UPCOMING EVENTS: Free and open to the public at St. James Methodist Church, 646 DW Hwy, Merrimack!
DOORS OPEN at 6PM .ALL PROGRAMS BEGIN AT 6:30PM!
- September 26th Heirloom Apples of NH with Jared Kane Preservation Orchard at Branch Hill Farm.The Preservation Orchard features rare and historically grown apples in the greater New England regions. Apple tree grafting workshops are offered in the spring along with an annual spring tree and plant sale. The farm also offers other year round workshops, festivals, and events that combine conservation, education, and family-friendly fun in a natural setting. Come learn more about this outstanding enterprise
- October meeting will feature a speaker from Lavender Fields at Pumpkin Blossom Farm; we arranged for them to present a program about lavender.
- November 4 Field Trip:MEMBERS ONLY Sign up with Virgie for a holiday field trip to The Fells November 4th. Cost to members is $20. Lunch on the way back- MGC pays $20 towards your lunch.
- November Floral Workshop MEMBERS ONLY
- December Holiday Social MEMBERS ONLY
The Fun we had last year!
- August- 5th- Our Annual Plant Sale was a BLOOMING success!
- July- 25th The History of Bridal Bouquets with Fortin Gage members even brought pictures of thier own bridal bouquets.
- June 27th Friends and Foes in the Garden with Steve Luce, owner of Depot Farm Stand shared the worrisome creatures we mauy encounter due to such a wet and delayed season thanks to our mid may frost.
- June 17th -In celebration of the 400th anniversary, the Great Island Garden Club is hosting a tour of the Secret Gardens of Newcastle; several members attended
- May 23rd -Master Gardener, Donna Lussier shared a program about seed saving. She has been a UNH Extension Master Gardener since 2017 and a Master Gardener Speakers Bureau presenter since 2018. We learned why saving seeds is important, what kinds of seeds to save and when to harvest them, the different methods for processing seeds and preparing them for storage, and several tips and tricks to ensure successful germination.
- March 28th -We got Fift to Garden! Dr. Brandon and Dr. Jo of Blue Zone Health spoke to us about getting in shape to dig, plant and weed. W
- April 25th- Ron Trexler shared his wisdom with us regarding best practices of composting.
- January -We began the evening with pizza and welcomed new members. Following dinner, participated in a fun activity to get reacquainted. We enjoyed dessert while in our business meeting.
- December - Holiday Social Date TBD MEMBERS ONLY
- November 15 - Our annual MEMBERS ONLY floral arrangement workshop was run by Linda Rattigan of Beautifully Brightened Flowers. Though we all had the same greens, flowers and decorations to select from, every arrangement had its own unique look!
- October 25 - Unfortunately, our guest speaker was unable to join us due to illness. We held our meeting and members nominated a new slate of officers.
- September 27 - Putting the Garden to Bed with Master Gardener Ron Trexler. We are pleased to have Ron back with us as we wrap up another gardening season
- August 27- Summer Social outing to Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA. was a terrific time! MEMBERS ONLY
- August 6 - successful annual plant sale...see our photos!
- July 26 - Advanced Master Gardener Ruth Droescher spoke to us about Growing a Pollinator Garden. In recent years, there has been a decline in insects such as bees and butterflies that are essential pollinators. Ruth suggested ways in which we can encourage natural pollinators.
- June 28 - We're very fortunate to welcome Ron Trexler, a UNH Extension Master Gardener, who spoke to us about the benefits and drawbacks of gardening in containers.
- May 24 - Creating Shady Retreats- with Joan Butler and Jana Milbouer of Enchanted Gardens Excellent, Jana Milbouer shared her insights along with a colorful slide show about how to design plantings and using strategies to light up shady corners, highlight unusual plants and illustrate the creative use of art objects.
- April 26 - Marti Warren, from the Amherst Garden Club. Marti spoke to us about those invasive Jumping Worms, which are of great concern to everyone. The rest of this meeting we focused on our August plant sale preparations.
- March 22 - Raptors—Learned about raptors, their seasonal habitat locations and the challenges they face in our changing world.
- February - Succulents presented by Jeff Frizzell . Jeff is Assistant Manager at Frizzhome Gardens and an expert in the care and growth of succulents. If you haven’t been to the succulent greenhouse, you’re in for a treat as Jeff has a true passion for succulents.
- January - Our first meeting of the year is our 'getting to know you' and all people interested in joining the Merrimack Garden club are invited to join us! This was a Zoom meeting given the recent rise in Covid numbers. Participants learned about the wonderful activities we have enjoyed together and what we have planned for this year. We enjoyed chatting in small groups about our gardening challenges, memories and what we home to try this year in our home gardens!