BUFFALO

REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS

African Violet & Gesneriad Society of WNY meets the third Tuesday of the month, September–August, at 7 p.m., Greenfield Health & Rehab Facility, 5949 Broadway, Lancaster. [email protected].

Alden Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month (except July and August) at 7 p.m., Alden Community Center, West Main St., Alden. New members and guests welcome. Plant sale each May. 716-937-7924.

Amana Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month (except January) at Ebenezer United Church of Christ, 630 Main St., West Seneca. Visitors welcome. 716-844-8543, [email protected].

Amherst Garden Club meets the fourth Wednesday of the month (except December, March, July, and August) at 10 a.m., St. John's Lutheran Church, Main St., Williamsville. New members and guests welcome. 716-836-5397.

Bowmansville Garden Club meets the first Monday of the month (except June, July, August, and December) at 7 p.m., Bowmansville Fire Hall, 36 Main St., Bowmansville. New members and guests welcome. For more information, 716-361-8325.

Buffalo Area Daylily Society. East Aurora Senior Center, 101 King St., East Aurora. The society is a friendly group who get together to enjoy daylilies. Plant Sales in August. Open gardens, June–August. Facebook.

Buffalo Bonsai Society meets every second Saturday at 1 p.m. at ECC North Campus, STEM Bldg., 6205 Main St., Williamsville, NY 14221. Picnic/Auction; 9/14, (Rochester, NY) Penjing Bonsai; 10/12, Mark Arpag; 11/9, Suiseki with Sean Smith. buffalobonsaisociety.com.

East Aurora Garden Club meets at noon on the second Monday of each month, except January. The clubs meets at Nativity Lutheran Church, 970 E. Main St., East Aurora, NY (just west of the 400 Expressway exit). The club’s objective is to stimulate, create interest, and promote education on horticulture, the art of gardening, flower arranging, and environmental conservation; and to promote the beautification of surrounding areas. For more information about the club or membership call 716-912-1589.

Federated Garden Clubs NYS–District 8. Nancy Kalieta is the director; [email protected]. gardenclubsofwny.com.

Forest Stream Garden Club meets the third Thursday of the month (September–May) at 7 p.m., Presbyterian Village, 214 Village Park Dr., Williamsville and other locations. Summer garden teas and tours available. Ongoing projects include beautification of the Williamsville Meeting House, garden therapy at a local nursing home, youth gardening, and Victorian Christmas decorating. [email protected].

Friends of Kenan Herb Club meets the third Monday of the month at 2 p.m. at the Taylor Theater. New members are always welcome. kenancenter.org/herb-club.

Garden Club of the Tonawanda meets the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m., Tonawanda City Hall, Community Room. Facebook.

Garden Friends of Clarence meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m., September–June, Town Park Clubhouse, 10405 Main St., Clarence. [email protected].

Gardens Buffalo Niagara open gardens on Thursdays and Fridays in July starts Thursday, July 11. Explore the beauty of gardens spread out in Erie and Niagara counties. Visit gardensbuffaloniagara.com/open-gardens-buffalo for more details and location information.

Hamburg Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m. at the VFW Post 1419, 2985 Lakeview Rd, Hamburg, NY. Events include a June plant sale and summer garden tours. Guests are welcome. Contact [email protected].

Kenmore Garden Club meets the second Tuesday of the month (except July, August, and December) at 10 a.m., Kenmore United Methodist Church, 32 Landers Rd., Kenmore. Activities include guest speakers, floral designs, and community service. New members and guests are welcome. [email protected].

Ken-Sheriton Garden Club meets the second Tuesday of the month (except January) at 7 p.m., St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 576 Delaware Rd. Kenmore. Monthly programs, artistic design, and horticulture displays. New members and guests welcome. 716-833-8799, [email protected].

Lancaster Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month (except January, July, and August) at 7 p.m., St. John Lutheran Church, 55 Pleasant Ave., Lancaster. All are welcome. Facebook.

Lewiston Garden Club meets the fourth Monday of the month. See website for meeting information, lewistongardenfest.com/garden-club.html or contact at PO Box 32, Lewiston, NY 14092.

Niagara Frontier Botanical Society meets the second Tuesday of the month September through May at 7:30 p.m. (except April) at the Harlem Rd. Community Center, 4255 Harlem Rd., Amherst. Entrance is on the north side of the building. Meetings are open to the public.

Niagara Frontier Orchid Society (NFOS) meets the first Tuesday following the first Sunday (dates sometimes vary due to holidays, etc.), September–June, Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. niagarafrontierorchids.org.

Orchard Park Garden Club meets the first Thursday of the month (except July and December) at 11:30 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, 4536 South Buffalo St., Orchard Park. Contact Diana Szczepanski at 716-674-8970 for membership information. Guests are always welcome.

Ransomville Garden Club meets the third Wednesday or Saturday of the month at 5:45 p.m., Ransomville Community Library, 3733 Ransomville Rd., Ransomville. Meetings are open to all. Activities include community gardening projects, educational presentations, and June plant sale. [email protected].

Silver Creek-Hanover Garden Club meets the second Saturday of the month at 11 a.m., Silver Creek Senior Center, 1823 Lake Rd. (Rte. 5), Silver Creek. [email protected]

South Towns Gardeners meets the second Friday of the month (except January) at 9:30 a.m., West Seneca Senior Center. New members welcome.

Springville Concord Garden Club meets the second Monday of the month at 1:30 p.m. at the Concord Senior Center, 40 Commerce Dr., Springville, NY 14141. Meetings feature guest speakers on a variety of gardening and related topics. Annual July Garden Walk. Guests are welcome.

Town and Country Garden Club of LeRoy meets the second Wednesday of the month (except February) at 6:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 7 Clay St., LeRoy 14482. Prospective members and guests are welcome. Contact: [email protected] Facebook: facebook.com/GardenClubLeRoyNY.

Town and Country Garden Club of Williamsville generally meets the second Thursday of the month from 2–4 p.m. at the Ransom Oaks Community Club House, 101 Ransom Oaks Dr., East Amherst. Some meetings are held off site for garden tours and special events. The club maintains a garden at the Clearfield Library, 770 Hopkins Rd. Membership brochures with program information are available in the library. For information, contact [email protected].

Tropical Fish Society of Erie County meets the third Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m., Lake Erie Italian Club, 3200 South Park Ave., Lackawanna, NY 14218. tropical-fish-club-of-erie-county.com

Western New York Herb Study Group meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m., Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. Facebook.

Western New York Honey Producers, Inc. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County, 21 South Grove St., East Aurora. wnyhpa.org.

Western New York Hosta Society. The WNYHS was formed to encourage members to appreciate hostas and to provide them with access to quality new varieties. The group meets three times a year at the East Aurora Senior Center, 101 King St., East Aurora NY 14052.  wnyhosta.com.

Western New York Hosta Society Breakfast Meetings are friendly get-togethers the first Saturday (winter months only) at 10 a.m., Forestview Restaurant, Depew, wnyhosta.com.

Western New York Iris Society meets at the Julia B Reinstein Library, 1030 Losson Rd., Cheektowaga, NY at 1:30 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month.

Western New York Rose Society meets the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. St. Stephens-Bethlehem United Church of Christ, 750 Wehrle Dr., Williamsville. Check the Facebook page or website for meeting content, wnyrosesociety.net.

Youngstown Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 100 Church St., Youngstown. Facebook.

CLASSES / EVENTS

F- Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

S- Indicates plant sales/swaps.

T- Indicates garden tours.

O- Online event.

