center. Jean will help review the application before the March 1 deadline. We are also working with RGC on a proposal for a GCA Civic Improvement Award for Jay Heritage. That deadline is May 1.


Founders Fund:

There is only one Founders Fund candidate this year, “Bee Successful: The 4G Honey Team”, proposed by the Hawkins, TX and Gertrude Windsor Garden Clubs of Zone IX. All present unanimously voted in favor through a Zoom poll. Members not present will be canvassed by mail.


Community Stewardship:

(Benavides-Gallagher) Rosario reported that the Civic site information books are ready to be distributed. When she returns from Peru in March, she will meet with the Rye DPW to ask for help watering our Civic sites and look into recruiting student summer interns to help work on the sites.


Conservation/NAL:

(Stewart) Andrea urged members to register for the upcoming virtual NAL and Conservation meetings. Members will be able to listen in on meetings with our Senators and learn about GCA advocacy on important environmental issues. She will have more information after a Zone meeting on Friday and will distribute that to members.


Field Trips:

Jean, speaking for Marianna, said that Marianna is working on plans for a Club trip in May to visit a Greenwich garden and have lunch. She will have more information at the next meeting. Chris D. suggested a member trip to the GCA Annual Meeting Flower Show. She will contact Marianna to discuss.


Floral Design:

(Duncan) Chris D. urged members to participate in the floral design workshop planned for February 11 from 9:30 to 12:30 at Jean’s house. Chris D. and Chris M. will help members prepare arrangements that will be delivered to residents at the Osborn. There are still openings.


Horticulture:

(Adler) Cheryl is hosting Winter Seed Sowing workshops on February 10 at 11 a.m. and February 15 at 2 p.m. The work area will be on her patio or garage, or in her basement depending on weather. She has purchased a variety of seeds and will have seeds appropriate for the Shirley Meneice plant exchange. There are still some openings, however members should RSVP as soon as possible.


Hospitality:

Mary Kelly Kehoe needs more volunteers.


Membership:

Jean said she’s still trying to find a Committee Chair. She said a coffee for prospective new members is being planned.


Communications:

Kate asked members to send her their photos for the various Club publications. They can be texted or emailed.


The meeting ended at 10:30 and members were invited to join the 10:30 Zoom with RGC, a talk by Dede Petri on Frederick Law Olmsted.


Karen Coombs Recording Secretary


Next Meeting:

Tuesday March 8, 2022, 9:30 a.m. Board meeting, 10:00 a.m. Business meeting and Nola Anderson’s presentation, “Immersion: Living in an Olmsted Garden”. Location TBA.

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January 11, 2022



Little Garden Club of Rye Business Meeting January 11, 2022

Business Meeting, followed by joint program with Rye Garden Club via Zoom “Uninvited: The Spread of Invasive Species” by the Department of Environmental Conservation and Q&A with Laura Greene, Rye Nature Center Interim Conservation Director


January 11, 2022 10:04 am Via Zoom (all virtual)


Present:

Cheryl Adler, Betsey Albert, Marianna Amato, Josie Beary, Rosario Benavides, A. Collins, Mary Collins, Karen Coombs, Victoria Dillon, Marilyn Donahue, Chris Duncan, Julie Goldie, Amy Hardis, Barbara Hauptman, Mary Julian, Mary Kelly Kehoe, Doree Leonard, Joan Mark, Beth Marren, Kate McGough, Connie McLeod, Chris Murray, Kathy O’Hare, Anja Porto, Phyllis Schmiedeberg, Marianne Shea, Jean Taplett (27)


President’s Welcome:

Jean welcomed everyone to the meeting and extended special greetings to our potential new members: Miriam Lambert, Sarah Grise, Sue Garofalo, Kendra Dowling. Jean mentioned that she is still looking for proposers and supporters to write letters for new members; most of them have completed the business meeting attendance requirement. Mary Collins moved to approve the November 2021 business meeting minutes, and Anja Porto seconded. The minutes were approved.


