Locust Valley Garden Club members had their picture taken in the gazebo in Barbara’s Garden, at their October meeting at the Locust Valley Library.
Nine members worked in there, re-arranging bushes and plants for maximum growing conditions, under the direction of President Dean Yoder. He focused his design on the gazebo re-arranging flowers and bushes to make the most of the garden. Patricia Bruderman, a club member, was in charge of the gazebo project for the Friends of the Locust Valley Library. (In June of 2023 the newly installed gazebo was dedicated in memory of Friend’s board member Elizabeth McMahon.)
It was a pleasure to hear Vincent Simeone, director of Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park talking to members about Low Maintenance Gardening. It was perfect for older gardeners on how to reduce maintenance, as well as an introduction to the gardens we may all be working toward due to global warming. The Plant Hardiness Zone Map shows that we have gone from Zone 7a to Zone 7b which means we can now grow plants used to warmer climates. While that can be an asset, it also means that our trees and bushes may not fare as well.
Currently horticulturalists are working to see which variety of tree and shrub will thrive in our warming climate. In the future garden, we may have to change our lawns to reduce over-watering by find alternate plants for their survival. That means using different grasses, including Tall Fescue, that uses less water. Zoysia grass is another great choice, but he added, that it goes brown in the winter which wasn’t a problem, and quoted Kermit saying, “It’s not easy being green.”
Sedges are another possibility for less water use and less work to maintain. In Europe some countries are adopting meadow-type front lawns with grasses and wildflowers that require little watering. His book “Grow More with Less: Sustainable Garden Methods” is available on Amazon and well worth the read.
The effects of too much water as a result of Hurricanes Helene and Milton was mentioned by Helene Henken, ecology/conservation chair. It seems our best defense is to be prepared, including the possible installation of sump pumps
systems.
Lucille DeVito talked about her Garden Memories coming from a family that always kept vegetable and flower gardens. Her Italian grandfather, Pasqual Capobianco was the caretaker and gardener for the Coffin Estate, now the Portledge School. It was built for Charles A. Coffin, then board chair of General Electric Co. He brought home vegetables that her grandmother Nicolette, cooked and canned. The family made their own tomato sauce, she said, “I never had spaghetti sauce made from store bought tomatoes until I was in high school.”
Her Italian uncles ran several businesses out of the family property on Forest Ave. and 13 th Street, and her Polish grandmother Martha Mataska, another great cook and gardener, opened a grocery/butcher shop on Shore Road. Lucy serves on several LVGC committees.
The theme of the October luncheon was German food that members prepared earning the compliment: come for the talk,
stay for the food.
The garden club meets Wednesdays, the third week of the month. A donation of $15 earns you a gardening program, buffet lunch, and new friends to greet. For information call President Yoder at 516-850-4694.
Dagmar Fors Karppi is a member of the Locust Valley Garden Club
