March 2026

Hope you are all well and thinking spring! Studying those seed and plant catalogues and coming up with some new ideas for your gardens!

While on the topic of new ideas, this is the 250th Anniversary year of our celebration of independence – the United States of America! We’ve been invited to join Harpswell in celebrating it on Saturday, July 18th. We’ve been asked if we would give a couple of garden tours at Centennial Hall, as well as to do some flower arrangements for the local churches that would be open. I’ve said that we would be happy to do both as we try and brainstorm on anything else that would be good for the day’s celebration. If anyone has any ideas, please contact me.

* Thursday March 19th at 1:00 pm “Sculpture: Talk with Images” – June LaCombe, Hawk Ridge Farm, Pownal in the Morrell Room at Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant Street, Brunswick.

* Thursday, April 16th at 1:00 pm “Planting Under Extreme Conditions” – Bret LeBleu Callahan & LeBleu Landscape Architects, South Portland at Orr’s Island Schoolhouse, 1594 Harpswell Islands Road, Orr’s Island

* Wednesday, April 22nd at 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Spring Cleanup at Harpswell Town Office Garden. Contact Deira Murray for more information.

*Thursday, April 30th & Monday, May 4th 9:00 am – 12:00 pm each day Spring Clean Up at Harpswell Historic Park Gardens. Contact Nancy Goggin for more information.

* Stroudwater District Annual Meeting April 8th at Purpoodock Club, 300 Spurwink Avenue, Cape Elizabeth, Me. 04107 Theme: “Celebrating 250 Years of Gardening Tradition”

* National Book Week April 19th-26th: “Books in Bloom”  We will be picking a favorite book and placing it with a flower arrangement in our local Orr’s Island and Cundy’s Harbor libraries. Volunteers needed to do this project. I think at least 3 people for each library. But it can be many more if you’d like to participate, please let me know.

It’s time to renew membership! Make sure you fill out the form properly (it will be coming to you shortly), so that all your information will be correct in our Harpswell Garden Club booklet for the upcoming year. Please return a check and forms to Robin Venditti Stoll.

Also, don’t forget to fill in the form to let us know what you would like to volunteer for. This is the best way to get involved and to get to know your fellow gardeners! Many hands and ideas make things more fun for all. Please sign up to help in any capacity that you can. If you have a special skill set that is not listed or something specific you would like to do – please let us know.

DEADLINE FOR MEMBERSHIP: APRIL 23rd

I will be back for the next meeting in April. Until then, happy thoughts of Spring!

Best Wishes,
Cindy

Cindy Mudford
President, Harpswell Garden Club