Kathleen Mary (Finch) Marano passed away in Raleigh, NC after a brief illness on August 10, 2022. She was 101 years old. Kathleen's journey through life was the story of a remarkably resilient, inspiring woman who was blessed to live her years vibrantly, actively, and surrounded by loved ones. Kathleen was born in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, the third daughter of Ruth (Miller) and Charles Finch. After her formal education, Kathleen went to secretarial school and became a secretary. In 1944 during WW II, she met Frank Marano who was stationed at an US Air Force base on the east coast of England. They met at local Red Cross Club where Kathleen was volunteering. A year later they were married on April 21, 1945, and, a year later in April 1946, Kathleen and the couple's first child, Susan, arrived in New York harbor on the Queen Mary, along with hundreds of other GI war brides. They made their first home in the multi-family home of Frank's parents, Etta (Principe) and Joseph Marano in the Vailsburg section of Newark. In 1954 Frank, Kathleen and their four children moved to their newly built home on Club Rd. in Montclair where they continued to live for 40 years. In 1994 the couple moved to the Woodlands in West Orange. In 2012 Kathleen, widowed since 2003, moved to Magnolia Glen, an independent living facility in Raleigh, NC. Kathleen and Frank were members of the Montclair Golf Club and the Bay Head Yacht Club. Summers were often spent down at the Shore, particularly after they purchased a second home in Mantoloking in 1978. Kathleen had many interests and abilities. She was a parishioner of St. Luke's Church in Montclair and was very active in the Montclair Garden Club, serving as its president at one point. Kathleen was also an avid tennis player most of her life, as well as a good paddle tennis player and swimmer. She was a skilled cook, gardener, knitter, and bridge player. Always eager to improve her skills and knowledge, Kathleen took French classes for a number of years and participated in a women's Investors Club to better understand the stock market. However, Kathleen viewed her role as a wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother and trusted friend as her most important, and for that she was truly appreciated and loved. Kathleen is pre-deceased by her parents, her sisters Peggy Finch and Joan Webb, her husband and dance partner of 56 years, Frank Peter Marano, and her grandson Todd Murray. She leaves behind her daughters Susan Marano of Bloomfield, NJ, Mary Jane Mortimer and husband Chandler of Boulder, Co., and Lizbeth Marano and husband Mel Bochner of NYC, and her son Frank C. Marano and wife Sarah of Raleigh, NC. She also leaves behind her nine beloved grandchildren and their spouses, eleven great-grandchildren, and multiple nieces, nephews, and close friends. She will be remembered by all who knew her as a truly gracious, caring lady. A memorial is being planned for early November in New Jersey.

Over 300 people walked through Van Vleck House yesterday, in awe of the exquisite designs of our members. Many of us were inspired to learn more this year about what pleases a garden club judge as well as ourselves. And one thing that pleased those judges was the very special lunch that Janet Oscar provided to them after their hard work critiquing our works of art. The Reception outside the house, coordinated by Suzy Straten and Getchen Prater, allowed our members and their families to relax and enjoy one another's company as the sun sank behind the cedar tree. Stay tuned for more information and pictures about this unforgettable event, and enjoy this photograph of the beautiful and very real muse for Victoria Herrera's mesmerizing interpretation for our show.

Our Flower Show with its exquisite designs opened in glorious weather at Van Vleck today to large crowds. Here are just a few random pictures. There will be many more!!!! Two more days (Saturday 10-4, Sunday 10-2) for our neighbors to visit this beautiful event, with breathtaking flower designs, photographs, and educational exhibits — a splendid illustration of what we do. And everyone seemed to be having so much fun.

Clinging this morning to one of Debbie Moran's creations on a Van Vleck path, Howard swivels his eyes as he inspects the hard-working Garden Club members putting the final touches to this weekend's "Arts & Flowers" Flower Show. Friday, Sept. 16, 1-5pm Saturday, Sept. 17, 10am-4pm Sunday, Sept. 18, 10am-2pm Don't forget bring all your friends and relatives to this wonderful event. And congratulations to us all!

Only a week away, and our intrepid Flower Show organizers still need some help. See the list of jobs and the people to contact.

