Stone in the Garden

Presenter: Andrew Pighills

Explore the myriad of ways in which structure is created in the landscape using natural stone. Andrew Pighills will share where to place stone and which material to use when creating contrast or harmony in the garden. His firm, English Gardens & Landscaping, creates and installs award-winning residential garden designs and landscapes that evoke the abundant color and luxuriant verdure of English and European gardens. They design landscapes that incorporate natural stonework and plantings tailored to the clients’ architecture, environment, and lifestyle.

 Bio: Andrew Pighills

Transplanted from Yorkshire, England, Andrew Pighills received his formal horticulture training with the Royal Horticultural Society and has completed stone building apprenticeships with master stone artisans in the Yorkshire Dales, including certification with the Drystone Walling Association of Great Britain.

With many years of experience in creating gardens and constructing traditional stone structures in his native England, he has built a loyal clientele of both private and public clients in the USA and England.

Members only event - Not open to the Public

Members, join us for our annual Easton Garden Club welcome back picnic. Last year’s picnic was such a success and Karen has graciously offered to host us once again! It's time for us to reconnect with old friends and meet new members. Bring a chair, stroll around Karen’s beautiful gardens, and share a story or two about your garden's pleasures and challenges. We will have our first general meeting at which time we will introduce our new board members, welcome new members, reveal the program line-up and highlight the club's projects for 2025-26. Look out for an evite from Susan and RSVP as requested.

Happy Summer! The Easton Farm Tour is scheduled for Saturday August 9th.  Our club participates by helping youngsters plant sunflowers to take home. This takes place at Samuel Staples from 10:00 - 2:00 pm.  Abby Le Page is leading this effort and is looking for some volunteers to help.  If you can donate an hour or two or more, please reach out to Abby.

 Also Abby is collecting small pots for planting- 3"x 3" (about 4" deep).  If you  have any such pots you can drop them off at her mailbox

Conservation Committee - Year-round Mobile Sensory Garden Project. Contact Jean Stetz-Puchalski for more information. Learn more about this project: https://www.eastongardenclubofct.org/egc-conservation-sensory-garden-carts-easton-library

Member only event

Annual Spring Luncheon and Meeting

Join us at Margherita Aloi's Tuscan-themed restaurant as we celebrate another year of growing through learning and collaboration in our community projects. This is our opportunity to thank our Board, committee chairs and all those who contribute to the vitality of our club. At this time, we will present our Board and Chairs for 2025-26 and announce summer events and activities available to enrich our knowledge and engage us as gardeners.

• Bring a Stem for the Presidential Bouquet! Each member is invited to please bring a blooming stem to fill the vase for the bouquet for our President.

• You will receive an online invitation in May to which you must RSVP by June 2, 2024.

• Fee for the luncheon $35. Click this link to register and pay for our Annual Spring Luncheon or bring a check for fee with you to the event. Questions? Contact Susan Slagle

Garden Mart Plant Sale 2025 - Open to the Public

Saturday, May 10th - 9 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Join us on the Easton Firehouse Green for our annual Garden Mart Plant Sale featuring member-grown perennials, colorful annuals, Certified Organic herbs for sale. Conservation & Master Gardener Booth, vendors, and more! Cash & Carry.

EGC General Meeting followed by Presentation

Presentation is Open to the Public at 12:00 PM

From a plant's perspective, gardening is about meeting essential its physiological needs to ensure growth and health. As gardeners we sometimes don’t stop to think about exactly what that means. There is much information available on gardening but often it addresses the how but not the why.

This 2-part lecture series will take a step back explore what exactly plants are doing and how our gardening practices can help them be successful. This series will explore the physical structure of plants, from the cellular level to the roots and shoots. Then on to plant physiology which focuses on processes within plants, such as nutrient and water intake, growth, interaction with their environment. And lastly, based on this knowledge, we reassess how we plant, feed, water, prune, propagate and protect the plants in our garden.

Speaker: Renee Marsh Renée Marsh is a garden designer, an advanced master gardener and a horticulturist (aka a plant nut). She believes our gardens should be a healthy ecosystem where people, plants, animals and insects are in balance. Doing it right means fewer chemicals, less maintenance and more enjoyment. She is the owner of a gardening design business, A Simpler Place. For a number of years she was also co-owner of a horticulture and cut flower business, Hilltop Blooms. For five years she was the Head Gardener for the Town of Monroe where she designed and managed gardens at the parks and town buildings. She teaches gardening classes for the New York Botanical Garden and writes on gardening topics for local publications.

