Greetings District 9,

Your Director is very happy to send you this report outlining your many accomplishments.

1. We have successfully completed Landscape Design School. 2. The District presented a fabulous District Flower Show ”As Time Goes By” 3. Twelve Clubs presented Flower Shows-both standard and petite. 4. Three new Blue Star Markers have been installed with two more waiting for town approval. This makes 17 in our

district now. 5. We are launching our Flower Show School in October. 6. We have established an Outreach Program designed to educate clubs on the importance of maintaining their ties

with both the Federation and the District; to develop ways to increase their membership; and to maintain a visible public presence in their communities and above all to be more active in supporting District events and meetings.

As we move forward, we need to address the problems of declining membership. We have lost two clubs for that reason and there are several more in that situation. We, as a district and as individual clubs, need to seriously address this issue.

WE ARE NOT YOU GRANDMOTHER’S FLOWER CLUB. We are an asset to our communities as environmentalists, teachers, composters, designers, communicators and the list goes on. Walk around your communities and look at all your clubs’ accomplishments. Do you really want to lose that? Or will you work as a group to actively seek new members who will carry on your club’s activities?

Please give this some serious thought. National Garden Clubs project for this year is developing Pollinator Garden for Birds, Bees, Butterflies and Bugs. There are several clubs who are actively developing plans for such gardens. Please participate. Just a reminder, please buy your milkweed plants from an organic grower. Box store plants have been sprayed with a pesticide that kill the caterpillars.

Director’s Reminders: We have three new Executive Board Members Jacqui Bergonzi Corresponding Secretary Sue Trager Recording Secretary Maureen Delano Treasurer

1. Please attend the July 17th General Meeting—Program by Jacqui Bergonzi – Bees & Butterflies - Pollinator Gardening

3. And last but not least - to ALL PRESIDENTS - please remember to organize a trifold-board to highlight your clubs one major achievement for the past year. These exhibits will be shown at the Presidents Luncheon in September. Happy Gardening Best Always, Carol Della Femina

Summer2017

UPCOMING EVENTS

JUNE 4 – 9 National Garden Week

7 11 am Ribbon Cutting – Lasdon All invited! 12 10am District Board Meeting/Lasdon 12 Talbot’s Shopping Day to Benefit 9th District 23 Newport Flower Show

JULY 10 10 am New Horizons GC What’s New in the NGC – Dee Aspros

11 10:30 am Pound Ridge GC “Inviting Birds and Pollinators into Your Garden-The Connection Between Native Plants and Wildlife” by Lynn Becker Landscape Designer, Trout Lily Garden. Pound Ridge Library 271 Westchester Avenue. Contact Anne Lyman aclyman@verizon.net for more information.

17 10 am 9th Dist. GENERAL MEETING First Congregational Church Chappaqua – Jacqui Bergonzi, speaker, “Creating A Pollinator Garden” AUGUST 8 10:30 am Pound Ridge GC “How to Improve Function, Beauty and Biodiversity in your landscape.” By Xenia D’Ambrosi NYBG certified. Workshop held offsite at Sweet Earth Co. Carpooling from Pound Ridge Library 271 Westchester Avenue. Contact Anne Lyman aclyman@verizon.net for more information.

14 10 am New Horizons GC Petite Design Workshop at Lasdon Park

25-27 New Horizons GC “Tropical Treasures” a Standard Flower Show incorporating new designs from the 2017 NGC handbook

SEPTEMBER 12 10:30 am Pound Ridge GC “The Great Healthy Yard Project” by Diane Lewis MD, Bedford Garden Club member. Pound Ridge Library 271 Westchester Avenue. Contact Anne Lyman aclyman@verizon.net for more information.

