The Long Island Advance - February 22, 2007 Page 13

A Decade of Pruning and Blooming
Patchogue Garden Club Celebrates 10th Anniversary

By SUSAN L. GRECO

Winter on Long Island can be damp, cold, wet and dreary, yet for one group of people in the Patchogue area, dreams of spring and summer flowers bloom all year long. With gardens throughout Long Island in hibernation for the winter, members of the Patchogue Garden Club continue about their business of planning for the arrival of spring.

On Oct. 13, 2006, the Patchogue Garden Club celebrated its 10th anniversary, marked by a ceremony that took place in the Community Garden on the corner of Terry Street and South Ocean Avenue in Patchogue. Attended by Garden Club members, Mayor Paul Pontieri and members of the village board, the Chamber of Commerce and representatives from the offices of various state and local politicians, the Garden Club was awarded four proclamations of appreciation for the beauty that they have brought to the village for the past 10 years. The Patchogue Garden Club was established in 1996 by a group of people who saw hope of a renaissance for the village. “In a moving speech, Garden Club founder, historian and past president Josephine Miller spoke of the club’s establishment as proof of ‘a belief in and commitment to the future’ of Patchogue by both club members and village leaders,” Ellen Brandt wrote in the press release announcing the 10th anniversary celebration. Now boasting 75 members, not only from Patchogue, but from the surrounding areas as well, the club maintains the Community Garden and has also planted a few smaller gardens in the area, one around the flag pole at

Shorefront Park and another for the North Patchogue Fire Department substation, where the majority of their meetings are held throughout the year.  “There is no required time commitment for members,” said Karen Ferb, Garden Club president. “We have a Spring Wake-Up’ and a ‘Fall Put-to- Bed,’ each that last about four to five hours and each week people are assigned or volunteer to work on certain areas of the garden for one to two hours per week.” Ferb added that members do a variety of different things, from the actual gardening to planning fundraisers and helping with the newsletter and website.

It costs the club approximately $9,000 per year to maintain the beauty that exists in the garden. Last year they raised the funds themselves, having been locked out of grant money due to changing regulations. “We’re hoping to qualify for grant money this year by applying under the Greater Patchogue Foundation,” said Ferb. In addition to grants, the club raises funds by hosting a variety of different events. They have an annual luncheon and Chinese auction that is being held on March 8 at the Mediterranean Manor in Patchogue, a Planting and Yard Sale that will be held in the Community Garden in May or June, and hold an Annual Garden Tour each summer.  The Annual Garden Tour is the highlight of the summer garden season.  The Garden Club starts working on the tour right after the previous one, contacting and making appointments to visit gardens of club members, or others recommended to them. With the purchase of a ticket, one can wander about a variety of gardens throughout the area, admiring the beautiful plantings and interesting ideas in landscaping  that others have had. The club also receives support from local nurseries, the Patchogue Chamber of Commerce, the Business Improvement District and the village. “The Garden Club and the village became partners in many projects, e.g., the brick paths that encourage passersby to stroll through the garden.  Through each administration, the village has been unstinting in its support,” wrote Josephine Miller, Founder, Historian and Past President of the Garden Club on the Origin of the Patchogue Garden Club posted on their website. The club holds monthly meetings that include a guest speaker. “Usually it will be a Master Gardener or a professional in a certain field,” said Ferb. “We’ve had speakers on roses, dahlias, and turf grass. At Christmas we had an exhibition on creating Christmas wreaths and centerpieces.” They also hold an Autumn Harvest Dinner and Breakfast in the Garden for club members. In addition to developing and maintaining the lovely Community Garden and educating the public, the club also gives a scholarship each year to a graduating senior who is planning to get a four-year degree in a related field. And when winter weather seems as if it goes on forever, remember that there are those who are thinking and planning for spring, just waiting for the first crocus to poke its purple or white head up through the still cold ground, signaling that it’s almost time to get out those gardening gloves and start digging. For more information on the Patchogue Garden Club and their activities, call 785-2671 or visit their website at www.PatchogueGardenClub.com.