Thank-yous: Jean offered thanks to everyone who worked on WinterGarden. Mary Collins wants to do a thank-you in person later as zoom does not allow her to fully express her heartfelt gratitude. Chris Duncan will be distributing a small thank-you token to everyone who helped. Additionally, Jean thanked members who helped with Daffodil distribution to the Rye City schools, the Big Dig, the Daffodil Garden at The Osborn, the Thanksgiving project for Meals-on-Wheels, decorating the Rye Free Reading Room.


Communications:

Jean is trying to direct all club communications to be distributed by Kate McGough. Kate has targeted the first of each month to disseminate dates and information for upcoming events. A newsletter will be published seasonally.


It was noted that the NAL Conference (National Affairs and Legislation) will be virtual this year, and available for all to attend. The dates are March 1-2, 2022.


A joint Conservation Committee/Library Committee Author Lecture will be held on Wednesday February 2, 2022, at 4:00 pm. Registration is required via the GCA website.


Founders Fund:

Jean explained that a new GCA Committee, Civic Improvement, now includes Founders Fund. This year there was only one Founders Fund submission, but clubs are still required to vote to ratify the award to that project. The link to the project will be included in the February Monthly and members will be asked to vote on the project at our February meeting. Jean noted that the LGCR “Civic Committee” is now known as “Community Stewardship.”


Floral:

There was no teacup challenge this month as the business meeting was virtual and Chris Duncan was out of town.


Photography Project:

Anja Porto (Photography chair) and Kate McGough (Communications chair) are examining the financial potential of creating notecards featuring scenes of Rye to sell at next year’s WinterGarden. They are asking members to submit photos of iconic scenes around town, not simply flowers. The notecards will be blank, with the LGCR logo and photographer credit on the back. There was some consideration given to including sample texts that could be used for different occasions to help purchasers use their cards. Chris Duncan suggested contacting Ann Straub to create catchy titles for the different scenes on the cards. The cards would be bundled for sale. Anja has volunteered to do the layout of the cards, and emphasized the values of this project: as a fundraiser, an opportunity to get out in the community, and a way to raise awareness of our club. A small committee will be formed in midsummer to choose the photos. Calendars may be discussed further. Club members were asked to continue taking photos of your winter gardens.


Horticulture:

Cheryl Adler (Horticulture chair) reported she experimented with seeds from a recommended list for winter seed sowing. Cheryl will host a winter seed sowing workshop in her garage on February 10th at 11:00 am. Cheryl will provide seeds and soil and Chris Murray has collected milk jugs to be used. If mornings are not convenient, Cheryl asked that members contact her with alternative times to hold the workshop.


The Shirley Meniece Horticulture Conference will be held September 19-21, 2022. Each club may enter two plants in the plant exchange. The challenge is to propagate plants that were grown at Fairsted, F.L. Olmsted’s home in Brookline, MA. Our club has been successful with clethra, itea and viburnum in the past, all of which are on the list. Winter seed sowing could be used for this event, and Cheryl will host a workshop in the spring for woody plants.


The GCA Annual Meeting flower show will be held April 28-30 in Parsippany, NJ. The schedule for Pathways is on the GCA website. The deadline for 3-month ownership of horticulture entries is January 28, 2022. Cheryl noted that McArdle’s in Greenwich recently received a shipment of houseplants, which could be a good source for PAR class entries. She recommends reading the schedule for the possibility of 6-month ownership requirements for some classes.


Cheryl noted that most of the flowers in the cut stem classes should be in bloom in our area in time for the annual meeting and offered to transport and enter members’ cut stems in the show. It will be as easy as entering stems in our club daffodil show! Chris Duncan suggested the club organize a group visit to the annual meeting flower show. Marilyn clarified that attendees would need to be fully vaccinated and wear masks.


There was additional discussion on PAR classes. (Class 34 is PAR – a special plant that doesn’t fit any other category. Registration deadline is March 27, 2022, with minimum one year ownership.) Chris Murray recommends members buy a “pet” plant and care for it. You only need to polish it for presentation. Chris Duncan then volunteered Chris Murray to evaluate any members’ plants for PAR entries. Chris Murray mentioned that begonias are easy to grow, and that propagating a plant is even better. The propagation also gives you the opportunity to enter “mother and child” classes.


