Garden Boutique Committee Reports Committees 2023-2024 — Susan Benner, Chair The mission of the Garden Club Boutique is to support your gardening and design needs while contributing revenue to the Club. Once again, flexibility is the key for the Garden Club Boutique. We continued selling items at our Programs and Workshops and had another successful “Basket” program. We generated $1,895 in profit this past year (Revenue: $3,188, Expenses: $1,293). Awards luncheon vendor donations from 2023 appear as income for 2023-2024. We have not received all the donations from the recent awards program, so they will appear as income for 2024-2025. Vendors donated over $450 from sales at our Holiday Tea. We anticipate similar donations from vendors at the Awards Luncheon. Special thanks to all those members and local businesses which donated items and bought tickets for our Baskets at the Luncheon, which contributed $760 to the Club. For those who got a basket, please thank the businesses who donated when you visit their shops. Special thanks to the members of the Boutique Committee for all their efforts. We welcome any new members to the team. All items are stored at the home of Susan Benner. If an item is needed, just ask Susan. 2022-2023 — Susan Benner, Chair The mission of the Garden Boutique is to support your gardening and design needs with flexibility, while contributing revenue. We continued our "Basket" sales and started selling items at our Program and Workshop meetings. We generated over $4000 in profit this past year. With revenue from a large donation of items from Brenda Bingham, we started off the year with $1,351 at our July "Garage Sale." Arts & Flowers : A Design Specialty Flower Show generated over $2,200 in sales ($1,700 in profit). We sold flower show notecards and bags. Special thanks to all our Members who contributed art for sale, which generated $702 in pure profit, along with our gorgeous photo flower dress, which generated over $142 in donations. Vendors generated over $800 from sales at our Holiday Tea and Awards Luncheon. Special thanks to all those Members and local businesses that donated items and bought tickets for our raffle at the luncheon, which contributed over $500 to the Club. Special thanks to the Boutique team and we welcome new Members to join us. Contact Susan Benner for needed items. 2021-2022 — Susan Benner, Chair Once again, our need for a flexible meeting place has challenged the revenue generation of the Garden Boutique. The cancellation of our in-person meetings, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, limited opportunities to sell boutique items and vendor contributions. We did not meet our budget of $1,000 but contributed a profit of $492. The Garden Boutique page on the Club's website was set up last year, but few new items were purchased. The boutique focused on selling our current inventory with a focus on demand items: Oasis, AgraWool, gloves, and garden utensils. "Basket" sales were the primary means of selling. For 2022-2023 our strategy will focus on sales during the 2022 ARTS & FLOWERS, A Design Specialty Flower Show, and providing items for sale as a service to our Members. We continue to use the "at cost" pricing strategy as a service to our Club Members by keeping the costs of tools for design and garden below general retail price. Look for exciting unique Garden Boutique items for sale at September's flower show! Vendor participation was inhibited during the past year, and we hope for more involvement in the upcoming year. Special thanks to the Garden Boutique team who helped with set up and sales. All items are stored at the home of Susan Benner. Just contact Susan Benner if you need anything. The boutique will need help at the 2022 flower show and to "reset" the boutique in the Club room after the remodeling. Please join the team. The mission of the Garden Boutique is to support your gardening and design needs. If an item is needed, JUST ASK. 2020-2021 — Susan Benner, Chair The Garden Club Boutique contributed $570 to the Club this year, less than the budgeted amount of $1,000. The cancellation of our in-person meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic limited opportunities for Boutique item sales and vendor contributions. The Boutique set up a page on the Club’s website. Few new items were purchased as the Boutique focused on selling current inventory. “Basket” sales were the primary selling mechanism. The 2021-2022 marketing strategy will focus on vendor contributions and sales at the 2022 Flower Show while providing items for sale as a service to our members. We continue to use the “at cost” model as a service to our Club members by keeping the prices of tools for design and gardening below general retail levels. Special thanks to the Boutique team who helped pack up Boutique items in anticipation of the United Way Building remodeling project. All items are now stored at the home of Susan Benner. Contact Susan if you need anything. The Boutique will need help next year for the 2022 Flower Show and then to "reset" the Boutique in the Club Room after remodeling is complete. Please join the team. The mission of the Garden Club Boutique is to support your gardening and design needs. If an item is needed that we don't stock, JUST ASK. 2019-2020 — Susan Benner, Chair The Garden Club Boutique exceeded its projected income of $500 and contributed $1,257 to the Club this year, despite the cancellation of our in-person meetings starting in March due to the Covid-19 emergency. We continue to use the "at cost" pricing strategy as a service to our Club members by keeping the cost of tools for Flower Design and gardening below general retail price. Our profit was achieved by selling unique items such as insulated gardening gloves, Therapy Dough, and Jellyfish air plants, as well as our holiday plants. The biggest revenue comes from the donations from vendors who sell products during our Holiday Tea and Annual Awards Luncheon. The new Make Earth Green Again caps were a success. We donated the profits from the sale of these MEGA caps to A Lot to Grow and NorthEast Earth Coalition — both nonprofit organizations support sustainability and the protection of the environment in Montclair ($108 each). We will order more caps next year for sale during the 2021 Specialty Flower Show. Many of our talented members are once again painting pictures inspired by the flowers in the wonderful Avis Campbell Gardens. The Boutique will sell them next year during the 2021 Flower Show. Special thanks to the Boutique team who helped pack up the Boutique items in anticipation of the remodeling of the United Way Building. All items are now stored at the home of Susan Benner. Contact Susan if you need anything. The Boutique will need help next year for the 2021 Flower Show and then to "reset" the Boutique in the Club room after the remodeling. Please join the team. The mission of the Garden Club Boutique is to support your gardening and design needs. If an item is needed, don't hesitate to ask.

