Monday, December 5, 2011

Our president for 2012 is June Petruccelli.  Congratulations to June and her board!  May 2012 be a banner year for the club.



Club Gift to Beautification in Patchogue


Look how the Knockout roses are in great form at the LIRR station in the Village of Patchogue!
on December 5, no less!

Garden Club President Diane Riviello-Voland presents Chamber of Commerce President Lari Fiala with the club's gift of support for the beautification of the Village of Patchogue.



Saturday, October 1, 2011

September Newsletter

Greetings from the President


Hello everyone,

It's September.......where did the summer go? As I watch everything turn to brown, I do get a little sad. I'm a summer lover, and I miss the brilliant greens, yellows, reds and all the glorious colors that a summer garden
brings. When all the trees begin to shed their leaves, I think my heart sinks a little too, and once they're totally naked, I just want to "get away.” But, autumn weather brings our harvest dinner. This year we will be
holding that event at the Swan Lake Park Civic Association, 86 Lake Drive,Patchogue.  For those of you that remember, it was the small meeting house we used to use for our general meetings a few years back. The time is 4 p.m., unless you want to help us set up the tables, chairs and decorations, then please be there at 3:30 p.m. The club will supply water and soda. Please BYOB if you care to, and a covered dish (of any variety) suitable for about 15 people. We will discuss entertainment at this month’s general meeting which will be held back at the American Legion Hall on Baker Street, Patchogue at 7p.m., Tuesday, September 27th. Hoping for a lovely day on the lake with the swans and ducks and hoping to see you all there.

Diane

[Update:  NO Harvest Dinner after all.  Venue fell through.]

Mark the Date

Regular Meeting—September 27th-American Legion Hall—7 p.m.

Speaker: Christine from Bayport Flower House: Bulb Lasagna and Fall Planting

Luncheon Committee —First Meeting October 3, 2011, 10 a.m. Same place, different time

Suwassett Garden Club (Port Jefferson) “Fall Fantasy Luncheon”
Wednesday Oct. 5th, 11-3 at the Port Jefferson Country Club at Harbor Hills RSVP: Judy Zaino  631-476-1705

September Birthdays

Frank Densing
Barbara Bruce
Joanna Drake
Millie Zimmerman
Lynn Kane
Carolyn Savastano

October Birthdays

Diane Riviello-Voland
Richard Waldman


August Meeting in a Flash— We welcomed  new members Rick and Bari Zepernick, below.

  • Members voted to accept the name, “Members Bulletin Board—This, That and the Other” for a new column in the newsletter.
  • Jo Miller talked about the Education Workshop to be held on Sept. 10th.
  • Georgia Dulmovits and Arlene Lamberti are looking for members for the luncheon committee.  Group members can be thinking of donations for the baskets. The theme this year is “Aprons,” and the speaker will talk about gardening with herbs.
  • The group discussed the Harvest Dinner
  • We were reminded to continue maintenance of our section of the Community Garden.
  • Lynn Kane received a thank you from the American legion for our donation. Nothing can be done with the plantings until the sprinkler system is in working order.

Here is Babette Bishop’s back yard. It extends into the woods with pleasant, curving pathways that move to different levels. At the southern corner of her home is a small and secluded koi pond (left). Even though it’s tucked away in a little corner, she says herons have discovered it. Hence, the wire mesh cover.
Below, Babette takes a well-deserved rest from all the work of getting ready for club visitors. 

 














What’s In the News?

1. Do earthworms have any sense of place or direction? When they are dug up in the garden and put back down someplace else, do they just return to work, or do they try to get back to their former location?  “In any case, yes, once they are put back down, they will get back to work, after first trying just to get away from the very large thing that just picked them up and could have eaten them,” Dr. Siddall said. “But, no, as long as they are put back in a suitable habitat, they don’t try to go back where they were.”  Read more in this NY Times article sent in by Richard Waldman: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/16/science/16qna.html?_r-2&ref=science

2. Here’s another from Richard:  “Hydrangeas are one of the most dependable garden plants.They rarely get diseases or are victims of insect pests, and I hardly ever need to water them in my upstate New York yard.”
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904716604576544410039587734.htmlmod=WSJ_HomeAndGarden_LEFTTopNews

3. “Modern-day pink flamingo? I just don’tknow.” R. Waldman Karen Ferb and Richard Waldman both
sent me an interesting article about how some people are creating garden decorations from colored plastic bottles. Some of these decorations were quite pretty. Here’s one.
4. “What an important news flash—How cant the world still spin without knowing this?  Hydrangea lovers of the world unite! I can just see it now—Madonna getting pelted with truckloads of hydrangeas. And who knew Madonna was still around?” What inspired this outburst from Richard Waldman?  It was this article: http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/09/07/madonna-hydrangeas-rep/.  Madonna’s spokesperson said, “She’s entitled to like any flower she wants and she didn’t want to hurt the feelings of the hydrangea lovers of the world...but she prefers different types of flowers.”
Get to Know A Fellow Gardener—Georgia and John Dulmovits
Where were you born?
John was born in Manhattan. I was born in Patchogue.

Tell us about your family?
John and I met at a party in NYC.  We were going to school there at the time. We were married a year after graduation and decided to make our home in Patchogue. We have five children and eight grand-children ranging in age from 2½ to 24 years old. As you can imagine, the house swings on the Holidays.

What gave you your first interest in gardening?
John's grandfather had a farm in Austria. He heard many stories from his dad about the farm which provoked his interest in gardening. My grandmother always had a beautiful veggie and flower garden. I will always remember the warm feeling being with her in that garden.  I started one as soon as I had time.

An accomplishment you are proud of?
I think John and I are happy that we were able to raise five children..

Your favorite sport?
We both enjoy Basketball, Baseball, Track and Soccer. " Go Yankees" !!!

Your favorite food?
John and I are both vegetarians. I have been one for 20 years and John for seven. We just love those roasted veggies!!  We live an exciting life!

Education, job experience?
John is an Aeronautical Engineer.  I am a Registered Nurse.  We are both retired.

Timely Tips for the Garden in October

  • Cut back and remove diseased perennial foliage/
  • Finish planting bulbs.
  • Start raking. Shred or compost this fall gold. Turn your compost pile.
  • Make sure all vacationing houseplants are brought back inside.
  • Harvest and dry or freeze herbs for winter use.
  • Dry and save seed
  • Take cuttings of tender perennials.
  • Amend your soil with a dressing of compost.
  • Continue harvesting fall crops like beets, kale and leeks.
  • Carrots can stay in ground all winter for a sweeter taste.

Though an old man, I am but a young gardener. Thomas Jefferson




August Newsletter

Greetings from the President

Hello Members,

Well it seems another month has just flown by, and more of the beauty of this season has come and gone. With every day that passes by, I look out on the garden as I walk by to the garage to jump in my car to go "to work,” What I really need to do is go "to work" on cutting back, pulling out, and weeding, weeding, weeding, which never seems to end. I hate seeing the flowers die, and I think a small piece of me goes with them with each variety.

For anyone who missed the announcement at our last meeting, our next outdoor meeting will be held in the spacious garden of our recording secretary, Babette Bishop at 648 Old Medford Road on Tuesday, August
23rd at 6PM. Please bring a chair (and possibly your mosquito repellent), and we can enjoy another beautiful garden in these last few weeks of summer.