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The Montclair Center BID recognized and awarded prizes to business and property owners who cleaned up, planted and improved the tree beds in front of or near their stores, or utilized planters to beautify their storefronts. Baristanet covered the story of these beautiful winning downtown floral displays (see Baristanet's photo of winner Bob Silver of Vault 491), judged by our own Deborah Hirsch, Marie Donnelly, and Lettie Teague.

It was decided it would be too confusing to get the "Miss Muffett" caladiums judged at the Flower Show since the main focus at that event will be on judging the show and all the designs, photography and educational exhibits. The new plan is for the caladiums to be judged at the first program meeting to be held on Monday, October 17 with its monthly design and horticulture competitions. Stay tuned for details from the Horticulture committee chairs, Michele Trevenen and Karen Whitehaus, on the timing for bringing horticulture (in this case, your caladium) to Union Congregational for that date. Many thanks, Debbie Moran

The Design Specialty Flower Show is rapidly approaching. While we have been working behind the scenes, the time has come to reach out for help from our membership. We are greatly hoping for as close to 100% participation as we can get as our show will be evaluated by The National Garden Club and club participation is key. While we know you may not be interested in doing a flower design, there are still many ways to be involved for as little or as much time as you are able to give. See the job descriptions below and please join us in this wonderful event for our club and for the community. The show will be held at Van Vleck House and Gardens. Set up will be on Thursday September 15th. Judging will be on Friday September 16th from 9:30 to Noon. The show will be open to the public from the 16th at 1pm and closes on Sunday the 18th at 2pm. Docents: Docents will work 2-hour shifts during the course of the show. You are welcome to work as little as one shift or more, as your schedule permits. There will be two Docents positioned in each room of the Van Vleck House. Your responsibility will be to welcome guests as they enter the room, answer any questions they may have and of course remind people (if needed) not to touch the designs. Further instructions will be given prior to the show. If you are interested in being a Docent, please contact Betty Murphy by email or at 973-460-6531 Greeters: Greeters will sit at the front desk in the entry hall. You will welcome people to the show, give them a schedule and ask them to sign in. We will have a form which will enable you to keep a tally of visitors, ask them how they heard about the show (if they aren’t members of course), and welcome them to leave their email address for more information on the Garden Club of Montclair. Greeters will do 2-hour shifts and of course are welcome to do one or more shifts over the course of the show. Further instructions will be given prior to the show. If you are interested in being a Greeter, please contact Deborah Hirsch by email or or call 973-650-8211. Clerks: Clerks are needed on Friday morning only to assist the judges. We will ask that you arrive at Van Vleck at 9:15 on Friday morning, the 16th of September in order to get your supplies and be assigned to a panel of Judges. There are three Judges in each panel and you will work with a partner. You will follow along with the judges while they are judging. Once they have finished you will attach the appropriate award to the entry card etc. Further instructions will be given prior to the show. If you are interested in Clerking please contact Amy South by email or call 201-602-1949 or Bob Chapman by email or 973-746-0965 Set up and/or Breakdown: The staging committee is looking for a few people to help with setting up the properties before the designers arrive with their pieces. Please arrive at Van Vleck at on Thursday September 15th at (time TBC) to help set up the pedestals etc. and ready the rooms for the show. Breakdown will be on Sunday the 18th after 2pm. You are welcome to do either Set up or Break down or both if your schedule allows. If you are interested in Set Up and/or Breakdown please contact Deborah Hirsch by email or call 973-650-8211. Hospitality: There will be a luncheon served for the Judges after they have complete their work sometime around 12:30 to 1 held at the Woman’s Club of Upper Montclair. We need some help with set up and serving at the luncheon. There will be 3 round tables of 8 and we are in need of 3 small centerpieces for the tables. We are happy to reimburse you for the cost of the flowers and can supply containers if needed. If you are interested in helping with Hospitality please contact Janet Oscar by email or call 862-215-0017. Thank you in advance for considering to join the club in making this event a success. All the Best, Cynthia Aitken and Barbara Baletti

