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.

Every December for more than 30 years, local garden clubs have prepared lavish holiday decorations following an annually chosen theme.  The theme for the 2021 Holiday Season was “Holiday Tribute: Celebrate the Suffragists.”  The Olde Ripton Garden Club decorated the Living Room and Solarium in the spirit of the “Connecticut Women Suffrage Association Parade.”

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For our November meeting we welcomed Debbie Semonich who led us in a workshop of “Winter Sowing.”

Debbie Semonich has been gardening for 25 years. She learned some skills from her grandfather and mother but she is mostly self taught.  Discovering winter sowing made her gardening life blossom.

Debbie works with her other love, books, at the Plumb Memorial Library.  She lives and gardens in Shelton with her family.

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Meet Pyrrharctia Isabella better known as the Woolly Bear Caterpillar.

ORGC stock photo

This month for our Horticulture presentation, Linda Hooper shared information about the Woolly Bear caterpillar.

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For our October meeting, club member Martha Nosal led us in a floral arranging workshop.  Rather than using floral foam bricks, which are considered hazardous because of the chemicals “phenol” and “formaldehyde”, to secure the flower stems we used chicken wire and wooden sticks.

There were many colorful flowers and interesting greens to choose from.

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For our September meeting we welcomed Ceil Rossi.

Ceil lived in Arizona for over 26 years during which time she discovered gourds, an art form of the southwest.

Her earthy artwork is grown from the ground and it’s these hard shelled vessels that have perpetuated her passion for art.

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This month we welcomed back Cathy Rich as our guest presenter. Cathy demonstrated and created beautiful flower arrangements which were auctioned off at the end of the program.

Cathy showed us how to use plants and flowers from the garden to make interesting and unusual arrangements.

Follow the “continue reading” link below to see some of her beautiful arrangements and learn how to use your own garden plants to design unique arrangements of your own.

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After more than a year of virtual meetings we were finally able to come together in person and enjoy a sunny day at the Kellogg House at Osborne Homestead Museum https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Education/Kellogg/Osborne-Homestead-Museum in Derby, Connecticut.

Picnic organizers DonnaKay Pensiero and Holly Secskas

We had a short business meeting after which we enjoyed our picnic lunches.  Later many member took the opportunity to walk through the beautiful gardens of Kellogg House.

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This month Linda Hooper presented Digger Bees and Bumble Bees

Digger Bees:

Digger Bees are ¼ to ½ inch long. Depending on the species, they may be dark or shiny metallic, often with yellow, white or rust-colored markings. The females are very fuzzy, which allows them to carry pollen on their bodies. Digger bees generally don’t sting unless they’re threatened.

Female adult Digger Bees live underground, where they build a nest about 6 inches (15 cm.) deep. Within the nest, they prepare a chamber with plenty of pollen and nectar to sustain the larvae.

Male Digger Bees don’t help with this project. Instead, their job is to tunnel to the surface of the soil before the females emerge in spring.

Bumblebees:

Bumblebees are large, fuzzy insects with short, stubby wings. They are larger than honeybees, but they don’t produce as much honey however, they are very important pollinators.

While other animals pollinate, Bumblebees are particularly good at it. Their wings beat 130 times or more per second, and the beating combined with their large bodies vibrates flowers until they release pollen, which is called buzz pollination. Buzz pollination helps plants produce more fruit.

Bumblebees usually build their nests close to the ground — under piles of wood, dead leaves and compost piles — or even below ground in abandoned rodent tunnels.

Photo Courtesy of E. Wehger, Slater Sanctuary

This month we welcomed Sally Brockett, President of the Daytime Gardeners of North Haven, who presented “Hummingbirds: Jeweled Acrobats in the Garden.”

Sally gave an interesting presentation about Hummingbirds, we learned many interesting facts  about these “Jeweled Acrobats.”

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Olde Ripton Garden Club

Shelton, Connecticut 06484

May 12, 2021

Dear Donors and Customers

Thank you for your generous gifts to The Olde Ripton Garden Club. We are thrilled to have your support. Through your donations and purchases we will be able to raise funds and continue working towards assisting in beautifying streets, and grounds around public buildings in Shelton. Today your donation is going toward new Signs for our Community Gardens and to award a scholarship to a Shelton High School Student who plans to study horticulture, conservation or the environment.

You truly make the difference for us, and we are extremely grateful!

Sincerely,

Lisa DiNardo & Debby Garrow

Co-Chairmen Olde Ripton Garden Club 2021 Annual Plant & Bake Sale

On Saturday, May 8th we held our Annual Plant Sale and it was a huge success.  Thank you to the public for supporting this important fund raiser.  The Olde Ripton Garden Club is a non-profit organization and all proceeds benefit the community projects in which we are involved.

Lisa DiNardo, Plant Sale Co-chairman and committee member Debby Garrow stand by the hand made wreaths that were available for sale.

Besides member donated plants and baked goods, also available were crafts including hand made wreaths, painted trowels, lavender sachets and floral arrangements.  Also sold were gift cards and raffle tickets for a selection of baskets and large plants, all donated by local businesses.

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Join us on Saturday, May 8th for our annual plant sale which is a major fundraiser for the Olde Ripton Garden Club.  We are a non-profit organization and all proceeds benefit the community projects in which we are involved.   

Because of the pandemic last year, we were unable to offer this successful fundraiser to the community, please stop by and check us out and learn all about the Olde Ripton Garden Club.