
For over 100 years, the Washington Garden Club of Washington, Connecticut has developed the knowledge and love of gardening, enhanced the natural beauty of our community through civic plantings, and promoted the conservation of our natural resources. WGC has been a member of the prestigious and influential Garden Club of America since 1917 and the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut since 1972.
Club Prepares to Host
Zone II Meeting in 2017

The Garden Club of America's Annual Zone II meeting in 2017 will be hosted by the Washington Garden Club, and planning is already underway. Barbara Blake and Susie Magee have agreed to be co-chairs of the meeting. This dynamic duo has been responsible for producing some of the Club's most successful events, including the Pick of the Crop fundraiser in 2012 and the Centennial Birthday Party in 2014.
The Garden Club of America is comprised of twelve geographic zones across the United States. Zone II consists of twenty GCA clubs in Connecticut and Rhode Island. The purpose of the zone meeting is to keep individual clubs abreast of national and regional trends and issues related to the GCA's mission. Each club sends its President and one delegate, and the GCA sends certain of its regional and national leaders. In all, there are some 90 guests.
The Garden Club of America is comprised of twelve geographic zones across the United States. Zone II consists of twenty GCA clubs in Connecticut and Rhode Island. The purpose of the zone meeting is to keep individual clubs abreast of national and regional trends and issues related to the GCA's mission. Each club sends its President and one delegate, and the GCA sends certain of its regional and national leaders. In all, there are some 90 guests.
Each club within a Zone hosts this annual meeting on a rotating basis. The last time the Washington Garden Club hosted the Zone II meeting was in 1994. It was a great success and enjoyed by all.
Barbara Blake created the theme of the 2017 meeting: "Rock the Garden." She explained, "Rocks are so characteristic of Washington. We are surrounded by the architecture of rock walls and the natural rock-strewn beauty of our area, including the nature preserve Steep Rock and the Shepaug River (the word "shepaug" meaning "rocky" in the language of the area's early Algonquian inhabitants). In addition, rocks are a significant design element in the town's late-19th and early-20th century buildings and landscapes of famed architect Erich Rossiter, and rock gardens and outdoor sculptures abound in the area."
Members can obtain more information about the planning for this important event in the Member Content section. The complete show schedule can be found below:
Barbara Blake created the theme of the 2017 meeting: "Rock the Garden." She explained, "Rocks are so characteristic of Washington. We are surrounded by the architecture of rock walls and the natural rock-strewn beauty of our area, including the nature preserve Steep Rock and the Shepaug River (the word "shepaug" meaning "rocky" in the language of the area's early Algonquian inhabitants). In addition, rocks are a significant design element in the town's late-19th and early-20th century buildings and landscapes of famed architect Erich Rossiter, and rock gardens and outdoor sculptures abound in the area."
Members can obtain more information about the planning for this important event in the Member Content section. The complete show schedule can be found below:
Scott Tilden Book Signing![]() Club member Scott Tilden was recently featured at the Hickory Stick Bookshop in Washington, signing copies of the new book, America's Great National Forests, Wildernesses & Grasslands which he produced and edited. The book has been described as celebrating "the outdoor enthusiast’s dream bucket list." Published by Rizzoli International Publications with the U.S. Forest Service, America's Great National Forests features the thirty most notable national forests—while also celebrating more than one hundred different national forests in forty-four states—from the White Mountains of New Hampshire to the Olympics of Washington. Scott is the author or editor of numerous publications, including Architecture for Art: American Art Museums, 1938-2008; The Glory of Gardens: 2,000 Years of Writings on Garden Design; and Creating CityCenter: World-Class Architecture and the New Las Vegas.
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Scott Tilden signing books at Hickory Stick Bookshop April 2, 2016
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A Chance to Visit World Class Gardens![]() The Garden Club of America organizes garden trips both in the United States and abroad to educate members of GCA clubs in garden history and design, horticulture, and the environment. The GCA has announced its 2017 and 2018 schedule, including trips to Portugal, Sweden, Hawaii, and Scotland. Also included is a trip to Nashville, TN for those not wishing to travel far. "Each of these trips will provide a marvelous experience," said Susie Magee, Chair of our Club's Visiting Gardens Committee. "It's a great way to travel and see things you couldn't see any other way!"