We are excited to announce that the 2022-23 Yearbook is fully posted on this website AND booklets are being delivered or mailed to you in the next week. This year, our goal was to get our members all the Club’s information as quickly and efficiently as possible and to encourage everyone to use the website, as it is the source for the most up to date information. We finished the Yearbook in record time this year, thanks to Committee Chairs that worked to finalize their event calendars and a dedicated Yearbook team. Changes we would like to highlight include: A beautiful cover photo courtesy of Claire Stepleton New Club and Avis Campbell Gardens logos designed by Karen DeLuca Celebratory articles for the 70th Anniversary of Avis Campbell Gardens and our ARTS & FLOWERS design specialty flower show (artwork by Victoria Herrera) Exciting and robust Flower Design, Horticulture AND Botanical Arts schedules organized by Classes so there is something for everyone! With a goal of conservation in mind, we decided to move our Bylaws and Standing Rules fully online, and we moved award listings from 1926-1999 online as well. We also used paper containing 30% post consumable material, all of which helped us save on printing costs and postage. To help us save more postage, you are welcome to stop by Floss O’Sullivan’s house to pick up your Yearbook in person. Contact her @ 917.847.6750. Please join us in thanking the dedicated Yearbook team for an outstanding job: Fran Ackerly, Janice Benton, Karen DeLuca, Deborah Hirsch, Sheila Curry Oakes, Sara H. Olson, Floss O’Sullivan, Celia Radek, Ragna Sloane, Claire Stepleton, Sarah Stransky, Karen Whitehaus, Fran Wong, and Sue Young. Start planning ahead because the Garden Club of Montclair has a fabulous schedule of exciting opportunities to participate in what we all love to do!

September is coming, and we are sure you are all working hard on your entries for the Flower Show. (See the Flower Show page, with the press release and links to the rules.) As you know, we are having a fundraising Reception on Saturday, September 17 from 6-9 pm. Click here to see the invitation, and click here to go directly to the RSVP and payments page. We are asking to receive your contribution by September 7 so we can coordinate with the caterer, but we would appreciate you sending it sooner. Many thanks, and see you in September!

“The National Gardener," the official publication of the National Garden Clubs, is packed with colorful ideas and articles for nature photographers, floral designers, gardeners, landscapers, and environmentalists. Enjoy this current issue online! Sarah Stransky, President

NOpen Garden of Carol Mahoney 46 Hetherington Road, Nutley, NJ Sunday, July 31, 2022 4:00 to 8:00 The first NOpen Garden (by a Non-Member), a title befitting an event hosted by a friend of a club member, will be offered this Sunday during the golden hours of the summer sun. Brigitte Padberg introduces us to Carol Mahoney who has created a sanctuary to charm those who love flowers, books, art and cats. Bring your friends. Their gardens may be opened for us someday. Marilyn Zaret (marzaret@comcast.net) is seeking Garden hosts for August. And don't forget to mark your calendars for the Sept. 7 featured garden of Betty Murphy’s friends, the Lipners. Carol's Garden

Open Garden of Marilyn & Peter Zaret Click here for address Sunday, July 17, 2022 3:00 to 7:00 Anderson Park’s first outdoor movie screening, "Dirty Dancing," seemed an appropriate day to partner with our Open Garden as Peter and I met in a ballroom class (albeit, a clean one). Join us at our circa 1750 home for our annual Open Garden Party this Sunday afternoon. Dance and movie fans are welcome to stay on until 7:00 when we move our party across the street where Montclair Film will entertain us with a dance demonstration and lesson followed by their featured film and let's all hope that nobody puts Baby in the corner. Friends and families welcome. *Seeking Open Garden Hosts for July and August. Please contact Marilyn's email. Technical Notes. If you would like to get these posts immediately in your personal inbox, click here. If you are a Garden Club member and haven't yet applied for access to restricted pages on this site — such as Potpourri and the Directory — fill out the simple form that pops up, You must be a member to be approved.