Program Committee Reports Committees 2023-2024 — Cynthia Corhan-Aitken, Chair; Karen Fricke, Vice Chair Our monthly program meetings moved to a beautiful new space in Bnai Keshet synagogue. With so many new members joining our Club during Covid, we decided to start off the year with an overview of all that our Club has to offer. Our September program, “Swap & Share,” introduced members, new and old, to what each hardworking committee hopes to achieve in the upcoming year. We shared our treasures in a swap of design items and gently used garden tools at this evening event. Award-winning landscape designer and author Jan Johnson, showed us in our October program, “The Spirit of Stonescaping,” how to use stone in the garden as a durable and sustainable landscape element, for rock gardens and dry streams, as benches, paths, and more. November brought Dan Benarcik, horticulturist at Chanticleer Gardens, and an international consultant, speaker, and writer, who presented his program, “Pot with a Purpose,” about the exciting world of container gardening. He shared his knowledge about styles, techniques, types of containers, and favorite plants. In the dreary month of January , Kelley Forsyth, the head horticulturist of Branch Brook Park, brightened our day with her program, “Color, Color Perception, and Colorful Plants,” as she helped us gain a deeper understanding of color perception and theory in order to create vibrant and seasonal outdoor spaces. Brian Rombough, a licensed state tree expert and co-owner of American Tree Experts, Inc., a Montclair company owned and run by the Rombough family for three generations, spoke at our February program. His presentation, “Ask the Arborist,” explained how he diagnoses and corrects typical health issues in trees and shrubs and showed us how to look for distress in our own plants. March brought Horatio Joyce, Director of Public Programs and Education at The Garden Conservancy, to speak to us on the topic, “Restoring, Rescuing, and Rehabilitating Our Nation’s Public Gardens.” He shared with us the story of The Garden Conservancy and their beloved program, Open Gardens. Our April program focused on three of our own talented and creative members: Cynthia Corhan-Aitken, Tova Narrett, and Lauren Zodel, women who found their way to the glories of gardening after (or during!) careers in the garment industry. Each designer displayed a garment representing her niche in the industry, as well as a floral design, inspired by her garment. Each shared reflections on her career in the world of fashion, and ruminated on how she transferred that same creativity to the world of gardening and floral design. This evening program was accompanied by refreshments. Monthly raffles brought in donations totaling $700. 2022-2023 — Susan van Inwegen, Chair; Ginny Demoreuille, Vice Chair Our speaker programs began in October this year due to September's Arts & Flowers : A Design Specialty Flower Show. In October the delightful Marc Hachadourian, author and Curator at the New York Botanical Garden kicked off the season with a wonderful presentation on orchids. The passionate Deb Ellis, environmental activist, Master Gardener and founder and co-leader of the Essex County Chapter, Native Plant Society of New Jersey, followed in November with her aptly timed talk, "Fall and Winter in the Native Garden." Next, Master Gardener, local beekeeper and owner of Stately Hyland Apiaries, Eileen Hyland regaled us with information about bees and sold the tasty honey from her apiary. Our own Amy South, owner of Moss & More, spoke to us about houseplants at our March evening meeting. We were pleased that several beautiful items from her shop were raffled. Author and City Gardens Club of New York City member, Sydney LeBlanc led us on a wildly colorful and pictural tour of "The Secret Gardens of Santa Fe." In May, Deb Ellis opened her garden and spoke briefly about the spring beauties for biodiversity that lie within. We were fortunate to be able to host our programs live this year. 2021-2022 — Susan van Inwegen, Chair; Ginny Demoreuille, Vice Chair We hoped to return to in-person meetings this year, but a resurgence in COVID-19 numbers caused us to turn to Zoom. Samir Dalal, September 's speaker, is the planning manager at the Philadelphia Landcare program. He oversees more than 12,000 previously empty lots in Philadelphia which have been turned into green spaces. These have drawn residents and pollinators, benefitting the community and the environment. Our October speaker, Bruce Crawford, guest lecturer in the landscape architecture department at Rutgers, showed many commonly used plants, and then suggested interesting and lesser-known alternatives. Steve Kristoph, nursery owner and adjunct professor of horticulture and landscape design at Rutgers, presented in November. Steve was a passionate speaker, and his talk, "Garden Getaways," caused us to start planning visits to the many wonderful gardens in the Northeast that he showcased. Lindsey Taylor, January's speaker, is a floral designer who writes the column "Flower School" for The Wall Street Journal. Each column focuses on a floral design that she creates in response to a sculpture or painting. This talk was very well attended, with a lot of questions and discussion. Hilda Krus, February's speaker, is the Director of the Horticultural Society of New York's GreenHouse Program on Rikers Island. Incarcerated men and women receive horticultural therapy, classroom training, and year-round experience in the gardens. This program touches lives, provides rehabilitation, internships, and life and job skills to the participants. In March we had our first live program of the year. We gathered in a large and well-lit space at Union Congregational Church. Jennifer Bakshi, owner of Urban Oasis Landscape Design, showed us how plantings can refresh a landscape when all the surrounding elements — building structure, driveway, porches, and other features of a home — work harmoniously together. Our final program in April, held at Union Congregational Church, was a well-attended evening meeting. Local florist Anna Coy was an enthusiastic speaker, discussing her approach to floral design while creating one of her signature hand-tied bouquets, as well as an artful compote centerpiece, and a contemporary sculptural design. 2020-2021 — Charlene Connolly, Michele Trevenen Co-Chairs Our Club embraced Zoom programs as the best way to keep Membership connected this year. With the assistance of our Committee and Zoom master Florence Leyssène, members were kept engaged with a variety of subjects from the world of gardening and flowers. Our October Zoom program featured local aviary authority and world traveler Sandy Sorkin presenting “The Birds, the Bees, the Flowers and the Trees of London” facilitated by member and spouse Kathy Sorkin. After so many months confined to our homes, we were ready for a virtual tour of London’s gardens. In November, we hosted an evening Zoom meeting featuring artist Chips (Hank) Feeley from his home in Vero Beach, Florida. Chips’s artistic talents, art history expertise, and hands-on approach educated Membership about the grand masters and their unique painting styles. We enjoyed Chips's engaging enthusiasm for his discipline. Kathy Kauhl, head archivist of Essex County Parks, gave a historical tour of our county parks in her presentation, “Not Just Cherry Blossoms — the History of Gardens in Essex County Parks”. We gained an appreciation for the vision and planning of our county forefathers in the creation of our county park system. A snowy February afternoon introduced us to Deb Ellis, founder of the New Jersey Native Plant Society, Essex County chapter. During her presentation, “Feeding Butterflies, Not Bambi: Deer Resistant Native Plants”, we learned best garden planning practices for the coming season. In March, Linda Williams introduced us to the art of jewelry design using botanical specimens. Linda presented an overview of the techniques used to create one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry from our garden’s bounty. Our final Zoom program featured Marta McDowell, a favorite Garden Club speaker. Her presentation, “Emily Dickinson’s Gardening Life” included excerpts from her book about the famed American Poet. Marta shared interesting stories about Emily Dickinson and her gardening life in Amherst, MA. We received such a favorable response from our members that we expect the Club to plan a trip to the Dickinson Family homestead when we are able to travel again. 2019-2020 — Charlene Connolly, Michele Trevenen, Co-Chairs The Program Committee scheduled a diverse and rich offering of presentations this past year. Our intention is always to capture the many and varied floral and gardening interests of our Membership. The programs were well attended with more than 60 members and their guests participating at each meeting. Although we hit the pause button in mid-March, we are excited to announce that our March and April 2020 speakers are now scheduled for the 2020-2021 programming year. Our first Program Meeting on October 21st featured Althea Llewellyn, a Master Gardener who is a certified instructor in Square Foot Gardening. Althea shared her enthusiasm for gardening in a limited space as she demonstrated the principles of square foot gardening which, we learned, produces a bountiful yield of vegetables, flowers, and herbs. The Garden Club returned to its home base, the United Way Building, on November 12, when we proudly introduced our first evening Program Meeting that welcomed over 110 members and guests. Coleen Christina Burke, author, designer, and historian, presented "Christmas with the First Ladies." Coleen served on the White House Holiday Decorating Team working under the guidance of Laura Bush and Michelle Obama. While sharing her experiences working with our nation's First Families, Coleen gave the audience an insider's view of how the White House occupants prepare for the December celebrations. The holiday spirit was embraced by all in attendance that evening. On February 24, the Garden Club returned to Van Vleck House & Gardens when Bruno Leyssène, husband of one of our own, shared his expertise as a perfumer with his program, "From Flowers to Fragrances." Bruno presented an overview of the many facets of the fragrance industry and how flowers, herbs, and spices are processed. We sampled fragrances while Bruno infused his presentation with interesting facts of how industry professionals develop the fragrances and scents for the products we use in our everyday lives. We wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to our very able Program Committee members: Marie Donnelly, Susan Dumont, Debbie Fitzpatrick, Sue Lotz, Sydney Milliken, and Patricia Rodie for their willingness to help take attendance, set up, and reassemble the space for every Program. We thank Chuck Fischer, Executive Director of Van Vleck House & Gardens, for his assistance and guidance on using the space and the audio/visual equipment for Programs.

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Garden Therapy Committee Reports Committees 2023-2024 — Susan Dumont, Chair; Karen Kadus, Vice Chair The Garden Therapy Committee organized four large events this season, engaging both Club members and clients in therapeutic activities. November found us gathered in the Garden Club room, where we created beautiful floral arrangements with a fall holiday theme for the Toni’s Kitchen dining tables. In-house dining had happily returned after a three-year Covid closing and it was a joy to be part of welcoming Toni’s clients back to their dining room to enjoy their meals. Aromatherapy, a new outreach program offered in February to our clients of Oasis, allowed them to take away a breath of spring after creating their fragrant therapy jars filled with lavender, dried roses, and sunflower petals. April found our volunteers meeting in Paterson to hold a flower design therapy session for members of the CUMAC community. Both men and women learned about basic design technique and then indulged in using five different types of flowers to create their own masterpieces. Our final event of the season in May found us back at Oasis to help clients plant herbs and annuals in 16 large rooftop planters. Providing both planting guidance and education on horticulture care, volunteers and clients worked side by side to install over 200 annuals and herbs! 2022-2023 — Sarah Olson, Chair; Susan Dumont, Vice Chair This season Garden Therapy continued to build relationships with organizations we worked with in the past and added outreach to several new facilities. We reinstated monthly deliveries of flower arrangements designed by our members for the nurses at Mountainside Hospital, to recognize their commitment to healthcare. Our very popular flower arranging workshops were held at The Cliffs at Eagle Rock and Freedom Village, both senior living facilities, as well as at Oasis - A Haven for Women and Children. We created almost 300 seasonal floral arrangements for our Sharon's Harvest Thanksgiving event for Toni's Kitchen patrons, and seasonal winter arrangements for Park Methodist food pantry patrons, and Human Needs Food Pantry shut-ins. And we got back in the dirt for our workshops with a visit to Freedom Village where we guided clients in creating windowsill herb gardens, and a repeat visit to Oasis to assist in planting their rooftop containers. 2021-2022 — Sarah Olson, Chair; Floss O'Sullivan, Vice Chair This season, Garden Therapy expanded outreach to serve additional populations. Our work included projects creating content to be used virtually, cheerful floral gifts for those high-risk groups that couldn't risk in-person contact, and, when appropriate, spreading cheer through active project engagement. September 2021 saw us working outdoors with a small group of clients at the Canterbury Village Senior Center, planting succulent cactus container gardens. In October, we began a new monthly program for the nurses at Mountainside Hospital to recognize their commitment to healthcare. GCM Members worked alone or in small groups to design a floral arrangement that was delivered to nursing stations at the hospital. Our outreach in October was leading a flower arranging workshop at Oasis; again, a huge success as we worked with 19 clients. We repeated our Thanksgiving event for Toni's Kitchen, with a new twist to honor GCM member Sharon Karlson. Renamed "Sharon's Harvest," we teamed up with Van Vleck House & Gardens "Good Grows Here" event. GCM Members sourced and prepped materials and then assisted families on the day of the event in the design of their flower arrangement. Over 180 arrangements were delivered to Toni's Kitchen. February saw the launch of our YouTube video, "Botanical Journeys." Beautiful botanical images were set to music for the enjoyment of seniors. GCM Members supplied and curated the photos and then created the video. Connections at Home, an organization that caters to "shut-ins," was one of the recipients. March and April were active with additional flower arranging workshops for two organizations: Nassan's Place, an autistic youth program, and Oasis. In addition, GCM Members made 100 May Day baskets for Canterbury Rehab Center in Cedar Grove. We got our hands dirty with our season wrap up on June 1st by planning and planting six raised rooftop containers at Oasis. Clients and GCM Members enjoyed planting annuals and herbs. Thank you to the Garden Therapy committee for all of your support this year. And a huge thank you to the Club membership for their enthusiastic support and participation in all of our events! 2020-2021 — Sarah Olson, Chair; Floss O'Sullivan, Vice Chair Like so many other aspects of our lives, the COVID-19 pandemic affected how Garden Therapy was able to operate and achieve its mission. Our face-to-face interactions with clients had to be curtailed but we were able to spread floral good cheer due to the terrific participation of our Club members. In September 2020, Club members prepared 60 bundles of flowers for Toni’s Kitchen which had become a food bank site for the community due to COVID-19. Much of the plant material was cut from the Club’s Avis Campbell Gardens. In November, the Club delivered a windowsill hydroponic edibles project to the seniors at Canterbury Village in West Orange so those who had been confined indoors for months could enjoy a garden brought to them. Our 2020 Thanksgiving project offered an abundance of beauty to the clients of Toni's Kitchen. Club members, with foliage from Avis Campbell Gardens, designed 150 Thanksgiving floral arrangements that were given to the clients. Our Club delivered 140 May Day flower baskets to the seniors at Job Haines in Bloomfield and Canterbury Rehab in Cedar Grove. After a winter of minimal in-person interaction, our members enjoyed the social, therapeutic affects of this outdoor work session, and the seniors were thrilled to receive the cheerful arrangements. Also in May, a small group of members assisted residents of First Montclair House in planting windowsill herb gardens. The residents enjoyed talking to fellow plant lovers and showing us their raised beds planted with vegetables. Thank you to the Garden Therapy committee members for all of your support this year: Betsy Burgess, Ellen Colton, Susan Dumont, Donna Karanja, Vicky Kearns, Maria Matesanz, Maureen Michaud, Helene Peck, Peg Scott-Fleming, Wendy Stahl, Patt Sullivan-Perry, and Sue Young. And a huge Thank You to the Club Membership for your enthusiastic support and participation in all of our events. 2019-2020 — Sarah Olson, Chair; Floss O'Sullivan, Vice Chair Garden Therapy reviewed its mission and established the goal of expanding its outreach to include not only nursing homes and assisted living facilities but other groups facing personal challenges or where garden therapy would make a positive impact. To that end we created new activities and reached out to more groups in a wider geographic network. In August, four GCM members played flower Bingo with eight residents at First Montclair House in Montclair. Amy South's Moss & More supplied the succulent plants that were awarded as prizes. Canterbury Village in West Orange was our destination in September. Eight GCM members assisted thirteen senior residents in crafting artificial floral arrangements in raffia pouches that would hang on their apartment doors. Residents made their own choices from our offering of artificial and dried flowers and live greens. Our group visited Job Haines in October. Seven members assisted nineteen senior residents in creating floral arrangements for their rooms.We worked with a combination of artificial and dried flower material as well as live greens. Residents were encouraged to select their own materials from the assortment brought by the Club. In November, we shifted gears and visited Oasis in Paterson, a domestic violence support center. Our mission was to teach and create live floral arrangements with their clients. Fran Ackerly led the demonstration and six additional GCM members assisted 14 clients with their creations. Everyone was able to take home their beautiful designs. Vases and flowers were generously donated by Bartlett's Florists . Eight GCM members visited SOFIA in Montclair in February and celebrated "Gal-entine's" Day with 11 clients at this domestic violence support facility by creating live floral arrangements that the ladies could take home with them. Susan Benner led the demonstration and taught the basics of floral design. Vases were donated by Bartlett's Florists . Our March event at The Safe House was canceled due to Covid-19. We want to thank all of the GCM members who participated in our events and are counting on your support as we accept the challenge of continuing our mission of outreach during the Covid-19 era. We are grateful for the Garden Club's warm support to expand our program this upcoming year.

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Potpourri Committee Reports Committees 2023-2024 — Terri Breen, Editor The eight issues of Potpourri, published this year, documented and celebrated our members’ successes and achievements, community service contributions and educational events. Potpourri also serves as our Club’s historical archive, recording Flower Design, Horticulture, and Botanical Arts achievements and awards. Most of our members receive a full-color newsletter via email, while approximately 20 members receive a black-and-white hardcopy by mail. The emailed version includes links that allow members to connect directly to information on our website and other informative sites. I consider myself fortunate to have the assistance of several very special women. Thank you, Marilyn Zaret for picking up (from the printer), labeling, and mailing Potpourri to our hard copy members’ list every month. Thank you to Barbara Baletti for her creative editorial contributions. And a special thanks to Fran Wong, who oversees the monthly email blasts of Potpourri and has also patiently helped me navigate thorny tech issues. 2022-2023 — Terri Breen, Editor The eight issues of Potpourri published this year documented and celebrated our Membership's successes and achievements, our community service contributions, and our educational events. Potpourri also serves as our Club's historical archive by documenting Flower Design, Horticulture, and Botanical Arts results and awards. The majority of our Members receive a full-color newsletter via email, while approximately twenty members receive a mailed hardcopy in black and white. Via links in our emailed version, Members can connect directly to information on our website and other informative websites. I consider myself fortunate to have the assistance of some very special women. Thank you to Marilyn Zaret for picking up, labeling, and mailing Potpourri to our hardcopy list every month. Thank you to Barbara Baletti for her creative editorial contributions. This year, Barbara created a new fun and upbeat "column" called Grapevine that we hope to expand next year. Finally, special thanks to Fran Wong who not only oversees the monthly email blasts of Potpourri, but has patiently helped me through some thorny technical issues. 2021-2022 — Terri Breen, Editor; Claire Stepleton, Karen Whitehaus, Co-Editors Potpourri provides the Club's membership with information on upcoming events including outings, workshops, programs, community service activities, and celebrations. It serves as the Club's historical archive by documenting flower design and horticulture results, awards, and events. We make the newsletter colorful and interesting with photos that illustrate the talent, hard work, and successes of our membership. To keep Potpourri fresh and informative, Members are encouraged to provide feedback, suggestions, and always-photos! With pandemic restrictions this year, Potpourri was an important way to communicate meeting and location changes to our membership. Eight issues of Potpourri were published this year with December-January and May-June combined into one issue. Most Members receive the newsletter via email. Currently, 28 Members receive hardcopy. Special thanks to Marilyn Zaret for picking up, labeling, and mailing Potpourri to our hardcopy list. The newsletter is also available in the protected section of our website at: gardenclubofmontclair.com/potpourri . Please email Sue Young to obtain access. Terri Breen will resume her position as Potpourri Editor next year. Good luck, Terri! 2020-2021 — Terri Breen, Editor For 2020-2021, seven issues of Potpourri were published. The majority of issues were sent to our Membership via email and 28 copies were sent snail mail. This was a decrease from prior years resulting in a savings in our printing and postage costs. As a Committee, we decided to change the deadline for articles due from the 1st of the month to the 15th of the month. Committee chairs will see this change in the new Yearbook calendar. I would like to thank Committee members Marilyn Zaret, who has been responsible for our monthly mailing, and Karen Whitehaus for meticulously proofreading and correcting my initial drafts. It has been a pleasure working with these women. 2019-2020 — Debbie Moran, Chair Potpourri provides the Garden Club of Montclair Membership with information about upcoming events including outings, Workshops, Programs, community service activities, and celebrations. It also serves as the Club's historical archive by documenting Flower Design and Horticulture Competition results, awards, and event recaps. We try to make the newsletter colorful and interesting with photos that illustrate the talent, hard work, and successes of our Membership. We constantly strive to enhance Potpourri so members are invited to provide feedback and suggestions to keep it new and informative. Seven issues of Potpourri were published during the Program year with December-February combined into one issue and May-June into one issue. The Newsletter was an especially valuable communication tool this year during the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic which resulted in the cancellation of most Club activities after mid-March. Most members receive the Newsletter via email. Currently, 29 members receive hardcopy via US mail. Special thanks go to Karen Whitehaus for proofreading every issue and to Marilyn Zaret for picking up, labeling, and mailing Potpourri to our hardcopy list. The Newsletter is also available for viewing and download on this website . It's been a great honor to be the editor of Potpourri the last two years. We are so fortunate to have Terri Breen taking the helm; I know she will enjoy the "job" as much as I did! Welcome, Terri!

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Projects Click on any of the many varied projects, below, to find out more of what we do year-round in our town. Avis Campbell Gardens Click on the image for more on our jewel, Avis Campbell Gardens, hidden behind 60 S. Fullerton Av., but open to all. Social Events From the Christmas Tea to outings and fundraisers, members love to get together whenever they can. Crane House For many years, the Club has decorated the historic Crane House in December, winning a national award in 2021. Open Gardens Most summer weekends, someone opens her garden to members — sharing its glory and welcoming visitors. Triangle Gardens Our members work with local businesses to keep downtown Montclair blooming throughout spring, summer, and fall. Art in Bloom Every two years, members interpret art works at the Montclair Art Museum in a stunning display of creativity. Garden Therapy Volunteers bring the joy of flowers to nursing homes and organizations, providing services for people in need. Library Our extensive library, alas, is packed away currently due to construction. Check often to see when it's available again. Boutique Shopping Still available in spite of not having a home, click here to see items such as gloves, caps, snips and other essentials.. Civic Beautification We recognize businesses in town which have made significant landscape elements with special awards. Youth Projects We sponsor many projects with Montclair's children, including the "Connected Courtyard " at Watchung School. Trips and Outings Covid permitting, we will resume our trips and outings close to home (the High Line) and far away (the Netherlands).

Visit more of our projects: Art in Bloom Avis Campbell Gardens Boutique Civic Beautification Crane House Garden Therapy Open Gardens Social Events Triangle Gardens Trips and Outings Youth Projects Civic Beautification Watch a slideshow of dozens of efforts by Montclair business owners to win a coveted Garden Club award in 2019 for their efforts to beautify the streets of our town. We hope to bring back this project in 2022.

Programs Every month we get together for a wide-ranging and unusual set of programs — usually a lecture from an outside expert — organized by our inquisitive and knowledgeable Programs Committee. See the schedule below for this year's offerings. As events pass, they move to the bottom of the page. Art in Flower: Finding Inspiration in Art and Nature 60 S. Fullerton Avenue, Auditorium Monday, January 13, 2025, 1PM Lindsey Taylor , landscape designer and writer, introduces her new book, Art in Flower , based on her popular Wall Street Journal column, ‘Flower School.” She will share stunning but achievable floral arrangements inspired by works of art, and show us how she interprets the palettes, compositions, brushstrokes, and mood of the artwork using floral and plant material. Better Together: Plant Combinations That Wow 60 S. Fullerton Avenue, Auditorium Monday, February 10, 2025, 1PM We match our clothes, and pair our food with wine, because they are better together. Caitlin Boyle , landscape designer, writer, lecturer, and owner of Dirt Diva Designs , will show us that plants are no different. She will share with us how varying textures, colors, and shapes are the building blocks to make a garden go from ho-hum to wow. Beyond Gatsby: The Fabled Gardens of the North Shore of Long Island 60 S. Fullerton Avenue, Auditorium Monday, March 10, 2025, 1PM A life-long passion for literature and historic gardens led CeCe Haydock , landscape architect, to write and lecture on historic Italian, French, and American gardens. In this lecture, she focuses on the North Shore of Long Island, a favorite retreat of the rich and famous, who built elaborate gardens to accompany their grand houses. CeCe will show us the gardens as they were originally built, and teach us about their history, landscape design, and present conditions. Throw Down with GCNJ Judges 60 S. Fullerton Avenue, Auditorium Monday, April 21, 2025, 6PM Have you ever wondered what goes on in the mind of a judge? We’ll find out as three Garden Club of New Jersey Judges take on a Challenge Design, receiving the same plant materials and supplies. We’ll watch as each one creates her own interpretation using nothing other than the materials provided. They’ll walk us through their creative process, explaining their aesthetic and mechanical choices, and help us understand the steps they take to achieve a 90+ design. The Gardening Guru Open Forum 60 S. Fullerton Avenue, Auditorium Monday, September 16, 2024, 6-8:30pm 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. 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. Wild and Free: The Art of Naturalistic Planting 60 S. Fullerton Avenue, Auditorium Monday, October 21, 2024, 1PM Glen Ridge resident, Co-Chair of Brookdale Park Conservancy, host of the popular YouTube channel Y Garden , and landscape designer, Yulia Bellinger will discuss how to achieve a wild, yet aesthetically pleasing garden that supports biodiversity. She doesn’t consider herself to be a native purist, but she does incorporate many native plants into her own gardens. She is excited to share this approach with us, and present some “gateway” native plants that we can use to begin our own journeys towards more ecological gardens. Stoneleigh Garden and Using Natives in a Formal Setting 60 S. Fullerton Avenue, Auditorium Monday, November 18, 2024, 1PM Ethan Kauffman , Director of Stoneleigh, a public garden on an old estate in Villanova, PA, will share the story of how he and his team turned an historic formal space into a forward-thinking landscape of native plants. Their goal is to reinterpret the grand old landscape with a natives-only ethos, handed down to them by the non-profit, Natural Lands, that conserved the space.

Education Beautification Fellowship In the News CLICK HERE to see ALL "In the News" posts In Memoriam, Anne Perdue von Hoffmann 5 minutes ago Crane House Tour Schedule and Coupon Code 4 days ago Workers Unite! Dec 3 November Competition Results Dec 1 Creating a 42-Acre Native Garden Nov 26 Tips & Tricks From Top Tier Designers Nov 17 Don't wait for your GCM news! Click here to get these stories forwarded to your email the minute they are posted!

Club Projects New Club Projects Environmental Initiative: Our mission as a Club will center on creating an "Act of Restorative Kindness" to our earth within our community. Members will work to restore, improve and protect the quality of our environment with like minded community partners. This will involve embracing new knowledge and science in the field of conservation and restoration as well as challenging current standards of beauty and landscape-care habits. Each committee will work to incorporate these values into their events and activities in the coming years. Continuing Club Projects: Education Provide opportunities for Members and Provisionals to exhibit Flower Designs for competition, judging, and critique. Project Leaders: Barbara Baletti, Floss O'Sullivan. Provide opportunities for Members and Provisionals to exhibit Horticulture for competition, judging, and critique. Project Leaders: Heidi Muschick, Susan Straten. Provide opportunies for Members and Provisionals to exhibit Botanical Arts for competition, judging, and critique. Project Leaders: Florence Leyssène, Debbie Moran. Offer Programs on landscape and floral design, plants and gardening, history, and pollinators to Members and open to the public. Project Leaders: Cynthia Corhan-Aitken, Karen Fricke. Offer Workshops to Members and Provisionals on gardening, flower design, horticulture, and botanical arts. Use photography, video, and technology to visually enhance education and increase accessibility to Members and Provisionals online. Project Leaders: Karen Fricke, Tova Narrett. Offer Tours of Avis Campbell Gardens and Triangle Gardens for schoolchildren, Scout troops, and other organizations. Educate the community about plants, drought tolerant landscaping, composting, and garden design. Project Leaders: Ana Zalles Moore, Betty Murphy, Donna Karanja. Maintain website access to photographs of flower designs, botanical arts, and horticulture, video presentations , and environmental information . Maintain a library of books for Club Members. These resources promote education on gardening, flower design, horticulture, conservation, and the environment. Project Leaders: Sue Young, Sheila Curry Oakes. Sponsor and lead local schools' gardening projects with teacher and student participation. Partner with local Sc out troops on garden related activities. Project Leaders: Donna Karanja, Susan Straten, Deborah Hirsch. Continuing Club Projects: Beautification Maintain the 70 year-old Avis Campbell Gardens and Grounds, including the September 11th Memorial Garden. Project Leaders: Ana Zalles Moore, Wendy Stahl. Maintain Montclair's Triangle Gardens in the Church Street business district. Project Leaders: Betty Murphy, Janet Oscar. Decorate Montclair History Center's Crane House and Historic YWCA for the Holidays. Project Leaders: Karen Fricke, Tova Narrett. Continuing Club Projects: Fellowship Conduct Garden Therapy projects with community members facing physical disabilities, homelessness, or violence by holding flower arranging workshops and garden-related activities to inspire creativity and personal achievement. Project Leaders: Susan Dumont, Karen Kadus. Maintain a website to enhance our public image, automate business tasks, and facilitate Club communication with an online calendar, instant access to key Club information and applications, so decreasing paper consumption. Provide website links to National Garden Clubs, Inc., Central Atlantic Region-SGC, Inc., and The Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc. Project Leader: Sue Young. Publish the Potpourri newsletter — a member resource for Club activities, as well as gardening, design, and environmental issues. Project Leader: Terri Breen. Publish online Club reference information — the leadership team, the Club's calendar, competition schedules, and annual reports of the previous year's activities. Includes Club awards history, GCNJ, CAR-SGC, and NGC information, and a directory of current Membership. Project Leader: Sue Young, Karen Whitehaus, Floss O'Sullivan, and Committee Chairpeople. Foster fellowship and share gardening knowledge through an Open Gardens program where Members open their gardens for visitation by the Membership and friends. Project Leader: Marilyn Zaret. Coordinate meetings and celebrations throughout the year for Club members. Project Leader: Florence Sinofsky, Betty Murphy, and Committee Chairpeople.

2022 Arts & Flowers A Design Specialty Flower Show Barbara Baletti & Cynthia Corhan-Ait ken, Co-Chairs See photos of all the winners. The Garden Club of Montclair staged Arts & Flowers : A Design Specialty Flower Show , at the beautiful Van Vleck House & Gardens September 16-18, 2022. The show adhered to all the specifications of the National Garden Club. The Flower Design, Botanical Arts, and Education divisions were judged by five panels of Accredited Flower Show Judges and the Photography Division was judged by three professional photographers. Florence Leyssène was named Honorary Chair. Arts & Flowers included Flower Designs, Botanical Arts, Photography, and Educational Exhibits. As the title suggests, the focus was on the visual and performing arts. Exhibitors were challenged to create floral designs inspired by the music of Broadway, the movements of a symphony, the blues of Jazz, and the popping and multi-rhythms of Hip-Hop. There were interpretations of Monet, Matisse, and Warhol in Petite Flower Designs and Collages. A highlight was the Alvin Ailey Challenge Design where six exhibitors given the same components created their own unique design interpretations. The Photography Division classes, staged in the Education Center of Van Vleck, featured both color and black and white images that illustrated patterns or reflections in nature, as well as an "Avis Campbell Jubilee" class with photo exhibits of the club's beloved gardens in celebration of its 70th anniversary. Three classes of photographs were judged. The two Educational exhibits highlighted the importance of native trees in our environment and showcased the dedicated efforts of the Avis Campbell gardening team captains. Arts & Flowers was free and open to the public. Upwards of 700 people attended during the three-day period at Van Vleck. Club Preparation and Participation Planning for Arts & Flowers was a two-year process. The Schedule for the sh ow was written by Barbara Baletti and Cynthia Corhan-Aitken with the help, guidance, and expertise of Florence Leyssène, whose contributions were invaluable. Seventy-one Members working on 15 separate committees participated in the staging and execution. Brenda Bingham, our Judges Chairperson, sequestered six panels of 15 judges to evaluate the show. Division I Design: "Aesthetic Adventures" — 10 classes and 40 exhibits of American Traditional, Creative, Parallel, Multi-Rhythmic, and Petite Designs. Division II Botanical Arts Design: "Perceptions of Beauty " — 3 classes and 12 exhibits of Collage, Pot-et-Fleur, and Decorated Wreaths. Division II Botanical Arts Photography: "The Art of Seeing" — 3 classes and 45 entries. Division III Education: "The Garden and its Harmony " — 2 exhibits. "Native Trees: A Few Understories" and "'Oh Captain, My Captain': Avis Campbell Bed Captains Share Their Stories." Recognition from the National Garden Club Arts & Flowers earned the National Garden Club's Flower Show Achievement Award, Certificate of Merit for a Standard Flower Show with a score of 98.5 out of a possible 100. Evaluators stated that the show was "spectacular" and "showcased the talent in design". Top Exhibitor Awards included: Award of Design Excellence: Michele Tomasik Tricolor Award: Michele Tomasik Designer's Choice Award: Tova Narrett Petite Award: Celia Radek Botanical Arts Design Award: Cynthia Corhan-Aitken Educational Award: Celia Radek Recognition Award: Sarah J. Olson Recognition from the Garden Club of New Jersey Mrs. Davd L. George Silver Cup: Finest judged Standard Flower Show 22-23 Garden Club RFD Trophy: Finest Standard Flower Show Schedule of 2022 Dorothy M. Schick Trophy: Excellence in staging a Standard Flower Show Myra Brooks Memorial Trophy — Creativity in Flower Arranging: Tova Narrett Patricia Grossi Petite Award Trophy: Celia Radek Mrs. Reginald Wilson Memorial Award: Michele Tomasik Specialty Awards from the Garden Club of Montclair Betty B. Merriam Silver Bowl/Creative Use of Plant Material: Debbie Moran Barbara Slockbower Schaeberle Award: Tova Narrett Many thanks to all the Members of The Garden Club of Montclair whose efforts made the show a great success, the judges who came from far and wide, the Women's Club of Upper Montclair, the Board staff of Van Vleck House & Gardens, and the Montclair Foundation. Link

Horticulture Division Rules 2024-2025 Back to main Horticulture page See also the National Garden Club Handbook for Flower Shows See Clerking Guidelines Members and Provisionals are encouraged to enter Horticulture specimens at monthly Horticulture Competitions. Points accumulate toward The President's Award for Horticulture . Horticulture Committee Members are available to consult. RULES The NGC Exhibiting Policies are printed in the NGC Handbook for Flower Shows , Chapter 6 "Exhibiting in the Horticulture Division." In order to receive a top award, the exhibitor must identify their entry by its binomial name or currently acceptable scientific designation. Consult the NGC Handbook for Flower Shows , Chapter 6. Entry cards are to be filled out in waterproof black/blue ink or pencil in advance if possible. Refer to the NGC Handbook for Flower Shows , p. 57 for a correctly filled out entry card. Address labels may be used for exhibitor information. Entry cards are available from Horticulture Chairs, Heidi Muschick and Susan Straten, and at registration. Cut specimens should not have foliage below the water line, except for gladiolas. If a plant is considered a flowering plant, it should be exhibited as a flowering specimen. Specimens with a class designation in the schedule may not be entered in the "Any other worthy named specimen" class. The Horticulture Classification Chair and/or the Horticulture Committee Chairs are free to subdivide classes by color, form, size, cultivar, variety, or other distinguishing characteristics. The Scale of Points for Horticulture is located in Chapter 14, pp. 129-130 of the NGC Handbook for Flower Shows . All plant material must be fresh and have been grown by the exhibitor. Plant material must be in its natural state and may not be altered by application of oil, commercial shine products, etc. that change the natural appearance. No wiring of specimens is permitted. Only foliage and/or flowers naturally grown and still attached to the specimen are permitted. Unattached foliage is never included with a cut bloom specimen. All plant material must have been in the possession of the exhibitor the appropriate number of days: annuals, perennials, vegetables, fruits, and houseplants (container-grown plants) for 90 days; arboreal for 6 months; combination plantings except troughs for 6 weeks growing together, troughs for 6 months growing together. All entries should be labeled by genus, specific epithet and/or variety, or patented trademark name. Common name additionally may be given. The Horticulture Committee will provide containers and wedging material for cut specimens. Pre-registration with Susan Straten ( suestraten@gmail.com ) is required via email or phone by Thursday prior to competition date. Exhibitor may make more than one entry per class if each entry is a different species, variety, cultivar, type, or color. All entries must first be passed by Classification then exhibits will be placed by the Placement Committee with the exception of Collections and Displays. Specimens may be placed between 8:00am and 9:15am on the day of the competition. Judging will begin promptly at 10am. Specimens arriving late will not be judged. Specimens must be picked up no later than 30 minutes after the end of the program meeting, approximately 3:00pm.

