Long Island Horticultural Society
October News & Notes
President's Message...
We are off to a great start, which I hope and expect will set the tone for the entire year! Our September 22 meeting was attended by more than 80 members and guests, which is the biggest crowd we've had in quite some time. Even more important than the numbers, was the feeling of energy, enthusiasm and good will that permeated the room!
There was a lot going on:
We welcomed many New Members, we heard from an Interesting and engaging Speaker on the important topic of Native Plants, and there were Informative presentations by Committee Chairs and Trip Coordinators. We visited an overflowing Raffle Table, a beautiful Horticultural/Botanical Arts Competition; and a magnificent Greenery Boutique display; as well as Educational Displays about our LIHS 90th Anniversary Celebration and about Native Plants.
And of course we socialized with old and new friends and fellow-gardeners during our "Coffee and Conversation" time. Whew!
Not only were the various displays wonderful to browse, but several (Raffle, Greenery Boutique, pre-ordered flower-presses) contributed to raising funds for our Scholarship Fund and our Operating Budget. Just as a reminder, our annual Horticultural Scholarship awards $3000 to assist a Horticultural student in preparing for a career as a professional horticulturist, and this is a significant fulfilment of our role as an Educational Organization. Our Operating Budget allows us to engage the highest level of professional speakers, and provides the funds for our wonderful December Holiday Party, among other activities.
I especially want to direct your attention to the work of our various committees. You heard from the committee chairs and this Newsletter contains follow-up articles by the Outreach and Historical Chairs. Big, exciting things are happening "behind the scenes" to increase our membership, raise funds, provide travel opportunities, educate the larger community about our organization, and enlighten ourselves and others about the History and Importance of LIHS!
As a final note, I am sensing a high degree of interest, involvement, and willingness to take on various tasks both large and small, by both long-time and newer members. As an organization, we can only be as good as our membership, and that is why I am so optimistic about our future, both short- and long-term.
Thank you all!
-Ronnie Branczio
Greenery Boutique
Images © Stuart Germain & Ann Wetzel
The Greenery Boutique Committee: Marge Duryea, Priscilla Bauerschmidt. Barbara Hanft, Barbara Friedank, Created some fantastic displays for members to purchase at the September meeting.
Proceeds from the sale of these arrangements goes to support our organization. Great Job Ladies!
Check out our Facebook Page:
We also have a Facebook group where you can post phots of your garden and interact with other members: LIHS Facebook Group
October 13 Meeting
Doors open at 12:30pm
Place Horticultural Competition entries by 1pm
Horticultural Judging from 1pm to 1:30 pm
1:30 - 2pm LIHS Business and Announcements
Speaker starts at 2pm
After speaker presentation concludes- Raffles & Refreshments.
Please consider donating
refreshments to the hospitality table.
2025 LIHS Board of Directors
SLATE OF OFFICERS
President: Ronnie Brancazio
1st Vice-President: Ann Wetzel
2nd Vice-President: Kathy Readinger
Treasurer: Maria Hoffman, Recording Secretary: Margaret Duryea, Corresponding Secretary: Connie Knies
Membership Secretary: Pat Martin.
Directors:
Directors: Term 2022-2025: Carlos Taborda, Eileen Anders, Leve Hajdu. Directors Term 2023-2026: Patty Jarrett, Open Seat, Diane Garvey. Directors Term 2021-2024: Barbara Hanft, JoAnn Semeraro, Jenny Holmes.
THANK YOU to everyone who volunteered to serve on our Board of Directors!
Help Us Grow!
At the last meeting, the Publicity/Outreach Committee introduced two new programs which we hope, with your participation, will increase our LIHS membership to its pre-covid level, and beyond.
The first is the "Hi, Neighbor" program. In our own neighborhood, we have all admired those properties that show the owners' interest and talent for gardening, and wondered how we could introduce them to LIHS. Our new program provides the means to do that. We have a brand new 2-page flyer highlighting the many benefits and activities of LIHS, plus a sample "Hi, Neighbor" note. Simply copy the note (or write your own), attach it to the flyer, and place in your neighbor's mail box (or put in an envelope and mail it instead.)
The second is the "Community Bulletin Board" program. We have converted our new flyer to a single page Poster as another way for you to help us get the word out. Look for community bulletin boards in your local library, supermarkets, car wash waiting areas, houses of worship, etc. Just be sure to ask permission. The poster, with a stand, can also be used at local events such as fairs, flea markets, farmer's markets, etc.
Additional copies of these materials will be available at the October meeting, but if you'd like to get started now, or have run out of the copies you picked up at the last meeting, here are links to each of the items so you can download and print your own copies.
-BARBARA LOECHNER
Welcome New Members
Joy Adams
Reese and Mickey Michaels
Marty and Marcia Nyear
From the editor....