25 PRESIDENTS LUNCHEON - TBD

LASDON PARK, ARBORETUM AND

VETERAN’S MEMORIAL

June 7th at 11:00 am, Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino will hold a ribbon cutting event to highlight the grand opening of the new conservatory at Lasdon Park, Arboretum and Veterans Memorial. Refreshments will be served. June 14 Conservatory Gala – tickets available at http://www.lasdonpark.org/event/lasdon-garden-gala-tropical-treasures/ June 17 Official Public Opening www.lasdonpark.org/ JUNE 12 SHOPPING DAY TO BENEFIT THE 9TH DISTRICT

CLUB ACTIVITIES Reported by Section Chairmen

Section 1 Joan Bradley Highland GC GC of Yorktown GC of Peekskill Charlotte Spiers from the Ninth District installed the clubs new officers for the years 2017-2018. The installation took place at the Vue Restaurant located on the banks of the Hudson River. The ceremony was celebrated on May 1 with luncheon with members enjoying the day. In May our own member Dorothy Leslie presented a program entitled "Take Five" in which she demonstrated and discussed entering a collection in the horticulture division of a flower show. The following week club members participated in their annual Mother's day plant sale. In June members donated plants or arrangements to the public buildings in celebration of National Garden Week. At our regular meeting for the month of June, we enjoyed a program on Bats, Birds and Butterfly Pollinators given by Wendy Murphy from Ninth District. Brewster-Carmel The month of May was filled with many GC activities: participation in the Adult Spelling Bee, a fundraiser for the Putnam Family and Community Services; the annual plant sale, followed by planting at the numerous civic gardens in Brewster and Carmel. Members then enjoyed guided tours at Teatown Wild Flower Island and at Wave Hill. Master Gardeners presented the following programs at the GC meetings: "All About Herbs" by Janis Butler (May); "Living on the Shady Side of the Street" by Susan King (June), followed by Sue O'Brien's program "Small Space Flower Gardening" (July). There was no meeting in August, allowing members to enjoy their own gardens. Lake Mahopac Lois Chanofsky, club president and Master Gardener, opened the April meeting with “Creating a Terrarium” workshop. As usual, she was very efficient with our time and had all the essential ingredients, less the plants, all mixed together so we needed only to pour it into our containers and add the plants. She had also named each plant for us so that we could enter our terrariums into the horticulture section of our Annual Flower Show that will happen 14-17th of September. Some of us are more optimistic than others that our terrarium will be alive for that event. “ Schaefer and her husband Wally hosted the horticultural afternoon discussion, “Narcissus,” at their lovely home and gardens in Mahopac. Both are talented gardeners and wonderful hosts. One day soon we will honor Wally for all the help and kind contributions he gives willingly to our club. At the May meeting, Master Flower Show Judge Barbara Schaefer, judged four “Transparency Designs” in the “Judges Challenge.” Each design was

critiqued for the benefit of the audience before the awards were given. Members Marie Braun and Donna Reilly assisted Barbara in the discussion. It was an excellent primer for learning how to follow directions for this particular design or any chosen design. On the evening of May 11, the LMGC, hosted by the Friends of Mahopac Public Library, held a Floral Arranging Workshop. It was a huge success! 18 people attended, and went away very happy with their arrangements. Floral Arranger Donna Reilly was our awesome program presenter. You can quote me when I assure you that she could take a bunch of weeds and turn it into an interesting arrangement. Little Sprouts Gardening, a community program for ages 3-5 is being held this month in the Mahopac Public Library, one afternoon a week through the month of May. The idea was presented to the LMGC Planning Committee by President Lois Chanofsky when we were working on programs for our 2017 Yearbook in December 2016. Another Horticultural Discussion Group was held at President Chanofsky's house in May, Identifying Unknown Plants. Our Trip Chairman Challen Armstrong has provided us a wide variety of places to visit this year. There will be a trip to Gilberties Herb Farm in Westport, CT on May 16th. In June, Kathy Tuttle will be hosting an herb luncheon at her beautiful home in Mahopac. Our speaker will be Pamela Hoenig, avid gardener and cookbook editor. She will be speaking on “Flavorful Ways With herbs in the Kitchen.” All members are expected to bring dishes flavored with herbs to the event. The June horticultural discussion on “Shade Gardens.”will be held at member Wanda Finger's house. She has an exquisite woodlands garden, and has already advised everyone to bring a bag to take plants home in. New Horizons Jeanne Nelson spoke to a full house at Lasdon in March about changes in the 2017 NGC Flower Show Handbook. Judging, designs and more were clarified and some members picked up their new handbooks. FGCNY Presidents, Pat Wania (outgoing) Monica Hansen (incoming) were present. Carol Della Femina, 9th District Director was also present. All joined New Horizons for lunch following the program. In May, Erna Gundlach and Auralie Logan gave their Horticultural Specatacular program giving tips on what to enter in the horticultural section of shows and what judges look for. Check the 2017 FS Handbook for changes in horticulture scheduling for flower shows. Both members, Leah Waybright Kennell and Jeanne Nelson will be designing arrangements for the Glass Conservatory Atrium that will be on display for the Gala and public opening. ________________________________________

