Co-Presidents Report
The Annual Reports that follow recount the varied, impactful and
entertaining activities carried out with, by and for members of the Lenox
Garden Club in the past year.
Many committees contributed to the meetings, workshops, discussions,
visits, plantings and of course, refreshments. Your Co-Presidents are
enormously grateful to you all for the spirit of cooperation, affection and
enthusiasm you all showed for the Lenox Garden Club and each other.
Many, many thanks to all of you.
At the same time, this has been a year of transition and change. Many of
the same people who kept things moving along were also planning
changes that would direct the future of the Lenox Garden Club as it
moved into its 114th year.
Thanks to the foresight of past president Deb Deres and the Executive
Committee, a Strategic Planning Committee was chartered in March
2023 to develop a plan for our next five years. The SPC was chaired by
Pam Johnson, working with consultant Debbie Edwards, an experienced
strategic planner and former Garden Club of America president.
A full-club survey last summer, with an astonishing 88% response rate,
pointed to five areas of concern: leadership, structure, membership,
communications, and mission and values. In November, the SPC
presented the survey findings and strategic recommendations to the full
Executive Committee. By January 2024, with direction from the
Executive Committee, the Strategic Plan 2024-29 and next steps had
been approved and shared with the membership.
Implementing the recommendations of the Strategic Plan is an ongoing
process. It will take time; there will be challenges as we work together to
“get it right” for the future of the LGC. As we move forward, we ask that
you focus on the core values of
The Lenox Garden Club:
Commitment: action, responsibility, collaboration and knowledge.
Respect: cordiality, friendships, trust.
With thanks, gratitude and affection.
Susan Dana & Gloria McMahon
Co-Presidents
ARCHIVES
The Lenox Garden Club archives is a system of institutional memory,
created and recreated by its members as they share information and work
to achieve the club’s goals. Shared memories define its history and
culture. The work of the archives committee preserves the historical
record with a thought to future generations and is organized around the
concept of “findability.” The challenge of finding and bringing memories
to life means that the archives must be accessible and responsive to
members’ ever-changing, often unanticipated, needs.
As archives committee chair, I was invited to serve in February and
March on the ad-hoc Communications Task Team with Lynn Edelstein,
Pam Johnson, and Angela Cason Hickey. In alignment with the club’s
2024-2029 Strategic Plan, our first task was to study the public-facing
and member-only features of other GCA-member club’s websites. The
goal was to focus on improving community engagement as well as
providing reliable access to important club information. We issued a call
for proposals and evaluated the submissions from website-design firms
for specified features that would extend the functionality of the club’s
legacy website. The results of the initiative were reported to the EC and
await further implementation.
A single request was made to archives in March by the GCA to provide
documentation regarding the Berkshire Garden Club’s merger into the
LGC, in which 12 former BGC members accepted the invitation to join
us in 2015. The details were recorded in the club’s 2015-2016
membership roster, annual meeting minutes, and correspondence.
To increase member awareness and interest in the club’s past
achievements and activities, we undertook a project to prepare an
updated 1911-2023 edition of the LGC chronology created in 2011 for
the club’s centennial. Aided by Nancy Miller’s club history and the
documentation and recollections provided by Stephanie Bradford, Debbie
Smith, Barb May, MaryEllen O’Brien, and others, the handout also listed
our community partners that have received grants totaling more than
$500,000 since 1991. We distributed the handout to attendees at the
French Gardeners’ Breakfast on April 10.
Past committee members worked diligently over recent years to establish
a permanent, secure home for the archival boxes housing these physical
records in the Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Center House attic. The
committee meets infrequently during the year on an as-needed basis, and
adds new digital materials systematically to the archival Google Drive
platform. Ongoing work will involve discussion of ways to provide better
2access to the club’s digitized records and enhanced awareness of the
club’s past and present programs through its public-facing website.
Respectfully submitted,
Pamela Sandstrom
AWARDS
The Awards committee recognizes Lenox Club members who have
generously and graciously served the Garden Club of America and the
Lenox Garden Club. This year the committee, with approval from the
Executive Committee, added a new award, Floral Design Award. This
award is presented to an individual who creates and fosters skills in
others in floral design and/or who participates in floral design activities
in an imaginative, artistic manner.
