Only a few tickets remain available for The Talbot County Garden Club’s biennial spring symposium on April 23, 2019, featuring two nationally renowned speakers and award-winning floral designers from the Club.

The event will be held at The Milestone in Easton.  Tickets are $90 each, and include the program, a light breakfast, lunch, and the opportunity to shop with merchants.  To purchase tickets, mail a check to the Talbot County Garden Club at P.O. Box 1524, Easton, MD  21601.

The speakers include:

Award-winning gardener and contributing editor for Fine Gardening, Stephanie Cohen, will present a vibrant talk on “New and Underused Perennials.”

Award-winning gardener, floral designer and owner of Love ‘n Fresh Flowers, Jennie Love, who trained as both a horticulturist and floral designer at Longwood Gardens, will create designs from her sustainably managed urban flower farm and design studios in Philadelphia.

And, back by popular demand, four very talented members of the Talbot County Garden Club will dazzle attendees with their floral designs.

“We are looking forward to what promises to be one of our best symposiums yet,” said Symposium Chairwoman, Kim Eckart.  “This is our major fundraiser for 2019 and will fund our community service projects throughout Talbot County.”

The Symposium is an opportunity to learn while enjoying a day with fellow gardeners and floral designers.

The Talbot County Garden Club announces the schedule of Winter Speaker Series.

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Speaker: Gregg Tepper

Subject: Delaware Botanical Garden

Are you into horticulture and native plants? If so, you will want to hear Gregg Tepper, professional horticulturist, lecturer, consultant and life-long native plant enthusiast! After studying ornamental horticulture at the University of Delaware, Gregg created his own Ornamental Horticulture gardens and began a business in garden design. Over the years he has worked at Mt. Cuba and Kew, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Wisley in Great Britain. He now is Director of Horticulture at the newly formed Delaware Botanic Gardens at Pepper Creek in Dagsboro, DE. Don’t miss his enthusiastic talk about the endeavor to create Delmarva’s newest public garden!

Time: 1:30 ** Please note there is a meeting right before the speaker and doors may not open until closer to 1:30

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Speaker: Charlotte Heath, Botanical artist

Program: Ever try to draw a flower?

Award-winning botanical artist Charlotte Heath will journey up the Delmarva Peninsula from her home in Onancock, VA, to tell her story of a life-long love of drawing plants and flowers to attending the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and to national acclaim. Her artwork has been exhibited in international juried botanical shows from New York to Seattle. Charlotte, one among 45 artists from around the world, was chosen to participate in the first ever, contemporary botanical art showing in a major museum—the Weismann Museum in Minneapolis. Some of her work in gouache, pencil, pen & ink and acrylic will be available for purchase following the program.

Time: 1:30 ** Please note there is a meeting right before the speaker and doors may not open until closer to 1:30

The Talbot County Garden Club will hold its biennial spring symposium on April 23, 2019 featuring three nationally renowned speakers.  The event will be held at The Milestone in Easton.  Tickets go on sale in January for $90 each, and include the program, lunch and the opportunity to shop with merchants.  To purchase tickets, mail a check to the Talbot County Garden Club at P.O. Box 1524, Easton, MD  21601.

“We are looking forward to what promises to be one of our best symposiums yet,” said Symposium Chairwoman, Kim Eckart.  “This is our major fundraiser for 2019 and will fund our community service projects throughout Talbot County.”

The speakers include:

Award-winning gardener and author Stephanie Cohen, also know as the Perennial Diva.  Cohen will present a vibrant talk on “New and Underused Perennials.”  She has taught courses at Temple University and is a contributing editor for Fine Gardening.

Award-winning gardener, floral designer and owner of Love ‘n Fresh Flowers, Jennie Love.  Love ‘n Fresh is a sustainably managed urban flower farm and design studio in Philadelphia. Lovetrained as both a horticulturist and floral designer at Longwood Gardens, and was named as one of the top 62 floral designers in the nation by Martha Stewart Wedding’s.Love will create designs from flowers picked from Love ‘n Fresh gardens.

And, back by popular demand, four very talented members of the Talbot County Garden Club will dazzle attendees with their floral designs.  Each design will be one that can be created at home.  Any special materials used will be offered for sale at the event.

National Garden Clubs, Inc. has awarded the Talbot County Garden Club the Tommy Donnan Certificate of Merit for its book covering the history of the Club’s first one hundred years –“Talbot County Garden Club, 1917 – 2017.”

“There are so many delightful nuggets entwining the work of the Talbot County Garden Club with Talbot County history in this book,” said Rita Osgood, president of Talbot County Garden Club.  “We are proud of our Centennial book and are thrilled that it won a national award.”

The project began when the Club made plans for its Centennial year.  Under the guidance of past Club presidents Caroline Benson and Trish Reynolds, a number of events were planned to celebrate the Club’s history – banners were hung in downtown Easton, several special events were held, thousands of daffodils were planted along the By-Pass, and the award-winning book documenting 100 years of club activities was written by club members.

