September 2020

             Rescheduled from May 2020
             106th Annual Meeting & Awards
 Date:           Tuesday, September 15th, 2020.
                       
Time:           5:00 p.m.

Location:    Ballard Garden

Details:       In light of the global pandemic, and in consideration of Covid-19 gathering
                        guidelines, we will conduct our meeting outdoors in Ballard Garden. Members
                        must wear masks, practice social distancing and bring their own chairs. 
                 
                      Virtual Sweepstakes
                      DIVISION I: HORTICULTURE
                      Class 1        Coneflower                      
                      Class 2       Stem of a plant purchased from Ballard Plant Sale in 2019 or 2020
                      Class 3       Frond of a Fern
                      Class 4       Par

                      DIVISION II: PHOTOGRAPHY       
                      Class 1       Photo of an insect on a flower in your garden.
                      Class 2      Photo of a plant or flower taken at Ballard Garden.

October 2020

  Adam Wheeler of Broken Arrow Nurseries  
 'Magical Witches of Winter'


Date:           Tuesday, October 27th
                       
Time:            10:00 a.m.
         
Location:     Held via Zoom. Instructions will be sent to members via email.

Details:       Think you know Witch Hazel?  Think again! Discover the magical and
                         ornamental sides of Witch Hazel (Hamamelis sp.).  Adam will present a slide
                         lecture that touches on the storied history, ornamental appeal and noted
                         selections of the underutilized shrubs.

​                         Adam started playing with plants at Broken Arrow in 2004 after completing
                         his BS degree in Urban Forestry and Landscape Horticulture at the University
                         of Vermont. He is the past recipient for the Young Nursery Professional
                        Award from the New England Nursery Association and is current Vice
                        President of the North American Maple Society. In his spare time, he enjoys
                        cultivating his eclectic collection of rare and unusual plants, rock climbing, and
                        competitive giant pumpkin growing!

​                      Virtual Sweepstakes:
                      DIVISION I: HORTICULTURE
                      Class 1      Display of GCA Zone II Horticulture Challenge:
                                            Capsicum Annum "Hot Pops Purple" Ornamental Pepper
                      Class 2      Display of Begonia from 10/19 Propagation Workshop
                      Class 3      Aster
                      Class 4      Homegrown Fall Vegetable
                       Class 5     Grasses
                       Class 6     Par
                       
                      DIVISION II: PHOTOGRAPHY
                      Class 1    Composition of fruit, vegetables and/or flowers from your garden.
                      Class 2    Fall Focus: Close up of Heuchera leaf or Sedum flower.
                 

December 2020

          Wreath Making Workshop & Lunch

Date:              Tuesday, December 1, 2020.

Details:  
                          Details for the 2020 Wreath Making workshop are still being finalized. Please
​                          continue to check email for updates.

December 2020

         Holiday Celebration


Details:   Will we be able to meet in person, or will we have a "virtual" holiday party?  
                     Celebration venue and details are still to be determined.
                 
                   

February 2021

           Historical Preservation in Landscape Architecture
​           With Janice Parker

Date:         Tuesday, February 23rd
                     
Time:          *Please note, planned in-person meetings for 2021 are subject to change.    
​                         Continue to check email for updates. 
                         1:30 p.m.
​
​Location:    Keeler Tavern Garden House
                         132 Main St.
                         Ridgefield, CT  

Details:      What is our cultural landscape?  Why is it important to protect the vision of historic public and private spaces? This lecture explores the importance of preserving this heritage as Janice Parker walks us through the process of restoring two historic landscapes. 

Born and raised in New York City, Janice grew up studying the natural and urban environment. While studying at Parson's School of Design, and with John Brookes at the Clock House School of Garden Design in England, she worked in the floral business, designing extensively for public and private events and spaces. These experiences solidified her passion for landscape design, and in 1984 she launched her eponymous firm, Janice Parker Landscape Architects.

​SWEEPSTAKES:
DIVISION I:   HORTICULTURE
Class 1         Forced bulb
Class 2         Forced branch
Class 3         'Environmental Air Purifying' - A house plant stem, such as palm, ficus,  
                          philodendron, Boston fern or peace lily.
Class 4         'Take a Walk' - A stem or arrangement of winter offerings.
Class 5         Par

DIVISION II: PHOTOGRAPHY
Class 1          'Winter Interest'  – A photo showcasing a plant with winter interest at
                           Ballard Garden.
Class 2         'Birds of a Feather' - A photo of your favorite birds at a feeder or elsewhere.