At the December Holiday Tea the following members received the GCA
Years of Service Awards:
25 years: Mary Howard
Tanny Jones
Wendy McCain
Megan Schwarzkopf
Mary Taylor
40 Years: Kimberley Crocker
At the Annual Meeting other LGC members were commended for their efforts.
GCA Awards
Club Appreciation Award – The Strategic Planning Committee
Pamela Johnson, Chair, Susan Dana, Mary Manning, Loretta Scheel
LGC Awards
Beverly Hallock Award – Jane Shea
Floral Design Award – Diana French
LGC Service Award: Zone 1 Scholarship Rep 2021-2023- Pamela Sandstrom
Susan Malevsky-Malevitch Award – Paula Gimblette
President’s Award – Susan Dana and Gloria McMahon
Trusty Trowel – Cynthia Tindale
Serving as an interim chair, I am so grateful to all the committee members who
attended meetings, engaged in thoughtful discussions, and shared laughter.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeanne M. Davidson
COMMUNICATIONS
The Communications Committee strove to keep communications flowing
smoothly and efficiently during the 2023-2024 year. It presented some
challenges – hybrid meetings, the resignation, sadly, of the Chair, Mary
Talbot, and a change in leadership of the Club. Despite all of this, we
kept communications going and, thanks to Angela Cason, produced an
informative and attractive monthly newsletter.
A Lenox Garden Club private Facebook group was created; membership
is by invitation only to ensure that the group will remain exclusive to
LGC members. Members can participate in lively discussions, ask
questions, seek advice, share resources, and celebrate achievements
related to our shared interest.
At the advice/suggestion of the Strategic Planning Committee a
Communications Task Team was formed to develop an internal and
external plan to identify communication categories, including frequency
of communications and methods of communications. The
recommendation was to have a user-friendly website for keeping LGC
members informed. The Executive Committee agreed with this proposal,
requesting that we first take a look at the current website to see how it
can be updated or made a little more user-friendly. This is currently in
the works, and, thanks to Mary Ellen O’Brien, several LGC members
have access to the website and are currently considering some
changes/updates.
Also, at the suggestion of the Structure Task Team, more responsibilities
will fall under “Communications” – calendar management, newsletter,
public relations, website management, Yearbook and Zoom coordination.
Respectfully submitted,
Lynn Edelstein
CONSERVATION
We continued working on our Reduce/Reuse/Recycle initiative based on
the local resource guide that we produced and distributed to members last
year. We encouraged members to eliminate buying products in wasteful
materials (especially plastic), to reuse items to the fullest extent possible,
and to recycle what is left.
Caring for the native plant pollinator garden on the grounds of the
Stockbridge Congregational Church was a priority May-October of 2023
and again in the spring of 2024. Now in its third year, the plants are
4maturing, self-sowing, and thriving! Our efforts are informed by the
knowledge that the garden is planted on land once cared for by the
Mohican native people.
In 2024 we organized the club’s March program – Concrete Ways to
Mitigate Climate Change – via conserving water, choosing sustainable
practices, and reforestation. It was a workshop style meeting where we
divided into three groups to brainstorm one of those topics. Suggestions
and ideas from each of the groups were reported to all attendees at the
conclusion of the meeting.
Two plant-related efforts occurred in early May 2024: a pansy planting
project with kindergarten students at Muddy Brook Elementary School
and a garlic mustard pulling “party” at two public properties – Parson’s
Marsh in Lenox and along a woodland section of New Lenox Road in
Pittsfield.
Respectfully submitted,
Lenore Sundberg and Anna Smith
Co-Chairs, LGC Conservation Committee
FLORAL DESIGN EDUCATION
On September 13, 2023 the Lenox Garden Club, acting on the initiative
of the Floral Design Committee, staged a hugely successful event with
acclaimed floral designer Jane Godshalk. The floral demonstration,
which was held at The Mount, was open to the public for a fee, and free
to Lenox Garden Club members. A limited workshop with Ms. Godshalk
was held that afternoon at the Berkshire Botanical Garden.
