Presque Isle Garden Club plans for upcoming season

 PRESQUE ISLE,  Maine – March 20 marks the beginning of another season for the Presque Isle Garden Club.
“We’ll start our season at the Congregational Church with a  ‘tour’ of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show, 2006, led by Judy Burleigh,” said Roberta Griffiths, speaking on behalf of the club.
      The meeting, which is traditionally designed to welcome new members, is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., according to Griffiths.
“We urge anyone who loves the feeling of healthy soil in his or her hands, or is just beginning to have an interest in gardening, to join us,” said Griffiths.
Dues run $15 annually. Programs and projects are selected to educate, entertain and promote the aims and purposes of the Garden Club Federation of Maine, of which the Presque Isle club is a member, said Griffiths.
“On April 24, Alice Sheppard will help us understand the composition of a healthy soil and why it should not be disturbed with machinery. We will be meeting at the Grant Memorial United Methodist Church at 7 p.m.,” she said.
The topic of discussion on May 15 will be Transitioning with Native Plants. The meeting will take place at the Westfield home of Jennifer Johnston.
“We’ll discuss designing our gardens with thoughts of less maintenance and using plants that grow in the woods at the edges of our property will be explored,” Griffiths said.
A field trip in the woods at the Nordic Heritage Center will be led by Eric Hendrickson in June to find Lady Slippers that should be in bloom by then. Lady Slippers are considered an endangered species and are a beauty to behold, according to Griffiths. The date for the event has yet to be determined.
“Ann Wight will host the Garden Club at her camp at Echo Lake on July 17 at 4 p.m. She will demonstrate the process of designing small water features for our gardens and yards,” said Griffiths.
A potluck supper is planned immediately following the program.
The club is looking forward to touring a local farm that specializes in organic produce.
“We are excited about touring Wood Prairie Farm in Bridgewater, hosted by Jim and Meghan Gerritson, on Aug. 21. The Gerritsons were recently awarded the Mail-order Gardening Association’s Green Thumb Award for offering a potato variety suited for organic growing,” said Griffiths.
According to Griffiths, the Gerritsons’ many potato varieties are offered in several seed catalogs that club members have received this spring.
“We will carpool from the Methodist Church at 4 p.m. Club members will dine at the Blue Moose in Monticello following the meeting,” said Griffiths.
On Sept. 18, Gary Boone, professor emeritus from Syracuse University, will speak to the club about the American chestnut at the home of Suzanne Hews beginning at 7 p.m.
“The American Chestnut has completely disappeared from the country’s landscape. Gary will tell us what is being done to bring it back, as well as other varieties that have been destroyed by bacteria and insects,” said Griffiths.
The Garden Club’s annual meeting is scheduled for Oct. 16, at which time Patti LeBlanc will show members how to create vegetable garnishes. Griffiths said a potluck supper, with dishes containing vegetables and herbs from members’ gardens, will conclude the Garden Club’s year.
“Each month, short topics will be presented by members covering subjects that will include forcing bulbs, getting an amaryllis to bloom again, using proper fertilizers, planting and growing sweet peas, inviting birds to our gardens, saving seeds for the next year, composting with coffee, cleaning and sharpening tools, making ice luminaries, reviewing books and propagating streptocarpus,” said Griffiths.
The Presque Isle Garden Club has several ongoing projects, including maintaining plants at the Turner Memorial Library, planting and maintaining a flower bed on Main Street and at the Nordic Heritage Center’s entrance sign. It also promotes higher education in the field of environmental studies through its scholarship.
“We support a scholarship at the University of Maine at Presque Isle which is given to a junior who is pursuing a course of study in environmental education. This scholarship was established to honor past members of our club,” said Griffiths.
For more information about the club, contact Griffiths at 768-5608.