Ongoing: First Wednesday of the month for 2024: Free Community Nights, 5-8 p.m. Visitors can enjoy free admission the first Wednesday evening of the month. Sponsored by Assemblyman Pat Burke. BECBG

Ongoing: First Wednesday of the Month for 2024: Free Community Nights, 5–8 p.m. Visitors can enjoy free admission the first Wednesday evening of the month. Sponsored by Assemblyman Pat Burke. BECBG

Ongoing through October 26: Hamburg Farmers’ Market, 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m.Open Saturdays rain or shine and on all holiday weekends, May 4–October 26, 2004 Located at the Hamburg Moose Lodge, 45 Church St., Hamburg, NY 14075 southtownsregionalchamber.org

September 5: Fall Bushel Basket Porch Planter, 6–7 p.m. Create an arrangement for your porch or patio. The workshop price includes everything needed to create the arrangement as well as a demonstration and instruction from the Badding pros. Registration required. 716-636-7824, 10820 Transit Rd., East Amherst, NY 14051 baddingbrosfarm.com

F September 7, 14, and 28: Feed the Fish, 9:30–10 a.m.Regular admission for the day is included after the event. All tickets must be purchased ahead of time online. BECBG

September 7: Climate-friendly Kitchen, 10 a.m. Enjoy a free cup of coffee or tea while you learn how what we do in the kitchen can help or hurt the environment. Leave with resources and recipes! Registration required. REIN

F September 7: Woods Walk—Wildlife Clues, 1 p.m. How do we know who lives in Reinstein Woods? Animals leave signs behind if we take the time to look. No registration required. REIN

F September 10: Open Art Night, 4–8 p.m. All artists ages sixteen and older will have the entire conservatory of exotic plants at their fingertips. Artists are welcome to bring their own materials excluding oil based media, spray paint, or splattering. Registration is required. BECBG

September 11 and October 9: Senior Stroll, 10 a.m. Experience nature at your own pace and enjoy a leisurely hour-long guided walk through the woods. For adults only. Registration required. REIN

F September 12: Orchid Repotting with the Niagara Frontier Orchid Society, 5–7 p.m. Niagara Frontier Orchid Society experts will help repot plants that gardeners bring in. Experts will also offer advice on how to care for your orchid. Prices vary depending on your needs and will range from $5-$25. BECBG

F September 13 through October 31: Mutation Invasion: Flesh-eating Flora, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Visitors can view the garden’s carnivorous plants along with sculptures from local Buffalo artists Nate Phillips and Melanie Fisher. Cost is included with admission. BECBG

F September 14: Summer’s End, Fall’s Beginning, 10 a.m. Say goodbye to summer and hello to fall during a walk in the woods. Explore the changes taking place in our forests and ponds as the weather gets colder and the leaves start to turn. Registration required. REIN 

September 17: Full Moon Walk, 8 p.m. Enjoy a guided walk through the forest at night. Registration required. REIN

September 20 and 27: Botanical Bash, 6–10 p.m.  Botanical Bash is a new event that reimagines the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens long-standing formal annual Gala at the Gardens. This lively cocktail-style party will include fun games, food, drinks, a DJ and more BECBG

September 21: Annual Fall Festival, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Kick off the fall season by spending a day in the woods. Enjoy hands-on activities, crafts for kids, live animals, food, live music, and more. REIN F

September 24: Photography Night, 4–7 p.m. The gardens offer many locations for personal photos such as family photos, engagement shoots, senior portraits, or any special occasion. Special reduced rate. Reservation is required. BECBG

F September 26: Moss Terrarium Workshop, 6–7 p.m. This workshop will teach the basics of moss, including environment, structure, and different types of moss in Western New York. Rockets available online. BECBG

September 28: Birding by Beginners for Beginners, 10 a.m. Learn how to identify birds using a field guide and how to use a pair of binoculars. For adults and children ages 13 and older. Registration required. REIN

September 28: DIY Seed Collection and Propagation, 1:30 p.m. Learn how to propagate seedlings from known seeds and/or cutting sources. Students will learn how and when to collect, store, extract, and germinate the seeds you collect. Registration required. REIN.

September 29: Witch Leg Planter Workshop, 6–7 p.m. The workshop includes a 12-inch black cauldron planter, soil, your choice of fall annuals, witch-leg stakes, and instruction. Registration required. 716-636-7824, 10820 Transit Rd., East Amherst, NY 14051 baddingbrosfarm.com

F October 5: Family Wellness Walk, 10 a.m. This will be aa relaxing walk in the woods. Registration required. REIN 

F October 5: Woods Walk: Animal Signs, 11 a.m. This is guided walk to look for clues from wildlife in the woods. No registration required. REIN

F October 9: Wild Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. Together, kids and their caregivers can enjoy a fun, hour-long outdoor activity. For children in grades K–5. Registration required. REIN 

F October 7–11: Toddler & Me Halloween Pick-a-pot, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Bring the kiddos in during the week to pick a spooky Halloween planter of their choice. Plant a succulent or fall annual and top it off with a Halloween themed plant pick. No registration required. 716-636-7824, 10820 Transit Rd., East Amherst, NY 14051 baddingbrosfarm.com

October 3: Wine & Witchy Planters, Arrowhead Vineyards & Winery will be pouring wine throughout the workshop. The workshop includes a 16-inch black cauldron planter, soil, your choice of fall annuals, a spooky witch, twigs, cobweb, instruction, and wine. Registration required. 716-636-7824, 10820 Transit Rd., East Amherst, NY 14051 baddingbrosfarm.com

F October 12: Beekeeping 101, 12–2 p.m. Learn the basics of beekeeping with Erin Masterson Holko. Grassroots Gardens and Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP),387 Massachusetts Ave, Buffalo.

October 12: Fall Rocks! 10 a.m. Explore the different types of rocks that are beneath Reinstein Woods. There will also be an indoor presentation about the formation history of the earth underneath our favorite preserve! For adults and children ages 13 and older. Registration required. REIN 

October 15: National Mushroom Day Walk, 2 p.m. Marvel at mushrooms on this walk through the woods. Registration required. REIN 

October 19: Soil testing, 12–2 p.m. Get your garden for winter with David Clark. Grassroots Gardens and Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP),387 Massachusetts Ave, Buffalo.

October 19: Woods Walk: Nature Guide’s Choice, 11 a.m. This is guided nature walk through the woods. No registration required.

October 19: Birding 101: Fall Farewells, 10 a.m. View favorite birds before they leave for the winter season. Binoculars provided. Registration required. REIN

October 23: Autumn Colors, 2 p.m. Fall foliage is a blaze of color, from flaming oranges and reds to subtle yellows. Enjoy the beauty of autumn on this guided walk and identify trees in the fall. For adults only. Registration required. REIN

October 26: Gardening in review panel discussion, 12–2 p.m. This will be a gardening discussion and Q&A with David Clark (CNLP), Cassandra Seawell, Katherine Pfohl (MAP), and Patti Jablonski-Dopkin (Urban Roots). Grassroots Gardens and Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP),387 Massachusetts Ave, Buffalo.

Save the Date:  

November 2: Fire cider/syrup making, 12–2 p.m. Grassroots Gardens and Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP), 387 Massachusetts Ave., Buffalo.

November 2: Changing Seasons Walk, 10 a.m. As daylight savings comes to an end, take a walk through the woods and discuss how animals and plants adjust to the changing weather. Registration required. REIN

November 2: Woods Walk: Your Favorite Things, 1 p.m. REIN

November 9: Fabulous Fungi, 11 a.m. A mushroom enthusiast will lead this beginner-friendly walk and attempt to identify as many mushrooms as possible. Registration required. REIN

Frequent host:

BECBG: Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo, NY   14218. 716/827-1584; buffalogardens.com.

CCE/CC: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cattaraugus County, 28 Parkside Drive, Ellicottville, NY 14731. 716-699-2377; cattaraugus.cce.cornell.edu.

CCE/EC: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Erie County, 21 South Grove St., East Aurora, NY 14052. 716-652-5400 x174; erie.cce.cornell.edu.

REIN: Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve, 93 Honorine Drive, Depew, NY 14043. 716-683-5959; reinsteinwoods.org.

URBN: Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market, 428 Rhode Island St., Buffalo, NY 14213, [email protected], 716-362-8982, urbanroots.org.

ITHACA

REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS

Adirondack Chapter, North American Rock Garden Society (ACNARGS) Meetings are open to all. Check the current newsletter on the website for meeting location: acnargs.org or facebook.com/acnargs.