Diane

Mark the Date

Tuesday, August 23rd, 6:00, Monthly Meeting at Babette Bishop’s
648 Old Medford Road, Medford

Saturday, September 10th, 9:30-12:00, Garden Workshop
American Legion Hall, Corner of Baker and South Ocean Avenue

Sunday, Sept. 18th, 3:30
Harvest Dinner
Patchogue Beach Club [NB:  Postponed due to Irene damage]


PATCHOGUE GARDEN CLUB PRESENTS
A FREE GARDEN WORKSHOP for NEW GARDENERS

Learn how to grow a beautiful, healthy, and low maintenance garden
When: Saturday, September 10, 2011
Where: American Legion Hall, Baker Street & South Ocean Ave, Patchogue (next to Village Hall)
Time: 9:30-12:00
Refreshments will be served.
All participants will receive free daffodil bulbs.
Reservations required: call Josephine at 631-289-5305

August Birthdays

Margaret Atkinson
Betty Baran
Fred Bossert
Pauline Carleton
Georgia Dulmovits
Gladys Heimburger
Angelo Petruccelli
Tom Savastano
Mary Ann Tchinnis

September Birthdays

Frank Densing
Joanna Drake
Lynn Kane
Carolyn Savastano
Millie Zimmerman

[If I'm missing your birthday, please let me know.  mma]

August Meeting Hostesses
Jo Miller
Mary Ann Tchinnis
Ronnnie Manfredi
Marita Morello
July Meeting in a Flash—

Held at Carol Tvelia’s home:

• Carolyn Savastano reported on the progress of the sprinkler system.
• Finest Fitness tickets were given to the Dept of Parks and Recreation.
• Members voted on $200 for sponsorship in Patchogue Arts Council.
• Rich Waldman will be running in the NYC Marathon for the Alzheimer’s Foundattiion.
   If you’d like to sponsor him, you can do so by going here—
   http://www.2011teamr2r.kintera.org/ —clicking on “sponsor participant,” and entering his name..
• The  members voted to create a Bulletin Board in the Garden Gazette. This is open to all members
• Members voted to continue  sending hard copies of the Garden Gazette to those who want them.
• Plans for the Harvest Dinner, Sept.18th were discussed.
• Jo Miller and Bonnie Bossert discussed the first Garden Club community workshop.
• Marita expressed a wish for more speakers at meetings.  This was discussed.
• The group discussed ways to communicate new membership information.



Members relax in Carol's attractive garden



                                         Koi pond with waterfall & rustic gazebo


Koi race to the finish line

Get to Know A Fellow Gardener :  Marita Morello



Marita stands in front of her beautiful home with it’s lovely gardens.
Her home sits on a corner lot where it graces two streets

Where were you born, and where have you lived?
I was born in Hamburg, Germany, and came to this country with my family in the 60s. I moved to Yaphank to the German  Gardens Community. When I got married, we moved to Patchogue.

Tell us about your family.
I have one brother who moved to Nashville, Tennessee with his wife. He’s now living with his wife, daughter and grandson. I have two sons. Jerome is married, with a boy and girl, and John lives at home.
What gave you your first interest in gardening?
I like to surround myself always with beautiful things.  Gardening is a way of expressing myself with beauty. I love  flowers. That gave me an interest. Living in Patchogue, I went by the Garden Club Garden, and it said, “Come Grow With Us,” and I decided that would be something I would like to do.

Outside of gardening, what are some of your interests?
I’m also the president of a civic group--Focus East Patchogue. I started that group with the goal of being a voice of the East Patchogue corridor which was rapidly deteriorating and becoming a blight to the community. I’m most proud of this, and on the 30th of this month, after 25 years of fighting very hard, the Plaza Theater is coming down. I never gave up! (You can read more about her efforts on the web page:
http://www.focuseastpatchogue.com/.

Tell me about your salon.
I had the only beauty salon in Bellport Village. I recently sold it, and now I just rent a chair. I’m still very busy working in there five days a week. I still try to be available for my grandchildren, and also try to keep my garden attractive.

An interesting place you’ve traveled to or visited?
I’ve mostly visited Germany. I just went back to my class reunion. It was wonderful. In Germany you graduate earlier than  you do here. I graduated at age 15. The reunions there are much more simple. Many people came on their bikes. Some walked.  Many took public transportation. The food is simple. We had an old tape recorder that played some of the plays that we put on in school. The reunion was held at a small bed and breakfast. A reporter wrote about it for the newspaper. Spouses are not invited.

Your favorite dessert or food?
My favorite food is French cooking.

A talent you have we may not know about?
I love designing hairdos for weddings. I’m doing a lot of that right now.

Favorite sport to play or watch?
Ballroom dancing. I love to watch the competitions, and I like to dance myself.

What would you do if you won the lottery?
I would do something with the arts. I’m also an animal activist.  I would probably do something that would benefit animals—a shelter or something.

Something you keep postponing?
My retirement.


Peter Priolo Redux

Remember Peter, who spoke to us about tagging Monarch butterflies last February? Peter graduated this
spring from SUNY Stony Brook Southampton and had an internship he said was a great opportunity to “do
what he loves in a place that he loves.”  He says,“The biological diversity of the East End is incredible.
Of the various communities, my favorites to explore are the sphagnum bogs because of their highly
adapted plants—like the pitcher plant, sundew, and fringed orchids. And, of course, I enjoy a taste of blueberry or cranberry, depending on the season:”  Peter is now a research assistant at Cornell Cooperative
Extension of Suffolk County. Here’s a link that will take you to a new, interesting article about Peter:
http://www.27east.com/news/article.cfm/Amagansett/393794/Rare-Ladybug-Ladybug-At-Quail-Hill-Farm


Rare 9-spot ladybug

Referring to the ladybug in the article, Peter says, “It’s just wonderful to ind something that I thought
was extinct."
What’s in the News?

1. How should a gardener prioritize his or her time? Which plants need the most attention? Has this growing season been more challenging than others? In answer to these questions, Richard Waldman recommends this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/garden/a-professional-gardeneron-shielding-plants-from-heat-qa.html?_r=1&src=dayp.  He comments: “Very timely, and good advice too. I especially liked the advice of not watering lawns. The Botanical Gardens looked great two weeks ago when I went to see the new exhibit.”

2. Rice Art: “Stunning crop art has sprung up across rice fields in Japan. But this is no alien creation—the designs have been cleverly planted. Farmers creating the huge displays use no ink or dye. Instead, different colors of rice plants have been precisely and strategically arranged and grown in the paddy fields. As summer progresses and the plants shoot up, the detailed artwork begins to emerge.” For more photos,
go here:  http://snopes.com/photos/arts/ricefield.asp.


Japanese Rice Art:  Sengoku Warrior

3. “How can people be truly ‘green’ when they haven’t changed any of their fundamental behaviors?” asks Margie Ruddick, a finalist in this year’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award. She’s defending herself against a fine by the town for a violation of the property maintenance code for growing weeds over 10 inches tall. Read more of this interesting article Richard Waldman recommended: 
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/21/garden/in-philadelphia-a-garden-growswild%20htmlpagewanted=1&_r=2&hpw.

4. The following article discusses a lawsuit charged against organic farmers by Monsanto.
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110330/04055413695/monsanto-suedorganic-farmers-who-dont-want-to-be-accused-patent-infringement.shtml.  “This case asks whether Monsanto has the right to sue organic

farmers for patent infringement if Monsanto’s transgenic seed should land on their property. ‘It seems quite perverse that an organic farmer contaminated by transgenic seed could be accused of patent infringement,’ says Ravicher, ‘but Monsanto has made such accusations before and is notorious for having sued hundreds of farmers for patent infringement, so we had to act to protect the interests of our clients.’”

5. Many of you probably noticed the front second-page spread in Newsday this week, featuring front yard vegetable gardens. “...A growing movement of front-yard vegetable gardeners on Long Island and elsewhere is showing even staunch ornamentalists—those who snub vegetables because they aren’t ‘sexy’
enough—that the lowly edible canbe quite va-vavoom!  Ripe red or yellow tomatoes dangling from
their vines can compete with a rose almost any time, especially in August when most roses aren’t blooming. Peppers are available in red, orange, purple and green varieties. And looseleaf lettuces like ‘Red Fire’ and ‘Freckles’ are quite the lookers. And have you seen rainbow chard? Its stem and leaf veins are stunningly yellow, red, purple or bright orange.”You can read the rest of the article here: http://www.newsday.com/lifestyle.