Horticulture class # 33 requires three plants that won a Freeman Medal, with club entries encouraged. It was noted this would be a good opportunity to learn about the Freeman Medal plants. Jean asked Kate to provide a link to the Freeman Medal winners on the club website.


Cheryl mentioned the Seed Share section on the Horticulture landing page of the GCA website. It will tell you how to contact and share seeds with other GCA members. (Seeds are mailed.) It would be nice if LGCR offered seeds on this site. Locally, members can also share seeds at the Rye Free Reading Room, via the repurposed card catalog near the stairs to the Children’s Room. Cheryl reminded us that seeds often last more than one year and would love to hear members’ success stories. It was suggested that LGCR set up seed sharing for the middle to end of May; perhaps a member located centrally in Rye would offer their driveway as a sharing spot? Chris Murray also noted that excess seeds can be sent to the Shirley Meniece seed share.


The annual Daffodil Show will be held at the Jay Heritage Center on Thursday April 14, 2022. Setup will happen on April 13th and tear-down will be the morning of April 15th (including delivering leftover stems to Meals-on-Wheels). A sign-up genius for show volunteers will be sent in the next few weeks. It is hoped that every member will get involved. A training session for clerks will be held. Volunteers will be needed to greet each entrant. Another sign-up genius will be circulated for volunteers to help alter the tablecloths used for displaying the daffodils at the show. Sewing machines will be set up in Jean’s living room.


There is no new information from Rye Town Park on their daffodil celebration this year.


Cheryl shared a candle she decorated from pressed flowers. There are many YouTube videos on how to apply the flowers using wax or Mod Podge. They could also be use on notecards. Cheryl may run another workshop on drying flowers, especially alstroemeria, pansies and columbine.


The meeting concluded at 10:55 am and all LGCR members were invited to the join the 11:00 am zoom meeting with the Rye Garden Club to watch the video “Uninvited: The Spread of Invasive Species” by the Department of Environmental Conservation. It was followed by Q&A with Laura Greene, Rye Nature Center Interim Conservation Director.


Respectfully submitted, Amy Hardis, substituting for Karen Coombs


Next meeting: Tuesday, February 8, 2022, 9:30 am Board meeting and coffee, 10:00 am Business meeting at The Osborn. Program: Fani Szterenbuch with “Arrangements for St. Valentine’s Day”

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November 9, 2021






Little Garden Club of Rye Business Meeting

November 9, 2021, 11am

Presentation By Amy Dolan “Fall & Winter Design for Containers”

Rye City Recreation Area pavilion


Present:

Adler, Amato, Beary, Benavides, Brody, Coombs, Dillon, Dorin, Doyle, Duncan, Galgano, Goldie, Gonzalez-Molina, Hardis, Hauptman, Julian, Leonard, Macleod, Marren, McGough, Murray, O’Hare, Porto, Schmiedeberg, Shea, Taplett, Valla (27)


President’s Welcome:

Jean welcomed everyone to the meeting outdoors on a perfect fall day and introduced guests Susan Garofolo and Miriam Lambert. Minutes for the October 12 meeting were approved.


Floral Design/Flower Shows:

(Duncan) Chris D. reminded members to vote for their favorite among this month’s 4 entrants in the Teacup Challenge. The winner of the most votes will be announced in June. There are still slots available at upcoming meetings.


Continuing her plan to give members an item for floral design each month, Chris gave members picks with wires that can be used to place decorative pieces like pinecones or Christmas balls in arrangements.


Big Dig/Osborn Memorial Garden:

(Duncan) Chris D. reported that the Big Dig will take place this Saturday, November 13 at Rye Town Park. The machine will plant 20,000 daffodil bulbs between 12 and 2 p.m. All are invited to participate. An additional 2,500 bulbs will be available for children to plant in sections marked out in the park. Kate has sent information about the project to schools, and Rye Youth Council members will help with heavier digging. Anya will photograph the workers. This project is part of the Club’s celebration of Olmsted’s 200th birthday.


