"Into the Woods"-IGC Nature Walk- April 16th

Thanks to Scott Santino who provided us Saturday morning with a enlightening walk in the wilds of the Audubon Ipswich River Sanctuary.We enjoyed learning about and seeing nature "waking up" to a new season of life. We witnessed spotted salamander and frog eggs getting ready to hatch in a vernal pool, a unique spring habitat; walked up eskers and drumlins; and investigated "deer exclosures" and "beaver deceivers". We also observed the girdling nature of bittersweet on trees.Thank you Scott for the booklet, "A Guide to INVASIVE PLANTS in Massachusetts" which was given to each of the us at the end of the walk.

Sign up for the Friday May 13th Potluck Supper

We are looking forward to getting together after setting up for the IGC Plant Sale on Friday afternoon (about 5:30pm). This is our Annual Potluck Dinner and it is always so much fun! It will be at the Ascension Church as usual.

Here's what we have from the Annual Meeting sign-up list for the Potluck so far:

JOHANNA ZABRISKIE cookies, brownies
DIANNE FISCHBACH "SOMETHING" (obviously wonderful)
PAULA JONES grilled vegetables
MARY SMITH bars
MAUREEEN LEONARD salad
LAURIE MATSON two bottles of wine (red) (white)
SUSIE GLESSNER curry chicken salad
THERESE ARMSTRONG full bodied spinach salad


Surely there are MORE members who want to sign up and contribute. Please comment below and/or let Paige what you plan to bring.

Thanks, thanks,
Laurie Matson and Paige Mercer

Joyce Begins Planting Organic Tomatoes, Herbs, and other Veggies

Landi VanAlen helps Joyce Kippin plant seeds for her greenhouse
on Tuesday, April 5th. 

"Dear Members - Thanks so much for all of the offer to plant seeds with me and for those that helped.  We we able to fill and plant a little over 900 pots. The seedlings are all ready up and will hopefully be as good as we had last year. I keep the green house around 70 degrees all night which helps. now I am filling out the tags for the pots."   Joyce Kippin

April 14th-- seedlings are up

Watch the blog for updated photos of Joyce's greenhouse bounty. Thanks Joyce for all that you do for the annual Plant Sale!

Gardening Question

"I feel confident that I am not the only member who struggles constantly against both onion grass and worse, garlic mustard. Has anyone a solution other than digging up and sending out with trash?"  Barbara O.
 
Please send your suggestions for Barbara and many others.....

2011 Annual Meeting - April 6, 2011

Below is a summary of the Annual Meeting Agenda. Many thanks to Susie Glessner who graciously hosted the meeting at her spectacular home. Carol Williams and Paige Mercer prepared a delicious tea for all.

Just some of the many IGC members who attended the Annual Meeting at Susie Glessner's.

Carol and Paige helped make the tea special

We need your recipes!

1. President's Report - Janet expressed her thanks to all and reviewed the many events and accomplishments of the club this year. She is excited to continue her term as president for another year.

2. Welcome to our New Members -Janet introduced some very special people:
Nancy Howard, Allison Kemmerer, Connie Price, Terri Stephens, and Landi VanAlen

3. Treasurer's Report - Laurie McAleer -- 4/6/11 Checkbook balance $5,933.62

4. Committee Reports

a. Program 2011-2012- Alicia Moore-- April 16th we meet again with Scott Santino to view spring at the Audubon Sanctuary. After Arbor day and the Plant Sale, 35 are signed up to end the season with the June 11th cruise among, and ashore, the Boston Harbor islands. Thanks to Johanna Zabriskie for organizing this.

The new 2010-2011 program so far includes:

September -Supervisor of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation -"State's park lands in and around Ipswich".

October - Catherine Carney-Feldman, "Butterfly Gardens", talk and demonstration.

November- US Fish & Wildlife's scientist/expert on how deer affect the distribution of our native, often-rare, native plants.

December - "Holiday Greens Meeting"

January- Eric Josephson - "Raising Bees"

February- Fred Rice returns with "A World of Small Gardens"

March -Joyce Kippin, a 'hands-on' in her own greenhouse.

April and May - Annual Meeting and Plant Sale

May- to Tower Hill Gardens, or visit local Giant Vegetable Growers and their plants.

June - 2012's annual 'romp' will be an overnight to the garden glories of Portsmouth and around.