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Many of the trips fill up quickly. First priority in allocating spaces is given to those who have previously expressed interest in a trip, by signing up at [email protected] and including your name, email address, GCA club and zone, and the name of the trip(s) in which you are interested. You are under no obligation by merely expressing interest. Once you are on the interest list you will also receive more detailed information about the trips, including specific itineraries and costs, as that information becomes available.
To learn more about these trips and the GCA's Visiting Gardens program, click here. |
Club Receives Education AwardOn October 28, 2015, the Washington Garden Club received an award from the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut for its "Trout in the Classroom" program in the Washington Primary School in 2014. Led by Club member Liz Peterson, the program taught children about the life cycle of trout and the related environmental issues surrounding aquatic life in the Shepaug River. The school children raised the fish from fry in their classroom during the fall and winter and then released them into the Shepaug in late spring.
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WGC 2015 Annual Meeting a Big Hit!The Club's 2015 Annual Meeting enjoyed the highest attendance in recent years, as members gathered at the Rooster Tail Inn in Warren, CT to review the past year and look ahead to the new one. Club President Sarah Jenkins closed the session by outlining her plans for a complete revitalization of the Club in the upcoming years, calling the initiative the "Second Century Project" in light of the fact that the Club is now 101 years old.
Special awards were given to Peter Bonachea for his work in building the exhibit panels for the Club Centennial History Project and Art Peterson for his work in building new floral display pedestals. Gay Vincent-Canal presented the Beatrice Hessel Horticulture Award and tray to Anne Kearney, and acknowledged a tie in the runners-up between Linda Dishy and Diana Chamberlain. In closing, Louise Van Tartwijk was given the President's Award for outstanding service to the Club as head of publicity. |
Pollinator News from the Center for Food Safety

As noted in this month's WGC Newsletter, reprinted below is a report from the Center for Food Safety (CFS) on a recent White House Task Force report on the development of a strategy to protect pollinators. CFS is a national non-profit public interest and environmental advocacy organization working to protect human health and the environment by curbing the use of harmful food production technologies and by promoting organic and other forms of sustainable agriculture. If you wish to read the White House Task Force Report, click HERE. If you wish to sign the CFS petition to the White House, it can be accessed by clicking HERE.
POLLINATOR PLAN AIMS HIGH, BUT FALLS SHORT.
The White House Pollinator Health Task Force (WHTF) has just released its strategy to address the threats to bees, monarchs and other pollinators. While the Task Force has developed positive, far reaching goals for honey bees, monarch butterflies and other pollinators, the plan is unfortunately far too weak to actually accomplish those goals.
We think the White House can do better.
The Good: The plan calls for reducing honey bee colony losses during winter to no more than 15 percent within 10 years; increasing the monarch butterfly population to 225 million butterflies in the overwintering grounds in Mexico by 2020; and restoring or enhancing 7 million acres of land for pollinators over the next 5 years.
As part of the plan, EPA will also speed up the reviews of several bee-toxic neonicotinoid pesticides and prohibit foliar sprays of acutely toxic pesticides while managed honey bees are present for pollination services. Other highlights in the WHTF strategy include the need to assess wild bee population declines and to expand pesticide risk assessments to include additional species and the long-term impacts of pesticide exposure to these species.
The Bad: While the plan focuses heavily on improving pollinator habitat, it is blind to the fact that new habitat will simply become contaminated by insecticides still heavily in use, ultimately harming pollinators. We can’t just plant more wild flowers near crop land and expect insecticides to stop being a problem. Similarly, while efforts to restore milkweed habitat for monarchs are important, without addressing the agricultural practices responsible for the eradication of milkweed, monarch populations will not rebound to resilient, healthy levels.
