Phipps Conservatory Tour & Holiday Luncheon, Nov. 15, 2025

Meeting Notes by Colleen Fingal, pictures by Dianne Machesney

President Nancy Madeoy welcomed members to our holiday luncheon at Monte Cello’s.  Vice President Marlow was thanked for organizing the tour of Phipps Conservatory and the holiday luncheon.

Marlow Madeoy at Phipps.

Linda, Amy, Cindy, Chris, Nancy, Marlow, Jane, new member Maureen

Vickie, Denny, Colleen, Laurie (Jeanne's daughter), Claudia, Jeanne, Linda

Bill, Rose Mary, Linda, Diana, Martin, Mary Jo

Marlow summarized the activities of LAGC over the last year and recognized members for their special contributions.  Mary Jo Clayton organized the planting of trees in North Park; Claudia Hickly for leading her group of volunteers in planning the 75^thAnniversary Celebration and potluck dinner, Amy Foreman for getting a new plaque at the Chapel Garden.

Treasurer, Denny, spoke about the donations we routinely give to the 4 organizations that are listed in the handbook: Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Botanic Gardens of Western PA, North Area Environmental Council and Tree Pittsburgh.  Members voted and approved to give $250 to each of those organizations. In addition to those organizations, members voted and approved to donate $250 to the Latodami Nature Center and $100 to Northmont United Presbyterian Church.

The hostess sign up list was circulated to fill in 2 empty slots for hostess duty for 2026.  Thank you to all the members who volunteered to bring a dessert or an arrangement to our meetings. 

Rose Mary Highman is stepping down as the Blog Coordinator.  Chris Kerin volunteered to assume the position starting in January 2026. We thank Rose Mary for the excellent work she has done for the blog since 2015.  We appreciate your hard work and time! 

Claudia gave a quick update about 10 LAGC members attending the Shining Star Gala on November 1, 2025.  Besides for some audiovisual issues, it was a beautiful evening.  Members enjoyed a delicious meal.  It’s a great honor that LAGC was recognized by the McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center as a Shining Star.

 

 

Program – Holiday Tour at Phipps Conservatory

The LAGC holiday tour this year was held at Phipps Conservatory for the Phipps Holiday Magic Tour. The theme for 2025 is “Wild Winter” and the display was a tribute to wildlife in the winter season. In addition to the usual plants, we think of during the holiday season such as amaryllis and poinsettias, Phipps had topiaries of winter animals such as reindeer, polar bears and overwintering birds.

Members began the tour in the Palm Court which featured beautifully decorated bird houses and naturally decorated trees with pinecones and winter greens. The Serpentine room theme is Under the Sea and features an octopus, turtles, and jellyfish swimming above visitors and a motorized clamshell which opens and closes. The colors of the plants and decorations are blue and green to give a feeling of being underwater.  The Gallery room has scenes of a cozy home decorated for the holidays. There’s a dining room table scene and a living room scene and features topiary dogs and cats throughout the displays. It’s amazing what the staff of Phipps can do with plants to make items look realistic!

The Garden Railroad features the “Age of Dinosaurs”.  The display has miniature dinosaurs; a waterfall and steam rising from lava rocks.  The succulent and rock garden plants complete the display which is enjoyed by children and children at heart. It was a very enjoyable time as we strolled through the Phipps Garden rooms and played along with the game of finding the hidden bird in each room dressed in holiday decorations. The special holiday displays were fantastic!  The glassrooms that did not receive the holiday touch such as the cactus room, Japanese garden and tropical forest did not disappoint.  These plant collections are still a wonderful part of the tour of Phipps Conservatory, and we enjoyed seeing them. We concluded the tour back where we started and took a group photo.

After the tour of Phipps Conservatory about 22 members met at Monte Cello’s Restaurant on Babcock Boulevard for our holiday luncheon.  We were seated in a separate dining room especially for our party. Members were able to select their meal choice from the menu. We all enjoyed our time spent with fellow members and talked about gardening or our upcoming holiday plans with family and friends.

