2021 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 

Brattleboro Garden Club offers new format with social distance

BRATTLEBORO — As spring gets fully underway, the Brattleboro Floral Arts & Garden Club reminds everyone that natural beauty continues in the community.

New president (and local mystery writer) Lynne Kennedy is the club's new president. As the annual April meeting was canceled this year, and in response to social distancing requirements, outgoing co-presidents Lynn Kuralt and Melissa Kuralt passed the keys "on a 10-foot pole." Other new officers include Vice President Shelia Kinnare, Recording Secretary Frankie Knibb, Corresponding Secretary Judith Wagenbach, Treasurer Libby Lafland and Librarian Carlene McCarty.

The club is active in the community and works on several local beautification projects throughout the year. In Brattleboro, the club maintains the gardens at the Creamery Bridge and the WWII Park. As a thank-you to the Green Mountain Chapel, where the club holds its meetings, club members maintain the gardens. In Dummerston, the club also maintains gardens at the Landmark Trust entrance.

"We also encourage our members to do community beautification projects. A great example of this is at Vernon Green Nursing Home in Vernon, where a club member has created a small memorial garden," said Kennedy.

The club has adjusted to the shelter-at-home orders, and in-person meetings are postponed until the orders are lifted.

"We are utilizing our members-only Facebook page at facebook.com/brattleborogardenclub," said Kennedy. "We can share tips, just like we normally would. And now we can also see each others' gardens more, too — which is kind of an added bonus."

Kennedy also notes that many members have told her that they have utilized this extra time at home in their gardens. "The timing was really great — plus an earlier spring with little snow fall. People have raked and pruned a lot more than in other years, that's for sure!"

The club is open to anyone, and includes members from surrounding towns. There are usually 10 meetings a year that include programs on a variety of gardening topics. A highlight of the year, members say, are the hands-on meetings, where they create projects like wreaths or centerpieces, or learn how to prune bushes correctly. The club also typically organizes two plant sales annually.

"It's a great time to become a member, too," said Kennedy. "We've waived our $30 membership fee for the year, since we are not sure how many programs we'll be able to actually do. If you are interested in gardening, the Facebook group is a great way to see what it is all about. People could check out the club for a while at no cost, just by going out to the Facebook site and requesting to become a member of that group."

May 10, 5:30PM: Business meeting, Lynne Kennedy’s yard, masks & chairs required.

June 14, 5:30PM: Garden Tours!     62 Butterfield Rd, Dummerston, Kris and Stewart McDermet     

• Kris & Stewart McDermet have invited us to visit their gardens and will give a short presentation     

• about the story of the gardens, what they started with in 1986, what their vision was, and what it     

• took to create the gardens we see today. There will be time to explore the gardens after the     

• presentation, including a walk through their woods labyrinth.     

• From Western Avenue, turn on Sunset Lake Road,     

• 2.8 miles turn right onto Kelly Road     

• .8 mile turn left onto Butterfield Road     

• Home is on the right just before the end of the road.     

• Bring lawn chairs for our business meeting. 

• Then to 623 Kelly Road (1/2 mile further down Kelly Road), 

• to member Connie Baxter’s home  for more gardens.  Plenty of parking at both locations. 

July 12, 5:30PM: Garden Tours, Part 2!         Dana Berry of Guilford has invited us to see her gardens. 

• A work in process (always!), but she has been  reworking them since purchasing the home 6 years ago.     

• Then to Betsy W and Mary Heninger

August 9, 6PM: Invasive Earthworms     Did you know that there are NO earthworms native to Vermont?     Location TBD 

September 14, 6PM: Invasive Plants     

• Presented by Cory Ross, District Manager of the Windham County Natural Resources     

• Conservation District, and the guy behind the NRCD spring plant sales!     Location TBD 

October 11, 6PM: Program TBD 

November 8, 6PM: Wreath Making     IF we are allowed, AND IF we are comfortable gathering indoors 

December 13, 6PM: Centerpiece Making     IF we are allowed, AND IF we are comfortable gathering indoors