The Garden Club of the Back Bay

The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts presents its 9th Annual Civic Development Workshop on Wednesday, March 31, from 9 am – 12:30 pm at The Espousal Center, 554 Lexington Street, Waltham, Massachusetts.  Adriana O’Sullivan will speak on Tough Plants for Tough Places: Beautifying Your Community.  Ms. O’Sullivan is a graduate of The Landscape Institute at Harvard University, and former Chairperson of the Gardening Study School, Gardening Consultants Council, and the Landscape Design Council of Massachusetts.  She is the current Director of the South Shore District of GCFMA.  A group design exercise will follow the presentation.  Please bring colored pencils or markets.  Refreshments will be served.  Space is limited, so register early.  Send your check for $11, payable to GCFMA Inc., to Joan Butler, Chairman, Civic Development GCFMA, 76 Bayberry Lane, Holliston, MA 01746.  Include your telephone number, email address, and Garden Club affiliation along with your name and address.

The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts presents a Horticulture Morning on Monday, March 29, beginning at 10 a.m. at The Espousal Center, 554 Lexington Street, North Waltham, Massachusetts (off Route I-95/128, Exit 27A Totten Pond Road).  Rita Wollmering, organic gardener and owner of The Herb Farmacy, will speak on Growing Organic Vegetables and Herbs: Great Growing Ideas from a Professional.  A donation of $5, payable at the door, is suggested.  To call for information on cancellations due to snow or storm, call 781-391-0261.  You may also contact Betsy Williams (betsy@betsywilliams.com) or Rita DeLollis (rdelollis@aol.com) for more information on Horticulture Mornings.

The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts presents a Horticulture Morning on Monday, February 22, beginning at 10 a.m. at The Espousal Center, 554 Lexington Street, North Waltham, Massachusetts (off Route I-95/128, Exit 27A Totten Pond Road).  Rita DeLollis, orchid enthusiast and organic gardener, will present At Home with Orchids: Tips for Successful Growing and Use in Designs.  A donation of $5, payable at the door, is suggested.  To call for information on cancellations due to snow or storm, call 781-391-0261.  You may also contact Betsy Williams (betsy@betsywilliams.com) or Rita DeLollis (rdelollis@aol.com) for more information on Horticulture Mornings.

The Garden Club of the Back Bay thanks its many volunteers at the annual winter Tea, this year to be held at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Boylston Street in Boston.  Save Tuesday, February 9, from 3 – 5 pm.  Details will be mailed to the membership soon.

The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts presents a Horticulture Morning on Monday, November 16, beginning at 10 a.m. at The Espousal Center, 554 Lexington Street, North Waltham, Massachusetts (off Route I-95/128, Exit 27A Totten Pond Road).  Cathy Felton, Current Native Plants Chairman and organic garden expert, will speak on Maintaining Your Landscape – Naturally, using native and dry condition plants in the garden.  A donation of $5, payable at the door, is suggested.  To call for information on cancellations due to snow or storm, call 781-391-0261.  You may also contact Betsy Williams (betsy@betsywilliams.com) or Rita DeLollis (rdelollis@aol.com) for more information on Horticulture Mornings.

The Boston Committee of the Garden Club of America invites you to its 20th Birthday Celebration Annual Meeting and Fall Lecture on Tuesday, November 17, with registration at 10:30 am, and lecture at 11 am.  Patrick Chassé, the first Curator of Landscape, The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, will give an illustrated lecture entitled  “Isabella and Her Gardens.”

Like a horticultural Sherlock Holmes, Patrick Chassé tracks down clues to gardens of the past. His latest challenge is to unlock the secrets of a magnificent courtyard garden long identified with a Boston museum and its charismatic founder.

Mr. Chassé, a landscape architect, has served since 2004 as the curator of landscape at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the first person to hold such a title there. His detective work involves documenting the courtyard’s evolution and reinstating elements of its design as envisioned by Isabella Stewart Gardner in the early 1900s.

The event will take place at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.  Cost of lecture is $20 (public invited), Lecture and Luncheon $45 (members of Boston Committee Clubs only, please.)  RSVP by November 12.  Please make check payable to The Boston Committee of the GCA and mail to Mrs. William U. Shipley, 40 Dunster Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.

Sign up for a series of three hands-on workshops for beginning and intermediate flower arrangers.  The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts is sponsoring the classes, to be held at the Espousal Center, 554 Lexington Street, North Waltham, MA on Tuesdays from 10 am to 12 noon on October 20, April 13, 2010, and May 11, 2010.  This series differs from the series beginning on October 14 because it is truly participatory.  The fee for all three sessions is $105, which includes all materials and instruction.  No refunds are offered if you are unable to attend, but you may designate someone to attend in your place, or ask a friend who is attending to collect your flowers and container at the end of class.  You must supply clippers, a notebook, and a clean up bag.  Please mail your check, made out to GCFM, Inc., to Maureen Marshall, Registrar, 79 Morton Street, Holliston, MA 01746. Include your name, address, Garden Club affiliation, Telephone number, and email.  Space is limited to 90 people, and will be allocated on a first come basis.  You may wish to call first to confirm availability.  Maureen’s number is 508-429-4936, and she may also be reached by email at sweetpeapatch@aol.com.