Enthusiasm for floral design proved contagious, as two workshops
followed on November 17th and December 8th at the Richmond
Congregational Church. Members of the Floral Design Committee also
provided arrangements for the Holiday Tea on December 13th.
Three more design workshops were well attended on January 12th,
February 23rd and March 1st. Participants have enjoyed learning the
principles and techniques of floral design, and have watched their
abilities and confidence grow. It is hoped these workshops will continue.
On February 14th the Floral Design Committee hosted the monthly LGC
meeting with a floral design demonstration by MaryEllen O’Brien,
followed by a workshop for the members at large.
The Daffodil Derby at the Berkshire Botanical Garden on April 27-28th
saw 16 entries in four categories of Floral Design. The arrangements
5were in many cases a testament to the skills acquired in the floral design
workshops.
Looking forward, the Floral Design Committee is supporting a
community project by providing floral arrangements for a designer
showcase at Cassilis Farm in New Marlborough May 30-June 30. The
event is a fundraiser for the benefit of local housing needs.
Respectfully submitted,
Tania Deary
FLOWER SHOW
This year our beautiful show totally wowed the judges! The entire show
got a judges’ commendation: “Charming schedule with the theme well
executed throughout.” A second commendation states, “Wonderful
variety. Many opportunities for subdivision. Elegant presentation.
Exquisite show!” The floral design division won an award of
appreciation “for consistent excellence in design.” The Hort division
garnered an award for “Staging: plenty of natural light, uncrowded, love
the burlap and brown paper.” The Hort judges also commended the
novices: “plenty of novice participation including a number of blue
ribbons!”
In floral design, Pam Johnson won the Novice Award, KK Zutter won
the Burdsall, and Diana French took Best in Show.
In Hort, Pam Johnson won the Novice Award, (yes you read that
correctly! She won them both!), and Stephanie Bradford won the
Burdsall and Best in Show.
In the behind the scenes preparation for this show, thanks go to Stephanie
for chairing/organizing the Hort division, Sally Set for putting together
the judges’ luncheon and everyone who entered the show itself.
A special thanks goes to Barb May who filled every floral design class
completely! Let me tell you, this is no small feat! In my opinion, the two
most challenging aspects of a flower show are writing a clear, coherent
schedule, and getting (which usually means twisting arms) floral design
entries. Barb, there is a special place in floral design heaven for people
like you!
Respectfully submitted,
Diana French
GARDEN HISTORY & DESIGN
The Garden History & Design committee works closely with the
Smithsonian Archives of American Gardens to record and preserve and
develop an appreciation of America’s gardens through the documentation
of all types of gardens which ensures their lasting legacy for scholars,
researchers and the general public throughout the world.
Most recently, we have been documenting Community Gardens, a new
category for the Smithsonian. It was agreed that we would document
Pollinator Gardens which have been created with the involvement of the
Lenox Garden Club. After creating a template, GH&D focused this year
on evaluating that template with one particular conservation property
LGC had previously worked on, Parson’s Marsh Reserve, the first trail in
Lenox that is handicapped accessible.
An amazing job was completed by Pamela Sandstrom, a GH&D
committee member, and presented at the French Gardener’s Breakfast,
April 2024, including a detailed report on the history of the reserve,
photographs and documentation of the planting undertaken by the club.
Going forward, it is the intention of GH&D to continue to document
several gardens, working closely with our Pollinator Pathways team.
Gardens include Bidwell House, Arrowhead, Canoe Meadows and
Pleasant Valley, all of which are LGC grant recipients here in the
Berkshires Documentation is a process that takes time but is a wonderful way
for the Lenox Garden Club to archive their contribution to conservation,
preservation and civic improvement.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Manning
HORTICULTURE
Twenty-two members were assigned to join the Horticulture Committee
for 2023-24. We started our year with a softwood propagation workshop
in Megan’s garage on July 7.
We met for a committee organizational meeting July 14 at BBG to gather
topics of interest, and to start our thoughts about what kind of program to
offer to the club membership for the 2023-2024 season. Even early on,
many expressed enthusiasm for some kind of propagation event.
7We scheduled a pop-up flower show preparation workshop at BBG on
August 8 right before the BBG Grow Show, but I had to cancel. Never-
the-less, LGC was well represented with strong entries at the show.
