President’s Message

Hello, Everyone

As we head into a new month, I feel I must pause and reflect on the previous month of May. Many events have occurred for our Club.  We started the month with the District Medomack meeting in Bath. As part of your membership with the Camden Club, you also belong to the state wide Garden Club Federation of Maine.  There are many districts in the organization, and we belong to the Medomack District, which consists of 7 clubs. Each year, the annual meeting is hosted by one of the garden clubs.  It will be our turn in 2027 so planning will begin next year.  If anyone is interested in leading a committee to oversee this event, please let me know.  Mary Miller and I along with Fran Moore, Molly Foster and Allison Beard attended the meeting in May, which was at the Maritime Museum in Bath.  The outgoing President of the district is Judith Tarbox who is also one of our members.  Mary Miller and Christina Verrastro were recognized for their contribution to our Club and our Club received a merit award for being in the district for 110 years. It was a great meeting and a good chance for us to meet and chat with other garden club members.

We have finished planting the traffic islands, cleaned up Village Green and are in the process of placing the baskets on the lamp posts in town. The garden gnomes are busy working on their assignments.  If you are interested in becoming a garden gnome, please talk to Barb Ohland for more information.

This month has finally helped me understand when to plant annuals in this area.  The locals have been telling me to wait until the end of May or first of June and I have not understood the need to wait.  I have always used the last frost date as a guide to planting (I am from the Midwest).  However, I have discovered that we must use the night time temperature guide of 50 or above as a time to plant here in Maine.  I planted a few annuals too soon and they just sat there and rotted. So, I am slowly learning.  

Hope you all are finding time to enjoy your gardens.  See you at the next club meeting, June 26.

Vicki

Important Clarification

There are multiple rumors going around Camden that the Club has issued a statement of support for the Dam removal.  Please be aware that this is not true.  The Club has not issued any type of statement, nor will we.  We are not involved and have no interest in discussing this topic.  The Club maintains a position of neutrality with respect to local issues, allowing a focus on its core mission.

Each of our members can feel free to express their personal position but the Club is not involved.  I would appreciate it if you hear this rumor that you make it clear it is not true.  If you have any questions, please let Vicki Mast know.  Thank you. 

Public Spaces: The Heart of the Camden Garden Club

Our Club is responsible for tending to the following spaces and we need ALL club members to help with these tasks: 

1. The Lamppost Baskets (now hung)

2. The Traffic Islands ( now planted)

3. The Village Green (on going)

4. The Public Landing  (planted and needs watering)

5. The Bridge Boxes ( planted)

6. The Archway Boxes ( planted and needs watering)

7. The "Mural Garden" ( all cleaned up and mulched)

Thank you to Allison F & Peter R for volunteering to keep an eye on stray weeds out of the Mural Garden. Thank you Kathy N, Blake S and  Joann S  for signing up to water the plants at the Public Landing.

We need a few more volunteers to do watering at the Public Landing (we have a new 100' hose and reel to make the job easier). The dates needed to fill are 6/29 to 7/26 and 8/24 through Labor Day weekend.

We also need  additional volunteers to take on watering the Arch Boxes. This is easy to do. Bring 2 or 3 gallon jugs of water in your car and water them twice a week or as needed. Thank you  Grace W, Christina, V,  Susan R,  annd Georgina D. for volunteering. 

Please call/ text or email Barb Ohland if you can share these tasks.  Your help is very much appreciate by the Club and all the  residents and visitors who appreciate our work.

Upcoming Events

June 19 | Trowel n’ Growl at Ann Weston’s Property

Thursday, June 19th at 9:30 am  

70 Spring Brook Drive, Lincolnville

Ann is a new member this spring. She says her property is a blank slate with mostly sunny growing areas.  There is one recently planted small garden by the front of the house that the previous owner put in. Ann hales from Texas and is looking for tips and guidance as to how to garden in Maine. 

Directions: The last house on the left near the end of a dirt road.  Look for a temporary house number taped to a tree. Major intersection is Rt 52 and Slab City Road (highly recommend taking the “back roads” to avoid traffic on Commercial Street (US 1) and downtown Camden.  Ann has TONS of parking behind her house / driveway. Please pull in and park on the big open space. 

RSVP to Karen Cease

Thursday June 26, 2025: 9:00 am coffee followed by speaker and business meeting. All are welcome. Location: St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, 33 Chestnut Street, Camden  

Setting the stage for the 2025 Expo - Edible Gardens & Bountiful Tables - our special guest speaker will be Viña Lindley. She is a home garden specialist and an MGV instructor with a passion for kitchen gardens. Her topic is “Kitchen Gardens 101.”

She implements programs that address food access and sustainable approaches to home horticulture. From designing educational workshops to collaborating with community organizations, Viña’s focus is on empowering individuals, families, and institutions to enhance their understanding of sustainable practices grounded in research-based information. Learn more about her remarkable background and work .

