September marks the end of vacations and start of school, the shortening of days, and cooler weather. It’s an important month for gardeners, as we begin the last harvest of vegetables and herbs and start preparing beds for winter. This month, we were joined by horticulturalist Cathy Beauregard for her program, “The Autumn Lullaby.” Continue reading
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
At our July 20, 2017 meeting, the featured speaker was Dr. Yonghao Li of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Li presented a slide show featuring Spring and Summer Gardening Tips. Continue reading
On Monday, June 19, 2017, the Olde Ripton Garden Club went on a field trip to Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center in Westport, Connecticut. Continue reading
Over the weekend of June 10th, students from the Gardening Enrichment Program at Shelton Intermediate School undertook a significant project to install a new pollinator garden at the back entrance of the school. Members of the community, ORGC, and local Boy Scouts turned out to help. Continue reading
Each year in June, we take a break from regular business duties and gardening work to gather as friends for good food and conversation. For the 2017 annual luncheon, we met at Vazzy’s Cucina in Shelton. Continue reading
On Saturday, May 20th, we hosted our annual Perennial & Garden Plant Sale at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on the Huntington Green in Shelton. It’s a highlight of our year, when members donate cultivars from their own gardens for sale. This year’s event once again featured some of our favorite features. Continue reading
May marks the full swing of gardening season, and what better way to kick it off than to present a brand new, hand-built birdhouse for a feathered friend! At this month’s meeting, we constructed birdhouses from simple pine kits, using only a screwdriver — a surprisingly simple and quick project. Continue reading
We’re thrilled to announce our upcoming, annual Perennial & Garden Plant Sale on Saturday, May 20th from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon.
Most plants are grown from ORGC members’ gardens — each specimen has been lovingly cultivated and cared for. Also available will be Shelton City Flower Plants (Rudbeckia fulgida) and a wide variety of homemade baked goods. Proceeds will benefit garden and scholarship activities.
The Perennial & Garden Plant Sale will be held at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Parking Lot at 25 Church Street on the Huntington Green in Shelton.
We hope to see you there!
It’s time to plant the City Flower in gardens throughout Shelton. The Shelton Board of Alderman designated the Orange Coneflower (rudbeckia fulgida) the City Flower in 2016. The Olde Ripton Garden Club is encouraging residents and businesses to grow this flower in their gardens around the City this coming spring just as they did last year when it was introduced.
Rudbeckia fulgida “Goldsturm’ is a large, daisy-like flower named for it orange tinged petals in keeping with Shelton School’s colors. It is easy to grow and can be grown in containers or naturalized in meadows and planted freely around homes. The Orange Coneflower is a native plant that will grow readily in our area and it is a perennial assuring that it will return to our gardens year after year. It is attractive to birds, bees and many pollinators that are needed for our gardens to thrive; it blooms from midsummer through the fall; and provides a long season of color.
For more information about the City Flower, please visit www.olderiptongardenclub.org or visit a nursery in our area.
The Olde Ripton Garden Club will be selling the flower at their annual plant sale on May 20 at St. Paul’s Church from 9 am – 12 noon.
April is an exciting month for gardeners. It is that middle month of spring hinting at bright, hot summer days ahead — while reminding that the gray chill of winter may still have a visit or two left. Here in Connecticut, we’ll be met one day with soaking rains and warming soil, and another day with a blustery blast from the newly-departed cold. Continue reading
Photo credit: Kindra Clineff
Tovah Martin, seen on TV shows like Martha Stewart and PBS as well as author of many gardening books and articles in publications throughout the country will visit the Olde Ripton Garden Club at their April 3 meeting. Continue reading
We’re on the cusp of a new gardening season, and the warm weather can’t arrive fast enough. For our first meeting of the year, we took a break from the brisk March weather to rally garden enthusiasm with topics on pruning and forcing forsythia — and to take a virtual tour of the Gardens of Williamsburg. Continue reading