It was a very enjoyable day.  Happy Holidays to all LAGC members.  We’ll see you next year for more educational programs and our annual plant sale.

The Dogs' Table.

Each room had a decorated chicken.

A tropical paradise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

75th Anniversary Dinner Celebration, October 28, 2025

 On October 28, 2025, LAGC members and guests gathered at Northmont United Presbyterian Church for LAGC’s 75^th Anniversary Dinner. Last month we celebrated the history of LAGC and this month we celebrated with current members and looked to the future. It was so nice to see so many members attend the event, as well as four guests from the Ingomar Garden who embraced the 50’s theme and wore their poodle skirts.

Claudia was an engaging emcee for the evening.  She encouraged members to socialize with her treasure hunt game where we had to get signatures from members once we identified the clue of an interesting fact about them. The game was a wonderful way to get to know fellow members. 

Bev Steiger with her daughter and grand-daughter.

Chris Kerin and Colleen Fingal trying to identify member trivia.

A tiny portion of the dessert table.

Fellowship Hall was beautifully decorated by the committee with fall leaves, mums, and pumpkins. A few members volunteered to make live pumpkins filled with flowers as centerpieces, which were later given to guests through a name drawing.

The delicious dinner menu was comprised of both catered items and homemade dishes from club members and did not disappoint. We began the evening with delicious citrus punch made by Helen and a variety of appetizers ranging from veggies and dip, cheese and crackers, stuffed mushrooms, and shrimp hors d’oeuvres. For the dinner we enjoyed ham, chicken marsala, green beans, potatoes, potato soup along with pasta salad, oriental noodle salad, green salad, Jello, and many other dishes.

Guests were delighted to receive a memento of the celebration. Every attendee received a couple of Willard and May large cup daffodil bulbs. A few lucky guests won a ceramic coffee mug with the Longvue Acres Garden logo on it. The guest with the nearest birth date to October 28^th got to take home the potted mum plant on their table.

Nancy Madeoy welcomes members and guests to the 75th Anniversary Celebration Dinner.

 Members thanked Claudia Hickly with a bouquet and gift certificate.

One of display tables near the entrance.

While we enjoyed a slice of delicious cake and other desserts, we listened to live music. The entertainment was provided by the North Allegheny Fiddlers Group, which is comprised of students in grades 6 through 12 of the North Allegheny School District. The musicians are taught in traditional aural style or “by ear” meaning that they learn without using written notes. The audience enjoyed the lively songs that they performed from a variety of styles such as Scottish, Irish, Cajun, and Old Timey.

The celebration dinner was the last event of a year-long list of activities to celebrate the longevity of the Longvue Acres Garden Club. We gathered to celebrate the past and to look to the future with friends and members who love gardening.

Our sincere thanks and appreciation to the 75^th Anniversary Committee for all the time they dedicated to preparing for the celebration: Claudia Hickly, Jane MacCredie, Amy Foreman, Diana Berendowski, Mary Anne Kurtz, Mary Jo Clayton, and Nancy Madeoy. 

Pictures by Bill Goff.

L to R: Claudia Hickly, Mary Ann Kurtz, Mary Jo Clayton, Nancy Madeoy, Diana Berendowski, and Jane MacCredie. Amy Foreman not pictured.

 

Phipps Conservatory Fall Flower Show October 2025

 This year's theme is Visions of Japan.  Lots of beautiful mums.  Pictures by Martin Karl.

Karl and Terry Karl.

LAGC 75th Anniversary Honoring Our Past, notes Sept. 23, 2025

 LAGC members, friends and family gathered at the McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center to honor the club’s history and recognize some of its longstanding members. Attendees received a bookmark to remember the lovely evening. 

To begin the program, President, Nancy Madeoy welcomed members and Secretary, Colleen Fingal led members in reciting the Conservation Pledge, by L.L. Foreman, 1946. This pledge used to be said at all LAGC meetings.