Auraca Herbarists, an herb study group, usually meets the second Tuesday of the month at noon, Cornell Botanic Gardens, Ithaca. Brown bag lunch at noon followed by the program. and herb of the month. Field trips during the growing season. All are welcome. Contact: Pat Curran, [email protected].

Elmira Garden Club meets the first Thursday of the month, April–December, at 6 p.m., 426 Fulton St., Elmira. Annual plant sale, workshops, monthly meetings, local garden tours and community gardening services. Karen Coletta, 607-731-8320, Facebook.

Finger Lakes Native Plant Society meetings are usually on the third Tuesday of the month September to May. They are an organization dedicated to promoting the appreciation of native flora and hold free public field trips, free indoor programs, and provide members a newsletter, seed exchange, native plant sale, and a December celebration of native plants. flnps.org, [email protected].

Windsor NY Garden Group meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 10 a.m., members’ homes or Windsor Community House, 107 Main St., Windsor. windsorgardengroup.suerambo.com.

CLASSES / EVENTS

F- Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

S- Indicates plant sales/swaps.

T- Indicates garden tours.

O- Online event.

ROCHESTER

REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS

7th District Federated Garden Clubs New York State, Inc. meets the first Wednesday of the month. 7thdistrictfgcnys.org.

African Violet and Gesneriad Society of Rochester meets the first Thursday of the month September–November and March–May, 7–9 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, 4301 Mt. Read Blvd., Rochester, NY 14616. December and June meetings are social events TBD location. Contacts: Douglas Burdick, 585-313-8674, [email protected]. Barb Festenstein, 585-461-1673, [email protected].

Bloomfield Garden Club meets the third Thursday of the month at 11:45 a.m., Veterans Park, 6910 Routes 5 & 20, Bloomfield. Visitors and prospective new members welcome. Marlene Moran, 585-924-8035, Facebook.

Bonsai Society of Upstate New York meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Brighton Town Park Lodge, Buckland Park, 1341 Westfall Rd., Rochester. 585-334-2595, Facebook, bonsaisocietyofupstateny.org.

Canandaigua Botanical Society meets for in-person botanical events. See website for event schedule. canandaiguabotanicalsociety.blogspot.com

Color Pittsford Green meets on the third Wednesday of the month, 6:45–7:45 p.m. via Zoom. All are welcome. colorpittsfordgreen.org

Conesus Lake Garden Club meets the third Wednesday of the month (April–December) at 7 p.m., Chip Holt Nature Center, Vitale Park, Lakeville. Welcoming new members. Contact Dottie Connelly, 585-703-1748.

Country Gardeners of Webster This club is for those who like to dig in the dirt, smell the roses, learn about the birds and bees, take a walk in the park, eat, drink, and be merry, or live in Webster. They meet the second Monday of the month. Contact Elaine at 585-350-8270 to try this fun-loving club out.

Creative Gardeners of Penfield meets the second Monday of the month (except July and August) at 9:15 a.m., Penfield United Methodist Church, 1795 Baird Rd., Penfield. Visitors welcome. Contact 585-385-2065 or [email protected] if interested in attending a meeting.

Fairport Garden Club Meets the third Thursday evening of the month (except January, February, March, and August) in members’ homes or in the Perinton Ambulance building. Educational topics are presented through speakers, workshops, local tours, and community gardening i.e., Planter at Johanna Perrin School. [email protected], fairportgardenclub.com.

Finger Lakes Daylily Society members garden in west-central NY, covering an area from Batavia to Syracuse and the Southern Tier. Meetings are held in Rochester or the Canandaigua area. There are generally four regular Saturday meetings held in February, March, May, and September. Visitors and prospective new members are welcome to attend. Contact Deb Lawrence for information, [email protected].

Friends of Ellwanger Garden meet all season long on Tuesday mornings. To volunteer at the garden, please contact Cindy Boyer at 585-546-7029, x12 or [email protected].

Garden Club of Brockport meets the second Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m., Jubilee Church, 3565 Lake Rd., Brockport. Visitors can learn gardening tips from knowledgeable speakers, make garden ornaments through hands-on classes, and explore beautiful local gardens. For more info call or email Kathy, 585-431-0509 or [email protected].

Garden Club of Mendon meets the third Tuesday of the month, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., Mendon Community Center, 167 North Main St., Honeoye Falls. Members work on community gardens and gather new ideas in a casual, social environment. 585-624-8182, [email protected].

Garden Path of Penfield meets the third Wednesday of the month, September–May at 7 p.m., Penfield Community Center, 1985 Baird Rd., Penfield. Members enjoy all aspects of gardening, new members welcome. [email protected].

Gates Garden Club meets the second Thursday of the month (except July and August) at 6:30 p.m., Gates Town Annex, 1605 Buffalo Rd., Rochester. New members and guests welcome. 585-247-1248, [email protected].

Genesee Region Orchid Society (GROS) meets the first Monday following the first Sunday of the month. Meetings are held at 6 p.m. at the JCC on Edgewood Dr in Brighton. Please see the website for information, geneseeorchid.org.

Genesee Valley Hosta Society meets the second Thursday of the month, April–October, at Eli Fagan American Legion Post, 260 Middle Rd., Henrietta. 585-889-7678, [email protected], geneseevalleyhosta.com.

Greater Rochester Iris Society (GRIS) is an affiliate of the American Iris Society, meets on a Sunday during the months of March, April, September, and October at 2 p.m., St. John’s Episcopal Church Hall, 11 Episcopal Ave., Honeoye Falls, NY. Public welcome. Plant Sales, guest speakers or location visits, Volunteer Opportunities. Honeoye Falls, NY. 585-266-0302, [email protected].

Greater Rochester Perennial Society (GRPS) meets the first Thursday of each month at 7 p.m., Twelve Corners Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 1200 South Winton Rd., Rochester, except in summer when it tours members’ gardens. Lectures are held virtually, and garden tours are being scheduled. See website or Facebook for updates. [email protected], rochesterperennial.com, facebook.com/GreaterRochesterPerennialSociety.

Greater Rochester Rose Society meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. on Zoom January, February, and March Email [email protected] for meeting link. Questions: 585-694-8430. Facebook: Greater Rochester Rose Society.

Henrietta Garden Club The Henrietta Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month (except May–August & December) at 6:30 p.m., beginning on September 11. Guests and non members are welcome. Handicap accessible. Call 781-0278. Lower level of the Henrietta Town Hall, 475 Calkins Rd. Henrietta. A presenter will speak on a gardening related subject at 7 p.m.  Attendees will  explore gardening topics and share information. Call 585-781-0278. Lower level of the Henrietta Town Hall, 475 Calkins Rd, Henrietta. henriettagardenclub.org

Holley Garden Club meets the second Thursday of the month at 7 p.m., Holley Presbyterian Church. 585-638-6973.

Hubbard Springs Garden Club of Chili meets the third Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Chili Community Center, 3237 Chili Ave., Rochester. [email protected]

Ikebana International Rochester Chapter 53 Meets on zoom February to April at 10 a.m the third Thursday of each month. Beginning in April, meetings are in-person. There are no meetings in December and January. Attendees will participate in an ikebana workshop, enjoy fellowship with your own brown-bag lunch and have a short culture program following lunch. Ikebana International is a non-profit cultural organization whose objective is to stimulate and perpetuate the study of ikebana [the Japanese art of flower arranging] and related arts throughout the world.’’ In-person meetings are at First Baptist Church, Hubbell Hall, 175 Allens Creek Rd., Rochester. 585-301-6727, 585-402-1772, [email protected], ikebanarochester.org.

Kendall Garden Club meets the first Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m., Kendall Town Hall. 585-370-8964.

Klemwood Garden Club of Webster meets the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. (except January and February) in members’ homes or local libraries. Accepting new members. 585-671-1961.

Lakeview Garden Club (Greece) meets the second Wednesday of the month (except January and February) at 7 p.m., meeting location varies depending on activity. Meetings may include a speaker, project or visits to local garden-related sites.New members always welcome. Contact, Darlene Markham, [email protected].

Newark Garden Club meets the first Friday of the month at 1 p.m., Park Presbyterian Church, Newark. Guests are welcome.

