We are currently accepting membership applications for 2024 – 2025. Our programs cover a wide variety of subject. We welcome members will any skill level. Please contact us if you would like additional information.
Membership 2024 – 2025
Windham Garden Club April Meeting – “Backyard Bird Identification”
The Windham Garden Club’s April meeting will be Thursday, April 18th, 7:00pm at the Windham Town Hall. This is an open meeting and all are invited to attend. Join us as our speaker Slater Roosa of NH Audubon presents the informative program “Backyard Bird Identification.”
Enjoying the sights and sounds of birds returning to our backyard is one of the many joys of spring. It’s also a great way to connect with nature and feel inspired by the beauty of our planet. Slater Roosa Education Coordinator for of NH Audubon will go over some bird identification basics, binocular use, some online tools, and some tips on how to encourage more birds to visit your yard/garden. One of the most important birding items is a pair of binoculars to help you see the birds. Binoculars (“bins” for short) are a basic piece of birding equipment. There are hundreds of choices from many manufacturers and there is a wide range in price. Before purchasing a pair of bins, you should check out various models. We will have an opportunity to try out and learn how to use binoculars!
Our meeting format will be a bit different for this meeting, we will meet outside at 7:00pm to try out and learn how to use binoculars. We will the transition inside for refreshments with our short business meeting to start at 7:30pm followed by Slater’s presentation.
For more information or questions contact info@windhamgardenclub.com. We hope you can join us for this wonderful presentation!
Windham Garden Club March Meeting – “Jumping Worms, Ugh!”
The Windham Garden Club’s March meeting will be Thursday, March 21, 7:00pm at the Windham Town Hall. This is an open meeting and all are invited to attend! Join us as our speaker Marti Warren presents “Jumping Worms, Ugh!”
As gardeners, we’re already well trained to look for signs of disease, weeds, root health, and pests when buying, selling, or swapping plants. This diligence gives us confidence that as we bring new plants and soil into our gardens, we’re not bringing problems too. Today, a new threat to our soil health and successful gardening has emerged on the scene: the Asian jumping worm (Amynthas spp.), also commonly known as the crazy worm and snake worm. These worms are invasive and cause harm to the soil, unlike other common earthworm species. Unfortunately, the worms are here in New England and super widespread and likely you will encounter them in your garden, so we need to look at the best way to minimize their spread and maybe contain them. Marti Warren will share the facts about these invasive worms and there will be time for questions and discussion.
Marti is a member of the Amherst Garden Club and has spoken to his club as well as other clubs about Asian Jumping Worms. In fact, Marti has been following the conversation about jumping worms for the last three years.
For more information or questions contact info@windhamgardenclub.com. We hope you can join us for this informative presentation!
February 15th, 2024 meeting
Windham Garden Club February Meeting – “Invasive Plants in New Hampshire”
The Windham Garden Club’s February meeting will be Thursday, February 15th, 7:00pm at the Windham Town Hall. This is an open meeting and all are invited to attend! Burning Bush, Japanese Knotweed, Oriental Bittersweet are only a few of the invasive plant species we have to contend with in our backyards. Join us as speaker Donna Lussier talks about New Hampshire’s invasive plant species, why invasive plants are a problem, and best practices for helping to control/avoid invasive plants.
Many familiar plants in our fields, along roadsides, and in our yards are not native to New Hampshire. While the majority cause no harm, some do and are considered invasive plants. An invasive is a plant or animal that is not native to a particular ecosystem and is capable of moving aggressively into an area, monopolizing light, nutrients, water, and space to the detriment of native species. Invasive plants can reduce biodiversity, imperil rare species, reduce wildlife habitat, degrade water quality, reduce forest production and cause human health problems.
Donna Lussier has been a UNH Extension Master Gardener since 2017 and a Master Gardener Speakers Bureau presenter since 2018. Through the Master Gardeners Speakers Bureau Donna periodically presents gardening topics to libraries, garden clubs, and community organizations. In addition, Donna is a member of the Pelham Garden Group and New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs. Her goal is to share her gardening knowledge with the community so others may reap the benefits of enjoyment, bonding, and fulfillment, and connect with their own gardens and nature.
For more information or questions contact info@windhamgardenclub.com. We hope you can join us for this interesting presentation!
Windham Garden Club Baker Grant
The Windham Garden Club is accepting applications for the 2024 Arthur Baker Community Investment Fund Grant. Proposals should relate to beautification, conservation, preservation, or education of horticulture in the Town of Windham.
To be considered, applicants must be non-profit Windham organizations or non-commercial individuals. Previous winners include Windham Rail Trail Alliance, Windham Historic Commission, Windham Co-op Kindergarten, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, and Boy Scout Eagle and Girl Scout Gold Award Projects.
The attached Grant Application details the requirements. Application and all required supporting materials must be submitted to the Windham Garden Club by April 26, 2024 to be considered.
The committee will announce the award recipients no later than June 1, 2024.
An electronic copy of the application can be found below.
