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