Section 2 Section Chair Position is OPEN Briarcliff Manor GC - Our April meeting was a workshop led by member Cindy Healey. Those present painted clay flower pots which were to be filled with plants for sale at our annual Plant Sale, held the day before Mother's Day. Recipes were collected for a cook book which Cindy is compiling. Several members decorated bird houses with plant material, suitable for display at a Standard Flower Show in an Artistic Crafts category. In May, Pam Wright, our 9th District communications disseminator, demonstrated how to create a kokedama, as well as explaining all about this Japanese art form of horticulture. Garden Therapy was held both months at the Briarcliff Manor Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing. Our annual June Pot Luck Picnic Luncheon was held at the newly restored pavilion in Law Park. Also in June members attended "Mama Mia" at the Westchester Theatre and strolled through the gardens of Martha Stewart. Chappaqua GC Section 2B Connie Marchetti Green Acres Hopp Ground Pound Ridge April: Garden Club Member and Accredited Judge Dee Aspros met with us for an informative slideshow and review of our flower show entries and judge’s card comments. We also had our annual Daffodil Bulb Sale days at a local market. Our May meeting was a timely topic on weeds and how to remove them. Our club marched in our local Memorial Day Parade. In June we had our annual “Day at the Nursery” where we assist customers and a portion of the sales benefit civic projects.

Section 3 Yvonne Avant Little Gardens of Tarrytown In early spring members participated in the Joint Meeting of the Garden Clubs of Tarrytown & Sleepy Hollow at the new Historic Hudson Valley Conference Center. Suzanne Clary, Director of the John Jay Heritage Center in Rye presented ‘The Story of a Garden’ detailing the restoration of the estate gardens. In April, the club enjoyed a delightful talk and slide show by Wendy Murphy on Butterflies, Bees, and other environmental concerns (including many fascinating honey making tips), hosted at the home of Frances Mourani. Members also attended the 9th District Annual Spring Luncheon at the Mt. Kisco Country Club, where we learned valuable tricks arranging store bought flower bouquets. May usually starts and ends with a bang and this year was no exception. We tended to the Native Plant Garden and Butterfly Garden in Neperan Park with weeding and adding fresh mulch gratefully donated by

Agro’s Landscaping. Members added more native plants and grasses, purchased at the Native Plant Center sale, adding to the overall beauty of the gardens. Also in May, three members participated in the Rockefeller Preserve Peony Festival with two arrangements, one of which received the highest bid out of all of the entries. These funds are used for the Park’s ongoing maintenance. Members also enjoyed a very nice Herb Society of America presentation by Deirdre Larkin on medieval herbs at the John Jay Homestead. Later in May at the Veteran’s Memorial in Patriots Park, members, along with the local Girl Scouts, planted the beds with colorful annuals in preparation for Memorial Day. In anticipation of having a Blue Star Memorial at the park, members have been working with Chick Galella, a Pearl Harbor survivor and Bronze Star recipient for his input. Club members looked forward to a less hectic schedule in June and five had fun at the Newport Flower Show in Rhode Island and all chilled out at the lovely summer soiree, hosted by President Kim Waddell and Greg Gall. On a more somber note, we paid our respects to one of our older members, Audrey Wheatley, who passed away in April. She and her husband, Paul, had retired to Florida many years ago. Audrey was very active in the Little Gardens and the Historical Society of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, to which we gave a donation in her memory.

