The Grange workday project for May was a demanding one. Cathy Decker and DeeDee Heyward budgeted for the plants that they researched last fall and finally bought at the Yellow Springs Farm nursery. This is the second major planting for the Grange in the nearly 5 years that we have been there. The first major planting was the entrance garden that greets each visitor coming down the mansion path.

The first Tuesday in May was a perfect day for planting–cool and ...

I thought it would be interesting to gather some statistics about the Philadelphia Flower Show so I gleaned the following from various sources: It’s billed as the world’s longest-running and largest indoor exhibit of its kind and is produced by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society with the help of some 3,500 dedicated volunteers who work behind the scenes.  Behind the scenes of the competition, and at the heart of the Flower Show, volunteers are organized into a complex web of committees ...

On October 3, 2013, Bartram’s Garden welcomed more than 250 guests to the annual Twilight in the Garden gala. The event celebrated Mrs. Sidney B. Spahr, former president of the John Bartram Association Board, for her longtime commitment to and vision for the Garden. Featuring a silent and live auction, live music by the Bacchus Boys, and twilight garden tours, the sold-out evening was a fundraising success for Bartram’s Garden.

Many guests arrived at the Garden by riverboat, walking up from ...

On January 9, 2014 , Jean Bodine and Keith Straw, two well-loved members of The Gardeners Garden Club, received the PCGCA Distinguished Service Award in recognition of 23 years of service as “Guardian Angels” of The Magnolia Tribute Garden. The award was in the form of an elegant inscribed glass bowl.

The National Parks Service presented Jean and Keith with a framed photo of The Magnolia Tribute Garden in recognition for their dedication in maintaining the garden, organizing maintenance and fundraising. ...

Once again The Gardeners worked their holiday magic on Woodford Mansion thanks to the guidance of Sandra Hudson and Mieke Pistone. The dining room was ready for guests, the festive staircase garland will invite guests to their rooms and in the kitchen the gingerbread house was complete and the food ready to be served. Another garden club prepared the parlor for music. In past years, The Gardeners have helped keep Christmas in Lemon Hill, Cedar Grove and Strawberry Mansion.

According to ...

This year we have begun a new fund-raiser with the first two sets in a series of notecards. The photography is by members of the club, and the note cards will be in two sets of five cards for $10–a set of five. The first two sets are close up of flowers and garden scenes and would make a lovely Christmas gift.

A number of our Gardeners submitted pictures which will be considered for later note card sets. The photographers for ...

On Tuesday November 12, nine Gardeners gathered at Anne Kellett’s house for the first meeting of our book club. The book we read was “The Wild Trees” by Richard Preston.

Everyone found the book interesting and we were all surprised at how much we did not know about the botany of the giant redwoods. For example, there is a whole ecosystem that exists at the top of the trees, where plants, lichens and even berries (and wasps) can be found. We ...

Kudos to Eileen Longacre and committee for a well-organized and interesting flower show. I clerked with Pam Thompson on the floral arrangements and it is always a learning experience to record the judge’s comments on the entries. Don’t miss the opportunity to clerk if you are asked.

I think what strikes me about our flower shows is the amount of organization and people power needed—engaging the judges and seeing that they arrive safe and sound; setting up and taking down; seeing ...