| NATIVES & POLLINATORS | DIVERSITY | SOIL RESTORATION | | PARTNERING WITH NATURE | COMMUNITY OUTREACH |
Carlisle woodland garden in summer
Photo by Elizabeth Acquaviva |
Trees in winter, mackerel sky, Great Brook State Park
Photo by Kay Hurley |
Autumn color, Great Brook State Park
Photo by Debbie Bentley |
CHECK OUT OUR 2022-2023 SEASON SCHEDULE
MARCH MEETING
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2023 CARLISLE COUNTRY GARDENS TOUR
Save the Dates!
Friday, June 9th and Saturday, June 10th
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM each day.
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Each garden presents the owner's personal vision. You can visit all six gardens in a single day, or make it a more leisurely two-day outing. Advance ticket sales -- at reduced prices, as in the past -- open in mid-March.
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NEW! Carlisle Garden Club Online Store
Opens for Earth Day
Stay tuned for the grand opening of the Carlisle Garden Club E-Store! Here you will be able to purchase native trees and shrubs to celebrate Carlisle's Route to Sustainability Day on Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 10 AM to 2 PM at Carlisle Center Park. All plants will be pre-ordered, with pickup in the park
Opening Soon!
Membership Notes
We accept new members throughout the year. For the rest of this season, you may send a $25 check, payable to Carlisle Garden Club, to Carlisle Garden Club Membership, P.O. Box 231, Carlisle, MA 01741. New members please provide your name; email and mailing address; land and/or cellphone number; and put an asterisk next to your preferred contact method. We look forward to meeting you! Whenever members gather, the fun and learning follow!
To access the current member list, choose the Members/Programs/... option from the Members menu at the top of this page. The Club password will be requested.
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There can be no purpose more inspiring than to begin
the age of restoration, reweaving the wondrous diversity of life that still surrounds us. -- E. O. Wilson, 6/29/1929 to 12/26/2021 |
HAVE A QUESTION? REQUEST? COMMENT? WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
Entomologist/conservationist Douglas Tallamy uses the E.O. Wilson quote in Nature's Best Hope to introduce a chapter that explains why and how to join the HOMEGROWN NATIONAL PARK (HNP) movement. Guidelines for optimizing each of Tallamy's suggestions can be found in his core books:
- Bringing Nature Home, Timber Press, 2007, updated 2009. Contains the original research that describes ecological damage created during mankind's industrial era. Appendix One starts with a list of desirable New England native plants with wildlife value. Appendix Two is a gardener's wonderlist that catalogs beloved species of butterflies and showy moths, as well as the names of host plant species that attract each genus of the family lepidoptera.
- With Rick Darke, The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity. Timber Press, 2014. Their gardening guide enables you to create a garden that fulfills your human needs and the needs of our vast society of wildlife companions.
- Nature's Best Hope, Timber Press, 2019. Jam-packed with ideas for rethinking/rewilding/rescaping/ restoring your landscape to a productive natural web of soil and habitat that restores biodiversity to your property. Wonderful pictures of many caterpillars we all need to learn more about (and see also the David L. Wagner book under More Resources below.) Chapter 11 summarizes what each of us can do.
- The Nature of Oaks, Timber Press, 2021. According to Tallamy, the oak is the premier keystone tree species, which supports far more life forms and interaction than any other North American tree. If this book doesn't inspire you to do something to rewild your property, nothing will!
A fascinating tour of our planet's great hope
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“A forest is not a static thing; it is a constantly evolving mosaic of species in multiple relations with each other as well as with the rocks, the atmosphere, and the climate. The pioneering Russian ecologist Sukachev called this interrelated system biogenocoenosis. The [indigenous Alaskan] Koyukon people call it “the world that Raven made.”
So explains Ben Rawlence, whose first foray into climate writing,The Treeline, explores the science and stories of the world’s last remaining great forest – the planet’s great northern/boreal system that forms a fragmented necklace that lies across the Arctic regions of the Earth. As the subtitle explains, it is the mission of the book to research this immense forest and the future of life on Earth. |
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Useful Websites
HOSTS - A searchable database from UK's venerable Natural History Museum that lists host plants of the world's lepidoptera. You need to know at least the scientific family name of the butterfly/moth you're seeking. The more precise your request, the more focused the data returned. Tip: Scroll down to specify the USA location to limit the display.
The Lepidopterists' Society - Professional association. Some online articles, and membership confers full benefits.
Monarch Watch - All things Monarch. Seeds for school or community projects are free if available, or they may be purchased.
