The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc., is a member of the New England Garden Clubs. The NEGC Annual Meeting will be held in Plymouth, MA, on October 10-11, 2023. All members are welcome to this historic venue! The registration is available on the NEGC website. The New England Garden Clubs’ Photography Group is sponsoring a NEGC Photography Show titled “Rejoice in the Sun” — Celebrating New England’s Ecosystems. Anyone interested in more information please contact Arabella Dane for the schedule or let me know and I will forward the information.

As a member of National Garden Club, you are eligible to receive The National Gardener, also known as TNG, delivered free to your inbox just as you receive CFNews. Go to https://gardenclub.org and click “get involved” at the top left, then scroll down to subscribe to The National Gardener. In the process, spend some time investigating all the other resources available to club members! 

Visit the Awards Luncheon page after September 1 to register.

Questions? meetings@ctgardenclubs.org

Sign up now by clicking here.

Orange skies, drought, deluge, heat domes — what’s wrong with our climate? What can be done to prevent these events? Those of us wishing to understand our Earth’s ecosystems and how we can protect them, will want to join us on September 21 and 22, 2023 for a comprehensive look at Land and its contribution to the well being of all life on Earth.

To register, please complete the Environmental School registration form and make your payment online. For questions, contact Virginia Casanova, Registrar, at ginger.casanova@ctgardenclubs.org.

Introduction to Creative Design Workshop 

We anticipate that the workshop will be held in late September or early October in Litchfield. Look for details, including costs, on The Federation’s Events Calendar at https://ctgardenclubs.org/events/   

If you’d like an e-mail with details of date/place/cost/registration process, please email us.

Our President, Karin Pyskaty, has initiated this project for 2023-25. We challenge each club to donate to the National Garden Club "Penny Pines" project. Visit the NGC website at National Garden Club “Penny Pines” or use the QR code to go directly to the Penny Pines project!

We are also encouraging individuals to Care For Your Air — Grace Your Home With Houseplants.

Certain plants have been found to purify our indoor air and provide allergy relief as well as improve sleep quality and reduce stress levels. Good choices are English Ivy, Bamboo Palm, Dracaena Janet Craig, Rubber Plant, Weeping Fig, Peace Lily, Spider Plant, Philodendron and Pothos.

Please email me at carmelina.villani@ctgardenclubs.org with your ideas and plans. 

I can’t wait to hear from you! Carmelina

If your club enjoys its Tax Exempt Status under the FGCCT umbrella, AND files the 990 N for organizations with less than $50,000 in total annual receipts, download our permission form and we’ll do it for you! 

2. Does your club accept PayPal, Square, etc., for credit or debit card payments?  

Square, PayPal, etc. will report to the IRS the total payments processed when the annual amount exceeds $600 using the EIN or SSN on file with your processors. Check to ensure that the tax ID number on your account with the processor is that of your club and NOT the SSN of your Treasurer!

The Federation cannot replace professionals such as accountants, attorneys or tax experts, but we hope to help your club by answering some basic questions and pointing out correct procedures and forms for your use.

Questions? Contact Assistant Treasurer MaryAnn Lynn, maryann.lynn@ctgardenclubs.org or Treasurer John Davis, john.davis@ctgardenclubs.org

All posters submitted this year must feature Smokey Bear along with his wildfire prevention message.  Click here for more information about the contest, its rules and deadline.

If you have questions, contact Youth Activities Chair Kandra Houston at youth@ctgardenclubs.org.

As I assessed the toasted hostas — variegated ones crisp up real well — I realized that in my absence, natural succession had started. Pioneer plant species did not whine and lay around in the shade like I did. These intrepid plants had stepped in to colonize my disturbed ecosystem — low moisture, full sun, high temperatures and poor soils be damned. There are six sweet birch (Betula lenta), one of which is almost eight feet tall and shading the hostas around the base already. There are three small eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) that I was happy to see. I am a big fan and sad that many of my larger ones are being shaded out in other areas of my property. And finally there is a valiant little white oak. There is only ten feet between the fence and the driveway but I will let them all stay. I hope to be gone by the time that decision has consequences.   