 

Nancy then recognized our longest standing members: Bev Steiger (42 years), Bill Goff (40 Years), Helen Dean (31 years), Peggy Elizeus (30 years), Terry Sarver (30 years), and Lynn Betts (27 years). Combined they have over 200 years of membership. That’s something special to celebrate!

 

The next part of the program called “Reflections – stories of gardening and friendship” was a chance for our longstanding members to speak about their experiences in being a member of LAGC.

 

Cindy Stewart spoke on behalf of Bev Steiger by reading Bev’s words about how she joined the garden club 42 years ago at the prompting of one of her friends and former member, Flo Ogden. They joined with little knowledge about gardening, but with friendship and mentoring of Eleanor Dusenberry, they continued to learn and grow with the garden club.

 

Bill Goff delighted members as he took a walk down memory lane and talked about how he came to join LAGC and remained a member for 40 years. His love of gardening and learning about plants kept growing over the years so that he eventually became a Penn State Master Gardener.

 

We watched a video where Helen Dean and Peggy Elizeus explained how they designed and planted the Chapel Garden at Passavant Hospital. They said they did not have very much experience when they started but, after working together with the garden club, they continually learned more and ended up being the Chapel Garden Coordinators for many years.

 

The highlight of the celebration was viewing the “The story of Longvue Acres Garden Club” video which was researched and written by Claudia Hickly and narrated by Martin Karl. The video shows how LAGC began and its many activities throughout its 75 years. Photos and newspaper articles from the first 50 years were pulled from the archives and featured in the video to show how the garden club has grown over the years. We also saw many current members participating in the club activities of the more recent 25 years.

 Longvue Acres Garden Club: Celebrating 75 Years

https://youtu.be/MqRGYgWa0Yo?si=cY6OeS0OkAHUJJo3

 

 

The formal program concluded with Denny Brown, leading members in a poem called Blessed is the club. According to the LAGC Archives this poem was shared at the 1967 Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania Convention. Denny then invited everyone to enjoy the refreshments and view the memorabilia of photos and program handbooks of LAGC.

 

Mary Jo Clayton donated beautiful dahlias from her own garden and created beautiful arrangements for the refreshment table. Dianne Machesney, Andrea Maire and Colleen Fingal provided delicious cookies and water to enjoy while members mingled and talked about how they liked the celebration event.

 

Our sincere thanks and appreciation to the 75^th Anniversary Committee for all the time they dedicated to preparing for the celebration: Claudia Hickly, Jane MacCredie, Amy Foreman, Diana Berendowski, Mary Anne Kurtz, Mary Jo Clayton, and Nancy Madeoy. Special thanks to McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center, Suzanne Schnupp and the HCC volunteers, including Suzanne’s brother, John Mucka, who helped us that evening, also Director of McCandless Parks & Recreation, Abby Lucostic.

Photos by Dianne Machesney, Claudia Hickly, RoseMary Highman

Linda Keiser & Jane MacCredie enter History Center.

Amy Foreman, Linda and Denny Brown.

L to R: Mary Jo Clayton, Dianne Machesney, Mary Anne Kurtz, Claudia Hickly.

Program and bookmarks.

Honorees: Bill Goff, Helen Dean, Peggy Elizeus, Terry Sarver, Lynn Betts, and Bev Steiger.

Cindy Stewart reading Bev Steiger's remembrances of LAGC.

Bill Goff ready to shop, each honoree received a gift card.

Refreshment table.

McCandless Town Council resolution honoring LAGC's 65 years.

Mary Jo Clayton with her own dahlias.

Members enjoying a friendly chat, L to R: Janine Zink, Chris Kerin, Maureen Berg, 

Sue Brozick, Jane MacCredie, and Claudia Hickly.

Claudia Hickly, chairperson of celebration, in 50s styled finery.

A portion of the memorabilia over 75 years from Longvue Acres Garden Club displayed at the Heritage Center.

