The program concluded with a short walk and rededication at the new Village Green Memorial Garden site. ​

Thank you to our hostesses, Laura Austin, Heather Marken, C.J. Salisbury, Carol Buhr, and Jessica Kruse. They did a fabulous job welcoming members back to an exciting new year of informative programs.

PROGRAM: Franciscan Monastery Garden Tour

Participating members traveled by mini motor coach to the Franciscan Monastery Garden, once hailed as one of Washington, DC’s best-kept secrets. The gardens were in full bloom, offering the perfect setting for a tour of its stunning rose garden, home to over 1,000 hybrid teas, floribundas, and climbing roses. Members enjoyed a guided tour of both the upper and lower gardens, featuring beautiful statuary, herb gardens, perennials, shrubs, and lush greenery. A special side trip allowed them to explore the farm and the historic 1915 greenhouse behind the Monastery.

The tour was led by Patricia Cunniff, an expert docent and guide team leader who has been sharing her knowledge of the Monastery gardens for over a decade. Her in-depth expertise provided a deeper appreciation for the history and beauty of the garden, making the experience truly memorable.

To view images of the gardens and statuary, click the play or arrow buttons at the top of the photo above.

PROGRAM: Meet Rachel Carson

Crofton’s beginnings and the emergence of a powerful social movement run like water, alongside one another in the writing, research, and publications of one Rachel Carson. Who was this witness for nature? How did she evolve to become the most respected science writer in America and a “courageous woman who helped redefine the way humans look at their place in nature”?–Time.

​Members meet Rachel in a special living history presentation by Colleen Webster, Professor of English, Harford Community College and Master Naturalist (Harford County). Colleen portrays Rachel Carson in an intimate performance, bringing to life her character, her research and legacy, and her connection and research here in Maryland with the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, just 20 minutes down the road.

​To learn more about Rachel Carson, click the button below.

Interim President Trish Demers presents Lauren Toomey, Pollinator Pathway Project Chair, with the FGCMD Award of Achievement for the Pollinator Pathway along the WB&A Trail. 

PROGRAM: Beavers As A Keystone Species

Speaker Claudia Donegan, Director of the Center for Habitat Restoration, Maryland Department of Natural Resources Chesapeake and Coastal Service, presented an informative slideshow on how beavers naturally provide intact natural systems giving any ecosystem much needed ecological capital and how increasing the beaver population will restore Maryland’s ecological services. Ecological capital equals ecological services! Examples of the services beavers provide include flood control, nutrient processing, stormwater and groundwater management, erosion control, and creation of habitats for aquatic, rare, threatened, and endangered species. And who knew Crofton had it's own prehistoric giant beaver population!

The February hostess team, Lois Nichols (coordinator), Beverly Frye, Becky Hogan, Nancy Percivall and Angela Wetzel, decorated with a 60's Flower Power theme to get members excited for our upcoming flower show.

Sally Moore, Flower Show Committee Lead Co-Chair, will distribute and discuss the schedule for our NGC Standard Flower Show, 60's Flower Power that will take place on Tuesday, May 21st at Crofton Library from 2 PM to 6 PM. The show will commemorate Crofton's 60th Anniversary. JoAnn Cook, Horticulture Division 1 Chairman/Consultant, will assist in giving members instructions on registering, conditioning, and staging their horticulture and design exhibits.

Photos provided by Nancy Percivall and Doris Smith