March 2021 Newsletter
HARBINGERS OF SPRING!
Dear Members,
Did this wonderful gift of unexpectedly warm weather have you outside and searching for signs of spring?
It certainly gave me a serious case of “spring fever” and here are photos I took both in my yard and around town. Above you see hellebores, pussy willow (salix caprea), winter aconite (eranthus hyemalis), snowdrops (galanthus), tapped sugar maple trees, and witch hazel (hamamelis) ‘Arnold Promise.’
March always holds it surprises, but so far the amount of sunny days and warm weather has been a balm and a gift to us all.
“Spring fever” used to have unfortunate connotations associated with scurvy due to lack of fresh fruits and vegetables in the wintertime. Now, of course, we associate it with longer daylight, renewed energy, and a rebirth.
Spring bird migration, nesting, and life in the garden begin anew.
If you have been out in your garden (stepping carefully of course), I hope you are giving thought to what plants need dividing next month. Passing along a few of your own treasures to other club members through our upcoming plant sale is a wonderful way to share a bit of your own regeneration!
With spring comes the hope that our ability to meet again in person is not as far off as it once was.
Until that time, my warmest regards to you all, and, don’t forget to spring forward this weekend!
Sandra Conrad
Please join us, Wednesday, March 17th at 1 p.m. via Zoom for a talk by Peter Alden, Concord resident and renowned ornithologist and lecturer, on the history of Concord’s birds and mammals. His presentation will be followed by a slideshow of club member Cris Van Dyke’s marvelous photos of flora and fauna present in Concord today.
If you have not already signed up, here is the link. Please note: the deadline for signing up is Monday, March 15th.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0d4aacaa29a31-gcczoom2
PLANT SALE AND POP UP SHOP MAY 7TH & 8th
It’s almost time to put on your gardening boots, journey into the garden and see what is popping up. What a real delight for gardeners! And on that saunter into your gardens, keep in mind that our Virtual Plant Sale will be happening in May (May 7 & 8). Please start planning what plants you are able to divide, pot and donate to the sale. Instructions on how to donate, drop off, purchase and pick up plants will be coming to you soon.
An exciting addition to our Virtual Plant Sale this year is our Virtual Pop Up Shop that will be offered to our club members. We will be offering flower arrangements, notecards, Tina Labadini design towels, seeds and much more. Our Committee is hard at work to make this a real success. Details TBA
Questions? Please contact Chair, Jen Lannan mailto:jenlannan@comcast.net
Concord’s Honored Citizen of the Year 2021
It will come as no surprise to those of you who know her that club member Elise Woodward was recently selected to be Concord’s Honored Citizen of the Year!
Elise’s accomplishments and contributions to the town are extensive and her commitment without limit. Please read more here:2021 Honored Citizen Announcement
Congratulations Elise!
Committee News
Community Outreach
Art in Bloom at the MFA, April 30-May 3, 2021
Above is a tantalizing preview of the stunning floral arrangement created by club members Pam Nelson, lead arranger, with Ellen Whitney, assistant.
Their inspiration was “Woman in a Fur Hat” by Gretchen Woodman Rogers https://collections.mfa.org/objects/34148
AIB will be entirely virtual this year. Please visit the website at
https://mfa.org for additional information.
A note of gratitude at this time to Pam and Ellen for their extraordinary work under the continuing restrictions of the pandemic, and to Nicole Kelly, who is chairing her first Art in Bloom for the MFA this year!
It is a privilege to be asked to participate in AIB, and the Garden Club of Concord always demonstrates why we are included year after year.
Horticulture
Wilhelmina sent along this lovely photo of the arrangement she did for our February meeting. It was taken a few days afterwards:
John Althouse has offered to do scheduled tours of his garden to show what is in bloom for early spring, including hellebores, crocus, and dwarf crested iris.
A sign up will go out separately. Please note that the tours will be limited to five members at a time, masked, and socially-distanced.
Here is a preview from John’s garden:
Ellen Matheson sent along a note of horticultural interest: the Royal Horticultural Society has banned the use of oasis at the Chelsea flower show. Oasis is non-biodegradable and toxic. Please read more here:
Programs
Kelley Bothe and Dennis Fiori, new Co-Chairs of the Programs Committee, along with Jenny Borden, Joan Campbell, Helene Clayton and Jane Deering, are beginning their work planning programs for our 2021-22 season which we we hope will resume in person!
Please submit any ideas you have for topics or speakers to either Kelley or Dennis: mailto:kelleybothe@comcast.net or Dennis at mailto:difiori@masshist.org
For those of you who expressed further interest in the crabapples that last month’s speaker Judith Irven spoke of, here is information Judith sent:JFS_CRAB_CHART
Several members expressed an interest in garden sculpture after Judith’s talk. Club members Victoria Mulligan mailto:vrmulligan@gmail.com and Jane Deering mailto:janevdeering@gmai.com can provide information on local sculptors.
From the garden corner:
The Burlington Garden Club is offering a free webinar by Jana Milbocker of Enchanted Gardens on “Pots with Pizzaz” March 24th. For further information:Burlington Garden Club March 24 flyer final
Emerald Ash borer found in Concord!
This devastating pest has been spotted in Concord in the Upper Spencer Brook Valley. Please read more here:
Savor a taste of gardens in mid-coast Maine
Thank you to Joan Freeman for sending this beautiful video of private gardens “Secret Gardens in the Watershed” sponsored by the non-profit Georges River Land Trust:
https://www.georgesriver.org/2020-garden-tour/
Latest issue of the GCFM Mayflower Spring 2021
Witch Hazel: A Shrub for Everyone’s Garden
If you have noticed pale yellow and/or red flowers on small shrubs or trees, you are most likely seeing Witch Hazel, or ‘Hamamelis,’ a deciduous, hardy, low-maintenance plant with wonderfully fragrant, citrusy flowers.
The botanist Linnaeus named it Hamamelis (“together with fruit”) for the plant’s unique attributes of flowers, ripe fruits, and next year’s leaf buds being present simultaneously.
The native Witch Hazel, ‘Hamamelis virginiana’ is widespread throughout the Northeast. Its bark and leaves contain tannins that effectively reduce skin swelling and inflammation. Who hasn’t used it on a sting or a bite?
The dried fruits of Witch Hazel have a remarkable ballistic ability: the capsules can shoot seeds up to 30 feet away! Learn more:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/08/science/plant-shoot-seeds.amp.html
Depending on the species and cultivars, Hamamelis can be the latest blooming (October) or earliest blooming (February to March) in the garden.
Who doesn’t want color and fragrance in the garden in late winter?
Below are photos courtesy of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.
My thanks to Sheryl White, Coordinator of Visitor Engagement and Exhibitions.
‘Hamamelis vernalis’
‘Hamamelis mollis Iwado’
‘Hamamelis japonica’
This week of warm weather and promise of spring reminded me of one of my favorite lines from e e cummings: “it’s spring when the world is puddle-wonderful!’ Here’s to more puddles!
Sandra