EGC General Meeting followed by presentation

Open to the Public at 7:00 PM

Light Pollution and Its Impacts on Our Green Spaces We are experiencing an exponential increase in light pollution in Connecticut with impacts on our birds, insects, bats, amphibians, bats, pollinators, plants, and our own health. Another staggering cost is the wasted energy and increase of our carbon footprint. Light Pollution will work against our efforts to create healthy habitat for wildlife and humans in our land trusts, parks, pollinator gardens, and open spaces. This presentation will focus on the impacts and mitigation of light pollution.

Speaker: Craig Repasz Craig Repasz is a co-founder and Chair of Lights Out Connecticut. He also serves as the President of the Friends of Stewart B McKinney NWR, an organization devoted to supporting this important refuge. He was president of the New Haven Bird Club and the conservation chair of the Connecticut Ornithological Association. He has been the volunteer coordinator for the Connecticut Bird Atlas for six years. He is the administrator for the Big Sit! an internation birding event. He enjoys backpacking and conducts Mountain Birdwatch surveys for the Vermont Center of Eco studies, focusing on the Bicknell’s Thrush and other high elevation species.

EGC General Meeting followed by Presentation

Presentation is Open to the Public at 12:00 PM

Ecological Gardening and Companion Planting: In this talk on Ecological Gardening & Companion Planting, Charlie will talk about ways to build the soil without harming soil creatures. He will also discuss cover cropping and companion planting as ways to grow plants with less work. Whether you’re a beginning veggie and flower gardener or an experienced one, there will be something for everyone in this program. The program will include topics such as: how to build soil health without turning or tilling; ways to increase soil fertility with cover crops; new scientific-based research on companion planting; and ways to lure and establish beneficial insects in your garden. Charlie will also give examples of companion planting techniques for pest control and companion planting techniques for disease and weed control.

Speaker: Charlie Nardozzi Charlie Nardozzi is a Regional Emmy® award winning, nationally recognized garden writer, speaker, radio, and television personality. He has worked for more than 30 years bringing expert gardening information to home gardeners through radio, television, talks, tours, online, and the printed page. Charlie delights in making gardening information simple, easy, fun and accessible to everyone.

Winter Seed Sowing Workshop - Open to the Public - Registration Required

Join the members of the Easton Garden Club Conservation committee for the Annual Easton Pollinator Pathway Winter Seed Sowing Workshop at the Easton Library Community Room. This hands on workshop is open to the public and is family friendly. Come and learn about native ecotype seeds and come away with a winter seed sowing jug planted by you during this workshop. Admission: free. Registration Required. Registration closes 2/7 at noon.

• When: Saturday, February 8 from 10:00 to 12:00PM

• Where: Easton Library Community Room, Easton, CT

• What: Lively discussion and hands on seed sowing workshop

• Supplies we provide: 1 gallon jug, soil mix, and native seeds for winter sowing, jug, plant markers and pens

• Supplies to bring: gloves, large spoon or hand trowel, apron (if you desire) as we are working with soil. a facemask (if you desire). Feel free to bring additional jugs or clear plastic bottles and any annual or native seeds you would like to try sowing in addition to the jugs and seeds we will be providing. Be sure to bring information about the seeds you bring along so we may help you with planting instructions.

Weather status: Clear. Workshop is a go!

EGC General Meeting followed by Presentation

Presentation is Open to the Public at 12:00 PM

Supporting Connecticut Flora and Fauna: Veronica Swain will speak on our supporting our local Flora and Fauna from her vast experience and knowledge as Director of Nature Education and Conservation at EarthPlace. She will address such questions as: What do amphibians, reptiles, and birds have in common? She will talk about how these animals rely on plants, especially native plants, in order to exist. You will also meet salamanders, turtles, and birds of prey and learn how our gardens can help support local wildlife

Speaker: Veronica Swain. Veronica Swain is the Director of Nature Education and Conservation at Earthplace in Westport. A native plant enthusiast, Veronica has trained in invasive plant removal and native plant restoration at Scalzi River Walk Nature Preserve, Connecticut Audubon, and with local experts on the Earthplace property. Before her decade of working at Earthplace, Veronica performed as a naturalist with Connecticut Audubon for two years, leading groups on trail walks and introducing audiences to native birds of prey. Veronica studied Environmental Education at Southern Connecticut State University, but she pins the blame for her nature-loving attitude on her wonderful grandparents who, throughout her childhood, took her hiking, camping, and snowmobiling in the wilds of Maine.