Northport couple harvests their front yard vegetables-Newsday photo

6.  Commander John Matuszak, from the Patchogue American Legion Post 269, presented a certificate of appreciation to the Patchogue Garden Club.  Lynn Kane, an advisory board representative for the Veteran’s Memorial Park Landscaping Fund, received this certificate for the Garden Club as thanks for its donation to the fund.  The park is on the corner of Baker Street and South Ocean near the American Legion Hall.


Commander John Matuszak and Lynne Kane

  
Miranda Kass accepts a check from Carolyn Savastano, scholarship committee member


Places of interest to visit this summer

Old Westbury Gardens:  http://www.oldwestburygardens.org/cal_07.htm#02

Vanderbilt Museum (open all but July 4th):  http://www.vanderbiltmuseum.org/home.php?section=hours&sub=admission

Wertheim Wildlife Refuge:  http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=52561

Shop, Swap, Trade, Repair, Donate

I don’t know what to call this column because I’m not sure what it is. Last month the group decided we could post member information in the newsletter. The following are some samples.:

I’m thinning out my Black-eyed Susans, Anise Hyssop and Butterfly Weed. Anyone want some?

I’d like some hollyhocks? How do I get them togrow?

Anyone have a post hole digger? Wouldn’t it be nice not to have to buy one if you only need it once?

Can I advertise that I give piano lessons?

How about Marita’s (pg. 3) hair styling?

How about if I need a good electrician?

If I want a picnic table, can I ask here?

What if someone is selling their home?

What if they are selling vegetables from their garden? What if they are giving them away?

You can see that I have many questions about this. Maybe we can discuss it a bit more

thoroughly in the next meeting. mma

Greetings from the Peconic River Herb Farm
    to Karen Ferb

Did you know that our beautiful riverfront glass greenhouse, various patio areas and shady waterside picnic tables, are available to use for your next gathering? These days, everyone’s looking for low cost event sites
with a special ambiance to make any occasion meaningful.  Our facilities are available free of charge for small groups during our regular business hours of 9-4 daily. Larger groups, or those wishing to extend the event into evening, call Cris at 631-873-9201 to make arrangements. Think of the Peconic River Herb Farm gardens and nursery when planning your next family get together, birthday party or shower, or if you’re looking for just a simple, peaceful place for a business meeting. Cold drinks are available at OUTSIDE IN-our unique garden shop, and you are welcome to bring a picnic or BBQ or have the licensed caterer of your choice. Stop by or call the nursery at 631- 369-0058 to reserve your date now. The weather is perfect for outdoor activities and the garden and grounds are lush and gorgeous.Hope to see you soon!

Sincerely, Cris Spindler and Staff
Peconic River Herb Farm
2749 River Rd.
Calverton, NY 11933
http://www.prherbfarm.com/
prherbfarm@yahoo.com
Timely Tips for the Garden in September

• Stop pruning and fertilizing
• Bring summer vacationing houseplants indoors while windows are still open. Check for hitchhiking pests.
• Start fall clean-up in the flower beds, cutting back anything that has finished blooming or is diseased
• Take cuttings to overwinter indoors
• Watch for frost warning and cover tender plants
• Divide and move perennials
• Dig and store dahlias, caladiums, cannas and tuberous begonias.
• Start planting spring flowering bulbs
• Prune summer flowering shrubs.

  The seed is hope; the flower is joy







Thursday, July 21, 2011

Photos of July Meeting at the Densing's Garden

Peg Densing & Lynn Kane





Members enjoy a light moment during the meeting




L to R:  Carolyn Savastano, Babette Bishop, & Carolyn Young admire Frank's garden train.


Good friends Barbara Bestafka & Annie Rubbo share the fun.


Choo Choo Duck Stop

July Newsletter

Greetings from the President

Hello Members,

It is already July, and the weather has been everything from unbearable to just plain magnificent. Colors in the gardens are flourishing, and it seems it's already time to begin cutting some species back for the season. How the beauty of the warm season just seems to fly by. Our next monthly meeting will be a treat for anyone who has never been to the home and
garden of our treasurer, Carol Tvelia. The garden is just beautiful, and she has some very large koi to relax with. Please try not to miss it. I have comets and goldfish in my pond, and although I watch them lovingly just the same, they pale in comparison. Keep cool, relax, and enjoy your summer.
See you all soon, Diane

Mark the Date

Tuesday, July 26—Monthly Meeting, 6:00 Our July meeting will be at the home of Carol Tvelia in her garden. 25 Stephani Ave., Patchogue 475-3445

Sunday, September 18—Harvest Dinner, 3:30 p.m. at the Patchogue Beach Club

Get to Know A Fellow Gardener—Carolyn Young

Where were you born?
I was born in Columbus, Ohio and grew up there. I had a younger brother and sister. Each summer our family would spend a couple of weeks in a cottage in Northern Michigan.
Tell us about your family?The family of my husband, Larry, also spent summers in a cottage in Northern Michigan. That’s where I met him. You could say that I ended up marrying the boy next door. I went to graduate school (seven different schools for graduate work) getting a Masters in other types of special education from Eastern Michigan University. I took post graduate work as well. Larry had worked in Yellowstone for the summer and was a special education teacher also, so we had the summers to travel to various National and State Parks with our two daughters. His work
in Yellowstone was where he got his feeling that everyone should see Yellowstone.
Where did you teach?
I graduated with a Bachelors in Elementary and Special Ed from Ohio University. Just after I was married, I taught in Michigan. I then took a job in Euclid Ohio which is northeast of
Cleveland, and taught there for a year and a half. We then moved to Kings Park in 1964 where we raised the girls. It was here that we started our interest in daylilies. Later, I worked with BOCES 3 in the Huntington Babylon area and then taught at Half Hollow Hills until I retired in 1992. After that we moved to Warwick, NY.
What gave you your first interest in gardening?
I think it was learning to identify wildflowers and trees when I was a camper only 8-12 years old. We lived on a ravine within the city of Columbus, Ohio, and I just always loved watching the birds, the trees, etc. Larry and I got into daylilies in about 1981, thinking we’d get something that would survive during the summers when we were traveling around the country. I became a nationalgarden judge, a national exhibition judge, and have maintained a national display garden
from the early ‘90s on. We moved, in pieces, from Warwick in 1997 to our present home. We had to have some of the trees cleared for the lilies, but
kept the woods for a perimeter.
What are some of your other interests?
I like crafts and sewing and decorating the house. But mostly we’ve spent out spare time camping.
A book you’d recommend?
Lasagna Gardening by Patricia Lanza. I have a signed copy of that because I’ve been up to her place. Also A Garden of Wildflowers that tells about wildflowers and how to propagate them.
An accomplishment you are proud of?
My years teaching kids with different disabilities. I knew from sixth grade on that I was going to do that.
An interesting place you’ve traveled to or visited?
When we started camping, we began with just a tent. Then a VW camper with a pop-up top. Finally, we built our own motor home from a used Bond Bread truck. This took a couple of years. I designed the inside, and we both built and repaired it. It was a 90- horse power-18 foot truck. We took it over the Rockies two or three times, traveling to state and national parks. We didn’t hook up to anything. We had extra battery to run our lights and cooked outside the camper.
Your favorite dessert or food?
All the foods I can’t eat any more because of my milk allergy.
Something you keep postponing?
Sorting through old school materials and papers
Future plans?
I’m going back to Warwick, in a 55-and-older community. I’ll be able to walk to the village, shops, and parks. I’ll be close to my daughter, an attorney and hiker. She likes living close to the
Appalachian Trail. Gets a watermelon and cuts it up and leaves it in a cooler on the trail for other hikers to enjoy. I’ll leave my other daughter’s family (with my two grandchildren) in Smithtown.

Daylilies!

