Karen Fricke led our debut at last year’s event where our elegant Mandy won a major prize. It’s time to meet the challenge again and our early Autumn gardens will make the perfect shopping mall.  Marilyn Zaret welcomes interested ghouls and gardeners in this venture. Our group will gather on Thursdays and Fridays at Marilyn’s home (346 N. Mountain Ave. Upper Montclair)  Check the meeting dates and join us. Thursday, September 26 at 1:00 is Idea Day October 3, 4, 10, 11, 17  will  be our creation days 1:00 - 4:00 Friday, October 18 is Display Day Contact Marilyn at marzaret@comcast.net

Best known for his twenty-five-year running radio show, “The Gardening Guru,” David Daehnke will answer all our gardening questions in an Open Gardening Forum for our first program of the year.  Bring your diseased, your shriveled, your barely-hanging-on specimens, stories and questions.  David will bring wisdom and expertise to solve your problems, as well as share his love of gardening and belief in an organic, common-sense approach. The meeting will be in the Auditorium at 60 S. Fullerton, from 6:00 to 8:30.

Click on flyer to go to GCNJ site.

Saturday, Sept. 21, 10-1, Rain or Shine Native Plant Society of New Jersey, Essex Chapter Co-Sponsored with the Essex Co. Environmental Commission Garibaldi Hall, Essex Co. Environmental Center 621 Eagle Rock Avenue NATIVE PLANT FALL FEST! Buy native shrubs, learn how to prune shrubs, and explore the woods at the Environmental Center on guided hikes.   11:00-12:00. Pruning Workshop with Nancy Critchley, Master Gardener Pruning Expert. Please bring hand pruners if you have them.   11:15 and 12:15: 30 minute Guided Nature Walks – Explore the woods and see native plants with expert guides! All ages welcome. 10:00-1:00. Shrub & Small Tree Sale - Fall is the best time to plant shrubs and small trees! All from Gino’s Nursery. Nine are available for pre-order; more will be at the sale. All can grow in sun or part shade; for more plant info, go to www.jerseyyards.org/plant .Pre-orders will be taken between Sept. 3-9. Please email essexnativeplantsale@gmail.com , with your desired species and amounts & cell phone #. Payment at pick-up: cash or check only .   Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis. $25 (2 gal) Coral Honeysuckle Vine, Lonicera sempervirens. $30 (2 gal) Gray Dogwood, Cornus racemosa. $25 (2 gal) Inkberry, Ilex glabra. Specify if want male or female. $25 (2 gal) Serviceberry Tree, Amelanchier canadensis. $30 (2 gal) Spicebush, Lindera benzoin. $40 (2 gal) Summersweet, Clethra alnifolia. $25 (1 gal) Virginia Sweetspire, Itea virginica. $30 (2 gal) Witch Hazel Tree, Hamamelis virginiana. $20 (9”)     MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR UPCOMING EVENTS Sat., Oct. 5, 10-11:30. Fall Tree ID Walk, Brookdale Park, Montclair Sat., Oct. 19, 2-4. Members End-of-Season Party & Plant Swap. Short Hills.   Questions? Email Essex@npsnj.org

Monday, September 9, 5-6:30PM 60 S. Fullerton Avenue Garden Club Room Have you stood in front of two identical-looking hellebores at a horticulture competition and wondered why the judges scored them so differently?  This workshop is for you!   Heidi Muschick, NGC accredited Master Flower Show Judge and Instructor, and American Daffodil Society Judge, will teach essential techniques for exhibiting in horticulture competiitions, and explain the club’s Horticulture Schedule. This is an important class, especially for Provisionals, to learn the ins and outs of competition, but it’s a great refresher for any level of membership.  Sign up HERE.

Technology Workshop: Navigating the New Online Yearbook Thursday, September 5 10am-noon Montclair Public Library 55 S. Fullerton Avenue in the Community Room, first floor   Whether you’re feeling intimidated or confident about using the website to access Garden Club information, there is something for everyone in this workshop!   This is the first year that our Yearbook will not be printed, but distributed exclusively online.    Our resident IT expert and Communications Chair Sue Young will walk us through the easier-than-you-imagined steps to access the Yearbook on laptop, tablet, or phone.  Still wishing for a hard copy? Sue has formatted the most frequently accessed topics so that you can easily print those pages for yourself.   Sue will also show us some of the lesser-known pages on the website and explain how to find exactly what you want to know.  Did you know that many of the workshops have online videos or power point presentations for reference? She also wants to know what would make it easier for you to make the best use of the site. What would you like to see that is not there? Tell her what works and what doesn't work. There will be plenty of time for questions, and hands-on help from our own computer whiz kid.   Be sure to bring your laptop or tablet with you to the workshop.   Sign up by clicking HERE .