Chris D. reported that a site has been set at the Osborn for the Club to establish a memorial garden in memory of two long-time Club members who had lived at the Osborn and died recently, Anne Berntsen and Doris Reade. Club members will plant 300 daffodil bulbs including 100 donated by Joe Hamm’s Daffodil Hortus in Washington, PA. No date has been set yet for the planting.


WinterGarden:

(O’Hare) Kathy said that volunteer sign-ups are going well, however, Holly needs help with bulbs. Anyone interested in helping should email Holly.


Tablescapes: Chris D. offered materials that she has acquired for possible tablescapes that members can create to be sold through a silent auction at WinterGarden. The tables are 36 inches round and 42 inches high. Members interested in decorating a table should contact Chris, Kathy or Mary Collins.


Members can also make a wreath for sale, but there will be no wreath-designing workshop this year. Jean has plenty of ribbon for anyone who needs it for their project, and discussed having a time when she would put out decorations left over from prior years that are stored at her house for members to take for this year’s creations.


Cheryl is collecting blown out eggs to use in making washi eggs.


Community Stewardship:

(Benavides-Gallagher) Rosario said that the Community Garden book, a history of Club civic sites with details on plantings and photographs, is at the printer and should be out soon. All of the sites now have captains: Knapp House-Victoria Dillon, Rockridge Triangle-Chris Murray and Rosario, Rye Nature Center-Mary Julian, Post Office-Cheryl Adler, Train Station-Phyllis Schmiedeberg, Gazebo-Rosario.


Horticulture:

(Adler) Cheryl’s notes on November garden care are on the Club website and in Kate’s monthly e-notes. She highlighted several items: There’s still time to transplant trees and shrubs. Plant fall and winter interest plants now. Clean up around the bottom of plants prone to fungus. Leave some plant parts for birds’ and animals’ shelter and food. Empty clay containers of soil and turn upside down. Plant spring bulbs. Planning for the Club Daffodil Show is on-going. Cheryl said that the most likely date is April 14 at the Jay House.


Announcements:

Mary Kelly Kehoe needs a co-chair for Hospitality. Volunteers, please contact Jean. The meeting ended at 12:10 p.m.


Program:

Presentation by Amy Dolan, Fall & Winter Design for Containers.


Karen Coombs Recording Secretary


Next Meeting:

Wednesday, December 1, 2021, annual WinterGarden lecture, luncheon and boutique at the Apawamis Club. Boutique opens at 9:30, luncheon and lecture at 11:30.



October 12, 2021





Little Garden Club of Rye Business Meeting

October 12, 2021 at 6:30 p.m

Presentation By Shinara Sunderlal, Education Outreach Coordinator Billion Oyster Project and Debra Davis-Galliard, Rye Middle School Science Teacher.

At the home of Doree Leonard.


Present In-Person:

Adler, Amato, Beary, Benavides, Benzak, Buckley, M. Collins, Coombs, Donahue, Duncan, Galgano, Hansen, Hardis, Julian, Kirkpatrick, Leonard, Mark, McGough, McGuire, Murray, Shea, Spierings, Stewart, Straub, Taplett, Valla (26) Present via Zoom: Albert, Dorin, Schmiedeberg (3)


President’s Welcome:

Jean called the membership meeting to order at 7:50, following the Billion Oyster Project presentations, thanking Doree for welcoming the Club to her home.


Jean, Josie, Joan, Marianna, Marilyn, Rosario, and Karen helped with refreshments. Chris D. prepared the table centerpiece floral arrangement.


Guests: Jean welcomed in-person guests Kendra Dowling and Sue Garofolo, and Zoom guests Sarah Grisé and Miriam Lambert.


Minutes for the June and September meetings were approved.


Floral Design: (Duncan)

Chris D. asked members to vote for the Teacup Challenge entry they liked best of the three cups prepared this month by Joan, Mary J. and Cheryl. The winner with the most votes for the year will be announced at the Annual Meeting in June. Phyllis asked if pictures of the cups could be posted online.


