October 2020 Newsletter

By Sandra Conrad | October 17, 2020

Dear Members,

Despite pandemic and drought, the early fall has brought its compensations, including some spectacular foliage as evidenced in the magnificent maple tree in front of the Concord Free Public Library.

This tree was given to the club and planted in memory of Mrs. Stedman Buttrick,Jr. a longtime member, by her son, Stedman and his wife Susie, in the early 1980s.

Beneath it sits a bench, also in memory of another garden club member, Winifred Clarke, president from 1963-1965.

Throughout the summer, people, myself included, gathered on the library lawn to meet friends, enjoy a picnic lunch, read a book and generally share a momentary sense of peace and well-being.

One could not help but think how such simple contributions make for such communal pleasure in difficult times.

Although “nothing gold can stay,” I hope this finds you all well and enjoying these fleeting autumn days that make living here so special.

Sandra Conrad, President

Upcoming Virtual Meeting, Wednesday, October 21st!

If you have not already done so, please sign up for next week’s virtual meeting. Our program, co-hosted by club members Dennis Fiori and Jane Rupley, will include a screening of “Beatrix Farrand’s American Landscapes,” a documentary about America’s first female landscape architect.

We will be joined by our special guest, Patrick Chassé, a noted landscape architect in his own right, who has extensive knowledge of Farrand’s biography and gardens. Patrick also appears in the film.

Mr. Chassé led the effort to purchase and preserve Garland Farm, Farrand’s last home in Bar Harbor, Maine.

He will provide an introduction to the film and also answer questions following the screening.

Pot up for the Plant Sale!

It’s that time of year when we review our gardens for what needs to be divided. Don’t forget while doing so to plan on what you will save to donate to the Plant Sale which will be held in May, either in person, or virtually.

A Sign Up Genius for the Plant Sale Committee will be sent out in the near future. A committee will be in place by January to determine how we go forward with our largest fundraiser.

Jen Lannan has graciously agreed to co-chair the Plant Sale again this year, but will need a co-pilot. It is a large, fun committee and is a great way, if you are a new member, to meet others and get involved in the club, albeit virtually!

Committee News

Community Outreach

“Family Trees” committee, chaired by Julia Farwell Clay, is hard at work creating what we know will be an imaginative evocation of the wonderful children’s book, Up the Mountain Path. Stay tuned for further details when this annual Fesitval opens at the Concord Museum next month.

Town Gardens

Aster ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ West Concord.Photo by Ellen Whitney

Fall colors at the Milldam

Asters ‘October Skies’ & ‘Purple Dome’ at the Town House. Photo by Ellen Whitney

Drought did not stop the gardens from looking beautiful! Thanks to members who kept things watered and pruned and to Beth Thut and Kate Chartener for organizing.

Thanks to Kathy Venne for her help in selecting the lovely seasonal plants for the trough at the Milldam/Veterans Memorial.

All admired and enjoyed by the many passersby and tourists who visited Concord this season.

Grants

Maryrose Sykes and her committee, Joan Campbell, Jane Deering, Bean Nardi, Holly Salemy, Sally Savelle, Kathy Venne and Patricia Waters, will begin deliberations on this year’s grants requests.

We are so fortunate to be able to provide the same level of funding for this important community outreach at this critical time.

The Concord Journal recently ran an article about some of the grants made to community organizations last year.

If you missed it, read it here:Concord Journal Article – Grants Program

Horticulture

Pam Nelson and her committee are busy at work planning virtual messy moments, workshops, and monthly flower arrangements.

Stay tuned to your email for a beautiful October arrangement by Ellen Whitney, and a video tour of Amal Moamar’s gardens.

Programs

A note of thanks here to committee chairs, Jane Rupley and Elise Woodward, along with Kelley Bothe, Dennis Fiori and Susan Hurley for all their “behind-the-scenes” work to provide continuous programming for the club with virtual presentations.

Please keep in mind that for the foreseeable future, all GCC progrmming, meetings, etc. will be via Zoom.

Keep an eye on the Calendar section of the website as well as the monthly newsletters and intermittent posts for the latest club information.

Notes from the garden…

Maple “whirlybirds,” or samaras as they are properly called.

Another mast year??

Remember last fall when we practically had to wear helmets when going outside to protect ourselves from the hundreds of oak trees shedding acorns?

That was a mast year for oaks. This year it’s the maples turn. Have you noticed all the whirlybirds in the yard (more precisely known as “samaras”)?

Mast is the fruit of trees and shrubs. When large amounts of mast are produced, it is known as a “mast year.” Mast is either hard, nut-producing, or soft, fruits such as apple/crabapple, plum, etc.

There are theories as to why and how trees produce mast years, the main one being it is to provide successful reproduction against predation by rodents. Masting occurs in cycles.

Soft mast fruits provide high levels of carbohydrates to birds and animals. Have a look around at local trees to see how laden they are with soft fruits this fall.

Definitely a good year for the chipmunks, squirrels, and birds!