This year the Club is making a big change to our Yearbook, published continuously since 1950, for both economic and environmental reasons. The Board agreed unanimously that we would create a hybrid Yearbook this year, a combination of online information with a printable file including the most used sections: Letter from the President Board of Trustees Calendar Botanical Schedules Flower Design Schedules Horticulture Schedules Committee Chairs and Members Directory As has been the case for the past couple of years, ALL THE INFORMATION   previously contained in our printed Yearbooks is available on your computer, laptop, or phone . CLICK HERE  to go to our Yearbook page with links to everything you might need, including the printable version. (It is the top link on the "Business" menu heading.) Sue Young will be introducing the new Yearbook as well as answering all your website questions on Thursday, September 5 at the Library Community Room from 10 am to noon. CLICK HERE  to sign up. ―Sarah Olson .

With the Flower Show, September Serenades , just over two weeks away, now is the time to take a walk in your garden with the Show Schedule  in hand to consider which Horticulture Classes you’ll enter. Familiarize yourself with the Horticulture rules in the Schedule and review the Basics of Exhibiting on the website.    If you’re exhibiting a large-type dahlia, remember to remove the side buds and leave a set of leaves. Not sure what kind of Marigold ( Tagetes ) or Sedum you're growing? Find the plant tag to help identify your entry. Only fully named specimens are eligible for top exhibitor awards.   Each participant is limited to four entries total. Exhibitors are required to pre-register their entries by Wednesday, September 11, no later than 5:00pm, with the Horticulture Entries chair, Celia Radek . Email Celia with any questions. See you in September!!

August 1st, 1935 – August 22, 2024 Please see Marilyn's obituary, below. It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Marilyn Mapes Yeutter, who left us on August 22nd having just celebrated her 89th Birthday. Marilyn was born August 1, 1935 to Daniel and Florence Mapes from West Caldwell, New Jersey. She graduated from Caldwell High School in 1953 and Pembroke College in Brown University in 1957. She married her college sweetheart Bruce on February 1, 1958 and lived and raised their three children in Montclair, before spending her later years back in her childhood home in Caldwell. Marilyn is survived by her loving husband Bruce D. Yeutter, her three daughters; Diane Rothberg (James Dugan), Susanne Raymond (William Raymond) and Stacey Ross (Hunter Ross), her grandchildren; Justin Rothberg (Kristin Rothberg), Brandon Rothberg, Anna Raymond Smith (Luke Smith), Caroline Raymond, Schuyler Ross, Kailey Ross, Carson Ross, and a great-granddaughter, Charlotte Rothberg. Marilyn was a member of the Union Congregational Church where she helped steer the committee to rebuild after a devastating fire. She was a member of the Montclair Garden Club, Bradford Bath & Tennis Club for 60 years and Montclair Golf Club. She had a life-long passion for sports: she and Bruce traveled near and far to attend Brown University football, soccer, and ultimately watch daughter Diane swim for their alma mater Brown. She loved playing and watching tennis and golf. As a grandmother, she was a devoted fan on the sidelines of countless soccer and lacrosse games and swimming meets. Marilyn loved the beach and the Outer Banks of NC where her extended family gathered every August to create beautiful memories for over 40 years. She enjoyed collecting sea shells and walking the beach with her children and grandchildren. The family was able to enjoy one last celebration together this August. Services: The visitation will be held at the Paul Ippolito-Dancy Funeral Home in Caldwell, NJ on Wednesday the 28th from 6 to 8 pm. The funeral service will be on Thursday the 29th at 11:30 am at Union Congregational Church in Upper Montclair. We will have a repast immediately following the funeral at the church. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her memory to The Garden Club of Montclair or the American Heart Association .

Our Move to Green Alternatives  The Garden Club of Montclair’s Flower Design Committee has made the decision to move away from the use of floral foam in our design competitions because of its detrimental effects on the planet, people, and wildlife.  Floral foam is toxic. Cutting a block of it can create a toxic dust. It contains phenol, formaldehyde (a known carcinogen), and does not decompose efficiently. It is actually a single-use plastic that breaks down in landfills into tiny particles called microplastics.   Microplastics can remain in the environment for hundreds of years.    The anti-foam movement is growing. The Royal Horticultural Society (UK) banned the use of floral foam in 2020 and you will not see it at the Chelsea Flower Show or the Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, two of their showcase events. Many florists throughout this country and the world no longer use it.  It is time of us to join this movement.     There are many eco-friendly alternatives to floral foam that you can use in your arrangements such as AgraWool bricks, TerraBrick s, or the Oshun Pouch.  They are all plant-based products. We also encourage the use of floral mechanics such as chicken wire, Kensans (flower frogs), water tubes, floral tape, even twigs and pebbles. We have also collaborated with our Workshop Committee to provide opportunities for you to learn how to use these techniques in your designs .   Montclair Garden Club designers have always shown enormous creativity and inventiveness as evidenced in our monthly competitions. You have proven to be skilled designers, regardless of your design level.   We have full confidence that you will take on the challenge of “life without Oasis” with that same degree of dedication and expertise.    Below are some links to help you understand our decision to move away from floral foam and to move toward green alternatives. Barbara Baletti, FD Chair Floss O’Sullivan, FD Vice Chair   Sustainable Floristry Network "A Guide to Floral Foam Alternatives" in Flower Magazine Flowers Magazine for the Australian flower and foliage industry New Age Floral (info re AgraWool/Oshun Pouch) Oasis Floral Products information on its product TerraBrick "The Problem with Floral Foam : " lecture on YouTube by the Sustainable Floristry Organization

As you know, we will be holding " September Serenades, a Small Standard Flower Show on September 14, 2024. There are only two spots remaining for the Petite Challenge and one spot left for Petite Design. If you are interested, please contact Debbie Moran .   For all of our gardeners out there, please consider entering your beautiful specimens in the Horticulture division of the flower show. There’s no limit to how many members can enter, but each person  can only enter a maximum of four  specimens. Pre-registration deadline isn’t until two days before the show. Contact Celia Radek to register a spot.   To peruse the full schedule of horticulture, flower design, and botanical arts that will be showcased at this exciting event, click here .

