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Newsletter - January 2022


Happy New Year and as the new year begins we are happy to share our Concord Garden Club Newsletter on our new website.











CGC PROGRAM NEWS

WREATH WORKSHOP Many thanks to Robyn for organizing the Williamsburg Inspired Foraged Wreath Workshop in December with Valerie Canale. Even though this was a Zoom presentation it allowed us to do a "show and tell" of materials collected and inspired on what to collect in the future.





BARBARA JOBIN'S UPDATE ON GROWING AND HARVESTING DAHLIAS

A few days ago we just had our first plowable snow and as I watched the plow move the snow over our garden beds I was reminded in a few months the soil will unthaw and we would be planting again. After Laurel's Dahlia's Zoom presentation in the Spring of 2020, I was inspired to plant Dahlia's both in the ground and in pots. I hired Laurel to consult with planting, growing and harvesting and constantly referred to the "Discovering Dahlia" book as Roger and I became invested and addicted to Dahlias. Like new parents we anxiously waited for their first blooms, marveled at their color and shapes, and were thrilled that we still had cuttings into late September and October. This was our first experience growing Dahlia's that were not a planted by a nursery, so we anxiously awaited the first hard frost to dig and divide. Kudos to Roger who read and reread the instructions and bought tools and buckets for the process. We were amazed at how prolific the crop was and how challenging it was to divide, find the eye, and yes even discard tubulas that did not make the grade. Roger did an awesome job and Laurel was quite impressed as she inspected his work. Presently they are in containers for storage in the basement and we are rethinking our garden design, as we have more Dahlias than we ever imagined! Now, we countdown the weeks of winter and see how our tubulars survive to plant in the spring. Barbara




CGC UPCOMING PROGRAMS FOR 2021-2022 YEAR





NEW MEMBERS- BIO

MEET SYLVIA LARSEN



When we moved to Concord in 1979 our first house was mostly shaded by large oak trees. We planted an arborvitae hedge, planted perennials and enlisted Brochu Nurseries to salvage and replant a 40 yr old hydrangea tree for our front lawn. We grew our family of two children there as Bob grew his law practice and I got involved on City Council. After 14 years, and my election to the State Senate, we moved one block to our current house with much more sun , old rhododendron hedges and even more garden space. My dream of a Colonial rose garden grew there, as did more perennials, and four raised vegetable garden boxes. While my dreams of a perfect garden have yet to be realized,

I am ever grateful for my family, nearby grandchildren and this wonderful community of friends.



Art & Bloom is Alive !!! EVENT OPENS JANUARY 20th

Many Thanks to Millie & Melissa, and the League for this joint Art & Bloom Partnership. If you know any of the sponsors, please tell them how much we appreciate their support. AND special kudos to those individuals who signed up as floral designers! It can be a daunting but rewarding task, and we appreciate Millie's comment on the process (below).

​"We will see how Jeanie West’s and my arrangement turns out, but the piece we chose stood out to us right away. It is by Adele Sanborn, a wonderfully talented local artist and calligrapher. Many in the CGC may remember her from when she had her shop, CardVark, on Main Street. Her piece is titled “Amanda,” after Amanda Gorman, the young Poet Laureate at last year’s inauguration, and has a line from that poem.

Jeanie and I hope to mirror the brilliant colors and celebratory shapes in Adele’s piece, and will do our best to help people recognize the light Amanda refers to in the lines quoted from her inauguration poem. We found a vessel we both thought echoed other elements in the piece. We’re hoping it comes together as we imagine it should!"





CGC 50TH ANNIVERSARY.....A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY

Part 2: Lauren has summarized the following after reviewing Mrs. John Archer's CGC notes of the 50's and 60's (Refer to the last newsletter for Part 1: summary of the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s)

​The 50’s brought along changes. House and garden tours were held as well as flower shows. Proceeds from these projects were used for our beautification programs. We were learning the correct approach to flower arranging by way of fine lectures, instruction and workshops. At this time we did planting at the Concord Hospital and at the State House. During the 60’s we continued our scholarships to Conservation Camps, sometimes for students and sometimes for teachers. We held a Christmas and Spring Flower Show and Open House, and Garden Tour of six houses with our “Brides and Blooms” theme. Flower arrangements were made for the NH Historical Society, the Concord Library, and the Antiques Show at the Highway Hotel. We donated $500 for planting at the new Nurses’ Residence at Concord Hospital, and a like sum for planting at the NH Historical Society. A gift of money, time and consultation was given to landscape the addition to the Concord Public Library. We took charge of a project of Christmas home decorating and lighting for the Chamber of Commerce; held workshops for flower arranging; became members of the Society for the Protection of NH Forests, and continued our contribution to the United Way. To be continued ........

WEEDERS' DIGEST -- CGC MEMBERS SHARE

​From Ruth

Thought you might want to know that the Concord Public Library is having a sale of gardening books! Many of these books were recently donated and they are practically untouched, beautifully printed, really wonderful books and at bargain prices. Please stop by and check out the red cart in the Library Lobby! Spring can't be too far away and in the meantime, please stay well everyone...Ruth

From Gayle

The Little-Known Women Behind Some Well-Known Landscapes https://nyti.ms/2Hsjrkj



MESSAGE FROM OUR CO-PRESIDENTS
JOHANE AND LAUREN

​I think we all are looking forward to this years ART & BLOOM event this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It will give us a chance to see each other and introduce new members. Although everyone will be masked, it will be great to view all the flowers while our gardens are covered with snow.

We are also excited that our membership has been expanding over the past few months. We currently have 58 members and 8 associate members. New members are joining by way of word-of-mouth and through the new website, and although they are not listed in the latest hard copy of the Membership Directory, hopefully they will be online soon.



​SOCIAL MEDIA TIP

Facebook:

FYI: To see CGC on Facebook, see instructions below:





Instagram:

In above image, click on the camera icon to view CGC Public Instagram Page. Gena Cohen Moses manages this account, contact her if you have something to share.


​ We really hope this is helpful and as one member said, “This has really helped me feel like I am still in touch with the club, even though during Covid, we were not together as much.”

We look forward to seeing you all soon,

Johane and Lauren
























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