Note: Photos of winners appear throughout the text, and a slideshow with random pictures of the event appears at the bottom of the page. It's best to view on a laptop or tablet. No words can do justice to the beauty on display at our recent September Serenades Flower Show, but here's some of what the judges had to say: “T he horticulture was amazing, especially at this time of the year with all the various weather conditions. The designs reflected the advanced creative talents of your members depicting the class titles in very distinctive modes.” – Mary Anne Finch “Your committee and members are to be congratulated.  The horticulture display was lovely and the designs impressive.” – Marina Kerber Horticulture Results Overall, Horticulture presented 19 classes with 80 entries in total. Members were awarded 27 blue ribbons, 25 second places with six receiving a score of 90+, 21 third places with one receiving a score of 90+, and seven honorable mentions. Karen Fricke scored the most overall points with 20 while there was a three-way tie for second most overall points at 19: Donna Karanja, Barbara Meyer, and Debbie Moran.   There were ample opportunities to earn ribbons due to this being a small standard flower show. For Horticulture, the following ribbons were awarded to the best of the best. Award of Merit: Karen Fricke’s Sunflower ‘Evening Sun’ Award of Merit: Michele Tomasik’s Coleus Award of Merit: Karen Fricke’s Dahlia ‘Thomas Edison’ Award of Merit: Karen Fricke’s Caryopteris ‘Beyond Midnight’ Award of Merit: Barbara Meyer’s Hybrid Tea ‘Octoberfest’ Award of Merit: Sarah Olson’s Herb Rue Award of Horticultural Excellence: Karen Fricke’s Sunflower ‘Evening Sun’   We also had the opportunity to present The Garden Club of Montclair specific awards that can only be designated in a flower show.  These were: The Barbara Meyer Rose Award: Barbara Meyer’s Hybrid Tea ‘Octoberfest’ The Amy Hatrak Herb Award: Karen Fricke’s collection of 5 herbs   Here are photographs of the award winners, but please see all the photos at the end of this article for the awe-inspiring bounty from our members’ gardens. Flower Design Results Overall, Flower Design featured 4 classes with 4 entries each: 16 entries in total and offering Traditional designs, Creative designs, Petite designs, and Challenge Petite designs.  As usual, the creativity and imagination of our members was on display and the public visitors were wowed with what they saw.  In addition, a ribbon for Best in Show was awarded during the flower show to Cynthia Corhan-Aitken for her gravity defying design.  Here are all the results: Traditional 1st           Patricia Rodio 2nd/90+ Michele Tomasik 3rd           Olga Bequillard HM        Fran Ackerly Creative 1st/Best in Show Cynthia Corhan-Aitken 2nd/90+ Sarah Stransky 3rd                  Barbara Baletti HM                       Tova Narrett Petite 1st Heidi Muschick 2nd Susan Straten 3rd  Deborah Hirsch HM Karen Fricke Petite Challenge 1st Celia Radek 2nd/90+ Floss O’Sullivan 3rd   Sarah Olson HM Nancy Stroud Botanical Arts Results Even though Gershwin was not one of the musical themes listed in our September Serenades schedule, the Botanical Arts division presented creations with “Fascinating Rhythms.”  Imaginative and meticulous designs made this category a favorite with the public.  With these beautiful designs and ones from the past 2 years, we could host a botanical arts’ fashion show featuring hats, jewelry, shoes, and fascinators!  1st Karen Fricke 2nd/90+ Floss O’Sullivan 3rd     Fran Ackerly HM Nancy Stroud An orchestra of talented players made this flower show a success. Thank you to Debbie Moran, Schedule and Signage Chair , Celia Radek, Horticulture Chair , Heidi Muschick, Classification/ Placement Chair , Fran Ackerly, Design Chair , Florence Leysséne,  Botanical Arts/Judges Chair , Karen Fricke, Awards/Clerking Chair , and Florence Sinofsky, Hospitality Chair . In addition, Karen Whitehaus, Pamela Turre, and Melody Brown organized our Properties needed for the show and set up our space beautifully.  Also, Sue Young and Sue Yu are our faithful photographers and check out additional photos Sue Yu took that are studio masterpieces highlighting the creations of our gardeners and designers. Finally, thanks to Sarah Olson who supports all our endeavors with her unlimited energy, encouragement, and generosity of spirit. Congratulations to all!  - With gratitude, Floss O’Sullivan, Flower Show Chair And here's a slideshow of the event with some random photos. Click on any one to open them all to their full size.