Club member, Missy Warfield, led the project as Editor-in-Chief and almost a dozen club members contributed to the book. The Club’s history unfolds through chapters not only outlining the Club’s history, but also that of America and the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Working with the incredible cooperation of the staff at the Maryland Room of the Talbot County Free Library, the archivist of the Talbot Historical Society and the Club’s own archives, the writers gleaned little known facts and historical photos for the book.

Wrapped in a colorful dust jacket bright with yellow daffodils, the award-winning book is available for sale at the Talbot Historical Society’s Tharp Antiques & Decorative Arts for $40. Tharp is located at 25 S. Washington Street and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.  Books also may be purchased by mail order from the Talbot County Garden Club by sending a check for $43.50 (payable to TCGC) to P.O. Box 1524, Easton, MD, 21601.  Price includes postage.

The book would make a perfect holiday gift for friends and family who have lived in or visited Talbot County and, perhaps, may have admired the work of the Garden Club in the Historical Society Gardens, the Fountain Garden at Idlewild Park or some of the many other public gardens maintained by the Club. Don’t miss owning a copy of this limited-edition, award-winning book.

About the Talbot County Garden Club

The Talbot County Garden Club was established in 1917 to enrich the natural beauty of the environment by sharing knowledge of gardening, fostering the art of flower arranging, maintaining civic projects, supporting projects that benefit Talbot County and encouraging the conservation of natural resources.  Noteworthy projects include maintaining the grounds of the Talbot Historical Society, Talbot Courthouse, Talbot Library, the fountain and childrens gardens at Idlewild Park and numerous other gardens and activities.  There are currently a total of 109 active, associate and honorary members.

‘Timeless Treasures’ is the theme for the 2018 Talbot County House and Garden Tour, which will take place on Saturday, May 12th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine.  This year’s tour consists of six extraordinary waterfront properties dating as far back as the early 1700’s.  Sponsored by the Talbot County Garden Club, the tour is part of the Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage (MHGP).

Talbot County enjoys more than 600 miles of waterfront and visitors of this year’s tour will explore unique waterfront properties around the County while traveling through history.  The tour will begin in the beautiful gardens of the Talbot County Historical Society and the tour’s information headquarters will be open at the Praeger Family Auditorium located at 17 S. Washington St. in Easton from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day.  From there you can plan your journey through the timeless treasures of Talbot County.  The first two homes are located off of Oxford Road.  Two Coves is situated on over 2 acres of land, with a unique 270-degree view of LeGates Cove.  The home was originally built in 1965 with substantial renovations being completed inside and out since 2011.  Owl’s Nest, which is situated on 13.5 acres overlooking Trippe Creek, was originally built in 1972 on property that once served as the nursery for Canterbury Manor, a 1,000-acre estate which dates back to the 1600’s.  The home has also undergone substantial renovation and redesign.  The next two homes are located down St Michaels Rd.  Halcyon on the Tred Avon River is a venerable property that has gone through substantial renovation since its origin in the mid-19th century.  Today, this gorgeous home is a perfect complement to the extraordinary graceful grounds with lovely outbuildings, an infinity swimming pool and extraordinary outdoor sculptures.  Auburn is situated on 132 acres of farm and woodlands with a mile of waterfront on Shipshead Creek and the Tred Avon River.  The oldest part of the house dates back to the 1700s.  The tour then heads down Goldsborough Neck.  A long driveway leads into Tamarind, overlooking Goldsborough Creek.  Our tour features two of their fabulous guest houses – ‘Heron House’ and ‘The Cottage’ – which exemplify very different architectural styles and interior design.   The tour completes with the historic home, Myrtle Grove. The oldest portion of the home was built between 1724 and 1734.  The home has undergone renovation over the years but the main house continues to adorn many of its original decorative features throughout. In the living room, a window behind the 1888 Steinway grand piano contains the engraved signature of Robert E. Lee.  The gardens have been preserved with all their natural Talbot County beauty as well.  All the homes are truly timeless treasures.

Tour participants are sure to be enchanted with the timeless beauty of all of the unique homes featured on this year’s tour.  Tickets will be $35 in advance at the Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage web site at http://www.mhgp.org/tickets  or in person at Bountiful and Garden Treasures in Easton. Tickets will also be available for purchase on the day of the tour at all locations for $40. Credit cards will only be accepted for online purchases.

Eat Sprout will be providing locally sourced, organic boxed lunches for $15 at the Prager Family Auditorium located at 17 S. Washington St. in Easton.  They may be purchased online in advance at www.eatsprout.com/gardenclub or the day of the tour at the Praeger Family Auditorium.

For more information please contact the Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage at www.mhgp.org  or contact Laura Carney at 410-310-3307 or at laurahcarney@gmail.com

Mark the date on your calendar now for May 12th, 2018!   It will be an exceptional tour!