June 30 | Trowel n’ Growl at Lynne Meagher’s Property

Monday, June 30th at 9:30 am  19 Wellington Drive, Rockport

Lynne is a new member as of 2024. From Lynn: “I live in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Rockport on just over 5 acres on a hill with a lovely view of Penobscot Bay.  We have a large grass lawn and several garden beds in front of our home as well as another lawn in the back, with a stone forest path leading to a small pond with a waterfall feature and smaller lily pond. There are many areas I could use help with, but I think we should focus on a shaded elevated garden built on a rocky shelf in the backyard.  It is approximately 20’ x 40’. I suspect at one time it was a beautiful garden but was let go many years ago. There are a few flowers still growing there such as peonies, and lots of lovely mossy patches. Unfortunately it is overgrown with grass and what I suspect are mostly weeds. I just am not familiar enough with Maine plants to know what should be pulled and what should stay. We live in Arizona the other half of the year. We purchased the property in 2016, and this is our fifth full summer here.  I’m really looking forward to this.”

RSVP to Karen Cease

July 8 | Crystal Lake Farm and Nursery

Visit to Crystal Lake Farm and Nursery with Sharon Turner Tuesday, July 8th, 9:30 am (rain date Wednesday July 9th) 246 Youngs Hill Road, Washington - a 25 minute drive

Gardener, extraordinaire, Sharon Turner went into organic farming after retiring  as Dean of Student Affairs at Bowdoin College.  She and her son Eli, live off the grid on their 75 acre property which has been in their family for 70 years.  NO PESTICIDES, HERBICIDES, CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS…EVER! They are a (mostly) native plant nursery selling responsibly grown wholesale & retail, bareroot & potted trees, shrubs & perennials. They rotationally graze four Dexter cattle, while growing large vegetable and flower gardens and a small orchard and maintaining four hoop houses.

In season, they offer native and favorite potted and field-dug trees, shrubs and perennials chosen especially for birds, bees, butterflies and other beneficials. They sell herb and vegetable seedlings in spring; garlic, garlic braids and seasonal decorations; cut flowers and foliage; customized steel hoops, floating row cover and greenhouse-grade plastic; and tools for the garden, field and woodland. 

Over the past 20 years, mother and son have worked together to build their business and act as stewards of this small piece of heaven in Maine. RSVP to Karen Cease kbcease@aol.com Please.

Edible Gardens & Bountiful Tables

Overview of the Day

8:15 - 9:00 Doors Open, Camden-Rockport Middle School

Show your ticket receipt on your mobile phone or a print-out.

9:00 - 1:00 Bountiful Tablescapes, Center Hallway

View tablescapes spanning a number of "themes" and styles from rustic to whimsical and from contemporary to traditional.



9:00 - 10:00 Pecha Kucha Style Presentations, Auditorium featuring Rory Keohane of Tenderwild Farm; Charlie Costello of Marliak Farms, Hannah Semler, FarmDrop Gleaners and Melissa Kelly, Executive Chef and Owner, Primo Restaurant                                 

10:15 - 11:15 Keynote Speakers, Auditorium featuring Barbara Damrosch and Nancy Harmon Jenkins                                                                        

11:30 - 12:30 Breakout Sessions, Auditorium and Cafeteria                                                   Choose two breakout sessions to attend: Caleb Goosen of  MOFGA. The Right Soil Recipe; Josh Hixson, Former Chef/Owner of 40 Paper demonstrating Making Sauces with Fresh Garden Herbs; John Fromer of Merryspring Gardens on How to Plan a Kitchen Garden and Stacy Leafsong of Leafsong Family Farms, The Beauty of Decorative Edibles.

11:30 - 1:00 Keynote Speaker Book Signing hosted by Left Bank Books

1:00 - 4:00 Old Souls Farm Tour, David Kibbe's farm in Camden This small-scale growing space is located in the historic Chestnut Street neighborhood. The focus is on regenerative practices, seasonal crops, native plantings and includes vegetables, native flowering perennials, honey bees, chickens and a small fruit orchard.

Volunteer Opportunities: 2025 Garden Expo

There are several volunteer opportunities for those interested in being part of this dynamic event ib July 17th,

From helping to set up, to parking, to welcome and check in, to ushers, to interactive session helpers, and farm tour helpers, as well as helping to tear down, are all positions that are available.

There are three shifts available: 8:00 am – 11:00 am, 10:30 am – 1:30 pm or 1:00 – 4:00 pm.

You can sign up by reaching out to Andrea Bell, 997andreabell@gmail.com and sign-up sheets will be available at the June Members meeting.

Please note all volunteers must purchase a ticket to the Garden Expo to participate.

Thanks – it will not be possible without your help and support.

Seen Around Town…