March 2021

Annual Conservation Meeting
Migratory Birds & Their Habitats
​ With Scott Weidensaul

Date: Tuesday, March 23rd

Time:  *Please note, this meeting will be held via Zoom webinar, scheduled through the
                Ridgefield Library. 
​                 1:00 p.m.
​
​Location: The Ridgefield Library, Via Zoom Webinar

Details: We are honored to welcome Scott Weidensaul as speaker for our annual
Conservation Meeting. Scott is a nationally recognized & renowned
ornithologist, author and naturalist, with a particular focus on remarkable
feats of bird migration and the importance of protecting bird habitats. He
leads a number of ongoing research projects focusing on owls, hummingbirds
and passerines (songbirds & perching birds) & lectures widely. Scott is the Pulitzer finalist author of nearly  thirty books, including his newly published World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds.

Scott combines rigorous research with his talents as an evocative and engaging writer and
speaker to bring to life the journeys of the birds around us in a compelling way. “What Rachel Carson did for the sea - opening the public’s eyes to the fragile richness of whole ecosystems, Scott Weidensaul has now done for bird migration.” Caroline Fraser, Outside.

​This meeting is open to the public. Guests or friends are asked to register through the Ridgefield Library website. We thank the Stoddard Family, the Ridgefield Library, Connecticut Audubon and Birds & Beans Coffee for their generous support of this event.

Open to the public. All are welcome. Please register here:
ridgefieldlibrary.librarymarket.com/events/afternoon-scott-weidensaul

April 2021

Native Plantings in Landscape Design
With Lisa Turoczi

Date:         Tuesday, April 27th
                     
Time:          *Please note, this meeting will be held via Zoom webinar. 
                          9:30 a.m. - Gather
                         10:00 a.m. - Program Commences
​
​Location:    Zoom Webinar
                         Link will be shared directly via email.  

Details:   Native plants such as Joe-Pye weed, monarda, common milkweed, and ironweed have become standbys in our gardens. As we look to expand our use of natives, there are some unusual and fun plants to consider. Lisa will speak about some of these plants and her work at Earthtones to grow them and make them available for wider use. Learn about these plants, where they are happy to grow, what their benefits are, and how to use them in the garden in beautiful ways. 

Lisa studied Landscape Design at SUNY Cobleskill where she gathered much hands-on experience in design/build.  During the summers she worked for greenhouse nursery centers and maintained private gardens gaining knowledge on propagation and plant care. She went on to get a degree in Landscape Architecture from SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse. Lisa and her husband, Kyle, founded Earthtones Nursery in Woodbury, CT.  Most of the plant material offered at the nursery has been grown from locally collected seed sources.  
 
SWEEPSTAKES:
DIVISION I:   HORTICULTURE
Class 1             Daffodil
Class 2             Tulip
Class 3             Early Bulb Flower of Your Choice
Class 4             Hellebore
Class 5             Flowering Branch: Common Witch Hazel, Cherry, Quince, or Crabapple.
Class 6             Par

DIVISION II: PHOTOGRAPHY
Class 1             Photo of rain on a garden plant.
​Class 2             Photo of April spring plant in your garden.

May 2021

107th Annual Meeting & Awards

Date:       Tuesday, May 25th
                   
Time:       *Please note, planned in-person meetings for 2021 are subject to change.    
​                     Continue to check email for updates.                     
                     Meeting 10:00 am, Luncheon to Follow

​Location:  Waccabuc Country Club
                     
Details:  Celebrate a year of beautiful gardens and great accomplishments at our
                    Annual Meeting and luncheon. This is the one meeting in the year that is for
                    members only.  

                    The club absorbs a significant portion of the cost of the meeting & luncheon, in
                    hopes that all of our membership will attend.

SWEEPSTAKES:
DIVISION I:   HORTICULTURE 
Class 1         Display of GCA Zone II Grow Challenge of Alchemilla Mollis, Ladies' Mantle
Class 2         'Tickled Pink' display of peony.
Class 3         Solomon's Seal stem
Class 4         Bleeding Heart
Class 5        Hosta Leaf
Class 7        Fern Leaf
Class 8       Par
 
DIVISION II: PHOTOGRAPHY
Class 1           Photo of May perennial growing in your garden.
Class 2           Photo of a Hummingbird.