Hundreds of registered hybrids are in bloom now in Carolyn Young's garden. She needs to downsize her nationally renowned collection and is selling clumps/divisions for $5.00 each. Some plants are available now; others will be dug as they finish blooming.Call Carolyn at 345-6194
to arrange a day and time to purchase. She’ll give you directions if you need them.

June Meeting in a Flash

• Rolling Rock will clean up the garden prior to the Garden
Tour. They will install the game table and benches.
• The Harvest Dinner will take place on September 18th,
at 3:30 at the Patchogue Beach Club. Bring a covered
dish.
• Jo Miller discussed plans for the new garden workshop
tentatively planned for September 10th. Flyers will be
handed out at the Garden Tour. Carolyn Young offered
free daylilies for the workshop, but she needs help preparing
them for the event.
• There has been a poor response to our Plant and Yard
sale. After much discussion members agreed unanimously
to skip the sale next year.
• Members discussed the possibility of allowing Art
Space artists to sell items in the Garden area. This is a
Village decision.
• Paula asked for volunteers to sit at gardens for the upcoming
tour, and Georgia asked members to make sure
the garden is presentable.

Timely Tips for the Garden in August

Pick herbs for fresh use and for drying. Harvesting will keep them growing longer.
• Order spring bulbs for planting
• Spread a mid-season layer of compost or manure.
• Keep deadheading and harvesting
• Leave some annual seeds to self-sow.
• Start saving seeds and taking cuttings.
• Remove any diseased foliage now, so it doesn’t get lost in the fall leaves.
• Cut back foliage of early bloomers to revitalize the plants
• Prune summer flowering shrubs as the flowers fade.
• Begin dividing perennials. Start with the bearded iris.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Thanks for A Successful Tour

Our 11th annual garden tour sold over 150 tickets--special thanks to our salespeople, the Tiffords of Fantastic Gardens, Mindy of Remember Yesteryears, Sis of Country Junque, and the staff of the Chamber of Commerce, as well as our members. The weather was perfect, and the tour was a great success. None of this would be possible without the efforts of the our volunteers and Tour Committee and all the gardeners and interested people who attended.

2011 Garden Tour Volunteers

Barbara Bestafka
Laura Calarco
Pauline Carleton
Rosalie Coleman
Georgia Dulmovits
John Dulmovits
Karen Ferb
Mark Jeffers
Arlene Lamberti
Marie Magnano
Jo Miller
Ann Rubbo
Carla Steward
Ruth Szuminskyj
Mary Ann Tchinnis
Carol Tvelia

2011 Tour Committee

Paula Murphy, Chair
Barbara Bestafka
Karen Ferb
Arlene Lamberti
Jo Miller
Ann Rubbo
Ruth Szuminskyj
Mary Ann Tchinnis
Susan Toplitz
Judy Zuck

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

PatchoguePatch

ARTS
Patchogue Gardens Displayed in Annual Tour
Garden Club hosts 11th annual Patchogue Garden Tour

12 July 2011 by Krystle DiNicola

The self-guided tour began at the Community Garden on Terry Street in Patchogue Village. Each participant received a fresh sprig of lavender from the garden to enjoy. This year's tour also featured five private homes within the greater Patchogue area in addition to the tour of the Community Gardens.

Northport residents Chris DeAngelo and Fran Rudloff travelled out to Patchogue specifically for the tour after seeing it advertised. "I've been with a friend for other tours. We've done the North Shore more - Smithtown, Saint James, etc," Rudloff said. "I've also done other tours in Sea Cliff and Northport but I've never been to this area before. This is beautiful," DeAngelo said.

DeAngelo liked the McGrath Garden best. "The same thing that appeals to me in the house, appeals to me in the garden. It's artistic - the scale, the color...everything just looks like it was done by an artist. It blends together beautifully," DeAngelo said.

Rudloff preferred the Belzak Garden. "The garden had different structures in it. There were statues as well as antique bistro tables and chairs. It was very whimsical. There were surprise touches everywhere. I also liked that she had vegetables growing nearby," Rudloff said.

See photographs at
http://patchogue.patch.com/articles/photos-patchogue-garden-tour-2011#photo-6943386

Thursday, June 23, 2011

11th ANNUAL GARDEN TOUR

Sponsored by

PATCHOGUE GARDEN CLUB

Saturday, July 9th
Gardens open at 10 AM & close at 3 PM

“How fair is a garden amid the trials and passions of existence.”
~Benjamin Disraeli

Tickets: $20.00 per person at
The Community Garden, 9:30 AM-12:30 PM
Corner of South Ocean Ave and Terry St., Patchogue NY

Pre-purchase tickets for $15
by sending your check to:

Patchogue Garden Club
P.O. Box 3030
Patchogue, NY 11772-0887

Tickets are also available at:

Fantastic Gardens of Long Island, 67 Avery Avenue, Patchogue

Patchogue Chamber of Commerce, 15 North Ocean Avenue, Patchogue


Remember Yesteryears, 146 Main Street, Patchogue


Country Junque, 1595 Middle Road, Bayport




For more information, call Paula (631) 553-2928

Proceeds to benefit community beautification





Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Plant and Yard Sale


Club member Paula Murphy chats with her sister, Quentin Helke, and JR Russo & best pal Benjamin


Arlene Lamberti, Barbara Edsall, and Jo Miller bring merchandise and price it for sale


Carol Tvelia and Joanna Drake price items


Karen Ferb, Bonnie Bossert, and scholarship winner Miranda Kass help out in the gazebo



Lynn Kane & Mark Jeffers--

Are they buying or bringing?



Rosalie Coleman and Georgia Dulmovits—are they the treasures, or are they looking at the treasures? You decide. :)

May Newsletter

Greetings from the President

Hello Members,

It's May - already...and the trees are fiercely blooming! How are your patios, decks, ponds, homes, cars, and most of all, your noses? Everything is coated in that lovely yellow pollen, except our noses which are probably bright red by now! I hope your allergy season is almost over, and you will all be breathing easier soon.The home improvement stores are filled with deck and patio furniture and ideas; the garden departments are overflowing with annuals and perennials, trees and shrubs, and that related garden "stuff" that we all crave. I guess I'm just a warm weather baby because I can't get enough of spring and summer. It's all gone too quickly. I want to live somewhere where it is eternally summer, so I can enjoy the garden, and the warmth of the sun on my skin every day of the year. I feel pretty certain that many of my fellow nature lovers feel the same way, and I know you're all outdoors every chance you get, getting the soil under your fingernails and making your own little piece of paradise even more spectacular. Hope to see all of you at our next monthly meeting. Diane

Mark the Date

May 24—Monthly Meeting, Our May meeting will be held at Fantastic Gardens at 6:00 (Note time change). Dave will once again offer a 15% discount for any purchases. He will explain the succulent garden and you can also revisit the cactus collection.
June 11—Breakfast in the Garden, 9 a.m.
Bring a breakfast item for several people.
June 28—Monthly Meeting Location TBD
July 9-We are looking forward to our 11th Annual Garden Tour from 10-3. This year's quote is: “How fair is a garden amid the trials and passions of existence.” Benjamin Disraeli Ticket cost: $15 presale, $20 day of tour Post-Tour Dinner: July 10, 2011, details TBA