Join us with hostess Gretchen Prater for sips and fall shopping in support of the Garden Club of Montclair.   Thursday, September 26 2:30 – 5:30 PM J. McLaughlin 219 Belleue Avenue 15% of sales  will benefit the Garden Club of Montclair.

Some photos from yesterday's Clip, Dip, and Sip in glorious Avis Campbell Garden from Wendy Stahl and new member Amy Poster. Thank you Ana and your committee for organizing this delicious celebration of the Garden's beauty. xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxx

Once again, members of the Civic/Environment Committee and their spouses and children met at Moss & More (thanks again, Amy, for hosting us) with their grabbers, compostable garbage bags and garish safety jackets to clean up the streets of Upper Montclair. The extremely gross garbage in the photo was picked up from the two parking lots and the streets around. Last March nothing was growing and there was a lot more trash. This year we realized the gardeners in us are needed around tree beds and sidewalk cracks. We will focus our next event on Saturday, October 19 (rain date, Sunday, October 20) on more weeding.    Imke Oster will be reaching out to invite us to a town hall where we can address the outrageous neglect in the Upper Montclair business district.

Join us with hostess Gretchen Prater for sips and fall shopping in support of the Garden Club of Montclair.   Thursday, September 26 2:30 – 5:30 PM J. McLaughlin 219 Belleue Avenue 15% of sales will benefit the Garden Club of Montclair.

Heidi Muschick, our own National Garden Club Horticulture Instructor for Flower Show School and Chair of our Horticulture Committee, led a highly successful workshop at Avis on September 9. She explained the intricacies of displaying our garden beauties and winning points with finicky judges. The results can be seen in the photos of the Flower Show winners (coming soon!)

Please join us next Tuesday, September 24 from 4-7PM at Avis Campbell Gardens for an end of summer garden party! The Avis Campbell Gardens Committee members have worked hard this Summer maintaining the stunning colors and textures in the garden beds. Most recently, they initiated the process of creating new plant tags to help the community put plants' common names, botanical names, and origin together. It has been wonderful to see that Avis has many native and pollinator plants amongst its great collection!   Come join us to support the work of this wonderful Committee and enjoy some finger food and creative “mocktails” prepared with the harvests of the growing Herb Garden!!   What can I bring?  A plate of finger food, savory or sweet, would be fantastic!  Please email Ana Moore at zallesmoore@gmail.com  with any questions.   Looking forward to seeing you at Avis!

If you haven’t yet downloaded this year's dates , the Calendar states our first Civic/Environmental clean up in the Upper Montclair Business District,   Sunday, September 22 at 10 AM is the date, with a rain date the following day. Moss & More (Amy South, owner and GC member) in Upper Montclair Plaza will once again be our home base. The change to Sunday resulted because the Upper Montclair Sidewalk Sale changed to Saturday the 21, our original date. However, this means there will be a treasure of Trash!   We will have cider, biodegradable cups, biodegradable trash bags and orange and yellow vests and picker upper claws for our use.  If you have your own, there will be GCof Montclair signs to pin on your backs.  Feel free to invite friends.

Karen Fricke led our debut at last year’s event where our elegant Mandy won a major prize. It’s time to meet the challenge again and our early Autumn gardens will make the perfect shopping mall.  Marilyn Zaret welcomes interested ghouls and gardeners in this venture. Our group will gather on Thursdays and Fridays at Marilyn’s home (346 N. Mountain Ave. Upper Montclair)  Check the meeting dates and join us. Thursday, September 26 at 1:00 is Idea Day October 3, 4, 10, 11, 17  will  be our creation days 1:00 - 4:00 Friday, October 18 is Display Day Contact Marilyn at marzaret@comcast.net

Best known for his twenty-five-year running radio show, “The Gardening Guru,” David Daehnke will answer all our gardening questions in an Open Gardening Forum for our first program of the year.  Bring your diseased, your shriveled, your barely-hanging-on specimens, stories and questions.  David will bring wisdom and expertise to solve your problems, as well as share his love of gardening and belief in an organic, common-sense approach. The meeting will be in the Auditorium at 60 S. Fullerton, from 6:00 to 8:30.

Click on flyer to go to GCNJ site.

