Location and Time: Prince of Peace Sanctuary, 1657 Crofton Parkway, Crofton. No Social, business meeting at 9:30 AM
Program: CVGC's last in-person meeting was on March 4, 2020. Since that day, the Club has held monthly virtual meetings. The "Welcome Back" program will include several activities designed to reacquaint members and share memories from the past eighteen months.
CVGC's new project for 2021-2023 is the Anne Arundel County Pollinator Pathway. Project Chair Lauren Toomey will discuss the Pollinator Pathway and ways CVGC is partnering with other community organizations and groups to establish and promote the Pollinator Pathway in Anne Arundel County.
Horticulture Topic: Ollas: Self-Watering Systems for Plants
Featured Pollinator Plant: Goldenrod 'Fireworks', Solidago rugosa Goldenrod 'Fireworks' has masses of beautiful ray-like plumes of gold flowers at the ends of the stems from late summer to late fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. A lacy dome of golden flowers looks like exploding fireworks, providing nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies in early fall.
Board Meeting: Wednesday, September 29, 2021, 1:00 PM, Crofton Library
October 6, 2021
INSPIRED BY CHRISTMAS
Floral Design Presentation and Demonstration
Location and Time: Fellowship Hall, 1651 Ardsley Place, Crofton. Social at 9:00 AM followed by business meeting at 9:30 AM Program: Claire Jones is an experienced horticulturist, land-scape design consultant, and floral designer. Owner of Claire Jones Landscapes, LLC, Claire’s designed gardens have been featured in Chesapeake Home, Style Magazine, Garden Design, Wall Street Journal and national garden tours. Claire shares her horticultural and design knowledge through frequent presentations around the country, including the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle, and the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Her Christmas presentation covers colonial decorations with the traditional Williamsburg fruit and dried flowers, and more current decorating techniques used at Biltmore Estate and the White House. After the presentation, she demonstrates how to prepare a fresh colonial wreath and a small flower arrangement inspired by the Twelve Days of Christmas. She also brings a display of hand-made Williamsburg decorations.
Design Exhibit:A Spooktacular Gift! – Create a Halloween design using a wrapped present as the base. Wrapped present should be no smaller than 4" by 6" and no larger than 9" by 12". Designs will be staged on a black-draped table in a space 18" wide by 18" deep.
Featured Pollinator Plant: Helen's Flower 'Mardi Gras', Helenium 'Mardi Gras' has masses of beautiful gold daisy flowers with coppery-bronze overtones, brown eyes and yellow anthers at the ends of the stems from mid summer to early fall. Deer resistant and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Board Meeting: Wednesday, October 27, 2021, 1:00 PM, Crofton Library
November 3, 2021
HONORING OUR VETERANS
Civic Achievement Project and Floral Design Worksop
Location and Time: Fellowship Hall, 1651 Ardsley Place, Crofton. Social at 9:00 AM followed by business meeting at 9:30 AM
Program: Project Chair Cindy Hansen conducts a hands-on workshop where members create patriotic-themed flower arrangements for veterans who reside in local care facilities. Following the workshop, several members will deliver the arrangements and personally thank our heroes.
Horticulture Topic: Landscape Design School Featured Pollinator Plant: Butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly weed is a native perennial with flat-topped, orange or yellow flower clusters at the ends of its stems or in its leaf axils. From mid-summer to autumn, it produces clusters of brightly colored flowers, followed by fruit and a showy seed. Attracts beneficial insects, bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and song birds.
Board Meeting: Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, date and time to be determined.
December 1, 2021
THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS
Civic Beautification Project and Holiday Luncheon
Location and Time: Blue Dolphin Seafood Bar & Grill, 1166 State Route 3 South, Suite 201, Gambrills. Social and silent auction set-up at 11:00 AM followed by brief business meeting and lunch at 12:00 PM
Program: Led by Committee Chair C.J. Salisbury, members decorate several community schools, the Crofton library, the Village Green, and the main entrance to Crofton with live greens and beautiful bows.
After completing the civic project on this First Day of Christmas, members share the joy of the season with a lunch and traditional songs.
Our holiday lunch also includes a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. All proceeds will benefit ongoing projects and programs of Crofton Village Garden Club.