The Flower Flash Crew led by Chris D. with help from Joan, Rosario and Jean had an event at the Rye DPW this month, delivering flowers and food. Chris asked members with leftover flowers to donate them for future Flower Flashes and asked for volunteers to participate.


Continuing her plan to give members an item for floral arranging each month, Chris D. brought everyone a package of tubes to be used to insert cut flowers in pots of rooted plants, i.e., for “pot et fleur” arrangements.


Big Dig:

All are invited to the Rye Town Park daffodil planting, scheduled for November 13, starting 10 a.m.


Osborn Memorial Garden:

Jean announced that The Osborn Home has designated a location for the LGCR Members’ Memorial Garden. Daffodils will be planted this month in honor of former members Anne Berntsen and Doris Reade, and volunteer planters are welcome. Chris Duncan will confirm the date of the planting with The Osborne Home and inform LGCR members by email.


WinterGarden: (M. Collins)

WinterGarden is scheduled for December 1 at the Apawamis Club. Tickets cost $175. The Club’s main fundraiser, event proceeds will be used for our community Civic sites. The Save the Date cards have been mailed and more are available for members to send to friends. Members are asked to give Mary or Kathy O’Hare the names and emails of people they mail cards to. Evites will go out around November 1.


Mary asked for volunteers to fill various roles for the fundraiser. Jean is creating a Sign-up Genius listing tasks, including finding vendors, handling plant and potted bulb sales, managing invitations, book sales, check in and out, etc. Volunteers are also needed to create tablescapes with Civic Site themes and talk to designers and florists who might be interested in creating a tablescape.


Horticulture: (Adler)

Cheryl reminded members that now is the time to harvest seeds for planting next year. She is collecting seeds from the dahlias that she grew from seed this year and will be documenting how they develop differently from the plants she grows from tubers.


There was a discussion regarding the Zone III Zoom meeting on “The Art of Seed Saving” that occurred earlier in the day. It was interrupted by technical difficulties and has been rescheduled for Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 4 p.m. Cheryl will send out the new Zoom link as soon as it is confirmed.


The meeting ended at 8:15 p.m. Following the meeting members enjoyed socializing with snacks and drinks.


Karen Coombs Recording Secretary


Next Meeting:

November 9, 2021 at 10 a.m., Fall Civic Clean-up Day at LGCR sites, followed by a Business Meeting, picnic and “Fall & Winter Design for Containers” with Amy Dolan at the Pavilions at Rye Town Park.


Addendum: Following the meeting Amy announced the donation of 100 daffodil bulbs to the Club from Joe Hamm of Joe Hamm’s Daffodil Hostus in Washington, PA, in recognition of the Club’s 90th Anniversary and the Big Dig at RTP.

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September 14,2021



Little Garden Club of Rye Business meeting

Celebrating the Little Garden Club of Rye Community Gardens

September 14, 2021 at 11 a.m. at the home of Jean Taplett


Present: Adler, Albert, Amato, Barnard, Beary, Benavides, Benzak, Buckley, M. Collins, Coombs, Dillon, Donahue, Duncan, Eyler, Freimuth, Galgano, Hansen, Hardis, Hauptman, Julian, Leonard, Macleod, Mark, McClure, McGough, Murray, O’Hare, Schmiedeberg, Schubert, Shea, Stewart, Taplett, Valla (33)


President’s Welcome: Jean welcomed all to the meeting, thanking members for the time and support they give to the Club and its important Community stewardship and environmental betterment projects. She emphasized the importance of all members taking a more active role in whatever way they can. Jean asked for a volunteer to co-chair Hospitality with Mary Kelly Kehoe. She noted that Betsy Albert is visiting from South Carolina. And welcomed new members Barbara Hauptman, Anja Porto, Kate McGough and Joan Mark, as well as new provisionals Marianne Shea and Beth Marren. Jean thanked Chris D., Cheryl, Ann Straub, and Michelle Minks for providing flowers for former member Doris Reade’s memorial service and members who were able to attend the service. Chris D. organized a “flash flower crew” to place the flowers in a display at the Train Station after the service.