Get to Know a Fellow Gardener, PAULINE CARLETON

Where were you born, and where have you lived?
I was born in Patchogue, lived in Patchogue all my life.
Tell us about your family?
My husband passed away a couple of years ago. My daughter, Barbara, lives in Ohio, but is in the process of moving to SC where her son lives. I have one grandson. I also have a son, Kevin, who lives in the Patchogue Area.
What gave you your first interest in gardening?
When I was a little girl I always liked to have a garden. I had the radishes and the usual. My father dug up the soil for me. I always enjoyed it. I never did great things.
Do you have a favorite gardening style?
Whatever will grow. My husband always had a good-sized vegetable garden. My son carries it on and still works with my garden. I do the herbs. The usual—oregano, basil, mints, sage, dill.
Outside of gardening, what are some of your interests?
I belong to the greater Patchogue Historical Society. I enjoy the local history. I play bridge.
A television show you like?
Anything funny. I don’t like police or hospital shows. I like "Antiques Roadshow". I enjoy musicals.
A book you’d recommend?I like historical novels. I enjoyed "Jonathan Livingston Seagull".
An accomplishment you are proud of?My husband and I built our own house. I’ve lived here 60 years now, so it’s held together pretty good. His brother helped him. I was pregnant with Barbara and I remember hammering floorboards down. I did most of the interior. My first Mother’s Day, my husband bought me an electric sander. He was a very practical man.
An interesting place you’ve traveled to or visited?
I was brought up on the bay out here. We bought a big old Matthews boat. Every weekend for 30 years we’d pack up and go on the boat. I don’t know how manytimes I painted it. It was 38 feet long—built in 1929. It didn’t go very fast, but we had a good time. We’d go
over to Fire Island on the beach. We didn’t really get off the boat. We just swam off the boat and clammed. The kids grew up. We got a sailboat, and the kids learned to sail. We’d go to Connecticut in it. In later years we drove to Florida for two weeks each year.
Your favorite dessert or food?
I love clams, mussels—seafood. I also love salads.
What would you do if you won the lottery?
As I say to the girl when I buy a ticket, I only need a million dollars. I’d probably help out people—friends, relatives. I don’t think I’d change my lifestyle. I might buy a new car.
Something you keep postponing?
I’d organize my boxes of pictures. I’ve cleaned out a total of about four or five houses and brought most of the stuff home. (One was my husband’s family homestead in Riverhead, one was an aunt in Cutchogue—etc.) I’ve reached the attitude—let them clean out my house and have the fun.
An interesting job you’ve had?
My claim to fame was that I was the first woman teller in Patchogue---Union Savings Bank in 1943—the height of World War II. I worked there seven years.

April Meeting in a Flash

Business:
• Membership voted to have the gazebo and arbors powerwashed.
• Membership voted to include Patchogue Garden Club logo on the new Patchogue Village signs.
• Scholarship recipient, Miranda Kass, will do community work in the garden as well as at the yard sale.
• Tom and Carolyn Savastano put up six birdhouses in the village garden. These were made by Dennis Sitler’s Boy Scout troop #44.
• New membership booklets are in the works.
• The Community Outreach Committee will be co-chaired by Bonnie Bossert and Jo Miller. Contact them if you’d like to work on the committee.
• Breakfast in the Garden will be held June 11th. No rain date. Bring a dish to share and a chair.
• If you’d like to host a summer meeting in your yard, contact Diane.
Speaker: Bill Paauwe—African Violets. Who knew there was so much to learn about the humble African Violet? Mr. Paauwe (President, Officer and/or member of seven African Violet Societies, and author of several articles on African Violets) dug into some of our overgrown and neglected plants, showing us how to use a wicking system, telling us that the pot should be 1/3 the size of the plant, and using his unique soil mix (including vermiculite, pearlite, diatoma-ceous earth). You must water with a fer-tilizer. While taking off older leaves and scraping the stem while repotting, he reminded us that grooming is very important. He suggested using a soft blush brush for dusting the leaves. Bill’s dry humor made his informative presentation very entertaining.


What’s in the News?

1. Find out why Bleeding Heart’s botanical name has changed:
http://www.newsday.com/lifestyle/columnists/jessicadamiano/garden-detective-botanical-name-system-1.2749883. Some of our favorite flowers have been reclassified and find themselves with different botanical names.

2. Hugh Raffles defends non-native species in this "NY Times" article. He says, “It’s true that some non-native species have brought with them expensive and well-publicized problems; zebra mussels, nutria and kudzu are prime examples. But even these notorious villains have ecological or economic benefits. Zebra mussels, for example, significantly improve water quality, which increases populations of small fish, invertebrates and seaweeds — and that, in turn, has helped expand the number of larger fish and birds.” Read more of his article here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/03/opinion/03Raffles.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=mother%20natures%20melting%20pot&st=cse

3. In this art piece, “When New York City Bloomed,” by Mariellé Anzelone and Wendy Hollender, you can see some of the flowers found in Central Park in earlier decades. “When you stand in the middle of Times Square, it is easy to forget that the colonists settled in New York City because of its bounty of natural resources. Before there were skyscrapers and restaurants, the city’s wealth was measured in flora and fauna. Early Dutch sailors were disoriented by the scent of wildflowers wafting out to sea from Manhattan. Even today, forests, marshes and meadows cover nearly one-eighth of the city. But it is not a safe haven for flowers. Of 1,357 native plant species documented in New York City’s history, only 778 remain here. There are various reasons for their disappearance, but always the causal factor is human — a pest we accidentally introduced, a habitat we made unwelcoming or destroyed altogether. Our urban lives are impoverished in their absence. Here is a selection of plants that have vanished from the city. Some thrive elsewhere;
others are barely hanging on. And one has recently reappeared in New York City, a signal of hope in a concrete landscape.” To see some of our vanishing plants, look here:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/25/opinion/20110326-opart.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=thab1#1.

Timely Tips for the Garden in June

• Plant out pots of basil and other tender herbs.
• Keep sowing seed outside to provide continuity of supply.
• Thin seedlings that have been sown directly in the garden.
• Encourage runner beans to climb up their supports.
• Remove side shoots from your tomato plants.
• Plant out beans, pumpkins and other tender crops.
• Harvest beetroot, spring onions, radishes and salad leaves. Don’t forget to sow more for a later crop.
• Harvest asparagus until the end of the month—then allow the shoots to grow to feed the roots for next year’s crop.
• Harden off young plants that have been raised indoors,leave them in a shady place for a couple of days, then overnight for a couple more before planting.

“In June as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day.No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them.” ~ Aldo Leopold

Saturday, April 23, 2011

ST. PADDY'S DAY PARADE!


Here’s the float heading down Main Street.






Frank Lerantini takes his 1930 Model A Ford out for a spin.



Babette Bishop, Arlene Lamberti, Carolyn Savastano & Frank Lerantini








Joan and Dave Tifford furnished the plants for the float.
ART@jsignsinc.com made the signs.

April Newsletter

Greetings from the President

Hello Members,

Can you believe it's April already? Where do the days go? I think we can safely say that it IS spring at last! The cardinals are back; the fish are swimming; and I witnessed a great white egret in my back yard, staring at my tiny fish yesterday. The fish may be tiny, but the egret was soooo majestic! What a breathtaking sight! A portion of my fence on the easterly side of my yard didn't fare very well through this past winter. It was, however,15 or more years old, and just fell apart under the cold snow that I thought we would still be looking at in May. New cedar sections six feet tall have been constructed by the husband and erected today by one in the same and my #1 and only son. Thank goodness all the snow is gone, and the daffodils, crocuses and dwarf purple iris are blooming, along with a multitude of other trees and plants. Aaahhhhhhh............the air is warmer, the sky is fairer, and the winter coats have been put away. Hope to see you all at this month’s meeting. Diane

Mark the Date

April 26—Monthly Meeting, 7:00 PM, American Legion Hall
May 14—Plant and Yard Sale (Rain date, May 15)
May 24—Monthly Meeting, 7:00 PM, location TBD
June 11—Breakfast in the Garden, 9 PM (Rain date, June 12) Please
bring a breakfast item for several people to share.
June 28—Monthly Meeting, 6:00 PM, location TBD

It might interest you to see where our Web site has been
read. Out of 2,441 page views:
United States 1,307; Latvia 47; Germany 299; United Kingdom 46; Russia 132; China 28; Netherlands 89; France 27; Slovenia 85; Italy 26

April Hostesses: Joanna Drake and Diane Voland

April/May Happy Birthdays
April: Paula Murphy, Mark Jeffers, Carolyn Young
May: Carla Buchanan-Steward

BIG Luncheon Thank Yous!