Members only event

Our holiday luncheon at club member Margherita Aloi’s stunning Tuscan style restaurant is not to be missed. Join us for good food, good company and our traditional Yankee Swap. Bring an inexpensive gift-perhaps a gardening item, holiday plant or seasonal bauble and join the hilarity as swappers make off with each other’s prizes, maybe even yours!

Look for an emailed invitation with more details in November. Please note the RSVP deadline date is December 5, 2024. Luncheon Fee: $35 Click here to pay via our secure website payment portal: https://www.eastongardenclubofct.org/egc-payment-portal/p/holiday-luncheon-december-11-2024 or contact Carol to pay by check.

Wreath & Poinsettia Sale - Order Pickup Day! Rain or Shine!

Our team will have your order ready in the Easton Library Community Room located at 691 Morehouse Road, Easton, CT. Come on in and enjoy a hot cider and treats as you pick up your order.

Kindly note, orders not picked up by 6pm will be donated to the community.

Contact us with questions https://www.eastongardenclubofct.org/contact-1

Members Only Workshop

Please join us for a Holiday Centerpiece workshop with Cathy Ritch. The workshop will create a mini-fir tree made from Noble fir tips (a soft gray fir from the West Coast which grows best at higher altitudes). The mini tree will be about 14" high by 8 inches wide. Cathy first saw this tree in a florist shop in Paris (where she lived for a few years) and has since made them to decorate her church altar at Christmas time. Oasis is used, so the mini tree could last for a month or so if it is kept cool, watered, and spritzed often with water. Noble fir is known for good needle retention, so even if the mini tree is allowed to dry, it is attractive. Mini decorations can be added but will not be supplied. Bring your own decorations or add them later at home. An invitation will be sent prior to the workshop and there will be a small materials fee of $25. Click here to pay your materials fee by credit card or Apple pay via our secure EGC website online payment portal .

Workshop Facilitator: Cathy Ritch. Cathy Ritch is a gardener, floral designer, instructor, and National Garden Clubs (NGC) Accredited Master Judge. Over the past ten years, she’s been involved with the annual show of the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut Inc., chairing it for three years. A longtime member of the Long Hill Garden Club of Trumbull and Creative Arrangers of Connecticut, Cathy is happiest when she can create floral designs using material from her own gardens or foraged. Cathy created and coordinated FGCCT’s Beyond Beginning Floral Design workshops for which she won a prestigious national NGC “Award of Excellence”. She’s had photos of her designs published in NGC’s Vision of Beauty and exhibited at the New Britain Museum of American Art show, “Art in Bloom”, using plant material grown in her own gardens or foraged.

EGC October General Meeting following by Presentation

Presentation is Open to the Public at 12:00 PM

From a plant's perspective, gardening is about meeting essential its physiological needs to ensure growth and health. As gardeners we sometimes don’t stop to think about exactly what that means. There is much information available on gardening but often it addresses the how, but not the why.

This 2-part lecture series will take a step back explore what exactly plants are doing and how our gardening practices can help them be successful. This series will explore the physical structure of plants, from the cellular level to the roots and shoots. Then on to plant physiology which focuses on processes within plants, such as nutrient and water intake, growth, interaction with their environment. And lastly, based on this knowledge, we reassess how we plant, feed, water, prune, propagate and protect the plants in our garden.

Speaker: Renee Marsh Renée Marsh is a garden designer, an advanced master gardener and a horticulturist (aka a plant nut). She believes our gardens should be a healthy ecosystem where people, plants, animals and insects are in balance. Doing it right means fewer chemicals, less maintenance and more enjoyment. She is the owner of a gardening design business, A Simpler Place. For a number of years she was also co-owner of a horticulture and cut flower business, Hilltop Blooms. For five years she was the Head Gardener for the Town of Monroe where she designed and managed gardens at the parks and town buildings. She teaches gardening classes for the New York Botanical Garden and writes on gardening topics for local publications

Sensory Garden Cart Debut on 9/28 at 2 PM at the Easton Public Library Back Patio

Learn more bout the Sensory Garden Cart Project

Members only event

Join us for our annual Easton Garden Club welcome back picnic at Karen’s home. Last year’s picnic was such a success and Karen has graciously offered to host us once again! It's time for us to reconnect with old friends and meet new members. Bring a chair, stroll around Karen’s beautiful gardens, and share a story or two about your garden's pleasures and challenges. We will have our first general meeting at which time we will introduce our new board members, welcome new members, reveal the program line-up and highlight the club's projects for 2024-25. RSVP through the evite Suan will send out in Early September.