 

Meeting & Tour of Native Gardens at Beechwood Farms, August 26, 2025

 After our evening tour of Beechwood Farms, President Nancy Madeoy began our short meeting asking us what native plants we saw as we walked the grounds.  Members answered with many choices such as Ironweed, Beebalm, Goldenrod, Common Milkweed, Joe Pye Weed, Black Eyed Susan, and Evening Primrose.

 Claudia reminded members to arrive at 6:45pm for the September 23^rd Honoring our Past celebration at the McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center. 

 

The LAGC 75^th Anniversary Celebration will be held on October 28^th. Members need to sign up to attend the event which is being held at Northmont Church. The cost for members to attend is $22, which will cover some of the food costs and paper supplies.  A signup sheet was circulated to sign up to help clean up or bring an appetizer or dessert. Please contact Claudia if you want to sign up or have questions. The dress theme is the 1950’s.  You are encouraged to wear your pearls and gloves. 

 

Dues for 2026 remain at $15. Linda Brown will collect dues as cash or check in September and October. You can also mail your check to her.

 

We had a discussion about the opportunity to collaborate with Ingomar Garden Club and the McCandless Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center to have a garden tour in McCandless.  Members received an e-mail and were asked to vote on whether they would commit to volunteering to work on this project.  Claudia said that votes are trending towards “No” that members do not want to participate in this project. Claudia will send an e-mail with a final vote.

 

All 9 members that entered the raffle to win a ticket to attend the Shining Star Gala 2025 at the Camelot Event Center on Saturday November 1^st where LAGC will receive the Shining Star received a ticket. There is one free ticket remaining.  Claudia will send an e-mail to ask if any of the members want to attend.

 

Marlow spoke about the November 15^th LAGC Holiday Tour and Luncheon. The tour at Phipps Conservatory will start at 10:30 a.m. The luncheon will be held at Monte Cello’s restaurant on Babcock Blvd and will begin about 1:00pm. Each member will choose their meal off the menu and will pay by separate checks. Marlow is collecting RSVP’s. Please make sure to let him know if you have a membership to Phipps Conservatory.

 

 

Program – Tour of Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve with Roxanne Swann

 

LAGC members and several guests enjoyed a cool August evening touring the grounds of Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve in Fox Chapel. Our guide this evening was Roxanne Swann, the Coordinator of the Audubon Center for Native Plants. Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve is a 134 acre protected area for wildlife in Fox Chapel and has served as the headquarters of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania since 1977. The nature reserve comprises woodlands, fields, streams and a pond. Our speaker encouraged us to take advantage of the more than 5 miles of walking trails which are open daily from dawn to dusk year round. The facilities at Beechwood Farms include classrooms, a natural history library, the Audubon Nature Store and the Evans Nature Center Auditorium.

 

We began our tour in the front of Beechwood Farms where the store and meeting building are located near a large shrub called Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). Roxanne explained that this deciduous shrub is known for its spicy fragrant leaves, yellow flowers in the spring and bright red berries in the fall. It grows 6 to 15 feet tall and wide; requires filtered light, thrives in moist soil and is deer-resistant. It’s the host plant for butterfly and moth larvae, such as Spicebush Swallowtail and the berries are a good food source for the birds. 

Roxanne Swann collects tiny seeds.

Part of Rain Garden near entrance. 

The next area of interest is the rain garden which was built to take advantage of the water which runs off the roof of the building.  Instead of saving the water in a rain barrel, a drainpipe was installed to move the water directly into a depression in the ground.  Monarda, Coreopsis, Ironweed and Joe Pye weed thrive in the moist soil. 

 

We moved on to take a look at the small nursery where the Audubon Society sells the native plants that they grow from seed which is collected on site at Beechwood Farms and one of the other Audubon sites, Succop Nature Reserve. The facility was closed this evening, so we weren’t able to purchase any plants.  Around the side of the building is a garden filled with about 20 lavender plants and small fountains. 

 

We walked behind the building to see a large meadow which features many types of goldenrod, iron weed, jewel weed, Service Berry and many native trees. Roxanne said that the goldenrod draws in many goldfinches and cedar waxwings. The goldenrod flowers are some of the last to bloom and they have seeds very late into the season which are a good food source for birds.