The Ugly: Unfortunately, the White House plan ignores several common sense solutions repeatedly put forth by CFS and our allies, which include closing loopholes in the pesticide review process, suspending the use of neonicotinoids for seed coatings, and instituting a national pesticide use reporting system.
The plan has some good steps, but it fails to recognize or in any way follow the concrete steps taken in the European Union or elsewhere to sharply reduce the risks to pollinators posed by agricultural chemicals. It is a slow, reactive plan instead of the proactive plan the pollinator crisis now demands.
Tell President Obama and the Task Force we still need take swift action on current uses of pollinator-toxic pesticides!
Sign the petition by clicking here.
Club Plants Flowering Trees at Town Hall
as Centennial Gift to Washington
On May 1, 2015, a group of members of the Club gathered in front of Bryan Memorial Town Hall to oversee the planting of three flowering crabapple trees (Malus Robinson) donated by the Club to commemorate the Club's centennial. Liz Peterson (fourth from left, above) led the project on behalf of the Club. The Club has contributed to dozens of planting and beautification projects over the past century. For a partial listing of these projects, click here.
Club Joins With Steep Rock Association in
Sponsoring Distinguished Wildflower Speaker
In early May, the Washington Garden Club and the Steep Rock Association of Washington, Connecticut, co-hosted a much anticipated presentation by well-known wildflower author and lecturer Carol Gracie. Over fifty participants listened, many of them taking notes, as Carol Gracie, who's latest book Spring Wildflowers of the Northeast: A Natural History, published by Princeton University Press in 2012, gave a beautifully illustrated presentation highlighting the fascinating life histories of some of her favorite wildflowers.
She also explained how wildflowers are much more than a delight for the eyes, as they play an important role in nature providing food for pollinators such as bees, birds, moths and butterflies, which in turn help disperse the flower's seeds. Carol Gracie's lecture was followed by a hike through Hidden Valley, one of Steep Rock's three preserves. During the hike Carol pointed out many of the ephemerals she talked about in her lecture, such as bloodroot and trilliums. She also expressed her surprise and delight at finding so many wildflowers in the area; deer have decimated the wildflower population in New York State where she lives. The Washington Garden Club celebrated its centennial last year and the Steep Rock Association, a Washington, Connecticut, land trust that spans nearly 3,000 acres, is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. Both organizations share a long history of collaboration when it comes to preservation, conservation, and educating the public about the environment. |
Club Sponsors Washington Primary School Field Trip
to the Institute for American Indian Studies
On Monday, March 23, 2015, third grade students from the Washington Primary School visited the Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS) in Washington for a field trip sponsored by the Washington Garden Club. The three-hour visit, led by IAIS education director Khalil Quotap and his education staff, introduced the students to many aspects of Native American life through a combination of history, arts and crafts creativity, games that honed hunting skills, and life lessons taught through story-telling. For decades, the Washington Garden Club has worked with the Washington schools to help further young people's understanding of the natural world through a variety of different nature-oriented educational programs. The Garden Club’s annual sponsorship of a field trip to the Institute for American Studies is just one of these programs.
The unseasonable cold and the mud created from the melting snow did not deter the Washington Primary School students as they walked through a replicated Algonkian village to learn about the construction of Native American homes, the crafting of dug-out canoes and the importance of native agricultural practices. In the Sachem’s Longhouse Classroom, students were introduced to both replicated and authentic Native artifacts, and were encouraged to compare and contrast the objects from different Native American cultural regions across North America. The exhibit Quinnetukut: Our Homeland, Our Story, taught students about Connecticut’s Native Americans and how they have changed and adapted their lifestyles during their 10,000 year history in the state.
Another highlight of the visit was the making of cornhusk dolls, a popular Native American children’s toy. Sitting around work tables in the IAIS education room, the students eagerly fashioned this simple toy, while listening intently to the story of the cornhusk doll. According to this legend, the doll's preoccupation with her beauty so angered The Creator that her punishment was to be stricken faceless. It was only then that she learned real beauty is not to be found on the outside, but comes from within. The making of the cornhusk doll also taught the students that Native Americans did not waste anything. Nothing was thrown away. Even cornhusks were put to a good and creative use.