Ardsley GC Starting the spring season, club members delivered Easter lilies to Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry. This has become an annual event the children look forward to having. In April craftsperson Carol Pisani presented a hands-on program on decoupage. We all learned a great deal. Carol is a wonderful teacher. In May, Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve invited our club to be part of their annual peony celebration. Three members of our club submitted arrangements to be sold the evening of the event to benefit Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve. Dinner was served under a huge white tent and the arrangements were displayed on tables covered with pink tablecloths. The event was held in the Preserve area that has the most beautiful peony plants given to the Preserve as a gift from Japan. At our annual luncheon in June, a new slate of club officers was installed and our new Year Book presented. All the members of the club will be busy keeping the new pollinator garden at the Ardsley Library free of weeds and showing off the fruits of our labor.

GC Dobbs Ferry In April we had a lecture by Howard Zar of Lyndhurst on the restoration of the gardens at this National Trust site. Our annual plant sale was in May - we had great weather and lots of fun! Also in May our guest speaker was John Hudak, a personal trainer, who helped us learn how to garden without pain. Our Senior Therapy session on May 12th had us creating spring arrangements. Our annual meeting and spring luncheon was held in June. Summer will bring visits to members’ gardens.

Parkway Gardens / Parkway Homes (PGPH) GC Members of our Garden Club met in April and disseminated a schedule of planned activities for this year. New members were invited to our May meeting and were provided with orientation materials. Also in May, two of our members participated in the Annual Peony Festival at the Rockefeller Preserve. They submitted two flora designs for the raffle. We were busy potting up perennials from our gardens and purchasing annuals and perennials for our successful plant sale that was held on June 3rd. The Flower Show Committee continued to write the schedule for our Annual Fall Flower Show. The venue and date are still being determined.

White Plains GC Section 4 Suzanne Clephane Boulder Ledge GC GC of Larchmont Ceres GC of Rye Section 5 Mary Bowles & Yolanda Gorman Morsemere GC April showers deterred the club from touring the magnificent Untermeyer Gardens. The rain however did not stop the members from holding their monthly meeting and enjoying a delicious lunch at Gianna’s restaurant in Yonkers, hosted by Shannon Daugherty and Ann Guy-Horvath. The club used their May meeting, hosted by Mary Vecchione and Dorothy Thoma, to prepare for their June flower show, entitled “Under the Big Top”. Flower Show Judge, Mary Bowles, demonstrated a sample of each of the type of designs to be presented. On June 20th the club members presented a Small Standard Flower Show entitled “Under the Big Top”. The show was held at Philipse Manor Hall in Yonkers from 1pm-4pm. The members very proudly showed “Walking the Tight Rope” stretch designs, “Send in the Clowns”, traditional or creative table designs, as well as 5x5x5 miniature designs entitled “He Flies Through the Air”.

Baychester GC

Luther Burbank GC GC of City Island Manor Club of Pelham GC of New Rochelle

NOW IT’S TOO LATE….

Yearbooks had to be mailed to Carol and Catherine by June 1st if your club was interested in participating in being judged and perhaps win an award. Checklist is at

CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL DONE… 9th District had the most club donations to Water for Sudan in the state this past year.

Grapevine Deadlines Please submit to Ass’t Editor suzy.trager@gmail.com, Editor barbaraeschaefer@gmail.com and Webmaster pam_wright@yahoo.com AUGUST 15: Club Activities for July-September AND Calendar Events for October – December NOVEMBER 1: Club Activities for October-December AND Calendar of Events for January – March

FEBRUARY 15: Club Activities for January-March AND Calendar of Events for April – June

MAY 15: Club Activities for April-June AND Calendar of Events for July - September