Many thanks to members for their suggestions. Keep them coming. Thanks also to the hostesses and coordinators of our meetings.

b. Newsletter/ Blog - Paula Jones -- Look for a June newsletter, bookmark and check the blog often for updates and news, contribute your ideas for the blog to Paula, Therese and Maureen and feel free to make your comments there.

c. Membership- Jani Gunsaulus reports we have 47 active members including 5 new members joining today.

d. Green's Meeting- Paula Jones volunteered to coordinate the event and at the meeting, Annie Pulver said she would be happy to co-chair. Dianne Fishbach will continue to organize the luncheon. Many thanks to Susie Glessner and Laura Larson who have chaired this event for many years.

e. Conservation- the committee has been re-activated under the expert guidance of Kerry Makin. Aldyth Innis, Carol Williams and and Joyce Kippin are joining Kerry to work on the club's behalf in this important area.

f.Beautification - Ann Wright needs more volunteers to help with Spring/Summer plantings of Market Square Island, Getty Station Island and improvements at Hall Haskell beds at the Visitor's Center.

g. Ross Committee- Paige Mercer, Dorcas Rice reported updates about the Washington Street project which elicited many comments. Paige and Dorcas advocated members of the club attend and voice their concerns at town meetings over the Washington Project and other upcoming projects (e.g. North Main renovation).

5. Town Wharf Project- Paige Mercer's plan for plantings and walkway was presented.

6. June 11th Boston Harbor Tour - final plans and payments

7. Library Donation - Club voted to donate a garden book to the Ipswich Library annually with the okay of the library. See this year's donated memorial books that are displayed in the library now.

8. Membership -- Club voted to keep the membership cap at 50 and to contact non-attending members to consider moving their status from "active" to "sustaining".

9. Annual Plant Sale- Laurie Matson and Laurie McAleer passed out sign-ups for "Dig Days" and Friday, May the 13th set up afternoon. Also a sign-up for the Pre Plant Sale "Potluck" dinner was circulated. Members were given postcards to send friends announcing the Plant Sale. Laurie McAleer urged members to show up for the Plant Sale. Gail Anderson is looking for donations of "antique" plants for the sale.

Congratulations to Judy Hallberg who won this year's Greenslet Competition at the annual meeting. Her spring rain boot took the prize over many other charming entries.

The Black Petunia Debuts This Season

   Petunia 'Pinstripe

by Gail Anderson 
IGC Horticulturist


Seen at the trade show "New England Grows" in Boston in early February: three new "black" petunias from Ball. Look for them in garden centers this summer.

Seems to me, you either love or hate black flowers. At a distance, they visually disappear. But I'm looking forward to combining them in containers with chartreuse, hot pink, and silver!!

Below is a link that reviews the three varieties ('Black Velvet', 'Phantom', and 'Pinstripe'). Note that they may not bloom as well for us as for the horticulturists. And if you look carefully, like many "black" flowers, there's a hint of deep purple.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2979/ 

APRIL HORT TIPS from Gail

With the long period of snow cover this winter, the spring seems a bit delayed this year. If you’re like me, you’re dying to get into the garden. This year, in particular, it pays to have patience!

–Gail Anderson, IGC Horticulturist

Workable Soil

Garden soil is ready to work, when it falls apart after you gently compress it in your hand.

Wet Lawns

Avoid walking on wet lawns. Wait until the lawn is dry enough so you cannot see your footprints. Otherwise, the soil will become compacted leaving no vital air spaces for the roots of the grass.

Do not rake wet lawns. You may damage or uproot clumps of grass. Wait until debris dries and rakes easily.

Mulch

The last official frost date in Boston is May 1^st. However, your garden may have low, cold spots and experience frost even later. Refrain from removing mulch from perennial borders or roses until mid April when perennials are beginning to show green. Lightly recover sensitive shoots, if a severe frost is forecast.

Pruning

Most corrective pruning should have been completed in March. However, with the severe damage caused by the snow, many trees and shrubs still need attention. Complete spring pruning as soon as possible and well before leaf bud break.

U Mass Extension recommends the following priorities for pruning trees and shrubs:

1. Safety 2. Plant Health 3. Aesthetics

Rose Pruning

Prune roses when your forsythia shrubs show yellow

Ornamental Grasses

Cut all ornamental grasses to the ground as soon as possible to avoid damaging new shoots. For better control of tall grasses such as Miscanthus spp., tie a “belly band” of stout twine about halfway up the foliage. Then cut with electric hedge shears. (I usually make two cuts, the first about a third of the way from the ground to reduce weight, the second a few inches above ground level.) Be sure to wear eye protection.

IGC Annual Meeting/Greenslet Cup Competition Reminder

April 6, 2011 Wednesday at 2:00 PM

Susie Glessner's House

267 Argilla Road

Donated by Ella Greenslet in 1937, this cup is awarded to the best presentation of a flower/plant arrangement on a set theme. According to Joan Cook, Ella Greenslet was an early member of the IGC. She was an avid gardener and founding member of the Herb Society of America. This year’s theme is “April Showers Bring May Flowers”. Entries are received and judged at the Annual Meeting. Last year’s winner was Laurie Matson. Who will win this charming little cup this year?

Laurie Matson encourages others to participate in the competition.