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This past summer I went back to a local garden I hadn't visited since my childhood; Baileys Arboretum in Bayville, NY.
I grew up in Glen Cove, NY and I went on many school field trip to Baileys. What does it look like now more than 20 years later? It is a more naturalistic type of Arboretum than say Planting Fields or Bayard. The big claim to fame of Bailey's is they have one of the original and the largest Dawn Redwoods on Long Island. Which is definitely something to see! The pond is also a quiet beautiful place to go and relax.
I have to say though I did miss the pretty garden beds and boarders I have become accustomed to seeing at botanical gardens and arboretums. They are working on a "new" garden area it looks like a type of xeriscape planting near the parking lot.
-Ann Wetzel
Please click on the slideshow to open up larger photos.
Also Check out the Gardener Calendar​ and learn how to bring your houseplants indoors and how to over winter tender summer bulbs
September Horticultural Competition
Horticultural
​Best in Show Andrea Gibson C8c Arrangement Celosia, Dahlia, Zinnia
1st Place Barbara Levine C9b Arrangement Aster, Mist Flower, Goldenrod
Botanical Arts
​1st Place Patricia Martin Q44 Water Lily Photograph
1st Place: Courtney Quinn Q46 Pressed Flowers, Violets
1st Place Ronnie Brancazio Q45 Dogwood Watercolor
C8c Arrangement Celosia, Dahlia, Zinnia
Q45 Dogwood Watercolor
F17 Dahlia Assortment
C8c Arrangement Celosia, Dahlia, Zinnia
The Cookie List
Toni Cabat
Many years ago, at our first meeting of LIHORT, it was announced that the cookie list was going around the room and to sign up if you want to. No one really explained what the Cookie List was since appears all the members knew, but we thought what could be bad about a Cookie List? We loved everything about cookies, even Fig Newtons! It was not until the next monthly newsletter came out where we read that we were to bring cookies to the following month's meeting.
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That was the beginning of our monthly contribution to what has evolved into the Refreshment Hour. It expanded from just cookies to sweets and savory and meeting so many dietary restrictions and desires: kosher, gluten free, protein, diabetic, raw, and high fiber. A big leap was when Chris Douglas brought in her home-made deviled eggs, then the savory, non-sweets started to come in..... Continue reading here
Successive Daffodil Blooms
Ann Wetzel
My Daffodils start blooming in late February and bloom straight through to early May. Learn the different cutivars you can use to get 3 months of color. Daffodils are easy care-free plants that critters do not eat...Continue reading here
Autumn Garden Refresh
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Swap out warm-season annuals with cool-loving pansies and ornamental cabbages and kales.
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In cold-winter areas, protect your pansies or violas with pine boughs when the temperatures drop and they begin to fade; they may survive the winter to return in the spring for an early flush of blooms.
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When the ground nears freezing, plant spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips in the vacant spots left by discarded annuals.
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Autumn is a great time to plant perennials and come spring you will be ahead of the game for planting.
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Pot up tender perennials or annuals you want to save. On warm days, tuck the planted pots into the garden to fill empty spots and on cooler nights, stash them in the garage for protection. Once winter comes, bring the perennials indoors for overwintering.
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Plan ahead: Before it gets too cold, scout out trees and shrubs from which you can take cuttings for winter container gardens and home decorating.
Thank you to Maureen Wawrzonek for the Hospitality Table Centerpiece.
Donations to the Hospitality Table: Dale & Suzan Goldstein, JoAnn Semeraro, Toni & Stuart Germain, Ann Wetzel, Laura Weill, Patty Jarrett & Leonard Aberman, Courtney Quinn, Sharon Rubin, Chris Douglas, Judy Basse, Rosemarie Papayanopulos
Donations to the Raffle Table: Kathryn Taborda, Barbara Hanft, David & Rosemarie Papayanopulos, Russ Gorog, Ann Wetzel, Laura Weill, Bina Chatterjee, Patty Jarrett, Joan McGillicuddy, Andrea Gibson, Toni & Stuart Germain, Jewel Weinstein,Patricia Voll, Leve Hajdu, Mary Jane Behrenfeld, Mary Burke
Donation Form
We have a new Donation Form here on the website. LIHS has big, exciting plans for the coming year, but don't have sufficient funds to carry them all out. We will be planning interesting fund-raising activities in the future, and member Donations are one way that members can help out as we expand and innovate.
With the new Donation Form you can make a donation to the LIHS Scholarship Fund, which funds our scholarship award given to a Long Island student studying horticulture or to the LIHS General Fund, which funds all the activities LIHS engages in including our interesting monthly speakers.
You can make a donation in honor of a friend or loved one in celebration or memorial.
Contributors will be acknowledged in the newsletter unless they decline via the form.
