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 ...

I didn’t know what to expect when I agreed to a trip to Yellow Springs Farm in Chester County. Thanks to Deb Donaldson and Barbara Geltosky, I enjoyed an educational and delicious experience.

Catherine and Al Renzi, owners of Yellow Springs Farm are dedicated environmentalists, cheese makers and native plant growers. We listened to the history of their farm and the long process and persistence that it took for them to bring back the land—get rid of the invasives, encourage existing ...

The Gardeners Pollinator Project
New Eagle School Fall 2013

This year, The Gardeners Garden Club gave New Eagle Elementary School in Wayne PA a grant of a Pollinator Partnership Kit. We had partnered with their “enviromaniacs” conservation club in the Spring and wanted to continue the relationship with the school.

Part of the fun of giving the grant was being able to participate in a hands on lesson in September, when six Gardeners and two community members did a pollinator presentation ...

What a treat to have our first meeting in September at the Henry Foundation for Botanical Research located in Gladwyne.

Susan Treadway, director, gave us a captivating slide presentation on the different species of plants grown from seed by Mrs. Gibson Henry, her grandmother and the renowned plant explorer, botanist and horticulturalist. Mary Gibson Henry died at the age of 83 while on a plant collecting trip. She was among the first women who entered a male dominated field and won ...

A big thanks to Sandy Beale who arranged a tour for our club to discover Old New Castle, Delaware with the help of docents and Sandy leading the way around her town. According to the internet, New Castle is the oldest, continuously occupied town in the Delaware Valley. We not only visited a few of the historic homes and the Old Court House—all interesting– but we also saw some terrific gardens—a real treat.

We especially enjoyed being led through the ARASAPHA Garden Club Native ...