Our meetings are held the second Monday of each month.
Meetings are at 7 p.m., but attendees are invited to arrive
10-15 minutes early for a sweet treat and to meet members.
We begin our program at 7:00, followed by a short break
and the business meeting
Meetings will be held September through May, at Assumption
Church Hall, 27 Adams Street South, Manchester, CT. Park in
the lot behind the church and enter through the back parking
lot door. Please check
individual listings as locations and format may change.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2023
Bring a Plant, Get a Plant
Welcome back to the garden club with an old-fashioned plant
swap! Plan on bringing a nice specimen from your own
garden, or one that is purchased. Perennials are preferred,
houseplants are welcome. This meeting marks the beginning of
the new program year. In addition to a plant, please bring
a non-perishable food item for the local food pantry.
Plenty of time to get re-acquainted with our fellow
membership, and guests are welcome to attend.
OCTOBER 16, 2023
Michele MacKinnon
Bulbs: The
Bold and the Beautiful
With a little planning and a minimum of care, bulbs provide
a kaleidoscope of color and interest, indoor and out, all
year. Master Gardener
Michele MacKinnon
(Garden Advisor) from the northeast
corner of Connecticut, will share her knowledge about using
bulbs in our gardens. Her careful observation of plant and
wildlife behaviors in her own garden have inspired many
statewide residents to dig in, get dirty and enjoy their
gardens. This presentation will be the perfect time of year
to start our own bulb planning and planting!
NOVEMBER 13 , 2023
Samuel King
Composting and the Environment
Samuel King is an experienced sustainability entrepreneur
and advocate in the fields of waste, energy, and climate
change. He is a co-owner of
Blue Earth Compost in Hartford,
CT, where he works in various roles relating to the growth
and management of the business. He will be speaking on
composting, soil and the effects of food waste on the
environment.
As an advocate, Mr. King has
been involved as a community organizer in fighting fossil
fuel projects locally and nationally. Mr. King's work now
centers around finding solutions for a transition to a
sustainable waste infrastructure in CT. Sam is a 2014
graduate of UMass Amherst with a BA. Sc. in Sustainable
Community Development.
DECEMBER 11, 2023
Holiday Workshop
Members will make holiday arrangements for the
residents of Ada Lane.
Check email to members for details.
JANUARY 8, 2024
Dr. Richard Benfield
Around the
World in 80 Gardens Known for his humor we
travel with Dr. Richard Benfield through an interactive
approach exploring 80 of the most magnificent gardens in the
world that covers seven continents. Beginning with the lush
gardens of the pacific, through the arid gardens of
Australia and tropical gardens of Seychelles and Canary
Islands and culminating in the beautiful English country
gardens, of his home country, and finishing with the unique
gardens of the United State and Canada.
Dr. Richard Benfield, is a Professor Emeritus from Central
Connecticut University. In 2013, his best-selling book
Garden Tourism was published by CABI Press, Abington,
England and in 2020 a second edition,
New Directions in
Garden Tourism was published by CABI. He is currently,
working on the nexus of Plant Predators and National Parks
around the world.
FEBRUARY 12, 2024
Dr. Richard Benfield
Penguins, Polar Bears, Petunias and Parks; a year in
the life of a biogeographer
As we move
into the twenty first century the role of humans in the
environmental stem is becoming more and more important. The
role of a biogeographer understanding ecological systems
involving flora and fauna in all the worlds biomes becomes
paramount. This talk will look at one year in the life of a
practising biogeographer in Botanic and other gardens in
places like the Arctic, Antarctic, Australia and
Yellowstone.
MARCH 11, 2024
George Trecina
Unraveling the Mysteries of Pruning: Learn to Manage
Trees and Shrubs
George Trecina states pruning your trees and shrubs is not
an intuitive process. George will address certain basic
rules that one needs to follow to maintain happy, healthy
plants. Some basic points to consider are timing, size
management, and rejuvenation practices. By adhering to these
points on a regular basis, you will contribute to the beauty
of your landscape. George earned degrees in horticulture
and landscape architecture from the University of
Connecticut, and Cornell University. In 1992 he formed his
current business,
Land Design & Horticultural Sales LLC.
APRIL 8, 2024
Dr. Richard Cowles
Climate Change & Impact on Rose Culture
Dr. Richard Cowles presents how climate change impacts many
aspects of growing crops and ornamental plants. He
will explain scientific principles of climate change and
apply them to understanding how they affect the plants we
can successfully grow, with respect to USDA hardiness zones,
diseases and insects. Dr. Cowles has been a scientist at the
Valley Laboratory of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment
Station for the past 29 years. Although trained at Cornell
and Michigan State Universities in entomology, his studies
have broadened to include plant pathology and plant
nutrition.
MAY 13, 2024
Pamela Copper
Good
Bugs, Bad Bugs or Benign Bug?
Pamm Cooper presents an interactive look at some insects you
may encounter in Connecticut that may be good, bad, or
essentially do little or no harm. Whether found in gardens,
landscapes, lawns or in the wild, most insects are not
considered pests, some are considered beneficial, but
perhaps not all the time.
Pamm Cooper works at the
University of Connecticut Home
and Garden Education Center office as a public
service gardening specialist and horticultural consultant
answering questions on gardening, lawns, native and
non-native plants and insects and wildlife issues. She also
teaches entomology and turf for the
University of Connecticut Master Gardener Program.
JUNE 10, 2024
June Party
Party
plans will be available in the spring.
Contact MGC at info@manchestergardenclubs.org