At our recent meeting, member Littany Hollerbach shared insights into what it means to become a Master Gardener and why this path is such a natural fit for garden club members. A Master Gardener is a trained volunteer, supported by the University of Maryland Extension, who shares research-based gardening knowledge with the public. This work is especially meaningful in Crofton, where our gardens are closely connected to stormwater runoff, mature trees, established neighborhoods, pollinators, wildlife habitat, and ultimately the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. What we plant and how we care for our landscapes truly matters beyond our own yards.

Littany highlighted that garden club members already embody many of the qualities of successful Master Gardeners. We share plants and gardening tips, value sustainability, and actively support community projects. Master Gardener training builds on this foundation by providing science-based knowledge, confidence in making recommendations, and opportunities to expand our impact locally. Training covers a wide range of topics, including soil and plant science, beneficial and harmful insects, native plants and pollinators, vegetable and ornamental gardening, and Bay-Wise and sustainable landscaping practices.

The journey does require commitment. Trainees must attend at least 75% of the Basic Training classes and pass a final exam before becoming Master Gardener Interns. Interns then complete a minimum of 40 hours of approved volunteer service to earn full Master Gardener status. To remain active, Master Gardeners complete annual volunteer service and continuing education hours and undergo background checks every three years. Training costs typically range from $150 to $300, with scholarships sometimes available. As Littany noted, this investment supports not only personal growth but also the broader community. We are fortunate to already have Master Gardeners among us, our own Trish Lilek-Demers, Paulette Heward and Verna Pond, who exemplify how this journey can enrich both gardeners and the places we call home.

For more information on becoming a Master Gardener, click the button below.

PROGRAM: The Plant Lady's Guide to Indoor Gardening

​January’s meeting featured a presentation by Catherine Jellison, fondly known as “the plant lady,” focused on indoor plants and terrariums.

Catherine, a library associate at the Crofton Community Library for more than 21 years, began by sharing the story behind the library’s plant collection. Her love of plants, she explained, began with her mother and grew into a lifelong passion. Today, Catherine cares for more than 500 houseplants at home and approximately 150 plants throughout the library, tending to the collection as part of her daily work.

In 2023, growing curiosity from library visitors about the plants led to the formation of the Crofton Houseplant Club. To support learning and accessibility, the plants throughout the library are labeled with both their botanical and common names, along with QR codes that link directly to care information. This system allows visitors to explore plant information independently and at their own pace.

Following the discussion of the library’s plant collection, Catherine shifted focus to terrariums. She displayed several terrariums along with a moss box, explaining how these miniature ecosystems function. She also explored the history of terrariums, tracing their origins to the 19th-century Victorian Wardian cases—glass enclosures that made it possible to transport plants long distances and grow them indoors by maintaining stable, humid environments.

Catherine noted that while Wardian cases revolutionized plant transport and indoor gardening, they also had unintended consequences. By the early 20th century, scientists recognized that these cases sometimes introduced invasive insects, pests, and even plant species into new regions, highlighting the far-reaching ecological impact of transporting plants across the globe.

To learn more about the Crofton Houseplant Club and view upcoming meetings, visit aacpl.net.

SUSTAINABLE GARDENING: The Quiet Beauty of Winter

December invites gardeners to take a step back and appreciate the quieter side of the landscape. One key sustainable practice this month is to leave your perennial plants standing with their seed heads, dried flower stalks, and grasses intact. These natural structures provide essential shelter and food for birds and beneficial insects that overwinter in your garden.

Cutting everything back too soon removes valuable habitat and can disrupt the lifecycle of pollinators preparing to emerge in spring. Plus, the frosted seed heads and swaying grasses add texture and visual interest during the colder months when gardens tend to look bare.

Maintaining these natural winter features supports local wildlife and helps your garden stay healthy year-round — a simple but powerful way to garden sustainably in December.

Crofton is looking festive once again, thanks to the efforts of the Holiday Decorating Committee led by Project Chair Tracy Backus. Tracy hosted a wreath workshop in her home, where committee members helped add festive bows to fresh wreaths.

Once prepared, the wreaths were delivered and displayed throughout the community—including the Village Green, local public schools, the Blue Star Memorial at the Crofton Community Library, the Gold Star Memorial located at the main entrance to Crofton, and Town Hall. Members of the committee contributed in different ways, whether by assisting at the workshop or delivering the wreaths to the various locations.

A warm thank-you to Tracy Backus, Cindy Hare, Diane Gallow, Angela DeLuca, Jane McClanahan, and Diane Smith. Your time and teamwork helped spread holiday cheer throughout Crofton!

Project Co-Chairs Trish Lilek Demers and Margo Antonelli hosted a cheerful wreath-making workshop at Trish’s home with committee members Diane Smith, Lauren Toomey, Paulette and Paul Heward, Peggy Smail, Rosa Johnson, and Heather Marken. As part of an annual tradition, CVGC contributed wreaths alongside other area garden clubs to help decorate the Maryland State House and State Circle for the holiday season.

Members donated a beautiful assortment of evergreens: thread cypress and juniper from Nancy Percivall; mixed greens and Nellie Stevens holly from Diane Smith; and loblollies and pinecones from Paulette Heward. The variety made each wreath unique and full of seasonal charm.

After the wreaths were completed, Trish delivered them to Renee Little, Naval Academy Garden Club and State Circle Chair, at State Circle and East Street—continuing a meaningful tradition that brightens Annapolis each year.