On behalf of my co-chair, Arlene Lamberti,
many thanks to the Luncheon Committee 2011
for helping make this a very successful year.
Georgia
Margaret Atkinson
Barbara Bestafka
Babette Bishop
Pauline Carleton
Karen Ferb
Gladys Heinburger
Janet Heyer
Marie Magnano
Jo Miller
Marita Morello
June Petruccelli
Anne Rubbo
Carolyn Savastano
Carla Steward
Ruth Szuminskyj
Joan Tifford
Carolyn Young
Millie Zimmerman
Barbara Edsall

Co-Chairs—Arlene Lamberti and Georgia Dulmovits
Also a big thanks to Tom Savastano, Tony
Wenderoth , John Dulmovits, Bert Voland, Art
Coleman, Don Rubbo, Frank Densing

Those Who Made Donations to the 2011 Luncheon
Bert Voland
Diane Voland
Artie Coleman
Rosalie Coleman
Barbara Bruce
Janet Heyer
June Petruccelli
Joan Tifford
Marita Morello
Carolyn Young
Carolyn Savastano
Carla Buchanan
Anne Rubbo
Barbara Deal
Frank and Margaret Densing
Jo Miller
Karen Ferb
Mildred Zimmerman
Margaret Atkinson
Fred and Bonnie Bossert
Babette Bishop
Paula Murphy
Joanna Drake
Pauline Carleton
Barbara Bestafka
Gladys Heimburger
Ruth Szuminskyji
Anne Marie Coakley
Carol Tvelia
Richard Waldman

This year we have 18 members who
volunteered to work in the Garden:

Margaret Atkinson, Babette Bishop, Angelo
and June Petruccelli, Mike Burns, Michael
Mearkle, Arlene Lamberti, Carol Tvelia,
Loretta Filippelli-Kirby, Barbara Edsall,
Karen Ferb, Bonnie and Fred Bossert, Jo
Miller, Frank and Peg Densing, Joanna
Drake, and Lynn Kane

When I go into the garden with a spade, and dig a bed, I feel
such an exhilaration and health that I discover that I have been
defrauding myself all this time in letting others do for me what I
should have done with my own hands. -Ralph Waldo Emerson,
writer and philosopher (1803-1882) Submitted by Karen Ferb


March Meeting in a Flash
• Georgia said this is the best year for luncheon attendance so
far with 181 reservations.
• Opening of the garden will take place on April 9th. With the
completion of Art Space, there is now a handicap accessible
path in the back parking area. The parking spaces along the
garden are reserved for Garden Club members.
• More walkers are needed for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
• We discussed purchasing a projection screen for use at the
American Legion Hall. This is tabled for the time being.
• We discussed ways to increase our community outreach as a
club. One was to advertise our website with a question/
answer column for the public. The second was a study day or
workshop with speakers from within the club. This wouldn’t
be a money-maker, but it would be a free educational opportunity
for the public.

In Bloom Free Exhibit—April 6 through May 29
Islip Art Museum, 50 Irish Lane East Islip, NY 11730
Curated by Karen Shaw, this exhibit features imaginary
and real flowers and plants as envisioned by contemporary
artists. Show includes a garden tour and related lectures.

Orchids in Bloom”—Tea, Talk, and Exhibit, $10.00
Special tea with talk by Bill Bianchi, Long Island orchid grower
May 5 from 1-3 p.m.
Islip Art Museum, 50 Irish Lane, East Islip
There will be orchids for sale.
Karen Ferb says that the woman who puts on the teas and
talks is Kathy Curran, formerly a curator at the Suffolk
County Historic Museum in Riverhead. Karen and several
other club members have gone to many of her teas and
have always had a nice time.

Carolyn Young
—is moving her daylily garden and selling all but 6-10 fans from 200-250 of her plants. Most will be $5.00. Size of division will vary. Most will be
dug when you come, so call her for a date and time at (631)345-6194. Earlier dates give you better selection and better chance of bloom this year.
Carolyn asks, “If you leave a number, say it slowly and clearly, so I can
call you back. I'll gladly reuse extra large shallow plastic pots.”

Earth Day serves as a reminder to show our care and appreciation for the planet's natural environment. It was founded by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson, and first held on April 22, 1970. To commemorate what in 2009 the United Nations designated International Mother Earth Day, here are some local events in need of volunteers to help better our surroundings and nurture the Earth. The Great Brookhaven Plant-In will be held at Shorefront Park in Patchogue on Saturday, June 4 at noon. The deck booth, pool, bandshell, bridges and playground will be beautified, and lots of fun is sure to be had by all. Join the Great South Bay Audubon Society for their Annual Spring Brookside CountyPark Cleanup on Sunday, May 22 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Brookside County Park located at 59
Brook Street in Sayville (rain date Sunday, May 29). A hearty and delicious continental breakfastwill be provided to jumpstart volunteers' energy.
Feel free to stay for an hour, or the entire day. Any amount of time will be appreciated,and everyone is welcome. This is a great opportunity for students to log in community servicehours. Please bring work gloves and gardening tools (rakes, clippers, etc.) if possible. For more information please contact Brookside director, Kathy Kozakiewicz at raykozak@rcn.com or call 631-567-2637.

Paula reminds us that we are Chamber members! Please try to attend.
Greater Patchogue Foundation
37th Annual Beautification Fundraiser
April 27, 2011, Pine Grove Inn, Lunch and dinner seatings
Call 207-1000 for more information.

Free Dahlia Workshop
Learn how to grow dahlias
May 15th, noon to 4 p.m., Islip Art Museum, 50 Irish Lane, East Islip, NY
For more info 224-5420 or visit islipartscouncil.org

What’s in the News?
1. Richard Waldman calls our attention to the following NPR
report about the history of the cherry blossoms in Washington D.C.
http://www.npr.org/2011/03/27/134882943/how-d-c-s-cherry-blossomsalmost-didnt-bloom
“The first group of trees arrived in Washington early in 1910.
They were inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and
found to be infested with “several kinds of pests, big bugs, little bugs,
and fungi, some of them unknown to this country and therefore extremely
dangerous.”
Japan sent 3,020 replacement trees, and… over the next few
years, more than 3,000 trees of 12 different varieties were added
along the Tidal Basin, around East Potomac Park, and on the
grounds of the White House.
As the second batch of trees traveled to D.C. from Seattle via
insulated freight cars, The Christian Science Monitor waxed poetic:
‘In the April sunshine, better still by moonlight, and best of all by the poet’s pale, pure light of dawn—the blooming cherry tree is the most ideally,
wonderfully beautiful tree that nature has to show, and its short-lived glory makes the enjoyment the keener and more poignant.’”
2. National Geographic questions why civilization veered toward
using annual grains, and suggests perennials might be the better
choice because of their longer root systems. Read about it here:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/04/big-idea/perennial-grains-text
3. Here’s an article, “Garden As If Your Life Depended On It,
Because It Does.” “There are at least five reasons why more of us
should take up the spade, make some compost, and start gardening
with a vengeance.”
http://www.alternet.org/story/150428/garden_as_if_your_life_depended_on_it %2C_because_it_does?akid=6755.114783.ECA3xJ&rd=1&t=5
5. Some beautiful photographs Paula found of the Netherlands in May
“At first glance, it looks like a giant child armed with a box of crayons has been set loose upon the landscape. Vivid stripes of [colors] make up a glorious patchwork. Yet far from being a child’s sketchbook, this is,
in fact, the northern Netherlands in the middle of tulip season.”
To see these beautiful photos and learn more about tulip season in the Netherlands,go here:http://cafezambeze3.multiply.com/photos/album/77#
6. Go to this CBS News site to read this
story on Brussels’ begonia carpet:
http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-501843_162-
4353128.html?tag=page

