October 2025 Newsletter

By Anne Lehmann | October 12, 2025

Our member garden feature this month:

Anne Umphrey’s magnificent tree! Anne notes, we planted our yellow wood 17 years ago when we built our house. It didn’t bloom for years and other than its smooth, grey bark (reminiscent oven elephant’s leg), it was unremarkable. Then one year it exploded in pendulous white blossoms that wave in the breeze and emit an intoxicating perfume. This spring show only happens every other year, which makes it all the more special. This year’s bloom was particularly spectacular.

Letter From Our President:

Thank you to Serena Crosina for sharing her fabulous garden with us for the Welcome Back Social! It was a beautiful summer evening filled with great food, scenery and friendship. 

This month the Garden Club Federation of Mass has a Floral Design Basics Workshop with Margo Yie on October 28th, If you are interested please register at GCFM.org. 

A reminder that our next program on October 15th is at 11:00 AM at the Trinitarian Church, 54 Walden Street, is a Flower Arrangement Face Off with Jeanne Hamilton, Erika Rodriguez and Serena Crosina. The designers will all be given the same flowers – it will be fun to see how the arrangements differ! 

Our Auction Committee is working hard to pull together fabulous items. Thank you to everyone who has already donated and if you would still like to donate something please contact either Joan Campbell or Lauren Huyett. We hope you will all be ready for an evening of fun and laughs on November 19th at 6;30 PM.

There are a few slots open for Head Hosts for Hospitality on the Sign Up Genius. 

I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday!

Best, 

Holly

Auction Committee Information:
 
Our Auction is coming up soon!  Mark your calendars for 6:30pm on November 19th at Tricon Church.  Husbands and partners are included!  We will have food and a signature drink along with wine, beer, and soda.  We have many wonderful donations but we would also welcome smaller items for the silent auction, such as a pie, a quiche, a holiday wreath or something you have knitted.  Should you decide to make food to be auctioned, it would not be for that night but for a future date. Please email what you would like to offer to Lauren Huyett or Joan Campbell. This will be such fun!
 
Melinda Shumway
Concord Visitor Center Garden Highlight:

Georgine Feldt and Mary Kaiser have been working on the Visitor Center garden for the last two years! Walk by the next time you are in Concord center it is beautiful!

New Member Intro:

 

Monique (Medici) Halleck has lived in Concord since 2014 and in Acton since 2000.  She has four adult children and lives with her husband Will on Main Street.  After growing up in the northwest (Seattle/Portland), Monique moved to Boston in 1993 where she attended Northeastern University and graduated with a degree in finance. 

Monique spent her early career in investor relations organizing corporate events, including the Ryder cup in 1999.  For the past 10 years, she has been dedicated to fundraising for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and continues to be focused on philanthropy and giving back to the community.  In her free time, Monique is an active member at ICA Boston and VIA Art Fund, and her hobbies include interior design, collecting contemporary artwork and listening to music.

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