Please fill out your information and print out the form and either bring it with you to a meeting or mail it to our treasurer, Maria Hoffman.
A LAZY GARDENER'S GUIDE TO AUTUMN
Ronnie Brancazio
There was a time when I actually took gardening advice very seriously, especially the instructions about what chores to do in the garden during each season. That was when I was in a "developmental stage" called YOUNG! Well, as with everything else in life, I am now in a stage where the key word is COMPROMISE! And that's on a good day. Other key words are MAYBE LATER and YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING.
My better self does pretty much adhere to the Spring TO-DO list, because it involves lots of planning, shopping, and having fun, and I have energy stored up from winter.
I also try to keep up with the Early Summer Chore List, mainly because everything looks beautiful, it's not too hot, and the mosquitoes haven't arrived in force. Also because it's pretty easy - water, feed, deadhead, and take lots of photos!...Continue reading here
September 22 Meeting Recap
Thank you to everyone who donated - the raffle table was packed!
Donating Hybrid Squash/Pumpkin to the raffle table
Donating Hybrid Squash/Pumpkin to the raffle table
Reliable Tulips?
Ann Wetzel
Is there Really such a thing? The answer is yes.
Hybrid tulips dazzle winter-weary gardeners in spring, but many decline (or disappear) after their first year. But there’s an easier route: try species tulips.
These bulbs are less showy than the hybrids, but they bloom earlier and they are more apt to come back year after year without special treatment. They’ll often increase on their own, too. Just provide them full to part sun and well-drained soil....Continue Reading here
Membership Form
Dues for membership are:
Single $35, Household: $45, Student $5
Please fill out the Membership Form here on the website, when renewing or joining. Just type your information into the form and print it out. Bring it with your dues to a meeting or mail it to the address on the bottom of the form.
LIHS Historical Committee
Pictured right to left: Carlos Taborda, Jenny Holmes, Ronnie Brancazio, Diane Garvey, Barbra Levine
Our mission is to research, document, and preserve the rich history and cultural heritage of our organization. By fostering a deeper understanding of our past, the committee seeks to educate, inspire, and connect current and future generations with the legacy that has shaped our identity. Through collaboration, archival efforts, and public engagement, the History Committee aims to ensure that our history is accurately represented, widely accessible, and cherished by all.
2025 LIHS Scholarship Application
The Long Island Horticultural Society, founded in 1934, promotes the study of horticulture on Long Island by helping to further the education of worthy students planning a career in the field. Every year the organization offers the Long Island Horticultural Society Scholarship for Horticultural Studies to honor the commitment of our organization to furthering horticultural education for Long Island students.
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The Society will offer a $3,000 award in 2025.
Applications will be accepted between September 1, 2024 to December 20, 2024. The winner will be notified by January 31, 2025 and the scholarship will be awarded at the LIHS March 9, 2025 Meeting
If anyone knows a Long Island student that could benefit please direct them to the application page here on our website: https://www.lihort.org/scholarship​​
Cook's Corner
This month's recipe comes
from Janet Tafuro, Pumpkin Cheesecake
Perennials That Deer Avoid in the Garden
Bleeding hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis; USDA Zones 3–9) may be old-fashioned, but they're a great choice if you have deer problems. The common bleeding heart is beautiful, although it goes dormant in summer, so it will need companions that can fill the gap. Also resistant to rabbits and squirrels.
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Catmint (Nepeta), proves true to its name with minty-scented foliage. The fragrance is an excellent defense against deer...Continue reading here
LIHS Bus Trips
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Longwood Gardens Christmas November 23, 2024
Those who are interested in going you can either call or register via their website.
Simply go to www.hamptonjitney.com copy & paste into your browser.
Click on Longwood Gardens Christmas 11/23/24
Add to cart and follow the prompts.
Please note that most of us will be boarding the Huntington (Melville) location. You can also purchase or add insurance for a small fee if you like.
In the notes section, please indicate you are with LIHS and are with
JoAnn Semeraro’s group this way we can all be on the same bus.
If you prefer, you can call Hampton Jitney @ 631-283-4600 and book this trip over the phone.
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The Philadelphia Flower Show March 1, 2025
This trip is with Prime-Time Travel. You can call them @631-286-7329. There isn’t a separate bus for LIHS. It’s first come, first serve.
Both these trips sell out quickly so if you really want to go, I would book it sooner than later.
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Portugal Trip
We still have room for this trip, and unlike previous trips we can have enough people to fill a bus for the tours. If you missed the September meeting and sign-up sheet, no worries, you can come to the October meeting and put your information on another sign-up sheet.
Please note that registration will be done via our own destinated webpage with all the details at a later date. Those with their deposits in first will be included in this trip. So please make sure you check your emails within this month or next.
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