Get to Know A Fellow Gardener—Joanna Drake
Where were you born, and where have you lived?
Da Bronx. We moved out to Smithtown when I was two. It was the first
good night’s sleep I’d seen since I was in the womb!
Tell us about your family?
My husband, Russ, is the most patient man in the world—and I try his patience a lot! My 15-year-old Yogi is the bestest dog in the world! (Arf!)
What gave you your first interest in gardening?
I love to work with my hands and get into the dirt—it’s another creative
outlet.
Outside of gardening, what are some of your interests?
I enjoy playing guitar and piano, but mostly I love to sing. I’ve been with
BAFFA, a local amateur classical group, since 2001, but tunes from the 40s
through the 70s are fun to sing. I enjoy hosting music parties ‘cause lots of
my friends love to sing! I love to laugh. I’ve been collecting Comic Strips since the early 70s, and I am forever cutting out comics from the newspaper. My favorites include the extinct Calvin and Hobbes, The Far Side, and, more recently, Rhymes with Orange, Stone Soup, and, of course, Pickles! The best ones make me laughso hard I can’t breathe, and tears come to my eyes I’m laughing so hard. (Ha, ha, ho, chuckle..snort)
A television show you like?
Medical dramas! Grey’s Anatomy, Off the Map, House...Why? The drama,
the passion, and the unbelievable situations!
A book you’d recommend?
“Loves to Read” should be my moniker. Of the most recent books, "Eat,
Pray, Love"; "The Last Lecture"; "Greatest Generation"; and "The Bible"..always.
Your favorite dessert or food?
Anything chocolate :) mmmmm...good!
Something you keep postponing?
Organizing my photos—oh, there are just too many! I have dozens of full
albums that need “weeding,” and blank albums that need filing. I have finally learned how to download the digital photos to the computer, but I have yet to understand how to find them easily. (Is there a Bermuda Triangle forphotos?)
Anything else you’d like us to know about you?
My faith in God is very close to my heart. The Bible, the book of Truth, has
timeless wisdom. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. You
are the branches. If a man remains in me, he will bear much fruit. This is my command—to love one another.” John 15: 1-17
Below, Joanna picking her summer strawberries:



Information from Karen Ferb
Grow Weeds on Purpose? Are You for Real?
Lamb’s quarters (Chenopodium album), aka wild spinach,
has nourished many cultures over the centuries and is
richer in protein, calcium, iron, vitamins A and C, and some
B vitamins than spinach or cabbage. Its seeds are higher in
protein than wheat and produce a buckwheat-like flour.
Grown in good soil and pinched to promote branching, it
produces young leaves all season. These can be eaten raw
or cooked like spinach. Dandelion, purslane, chickweed,
chicory, plantain, burdock, wild onion, and stinging nettle,
are all wild foods with excellent culinary and health benefits.
Who knew Japanese knotweed was edible? It is said that it
tastes similar to rhubarb, only better, and heaven knows
Long Island is infested with enough of this invasive alien to
keep us all in pie for years to come. Seeds of select weed varieties are becoming available in catalogs. Also check out John Kallas’ Wild Food Adventures
at http://www.wildfoodadventures.com/johnkallas.html
and New York’s own Wildman, Steve Brill, at http://
www.wildmanstevebrill.com/ for ideas on wild foraging.



Timely Tips for May
• Prepare the soil in the vegetable garden and annual beds
• Sow seeds of garden peas, sweet peas and radishes.
• Fertilize fruit trees
• Examine houseplants-trim to reshape and repot as necessary.
• Prune early-flowering shrubs immediately after flowering.
• Control lawn weeds now through late May before temperatures get
too high.
• Continue planting herbaceous perennials until May and divide established
ones before growth is too far advanced
• Sow hardy annual seeds outdoors—cornflowers, larkspur, annual
poppies, etc.
• Plant new roses. Remove what is remaining of earth mounds and
prune established roses.

"A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit." --Greek proverb

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

March Newsletter

Greetings from the President

Hello members and welcome to March,

I think it's safe to say that we all have our outdoors back at this point. The snowdrops are blooming, the daffodils and tulips are starting to poke their heads through the matted winter soil, and the "swallows" are coming back from Capistrano. Much to my surprise, the pumps and filters in the ponds fared well through this oh-so-cold winter, and the fish seem to be happy to see some sunlight that isn't being filtered through ice. I recently returned from a short excursion this past weekend to the Philadelphia Convention Center for the annual flower show. This year’s theme was “Paris In Springtime,” and it certainly was! So majestically beautiful..everything in bloom!! That's when I realized what was wrong with this picture. We don't ever get to see everything in bloom at the same time in our own backyards, so it did look a bit unnatural, but gorgeous just the same. My favorite part of the show? If it's possible to choose, I'd have to say the orchids were spectacular!!! If anyone got the chance to visit the exhibit, I'm sure you thoroughly enjoyed yourself, as did I. See you at this month's general meeting, Diane

Mark the Date

Tuesday, March 22, 2011--Monthly Meeting, 7:00 PM at the American Legion Hall
Sunday, March 27, 2011--St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Check with Arlene Lamberti if you’d like to participate.
Thursday, March 31, 2011—Eighth Annual “Think Spring” Luncheon at the Mediterranean Manor, 303 East Main Street, Patchogue. Tickets are $35. You can make a reservation with a check or cash at the meeting. (All checks are due by March 28th.)

The Luncheon Committee has been off and running since late August, putting together a Vintage Hat Exhibit and small scented straw hat magnets for each person attending. Our guest speaker, Marianne Annunziato Fulfaro, will present us with her Vintage Hat Collection, topic, "Hats Through the Ages." So, catch our spirit and join us with a friend. We encourage you to come and wear your favorite hat. Below, some of the committee members meeting at Georgia's.







Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise.
~Michael P. Garafalo, gardendigest.com



HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JANET, FRANK, AND DON!





[Here's a new feature, "Get to Know a Fellow Gardener". I’m placing all members’names in a hat (really...I’m going to use a hat!) and choosing one each month. If you don’t want to participate, feel free to decline. Thanks to Diane who starts us off in this issue. mma]

Get to Know a Fellow Gardener



Diane Riviello Voland


Where were you born, and where have you lived?
Brooklyn, New York, and lived for 10 years west of Pittsburgh PA......
lots of dairy farms and corn fields....very peaceful, and for me, just a little too small (the town)
Have you had a job you really enjoyed?
About 35 years ago, I worked as a title examiner at the county center in Riverhead. That had to be, by far the most interesting and fun job I ever had. It was like being a detective and I got to look at county record books that dated back to when the pilgrims came over, examine peoples' last wills and testaments, and check in the courthouse records for tax liens and judgments or law suits against the purchasers and sellers, and create a chain of title to suit the individual township’s needs.
What is your family like?
I have one sister 7 1/2 years my junior...but one look, and a stranger can tell we're sisters...other than that a very small family that is scattered across the US.
What gave you your first interest in gardening?
I've always loved flowers and plants and knew from a young age that I wanted to live someplace where I could have a little piece of my own great outdoors.
Outside of gardening, what are some of your interests?
At about 36 years old I got my degree in interior decorating, something I always had a passion for. I enjoy crafting and sewing or any activity that is creative in any way.
A television show you like?
You'll usually find me watching 'Criminal Minds' after 8 PM, and a personal favorite has always been, and will always be, 'I Love Lucy'.
An accomplishment you are proud of?
I would have to say that my greatest accomplishment,the one I am most proud of, is my son.
An interesting place you’ve traveled to or visited?
Of all the places I've traveled to by plane car or boat, I would have to say that Washington DC was the most interesting and inspiring. What a beautiful city, filled with history and fabulous museums.
Favorite sport (to play or watch?
A sport??? I am guilty of not being an avid participant in any sportslike activity, but I love to watch ice dancing.
What would you do if you won the lottery?
If I won the lottery big time?? I guess, like everyone else I would pay all that I owe to anyone, then move someplace warm and tropical— and I don't mean Florida.

