Connecticut Master Gardener Association ~Laure February , 2005 Volume 18, No. 1 CMGA Annual Symposium XII : Gardeners In Print . Saturct,~Y Marc~.J9, (B,egistra~js,n ~} • , 200,~L 9_AM--:ftJ30PM 8:3q~ 1 _,, Manche ster Community Colfege, Manchester, CT The CMGA 12th Annu al Symposium is just six week s away, and it's bound to be sold out. W.hat a program it will be! Keynoter Ken _Druse is 3-1 powe[!wuse of;[~nowledge and .tnspiration 1n garde h design. :,During the day, presentations will be given by some of the best authors in print-12 in all. Then Pat Stone will join us for some home -sty le chicken soup wisdom and humor. Keynote Speaker - Ken Druse is nationally known Ken Druse as a garden expert, and with the huge success of his five titles The In the competitive world of gar ­ den writing, Ken is a recogniz ed Natu ra l Garden, The Natura l Shade Garden, The Natural Habitat Gar­ master. His newest book, Ken Druse: The Passion for Gardening den, The Colle ctor's Garden, and Making More Plants : The Science, won the 2004 best book of the year from The American Horticul­ Art, and Joy of Propagation, is America's best- loved gardener. He tural Society as well as the coveted divides his time between his New "Award of the Year," from the Gar ­ den Writers Association of Am eri ca, York City studio, his garden in New of which he is also a fe llow. Ken Jersey, and lecture engagements believes, "When people connect around the country. with nature, things change ___People who discover th e passion for gar­ Further symposium details and deni ng are able to bring nature into their homes, hearts, minds ­ information about the Session their lives," Speakers on pages 8, 9 & 10 . Keynot e Speaker Ken Druse Closing Speaker - Pat Stone :F Ins~de tht, issue: Real gardeners make mistakes. And some of us do this spectacu­ larly, and publicly, Pat Ston e will .. CMGA Business .: . ............ ... 2 share with us some of the dirt on ' · , v( l❖{ ···❖ h~ · · , ❖ gardeners in his talk, "Real Gar­ Welcome Class of 2005 ....... 4 deners' True Confessions". Pat is a AMG Fall/Winter Classes .... 4 gilted performer who helps us see J004 Gr~~uate$ . ..... ... ... , •... 5 1 ,V, the human in humus. Or is it the .;h. ., . ,..., .; ,..,. Focus Group Reports ......... 6 ot her way around? Editor/ Publisher/Creator of Green Prints: Book Review .................... ... 7 The Weeder's Digest, Pat's books . Symposium details ......... .. .. 8 and art icles have made gardeners Outreac~- LEARN Project 10 laugh and learn. Pat contributed to Hemlock Woolly Adelgid . .. 12 Chicken Soup for the Gardener's ,...E Flow~~r Show~ ........... .,..14 Soul, some of the best gardening Pat Stone will end the day stor ies ever told, and retold. with gentle humor The Laurel Calendar .......... 15 I CMGA Officers 2;005 ;4 t I ._I C_M_G_:~....P.. -' B--"u_s_i_,p..... e'""''~-"-'- s- ._/T.....,: ~ - '-r___, -'-- - ·1....; __ _ __ ____, President : Paul Grimmeisen Dear Master Gardeners: 24 White Oak Road Farmington, CT 06032 Wishing you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year. Your board and 860 -677-86 4 5 [email protected] comm itte e mem ber s have been working hard to develop a terrific Vice- agenda for 2005. Peter Lirot , our new CMGA VP, has organized a bus President: Peter Lirot trip to the Rhode Island Flower Show on Thursday, February 17th 39 Burr Hill Road leaving from both Hartford and Old Saybrook for $30, which includes KIiiingworth, CT 06419 the bus and the entrance fee. A real deal! See the announcement on 860-663-1595 page 14. [email protected] By now you should have received the flyer and registration form for our annual sympos iu m, Gardeners In Print . It is the finest gathering Treasurer: Billy Baxter 293 South Orchard Street of authors I have ever seen , especia lly for the price. I have been to bot h Wallingford, CT 06492 regional and international master gardener con fer ences, and have never Bllbax@snet,net seen such a select ion of speakers. If you do not sign up early it is truly a loss, as we expect a quick sell out of 400. Further symposium details Secretary: Sandy Myhalik are in thi s issue of The Laurel, and on our website, www.ctmga.org. 89 Ely Road Farmington, CT 06032 Community focu s group s hav e been fo rmed around the State -see 860 -677-0 504 page 6 for their reports. We will keep you posted on these and many [email protected] other exciting CMGA events coming up in the next months. See you at the symposium on Saturday, March 19th. Memb ers hip: John Neff 18 Knollwood Road Paul Grimmeisen Farm ington, CT 06032 Jrneff@co mcast .net President, CMGA Cooperative Extension