Pittsford Garden Club Pittsford Garden Club meets the third Tuesday of the month at 10:30 a.m. at the Spiegel Center on Lincoln Ave. in the Village of Pittsford. The club usually meets in Room 18, but visitors should confirm at the front desk. New members are always welcomed. Annual plant sale on the third Saturday in May, parking lot behind the library. [email protected]

Rochester Dahlia Society meets the second Saturday of the month (except August and September) at 12:30 p.m., Trinity Reformed Church, 909 Landing Rd. North, Rochester. Visitors welcome. See website for up-to-date information concerning meetings and shows. 585-865-2291, Facebook, rochesterdahlias.org.

Rochester Herb Society meets the first Tuesday of each month (excluding January, February, and July) at noon, Pittsford Community Center, 35 Lincoln Ave., Pittsford, NY. Summer garden tours and day trips. New members welcome. rocherbsociety.com.

Rochester Permaculture Center meets monthly to discuss topics such as edible landscapes, gardening, farming, renewable energy, green building, rainwater harvesting, composting, local food, forest gardening, herbalism, green living, etc. Meeting location and details: meetup.com/rochesterpermaculture.

Seabreeze Bloomers Garden Club meets the fourth Wednesday of the month (except January) at 7 p.m., location varies depending on activity. Meetings may include a speaker, project, or visit to local garden-related site. Monthly newsletter. New members welcome. Meetings are currently canceled, contact Bonnie Arnold with any questions. Bonnie Arnold, 585-230-5356, [email protected].

Stafford Garden Club meets the third Wednesday of the month (except December and January) at 7 p.m., Stafford Town Hall, 8903 Morganville Rd. (Route 237), Stafford. All are welcome. 585-343-4494.

Urban Agriculture Working Group (UAWG) meets via Zoom on the third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. UAWG is a collection of gardeners, community gardens, and individuals who garden/farm in the city or support such activities. UAWG offers a Spring Conference each year and sponsors the Urban Gardens ROC garden crawl in the fall. In addition, the group advocates for City policies that make urban gardening more accessible for people who want to grow fresh vegetables for themselves or their neighbors. If you are interested in getting on the email list, contact Mallory Hohl, [email protected]. You do not have to live in the city to participate.

Victor Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month (except January and February) at 6 p.m. New members welcome. Meeting and location details: victorgardenclubny2.com, victorgardenclub.org.

Williamson Garden Club. On-going community projects and free monthly lectures to educate the community about gardening. Open to all. 315-524-4204, [email protected], grow-thewilliamsongardenclub.blogspot.com.

CLASSES / EVENTS

F- Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

S- Indicates plant sales/swaps.

T- Indicates garden tours.

O- Online event.

F Ongoing every Saturday from September to October 12: 10–11:30 a.m Broccoli Garden Center will host a different event each weekend involving sand castles, art pieces out of glass, decorating pumpkins, and more from BGC

O September 5: Garden Talk Flower Arranging 101: The Basics of Bouquet Making, Noon–1:00 p.m.Floral design is a rewarding and fun way to be creative with flowers from your yard or garden. Master Gardener Brandie will go over the basics of creating a fresh garden bouquet. She will cover some design basics as well as several tips and tricks. Please register online.CCE/GC

September 8: Meadow Garden Development, 2 p.m.Informational talk with Maureen Dunphy at St. John’s Episcopal Church Hall, 11 Episcopal Ave., Honeoye Falls.

S September 14: Fall Garden Gala, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., Plants, flower arrangements, and gently used books will be for sale. Shoppers can also get gardening advice from Master Gardeners. CCE/GC

F, T September 21: Public opening of Deer Creek Woods, 1–4 p.m. Deer Creek Woods is a unique property in the Town of Ontario with two public areas (West and East) bookending private properties. Please let them know when you RSVP if you have any questions or need support to participate. GLT

F September 28: Free Fishing Lessons, 9 a.m.–noon,Attendees can join Genesee Land Trust friends and experienced fishing guides for a morning of fishing lessons at Salmon Creek Nature Preserve. All ages and experience levels are very welcome, from first-time ever to experienced anglers. A small number of fishing poles will be available for those who don’t have one.  Please note if you need to borrow one when you sign up. GLT

October 13: Presentation about the American Iris Society Japanese Iris Society convention in Portland, Oregon. 2 p.m. A review of the convention by the Greater Rochester Iris Society. St. John’s Episcopal Church Hall, 11 Episcopal Ave. Honeoye Falls

S October 17-19: New York State African Violet Society Convention Show and Sale, “Looking Back at 70 Years.” Friday 1:30 p.m.–5 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m.–3:45 p.m. at Hilton Garden Inn, 800 Pittsford-Victor Road, Pittsford, NY 14534. newyorkstateavs.com

O October 3: Garden Talk—Pick your Poison (Part 2), 12–1 p.m. Master Gardener Connie explores three poisonous plants and their impact in history and literature. This is a follow up to her October 2023 presentation. This is a hybrid event—online or in person at the Genessse CCE Office. Registration is required. CCE/GC

October 26: Embody Your Medicine: Ginger U-Dig, Fire Cider Making & Pawpaw Tasting, 2–4 p.m. Students should bring a bag for ginger, a jar for fire cider, and if they have any extra ingredients for fire cider (especially onions and hot peppers) bring them to share, as well. FRUIT

Frequent host:

BGC: Broccolo Garden Center, 2755 Penfield Road, Fairport 14450. 585-424-4476; broccolotreeandlawn.com.

CCE/GC: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Genesee County, 420 East Main St., Batavia, NY 14020. 585-343-3040, ext. 132; genesee.cce.cornell.edu.

CCE/MON: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Monroe County, 2449 St. Paul Blvd., Rochester, NY 14617. 585-753-2550; monroe.cce.cornell.edu.

CCE/ONT: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Ontario County, 480 North Main St., Canandaigua, NY 14424. 585/394-3977 x427; [email protected]; cceontario.org.

FRUIT: Fruition Seeds, 7921 Hickory Bottom Rd., Naples, NY 14512. [email protected], fruitionseeds.com.

GCVM: Genesee Country Village & Museum, 1410 Flint Hill Rd., Mumford, NY 14511. 585/538-6822; gcv.org.

GLT: Genesee Land Trust, 46 Prince Street, Suite LL005, Rochester, NY 14607. 585-256-2130; [email protected]; geneseelandtrust.org.

RPM: Rochester Public Market, 280 North Union Street, Rochester, NY. 585-428-6907; cityofrochester.gov/flowercitydays.

SYRACUSE

REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS

African Violet & Gesneriad Society of Syracuse meets the second Thursday of the month, September–December and March–May. Pitcher Hill Community Church, 605 Baily Rd., North Syracuse. 315-492-2562. [email protected].

Baldwinsville Women’s Garden Club meets the first Thursday of each month except January at St Marks’ Lutheran Church in Baldwinsville at 7 p.m. The club plants the village flower barrels, raises money for the village flower hanging baskets, maintains the Pointe Garden, donates Arbor Day trees to schools, and gets involved in village improvement projects. Perennial sale yearly on Memorial Saturday morning in the village. See more information at Facebook, Women’s Garden Club of Baldwinsville.

Bonsai Club of CNY (BCCNY) meets the first Saturday of the month 10 a.m.–12 p.m., Pitcher Hill Community Church, 605 Bailey Rd., North Syracuse. Contact Dave Taylor, [email protected] or 315-395-3018. cnybonsai.com, Bonsai Club of CNY on Facebook.

Cazenovia Garden Club usually meets the first Tuesday of the month at 10:15 a.m. at the Cazenovia Public Library. With an active membership, their objective is to stimulate interest in horticulture, develop skills in the beautification of community and home, and create awareness of national and local conservation issues. Meetings feature guest speakers and field trips are planned throughout the year. For more information contact [email protected].

Central New York Orchid Society meets the first Sunday of the month, September–May, St. Augustine’s Church, 7333 O’Brien Rd., Baldwinsville. Dates may vary due to holidays. 315-633-2437, cnyos.org.