Communications: (McGough) Kate will be emailing members two regular communications: Little Garden Monthly, a monthly list of important dates consolidated in one place, and a seasonal Newsletter, a quarterly review of Club news, horticultural tips, committee activities, and interviews. She encouraged member contributions to these publications as well as photos and articles for the Club social media accounts and website. She will be posting monthly garden tips on the website.


FLO200 (Frederick Law Olmsted 200): (Duncan) Chris spoke about LGCR’s project to celebrate Frederick Law Olmsted’s 200th Birthday in a collaboration with Rye Town Park. The Planting Company, LLC, affiliated with Brent and Becky’s will plant 20,000 daffodil bulbs in large swaths on both sides of a new path in the Park. RTP will pay $16,000 for the bulbs, planned to be planted on Veterans’ Day Weekend, Saturday, November 13. The Club will also have 2,500 bulbs available to sell in packages to people who would like to plant bulbs themselves, in designated areas of the Park or at home. Chris circulated a sign-up sheet for members interested in participating in future “flash flower crews” to repurpose flowers after events as was done for the flowers from Doris Reade’s service.



WinterGarden(M. Collins) Mary Collins is seeking a co-chair and many volunteers for the Club’s main fundraiser, scheduled for December 1 at the Apawamis Club. The speaker will be Ashley Whittaker, author of The Well-Loved House, which goes well with the theme “Home for the Holidays”. Volunteers are needed to work on planning, vendors, set-up, pre-sales, potted bulbs, etc. Mary circulated a clipboard at the membership meeting for volunteer sign-ups. Rather than having members decorate wreaths to sell this year, members, florists, and friends will be asked to make tabletop arrangements for sale. Mary also hopes to have some new vendors.


Horticulture: (Adler) Cheryl shared some of the monthly tips that she will be posting to the Club website—September is a good time to plant new material. Remember to keep well-watered. To help some perennials self-seed, shake their spent flowers, and leave some flower heads for the birds and insects. Time to bring in Amaryllis and place in a cool dark place. More details and October tips on the website. Cheryl’s workshops on pressing flowers were so popular that she may schedule more. The workshop showed members several methods for pressing flowers, and, at the membership meeting, Cheryl showed a new microwave flower press which works well for drying flowers quickly. Cheryl is planning more horticultural workshops, a winter seed sow of seeds for next year’s GCA Shirley Meneice Conference, perhaps an African violet workshop, and, in the spring, a propagation workshop for the Shirley Meneice plant exchange. She reminded members that all are welcome to attend this fall’s virtual Shirley Meneice Conference. Registration through the GCA website link.


Community Stewardship: (Benavides) The former Civic Committee has a new name to reflect its full mission and to avoid confusion with a new GCA Committee named “Civic Improvement” that has a different focus, i.e., providing guidance and administering monetary grants to projects in local communities. Rosario spoke on the vital importance of conservation and environmental stewardship, central pillars of the Club’s mission. She is working with captains of the Club’s community sites to find ways to cut back on some of the hours of work required of members, seeing if the City can do regular watering at some locations, installing or reactivating irrigation systems, collaborating with camps at Knapp House and RNC, and offering Community Credit Hours to High School students.

Fall and Spring clean-up days are scheduled. Rosario encouraged all members to participate in whatever way they are able.

A handbook with histories of the Club civic sites and photos, and discussing the development of plantings is being prepared for captains and those interested.


The meeting ended at 12:45.


Following the meeting members enjoyed a picnic luncheon.

Karen Coombs Recording Secretary


Next meeting: Tuesday, October 12, 2021, an evening meeting at the home of Doree Leonard with a presentation by Pete Malinowski of the Billion Oyster Project.




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A Member of The Garden Club of America

Contact us at:

LittleGardenClubofRye@gmail.com

Little Garden Club of Rye, PO Box 58, Rye, NY 10580