The Easton Farm Tour will take place August 10th from 10 am to 2pm and Easton Garden Club member Abby LePage will lead the potting up of sunflower seedlings with kids at the Samuel Staples Elementary School Pavillon during the event. The sunflower seedlings are generously donated by Sal Gilbertie of Gilberties Organics. Volunteers welcome.

The Easton Farm Tour, sponsored by Citizens for Easton, is a free admission self-guided tour of some the many Easton farms and farm stands with participation from community partners like the Easton Garden Club. Pick up your ticket for the day’s events at Samuel Staples Elementary School Pavillon the day of the event. Abby is calling for pots — specifically more of Sal Gilbertie’s 1 pint size orange herb pots! Contact Abby or drop them at her home by Thursday before the Farm Tour.

Annual Spring Luncheon and Meeting

Members only event

Click this link to register and pay for our Annual Spring Luncheon which will be held at the beautiful IL Palio Restaurant in Shelton.  Raise a toast with your fellow members to celebrate another informative and productive year at Il Palio in Shelton, to dine on our member Margherita Aloi's delectable Tuscan fare. Learn about club projects, fundraisers, and hear how the club is doing financially. 

Fee for the luncheon $35. Click this link to register and pay for our Annual Spring Luncheon or bring a check for fee with you to the event. Questions? Contact Programs Chair, Carol Hamilton.

This free program is open to the public.

Join the Easton Garden Club Conservation committee for an Invasives Road Show, an evening of Conservation & Conversation at the Easton Library Community room on Tuesday, June 4th, from 6:00PM to 8:00PM. We’ll be serving up some fun with an old-fashioned Founder’s Day Punch and light refreshments. Gather round the punch bowl and ask your questions about invasive plants in the landscape:

• We’ll swap stories about invasives, featuring the top 10 most often found in Easton

• Live samples, resources, and fact sheets for ID of invasives and what to look for at each stage of growth

• Learn about the impact invasive plants have in our gardens and landscapes!

Registration is required. Click here to register: https://www.eastongardenclubofct.org/egc-payment-portal/p/conservation-invasive-plant-workshop-june-4

Join us for an hour-long tour of Bartlett Arboretum during their peak bloom season. Bring a lunch and linger to enjoy the hiking trails. Contact Carol Hamilton for more details, including carpooling information.

Program:

Doors open to the public at 12:30PM

Kathy Connolly, Landscape designer and horticultural consultant will share the latest thinking on invasive species management.  If you've been overrun with knotweed, barberry or bittersweet, or just hear them knocking at your gates, this session is a must.  

Program:

Doors open to the public at 12:30PM

Donna Katsuranis, an Advanced Master Gardener and lecturer, and founder of the Brookfield Kiwanis Giving Garden will bring us the latest on vegetable gardening.   Whether you're an old hand at veggies or a newcomer, Donna will have some advice for you.  

Join the members of the Easton Garden Club Conservation committee for the Annual Easton Pollinator Pathway Winter Seed Sowing Workshop at the Easton Library Community Room. This hands-on workshop is open to the public and is family friendly. Come and learn about native ecotype seeds and come away with a winter seed sowing jug of ecotypes natives, as well as some annuals planted by you during this workshop. Admission: free. Registration required: Click here to complete the registration process to reserve your seat in the workshop. Registration closes Friday, March 1

• When: March 3, 2024, from 10:00 to 12:00PM

• Where: Easton Library Community Room, Easton, CT

• What: Hands-on Seed Sowing Workshop

• Supplies we provide: 1 gallon milk jug, sowing materials, and seeds.

• Supplies we ask you to bring with you: gloves, large spoon or hand trowel, apron (if you desire) as we are working with soil. a facemask (if you desire). You will be planting 2 jugs - one to take home and one to leave for community gardens. You are invited to bring extra gallon milk jugs (washed out please), milkweed or other native seeds you would like to try sowing in addition to the jug and seeds we will be providing. Be sure to bring information about the seeds you bring along so we may help you with planting instructions.

Program:

Doors open to the public at 12:30PM

David Brant, President of the Aspetuck Land Trust will speak to us about this local organization's contributions to the health and preservation of local landscapes.  "Green Corridor and Beyond..." David was recommended by two of our members who also belong to the Trust.