Fairmount Garden Club meets the third Thursday of the month (March–November) at 6:30 p.m., Camillus Senior Center, 25 First St., Camillus. Speakers and community projects. All are welcome. [email protected].

Federated Garden Clubs NYS–District 6. 315-481-4005, [email protected].

Gardening Friends Club meets the third Tuesday of the month, March–December, at 6:30 p.m., Wesleyan Church, 4591 US Route 11, Pulaski. 315-298-1276, Facebook: Gardening Friends of Pulaski, NY, [email protected].

Gardeners in Thyme (a women’s herb club) meets the second Thursday of the month at 7 p.m., Beaver Lake Nature Center, Baldwinsville. 315-635-6481, [email protected].

Habitat Gardening in CNY (HGCNY) meets the last Sunday of most months at 2 p.m. Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip St., Liverpool. HGCNY is a chapter of Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes; wildones.org. Free and open to the public. hgcny.org and ourhabitatgarden.org. Subscribe to the free e-newsletter by emailing [email protected].

Home Garden Club of Syracuse usually meets the first Tuesday morning of the month. Members are active in educating the community about gardening, horticulture, and floral design and are involved with several civic projects in the Syracuse area. New members welcome. [email protected], homegardenclubofsyracuse.org.

Koi and Water Garden Society of Central New York usually meets the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. See website for meeting locations. 315-458-3199, cnykoi.com.

The Men and Women’s Garden Club of Syracuse meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Reformed Church of Syracuse, 1228 Teall Ave., Syracuse, NY. Meetings feature activities and/or guest speakers on gardening-related topics. The club also plans tours for its members. Members maintain gardens at Rosamond Gifford Zoo and Ronald McDonald House plus host annual flower shows. Regular club meetings at the church will take place in the months of March, April, May, August, September, and November. More information at facebook.com/MWGardenClubOfSyracuse and [email protected].

Southern Hills Garden Club meets the third Tuesday of each month, February through November. Meetings are held at the LaFayette Firehouse, 2444 US Route 11, LaFayette, NY 13084 and begin at 7 p.m., unless otherwise stated. Occasional off-site meetings typically take place at an earlier time. Guests are welcome and membership is open to anyone interested in gardening. For information, please contact Cathy Nagel 315-677-9342 or [email protected].

Syracuse Rose Society meets the second Thursday of the month (except December) at 7 p.m., Reformed Church of Syracuse, 1228 Teall Ave., Syracuse. Enter from Melrose Ave. Club members maintain the E. M. Mills Memorial Rose Garden, Thornden Park, Syracuse. Public welcome. syracuserosesociety.org.

CLASSES / EVENTS

F- Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

S- Indicates plant sales/swaps.

T- Indicates garden tours.

O- Online event

T September 7: Native Plants Celebration, 9:30 a.m. This will be a celebration of HGCNY’s twentieth anniversary. At 10 a.m. Ken Parker will speak. At 1:15 p.m. Carolyn Summers will present. Registration Required. HGCNY

S September 7: Perennial plant sale, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be three nurseries present: Amanda’s Garden, Faverolles Gardens, and Wild Ginger Farm. Baltimore Woods, 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus HGCNY

F September 14 and 15: Bonsai Show by Bonsai Club of CNY, Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip St, Liverpool, NY

F September 17: Southern Hills Garden Club Apple varieties talk, 7 p.m., speaker Mathhew Critz, owner of Critz Farms, Cazenovia, NY, will give a presentation on apple varieties and other farm products available at Critz Farms. LaFayette Firehouse, 2444 US Route 11, LaFayette NY

S September 21: Native Plant Festival and Sale, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., This year’s Grow Native! Native Plant Festival and Sale, sponsored by the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, will focus on the relationship between native plants and native birds. There will also be special presentations from many speakers Krissy Boys, Janice Wiles, and Jean Soprano. Guided nature walk begins at 8 a.m. in front of the visitor center. Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, 3395 US-20, Seneca Falls, NY 13148

October 15, All About Herbs, 7 p.m., Speaker, Luana Impellizzeri, will present “All About Herbs.” Southern Hills Garden Club LaFayette Firehouse, 2444 US Route 11, LaFayette NY

Get your club or event listed here for free! Send your submissions to [email protected]. Deadline for calendar listings for the next issue (May-June 2024) is April 12, 2024.

In the late summer and early autumn, I have an abundance of elderberries to harvest and process. My favorite elderberry recipe is simple, tasty, and full of vitamin C. This lightly spiced elderberry syrup is delicious served over ice cream or yogurt and adds plenty of flavor to a cocktail or some sparkling water. 

Here’s a tip for harvesting elderberries: Clip the stem at the base of a ripe cluster of berries and drop the cluster (still on the stem) into a paper bag. Put the entire bag in the freezer until the berries are frozen. Close the bag tightly and shake vigorously. Most of the berries will easily fall off the stems. Pluck the remaining elderberries by hand. Do not eat the stems or leaves.

TIME: 1.5 hours 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup fresh or frozen elderberries 

2 cups of water 

2–3 cinnamon sticks 

4 whole cloves 

2-inch knob of fresh ginger root (No need to peel the ginger; just roughly chop it.) 

8 oz. honey

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Add the elderberries and spices to a large cooking pot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about one hour until the liquid has reduced by approximately half. As the liquid cooks, gently spoon out any small stems that have floated to the surface. 

2. Let cool just slightly before pouring the contents through a fine sieve. Press the elderberries with the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out as much juice as possible. Let the strained liquid cool for a few more minutes before adding the honey and stirring. You will want the juice warm enough to allow the honey to mix in well. Store in a glass container in the fridge. The syrup will last about two weeks in the refrigerator. Shake your container well before serving. Enjoy!

Christine Green is the managing editor of Upstate Gardeners' Journal.

This time of the year I get a lot of calls and questions from concerned people seeing birds that are looking or acting strange. This can be for a variety of reasons—the bird isn’t flying well, their feathers don’t look right, or their coloration could be off. Although this can be alarming and may look strange, most of the time these things are completely normal. Here are some of the reasons birds may be looking strange in your yard this time of the year. 

In the summer and into the fall there are a lot of baby birds leaving their nests and that process can look very awkward. Once they are about two weeks old, most young birds leave their nests in this stage of development called the fledgling phase. These birds usually can’t fly yet due to their feathers not being fully grown, but they hop along the ground or on branches while they chirp and flutter their wings. This behavior may look like the bird is in trouble or struggling, but it is a completely natural part of their development process. During this time, the fledgling’s parents are usually very close nearby, and will continue to come to the young bird to feed it for a few days. Once they are able to fly, you will often see this begging behavior at bird feeders. The young bird will follow its parents to the bird feeder and flap its wings incessantly until the parent feeds it. If you ever do come across a very small bird that is featherless and blind that you fear did fall out of its nest, it can be placed back in the nest if you are able to find it. There is a myth that the parents of the young bird will abandon it if they smell a human’s scent on it, but that is not true.

Color variations in birds do occur commonly enough where you may see some examples of this in your backyard. While they are molting and getting their adult plumage, birds can look silly and spotted in general. Some birds, like birds of prey and gulls, can take years to reach their adult plumage, but most songbirds will have their adult plumage within their first year of life. Most songbirds will undergo a full molt after breeding season in the summer and then a partial molt before breeding season. Sometimes, birds and other animals will exhibit traits where they are lacking coloration called “leucism” or have a lot of dark coloration called “melanism.” If you see a bird with patches of white on its body, that is an example of leucism. It is a lack of pigment that may result in just a small white patch on the animal, or sometimes the animal will be lacking pigment on most of its body. Sometimes this leucism will be evident on the bird molt after molt, sometimes it will disappear after a molt of their feathers. Leucism is unlike albinism because the animal does have some pigment and does not have a red eye. It is very rare to see an albino animal in the wild, due to them being sensitive to light and more susceptible to predators. If you see an animal with dark patches on its feathers or fur, that is melanism. This is from an increase in dark pigmentation in the body. A good example of this are the black squirrels that can be found in pockets around the area. These are gray squirrels that are exhibiting melanism.