About the Talbot County Garden Club

The Talbot County Garden Club was established in 1917 to enrich the natural beauty of the environment by sharing knowledge of gardening, fostering the art of flower arranging, maintaining civic projects, supporting projects that benefit Talbot County and encouraging the conservation of natural resources.  Noteworthy projects include maintaining the grounds of the Talbot Historical Society, Talbot County Courthouse, Talbot County Free Library, the fountain and children’s gardens at Idlewild Park and numerous other gardens and activities.  There are currently a total of 101 active, associate and honorary members.

The Talbot County Garden Club welcomes Matthew Benson to speak at the Talbot County Free Library in Easton MD on March 28, 2018, at 1:00 p.m.   The one-hour event is free and open to the public.  It will be followed by a brief Q and A and book signing.

With an emphasis on creative technique and technical literacy, The Photographic Garden is a comprehensive introduction to creating powerful, beautiful, dynamic images in the garden.   Professional photographer Matthew Benson helps you foster a deeper understanding of design and aesthetics and encourages you to develop your own visual sensibility – through hundreds of his own thought-provoking garden images.

Matthew Benson’s photography is in the permanent collection of the International Center for Photography, New York, as well as numerous private and gallery collections.  His work has been awarded both DESI and Society of Publication Designers Awards and appears regularly in magazines, books, catalogs and folios. He is on the National Speakers Tour for the Garden Clubs of America, and lectures widely on Garden and Landscape Photography.   Raised and educated in Europe, with a Masters’ Degree from Columbia University, he is a trans-Atlantic sailor and certified alpine ski instructor. Architecture, design, and biodynamic organic farming are ongoing interests as is the restoration of Stonegate Farm, the 1860s Carpenter Gothic farm and studio in New York’s Hudson Valley.  For more information, please visit his website at http://www.matthewbenson.com.

This event will be held at the Talbot County Free Library at 100 West Dover St in Easton MD and is free and open to the public.  Doors open at 12:45.

Please join the Talbot County Garden Club on January 23rd at 1:30 PM as conservatory horticulturist, Karl Gercens III, whisks us through a few of the 2,500 gardens he has visited in 28 countries since his full-time employment at Longwood Gardens 20 years ago.   Highlights include ideas on using native plants versus exotic ornamentals as well as what to do in the tiny spaces we call gardens these days!  You’ll get tips on pathway design and garden art as well as a few lessons on ‘thinking outside the box’.  This is a presentation you’ll not want to miss!!

Karl Gercens joins us from Longwood Gardens, where he oversees many of the changing displays in the Longwood conservatories. His notoriety for using a pallet of colored foliage trees, shrubs, and perennials continues to funnel the exciting content of his professional lectures given nationwide and his horticultural classes offered at Longwood Gardens. When Karl is not gardening, lecturing, or consulting his horticultural passion extends worldwide with frequent visits to public and private gardens in all 50 states and more than 20 countries! While at those locations, he often takes vibrant and vivid digital photography which he catalogues to share his experiences with others.

This event will be held at the Talbot County Free Library and is free and open to the public.

This year the Talbot County Garden Club celebrated its 100^th anniversary and has published a book “Talbot County Garden Club, 1917 – 2017”.  The limited edition is now available for sale to the public.

In a decade-by-decade walk down memory lane, the book covers the early years when men and women interested in gardening and in preserving the beauty of Talbot County started the Club. It delves into the changes in Talbot County during the 1950s when the Bay Bridge opened and allowed many newcomers to enjoy the Eastern Shore.

With help from research resources at the Maryland Room of the Talbot County Free Library and the Archives of the Talbot Historical Society, each chapter tells the story of a dedicated group of volunteer women who, to this day, design, plant and maintain picturesque public gardens in Easton.  Among those gardens are the Fountain Garden at Idlewild Park, the Memorial Children’s Garden at Idlewild Park, the Talbot County Courthouse and the Talbot County Free Library in Easton.

One chapter tells the story of the Club’s involvement in the historic Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage, from the first tour in 1934.  Another describes the challenges and changes carefully made to enhance the gardens at the Talbot Historical Society.

The hardcover book is now available for purchase at $40 (plus $3.50 postage and handling), tax included, from the Talbot County Garden Club, P.O. Box 1524, Easton, MD 21601 or you may prefer to pick up one at Tharp Antiques, the shop of the Talbot Historical Society on South Washington Street, Easton.  Both are 501c3 charitable organizations.

Filled with pictures, the book might be the perfect gift for friends who garden or those who have visited Easton and complimented the many public gardens.  Share flowering gardens, beautiful floral arrangements and Talbot County history with friends this season.  Give a Talbot County Garden Club 100th Anniversary coffee table book as a cherished memento.

For more information, please contact the project chair, Missy Warfield missywarfield@gmail.com.