Open Garden of Marilyn & Peter Zaret 346 North Mountain Avenue, Montclair This Thursday, August 15, 2024 5:00 to 9:00 Our quest to live near a train station led us to a circa 1750 house where we learned that our sliver of land was once part of a 500-acre Dutch farm which explained this unusual wild streak tucked among our pristine neighbors.  For the past 25 years we have planted dozens of shrubs and trees while violent storms removed others. Chuck Baum, our amazing garden designer, came on board five years ago and relocated most of our plantings to areas where space and sunlight (or shade) made them thrive. Deer sensitive shrubs and perennials were protected inside the pool fence and deer resistant ones filled the front property along with a growing  collection of charming trees that Chuck titled “The Arboretum.”  His masterpiece,  a 25-foot-high rustic arch, hovers over this old farmland. On your way up the path, try out the swing it supports. Friends are welcome. Marilyn Zaret

The CAR-SGC conference on October 22-23 (don't forget to sign up ) is looking for centerpieces. CLICK HERE for details of themes, requirements, and contact people.

Open Garden of George Long 79 Sunset Avenue, Glen Ridge THIS Thursday  August 1, 2024 5:00 to 8:00 Hieronymous Bosch painted “The Garden of Earthly Delights” during the 15th century.  George Long planted it during the 21st. Cool summer wines and reggae inspired tunes await as you pass through the portal over hand painted bricks. This collection of three hundred plus plants includes dozens of Japanese maples among many rare and unusual species. Sunset hours on Sunset Avenue. Friends are welcome. Marilyn Zaret (marzaret@comcast.net) Contact Marilyn if you want to be the 33rd Open Garden host. (Note: This is a reposting of an earlier post.)

Our address is no longer https://gardenclubofmontclair.com but is https://gardenclubofmontclair.org Please change the name in your phones and on your screens. Eventually the .com name will continue to work (if very slowly) but various problems on the internet out of my control are preventing me from setting it up for a few days. The new address works perfectly. I will be reposting the blog post about Thursday's Open Garden at George Long's house in Glen Ridge to make sure that everyone sees it during this transition period.

Open Garden of George Long 79 Sunset Avenue, Glen Ridge THIS Thursday  August 1, 2024 5:00 to 8:00 Hieronymous Bosch painted “The Garden of Earthly Delights” during the 15th century.  George Long planted it during the 21st. Cool summer wines and reggae inspired tunes await as you pass through the portal over hand painted bricks. This collection of three hundred plus plants includes dozens of Japanese maples among many rare and unusual species. Sunset hours on Sunset Avenue. Friends are welcome. Marilyn Zaret (marzaret@comcast.net) Contact Marilyn if you want to be the 33rd Open Garden host.

The Board of Trustees has authorized two changes to our presence in the world of technology. First, starting tomorrow evening, Sunday, July 28, the website name will change from https://gardenclubofmontclair.com to https://gardenclubofmontclair.org. Name changes can take up to two days to percolate around the internet, but are usually active within a few hours. Just be prepared for access to the website to be a bit slow for a few days. Once the change has been made, you can still reach the website using the COM name, but it will take longer since the internet will be forwarding your request to the new ORG name. It will be quicker for you to write in the full new name a few times so that your computer learns to go there automatically, just as it did with the old one. This brings us into line with the naming convention that non-profits use the suffix "ORG" while businesses use the suffix "COM." Second, and this will affect outsiders more than members, we are changing our official email from our old Yahoo address to two new ones: The official address of the club will now be: info@gardenclubofmontclair.org We are also adding a new address for people who wish to communicate directly with the president:: president@gardenclubofmontclair.org. If you have any problems, feel free to call Sue Young at 917-364-9020 or email her at syoung@ibisnetwork.com

Open garden of Elaine Bromka July 28 6:00 to 8:00 Address With open arms, this colorful, casual and charming garden embraces all visitors and residential species. Listening to nature for thirty years directed Elaine to shift her plants into layered patterns and nooks where they would best thrive and multiply. The palette changes from February to November, but midsummer has the most bursting blooms led by pastel Rose of Sharons. Shared on the Van Vleck annual garden tour three times and now for us (and our friends) this Sunday to enjoy the calm as the sun goes down. See also Elaine's Garden blog. Save the date for the Open Garden of George Long this Thursday, August 1. Marilyn Zaret