One of the most striking things you may see at your bird feeders this season is bald birds! Some birds, especially Northern Cardinals and Blue Jays, may molt all the feathers on their heads at once. Most birds will molt their feathers gradually, but that is not always the case. This causes the birds to look like tiny vultures at your feeders. It looks very bizarre, but it does not harm the bird in any way. After about a week the feathers will start to grow back, and the bird will be fully feathered again. In some rare cases it could be due to sickness or feather mites, but usually it is just due to the natural molting process. 

These are some of the behaviors and abnormalities you might experience in the backyard this season. While seeing a baby bird hopping on the ground or a bald songbird can be jarring, it is best to let them be. Usually, the bird will be on its way or looking back to normal within days or a week. By allowing nature to take its course, you can ensure the best outcome for these birds and nature in your backyard.

Liz Magnanti is co-owner of the Bird House in Brighton.

How do I get a Dale Chihuly glass masterpiece in my garden for under $175,000? That is the question I asked myself after visiting the renowned American glass artist’s museum and garden in Seattle, Washington. And yes, one of Mr. Chihuly’s glass chandeliers sold for $175,000. 

With a burst of creativity and a little upcycling, of course! 

Upcycling, as defined by UpcycleThat.com, is “The act of taking something no longer in use and giving it a second life and new function. In doing so, the finished product often becomes more practical, valuable and beautiful than what it previously was.”

I began by creating one sculpture for my garden by combining multicolored glass and ceramics. Next, I designed a simple birdbath and a whimsical plant stand. Then things got out of hand upon discovering so many interesting items for sale at local thrift stores. A few sculptures turned into several! For inspiration and ideas check out my website at gardensbycolleen.com for all my unique designs.

To make a unique garden treasure of your own, start with the search. I gathered colorful glass and ceramic items from around my house that I don’t use anymore. Then I ventured out to explore a few thrift stores. They were a real gold mine for interesting items! Be on the lookout for unusual plates, cups, saucers, glassware, bowls, platters, vases and my favorite item—teapots!

Keep in mind that it may be easiest to build around a theme or a specific item. Envision a large, shallow platter as a birdbath; a vibrant colored vase or urn as a plant stand; or a large, heavy bowl as the perfect base for an outdoor sculpture. Search for coordinating colors, different shapes and interesting textures.  

Next, I do a dry fit (no glue) to see how the pieces marry together as you stack them. I usually take a photo of the combination, then review it to make sure I love the look. I must admit, my first stack is never my final piece. I like to rearrange the pieces until I find a combination that really works together.

After researching garden sculptures online, I found several methods for affixing the glass and ceramic items together. I use E6000, a clear permanent bonding adhesive that can be purchased at Hobby Lobby, Walmart, or Michaels Craft stores. It is waterproof, so rain and garden sprinklers are not a concern.

I jotted down some tips from my own experiences that you might find helpful when creating your sculpture. 

- When thrifting, check carefully for chips, cracks, or scratches on glass and ceramics. Most can be repaired with a little paint or hidden within the stacking process. Be sure to take some boxes and newspaper or bubble wrap along with you to protect your treasures. 

- Enjoy the hunt. So many wonderful pieces can be found at Goodwill, AMVETS, Salvation Army and local thrift stores. Try Craig’s List or garage sales. Oh, the stories a ceramic bowl or glass vase might tell if it had a voice. Make the unspoken history a part of your garden. 

- If your garden space is limited, then consider decorating a porch, entryway, or patio. I also use a few glass designs indoors as plant stands and table centerpieces. Just be creative and change things up! 

- Take your gardening “bestie” along for the hunt. It is a fun activity on a cold, rainy day when gardening isn’t an option. You can both add some unique sculptural creations to your gardens. 

- Use a heavy bowl, platter, or plate for the base. This will prevent it from toppling over in your garden.

- Take your time. Rearrange things. Flip pieces over to get the perfect fit and a pleasing shape. Let your ideas stew overnight then take a second look at your design. Are there too many colors, unrelated items or not enough interest? Try again.  

- Use a torpedo level when dry-fitting all the pieces together and be sure they fit snuggly. Remember to level each piece as you glue them together. 

- Give the glue plenty of time to dry. I glue my sculptures and birdbaths in sections. Then let the entire piece bond completely overnight. 

Oh, Mr. Chihuly, you will never know just how much your captivating glass masterpieces have influenced my garden!

Colleen O’Neill Nice is a horticulturalist who is passionate about plant propagation and enjoys nurturing her garden in Clarence, New York.

“Sorrow helps us remember something long intuited by Indigenous people across the planet: our lives are intricately comingled with one another, with animals, plants, watersheds, and soil.” —Francis Weller, The Wild Edge of Sorrow

My mother and I used to get coffee and donuts along Poughkeepsie’s Route 9, then park alongside an abandoned warehouse. We went there to admire a crabapple tree—(Malus ‘Snowdrift’, I believe)—that was densely coated in white blooms each spring. Mature and healthy, with beautiful branch structure, it seemed to me a sublime expression of crabapple possibility. I wondered who’d had the foresight to plant a ‘Snowdrift’ there, presumably for both its beauty and its adaptability, at the southeast corner of the building. What was its story? 

A hip fracture in 2019 had changed Mom’s mobility, narrowing our options for exploring our world together. Since then, she uses a walker and gets tired more easily than she used to. We still go to art galleries and for walks, but sometimes getting a coffee and donut is the big excitement of the week. 

The warehouse crabapple provided a feeling of coziness, privacy, and connectedness to nature not far from Poughkeepsie’s busiest road. From our parking spot, we could watch hilariously busy House Sparrow flocks; hear Carolina Wrens singing in their bell-clear tone and Eastern Bluebirds issue their beautiful, sad-warble of a call; and see Turkey Vultures, with their awesome six-foot-wide wingspans, take off and soar gracefully. No one cared that we were there. The crabapple’s dense cloud of spring white blooms or lush summer foliage harbored us, however briefly, against the storms of the pandemic, political extremism, and the relentless cascade of losses that aging was and is imposing on my mother and her peers.

The warehouse didn’t stay abandoned, and unfortunately, the new owners removed the crabapple and all other vegetation around the building. The tree was there, and then it wasn’t. Now there is just brick, gravel, asphalt, very large and bright-red “No Trespassing” signs, security cameras, and patrolling vehicles. 

Why was it necessary to remove the crabapple? It did not pose a sight hazard. It was not impinging on building or sidewalk. It seemed a senseless sacrifice. Mom and I lost an oasis; we mourned “our” tree.

Within a mile of me there’s a cemetery with a confluence of habitats to meet almost any bird’s needs—swamp, scrub, forest corridors, open lawn, and a spectacular, mature, and diverse evergreen pinetum shading the oldest graves. As such, my husband I have spent many hours there with our binoculars hoisted to the trees. Old sugar maple (Acer saccharum) trees there provide cavities for Eastern Bluebirds, Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, Wood Ducks, and several species of woodpeckers, including Pileated. Great Horned Owls and Barred Owls hunt there. Crows make stick nests at the top of massive pines and Eastern Kingbirds build cup nests in the tall spruces. 

One day last spring, when my husband and I arrived at the cemetery, we immediately registered the absence of one of those towering trees. We made our way over to the place where a 100-foot-plus white pine (Pinus strobus) had been—and got a gut punch. We looked at the logs on the ground, and with each of us having a background in arboriculture, we wondered why this tree had been taken down. We hoped it was an anomaly, but a heavy and foreboding feeling weighed down our visit. 

More tree removals eventually followed, including trees with the most value to wildlife: mature evergreens, and the largest sugar maple. The latter was still sturdy, cavities and all—responsible arboriculture no longer equates cavities alone with a safety hazard—and the tree had excellent perching branches. Once I watched a Redshouldered Hawk perch there and groom itself for nearly a half-hour; that was a fantastic experience. 