OPEN GARDEN of Florence Sinofsky and Bob Chapman Click here for their address 3:00 to 7:00 Sunday and Monday, July 10 and 11, 2022 Four years and five days ago, our gardeners brought forth a new program, under trees, conceived in horticulture, and dedicated to the proposition that all Open Gardens are created equal. And on that day, provisional Bob Chapman maintained his lovely two-acre oasis (see photos below) and invited us to share his labors encompassing stone pathways, architectural treasures and numerous plant species that thrived in the shade behind his 17th century Victorian home. It was there that he met Florence Sinofsky, who became his bride, leading to another Open Garden in August of 2019. Now they again welcome their fellow Club members, along with families and friends, to share the enduring love that blooms from nature and friendship. Please contact Marilyn (marzaret@comcast.net or phone: 973-820-1201.) for questions and advice about hosting your own Open Garden. All sizes, stages and styles are welcome as are former hosts.

The Garden Club BOUTIQUE is holding a GARAGE SALE, on WEDNESDAY, JULY 13 from 10 am-noon and 5-8pm at the home of Susan Benner (Click here for location.) Great opportunity for Designers to get ideas and materials for their Flower Show Designs. Brenda Bingham donated unique items to the Boutique . Please bring cash or check. Brenda Bingham has donated some great Design items. The Boutique has materials for design (wires/tapes/oasis). For those of you who are submitting Designs for the Flower Show you may find items to inspire you!.

Dear Avis friends, We are beyond fortunate to have our fearless leader AND her super-hero husband supporting us and all our garden goals. The annual July New Dawn rose pruning is complete thanks to the superhuman efforts of Maureen and Gary Sprong. Wow is all I can say. A huge project that is complete and makes our garden healthy and happy. Thank you Maureen and Gary! The garden looks fantastic, and now so does the wall. No need for a Sunday afternoon session tomorrow, but just know how mighty is our team and how appreciated is our Garden. People are always stopping by while we work to thank us and enjoy the fruits of our labor. May it ever be so! Love, Barbara M

It seemed so far away, but September is looming! Barbara and Cynthia and all their committee heads have been hard at work for months, planning and staffing for this big event in September. The Flower Show at Van Vleck House is an important undertaking, judged by outside state and national judges as well as our fellow citizens of Montclair. We ask every single one of our members to take part, not just designers, but volunteers on the many different committees from staging to refreshments. There is something for everyone to do! We now have a SPECIAL PAGE on the website for the Flower Show. (It's under "What We Do.") There you can find up-to-the-minute news, the contact information for all the Chairs, and everything you want to know about the rules and plans for exhibitors — subject of course to review. These pages are secured so that only our members can see them. If you have not yet signed up to access this area you will need to do so to see it. It’s not hard at all — instructions pop up when you try to access the page — but once it's done, it's done for ever. Call Sue Young at 917-364-9020 if you have any questions.

The sunny weather has finally arrived so please join us TOMORROW on Tuesday, June 14 in Avis Campbell Gardens! If you like to clip or dig, are a Provisional or member, please come to help celebrate our lovely Avis Campbell Garden’s 70th year on Tuesday, June 14 to Clip, Dig or Sip! We’ll start by each digging 70 weeds at 4 pm and then — our rewards! We’ll be doing some sipping, munching, and socializing until 6:30. Don’t forget to save the date:Tuesday, June 14, 4 – 6:30 pm.

We are pleased to announce that at the Garden Club of New Jersey Annual Meeting on June 9, The Garden Club of Montclair was awarded the Hanover Garden Club Trophy for our successful, innovative project, “The Garden Club of Montclair Website.” In addition, our club received the GCNJ Special Award for a Large Club focusing on Civic Beautification for 70 years through the TRIANGLE GARDENS. Thank you to all who have continued the leadership and work on these projects especially current chairs, Sue Young, Website Chair, and Susan Yu, Triangle Chair. It was a beautiful day event with over 175 GCNJ members present including our members, Florence Leyssene, Floss O’ It was a beautiful day for the event with over 175 GCNJ members present including our members, Florence Leyssene, Floss O’Sullivan, Cheryl Slutzky and Sarah Stransky who are pictured with GCNJ President, Cecelia Millea. An Annual Meeting entrance design honoring NGC President, Mary Warshauer by GCMtc Emeritus member, Brenda Bingham.