North American Butterfly Association - Citizen projects, butterfly count info, photo contests, garden certification, and more.
The Xerces Society - A major publisher of information on North American pollinators. Some documents are available as online PDFs.
The Lepidopterists' Society - Professional association. Some online articles, and membership confers full benefits.
Monarch Watch - All things Monarch. Seeds for school or community projects are free if available, or they may be purchased.
North American Butterfly Association - Citizen projects, butterfly count info, photo contests, garden certification, and more.
The Xerces Society - A major publisher of information on North American pollinators. Some documents are available as online PDFs.
Invasives & Natives in Eastern Massachusetts
COMMON INVASIVE PLANTS LISTED BY MASS AUDUBON SOCIETY
Click this link to see a picture gallery of invasive species that you can learn about.
ALISON SAYLOR'S STEWARDSHIP TEMPLATE
Her valuable list of natives to consider planting.
Click this link to see a picture gallery of invasive species that you can learn about.
ALISON SAYLOR'S STEWARDSHIP TEMPLATE
Her valuable list of natives to consider planting.
Composting
COMPOST IF YOU POSSIBLY CAN: YOUR COMPOST IS BROWN GOLD!
It's wonderful that Carlisle has a contract with Black Earth to handle composting on a town-wide basis -- and thanks to Launa Zimmaro and all the forward-looking people who made this possible) but the VERY BEST DEAL is to keep your compostable material (kitchen waste, leaves and grass/yard cuttings) on your own property. It may take a special strategy to dispose of your kitchen scraps over the winter, but those scraps are the perfect fertilizer for a vital garden bed, a shrub border, or a tree understory. Remember to mix kitchen scraps (nitrogen) with shredded paper, leaves and weed-free yard scraps (carbon) in a ratio as high as 1:9 to mimic nature's ratio.
THANKS TO ANGELA SMITH FOR GUIDELINES FROM BLACK EARTH COMPOST (click link below for info):
what's compostable at the Transfer Station, and what is not
HOPE IT HELPS YOU SORT IT OUT.
It's wonderful that Carlisle has a contract with Black Earth to handle composting on a town-wide basis -- and thanks to Launa Zimmaro and all the forward-looking people who made this possible) but the VERY BEST DEAL is to keep your compostable material (kitchen waste, leaves and grass/yard cuttings) on your own property. It may take a special strategy to dispose of your kitchen scraps over the winter, but those scraps are the perfect fertilizer for a vital garden bed, a shrub border, or a tree understory. Remember to mix kitchen scraps (nitrogen) with shredded paper, leaves and weed-free yard scraps (carbon) in a ratio as high as 1:9 to mimic nature's ratio.
THANKS TO ANGELA SMITH FOR GUIDELINES FROM BLACK EARTH COMPOST (click link below for info):
what's compostable at the Transfer Station, and what is not
HOPE IT HELPS YOU SORT IT OUT.
STILL AVAILABLE: CHATTING WITH OUR 2021 TOUR GARDENERS
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The 2021 Carlisle Country Gardens chat video is now available on demand Click here to see our video conversations with the five gardeners on the Tour. If you visited the garden in person, you can now hear how the garden came to be. You can click Show More beneath the video to see a list of gardens that match their number in the program booklet. The videos were shot during the week preceding the Tour.
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THANKS TO OUR 2021
COUNTRY GARDEN TOUR SPONSORS
Our deepest thanks to the sponsors who so generously supported the 2021 tour. It is the Club's major fundraiser, which supports our community outreach and educational events such as college scholarships for Carlisle students, civic beautification, the spring seed swap/share, Old Home Day appearances, and other special activities.
Please patronize our sponsors whenever possible and spread the word among your friends. Click any sponsor's logo to visit their website.
Please patronize our sponsors whenever possible and spread the word among your friends. Click any sponsor's logo to visit their website.
Community Garden Sponsors
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Wildflower Garden Sponsor
Herb Garden Sponsors
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PERENNIAL HIBISCUS, GROWN FROM SEED IN CARLISLE, BLOOMS IN LATE SUMMER ON THE ROTARYThe Garden Club's Rotary renovation is underway, with plans to include native shrubs and pollinator plants in one of the sunniest spots in town. This glorious plant, which blooms in late July and August, is just one more thing to check out as you negotiate the roundabout. Look for it behind the lush bloom of the colorful, annual cosmos and the dramatic, low giant-blooming hibiscus.