Saturday, Sept. 21, 10-1, Rain or Shine Native Plant Society of New Jersey, Essex Chapter Co-Sponsored with the Essex Co. Environmental Commission Garibaldi Hall, Essex Co. Environmental Center 621 Eagle Rock Avenue NATIVE PLANT FALL FEST! Buy native shrubs, learn how to prune shrubs, and explore the woods at the Environmental Center on guided hikes.   11:00-12:00. Pruning Workshop with Nancy Critchley, Master Gardener Pruning Expert. Please bring hand pruners if you have them.   11:15 and 12:15: 30 minute Guided Nature Walks – Explore the woods and see native plants with expert guides! All ages welcome. 10:00-1:00. Shrub & Small Tree Sale - Fall is the best time to plant shrubs and small trees! All from Gino’s Nursery. Nine are available for pre-order; more will be at the sale. All can grow in sun or part shade; for more plant info, go to www.jerseyyards.org/plant .Pre-orders will be taken between Sept. 3-9. Please email essexnativeplantsale@gmail.com , with your desired species and amounts & cell phone #. Payment at pick-up: cash or check only .   Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis. $25 (2 gal) Coral Honeysuckle Vine, Lonicera sempervirens. $30 (2 gal) Gray Dogwood, Cornus racemosa. $25 (2 gal) Inkberry, Ilex glabra. Specify if want male or female. $25 (2 gal) Serviceberry Tree, Amelanchier canadensis. $30 (2 gal) Spicebush, Lindera benzoin. $40 (2 gal) Summersweet, Clethra alnifolia. $25 (1 gal) Virginia Sweetspire, Itea virginica. $30 (2 gal) Witch Hazel Tree, Hamamelis virginiana. $20 (9”)     MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR UPCOMING EVENTS Sat., Oct. 5, 10-11:30. Fall Tree ID Walk, Brookdale Park, Montclair Sat., Oct. 19, 2-4. Members End-of-Season Party & Plant Swap. Short Hills.   Questions? Email Essex@npsnj.org

Monday, September 9, 5-6:30PM 60 S. Fullerton Avenue Garden Club Room Have you stood in front of two identical-looking hellebores at a horticulture competition and wondered why the judges scored them so differently?  This workshop is for you!   Heidi Muschick, NGC accredited Master Flower Show Judge and Instructor, and American Daffodil Society Judge, will teach essential techniques for exhibiting in horticulture competiitions, and explain the club’s Horticulture Schedule. This is an important class, especially for Provisionals, to learn the ins and outs of competition, but it’s a great refresher for any level of membership.  Sign up HERE.

Technology Workshop: Navigating the New Online Yearbook Thursday, September 5 10am-noon Montclair Public Library 55 S. Fullerton Avenue in the Community Room, first floor   Whether you’re feeling intimidated or confident about using the website to access Garden Club information, there is something for everyone in this workshop!   This is the first year that our Yearbook will not be printed, but distributed exclusively online.    Our resident IT expert and Communications Chair Sue Young will walk us through the easier-than-you-imagined steps to access the Yearbook on laptop, tablet, or phone.  Still wishing for a hard copy? Sue has formatted the most frequently accessed topics so that you can easily print those pages for yourself.   Sue will also show us some of the lesser-known pages on the website and explain how to find exactly what you want to know.  Did you know that many of the workshops have online videos or power point presentations for reference? She also wants to know what would make it easier for you to make the best use of the site. What would you like to see that is not there? Tell her what works and what doesn't work. There will be plenty of time for questions, and hands-on help from our own computer whiz kid.   Be sure to bring your laptop or tablet with you to the workshop.   Sign up by clicking HERE .

This year the Club is making a big change to our Yearbook, published continuously since 1950, for both economic and environmental reasons. The Board agreed unanimously that we would create a hybrid Yearbook this year, a combination of online information with a printable file including the most used sections: Letter from the President Board of Trustees Calendar Botanical Schedules Flower Design Schedules Horticulture Schedules Committee Chairs and Members Directory As has been the case for the past couple of years, ALL THE INFORMATION   previously contained in our printed Yearbooks is available on your computer, laptop, or phone . CLICK HERE  to go to our Yearbook page with links to everything you might need, including the printable version. (It is the top link on the "Business" menu heading.) Sue Young will be introducing the new Yearbook as well as answering all your website questions on Thursday, September 5 at the Library Community Room from 10 am to noon. CLICK HERE  to sign up. ―Sarah Olson .

