GCSH April Meeting with Floral Expert Renee Tucci!
Our April meeting featured floral design enthusiast, educator, and author, Renee Tucci. With more than 20 years of design and leadership experience in the industry, Renee shared floral techniques and some helpful pro tips.
Lucky raffle winners selected one of Renee’s beautiful arrangements. A floral workshop followed the demonstration, for those interested in more hands-on learning.
Thank you to Co-Chairs Lesley Hetherington and Steph Glickman for organizing this fun day!
Visiting Gardens: T’was A Magical Longwood Christmas!
On December 7th, a wonderful group gathered for a most memorable trip to Longwood Gardens. From the comfy limo-bus, to yummy homemade sweets, to a perfect three hours walking around the stunning property at Longwood Gardens, and the several savory snacks and festive beverages on our way back, this was a spectacular and beautiful Christmas experience!
Thank you to Co-Chairs Liz Nardone and Kate Mortenson for making this happen!
RHA Bird & Butterfly Garden CleanUp
On November 2nd, the Horticulture Committee hosted the Annual Bird & Butterfly Garden Cleanup at The Fairview Farm, headquarters to Raritan Headwaters Association. This is always a special fall event for our club as we work to put this beautiful garden to bed for the winter. The sixteen members shown here, shared the task of cutting back perennials and raking out beds, while enjoying some social time together. Many hands make light work - and fun work too!
From left to right: Nancy Bassett, Lesley Hetherington, Chris Smith, Adele DuJardin, Terrie Reid, Barbara Todd, Susan Palmer (Chair), Kathy Arvay, Mary Ryan, Patty Haines, Ryder Ziebarth & Attie, Margo Muratore, Grania Allport (Chair), Joan Seigle, Stephanie Glickman and Kim Mell.
A GCA GARDEN HISTORY & DESIGN VIDEO
The GCA’s Garden History & Design Committee kicked off the celebration of Frederick Law Olmsted’s 200th birthday by producing a short video. Photos for this documentary were gathered by GH&D club representatives from the Archives of America Gardens of the Smithsonian Museum. Produced by: GH&D National Committee Chair, Lisa Gadsen, Vice-Chairs, Gail Babnew, Kim Heyn, Sarah Drake, and Liz McLanahan, and Zone IV Representative Ryder Ziebarth.
*Click on the image to go to the video.
GCSH FUNDS SENSORY GARDEN GATE
The GCSH underwrote the installation of a new gate to the Sensory Garden at Raritan Headwater’s Fairview Farm to honor Frederick Law Olmsted. Additional contributions from the club include plantings and volunteers to help complete this much anticipated garden project.
Pictured here from left to right: Cindy Ehrenclou (RHA Exec. Director), Lauren Theis (RHA Director of Education), Margo Muratore (GCSH President) and Julie Aronson (GCSH Member and former President, and former RHA Board Member).
A VISIT TO ALICE ROCHAT’S
ROSEBAY RHODODENDRON ALLEE
FRIDAY JUNE 2, 2021
“The garden was designed in 1926 concurrent with the house being built. It was designed by a prominent landscape architect of the time, Clarence Fowler. We believe that the Rhododendron allee and statuary is from that original design. The lower rose garden is also original in form but was overgrown when we moved here. We added the pool and pool pavilions in the 80's when we moved here, as well as uncovering the view to the northwest.” —Alice Rochat
GCA ANNUAL MEETING ‘AROUND THE GREEN’ FLOWER SHOW
CONGRATULATIONS TO GRANIA ALLPORT FOR 3 AWARDS!
GCSH Grania Allport entered the GCA’s Flower Show in the Division II, Horticulture and won 3 fabulous awards! As a horticulturalist, Grania has a passion for growing, nurturing and beautifying the world and sharing this wonder with others. Congratulations on a job well done!
PHOTO CREDIT: Emily Caspersen
Zone IV’s Emily Caspersen Wins GCA Focus Contest 2020!
Congratulations to Emily Caspersen, Garden Club of Somerset Hills, for winning Best in Show and First Place (Class 10) in the GCA Photography ‘America the Beautiful’ Focus Contest 2020! This was Emily’s first time entering a GCA-wide photography contest. There were 219 entrants from 96 GCA clubs representing all 12 GCA zones. Class Ten was Undimmed by Human Tears: a raindrop or water drop image (plant material required). Emily shared the moment she took the photo:
This scene caught my eye early one morning, after walking my dogs. The light was magnificent. I took the photograph on my iPhone. Early morning and early evening are my favorite times to take photographs because of the changing light. This morning was particularly beautiful because it had rained during the night. The setting is our front walkway.Cropping the photo was a challenge. I wanted to zoom in enough to capture the details of the styrax leaf and the raindrop, but I did not want to lose the larger setting.
Here is the link to the ‘America the Beautiful’ contest, featuring Emily’s stunning photograph on page 5 for Best in Show and page 26 for First Place Class Ten:
Cedar Ridge Farm
Congratulations to our own Ryder Ziebarth, who submitted an article as the Garden History & Design Zone IV Representative on Gardening for Hope & Solace. The GCA Bulletin Committee added her submission to the GCA Club Member Showcase in the Members Area of the website. In her article, The Importance of Knowing Your Place, Ryder shared how her experiences growing up on her family’s farm in Bedminster, New Jersey shaped her identity and fostered her love of gardening.
“We all have a story - a history with our landscape whether it’s a city, the county, the desert, a crystal lake, a snow-covered mountain, a seaside home…what’s yours?”
To read Ryder’s reflective account of life on Cedar Ridge Farm click below: