In preparation for the Program Meeting and Horticulture Exhibition on Monday, September 18th, please register your horticulture specimen entries for Monday’s Exhibition. Email Karen Whitehaus by 4pm on Sunday, September 17. Let her know you are going to bring hort specimens and the approximate quantity. She will provide you with an entry number. Please refer to the Horticulture Schedule page on the website or the Yearbook, pages 32 and 33 for the Schedule. Please let us also know if you will be entering specimens into: Section A, Class 4 (Zinnia elegans ‘Pumila Bordeaux’…) Eligible for the Estelle Leibrecht Horticulture Award Section C, Class 11 (Rosa: 1 cut stem…) Eligible for the Barbara Meyer Rose Award Section E, Class 22 (Collection of 5 herbs…) Eligible for the Amy Hatrak Herb Award Please bring your entries to Union Congregational Church, 176 Cooper Avenue, Upper Montclair, between 8 and 9 am on Monday morning. You will find us on the Assembly Room porch, just a bit left of the Church, preparing specimens for entry! Michele Trevenen and Karen Whitehaus Horticulture Committee Chair and Vice Chair

Marilyn and Peter Zaret's Open Garden Address This Sunday and Monday, Aug. 20 and 21, 6-9 pm Four years ago this week, our friend and gifted landscape designer Chuck Baum stood at this spot and envisioned an arch to connect the remains of a beloved tree with an addition of another, this one chosen for its strength, and embedded in cement. The arch is composed of 40-foot-long bamboo stalks (donated by Susan Yu) that bend gracefully over a steel support beam. Although this was designed to hang a swing, it has become a cherished framework for stargazing. Let us cheat the summer heat. Come for the golden hour and/or stay until the witching hour. Friends and families are welcome. Marilyn Zaret.

Click here to see notes from the workshop (members only). From Allyn Young, one of our new provisionals attending her first workshop: On Tuesday, September 12, at 5pm, Members of the garden club (of all experience levels!) got together for a wonderful workshop led by NGC accredited Master Flower Show Judge, Heidi Muschick. We discussed everything from planning ahead (and planting ahead), how and when to condition and harvest your star bloom, tricks and tools, the best display techniques and supplies (many of which are provided by the club), and so much more! Heidi was so generous with her knowledge and explained everything down to the smallest detail. You could feel everyone's excitement to be gathering together again for healthy competition (and as a beginner I felt very welcome and not as intimidated as I thought I would!)

Don't miss Cynthia Corhan-Aitken's beautiful Open Garden TODAY, from 5:00 until 9:00 in the evening! See yesterday's post for full details.

Open Garden of Cynthia Corhan-Aitken Twig & Vine Design Address Saturday, September 2, 2023 5:00 to 9:00 This former designer of couture bridal gowns left the city for the suburbs where she found her real passion while planting 2,000 tulip bulbs on an autumn day. After being certified at the New York Botanic School of Horticulture, Cynthia started her own landscape company, Twig & Vine Design. One of her amazing transformations was featured this past June at the Open Garden of Karen Fricke. The nearly two acre property surrounding Cynthia’s 1883 home was overgrown with crumbing brick walls and invasive vines that took her twelve years to clear, replant and restore to the beautiful botanical gem that you will see this Saturday. Her work studio, in the home’s ultra modern addition, will also be open. Friends and families are welcome. (Contact Marilyn if you want to host an Open Garden. All styles are welcome) Cynthia's garden before and after she replaced deer salad with deer-resistant plants. And the view from her kitchen window, before and after ...

The September issue of Potpourri, edited by the talented Terri Breen, is out! CLICK HERE to read about our renewed focus on the environment, challenging plans for the fall including the new Botanical Arts Division, summer struggles with Montclair wildlife, the student we are helping to sponsor during her exciting new college career, and much, much more, You can also catch up any any back issues of Potpourri you may have missed by CLICKING HERE. Note: You need to be logged in to the website in order to link to Potpourri issues from this page. As usual, all Club members will receive Potpourri as a PDF linked from the weekly email.

The 2023-24 Yearbook is here, thanks to a marvelous team effort from the Yearbook Committee and our dedicated Chairs and Vice Chairs. You should be receiving the latest edition by mail or hand delivered to you on or before Labor Day weekend. Highlights include: Our gorgeous Cover Photo featuring the Eastern Black Swallowtail (pollinator) and Garden Phlox (native perennial) in support of the Club’s Environmental Mission. We have Claire Stepleton to thank for her outstanding photography. A simplified Calendar focused on events and featuring program and workshop descriptions. Check out the terrific Program speakers Cynthia Corhan-Aitken and Karen Fricke secured, and the talented workshop instructors Celia Radek arranged. A dedicated section for Competition Schedules and rules for Flower Design, Horticulture, and Botanical Arts. Fran Ackerly, Barbara Baletti, Michele Trevenen, Karen Whitehaus, Florence Leyssène, and Debbie Moran have a fabulous set of challenges for all our horticulturists and designers. Streamlined Committee Reports that hit all the high points of last year’s accomplishments, including an impressive summary of 2022’s Arts & Flowers: A Design Standard Flower Show by Barbara Baletti. Up to date Membership Directory and Provisional List, current as of 8/1/23. Many thanks to Cheryl Slutzky, Sue Young, and Fran Wong for their efforts. As always, the website will have any additions or changes in real time. In addition, Sue Young has ensured the website is fully up to date with all of the information in the 2023-24 Yearbook. The online Calendar is current and reflects the most recent changes to our Club year. Producing the Yearbook is a labor of love over the summertime, so please congratulate our truly dedicated team: Fran Ackerly, Janice Benton, Karen DeLuca, Florence Leyssène, Sheila Oakes, Sara H. Olson, Ragna Sloane, Nancy Stroud, Karen Whitehaus, Fran Wong, and Sue Young. —Floss O’Sullivan, Editor

Open Garden of Patty Sullivan Sunday & Monday, July 16 & 17 6:00 to 9:00pm Address Our friend Patty welcomes you to her evening stage. Full lights go on at 8:20. Chuck Baum, her partner in design, will co-host.

We have a short window for you to check your listing in this year's Yearbook. By Friday, July 21 — THIS WEEK! — please look up your entry on the website by clicking here. You can enter any part of your information in the "Search" box to bring it up. Provisionals should check by clicking here. If you have a change, and only if you have a change, please email Sue Young with the correct information.

See below the first in the upcoming list of past GCM event photos: our May 24 luncheon and awards ceremony. Photos are mostly — as so often — by Susan Yu.

At the annual Luncheon and Awards Ceremony, the Awards Committee handed out recognition to our deserving members in a ceremony that has been repeated probably since the founding of the club in 1926, Many of the awards have been donated to the club by grateful members over the years, and all the winners going back to 1980 can be seen at any time on the website. Earlier awards are in our archives. The event took place this year at the Montclair Golf Club on May 24, 2023. Louise D. Mann Award: Deborah Hirsch A silver tray perpetual trophy, given in her memory by her family, to be awarded to a member of The Garden Club of Montclair when merited, in recognition of her vision and significant accomplishments in a field that advances Garden Club objectives. The winner is chosen by the Awards Committee. Till Beatty Allis Award: Fran Ackerly A silver bowl perpetual trophy, given in her honor by her family, may be awarded by the Awards Committee to a member who has made an outstanding contribution in the area of Flower Design and Flower Design education. Bauer Horticulture Award: Maureen Sprong A silver bowl perpetual trophy given by the late Mrs. John Bauer may be awarded each year at the Annual Meeting for major achievement in Horticulture. The winner is chosen by decision of the Awards Committee. Amy Hatrak Herb Award: Denise Silverman A silver tray perpetual trophy, given in her honor by her family, in recognition of her accomplishments in the field of herbs. To be given to the Garden Club member who, during the September or October Competition, best exemplifies and demonstrates the growing of herbs, for use and for delight, including aromatic, culinary, medicinal herbs, and scented geraniums. To be judged by a panel composed of the President, the Awards Chair, and three others appointed by the President. Betty B. Merriam Silver Bowl: Debbie Moran This perpetual trophy silver bowl may be awarded at a Standard Flower Show or Small Standard Flower Show for any decorative use of plant material having distinctive beauty. Only members of the Garden Club of Montclair are eligible for this trophy, which shall remain in the Garden Club Room. A special panel of judges shall be invited to make the award. A small version of the award shall be presented to the winner. Names of the winners are inscribed on a wall plaque in the Garden Club Room. Barbara Meyer Rose Award: Denise Silverman A perpetual trophy recognizing excellence in rose culture may be awarded to the member of the Garden Club of Montclair whose single rose specimen, grown by the exhibitor, received the highest-scoring blue ribbon in a Club Horticulture Competition, Horticulture Specialty, Standard Flower or Small Standard Flower Show. Kay Maclane Van Deusen Rose Award: Fran Ackerly A silver vase perpetual trophy, given in her memory by her family, awarded to the Garden Club member who, during the October Competition, best perpetuates the love and use of roses in artistic design. The winner will be chosen by a panel of five members composed of the President, the Awards Chair, and three others appointed by the President. The Barbara Slockbower Schaeberle Award: Tova Narrett A silver bowl perpetual trophy, given in her memory by her family, to be awarded at a standard Flower Show or Small Standard Flower Show to the member of The Garden Club of Montclair who wins the Designer's Choice Awards. President’s Trophy for Flower Design, Intermediate: Sarah Olson A silver bowl perpetual trophy awarded to the member of Intermediate Level who, during the year, achieved the highest score, including the winning of one blue ribbon. The Estelle Leibrecht Horticulture Award: Debbie Moran A silver bowl perpetual trophy awarded by the Horticulture Committee to the member who receives the blue ribbon for the Club project, to be judged at a fall or spring horticultural show, a Standard Flower Show, or a Small Standard Flower Show. Garden Club Award for Flower Design, Advanced: Barbara Baletti A silver plate awarded to the member of Advanced Level who received the highest number of points in a year, including two blue ribbons. President’s Award for Horticulture: Sarah Olson A silver plate perpetual trophy awarded to the member who, during the year, achieved the highest score, including the winning of one blue ribbon in the Club's Horticultural Competitions. The Botanical Arts Award: Floss O’Sullivan A silver bowl perpetual trophy is awarded to the Garden Club member who, during the year, achieved the highest total score for participation in Botanical Arts competitions of any type, including the winning of one blue ribbon. The four types include Botanical Arts Horticulture, Botanical Arts Design, Botanical Arts Artistic Crafts, and Photography. Special Tributes: Susan Benner (center) Marilyn & Peter Zaret (not pictured) Gift of Appreciation: Barbara Baletti & Cynthia Corhan-Aitken For their sterling work coordinating the very successful Flower Show The President’s Special Recognition Award: Sue Young Honors our webmaster for her renovation and development of our interactive, outstanding Website that connects our membership with our projects, events and each other, as well as with the communities we serve. Celebrating 35 Years of Membership: Brigitte Padberg All photos by Floss O'Sullivan

When will it end? When will the umbrellas close? Since the rain date has been rained out, the Mad Hatter tea party has been moved to this Thursday, June 29, same time: 3:30 to 6. We hope your hats, clippers, scones and jam tarts are still at hand, in a very dry place. See you then!

Sadly, tomorrow's Mad Hatter (Clip, Sip N’Dip) Tea Party has been postponed until Wednesday, June 28, 4:00 until 6:30. Rain is good for gardens and bad for parties.

We want to hear from you! We've just completed our annual luncheon which featured club awards, speeches from our officers, a lovely meal, and an opportunity to schmooze with each other and to shop from small business vendors. While it's still fresh in your minds we'd like to know how you felt about this meeting. This meeting is for you and it should reflect what you want in an annual meeting. Please click here to tell us your thoughts so we can figure them into next year's plans. This questionnaire is completely anonymous!

Due to reports of poor air quality and possible thunderstorms, tomorrow’s Open Garden (Friday, June 9) is cancelled. Please join us this Saturday, June 10 at the home of Karen Fricke (see address) from 3:00 to 6:00 and see how Cynthia Corhan-Aitken created this amazing garden in one year. Friends and families are welcome.

Dear Garden Club Members, You are cordially invited to a Mad Hatter (Clip, Sip N’Dip) Tea Party. It will be held on Thursday, June 22nd from 4pm-6:30pm at Avis Cambell Gardens. Please wear your most magical hat... big or small, size doesn't matter at all! There will be "Drink Me" potions (bring your favorite tea cup for extra fun), a Queen of Hearts garden hunt, croquet matches, and perhaps some rose painting (no actual roses will be hurt in the process). In addition to your hat, we ask that members bring an "Eat Me" treat, if you can. To help make sure we don't just have an abundance of cucumber sandwiches, we are asking everyone to CLICK HERE to sign up on the Google doc with your treat. If any one is having trouble with the Google doc, please feel free to email me, Lauren_Zodel@fitnyc.edu and I would be happy to add your treat to the list! In the event of rain on the 22nd, we will be holding a rain date of Wednesday, June 28th. Hope you can all attend! Some final thoughts from Alice in Wonderland: The Mad Hatter: "Have I gone mad?" Alice: "I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are."

Ten Club members were on hand to bring home the following awards presented at the GCNJ Annual Meeting on June 6, all honoring the Design Specialty Flower Show "Art & Flowers". Congratulations to the Club and everyone who had a hand in making the Flower Show happen. At left: All our awards from the Garden Club of New Jersey's 97th Annual Meeting At right: From National Garden Club: TOP AWARD Certificate of Merit for the Design Specialty Flower Show "Arts & Flowers" At left: From Garden Club of New Jersey MRS DAVID L GEORGE SILVER CUP presented for the finest judged Standard Flower Show of 2022-23 At right: GARDEN CLUB RFD TROPHY presented for the finest Standard Flower Show Schedule of of the year At left: DOROTHY M. SCHICK TROPHY presented for the greatest excellence in staging a Standard Flower Show At right: MYRA BROOKS MEMORIAL TROPHY FOR CREATIVITY IN FLOWER ARRANGING presented to Tova Narrett, winner of the Designer’s Choice Award in the highest rated Standard Flower Show of 2022-23 At left: PATRICIA GROSSI PETITE AWARD TROPHY presented to Celia Radek, winner of the Petite Award in the highest rated Standard Flower Show of 2022-23 At right: MRS REGINALD WILSON MEMORIAL AWARD presented to Michele Tomasik, winner of the Tricolor Award in the highest rated Standard Flower Show of 2022-23 Our members proudly display the recognition awarded to our Club for the wonderful Flower Show last autumn.

Open Garden of Karen Fricke Address Designer: Cynthia Corhan-Aitken Friday and Saturday /June 9 & 10, 2023 3:00 - 6:00 When Karen Fricke discovered Cynthia Corhan-Aitken’s website, Twig & Vine Design, she reached out to her a year before she and her husband made a bid on their New Jersey house. Before and after photos below give a hint of how this dynamic duo completely restored a shabby acre into a garden of beauty and recreation. Plus we gained Karen as a new member of our club.

There will soon be pictures of yesterday's luncheon and awards ceremony on this website, but members who did not attend might be interested in Sarah's inspiring and challenging speech The next two years will be very exciting! ____________________________________ "When I joined the garden club as a provisional five years ago, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be standing here today as your incoming President. Back then, I really didn’t know that much about the club and it seemed to take me a while to truly understand how it worked and how to make it meaningful for me. Being in the garden club has been a wonderful journey, like watching a flower bud emerge and open to full flower. I have learned that this club is made up of an amazing group of talented, generous people who have become my friends. The more activities I attend and the better I get to know our members the more I realize the treasure trove I have stumbled upon. I thank all of you for giving me the honor of being your President. I want to thank Sarah Stransky for her hard work and skillful management of our club for the past year and for making my transition into this role as seamless as possible. "I offer my congratulations to our newly minted Active and Provisional members. We’re excited to have you! Given my experience as a “newbie,” a suggestion I would make to you is to get involved…really involved… with your chosen committees. The committees are the backbone of our club and by being active in them you will get meaningful work done or become educated, and better understand what the club can do for you all while having fun and making new friends! We want you to become a part of our community. "I have a few thoughts or goals that I’d like to share with you that are foremost in my mind about how our club can be even more meaningful to you and others. "Some of us are in the middle of our child-raising years with many demands on our time, some of us are entering the beginning of the second or third chapters of our lives…all of us, I think, want to make a difference somehow in this one life we have to live! How can we pay it forward? How can we make an impact? Many of our committees already do work that address this concept. More can address this purpose in the upcoming year. As you begin to formulate your committee plans for 2023-24, keep this in mind. As my new friend Pam Turre says, “If you’re not giving, you’re not living!” "Climate change and the environment are serious concerns. Our club is poised to be a leader for these causes in our own community and this is how we will stay relevant in our changing world. We must lead the charge, educating our members and the public. The same old same old is not okay anymore…change is needed. This means, for example (and don’t hate me for this), introducing more native plants into our Avis Campbell Garden, investigating what native plants might work in Triangle gardens, even pledging not to use Oasis anymore in our floral designs! We are resourceful and smart GC’ers who I know will come up with a game plan of transition that will benefit our planet. Trust me, our gardens and designs will still be beautiful…just a little different. I am challenging all of us to find a way to create an Act of Restorative Kindness to our earth. "My last goal is to integrate the Garden Club with the community in a bigger way. Whether it be more outreach to our schools, other non-profits, business districts, our parks, or the township, I’m looking to build synergistic relationships that elevate the profile of our club. I want people to know the good that the Garden Club does, the beauty it brings to others in the community through the artful use of plant material or the gorgeous Avis Campbell and Triangle gardens. Last week several of us attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new courtyard garden at Watchung School. This project, which our Youth Committee spearheaded and our own Cynthia Corhan-Aitkin designed, finally has been completed. It has been named the Connected Courtyard, a place where students connect with nature, each other, and the community and is home to 40 different native plant species. It was beautiful. For me, it serves as an example of exactly what I envision us continuing to pursue…building dynamic relationships between people of vision working toward a common good in the community. "Lastly, I know that none of my goals will be achieved if we aren’t having a whole lot of fun! Our social gatherings for open gardens, programs, and philanthropic activities build camaraderie and are healthy for our minds and souls. Let’s continue this spirit of sharing and learning and creating for ourselves and others in the name of doing good and having fun! Thank you. I look forward to serving you!"

We ae sad to announce the passing of another of our valued members. Jane has been a member of the Club since 1983. Her service will be held on June 3 at 10:00 AM at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in West Orange. Please read her obituary here. Please see her obituary HERE