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LOVE TO GARDEN? JOIN THE CLUB. If you'd like to be part of the Carlisle Garden Club or if you'd like to attend a meeting as our guest, click the button below to contact our member chair.
Some additional club highlights
Download the most recent member list (password required)
2022-23 Officers and Committees
Alison Saylor's Template for land stewardship
Judy Blaikie Lane's Flower arranging demo
2022-23 Officers and Committees
Alison Saylor's Template for land stewardship
Judy Blaikie Lane's Flower arranging demo
Add habitat for native bumblebees to your landscape
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At a fascinating lecture sponsored by Grow Native Massachusetts in Cambridge, biologist Rob Gegear of Worcester Polytechnic Institute shared his research on the ecology of native bumblebees, and offered many evidence-based actions to help conserve these vital pollinators. A key component of Rob's guidelines for creating high-quality bumblebee habitat was plant selection, described later in this article.
His guidelines: first and foremost, avoid using non-native plants as much as possible. Exotic species disrupt the ecological systems within which bumblebees and native plants have co-evolved, and may actually contribute to bumblebee declines. Of the eleven bumblebee species native to Massachusetts, only a few have stable or expanding populations. Many of the species that are now rare have declined significantly from their historical abundance. Some non-native perennials might buzz with bees when in bloom, but they are often attracting only the most common, least threatened bumblebees. The true indicator of valuable habitat is seeing a diversity of pollinator species. |
Bombus impatiens on New England aster. © Janet Wilder
TO VIEW OTHER VIDEOS IN THE EVENINGS WITH EXPERTS SERIES VISIT THE GROW NATIVE WEBSITE . |
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OVER THE MOON ABOUT THE MOON?
If you're one of those wonderful "lunatic" gardeners who believes in planting or harvesting by the phases of the moon, you can click this link for a chart of the moon phases this month. |
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PLEASE SHARE THE RECIPE FOR YOUR FABULOUS DISH |
OUR POTLUCK PARTIES LEAVE US YEARNING FOR ONE MORE TASTE of that amazing salad or casserole, dessert or other special treat you brought to a party this year -- or any year. Though our version won't match your artful preparation, we'd love to share those tasty delights at our own family gatherings. And those who couldn't make it to the event will appreciate a vicarious bite, we're sure.
Pinterest graphic from http://www.jeanettelynton.com
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THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS
CHECK OUT THIS PAGE TO SEE A LIST OF LOCAL AND NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT OUR WORK. Many thanks to all our sponsors, donors and supporters. Please patronize them in return, whenever possible, and mention them to your friends.
What else is new?
PREVIOUS SEED SWAP/SHARE EXPOS HAVE FEATURED SEED BOMBS, PEA SHOOTS, MILK-JUG MINI-GREENHOUSES, ORIGAMI ENVELOPES FROM RECYCLED PAPER, MASON BEE HOMES AND NEW COMPOSTING IDEAS for gardeners of all ages. Click here to visit archived Seed Swap documents.
KEEP MOVING, GARDENERS: TRY THE EGOSCUE STRETCHES FOR HEALTH AND REJUVENATION, available for all to download here.
A WORKOUT ROUTINE FOR GARDENERS WHO WANT TO GET IN SHAPE. Available to all site visitors.
MORE PUBLIC LINKS HAVE BEEN ADDED: Check out some exciting new addresses on our favorite links page describing permaculture resources, over-wintering tender fig trees, and new sources for obtaining native New England shrubs and perennials. These links are available to all site visitors.
MEMBER DOCUMENTS NOW AVAILABLE: Get a copy of our downloadable current member list, as well as recent newsletters and meeting minutes, here. Get archived documents and member reimbursement form here. You'll be asked for the site password.
A WORKOUT ROUTINE FOR GARDENERS WHO WANT TO GET IN SHAPE. Available to all site visitors.
MORE PUBLIC LINKS HAVE BEEN ADDED: Check out some exciting new addresses on our favorite links page describing permaculture resources, over-wintering tender fig trees, and new sources for obtaining native New England shrubs and perennials. These links are available to all site visitors.
MEMBER DOCUMENTS NOW AVAILABLE: Get a copy of our downloadable current member list, as well as recent newsletters and meeting minutes, here. Get archived documents and member reimbursement form here. You'll be asked for the site password.
HAVE A QUESTION OR SUGGESTION FOR THE CLUB?
OPEN OUR RESOURCES PAGE TO SEE WHAT'S NEW, ASK A QUESTION, OR SUGGEST A TOPIC. . .