SKANEATELES — The Skaneateles Garden Club was able to hold its annual luncheon, which was postponed from April 2020 and April 2021, at the Skaneateles Country Club on Thursday, Sept. 16.
Kathleen Gagan, owner of Peony’s Envy spoke to the club on how to grow, maintain and propagate peonies.
According to her website, Gagan is a linguist and international corporate communications consultant turned lady farmer.
After a successful life overseas, where she became fluent in Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, Gagan returned home to New Jersey to a life as an entrepreneur. She grows peonies because of their resilience, deer-resistance, and beauty.
Gagan has studied horticulture at the Barnes Foundation, and writes and lectures on peonies nationwide. She has been successfully growing peonies for many years.
She is extremely knowledgeable and a delight to listen to. After her slide presentation and talk she opened the floor to questions.
Gagan has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show and participants in the annual Philadelphia Flower Show.
For more information, her website is [email protected].
Anne McElroy welcomed in the club’s new board of directors for 2021-2023. President: Monta Faye Tuxill, Co-Vice-Presidents: Lena Pateras and Nancy Rudl, Second Vice-President: Amy Rolleri, Treasurer: Nancy Easter, Recording Secretary: Diane Boden and Corresponding Secretary: Betsy McKinnell.
Civic activities thus far for the year have included: The seasonal changing of the library boxes, the hanging baskets that adorn our downtown, the Shirley Feldmann Urn in Clift Park, weeding and placing weed deterring mats at the 50 Crabtrees at Austin Park and the Summer and Fall Street Scape awards to residential home owners.
The club was able to send two children to the Baltimore Woods Camp this summer and awarded our annual scholarship to a graduating senior interested in environmental studies.
The club contributes annually to The Skaneateles Lake Association, The Finger Lakes Land Trust, Central NY Land Trust and the Water for Sudan Program through the Federated Garden Clubs of America.
The Skaneateles Garden Club is open to anyone who has an interest in horticulture, the environment and for the love of gardening.
For inquiries on membership contact: The Skaneateles Garden Club, P.O Box 96, Skaneateles, NY 13152, attention Amy Rolleri.
