Spring is Only Days Away!

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Our members are starting to feel the roots in the earth come back to life!

We are starting our seeds indoors for our May Plant Sale. Several Club enthusiasts have chosen: Snapdragons, Marigolds, Zinnias, Poppies, Begonias, Globe Amaranth and other annuals for our May Plant Sale on May 19th in Huntington Center.  Stay tuned to see our progress and follow us for more details.

New members are encouraged to join and our first meeting will be held March 5th, 10 am at Plumb Library so please come for a visit and see what we’re all about. For more information, you can write us at:  info@OldeRiptonGardenClub.org or  like us on Facebook at:  facebook.com/SheltonORGC

We hope to see you there! Program Speaker, Horticulture Discussions and Lunch.  Free to members — Visitor Fee:  $5.00

ORGC Plant Sale – Please Join Us!

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It’s time to start thinking about the Olde Ripton Garden Club Plant Sale.  As you know, the plant sale in May is a major fundraiser for the Club and the proceeds enable us to do many of the activities we do throughout the year.
 
This year we want to start planning for the plant sale early so that we can be assured of a successful sale.  We are looking for volunteers to work on the Plant Sale Committee and start the planning process.  There will be 1 or 2 meetings per month beginning in February and we will be discussing things like plants for the sale, care of plants, staging, pricing, publicity and so on.
 
Please let us know if you would be willing to work on this committee.  It is an important job and we’re certain this group will have a great deal of fun putting this year’s sale together. Send us a note today if you can be on this committee.  
ALSO…we are looking for members to start some flower seedlings for the sale beginning in February in your home.  A windowsill, sunny spot or even a shelf with plant lights would be a great place to start.  We will be providing a list of flowers to grow for this purpose.  If we get enough people involved, we can have every member grow one of the flowers on the list and have a “seedling swap” in the spring with other members, much like a cookie swap. So send us a note to let us know if you would be interested in growing seedlings and we will see how many members we can involve.  The more the merrier!
 
Thank you in advance for your help.  We’re hoping to have as many people as possible work with us on this year’s sale and look forward to your response.
Send your notes to:
info@OldeRiptonGardenClub.org
Visit us on Facebook and “Like Us”
www.Facebook.com/SheltonORGC

Osborne Homestead Museum: ORGC Attends “Holiday at the Opera” Volunteer Appreciation Party

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Originally a farmhouse built around 1840, the Osborne Homestead Museum is now one of fifteen distinctive historic sites in Connecticut.  Frances Eliza Osborne (1876-1956) was the last of the Osborne family children and deeded the 350-acre property to Connecticut to preserve it as a state park for future generations.

A white opera mask at the Osborne Homestead Museum.

Every December for more than 30 years, local garden clubs have prepared lavish holiday decorations following an annually chosen theme.  The 2017 scheme, “Holiday at the Opera,” had participants leveraging thematic elements from well-known operas, such as Faust, Aida, and The Magic Flute.  The Olde Ripton Garden Club (ORGC) decorated the dining room in the spirit of La Traviata. Continue reading →

August 2017 Meeting: The Maturing Summer Garden

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As August rolls around, the fine cultivars in our gardens are reaching and finishing the peak of their bloom.  For native wildflowers, however, late summer is still an active time, as meadows and roadsides are ablaze with their colors.  At our August 7, 2017 meeting, we welcomed Jude Hsiang, Master Gardener and member of the Bethany Garden Club.  She shared with us her slide presentation of Summer Wildflowers of Connecticut. Continue reading →