In the IAIS Research building, the class played Native American children’s games that were both fun and exciting, and also taught necessary skills that were applicable to Native American life, specifically hunting. In the game of “sneak up” a blindfolded child was placed within the center of a circle of other children, and had a piece of bone placed at their feet. One of the students from the circle had to to sneak up and take the bone, the blindfolded child later had to guess who had taken it. This game tested a child’s ability to move silently and concentrate on using their listening skills. The class also participated in the hand-eye coordination game of “hoop and pole” where a hoop is caught on a long pole to develop an accuracy that was later useful for spear throwing.
Celebrating its 40th year anniversary this year, the IAIS welcomes 350 class trips a yearly, attracting school groups from all over Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. The Washington Garden Club has been a supporter of IAIS since its inception. The Club led the development of the native habitats trail on the Institute's grounds in the 1970s, visited by thousands, which educates the public about the importance of native plants.
Every education program is designed to give the students an understanding of the Native American past, while at the same time emphasizing that Native Americans are still very much a part of our society here today. Through programs such as the sponsoring of these field trips to the IAIS and the support of one or more camperships for kids at the IAIS in the summer, the Washington Garden Club continues to fulfill one of its primary missions - to improve and protect the environment through education and action in the community.
The unseasonable cold and the mud created from the melting snow did not deter the Washington Primary School students as they walked through a replicated Algonkian village to learn about the construction of Native American homes, the crafting of dug-out canoes and the importance of native agricultural practices. In the Sachem’s Longhouse Classroom, students were introduced to both replicated and authentic Native artifacts, and were encouraged to compare and contrast the objects from different Native American cultural regions across North America. The exhibit Quinnetukut: Our Homeland, Our Story, taught students about Connecticut’s Native Americans and how they have changed and adapted their lifestyles during their 10,000 year history in the state.
Another highlight of the visit was the making of cornhusk dolls, a popular Native American children’s toy. Sitting around work tables in the IAIS education room, the students eagerly fashioned this simple toy, while listening intently to the story of the cornhusk doll. According to this legend, the doll's preoccupation with her beauty so angered The Creator that her punishment was to be stricken faceless. It was only then that she learned real beauty is not to be found on the outside, but comes from within. The making of the cornhusk doll also taught the students that Native Americans did not waste anything. Nothing was thrown away. Even cornhusks were put to a good and creative use.
In the IAIS Research building, the class played Native American children’s games that were both fun and exciting, and also taught necessary skills that were applicable to Native American life, specifically hunting. In the game of “sneak up” a blindfolded child was placed within the center of a circle of other children, and had a piece of bone placed at their feet. One of the students from the circle had to to sneak up and take the bone, the blindfolded child later had to guess who had taken it. This game tested a child’s ability to move silently and concentrate on using their listening skills. The class also participated in the hand-eye coordination game of “hoop and pole” where a hoop is caught on a long pole to develop an accuracy that was later useful for spear throwing.
Celebrating its 40th year anniversary this year, the IAIS welcomes 350 class trips a yearly, attracting school groups from all over Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. The Washington Garden Club has been a supporter of IAIS since its inception. The Club led the development of the native habitats trail on the Institute's grounds in the 1970s, visited by thousands, which educates the public about the importance of native plants.
Every education program is designed to give the students an understanding of the Native American past, while at the same time emphasizing that Native Americans are still very much a part of our society here today. Through programs such as the sponsoring of these field trips to the IAIS and the support of one or more camperships for kids at the IAIS in the summer, the Washington Garden Club continues to fulfill one of its primary missions - to improve and protect the environment through education and action in the community.