With the Flower Show, September Serenades , just over two weeks away, now is the time to take a walk in your garden with the Show Schedule  in hand to consider which Horticulture Classes you’ll enter. Familiarize yourself with the Horticulture rules in the Schedule and review the Basics of Exhibiting on the website.    If you’re exhibiting a large-type dahlia, remember to remove the side buds and leave a set of leaves. Not sure what kind of Marigold ( Tagetes ) or Sedum you're growing? Find the plant tag to help identify your entry. Only fully named specimens are eligible for top exhibitor awards.   Each participant is limited to four entries total. Exhibitors are required to pre-register their entries by Wednesday, September 11, no later than 5:00pm, with the Horticulture Entries chair, Celia Radek . Email Celia with any questions. See you in September!!

August 1st, 1935 – August 22, 2024 Please see Marilyn's obituary, below. It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Marilyn Mapes Yeutter, who left us on August 22nd having just celebrated her 89th Birthday. Marilyn was born August 1, 1935 to Daniel and Florence Mapes from West Caldwell, New Jersey. She graduated from Caldwell High School in 1953 and Pembroke College in Brown University in 1957. She married her college sweetheart Bruce on February 1, 1958 and lived and raised their three children in Montclair, before spending her later years back in her childhood home in Caldwell. Marilyn is survived by her loving husband Bruce D. Yeutter, her three daughters; Diane Rothberg (James Dugan), Susanne Raymond (William Raymond) and Stacey Ross (Hunter Ross), her grandchildren; Justin Rothberg (Kristin Rothberg), Brandon Rothberg, Anna Raymond Smith (Luke Smith), Caroline Raymond, Schuyler Ross, Kailey Ross, Carson Ross, and a great-granddaughter, Charlotte Rothberg. Marilyn was a member of the Union Congregational Church where she helped steer the committee to rebuild after a devastating fire. She was a member of the Montclair Garden Club, Bradford Bath & Tennis Club for 60 years and Montclair Golf Club. She had a life-long passion for sports: she and Bruce traveled near and far to attend Brown University football, soccer, and ultimately watch daughter Diane swim for their alma mater Brown. She loved playing and watching tennis and golf. As a grandmother, she was a devoted fan on the sidelines of countless soccer and lacrosse games and swimming meets. Marilyn loved the beach and the Outer Banks of NC where her extended family gathered every August to create beautiful memories for over 40 years. She enjoyed collecting sea shells and walking the beach with her children and grandchildren. The family was able to enjoy one last celebration together this August. Services: The visitation will be held at the Paul Ippolito-Dancy Funeral Home in Caldwell, NJ on Wednesday the 28th from 6 to 8 pm. The funeral service will be on Thursday the 29th at 11:30 am at Union Congregational Church in Upper Montclair. We will have a repast immediately following the funeral at the church. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her memory to The Garden Club of Montclair or the American Heart Association .

Our Move to Green Alternatives  The Garden Club of Montclair’s Flower Design Committee has made the decision to move away from the use of floral foam in our design competitions because of its detrimental effects on the planet, people, and wildlife.  Floral foam is toxic. Cutting a block of it can create a toxic dust. It contains phenol, formaldehyde (a known carcinogen), and does not decompose efficiently. It is actually a single-use plastic that breaks down in landfills into tiny particles called microplastics.   Microplastics can remain in the environment for hundreds of years.    The anti-foam movement is growing. The Royal Horticultural Society (UK) banned the use of floral foam in 2020 and you will not see it at the Chelsea Flower Show or the Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, two of their showcase events. Many florists throughout this country and the world no longer use it.  It is time of us to join this movement.     There are many eco-friendly alternatives to floral foam that you can use in your arrangements such as AgraWool bricks, TerraBrick s, or the Oshun Pouch.  They are all plant-based products. We also encourage the use of floral mechanics such as chicken wire, Kensans (flower frogs), water tubes, floral tape, even twigs and pebbles. We have also collaborated with our Workshop Committee to provide opportunities for you to learn how to use these techniques in your designs .   Montclair Garden Club designers have always shown enormous creativity and inventiveness as evidenced in our monthly competitions. You have proven to be skilled designers, regardless of your design level.   We have full confidence that you will take on the challenge of “life without Oasis” with that same degree of dedication and expertise.    Below are some links to help you understand our decision to move away from floral foam and to move toward green alternatives. Barbara Baletti, FD Chair Floss O’Sullivan, FD Vice Chair   Sustainable Floristry Network "A Guide to Floral Foam Alternatives" in Flower Magazine Flowers Magazine for the Australian flower and foliage industry New Age Floral (info re AgraWool/Oshun Pouch) Oasis Floral Products information on its product TerraBrick "The Problem with Floral Foam : " lecture on YouTube by the Sustainable Floristry Organization