The meadow area also has many common milkweed plants. One member posed the question about how the plants multiply.  Roxanne explained that common milkweed is reproduced by underground runners. She also cautioned us not to plant tropical milkweed because this plant blooms longer in the season which encourages monarchs to stay in Pennsylvania at the time that they should be moving on for their winter home.

 

We strolled the working area of the nature reserve where Roxanne and her staff plant seeds to propagate

A few of LAGC members shown touring the outside seedling area.

native plants to sell, plant in the nature reserves or give to other garden programs.  Volunteers are a big help with this project along with other maintenance of the gardens.

 

Our last stop on the tour was the education building. Roxanne explained that the building was built in the 1980’s using green building techniques that weren’t yet popularized.  There’s lots of natural light and the walls are insulated with straw which regulates the temperature so that it is neither too hot nor too cold to work in the space. The refrigerator in this building contains their seed bank and holds the seeds of 150 different species of plants.  The seeds are dried carefully after being collected.  They are put in plastic containers and kept in the refrigerator at 35 to 40 degrees.

 

 

LAGC Meeting Notes July 22, 2025

Club members assembled outside prior to the meeting for a group photo taken by Bill Goff.

Vice President, Marlow Madeoy presided over this evening’s meeting instead of Nancy due to the passing of her mother. 

 

Mary Jo Benedetti addressed the group about the need for additional volunteers to help maintain the Chapel Garden. Please consider volunteering for a week in August. The sign-up sheet was circulated amongst members. Please contact Mary Jo with any questions.

 

Rosemary Highman is stepping down as the LAGC Blog Coordinator. We thank Rosemary for her many years of taking photos and managing the club’s blog.  We appreciate the excellent work she has done. Please let Nancy know if you are interested in assuming the role of blog coordinator.

 

We thank Mary Jo Clayton for hosting the LAGC annual picnic last month at her beautiful home. We had a lovely time touring her garden after a delicious potluck dinner.

 

Mary Anne Kurtz brought irises that she received from Larry Grundler to share with LAGC members.  We could choose from “Vibrations” and “Queen Dorothy” varieties.  Larry Grundler also approached Denny with an offer to sell some of his irises to LAGC for $1 per rhizome which members can pot up and sell at our annual plant sale. Members took a vote and agreed to purchase the rhizomes from Larry. A couple of members agreed to take on the project of potting up the rhizomes to bring to the plant sale.

 

Claudia talked about the September 23^rd "Honoring our Past" celebration at the McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center. Members have to register for the event. Please look at your e-mail for more information and be sure to adhere to the deadline.

 

Claudia explained that all LAGC members are invited to enter the raffle to win a ticket to attend the Shining Star Gala 2025 at the Camelot Event Center on Saturday November 1^st where LAGC will receive the Shining Star award.  The club received 2 free seats for the event.  An anonymous donor gave 8 seats to the club to be raffled off.  Please complete a raffle ticket if you are interested.

 

The LAGC 75^th Anniversary Celebration will be held on October 28^th. Members need to sign up to attend the event which is being held at Northmont Church. The cost for members to attend is $22, which will cover some of the food costs and paper supplies. A signup sheet was circulated to sign up to help set up or bring an appetizer or dessert. Please contact Claudia if you want to sign up or have questions.

 

The refurbishment of the sign at the Chapel Garden is underway. There is no plan yet for the rededication of the garden. 

 

Marlow spoke about the November 15^th LAGC Holiday tour and luncheon. Please hold the date on your calendar. Plans are being made for the tour at Phipps Conservatory to start at 10:30 a.m. The luncheon will be held at Monte Cello’s restaurant on Babcock Blvd.  More information about the cost will be relayed in the next few months.

 

The Penn State Master Gardeners Garden in the Park takes place on July 26th, 9am–1pm, at North Park's Trial Gardens (Babcock & Ingomar Rd).