Please Join Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts President Linda Jean Smith on Tuesday, October 27, for the Fall Conference entitled “Evergreen.”  The Fall Conference will be held this year at the Andover Country Club, 60 Canterbury Street, Andover, Massachusetts.

The day will begin at 8:30 am with registration, coffee and boutique shopping.  At 9:00, your choice of workshops will begin: “Coffee with a Master Gardener,” “Plant Native with Meg Moore,” and “So You Were Elected Treasurer, Help!”

At 10:00, President Smith will call the official meeting to order.  Sandra Sears and Joyce Bakshi will speak on planning and planting a Children’s Garden, and Janet Macunovich of the Practical Gardening Institute and the University of Michigan will speak on “The Collector – Engaging Harmony from Intriguing Diversity.”  The speech will be followed by a social hour and more boutique shopping, then the Awards Luncheon and Presentation of Awards.

At 2:15, the final presentation will be “The Horticulture of Design,” a floral design program with award winning designers showing and explaining Tapestry, Pot-Et-Fleur, Collections vs. Displays, and more.

To register, send your name, address, telephone, email, Club affiliation, and a check made out to GCFM,Inc. to Yvonne Capella, 16 Bell’s Brook Road, Lakeville, MA 02347.  The cost is $30 for the lunch (please note chicken or fish on your check), $15 for the morning program, and $3 for one of the morning workshops (again, please specify Master Gardener, Plant Native, or Treasurer). The total, if you’re doing it all, will be $48.  Questions?  Email dcapella@comcast.net.  Unfortunately the GCFM website does not have the registration information available, and you will be unable to register on line.  If you register after October 6, please add an additional $15.  Sorry – no refunds.

Pursuant to the terms of Article X of the By-laws of The Garden Club of the Back Bay, Inc., notice is hereby given of the Annual Meeting, to be held at 5 pm on Monday May 18, 2009.  Written notice of the location of the meeting will be mailed to the membership, and anyone wishing to inquire or members who wish to respond may email info@gardenclubbackbay.org.  Annual reports will be presented by the Co-Presidents and Treasurer, and new officers, directors, and committee chairs for the coming fiscal year will be presented by the Nominating Committee for election.  Following the business portion of the meeting, members will have the opportunity to socialize.

Please join President Celeste Wilson at the 82nd Annual Meeting Wednesday, June 3rd through Thursday, June 4 at The Westford Regency Inn & Conference Center, 219 Littleton Road, Westford, MA 01886.  Registration begins Wednesday at 2:30 pm, followed by a design workshop “Summer Elegance” with Thelma Shoneman.  At the 5:30 Cocktail Reception and 6:30 dinner meet honored guest Renee Blaschke, President of the National Garden Clubs.  Thursday’s activities begin with coffee and boutique shopping at 8 a.m., a speech by Peter Alden entitled “Changes in Flora and Fauna, Understanding Invasives”, and Julie Lapham with a design presentation “Hats Off to Our Presidents.”  Following the Awards Luncheon, Presentation of Awards and Installation of Officers and President’s Message, the meeting will adjourn at 3:15.  For full registration forms and material, check the most recent Mayflower, or log on to www.gcfm.org.

Come to Elm Bank for the Annual Metro East/Metro West District Meeting. Roxanne Randall and Joan Kiley will present “Less is More: Container Gardening. These two talented ladies from Needham will demonstrate how to create beautiful, unusual container arrangements with an emphasis on economy.  They will offer plenty of container gardening information and advice, interesting container ideas, and suggestions for using containers, with Yankee frugality thrown in.  This program will appeal to any gardener who wants to plant a small space, hide those places where nothing seems to grow, or just spruce up the front steps. Their lively banter and humor will make for a delightful program. Registration starts at 10:30.  Coffee, fruit and cheese during registration. Luncheon with a selection of sandwiches, salad, and assorted desserts will follow.  There will be a raffle and the presentation of Unsung Heroes Awards.  Reservations due by April 20.  Send $25 check made payable to GCFM to Wilma Wetterstrom, 9 Glenley Terrace, Brighton, MA 02135.  For more information call Wilma at 617-787-9844, or email wetterst@fas.harvard.edu.

Please join The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts at the Espousal Center in Waltham from 10 a.m. – noon for an inspiring workshop on how to turn plant materials into handmade jewelry! There will be an opportunity to learn from each other and to share secrets.

Many of you are familiar with the exceptional talented individuals entering into the artistic jewelry at the New England Flower Show. If you have ever considered entering and needed either a little encouragement or a push, this workshop is for you!

Reservations are being accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Fee: $25.00 (includes materials)
Make check out to: GCFM
Please mail check and registration to:
Angela Alessandria
11 Ross Rd
Belmont, MA 02478
617.489.9842

Pre-Registration Required