February Meeting in a Flash


• Mary Ann Tchinnis stepped down as Parliamentarian, and Carla Buchanan-Steward accepted the position.
• In a general consensus, club members agreed that community service should be a part of the club scholarship. This service should take place at local gardens in the community and schools.
• Rolling Rock will continue doing maintenance on the garden.
• It was decided, with majority vote, that $2000 would be donated to a project for Patchogue Village's Veterans Memorial Park.
• The Garden Club will participate in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Patchogue.



Opportunities for Gardeners and Wannabes

1. The 29th Annual Spring Gardening School of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County will be held at The Academy of St. Joseph in Brentwood on April 2, 2011, Bellport High School on April 19, 2011, and Riverhead Middle School on April 16 from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. This day includes your choice of classes from four different sessions, with information for every level of gardener from beginner to advanced. Topics include:
· Fundamentals of gardening
· Pruning
· Floral design
· Home Composting
· Water-wise gardening
· Rain Gardens
· Growing your own food
· Houseplants, roses, hydrangeas, bulbs, figs, and more!


All classes are taught by Master Gardeners and Extension Educators. Included in your fee are free soil pH testing, plant diagnostic clinic, plant sale from some of the finest nurseries, continental breakfast, delicious boxed lunch, and door prizes. The fee is $55 per person, early bird registration is $50 before March 4, 2011. The registration form with a full schedule of classes and their descriptions is available for download at www.ccesuffolk.org or contact Caroline Kiang at 631-727-7850, ext. 337 or 345.

2. Check out the Bayport Flower House online news to see if you are interested in
taking any of their classes. http://www.bayportflower.com/newsletterhol04.pdf

Make Your Own Peat Pots

You can save money by recycling newspapers into seed-starting pots. It’s easy, it’s free, and planting the entire bio-degradable pot will virtually eliminate chances of transplant shock. (Newsprint ink is generally nontoxic.) Here’s how:

1. Fold a newspaper sheet in half lengthwise. Fold it again.

2. Place a tomato paste can along one edge of the newspaper, a couple of inches from the bottom. Roll the newspaper tightly around the can. I put a piece of tape here and take it off before planting.

3. Fold the excess newspaper at the bottom of
the can to the center. Turn can onto newspaper,
and push down, shaping the bottom.

4. Put a piece of tape across the bottom, and
carefully remove can.

You can make about one every two minutes—thirty during an hour-long TV program. A week before transplanting into the garden, begin to “harden
off” plants by placing them outdoors each day. Pick a shady spot, protected from wind, and
start with a half-hour, adding an hour of exposure each day until they’re getting eight
hours of outdoor exposure daily. Continue watering. Margaret

What’s in the News?

1. Here’s an article on winter gardening with Dutch landscape artist, Piet Oudolf
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/garden/10garden.html?scp=2&sq=gardening&st=cse
Mr. Oudolf’ believes that a garden should be designed to have a life throughout the year, not just in the spring and summer. “The garden in winter is an emotional experience,” he said. “You think in terms of decay and disappearing and coming back. You feel the life cycle of nature. A lot of gardening is focused on flowers. People don’t realize plants can be beautiful after flowering, and they cut them down before they can even see it. I look outside now and see the clematis that flowered in the summer but is more interesting now that it is showing seed heads. If you make a four-season garden you have to learn to accept decay and see the beauty of it. It’s about the texture and shape, the seed heads and the skeletons. So instead of using the scissors you use your eyes.”

2. Do you have a hankering for one of those tasty apples you had as a kid and can’t find any more? Well, here’s a fellow who’s keeping them alive:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/03/garden/03garden.html?ref=inthegarden. [Note: A revolutionary war era ancestor of mine in New Canaan NY developed the Hawley apple, also known as the Douse or Dowse and harvests in September. It is large and has a smooth, yet waxy skin. It is greenish yellow with a brown blush. Plenty of russet dots all over. Read about it in the 1856 'Magazine of Horticulture' at http://books.google.com/books?id=I2EDAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA39&lpg=RA1-PA39&dq=%22Hawley+apple%22&source=bl&ots=TvYd4OKfGe&sig=6XJ2j0aeSOkqV6Ltlw36sv49-vs&hl=en&ei=0q6ETYS0JMiRgQf7uqG9CA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CDkQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=%22Hawley%20apple%22&f=false. Karen]

3. Have you ever wondered what
you could grow from your own
kitchen cabinets? Here’s an interesting
article from someone who has experimented.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/garden/24seed.html?
scp=4&sq=gardening&st=cse


4. Have you heard about the Svalbard Global Seed Vault?
http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/lmd/campain/svalbard-global-seed-vault.html The Svalbard Global Seed
Vault, which is established in the permafrost in the mountains of
Svalbard, is designed to store duplicates of seeds from seed collections
around the globe. Many of these collections are in developing
countries. If seeds are lost, e.g. as a result of natural disasters,
war or simply a lack of resources, the seed collections may be
reestablished using seeds from Svalbard.

Here’s more information about the Svalbard Vault, from Seed Savers in Iowa:
http://www.seedsavers.org/Content.aspx?src=w hatsnew.htm#svalbard3
“Even though Seed Savers' share represents only a small portion of the total deposits at Svalbard, the organization's contribution is unique because the heirloom varieties are mostly seeds conserved by home gardeners. Here is a small sampling of the varieties in the most recent deposit: Bean-Blue Boy, Cucumber-Spring of Water, Cowpea-Tight Red, Ground Cherry-New Hanover, Melon-Plum Granny, Pepper-Jimmy's Little White Hots, Pumpkin-Algonquian, Tomato-German Pink, and Watermelon-Arikara.”

Each Svalbardshipment/storage box contains the list of accessions with minimum germplasm data (Institute code, Accessions number, Scientific and common name, Number of seeds per pack, Year of regeneration, Country of origin).

All-America Selections 2011
submitted by Karen Ferb

First prize went to Rudbeckia ‘Denver Daisy’, with 4-6” gold flowers sporting maroon and chocolate centers. The second prize went to Echinacea ‘Prairie Splendor’ with amethyst flowers. Coming in third was the 12” ornamental pepper ‘Purple Flash’, with purple leaves and black fruits. Noteworthy introductions among perennials included Shasta daisy ‘Amelia’, a single white 5” flower with gold center. Anemone ‘Margarete’ produces abundant, large, glowing rose flowers with orange centers on 24” stems. I personally hope to find the ‘Red Racer’ hellebore from the ‘Winter Thriller’ series, said to produce up to 75 3 ½” deep velvet red flowers on one plant! Also look for Bergenia ‘Lunar Glow’ with its deep pink flowers and creamy yellow foliage in spring, finishing brilliant scarlet in the fall.

New Baptisias of the ‘Prairieblues’ series are 3-5’ tall with yellow-orange (‘Solar Flare’), soft blue (‘Starlite’), and deep purple (‘Twilite’) flowers. Praiseworthy annual introductions: Celosia ‘Cramer’s Burgundy’ and ‘Ruby Parfait’ are drama queens with huge, elegant flowers and unusual forms. Look at the size! These plants are grown for the cut flower trade with stems up to 30” tall and long-lasting flowers cut flowers also suitable for drying.

Timely Tips for April

• Prepare the soil in the vegetable garden and annual beds
• Sow seeds of garden peas, sweet peas and radishes.
• Fertilize fruit trees
• Examine houseplants-trim to reshape and repot as necessary.
• Prune early-flowering shrubs immediately after flowering.
• Control lawn weeds now through late May before temperatures get
too high.
• Continue planting herbaceous perennials until May and divide established
ones before growth is too far advanced
• Sow hardy annual seeds outdoors—cornflowers, larkspur, annual
poppies, etc.
• Plant new roses. Remove what is remaining of earth mounds and
prune established roses.

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~Charles Dickens