 

We were reminded that we will not meet at Northmont church in August.  We will have a tour of  Beechwood Farms.  Please watch your e-mail for details and let Mary Anne Kurtz know if you plan to attend.

 

Dues for 2026 remain at $15. Linda Brown will collect dues as cash or check in September and October. You can also mail your check to her.

 

Hostesses:  Thank you to Rose and Sue for being the hostesses for the evening. They brought delicious lemon bars, crackers and fresh fruit. The beautiful summery arrangement contained white hydrangeas, shasta daisies, rudbeckia, and coneflower. Thank you!

 Program – Lightning Bugs presented by Allegheny County Park Rangers

 

This evening the Allegheny County Park Rangers, Deaglan McManus and Ranger Zach returned to give another interesting talk to our club. Tonight, we learned about fireflies, also commonly referred to as lightning bugs. Despite their name, fireflies are neither true bugs nor flies; they are beetles. Globally, there are approximately 2,000 species of fireflies, with 170 found in the United States and 33 in Pennsylvania.

 

There are two common types of fireflies: Photinus: which is smaller, lighter in color, and glows at dusk and Photuris which is larger, darker, and typically appears after dark. The official state insect of Pennsylvania is the firefly, specifically Photuris Pennsylvanica. This designation occurred in 1974 because a 3^rd grade class campaigned to have a state insect. 

 

Fireflies have three main body parts: abdomen, head, and thorax. They possess compound eyes, six legs, and a structure known as a lantern. The lantern is the area where the chemical reaction of bioluminescence takes place. Approximately 25,000 fireflies would be needed to power a light bulb. Flash patterns vary among different species. Deaglan orchestrated a game with a few members and program guests to illustrate how fireflies find their partner by looking for another firefly with the same flash pattern.

 

Collecting and observing lightning bugs has always been a favorite activity for children.  The Rangers emphasized the importance of proper etiquette to keep the fireflies alive.  Handle them gently, avoid insecticides/bug spray on your hands when collecting, and use a large jar to contain the lightning bugs to allow an ample amount of oxygen. 

 

Although fireflies are considered to be in a vulnerable state there is an indication that their population is on the rise.  The key threats to the firefly population include artificial night lighting, habitat destruction, and the use of insecticides and herbicides. Deaglan said that to combat these threats we should use motion detection lighting in our gardens instead of leaving lights on all night, limit the use of insecticides, leave a small area of our gardens with taller grass, and don’t be too quick to clean up the leaves in the spring because it probably contains firefly grubs.

 

Our speaker mentioned that individuals interested in supporting firefly conservation can join efforts to track and monitor populations through initiatives like the Firefly Atlas. For more information, please visit www.fireflyatlas.org.  

North Park Rangers (left) Zach and Deaglan McManus

 

 

June 28, 2025 Picnic, Meeting Notes & LAGC Booth at Northmont Church Celebration June 24

LAGC members gathered for our annual club picnic at the home of Mary Jo Clayton. President Nancy Madeoy welcomed members to the meeting and read a beautiful poem about gardening to begin the lovely evening. 

 We thanked Mary Jo and her husband Don for hosting the picnic and providing delicious sandwiches and drinks. Don made a fruit salad which was displayed in a spectacular frog-shaped container made out of a watermelon. Mary Jo and Don made us feel very welcome.

Mary Jo welcoming LAGC Members for a feast and tour.

Photos by Dianne Machesney.

Bill Goff would like to have a peony division exchange. He proposed having this activity in September or October. Please contact Bill if you are interested in exchanging peonies.

 The Penn State Master Gardeners’ Garden in the Park takes place on July 26th, 9am–1pm, at North Park's Trial Gardens (Babcock & Ingomar Rd).

 Mary Jo Benedetti bought annual plants and planted them at the Chapel Garden. Please contact Mary Jo if you are interested in volunteering to help out at the Chapel Garden. We still need volunteers to fill a few slots in the schedule.

 Denny gave a quick update of the budget. The account balance is approximately $6000. 