In the past, we had had friendly interactions with the cemetery manager. One morning after the first tree came down, I stopped in for a chat. I expressed how special the place is on so many levels and how much my husband and I appreciate the care the staff put into it. I poured a big jar of honey over my concerns and expressed them as curiosity, asking questions as gently as possible. The manager was, in the moment at least, unmoved. There was little leverage available to us because as it turns out, this cemetery is private (despite bearing the name of the town)—and my husband and I aren’t customers. 

Someone had convinced the cemetery board that the trees were a pressing liability that would cause their insurance premiums to soar. A tree’s hazard potential is assessed in terms of tree condition, yes—but equally assessed in terms of the likelihood of a target should the tree fall. In our estimation, these trees had compartmentalized their decay well and didn’t pose a threat to the infrequent presence of people. 

“But the gravestones are expensive to replace,” the manager said. I asked if there’d been trees that broke gravestones upon falling. (It looked to us like time, weather, woodchucks, egg-laying snapping turtles, and soil subsidence were the greater threats to the stones.) “Not many, but we can’t afford the insurance to go up.” (This seemed like a disingenuous argument given the cost of tree removal. On the conservative side, the cemetery board would have spent at least $25K on removals by the end of the spring.) At this point his cell phone rang and he walked away from our conversation. 

Myself having worked as a professional gardener, and my husband having worked as a grounds manager, we can imagine what might have been an incentive for the takedowns: wanting fewer branches and cones to clean up in the wake of every wind and rainstorm. This is no small thing. We get it. It’s tedious work. Raking debris is harder on the body than mowing grass, especially as we age. It’s not laziness; it can come down to people coping with aging bodies and just simply having less capacity for physical labor—something we are personally familiar with. 

I could find no further remedy with regard to the cemetery manager’s stance. However, I noticed a few weeks later that a row of old sugar maples—ones we often find owl pellets beneath, and ones the manager said wouldn’t remain much longer—had been limbed up, rather than removed. I’ll never know if our conversation had any effect on him, I can only wonder. 

Though there are still mature trees—and lots of birds—at the cemetery, I continue to feel grief on our increasingly infrequent visits there, or even when just driving by.

I imagine many readers of these stories will have experienced a similar jolt—perhaps many jolts—of loss. A cherished tree succumbs to disease, lightning, or erratic high winds. The land around us that we took for granted is cleared for yet more development. The town makes a difficult decision to take down healthy trees to make room for a rail trail. The more you pay attention to trees and habitats, the more the feelings of loss and grief can accumulate. 

After the trees at the cemetery were taken down, I felt a despair that was hard to shake, one that my husband didn’t process in the same way I did. So it was serendipity when, right around that time, a beloved facilitator of one of my writing groups encouraged me to take her newly developed Eco-Grief writing course. 

I don’t want to outline the course in her stead, but broadly I can tell you that for me it proved very therapeutic to have a space in which to express my deepest fears about the state of the natural world. To read, uncensored, what I’d written aloud and know that the group members could handle it (and each of whom could take a break when needed). To find that I was not alone in the intensity of my feelings. 

The outcome was that we all felt more centered and could decide where we were going to put our energies. What could we do to care for the natural world, at a scale that we can manage—and stick with? Enacting care can relieve grief and create bonds with others. In our troubled world, in a world that’s always been troubled, grief is often present, but it can open our hearts as well, in helpful and deeply connecting ways.

Michelle Sutton is a horticulturist, writer, and editor.

THE BIRD HOUSE 

Birds are an almost universal presence. We hear and see them often, but many people can’t identify the specific species. If you want to learn more about your avian neighbors or expand your birdwatching arsenal, look no further than the Bird House on Monroe Avenue in Rochester.

Celebrating its thirtieth year in business, the Bird House has grown to become the ultimate local resource for bird enthusiasts. Staffers consider it “a wild bird store, and more,” and rightfully so, as they supply the gear and education you need to support backyard birds. 

The website is a wealth of digital bird information. The "Birds” tab leads to an extensive index of common backyard residents, how to attract them, their relatives, migratory patterns, and preferred foods. Specific seed blends are conveniently listed as well as the types of feeders that will best welcome specific birds into a yard. 

Classes dive into topics like butterflies and animal tracks and are found in the "Upcoming events" tab. The Bird House hosts biweekly livestreams for questions as well as photo contests and advice posts. The blog, “The Backyard and Beyond” is the home for all of this interaction.

The community fostered by co-owners Liz Magnanti and Patti Pirz is evident when browsing their online presence and seeing events such as the annual fall bird feeder cleaning. 

The Bird House has been a loyal sponsor of this magazine for decades, and Magnanti regularly contributes a column on backyard birding (see page 20). We offer our congratulations on this milestone! thebirdhouseny.com

THE GERIATRIC GARDENER 

In service of those who don’t want to give up what they love due to aging, Duane Pancoast has published a second installment of his accessible gardening guide. The Geriatric Gardener 2.0 stresses that “nobody has to be a retired gardener.” 

Pancoast was trained in landscape architecture at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He uses his education in conjunction with his decades of experience in the landscaping business to teach others how they can bring both ease and joy to their gardening practices. 

His blog contains recommendations on how to prioritize health and safety without sacrificing the creative experience or seasonal traditions. Advice such as carrying emergency communication devices, managing your time, how to downsize, and more are among his recent posts.

His books, The Geriatric Gardener and The Geriatric Gardener 2.0 are the culmination of his landscaping wisdom and experience blogging, sharing both his tips and those of fellow older gardeners. If you or someone you love is worried about this outdoor hobby slipping away with age, consider consulting Pancoast. Adaptive gardening just might be the answer. 

Both books are available for purchase through his website, thepancoastconcern.com/the_geriatric_gardener

USES FOR YOUR SPARE HAIR 

To live with a shedding animal is to spend a significant amount of time cleaning up seemingly endless hairy tumbleweeds. Whether brushing its fur or sweeping up the debris, hair piles up. It’s a shame to fill up a trash can when there are several ways to repurpose this abundant resource. 

Creatures that might appreciate dog hair as much as the ones who grew it are birds. It is the perfect fiber for weaving into their nests. Gardeners can leave tufts around for them to grab or fill a wire cage and they could pluck out strands that they want. Human and horsehair are not suitable for this purpose as the long strands are a hazard to wrapping around their extremities and restricting blood flow. 

In the garden, your pet’s hair can be helpful in nourishing and protecting your plants. Dog hair has a naturally high nitrogen content, making it perfect fertilizer. If you compost, adding waste from grooming will provide essential nutrients to your scraps. Coarse hair takes longer to decompose, but, typically, after about a month, the hair will break down and be ready to add to soil. If you don’t compost, consider adding it to the surface of the soil for a slower breakdown process. Human hair can also function this way. To deter common perpetrators of plant munching, stuff panty hose or burlap sacks with dog hair and position them around the yard or garden’s perimeter. You can also place clumps around the base of your plants. Deer, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, and gophers are less likely to enter the area if they smell dog or cat scents.

If you still have hair leftover, you should consider sending it out to those collecting it. Matter of Trust is a nonprofit organization that uses hair donations to build mats used in oil spill clean-up, soil mulch, and seagrass restoration. It accepts pet and human hair longer than two inches and recommends using anything shorter in the garden. Donations are felted into mats and bags and used to absorb oil, cleaning bodies of water and saving wildlife from oil exposure.

 Visit the website for shipping information and how you can assist its ecological goals. matteroftrust.org

Anu Scofield is is a lifelong reader and writer studying English and Communications & Media at Nazareth University.

It’s one of those fall days where leaves cover the ground, but the afternoons are still hot. I’m courtside, watching an outdoor tennis match with the players locked in an endless volley. Just when you think the point is over, a racquet comes out of nowhere to intervene. I’m so invested that I barely notice a second tennis ball bounce into my foot. My doubles partner, Kate, stands in front of me, gasping for air. I turn around and see a different tennis court; the one that—whoops—I’m supposed to be playing on. I was so caught up in the other match, I missed the start of my own. My body was aimed in the wrong direction for the duration of our first point, leaving Kate under siege. Our opponents peppered her with returns as she dashed from the net to the baseline and back again, wondering where I was. By the time I came back online, she was hot with annoyance: “I PLAYED THAT WHOLE POINT WITHOUT YOU!” Yikes. How to respond to such vehemence? I opted for enthusiasm: “And you did a great job, buddy!”  

