Garden Club helps bring beauty to town
Much of the beauty of our village has been provided by Skaneateles Garden Club since its founding in 1931. In the 1940s shrubs and trees were planted in Austin Park in the NE corner near the American Legion to create a bird sanctuary. During that decade 125 sugar maples (62 of which were donated by Homer and Iva Ackles) were planted along village streets.
In 1954 community improvement took a different direction. The club contributed money to develop the Austin Park Youth Sports Program. Between 1959 and 1963 hundreds of flowering crab apple trees, spearheaded by Ann Easter, were planted in Austin Park, the village, and made available to residents of the surrrounding area. Many of these original trees have died or are declining (ornamental trees often have short life expectancies.) The Skaneateles Garden Club once again met the challenge by planting 24 white “Robinson” flowering crabs in 2016 and 24 more this spring to replace those which had been declining in Austin Park.
The planting of trees continued to be a main thrust of the organization following the crab apple initiative of the the ’50s and ’60s. Dying elms were replaced by Norway maples. ‘Paul’s Scarlet’ hawthorns were planted on the south side of Genesee St. and ‘Sunburst Honey’ locust on the north side. Thayer Park, Shotwell Park, Austin Park, the post office, school grounds, areas along the lake outlet, the library, as well as the Skaneateles Community Residence have all been beautified through the years by plantings paid for by the club.
Adding greatly to village charm are the hanging baskets seen throughout the business section and the stunning flower boxes at the library. Shirley Feldmann initiated the hanging basket program and filled the baskets in her backyard for decades. Now they have been designed by Amy Rolleri and Ann Niebert, Civic Co-chairmen for the club and filled by Dickman’s at their direction with ivy, impatients, torenia fournieri, and begonias.Thanks to the Skaneateles DPW who hang the baskets and also to the Village of Skaneateles which shares the cost of watering the baskets with the club. This year Skaneateles High School student Blake Haberstock will be pulling the 30 gallon water tank which is stored at Johnny Angel’s where it is filled with water under the direction of Bill Lyon. Positive feedback is always appreciated by those who give to the community.
Until recently the library flower boxes were planted and tended by Helen Nolan for many years and with the help of Susan Hayden for about half of that time. Ceme Curley, also a club member, waters and cares for the plants during the summer. Ann and Amy chose a wide assortment of plants for the library boxes which will blend to form a stunning whole. They include geranium, lobelia, petunias, impatience, sweet potato vine, shamrock plants, alyssum, heliotrope, ageratum, and verbena.
New this year next to the Gazebo area is a handsome planter reminding people of the dedicated service of Shirley Feldman to our club and village. It is filled with sweet potato vines, purple lobelia, yellow violas, a calla lily, pink dahlia, purple salvia, and pink geraniums.
Money for these projects has been earned primarily through tours, flower shows and special events. The public has most generously supported these fund-raising efforts, made generous donations, and in turn reap the benefits of beauty and charm of the tree-lined streets and parks.