August 21 we met again for a committee organizational meeting. Other
than expressing a general interest in propagation, we again did not pin
down how to move forward on our program plans. The Godshalk floral
design program scheduled in September dominated discussions in
preparation plans. Our committee collected and provided arranging
material from private gardens for Jane Godshalk’s presentation and
workshop 9/13/2023, certainly a plus as material from home gardens can
often be very special, which it was.
As we are always encouraging saving/sharing seeds, on September 20,
Eric Ruquist, Director of Horticulture at BBG, kindly led a group of our
committee around the gardens on site to collect seeds, some of which
became especially valuable for the horticulture program in May 2024.
Members organized, labeled and carefully stored these seeds for future
sharing.
For our LGC October meeting Chris Ferrero, Master Gardener, presented
a program focusing on “Putting the Garden to Bed”. I asked Chris to
focus particularly on the concept of what NOT to put to bed in the
garden, as many still meticulously handle fall clean up as the time to
remove way too much from our fall garden, leaving a void for wintering
creatures as well as visually stark surroundings.
On-going attention continued with suggesting members think about GCA
Freeman Medal entries, woody plant for 2025; nominations due 5/11/24
as well as continuing to collect and save seeds. Sharing information from
our GCA Zone Rep, October 2023, an email went to the committee with
specifics on participating in the GCA Seed Share.
On November 10, 2023 the Committee met at BBG Center House. We
continued to talk about interviewing potential speakers to introduce our
committee’s May, 2024 seed workshop. After I completed interviewing
six prospectives over the winter, Ron Kujawski agreed to the assignment
after many emails and discussions early in February for our May 1, 2024
program.
12/23. Distribution of Bee Booklet by email from Zone I Representative.
2/20/2024 Winter Seed Sowing Workshop for committee members with
handouts. New member Cynthia Tindale led this workshop at the home
of Barb May. Although only a few could attend, the feeling is that many
would like to try this again next winter.
83/9/24 Shared GCA Zone I Plant Exchange guidelines for Zone meeting
in September 2025. This is valuable in relation to our seed propagation
workshop on May 1.
3/11/24 Shared instructions by email on Forcing Branches. A number of
members shared photos of their efforts with the committee.
The GCA again launched the nationwide, multidisciplinary, cross-
committee collaboration to promote native plants by formally
establishing a Native Plant Month in almost all fifty states. Using a
proclamation, GCA club members across the country worked to formally
establish a Native Plant Month within their state for April 2024.
Massachusetts’ proclamation was successfully passed.
In April I supplied both entry cards and the schedule encouraging
members to enter horticulture classes in the GCA Annual Meeting, taking
place in Hartford at the end of April.
5/1/24. The horticulture committee hosted a seed propagation workshop
(Seed Success Seminar) for the whole club with Ron Kujawski leading
the workshop. Many committee members helped in various ways to
make this a successful presentation with Barb May hosting us in her
home’s garage. Roughly 45 members participated. There were many
varieties of seeds with focus on New England natives, some of which
were collected at BBG last Fall. Six seeds were ordered from Prairie
Moon Nursery for the event: Helenium autumnale, Monarda fistulosa,
Pycnanthemum muticum, Symphyotrichum leave, Veronicastrum
virginicum and Schizachyrium scoparium; they were TINY seeds.
Members were provided coir pots, Back to the Roots organic 3-in-1 seed
starting mix, seed envelopes and labels.
The annual LGC Annual Meeting Plant Exchange (AM PX) hosted by
our committee occurred June 5, 2024.
Submitted by Megan Schwarzkopf,
Lenox Garden Club Horticulture Chair
MEMBERSHIP
Six First-Year Members were officially introduced at the 2023 Annual
Meeting and Luncheon: Mary Lou Bradley, Jeanie Knisely, Gale Page,
Liz Stell, Cynthia Tindale and Marilyn Wyatt. Among their summer
activities were a horticultural workshop given by Megan Schwarzkopf,
and volunteering with other LGC members at the BBG Grow Show. In
October, several volunteered for “Accessorize!”, LGC’s fundraiser for
9BBG. In December, all were able to attend the Holiday Tea fabulously
hosted by Jeanie and Gary Knisely in Lenox. In January, five First-Year
Members joined the Membership Committee, Co-President Susan Dana
and standing-committee chairs for conversation and refreshments at the
home of Liz Murray in Stockbridge.