Such were the antics of our high school tennis team during my tenure. I’m not sure what propelled me to join tennis; I was not much of an athlete and had never held a racquet. Kate was the only person I knew on the team, so I asked her about tryouts and the overall vibe of the team. She made it sound very nonthreatening; just what an athletic wallflower like me wants to hear. I dug out one of my dad’s old racquets from the basement and headed to tryouts. The racket was wooden, larger than a shovel, and obviously designed before aerodynamics were invented. It probably hadn’t seen a tennis court since the days of Rod Laver. Rod who? Exactly. 

Tryouts were not very competitive: Tennis was the lowest ranked sport at our school, and our coach actually specialized in baseball. It was no surprise that I and my Nixon-era racket made the team.  

The end of summer can be a melancholy time for kids as the weather turns cold and school begins. But to me, changing leaves signaled the start of our season. Shortly after I joined the team, our coach paired me with Kate as a doubles team. We went 12–4 in our first season together, and I was awarded Most Promising Player. I’d done so well that my parents bought me professional lessons for Christmas. I learned proper techniques for grip, racquet preparation, and footwork. I was happy to learn more about tennis, but it was the team I loved, because we always had fun. We were a ragtag group of girls just trying to stay humble. That was easy, because our school didn’t even have a proper tennis court. We had to beg, borrow, and steal time on any public court available. During practice, boys from rival schools jogged around us shirtless while they ran track. We all stopped and stared, oblivious to coaches’ efforts to keep us focused. If Coach ran late, the school janitor drove us to games. We asked him for a pep talk, and he offered what he could: “Ladies, make sure you hit the balls on the court.” We cheered as if he was Vince Lombardi himself, then ran off the bus to certain annihilation. 

My second year on the team, Kate and I won most of our matches. Our coach nicknamed us “The Franchise.” We qualified for the doubles team sectional by the skin of our teeth. Coach was so proud—Kate and I were the first girls in school history to go to sectionals for an individual event. As we pulled into the parking lot, Coach thought it would be fun to drive around in circles and taunt our opponents. But, reality hit fast. As the lowest seed, we faced the toughest team in the league and were eliminated before Coach put the bus in park. 

In my senior year, my younger sister joined the team. At that point, Kate and I were team captains and my sister listened on the court as well as she did at home. One day, she refused to take my direction at practice, and everything boiled over. We had an on-court brawl in front of the entire team. We screamed obscenities at one another while I sent serves into her body. She ripped off her shirt during the scuffle and stomped around in her sports bra. Antics that would’ve had us ejected from Wimbledon immediately.  

At the high school level, we kept our own score and yelled it out before serves. If my opponents mistakenly announced me to be in the lead, I corrected them immediately. Coach would clench his jaw. “TAKE THE FREEBIE! You’re TOO honest!” On the bus, girls giggled and gossiped about the latest exploits of our classmates. Coach always tried to make me spill the tea on my friends, but I never cracked. Coach would chuckle. “You’re a good person, T!” He often commended me for how well I looked after my sister, though she didn’t make it easy.  

By senior year, I considered Coach to be a real mentor, so I asked him for a college recommendation letter; it seemed he remembered those little moments, too. One line in his second paragraph stopped me in my tracks. “Her high morals and sense of integrity are unparalleled.” All the other letters focused on how I would benefit the school academically. Coach’s letter was the first time someone acknowledged how thoughtfully I moved about the world, and I felt seen.  

I was lucky enough to have a sports experience defined not by big wins but by smaller, more meaningful moments. While tennis connected me to other people, it also refined my sense of self. The team I joined on a whim ended up a defining part of my high school years.

It’s a sommelier’s dream to work with the culinary staff at REDD Rochester. The food we see with on a daily basis not only emphasizes the complexities of flavors in the dish, but we also focus on what liquid libations pair best as well. When new dishes are being developed, I’m often on the receiving end of a spoon being passed to me, asking, “What do you think would go best with this?” My answer almost always is, “So many things!” Once these dishes are ready to present to our guests, the discussion is now open to what would be the best pairing. 

We all generally know that white wines pair best with seafood or poultry, and red wines are best with meat and game. But how do you tie that all together when your guests are eating everything under the rainbow (as they should), and how do you take this into consideration when hosting a dinner party at home? A ribeye steak pairs great with a glass Cabernet Sauvignon, but what if you don’t like drinking red wines? Reach for a bottle of Riesling! The acidity and fruit notes in the wine will cut through the richness of the steak with ease. That’s the beautiful thing about pairing food and wine. More often than not there really isn’t a wrong answer. The first thing to consider is what do you normally like to drink? No matter how good the wine may be, if you don’t like Chardonnay, we’re not going to recommend that you pair a dish with a glass or bottle of it. This is where our training and creativity come into play. Finding the balance of flavors in a dish that can be accentuated by the nuances of a wine is what we as somms live for, and that is the “Art of the Pairing.” 

Here are a handful of traditional and also unexpected pairings that will both intrigue and amaze your family and friends as we shift from entertaining on patios, decks, pools, and lake vistas of the summer and move back into the kitchens and dining rooms of our homes this fall.

Chablis: 

Oysters are said to be best when eaten in months that end in the letter “R,” so as we roll into September and October, what better time than to try these than at your next dinner party? I know that oysters aren’t for everyone, but have you ever tried an oyster that was washed down by a sip, or gulp, of Chablis? It’s a match made in heaven. The salinity of the wine pairs majestically with the briny flavor of the oyster. A little squeeze of lemon on the meat helps to accentuate the lemon and apple flavors of this delicate Chardonnay. It’s no secret that the soil of this small region in France enriched with fossilized oyster beds in limestone from millennia ago is the perfect pairing for this dish. 

For your guests who are not too keen on oysters, surprise them by pairing Chablis with fried chicken! The delicious balance of spice and fattiness of the fried chicken sings in harmony with the acidity and bright fruit flavors that you will experience with this wine. Chablis is experiencing a great revival by consumers in our region. I see more and more guests order this neutral oaked version of Chardonnay without even thinking twice, which is great because of the versatility of pairing of this wine with many different dishes.

Gamay: 

Gamay is the grape that is used to make Beaujolais (I almost spelled that right on the first try!). This grape has lived in the shadow of its cousins, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, its entire life. Fun fact: Gamay was first cultivated in the 1300s in France, and at that time it was credited with helping people recover from the black plague. Pretty impressive résumé right there, if you ask me. Gamay is now widely planted throughout the world, especially by producers in California and Oregon who love to work with this versatile grape varietal. When it’s time to pair this wine to a meal, a very safe bottle to bring to a Thanksgiving celebration is Gamay. I, however, love pairing this wine with my favorite pasta dish, Bolognese. I know I’ll get heat for this, as many food lovers, (especially Italians) may protest that a wine like Chianti would be preferred. However, Gamay is a strong contender to branch out into the world of this meat ragù. Pairing this medium-bodied wine that boasts bright red fruit notes with mild, smooth tannins and the tomato-based sauce filled with meat and herbs is a superb complement as neither will overpower the other.

Rioja: 

Gourds like butternut squash, acorn squash, and pumpkins make up the mid-to-late fall swath of vegetables. They are incredibly earthy and need sugar and spice to liven them up, and that is the basis and foundation of the flavors of Tempranillo, the grape used to make Rioja. The notes of clove, cinnamon, and vanilla in the wine make it ideal to pair with my favorite dessert, pumpkin pie. Ever since I was a child, pumpkin pie has held a very special place in my heart, as my grandmothers always made sure that I had one with candles in front of me for every birthday celebration at the end of October. It’s a tradition that I still carry on today. This may be my most daring pairing, but it works so well! 

As a sommelier, one of the greatest virtues you can gain with a guest is trust. I hope you show your trust in some of my recommendations by testing these food and wine pairings. You may just discover a new favorite along the way.