Special Note: $37.50 per person, guests are welcome
Board Meeting:Wednesday, December 29, 2021, 1:00 PM, Crofton Library
January 5, 2022
WINTER TREE MAINTENANCE
Conservation and Environmental Presentation
Location and Time: Fellowship Hall, 1651 Ardsley Place, Crofton. Social at 9:00 AM followed by business meeting at 9:30 AM
Program:Shade gardens are predicted to be the gardens of the future. The right tree provides a sense of permanence and serenity, something we all appreciate after a very challenging year. The shape of the tree trunk, the texture of the foliage, as well as the shade that the tree provides, are all characteristics that we appreciate in the trees that surrounds us in Crofton. Consider pruning to open up a view, and proper maintenance to preserve what it took nature years to form.
Welcome Brock Messinger, a certified arborist representative with Bartlett Tree Experts, and a familiar face in the Historic Linthicum Walks and Crofton neighborhood. He will address the winter season care and maintenance of trees that surround our community.
Design Exhibit:Baby, It's Cold Outside! – Create a Parallel design with a winter theme. Groupings of three or more components are placed in a strong parallel manner. Designs may be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. Overall measurements not to exceed 12" in any direction. Designs will be staged on a black-draped table in a space 18" wide by 18" deep.
Featured Pollinator Plant: Virginia sweetspire 'Little Henry', Itea virginica 'Little Henry' is a compact spreading version of this native shrub which features extremely long and narrow panicles of fragrant white flowers in early summer. Flowers open from base to tip so that the plant appears to bloom for a long time. The narrow leaves turn an outstanding burgundy in the fall. Attracts birds and butterflies. Board Meeting: Wednesday, January 26, 2022, 1:00 PM, Crofton Library
February 2, 2022
LEAF MANIPULATION IN FLOWER DESIGN
Floral Design Demonstration
LocationandTime: Fellowship Hall, 1651 Ardsley Place, Crofton. Social at 9:00 AM followed by business meeting at 9:30 AM
Program: There are no bounds in what you can do by cutting, looping and twisting leaves and stems into a very artistic, sculptural floral design shape. Anna O’Kelly, President of the Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland, a past President of Ikebana International Baltimore Chapter #118, and a student of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana, guides us in this intriguing and creative floral design style. Anna is an accredited NGC Flower Show Judge, a Gardening and Environmental Consultant and is currently completing the Landscape Design School courses.
Design Exhibit:Flowers…the Language of Love! – Create a Tussie-Mussie design, which is an English Floral design in a small circular nosegay of fragrant flowers and herbs tightly gathered. Originally created as a type of "odor mask" this small nosegay has evolved into a sign of affection. Designs will be supported by a glass vessel (provided by the Club) and staged on a black-draped table in a space 18" wide by 18" deep.
Featured Pollinator Plant: Bee balm 'Jacob Cline', Monarda didyma 'Jacob Cline' Bee balm has masses of beautiful clusters of fragrant red flowers at the ends of the stems from mid to late summer. Its fragrant pointy leaves remain forest green in color throughout the season. It provides nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds, seed for birds, and cover for wildlife. Removing old flowers extends the July through August bloom time. Board Meeting: Wednesday, February 23, 2022, 1:00 PM, Crofton Library
March 2, 2022
CREATIVE & BEAUTIFUL PLANT CONTAINERS
Hypertufa Demonstration and Workshop
LocationandTime: Fellowship Hall, 1651 Ardsley Place, Crofton. Social at 9:00 AM followed by business meeting at 9:30 AM
Program: Make beautiful plant containers that will last for years! Hypertufa is a technique that lets you create handmade pots and garden art with few ingredients. The handmade pots look like natural hand carved stone but are molded and relatively light weight and are extremely versatile. Completely weatherproof, these pots work indoors or out and can freeze and thaw naturally as a result of their porous nature. Members Rosa Johnson and Nancy Percivall will demonstrate how to make your very own creations.