National, Regional, and State Garden Clubs Contact Information and Calendars The Garden Club of Montclair is a member of National Garden Clubs, Inc., Central Atlantic Region of State Garden Clubs, Inc., and The Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc. These organizations provide opportunities for further education and provide a wealth of resources to garden clubs across America. Contact them for more information, events, and resources. See state and national calendar of events . National Garden Clubs, Inc. Email and Website 4401 Magnolia Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110-3492 Phone: 314-776-7574 President : Brenda Moore President's Theme: Go Green - Plant America Central Atlantic Region - SGC, Inc. Contact and Website Director : Monica Hanson CAR-SGC Director 's Theme: Together We Will Plant America for a Cleaner, Greener, and Healthier World 21 Henning Drive Orchard Park, NY 14127-2816 Newsletters Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc. Contact and Website Location: Holly House-Rutgers University 126 Ryders Lane East Brunswick, NJ 08816 President : Beverly Kazickas GCNG President's Theme: Plant America ... Gardening for a Healthy Mind, Body, and Soul District II Director : Julie Morgan Newsletters NGC's "The National Gardener" magazine Winter 2024 Winter 2023 Spring 2023 Summer 2023 Fall 2023 Winter 2022 Spring 2022 Summer 2022 Fall 2022 Winter 2021 Spring 2021 Summer 2021 Fall 2021 See also earlier editions of The National Gardener as well as all NGC publications. Calendar for State and National Events Calendar Date Year Org. Event Location September 21 2023 NGC Fall Board Meeting Virtual on Zoom September 25, 10am 2023 GCNJ Board Meeting Holly House October 18 2023 GCNJ Judges Council Holly House October 23-26 2023 CAR-SGC Conference Corning, NY October 30, 10am 2023 GCNJ Board Meeting Holly House November 18 2023 GCNJ District II Fall Meeting Morristown, NJ November 27, 10am 2023 GCNJ Board Meeting Holly House January 22, 10am 2024 GCNJ Board Meeting Virtual on Zoom February 1 2024 GCNJ Judges Council Virtual on Zoom February 26, 10am 2024 GCNJ Board Meeting Virtual on Zoom March 2-10 2024 PHS * Philadelphia Flower Show Philadelphia, PA March 25, 10am 2024 GCNJ Board Meeting Holly House March 27 2024 GCNJ Judges Council Holly House April 8-12 2024 GCNJ Flower Show School Course 1 Holly House April 22, 10am 2024 GCNJ Board Meeting Holly House May 20, 10am 2024 GCNJ Board Meeting Holly House June 2-5 2024 NGC National Convention Denver, CO June 11 2024 NJGC Judges Council Holly House June 24, 10am 2024 GCNJ Board Meeting Holly House June TBD 2024 GCNJ Annual Meeting TBD October 14-18 2024 GCNJ Flower Show School Course II Holly House * PHS: Pennsylvania Horticultural Society top

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Properties Committee Reports Committees 2023-2024 — Nancy Stroud, Chair It was goodbye to Properties storage at Union Congregational Church and the Van Vleck basement; time to consolidate. Much thanks to those helping hands that moved pedestals, glassware, and many additional items to our Properties Room in 60 South Fullerton and down the street to Bnai Keshet. This move was a breeze because of the elevator there. Setups and breakdowns for the remaining competitions included repositioning chairs in the beautiful Temple and helping set up tables for floral designs, horticultural specimens, and botanical arts. Much gratitude to our members who graciously pitched in to assist. We assisted with pick up and return of pedestals for our Art in Bloom designers. Inventories are up to date. Best of luck and thanks to incoming Properties Chair Pam Turre and Vice Chair Melody Brown. 2022-2023 — Nancy Stroud, Chair 2022-23 glided by with ease for the Properties Committee. Union Congregational Church handled all our Program setups. Volunteers helped move some items out of Van Vleck House & Gardens and into Union Congregational Church's basement. Volunteers also assisted with moving photo display racks and pedestals in and out of basements. Workshops and meetings at 60 S. Fullerton were handled by presenters and attendees. The major effort went into the set-ups and breakdowns for our Arts & Flowers: A Design Specialty Flower Show held at Van Vleck House & Gardens in September. Many, many helping hands were greatly appreciated. All inventories are now complete. Properties are located at Union Congregational Church and in our properties room at 60 S. Fullerton. Thank you to all our Members who stepped up to haul our display properties up and down basement stairs. We are a team! 2021-2022 — Nancy Stroud, Chair As in-person activities and events progressed throughout the year, Properties stepped in for setups. Assistance from members of the Union Congregational Church staff, one GCM Member's husband, and many Club Members helped to lighten our work. Setups for competitions, workshops, Art in Bloom pedestal pickup and drop off, and our Annual meeting in the Garden were smooth and easy. Much gratitude to Florence Leyssène, outgoing President, for her advice and support, to Peter Zaret, Committee Members, and all who helped. Thank you to all. 2020-2021 — Nancy Stroud, Chair The Committee set up for our Awards Program, held in May in the beautiful Avis Campbell Gardens. New, lightweight folding tables were purchased for this as well as future events. Folding chairs were also set up. Recognition is due to Marilyn Zaret for her assistance carrying more than fifty metal folding chairs from the basement Club Room to the Garden, as well as to Deborah Hirsch for purchasing and delivering the new tables. Thanks to the members who stepped up to help us put everything away. Otherwise, it was a quiet year for Properties due to the COVID-19 lockdown. 2019-2020 — Debbie Moran, Chair The properties identified to go to Van Vleck for the year were taken over on "Moving Day" last summer and stored in the basement. Properties remaining in the storage room at the United Way Building were identified as either "keep" or "discard." Tables from Van Vleck made set up for Horticultural Competitions relatively fast. Using only lightweight pedestals was a boon because they had to be brought up from and then back down to the basement storage room. A set of four new pedestals for Design classes was made to add to the properties on hand at Van Vleck. There was no activity in March or April due to the corona virus lockdown.

Visit more of our projects: Art in Bloom Avis Campbell Gardens Boutique Civic Beautification Crane House Garden Therapy Open Gardens Social Events Triangle Gardens Trips and Outings Youth Projects Triangle Gardens Committee Reports Triangle Gardens are the raised planting beds along Church Street and at the corner of Fullerton Avenue. Members and provisionals plant in the spring and maintain through the summer and fall, turning downtown Montclair into an oasis taken for granted by residents and visitors. The Business Improvement District partners with the club, supplying funds and maintenance assistance during the growing season. November 8, 2022 Ten Garden Club members, including several enthusiastic provisionals "elected" to meet and quickly plant hundreds of tulip bulbs in the Church Street Planters on Election Day morning. A huge round of applause for Jamie Chase for preparing each planter with the patterned placement of tulip bulbs so that the actual planting was a breeze! Betty Murphy, Co-Chair Summer 2021