Center Coordinators (by County): Introducing . Fairfield : Sandi Wilson We would like to introduce you to the CMGA's new slate of officers, 203-207-8440 Sandra. wilson @uconn. edu elected at the Semi-Annual Meeting held on November 6, 2004: Fairfield Regina Campfield (Stamford): mastergardener@ 203-329 ·3363 bartlettarboretum.org Paul Grimmeisen: President Hartford : Katie Melvin It is easy to find common ground with 860-57 0-90 10 [email protected] CMGA President , Paul Grimmeisen. During LitdJfield : his professional years Paul found relaxation in 860-62 6-6240 daily gardening. Often Paul accompanied his I Midd lesex: John Castagno 860-345 -4511 John. [email protected] fr iend and bridge partner, John Neff, to CMGA New Haven : Mira Schachne functions. When Paul retired he entered the 203-407 -316 1 Mira.Scachne@ua,nn.edu West Hartford Master Gardener class of 2001. New London: Melissa Smith He served two terms as CMGA treasurer, fo l­ 860-887 -1608 [email protected] lowed by two years as vice pr eside nt. Tolland : Mary Collins Now elected CMGA president, Paul hopes 860-870-6934 [email protected] Windham : K.im Kelly to increase membership and volunteerism. An 860· 776-9600 Kimberly. Ke/Jy@ua,nn.edu enthu siastic volunteer for Habitat for Human­ ity, he advises new homeowners where to ·- UConn Home & Garden locate plants so they will thr ive, and how to maintain the ir law ns. He Education Center : hopes CMGA members "use the training to help people and get involved 877-486 -6271 www.canr.ua,nn.edu/garden with the community." IPM is high on his list of concerns. What bugs him? "Abuse of chemi­ UConn Liaison: Cyndi Wyskiewicz cals so easily avai lable to the homeowner. The y spread much more tha n 877-486 -6271 they need." Cynth ia. [email protected] He is a passionate gardener with a special love for hostas and other CMGA website: www.ctmga.org perennials, which do well in his rocky, shady land. Deer seem to enjoy outwit t ing the mechanical obstac les he devises. Deer are very gratefu l The Laurel Editors: for Paul's tasty tulip s, azaleas and rhodies; CMGA members are gratef ul Barbara Duffy [email protected] for his dedicated service and leadership. Hila ry Forsyth [email protected] The Laurel is publi shed:.a minimurp of four times a year for the members o(the Connecticu t Master Gardener Associ atiorE Please ·s~ild news, photographs and calendar items 'fo Hilary Forsyth at [email protected] t . Deadline for May 2005 issue: April 1, 2005 2 ICMGA Business ''T Peter Lirot, Vice President Billy Baxter: Treasurer Peter lives in Killing­ Billy recalls that he often had to help his father worth and was our able with gardening chores on the family's small farm in CMGA Treasurer last year. Mississippi. Billy moved to Connecticut many years He graduated from the ago and on his retirement, found he had more t ime to 2000 Haddam Extension concentrate on his own garden in Wallingford. His Center MG program and is efforts drew many compliments from the neighbors, currently working on his and soon people were stopping by to ask for AMG certification. A past gardening tips and advic e. His father had been a President of the Killing­ Master Gardener, and Billy realized that taking the worth Garden Club, Peter is Master Gardener course interested in raised bed would help incre ase his own gardening and growing un­ knowledge and under­ usual plants such as paw standing of the plant world. paw. The vegetables from his garden are canned and He graduated out of the then used in cooking. Peter loves to cook and is fa ­ Stamford class in 2002. mous for his mar inara sauce with meatbal ls. He says Billy grows a mix of annuals "the end of the gardening day usually finds me at our and perennials, many from fish pond with a nice glass of Merlot (for medicinal seed, and believes that a purposes)." well-tended lawn is key t'J enhanc ing any garden. active mentor and says , "I'll mentor Sandy Myhalik: Secretary anyone who listens to me ." She is also Sandy will return as the CMGA working on her AMG certification. Secretary, and always does a very Sandy is the annual symposium efficient job of capturing the CMGA registrar, and has worked on projects at meeting minutes. Not an easy task, the Farmington Library, Noah Wallace due to the enthusiastic and sometimes School, the Habitat for Humanity house unruly discussions at monthly board in Farmington, as well as the Unionville meetings! She lives in Farmington and town gazebo. She is an avid home comp leted her Master Gardener gardener with a special interest in program at the West Hartford landscaping, perennial gardening and Extension Center in 2003.