 Claudia announced that the McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center has bestowed the Shining Star Award to LAGC. This honor is awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to the community through volunteerism and involvement. LAGC will be recognized at the Shining Star Gala 2025 at the Camelot Event Center on November 1, 2025. Ticket information and more details will be announced in the coming months. 

 We will take a group photo of LAGC members at our July 22^nd meeting. Please wear your blue T-shirt.

 Mary Anne Kurtz, Plant Sale Coordinator, spoke about the huge success of our annual perennial plant sale. Kudos to Mary Anne for such excellent organization! 

 Here are the points that were discussed:

·       Signage: Very few businesses will allow us to post plant sale signs on their property; it’s good news that we didn’t lose any signs this year

·       Members were praised for the number of plants we brought to sell

·       No need to change publicity efforts; Claudia continues to do a great job!

·       Per Denny cashier/checkout system went well

·       It was agreed that the Holding tables don’t need tablecloths or tabletop signs

·       Friday night drop off of plants at the church – more members used this option

·       Stagers don’t need calculators; can use cell phone if needed

·       Plants were priced well; suggestion to increase the price of specialty plants

·       The receipt will be revised to include 2 items: donation received and if customer is new to our sale

·       An enhanced description of the job duties will be e-mailed to members

·       In order to keep customers from browsing the plants before the sale begins, caution tape or a hostess will be assigned for crowd control 

·       Will discuss buy one get one free vs. half off price at end of sale

·       Plan to take a group photo immediately prior to the start of the sale

·       There’s been an issue of members incorrectly identifying the light requirements on the label with wrong sun/shade picture. This results in plants being placed in the wrong section at the plant sale. Mary Anne has started to compile a list of the most common plants that we sell.  Andrea volunteered to research the light requirements of these plants and come up with the standard that members should use for the plants that they donate for the sale.  Members will receive a copy of the list to review and make additions.

Program – Annual Garden Club Picnic hosted by Mary Jo and Don Clayton

 After a delightful meal and club meeting, members convened for a tour of Mary Jo’s garden and scavenger hunt. Mary Jo has lived in this house for over 30 thirty years, which is evident by the mature trees in the front yard. Our tour focused on the garden area at the back of the house which features a beautiful outdoor eating area and swimming pool. 

Don and just a portion of the layout. Note the miniature plants

.

Don beside the greenhouse.    RoseMary's pictures.

The tour included the following highlights:

·       Greenhouse with potting station

·       An area set up with a garden train and miniature village designed by Don

·       Special Hand and Dagger wrought iron fence

·       Strategically placed fountains and statues

·       Concrete pots of New Guinea impatiens and geraniums around the pool

·       A corner of the garden with Sweet William plants dedicated to her brother

·       Huge, variegated Hostas

·       Various types of Clematis

·       Variety of perennials such as lavender, daylilies, Astilbes, and turtle head

·       A spectacular Ligularia

·       Black Lace Elderberry shrubs

·       Blooming Magnolia tree which perfumed the evening air

·       A large area of Dahlia plants near the house, not in bloom, yet; Mary Jo said that she likes to grow these flowers to make bouquets for friends.  

Members were given a purple hyacinth vine or sweet pea vine as a gift. Thank you very much to Mary Jo and Don for hosting such a lovely evening.

A few of us enjoying the feast, conversation, and beautiful plantings.
Pictures by Bill Goff.

************

Northmont Anniversary with LAGC Activity & Donation

Northmont Presbyterian Church planned a Centennial Celebration for June 24, 2025, and LAGC members were invited to attend. The club took a vote to donate $50 to Bill Goff to have a stand where he will talk about the importance of pollinators and help child attendees pot up a plant. LAGC agreed to give a $150 donation to Northmont Church for the Centennial Celebration. Thanks to Linda and Denny Brown for donating a children's basket on behalf of LAGC for the raffle at the celebration.

Bill Goff helping with a gardening activity for children.

Raffle Basket prepared and donated by Linda and Denny Brown.

Pictures by Claudia Hickly