Ipswich Elms Project

 Were you sorry to see the loss of the majestic elm at the corner of County Road and East Street? Would you like to learn more about elms, and help protect those that remain in town?

In response to the loss of the historic elm in 2011, the Ipswich Garden Club began a project to document elms in the downtown area and to assess their health. Now, IGC is working with the Ipswich Department of Public Works to develop and implement a plan to manage our remaining elms.

The Ipswich Garden Club will host a presentation and training on Wednesday, March 13th at 7pm in Conference Room A at Ipswich Town Hall for those who are interested in Ipswich's elm trees. Arborists Ben Staples and John Feener will join Kerry Mackin of the Ipswich Garden Club to present up-to-date information on the condition of Ipswich's remaining elms and to train volunteers to help monitor our remaining elms for early signs of disease.

The presentation will cover how to identify elms, specific trees of interest in the downtown area, identifying signs of Dutch Elm Disease (DED) and other problems that affect elms, possible treatment for diseased trees (and its cost), and organizing a team of volunteers to monitor specific trees in town.

If you have an elm tree on your property or in your neighborhood and would like to learn more about how to take care of it, please join us for this informative presentation.  Please RSVP to ipswichelms@gmail.com so that we can have an idea of how many people will attend.  Light refreshments will be served.

HWG Club Invitation

The Hamilton Wenham Garden Club invites all IGC members to their Spring Flower show on April 26th and 27th. This will be an opportunity to see spring floral arrangements and student art from Gordon College.

A New IGC North Green Island?

These photos show what the site looks like right now. This island was scheduled to have sod. But it is a sunny spot that would do well with flowering shrubs, perennials and annual flowers. Three proposed benches (see plan above) would allow townspeople to take some time to enjoy the plantings and the historic green.

 Looking East

Now, the question is does the ICG want to take on another town beautification project? Leave a comment.

"Artist Colonies and Their Gardens"- Tuesday, Feb 12th

Hoping to see all of you this Tuesday evening at the Ipswich Public Library. Susan Faxon, Curator of the Addison Gallery in Andover will blend the love of gardening with that of painting.

There will be a short Club meeting at 6:45pm before the presentation. Please plan to be on time.
Lynda Mathey and Terri Stephens will be hosting the evening.

Spring Garden Workshops at Corliss with Deb Lambert

DETAILS: 
Spring Semester of “Saturday Sessions” ~ 4 classes, starting 2/23/13!

Sat. 2/23/13 ~ "Propagation 101"  The what, when, where and how of starting your own plants from seed, layering and cuttings. Increase your appreciation of this economical, absorbing phase of gardening, and reap the rewards!

Sat. 3/2/13 ~ “The Well-Armed Gardener”  Since “a little knowledge is dangerous,” we’ll provide all the basics needed to succeed with lawns, ornamentals and edibles... stressing the importance of prevention, diagnostics and clean maintenance.

Sat. 3/9/13 ~ “Your Landscape... on a Plan!”  A little armchair gardening never went amiss!  Just before the season begins, we’ll review the basic concepts of a well-designed, high-functioning home landscape and help you avoid costly mistakes and “do-overs.”

Sat. 3/16/13 ~ “Pruning the Landscape ~ A Spring Perspective”… All the in-depth info we cover in fall, including timing, techniques & tools, but with an emphasis on the earliest pruning tasks.

When: Classes are held Saturdays from 9:30-10:30 AM (Stay longer if you can!) *

Where: Here in our on-site classroom, at Corliss Bros Garden Center & Nursery / 31 Essex Road (Rte. 133) / Ipswich, MA 01938.

Who:  OPEN ENROLLMENT, this time 'round.  All new and returning students will be enrolled on a "first come, first served" basis, so register as soon as you know our garden classes will fit into your busy Saturday schedule. **  Initial enrollment, after last week's first announcement, is strong.  Weekly updates, as long as spaces remain, will keep you abreast of enrollment status.  Don't wait too long!  

Registration: Reservations are required, as class size is limited.  To reserve a place in any, or all, of our FREE spring workshops, call 978-356-5422 or drop by the store.  Best way?   Email your info, preferred class/classes and number of attendees to gardenauthor1@verizon.net    

Instructor: Deb Lambert


* Classes are interactive and lively, so we often run over the 10:30 mark.  Beyond this, there is an opportunity to stay “after school” for more individual advice, from myself and members of our knowledgeable staff.

** If you find you cannot attend after enrolling for any of these classes, please drop me an email notice.  This way, any students on our waiting list may attend.

As always, our garden workshops are geared toward expanding the knowledge base of both seasoned and beginning fellow gardeners, while sharing traditional methods and new technologies.  Become the best “green” gardener you can be, as we strive to green up the North Shore, one yard at a time, always exploring the most environmentally sensitive options….. See you in class! ~ Deb

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