Then there are the weeds. There are clumps of field grass which kind of look like switchgrass so they can hang in there for a while. More troubling is a covering of creeping cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans), a perennial weed that is rather new to my garden. I have been ignoring it for a while and thought it was wild strawberry (mea culpa, they are going to rip off my master gardener epaulets). Despite my tolerance for weeds, it is in the “you’ll be sorry” category. It spreads aggressively by stolons and anchors itself with a long taproot so it will be impossible to weed out – even with carbon steel. Apparently I am providing the perfect conditions for this little pernicious terror so that needs to change. Taller plants that will out compete the little suckers and better soil conditions are in order. And mulch. I hate mulching. Mercifully there are stretches of ledge that can be uncovered as “features.” My niece thinks rocks are awesome – she is from the Midwest where there are none. And of course there is the ever present mugwort and Canada goldenrod courtesy of the empty lot across the street which hosts legions of them. I sense more are looking over and plotting, waiting for the chance to leap across the road and join in, and feel doomed.

I start the process. Tiny ants have colonized the roots of every sedge and let me know, in no uncertain terms, that they are not happy with my efforts. I have to dig and set aside the plants until the hordes subside. I dig the hostas only to find the ants have also colonized every place I want to replant them. It is a banner year for ants. I win that battle but then raccoons dig up the newly planted hostas overnight. I replant raccoon-dug hostas. The ants bite me again. I don’t know what circle of hell this is but I don’t recall reading about it in Fine Gardening.

Less than 100 years ago, a person could look up into the night sky and see thousands of bright stars. Today, widespread and ever-increasing artificial light makes this impossible in many places across the globe. This excessive use of artificial light is light pollution. Just as with pollution of our water and air, light pollution can have serious environmental consequences for humans, wildlife and even our climate.

Plants and animals depend on the Earth’s daily cycle of light and dark. For animals, this is important for life-sustaining behaviors such as reproduction, sleep, and protection from predators. There is scientific evidence that artificial light can have deadly effects on many creatures from hummingbirds to wallabies. Birds that migrate at night are navigating by moonlight and starlight. Each year, artificial light is responsible for millions of deadly bird collisions with buildings and towers. Monarch butterflies also rely on darkness. This is when they process proteins that are key to their internal compass that points the way towards their wintering grounds and return. Researchers found that butterflies roosting near porch or streetlights are disoriented the next day. Amphibians like frogs and toads are nighttime breeders so lights interfere with reproduction, thus reducing populations. Sea turtle hatchlings must get from the beach to the sea. They can only find their way by detecting the bright horizon over the ocean. Artificial lights draw them away from the water and each year millions die in this way.

This time of year, we are hopeful for witnessing fireflies blinking along woodland edges and in moist meadows as we did in our youth. But more and more fireflies are disappearing. Most researchers believe loss of habitat due to increased housing and commercial development is a main factor. Open fields and forests are being destroyed. Increased activity along waterways is also detrimental to these valuable critters, whose larvae are hugely beneficial for controlling snails and slugs. There is no question pesticides are having a detrimental effect on all invertebrate species, especially fireflies. Mosquito spraying, for example, is totally ineffective for mosquito control but does kill fireflies and many other beneficial insects.

And, it should come to no surprise that artificial light is extremely harmful to fireflies who need to communicate with one another to find mates. Lights from homes, cars, businesses and streetlights, make it difficult for fireflies to signal each other, resulting in fewer larvae born the following season.

Much of our outdoor night lighting is inefficient and, in many cases, unnecessary. Artificial lighting is often overly bright and improperly shielded. Light spills into the night sky instead of focusing on objects for which the light is intended. According to a 2016 study, 80% of the world’s population lives under sky glow, which is an artificial brightening of the sky. These polluted skies are of worldwide concern.

But unlike other forms of pollution, light pollution can be reversible if we take the appropriate steps. Each one of us can make a difference. The International Dark-Sky Association indicates Five Lighting Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting:

Lights Out Connecticut also suggests keeping blinds and shades drawn to keep light inside, especially on upper floors and when working at night.