Horticulture Topic: Adding Whimsey with Gnomes
Featured Pollinator Plant: Tickseed 'Zagreb', Coreopsis falcata Flowers of 'Zagreb' are golden yellow and appear on pure green slender foliage continuously blooming from early summer right into fall. The dainty finely-cut foliage adds texture and an interesting contrast to surrounding perennials. Attracts butterflies and birds. Board Meeting: Wednesday, March 30, 2022, 1:00 PM, Crofton Library
April 6, 2022
A SUMMER WITH HERB
Herb Gardening Discussion
LocationandTime: Fellowship Hall, 1651 Ardsley Place, Crofton. Social at 9:00 AM followed by business meeting at 9:30 AM
Program: When I first met Herb, he was young and I was inexperienced. As we became more acquainted, our friendship grew. We took turns caring for each other – he comforted me with tea and fragrance; I gave him water and nourishment. The more we learned about each other, the better we got along. Oh, how we loved to cook together, and we even enjoyed an occasional cocktail. But winter was fast approaching and I had so many questions: would he like to stay with me … indoors? If not, will I see him again in the spring? If he leaves, can he give me just a little something to remember him by, but how do I go about preserving my memories of him?
Answers to these and other questions will be provided when we welcome Peggy Riccio, Chair of the Potomac Unit of the Herb Society of America, for an instructional talk about the wonderful world of herbs.
Design Exhibit:Let's Get Digging! – Create a Pot-et-Fleur design with a Spring theme. This is a creative design that consists of two or more rooted plants growing in soil or other medium, cut plant material, and other components in a container. Container should not exceed 14" by 14". Designs will be staged on a black-draped table in a space 18" wide by 18" deep.
Featured Pollinator Plant: Summersweet 'Hummingbird', Clethra alnifolia Summersweet, also known as pepper bush, is an ornamental shrub with spikes of spicy-smelling flowers. Blooming often takes place in summer around July or August. Its attractive dark green foliage takes on a yellow to orange color in autumn, making this plant even more spectactular. Attracts bees and hummingbirds.
Board Meeting: Wednesday, April 27, 2022, 1:00 PM, Crofton Library
May 4, 2022
ALL ABOUT BLUEBIRDS
Bluebird Presentation and Walking Tour
LocationandTime: Fellowship Hall, 1651 Ardsley Place, Crofton. Social at 9:00 AM followed by business meeting at 9:30 AM Program: The Eastern Bluebird is the most widespread of the three bluebirds. Although it is mostly "eastern" in our area, its total range extends south to Nicaragua. A high percentage of Eastern Bluebirds in North America today nest in birdhouses put up for them along "bluebird trails." When they are not nesting, these birds roam the countryside in small flocks.
Claudia West, Committee Chair for Birds and Butterflies, shares information on attracting bluebirds – including nesting habits, building and placement of a nesting box, predator control, and habitat. Members are invited to meet at 1:00 PM at Generals Highway Corridor Park located at 1758 Crownsville Road, Crownsville. Juanita and Pat Tate, members of the Anne Arundel Bird Club, will lead us on a walking tour of the bluebird trail and share their knowledge about bluebirds.
Featured Pollinator Plant: Blue false indigo, Baptisia australis Blue false indigo features spikes of clear blue flowers in late spring. Flowers give way to inflated seed pods which turn charcoal black when ripe and have considerable ornamental interest. Attracts butterflies and birds.
Board Meeting: Wednesday, May 25, 2022, 1:00 PM, Crofton Library
June 1, 2022
LADEW TOPIARY GARDENS
Guided Garden Tour
Location and Time: Ladew Topiary Gardens, 3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, MD. Mini Motor Coach departs the Crofton Commuter Lot at 8:00 AM and travels to Ladew Topiary Gardens. Returns to commuter lot at approximately 4:00 PM.
Program: Deemed “the most outstanding topiary garden in America” by the Garden Club of America, Ladew Topiary Gardens is the perfect spot nestled in beautiful hunt country in Montok, Maryland. Enjoy 22 acres of themed gardens, a wonderful butterfly house, historic mansion, and delightful café. Members are invited to visit the Ladew Garden Gift Shop which has a nice selection of garden-themed items, books, statuary, and gifts.
Enjoy this wonderful opportunity to appreciate beauty in nature.
Special Note: Cost is $55 per person, includes transportation, admission and guided tour, and lunch at the Café or Café Courtyard
Featured Pollinator Plant: Coneflower 'Magnus', Echinacea purpurea This native North American wildflower has vibrant, daisy-like flowers that bloom from mid-summer into early autumn. Its prominent, dark orange central cones are surrounded by larger and more horizontal, rose-pink petals that are held flat, rather than drooping like the species. Attracts butterflies, bees, and birds in winter, if cones are left on the plant.
Board Meeting: Wednesday, August 31, 2022, 1:00 PM, Crofton Library