This winter, Liz Murray and Kathy Tremblay co-chaired the Strategic
Planning Membership Task Team, joined by Sarah Boyd, Janet
Egelhofer, Nancy Hickey, Bobbie Anne Salinetti, Judy Zahn, and advisor
Loretta Scheel. Two meetings hosted by Liz focused primarily on
attracting and integrating new members, with progress reports submitted
to the Executive Committee recommending stronger emphasis on
mentoring, improved club communication for the benefit of new
members, and community outreach.
Over the past year, five proposed members attended an impressive
number of lunches and membership meetings as guests, and were
approved for membership by the Executive Committee in March. They
are Sharon Cooper of Lenox, Cynthia Danforth of Tyringham, Sheila
Shechtman of West Stockbridge, Abbie Shoobs of New Lebanon NY,
and Mary Stodden of West Stockbridge. In May they gathered with the
Membership Committee and incoming Co-Presidents at the home of
Ginger Schwartz for conversation, refreshments, and a committee-choice
preview by experienced committee leaders. In late May, the five new
members contributed informal bios and photos to an introductory piece
“In Their Own Words” sent to the current members before the June
meeting.
Rejoining LGC as Active Members were Barbara May, Mary Spina, Judy
Zahn and, as of June, Julie Schwartz. Hilary Deely and Tjasa Sprague
will move to Associate membership. The following are no longer
members: Kendra MacLeod, Mary Talbot, Gale Page, Amy Raidman, Liz
Stell, Anne Fredericks, Ardith Truhan, Sue White, Elizabeth
Montgomery and Deb Deres. We note with sadness the passing of long-
time member Skippy Nixon, 2006. We also note with sadness the
passing of our most senior member, Beverly Hallock. Bev joined LGC
in 1964 and this would have been her 60th year of membership.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Tremblay
PHOTOGRAPHY
In August, members were encouraged to enter photographs in the GCA
Focus’s competition, “Inspired Adventures.” Janet Pumphre
10photograph of White Sands National Park was a non-finalist in the
abstract competition “Circles in the Sand.”
In December, members were encouraged to enter photographs in the
GCA Focus’s competition, “Symphony of the Senses.” In the Sixth
Sense Creative Technique category, Janet Pumphrey won the Editor’s
Commendation award with her composite photograph of the beach in
Provincetown.
In January, members were encouraged to watch the GCA annual
Photography Conference on January 25, “Reimaging the World.” This
GCA photography conference was especially good. It included the
amazing Japanese abstract photographer Zuan-Hui Ng who presented on
“Ephemeral Encounters;” Stephanie Johnson, who presented on
intentional camera movement; Nevada Wier, who presented on travel
photography; and Santiago Lyon, who presented on using AI.
Respectfully submitted,
Janet Pumphrey
POLICY
The Policy Committee this year was relatively dormant until the report of
the Structure Task Team was presented. Since the beginning of April,
the Policy Committee has met weekly to study each of the many
proposals the Structure Task Team recommended in the LGC’s Bylaws
and Guidelines. In addition, the Policy Committee is proposing other
changes to make the Bylaws and Guideline more up-to-date.
Respectfully submitted,
Janet Pumphrey
PROJECTS REVIEW
The Projects Review Committee is happy to report that we will fund two
projects that went through the application process and were presented,
discussed and voted on at an Executive Committee and membership
meeting this winter.
Our projects for the Fall 2023 – Spring 2024 Projects Review cycle are as
follows:
An award to the Vincent J. Hebert Arboretum at Springside Park in
Pittsfield, MA of $500.00 to rejuvenate the current entrance garden into a
welcoming, inviting introduction to the Park. As a club, we felt that this
award would enhance the northern gateway to Pittsfield and support the
11ongoing improvement efforts of the Arboretum put forth by the
community, city and volunteers.