Good news! On June 27^th, Governor Lamont signed Substitute House Bill No. 6607, Public Act No. 23-143 — An Act Concerning the Nighttime Lighting of State-owned Buildings at Certain Times for the Protection of Birds — requiring state-owned and leased buildings to turn off nonessential outdoor lighting during peak avian migration periods in order to assist in preventing birds from flying into the sides of such buildings. Nonessential outdoor lighting shall be turned off between the hours of eleven o’clock p.m. and six o’clock a.m.

There’s much more to do. It is important for our Garden Clubs to continue our efforts as leaders in our communities on all environmental and conservation issues. Members are highly qualified, with vast experience as gardeners, master gardeners, birders, activists and educators. The public isn’t always aware of the negative impacts of practices such as excessive use of artificial lights. As ambassadors, we can help bring awareness to this growing problem and inspire more people to take necessary steps to protect our natural night sky that will benefit us and the wildlife with whom we share this world. For more information, visit www.DarkSky.org

KNOX was founded in 1966 by city councilwoman Betty Knox when she established a fund to help improve her hometown of Hartford, Connecticut. Two areas of focus were established – funding community development and operating “greening” programs. 

"Club Corner" is designed to be a place where clubs can showcase recently completed club achievements and activities. Has your club done something unique (or uniquely successful?) that you'd like to share? Visit "Club Corner" on the FGCCT website for more of the latest news from— and for—our member clubs! (Please note that this area is not for upcoming events—you can post those on the FGCCT Club Calendar.)

Send photos, along with a brief writeup (200 words or less) and detailed photo captions, to CFNewsManager@ctgardenclubs.org to be considered for inclusion. Please ensure you have appropriate permissions for all photos. We reserve the right to edit copy and select photos for inclusion.

The Naugatuck Garden Club celebrated its 30^th Anniversary in style on June 15 with Mayor N. Warren "Pete" Hess III on hand to offer his thanks for all the great work the club does. A club of approximately 50 members, The Naugatuck Garden Club’s objectives are to encourage interest and educate members in all phases of home gardening and promote better horticultural practices, civic beauty, educate in the conservation of natural resources, and to engage in charitable projects within the local community. They meet on the third Thursday of each month and welcome all garden enthusiasts for fun, refreshments, and an enlightening program. Among the projects the club manages are the garden in front of Town Hall, The Gazebo on the Green, The Welcome Sign Garden, the O'Donnell Memorial Garden, the Whittemore bridge boxes, the Great War Monument, and the Butterfly Garden behind the library. At their celebration, they honored four members who have been with the club since its founding.

Warmest congratulations to the Naugatuck Garden Club on their Anniversary and their many projects! Keep up the great work! To learn more, visit the club on Facebook!

The Garden Club of New Milford proudly sponsored an exciting project in celebration of their 100th anniversary in 2023. They placed a Blue Star Memorial Marker on the lawn in front of the Roger Sherman Town Hall at 10 Main Street in New Milford, CT. The dedication ceremony took place on June 14, 2023. 

The Goshen Garden Club, as part of their ongoing celebration of their 90^th Anniversary, marched in the Goshen Memorial Day Parade with a float decorated by flowers and bees made by Club Members. Packets of seeds were handed out to parade goers to encourage planting of pollinator gardens.

To learn more, visit the club's website!

Please send all Scholarship Fund donation checks to the appropriate chair (see below). Make checks out to "FGCCT" with the appropriate Fund listed on the memo line.  

*Please note that due to the deadline for articles and information for the CFNews, some donations may not be received and deposited in time to be included in the bi-monthly donation acknowledgement, but will be included in the next issue of our newsletter. 

FGCCT is on Facebook and Instagram and we love to post your news and photos! Please send upcoming events, club activities, civic projects, milestones, and hort tips. Include photos and a brief writeup of the news your club would like to share. The best format is text in an email with jpg photos attached. Take active photos showing members at work or showcasing beautiful gardens, flowers, and plants (please name the flower if it is a hort only photo). Let’s follow each other! Send submissions to social@ctgardenclubs.org

Deadline to submit articles/photos, ads and calendar events for the October/November 2023 issue of the CFNews is September 10, 2023. Please submit to:

The official publication of the National Garden Clubs, The National Gardener, appears quarterly, and features articles of interest to environmentalists, gardeners, landscapers, floral designers, educators and photographers. Subscribe here.