Club Plants Paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus)
with Washington Primary School Children
Report From the Field:
Downsizing My Garden
By Gay E. Vincent-Canal, Chair, WGC Horticulture Committee
Well, it finally happened. The day arrived when my husband and I decided we were not going to downsize our house. He turned to me and said, “I guess, if we are not moving, you just have to downsize your garden instead.”
It did make sense as I am fast approaching the 8th decade of life and my husband is already there. The Garden has grown beyond my capacity to take care of it by myself. Even though I now have help, it never seems enough. Seniorizing the garden was a good idea.
So what to do?? For those who are not familiar with it, my house contained eight distinct color themed garden areas, namely, the Hot Border, the Courtyard Garden, the Pink Ribbon Border, the Rock Garden, the Herb Garden, the Barn Garden, the Back Shrub Border and the Lower Front Natural Border. All were carved out of unusually difficult Connecticut rocky clay soil and a challenging terrain (a mountain goat would be at home).
The Hot Border greets you as you arrive up the driveway on the left and before the barn. A mass of colour about 75 ft. long and 50 ft. wide tapering to a point similar to a giant triangle…Full of Daylilies (deer heaven), Cannas …Dahlias and tropical plants, etc. …Very labour intensive.
The Daylilies were the first to go. Last year we dug up about 800 plants, now distributed around Washington and the surrounding area. I did visit some of them this year and the relief when I saw deer damage and knew it was “not my problem” was palpable. That also goes for all the work to properly winter over the Dahlias, Cannas, etc.
The Hot Border is now being replaced by what I call a “C.O.G.” (Contemporary Oriental Garden). We started with a young man, his machine and his dog named Finnegan to “Sculpture the Border”. This crew artistically placed large rocks in groups and mounded soil …to so create the desired look. The planting started with a lovely weeping Carpinus betulus(partnered with Charlie and Barbara Robinson as a very generous 50th wedding anniversary present) and followed by a very tipsy “Uncle Foggy” pine and various sedum and low grasses in a ”Pave” manner with colours interwoven with low- growing conifers.
It was just beginning to take shape. Then Murphy’s Law kicked in!! ….I noticed some little treasures, Abies koreana ‘Cis’, slowly turning brown, as did some of the low grasses. It turns out they had too much water. It seems the former plantings in the Hot Border were very densely packed and soaked up water like sponges. So, up came the “Pave” plants (otherwise a flotation device would become essential for them to survive)!!
Our young man, his machine and Finnegan dug a series of trenches around the barn and through the lower part of the Hot Border. In went feet upon feet of drainage pipes and trap rock. To improve the soil and make it more friable, sand was added. Voila!! Problem solved and replanting of the “Pave” commenced!!
In the meantime, two smaller gardens, the Barn Garden and the Courtyard Garden, departed. Replaced in one case with Boxwood Hedges (not a total success) and the other by a Weeping Mulberry tree and ground cover in a mixed tapestry concept (at least that’s the idea). The latter is still filling in at the moment.
This winter we aim to remove old overgrown shrubs in the Back Shrub Border that are past their prime and as they are species, they are very susceptible to disease. I have babied them along far too long (but you know how hard it is to part with an old friend whom you have seen through a crisis or two).
Next year we hope to finish the “C.O.G.” garden, if we can agree (husbands can be so persnickety) on the two larger oriental type trees. Then we’ll attack the Rock Garden by simplifying the type and number of its inhabitants. We have made a running start on the Pink Ribbon Border and last but not least the Herb Garden is in my sights. The lower Front Natural Border is only three years old. It is in good shape and requires low maintenance so it will stay pretty much as it is.
In the meantime, the many Pots and Containers that live on the terrace and in front of the barn have been decreased in number. I made a wonderful discovery, “One Plant Pots”…. they are easy to maintain and even easier to acquire. Just hand over your credit card and a good part of your savings account!!
Tune in next year for the next episode of D.M.G., “Downsizing My Garden.
It did make sense as I am fast approaching the 8th decade of life and my husband is already there. The Garden has grown beyond my capacity to take care of it by myself. Even though I now have help, it never seems enough. Seniorizing the garden was a good idea.