If you have any questions, please email bakergrant@windhamgardenclub.com
Windham Garden Club Scholarship
The Windham Garden Club will award two $2,000 scholarships this year. These annual scholarships are named in memory of Nancy Surette, past Club president and Windham Town Conservation Commission Chair. Letters of application must be sent by U.S. mail and postmarked no later than April 20, 2024.
The applicant must be a class of 2024 graduate or older. Already matriculated college students and second career applicants are encouraged to apply. Scholarships will be awarded to applicants planning to study life sciences including but not limited to biochemistry, biology, botany, horticulture, conservation, landscaping, environmental science or a plant related course of study. Applicants must be Windham, NH residents or Windham Garden Club Member’s direct family (spouse, child, stepchild, grandchild) residing in a neighboring town. Eligibility will be determined by the Scholarship Committee.
The attached notice details the requirements for a Letter of Application. The committee will announce the two award recipients by the end of May 2024.
An electronic copy of the application can be found below.
If you have any questions, please email scholarship@windhamgardenclub.com
If you have any questions, please email scholarship@windhamgardenclub.com
Meeting: January 18, 2024
Windham Garden Club January Meeting – “Windham Biodiversity Surveys”
Moosewood Ecological presented information gathered in Windham during the BioBlitzes. To see the data that was collected, go to the following link:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/windham-nh-biodiversity-project
Interested in adding to the data, you can download the iNaturalist app on your phone. Here is a link to learn more about how to start.
https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/getting+started
To find out more about Moosewood Ecological, visit their site at:
https://www.moosewoodecological.com
“Holiday Cacti and Winter Needs for House Plants” by Nichole Keyes
presented by Windham Garden Club
Nichole Keyes, Greenhouse Manager at Lake Street Garden Center, is returning once again to share her vast expertise with Windham Garden Club members and guests. Nichole’s visit and presentation last year on indoor house plants was a club member’s favorite. She specializes in house plants and is especially enthusiastic about holiday cacti and will talk about the differences between Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus. She will also discuss what special care our houseplants need during the winter months.
Nichole has worked at the Garden Center for the past two decades working her way from the cash register up to managing the entire retail greenhouse department, discovering her passion for plants in the process. She is certified in ornamental landscape through UMass Extensions Green School program, has attended multiple classes offered by UNH cooperative extension on integrated pest management and insect identification, has been featured in New Hampshire Home Magazine teaching the how to’s of terrarium building, and has over 10 years of hands-on experience selecting and caring for hundreds of species of indoor foliage, tropical shrubs, orchids, flowering annuals, and vegetables. As well as caring for her prized collection of 80+ houseplants as home. She works one on one, every day, with the public to teach the best practices for growing healthy and happy plants. Nichole is a local plant expert, with accessible knowledge to help you grow that green thumb!
The Windham Garden Club’s meeting and presentation will be Thursday, October 19th, 7:00pm at the Windham Town Hall. This is an open meeting and all are invited to attend. Come and join us! There will be refreshments, a short business meeting, followed by Nichole’s presentation. For more information or questions contact info@windhamgardenclub.org. Hope to see you there!
WGC Annual Hike/Walk October 22nd at 10AM
The Windham Garden Club will meet at the Windham High School Cross Country Trail on October 22nd at 10 AM. The trail is located in front of High School and circles around to exit behind the school.
To get to the trailhead, take London Bridge Road, which is right across Rt 111 from the Windham Transfer Station and clearly marked with an electronic sign. Follow London Bridge Road until you come to the road/driveway (first left) up to the High School. When you reach the top of the hill, drive right past the front of the High School. The athletic fields will come into view on your left. Just before you would take a right turn to go around to the back of the school, a small equipment building will be seen at the edge of the field. There will be a Port-a-Potty directly ahead of you. You can park anywhere in that area. Gary will be there to lead us to the trailhead.
We hope to see you there!
Meeting Sept 21, 2023 – Putting the Garden to Bed
The Windham Garden Club’s first meeting of the 2023 – 2024 membership year will be Thursday, September 21st, 7:00pm at the Windham Town Hall. This is an open meeting and all are invited to attend. Following a short business meeting the featured speaker will be Ron Trexler, Advanced Master Gardener, who will present “Putting the Garden to Bed”
During this presentation attendees will learn the steps necessary to properly prepare their gardens for winter, including: finishing off annuals and vegetable beds, preparing perennial beds to reduce pests and disease, overwintering non-hardy plants, readying ornamental shrubs and evergreens to survive various winter conditions, and tending to tools and supplies.
Ron Trexler has been a UNH Cooperative Extension Master Gardener since 2016 and has achieved the level of Advanced Master Gardener. He is extensively involved in the training and mentoring of new Master Gardeners, trains Master Gardeners who wish to participate in the Master Gardeners Speakers Bureau, and regularly presents to libraries, garden clubs and community organizations. In addition, Ron serves in a leadership role with the Hooksett Garden Club and serves on the Executive Board of the New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs. He especially enjoys growing vegetables in raised beds that benefit from his home composting system.
Come and join us! Bring a spouse, family, or friends. For more information or questions contact info@windhamgardenclub.org. Hope to see you there!