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Derry Garden Club members
are working with children from the Boys and Girls Club of Greater
Derry on a community garden project, now in its second year.
Recently, club members worked with about 20 children, planting seeds
and transplanting young plants.
The worthy goal is to
teach children to see how the garden evolves through the season as
it is tended and also to offer lessons about healthy eating.
Throughout the growing season, children will get to taste the fruits
of their labor. For some, the taste of truly fresh vegetables may be
a life-changing revelation.
In addition to the Garden
Club, a number of local groups have been involved with the project.
In preparation for the planting season, local Rotarians helped clear
weeds and invasive plants from the garden site.
It's part of the Derry
Garden Club's commitment to the national garden club effort to
"Beautify Blight" and create community gardens for learning and
enjoyment from otherwise not-so-attractive spots, club member and
project advisor Blanche Garone told reporter Julie Huss.
Experts from Sticks and
Stones Farm in Center Barnstead are helping set up a hydroponic
garden as well. With hydroponics, plants can be rooted and grown
without the use of traditional soil. Garone also hopes to involve
horticulture students from Pinkerton Academy in the project.
Children, like tender
seedlings, need nurturing to grow and thrive. The Garden Club
project lets kids have fun and get their hands dirty, all while
teaching valuable lessons about caring for the earth.
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Manning Street Pocket Park |
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A park bench,
shrubs and flowers have been used to beautify the site. The site is
maintained by Club members.
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Robert Frost Homestead |
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Rte. 28
Derry, NH |
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Derry Garden Club Flower Show
2009
Theme "A Tribute to Robert Frost "
In the Spring
and Fall members rake, trim and clean the Iris beds.
Whiskey barrels are filled with Annuals. The flowers at the
farm are maintained by the club members.
In the past several years children from the Derry area,
and some club members children have planted squash, beets,
carrots, tomatoes, herbs and potatoes right outside the
North window of Mrs. Frost's kitchen. The children tend the
plants, do the weeding and take special projects to
celebrate the summer and the joys of watching things grow.
The yearly July Garden Club Meeting is held at the Robert
Frost Farm
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Derry Public Library |
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Members water
the plants at the library and at Christmas time donate and decorate the tree
on display at the library.
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East Derry
Taylor Library |
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Members
perform maintenance to the exsisting flower beds as needed.
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Marion Gerrish Community
Center |
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Each year the
club plants a variety of different plants in front of the center. In
the summer the Club maintains the site.
Rotary Auction |
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Members of the Club have shared
in making up special arrangement to donate to charity. This basket was
donated to the Derry Rotary for their annual auction. The proceeds of which
go to local area needs.
Occasionally
the members tour various selected local gardens in the immediate area. This
particular one was toured in Derry
Vintage Grace (elderly day
center)
This is our newest Garden Therapy Adventure.
One visit found members making stationary with dried
pressed flowers. The male residents were also
participants.
Other visits involved the residents in singing and
planting seeds in containers. This March the residents
made Easter baskets and sang songs with the Club Members.
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Continuing and Special
Projects
Haven Health Center – Planters
Vintage Grace Adult Day Center - Garden Therapy
Derry Public Library – Holiday Decorations
Marion Gerrish Community Center – Garden Maintenance
Manning Street Pocket Park – Garden Maintenance
Children’s Garden at Frost Farm
Frost Farm – Planters and Garden Cleanup
Beaver Lake Lodge – Planters
Derry Food Pantry – Donations in June and December
Derry Diggers, Junior Garden Club, meets bi-monthly
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Derry Garden Club
Flower Show 2005
Theme "Orbiting the Sun"
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New England Flower Show |
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This is held at the Boston
Expo Center. A showcase of different settings involving flowers and
landscaping plants were present. Different designs are usually created by
the club members and set up on display. The club had a bridal front door
setting with wreaths made of flowers as well as potted plants.
The Boston Flower Show had a Derry Garden Club member win First place on a
creative exhibit.
A Blue Ribbon was awarded to A Derry Garden Club member
for an exhibit shown in the picture at above right.
Mystery Trip
Once a year the Club has a surprise mystery ride where the members meet at a
location in their cars.
A number of different places will be visited but no one knows except the
organizer and who ever else is involved.
Examples are one year the group went to a historic home in Chester, NH The
owners of this beautiful property had 8 live Christmas trees set up
throughtout the home. Another year a trip was made to Kingston to a
professionally Decorated house.
Design Workshops
A special meeting that meets every month at a member's home. This is where
members learn new ideas and techniques to share in their gardening
activities.
NHFGC Annual and Semi-Annual
Meetings
Held at different areas of the State. Members have received many awards for
the Club yearbook, scrapbook, and Garden Therapy. Many individual members
received special awards for their hard work.
Garden Club Officials enjoy meeting other members from around the State.
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