So what to do?? For those who are not familiar with it, my house contained eight distinct color themed garden areas, namely, the Hot Border, the Courtyard Garden, the Pink Ribbon Border, the Rock Garden, the Herb Garden, the Barn Garden, the Back Shrub Border and the Lower Front Natural Border. All were carved out of unusually difficult Connecticut rocky clay soil and a challenging terrain (a mountain goat would be at home).
The Hot Border greets you as you arrive up the driveway on the left and before the barn. A mass of colour about 75 ft. long and 50 ft. wide tapering to a point similar to a giant triangle…Full of Daylilies (deer heaven), Cannas …Dahlias and tropical plants, etc. …Very labour intensive.
The Daylilies were the first to go. Last year we dug up about 800 plants, now distributed around Washington and the surrounding area. I did visit some of them this year and the relief when I saw deer damage and knew it was “not my problem” was palpable. That also goes for all the work to properly winter over the Dahlias, Cannas, etc.
The Hot Border is now being replaced by what I call a “C.O.G.” (Contemporary Oriental Garden). We started with a young man, his machine and his dog named Finnegan to “Sculpture the Border”. This crew artistically placed large rocks in groups and mounded soil …to so create the desired look. The planting started with a lovely weeping Carpinus betulus(partnered with Charlie and Barbara Robinson as a very generous 50th wedding anniversary present) and followed by a very tipsy “Uncle Foggy” pine and various sedum and low grasses in a ”Pave” manner with colours interwoven with low- growing conifers.
It was just beginning to take shape. Then Murphy’s Law kicked in!! ….I noticed some little treasures, Abies koreana ‘Cis’, slowly turning brown, as did some of the low grasses. It turns out they had too much water. It seems the former plantings in the Hot Border were very densely packed and soaked up water like sponges. So, up came the “Pave” plants (otherwise a flotation device would become essential for them to survive)!!
Our young man, his machine and Finnegan dug a series of trenches around the barn and through the lower part of the Hot Border. In went feet upon feet of drainage pipes and trap rock. To improve the soil and make it more friable, sand was added. Voila!! Problem solved and replanting of the “Pave” commenced!!
In the meantime, two smaller gardens, the Barn Garden and the Courtyard Garden, departed. Replaced in one case with Boxwood Hedges (not a total success) and the other by a Weeping Mulberry tree and ground cover in a mixed tapestry concept (at least that’s the idea). The latter is still filling in at the moment.
This winter we aim to remove old overgrown shrubs in the Back Shrub Border that are past their prime and as they are species, they are very susceptible to disease. I have babied them along far too long (but you know how hard it is to part with an old friend whom you have seen through a crisis or two).
Next year we hope to finish the “C.O.G.” garden, if we can agree (husbands can be so persnickety) on the two larger oriental type trees. Then we’ll attack the Rock Garden by simplifying the type and number of its inhabitants. We have made a running start on the Pink Ribbon Border and last but not least the Herb Garden is in my sights. The lower Front Natural Border is only three years old. It is in good shape and requires low maintenance so it will stay pretty much as it is.
In the meantime, the many Pots and Containers that live on the terrace and in front of the barn have been decreased in number. I made a wonderful discovery, “One Plant Pots”…. they are easy to maintain and even easier to acquire. Just hand over your credit card and a good part of your savings account!!
Tune in next year for the next episode of D.M.G., “Downsizing My Garden.
WGC Historic Gardens at the SmithsonianIn 1920, John Duer Scott, a well-known photographer of the era, took a series of photographs of the gardens of members of the Washington Garden Club. These were printed and hand-colored on glass lantern slides, using a process which Scott himself had patented. These slides now reside in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C., as part of the Archives of American Gardens. For a gallery view of these photographs, click here.
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WGC Battling Invasive Knotweed
The Washington Garden Club has donated $3,000 to the Town of Washington to help finance the costs of eradication of the highly invasive Japanese Knotweed. For more information, click here.