Memorial Books now in Library

The books donated by the IGC to the Ipswich Public Library in memory of Louise Johnson, Lucy Richardson and Margaret Austen are now on display.

Do check them out on the left near the entrance to the Reference Room.

"Bulbs and Blooms-Early Botanists at the Cape of Good Hope

Therese Benadé Armstrong presented the history and natural beauty of her former country, South Africa, on Tuesday, March 22nd. In her presentation "Bulbs and Blooms", Therese educated and entertained us with the exotic flora of of the Cape area--now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Therese highlighted the geography and climate of the area and the history of Dutch botanists who brought their keen interest and love of bulbs with them to Africa.

King Protea

Bouquets by Therese

Therese's lively, personal and extensively documented presentation contrasted historical maps and botanical prints with actual photos of particularly unique and beautiful sites and plants. She furnished us with stunning books of South African botanical prints and even three fresh bouquets of different varieties of the Protea flower. The King Protea is the national flower of South Africa.



Janet Craft began the meeting with a short update on the
Washington St. project and Laurie Matson began a sign-up for "Dig Days" on Sat. April 23rd, Sat. April 30th and Sun. May 1st.

Ray Morely provided hospitality at his Ipswich B & B on East Street. Thanks to Deb Blagg who hosted the meeting along with Ray.

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CAN YOU DIG IT!!!

Hello Everyone,

These are the Dig Days for the Plant Sale on May 14th:
Saturday, April 23rd (Easter is the 24th)
Saturday, April 30th
Sunday, May 1st

We are identifying the 4 or 5 likely sites.

Please tell us which days you might be able to DIG ~ usually 2 hrs. in the morning in happy packs. It's really fun for a variety of reasons, and each year we reap hundreds of beautiful plants which we need for the sale.

Thank you,
Laurie Matson and Laurie McAleer

"To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring." George Santayana

Taking a Stand on Washington St. Project

Janet Taisey Craft
62 East Street
Ipswich, MA 01938
978-356-0334 jtcraft@comcast.net

March 5, 2011

Charles Surpitski, Chairman
Board of Selectmen
Town of Ipswich
Ipswich, MA 01938

RE: Washington Street Project

Dear Mr. Surpitski,

I am writing to the Board to express my concern regarding the planning and scope of work for the Washington Street Project. Of particular concern is the planned removal of twenty (20) mature trees from the streetscape.
As President of the Ipswich Garden Club, I represent an organization that for eighty-one years has devoted its efforts to the beautification and environmental preservation of our town. The planting and preservation of trees has been an important mission of the Garden Club. In 1976, a trust was established, The Helen W. Ross Fund, for the sole purpose of purchasing, planting and maintaining trees and other plantings for the beautification of the Town of Ipswich. Since that time over a hundred trees have been planted in the town along streetscapes to enhance the beauty and provide shade.
The Washington Street Project specifies the removal of twenty trees. These are mature trees that are over thirty years old and provide a beautiful canopy and add to the aesthetic beauty of the streetscape. The plan calls for re-planting new trees. But new trees will take twenty to thirty years to mature if they survive. The survival rate for the first three- four years of streetscape trees can be as low as 10%.
I request that the Board defer final action on the Washington Street Project until alternatives can be explored to save the trees. Several members of the Ipswich Garden Club with landscape design expertise can be helpful to the town and are planning to attend your March 7th meeting. I also request that no final action be taken until the Town’s Shade Tree and Beautification Committee (of which I am a member) can review the plan and make their recommendations to the Board of Selectmen.

Cordially,


Janet Taisey Craft
President, Ipswich Garden Club
Member, Ipswich Shade Tree and Beautification Committee

Update on Washington Street

Hello Everyone,
Town Manager Robert Markel gave a presentation at our Board Meeting on Tuesday evening regarding the Washington Street Project.
Board members expressed concerns about the removal of 20 mature trees along Washington Street.  It is on the agenda this Monday, March 7th at 7pm at the Selectmen's Meeting to have a final discussion of the project. 

If any of you are concerned PLEASE try to attend and speak about the preservation of the trees.

Here is information from Alicia Moore who has been following this project with great concern:

The detailed plan is on the town's excellent website:  www.ipswichma.gov  Click on "Washington Street project" for the plan which runs to several pages, can be enlarged and examined for details.  Circles with an "X" indicate the trees which will be "X" by this time next year.  Note that a few are labeled " with owners permission". 
The water line to be replaced appears to run down the middle of the street. 
Nowhere to be seen is a glossy, architect's - style 3-D rendering hinting how Washington Street will look after this upheaval.
I understand next Monday Selectman's meeting is the final discussion of the project.  Alicia.

 I will be out of town next Monday, but I'm hoping some of you can attend and represent the Garden Club and our horticultural interests in the town.
thank you
Janet

Congratulations Therese!

Therese took the Oath of Citizenship on February 23rd!