Our Programs

2025

Our programs are offered primarily for our members, and are held in conjunction with our monthly business meeting; however, anyone is welcome to attend as our guest. If an event interests you, and you would like to attend, please get in touch and we will provide location and other details including Zoom details. This enables you to choose whether you wish to come for the program only, or also for the members’ meeting.

February 18, 11: 30 am

“The Three S’s: Socializing, Sharing and Swapping”

Once again we will kick off the new gardening season with this informal meeting in which members can learn from each other. We will begin with a pot-luck lunch, so bring a table-ready dish to share. After a short business meeting, we’ll have a “potluck” of gardening tips, tricks, and favorites. Don’t be shy about sharing!

There will also be an opportunity for each committee to share their plans for an exciting 2024 as well as a swap table. If you have a duplicate catalog, gardening tool,book, houseplant or other garden-related item, bring it along. Your discard item may be a “treasure” to another gardener!

March 18 5:30 pm

All About Trees

In keeping with our yearbook theme of “Care for Our Air: Plant a Tree”, we have invited Megan Kacenski of Bartlett Tree Experts to speak on the essentials of tree care. A certified arborist with over a decade of experience, Megan’s lively presentation will cover a range of topics including basic tree care, mulch and soil care, soil and roots, watering, pruning, common tree species and their specific care requirements, native species and insect/disease management. With plenty of time allotted for Q & A, Megan will provide us with the knowledge to nurture and protect our favorite trees.

April 15, 5:30 pm

Floral Design: Tips, Tricks, Tools, Trends and Trade Secrets

We’re in for a treat as we welcome back Leah Van Ness of Montville Florist. In her bio Leah wrote, “I am a second generation florist and an unabashed flower nerd. It is important to know that should you sit next to me – I am going to talk about flowers. In depth – with lots of details – lots of stories. Oh, I should probably add that I use my hands when I talk. As I typically have a knife in my hand, I will understand if you scooch a bit farther away.” Choose your seat, fasten your seatbelt and be prepared to be thoroughly entertained and to learn new techniques from this very talented floral designer as she demonstrates her skills and creates four or five arrangements for us.

July 15, 5:30 pm

Thieves, Charlatans and James Bond: The Murky History of Our Top Ten Plants

When you put on perfume, take a drink or get medicine from a doctor, the ingredients all come from plants acquired over time by research, purchase or trade.

Correct? Not So! After spending much of his career researching the history of our most valuable, popular and important plants used for personal and commercial use, Dr. Richard Benfield has concluded that the history of our top plants is characterized by intrigue, seduction, outright theft and lots of skullduggery. In this highly interactive session covering plant origins and uses from around the world, Dr. Benfield will thrill us, make us taste and evaluate the top plants we use today and make us accomplices to the largest thefts or heists in the history of the world.

August 19, 5:30 pm

Herbs: Valuable Companions in the Garden

Leslie Evans, Director of the Avery-Copp House in New London, CT and a CT Master Gardener, will present an illustrated program focusing on the historic use of herbs in New England for medicine and cooking, as well as a discussion about their benefits in the garden as companion plants and for attracting pollinators. She will touch on some historic gardening practices that are still useful today, and provide an herb treat or two. If time allows, each member will be able to make an herbal sachet.

September 16, 11:30 am

Growing Orchids

NSGC member Tom Dziedzic has been raising orchids since 2017, and has, on several occasions, generously opened his greenhouses to our members to marvel at the some 200 orchids that he maintains. Now Tom is going to share his well-organized Powerpoint presentation with us, and provide the knowledge needed to grow and maintain healthy phaleonopsis, doritis and doritanopsis orchids.