Elm Walk on Sunday, June 9th

Identifying American Elms

Draft  of Elm Tree Survey by Kerry Mackin

Photo by Maureen Leonard

When the town lost a beautiful 200 year old elm two years ago, many people in town thought it was the end of Ipswich’s elms.  The good news is that there are still some large, beautiful elms in town and many smaller elms.    

Join Kerry Mackin of the Ipswich Garden Club for an “Elm Walk” on Sunday, June 9^th from 1-2:30 p.m.  We’ll see some of the largest elms in the downtown area, including our native American elms, several English elms and other types of elms.  We’ll also talk about Dutch Elm Disease and how residents can help the town take care of the remaining elms. 

We’ll meet at the Green Street entrance to Town Hall at 1 p.m. sharp.  Please wear comfortable shoes and bring water and anything else you might need.  The walk will take place rain or shine (but will be cancelled in the event of a thunderstorm).   

HOSTA VIRUS ALERT

by Gail Anderson, IGC Horticulturist

  It seems as if all our favorite plants are being hit with diseases! Hosta Virus X (HVX) is a relatively new disease that significantly disfigures hostas but doesn’t actually kill them. If a diseased plant is left in your garden, it can easily infect other hostas. There is no known cure other than removal. HVX only infects hostas. Symptoms including strange leaf colorations including color “bleeding,” odd stripes, etc., plus heavily crinkled leaves. Here are some tips from the Mass. Hort members’ e-newsletter Leaflet.

•    Don’t buy hostas with ANY disfiguration or discoloration. A representative of Massachusetts Horticultural Society noted infected hostas for sale in 4 of 6 nurseries visited last summer and 1 of 2 big box stores.
•    Be wary of hostas from friends and unknown sources. Keep away from established hostas for one year.
•    Wipe your tools with Clorox or Lysol wipes between each hosta that you are cutting in your garden.
•    Do not compost hosta leaves, even healthy looking ones. Put in the trash.
•    If any of your garden plants are infected, wait until the plant finishes flowering. American Hosta Society research indicates that the virus is very difficult to spread after the plant has flowered.
•    Dig out all infected plants. Dispose of in the trash, not the compost.
•    Scrub (don’t just rinse) all tools, shovels, etc. in a 10% bleach and water solution.
•    Do not plant new hostas in the former location of the infected ones.

Just in time for Mother's Day!

2013 Plant Sale--- We all agree--it was a great success!

"Hello Everyone, I received news of a very successful plant sale on route from Milano to London.  Could you hear me celebrate with you? Bravo to Connie and Joyce for their enthusiastic and superb leadership and to all Club members for their incredible work effort. Thanks to Carol Williams for organizing dig days, Susie Glessner for keeping up with the supply of Corliss dirt, to the many generous Club members for sharing their gardens, and to everyone who made this year's plant sale fun and successful.  What a terrific example of team work. Can't wait to hear all about the details of the plant sale.Welcome to Rebecca and Andrea.  You have joined an incredible group of hard working and talented women.
Take good care everyone."  Maureen L.

 "To All Members. Many, many thanks to all who made the plant sale such a success. So many talented and committed members. The plant selections were wonderful, so varied and verdant."  Joyce K

"Wow... amazing!  It was such a fun day!  I can't tell you how many people commented on how organized and enjoyable the sale was. Loved the string quartet!   By the way,  there are some plants left over (about six) that match the plants  in the Hall Haskell garden.A few hosta, forget-me-not and a lovely Epimedium.  Would someone have a little time this week to plant them in the Hall Haskell Garden?"
Deb T.


"Joyce, Connie and You did a great job.  Thanks for your hard work. Isn't it great to have a fundraiser that just grows year to year.  Many thanks to those who came up with this great idea and to all who keep perfecting the concept."  Terri S.

 "Our total for this years plant  sale is $5805.55  amazing job, super the highest $ amount yet!!" Laurie McAleer

"Yea team!!!!!!!!" Annie P.

"You are all wonderful including those who rightly called the weather.   Cheers... "  Barbara (the elder)

"Cheers to All!" Hope W.

"You all did a fantastic job - great leadership and teamwork!"  Kerry M.

"Congratulations to all of you who ran the Plant Sale and all who worked on it.  What a success!  Special kudos to Susie Winthrop for having the Plant Sale last year return to selling only plants of high quality and variety  which was continued this year,  to Joyce's knowledge and her greenhouse, to Carol Williams for organizing dig days, and  to Susie Glessner who did myriad of jobs.   Receipts of the past two years are amazing.  I'm so happy for all of you." Joan

"Congratulations to you, Joyce and Connie, for a job extremely well done!" Mitzi M.

"What a fantastic job yesterday. Don't remember ever seeing so many club members involved and working so well. And we had an enormous amount of plants, thanks to all who grew and dug. Kudos to Joyce and Connie for taking on this complicated project and for calling the weather perfectly! We're AWESOME!!!" Gail

Hello Garden Club Ladies,"Wow!  What a success!!!  It's just amazing what can be accomplished with "many hands"! Congrats Joyce & Connie!"    Diane F.

"Grrrrreat idea! Plant sale musicians!"  Alicia M.

"How cool is that?!  Exactly how it felt to be there.  Magic."  Thanks! Susie W.

"Great photo! And a Great Sale"  Jean G.

 

It's Almost Here!

Ipswich Flower Show

Ipswich Market Square welcomes Spring with a profusion of tulip blooms. Thanks to Ipswich Garden Club's Ann Wright and her Beautification Committee as well as Pieter Messelaar who donates fabulous tulip bulbs each year for our town gardens.