An award to the Adams Beautification of $1,500.00 for the Visitor
Center garden installation at the Adams Visitation Center will create a
welcoming, inviting entrance. This award will continue to build on the
exciting projects that are unfolding in the Adams community bringing
this lush, vibrant green space back to life fueled by volunteer
involvement.
2023 Grant Cycle Updates:
The George B. Crane Memorial Center community grant for the planting
of a tree at their Linden Street location was completed. The tree made it
through the winter and is blooming and beautifying in the West-side of
Pittsfield.
Trinity Church received a grant for the planting of 3-4 trees as part of a
much larger landscape/hardscape plan. This project is coming to
completion and will be celebrated by the community later in Spring ‘24.
Continued effort to get the word out and increase application numbers is
an ongoing effort. Application numbers increased from the previous year.
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn Guenther King
SCHOLARSHIP
In Fall 2023, the LGC Scholarship Committee reached out to updated lists of
guidance counselors, science and horticulture instructors from 14 Berkshire
public and private high schools, urging graduating seniors who are in the
process of applying to an accredited two- or four-year college, university or
technical program to apply for a $500 scholarship offered by the Lenox Garden
Club. The scholarship reflects the club’s mission to develop and stimulate
interest and participation in horticulture, floral design, civic beautification and
environmental concerns. In March 2024, the winner (and class Valedictorian)
Mr. Aidan Garcia of Wahconah High School, was chosen from four applicants,
and plans to attend Middlebury College in the fall, majoring in biology and
environmental science. Mary Jane Piazza was honored to awarded the LGC
scholarship to Mr. Garcia at the Wahconah High School Senior Awards Night
May 30, 2024.
The committee thanks MaryEllen O’Brien for her generosity, contributing the
first two of three $500 scholarships at the local/club level, which had not been
done by LGC before. The club has also received additional generous
12contributions to cover the current year’s award, and going forward, will seek
EC and members’ approval to make the scholarship a regular line item in the
community budget.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Jane Piazza
STRATEGIC PLANNING
In March of 2023, the Executive Committee commissioned a Strategic
Planning Committee to create a plan that would guide the activities of the
club for the next 5 years. Members were Pam Johnson, chair, Susan
Dana, Loretta Scheel, Mary Manning and Deb Deres (until September
2023). The President secured the volunteer help for the group of Debbie
Edwards, one of the architects of the GCA Strategic Plan and an
experienced mentor of several clubs. After interviewing a cross-section
of members, the team created an on-line survey which had a response
rate of 78% of the membership.
Analysis of the results identified five key areas of focus: leadership,
structure, membership, communications, mission and values. The
committee proposed strategic goals and possible action steps for each
category. The plan was approved by the Executive Committee in
December, 2023 and task teams were formed to address specific topics.
One of the first proposals adopted was a set of guiding values, included
in the presentation of the plan to members on January 10, 2024.
The plan will be implemented gradually, with the full participation of
membership, and it will be treated as a living document with periodic
review, revision, and reporting by the Executive Committee.
Respectfully submitted,
Pam Johnson
VISITING GARDENS
This year’s LGC Visiting Garden’s Meeting took place on August 2, 2023
we toured the Private Garden of Kristin Hatt in Lenox with Arborist,
Tom Ingersoll ” “Embracing the Advice of Arborists and
Environmentalists in the Care of Our Property.” About 20 members
attended the meeting and enjoyed the opportunity to hear first-hand the
garden’s philosophy and design – a collaboration of Kristin’s and
Tom’s over many years.
Since then, we have been hard at work planning two Visiting Gardens
events for 2024 – 2025. On July 10th, 2024 members of the LGC will
visit the gardens of Suzanne Yale, Dan and Sherry Kasper, and John and
KK Zutter and followed by a Midsummer Celebration at the Zutter’s.
Another travel experience further afield has also been planned: LGC
members have been invited to go on a trip from July 25- 28, 2024 to
Maine to visit a number of gardens open to the public including
The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, The Abby Aldrich
Rockefeller, Asticou and Thuya Gardens on Mount Desert Island, and
other beautiful private gardens featured on Garden Club of Mount
Desert’s Open Garden Day tour.
Respectfully submitted,
Kimberley H. Crocker