The St. Mary’s County Garden Club has been in existence since 1938.  Meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at 11:00 a.m. at the location selected by the hostesses.  The general meeting may be preceded by a Board meeting at 10:00 a.m. and a social gathering for members at 10:30 a.m. Lunch is served at 12:00 noon, followed by the program.  Invited guests are welcome at all programs unless otherwise specified.

2024 General Meetings

March 18, 2024
Program: Roses and Rose Diseases
Presenter: Kimberley Dean
Location: Tolerance Hall at the Fairgrounds
Hostesses: Debbie, Kole, Jean Illingworth,
Gerri Frazier, Manjeet Singh
Ms. Dean has been gardening for over 30 years. She is a Master Gardener and a
consulting Rosarian. She lives on the Potomac River (Zone 7b) and provides consulting
support at Sotterley. Ms Dean will share details about a realistic organic rose
garden. Please visit her website: The Rose Geek.

April 15, 2024
Program: Landscaping with Natives, Foraging for Natives
Presenter: Jessalyn Mehrkam
Location: St Mary's County Library, Leonard
town Branch
Hostesses: Amy Henderson, Sue Cote,
Fran Munley, Joyce McFadden
Jessalyn is a founder of Earth Liaison Garden Consulting. She is a Chesapeake Bay
landscaping professional and permaculture design certified. She is also a Mas ter
Gardener, Master Naturalist and Baywise trained. Jessalyn considers herself a modern
hippie and advocate for the planet. Earth Liaison is a local woman owned small
business founded out of love for our Mother earth and to connect fellow humans back
to their roots through gardens. She specializes in native, culinary and medicinal plants.

May 20, 2024
Program: Propagation and Utilization of Herbs
Presenter: Dhruti Patel
Location: Front Porch, Leonardtown, MD
Hostesses: Anne Ridenour, Duffy Boyd,
Joyce Savage, Kathy Shubert
Dhruti Patel is on the faculty of the University of Maryland and an educator in
Family and Consumer Services at the University of Maryland Extension Office. Her
Bachelors, Masters and post-graduate work are in nutritional sciences. She has
twelve (12) years of experience in this area and works on program improvement.
Ms Patel looks for effective, innovative and research-based meth ods to create health
promotional initiatives. Some of her programs include youth nutrition, food safety
and leadership.

June 17, 2024
Program: Photography Design Challenge
Photo Exhibition and Judging
Presenter: Carol and Tom Davis -
Your Journey Studios
Location: Port of Leonardtown Winery,
Leonardtown MD
Hostesses: Fran Munley, Patty Teague,
Cherie Heely
Carol Davis was born and raised in Southern Maryland where she met and married
Tom, her high school sweetheart. They have enjoyed traveling the world documenting
their journeys in pictures for clients, family and friends. Last year Carol and
Tom served as judges for the St. Mary's County Garden Club Photography Design
challenge at the annual Flower Show.

July 15, 2024
Program: St. Mary's County Community Development Corporation:
Community Vegetable Garden
Initiative Presenter: Carla Wilson
Location: St. Andrew's Episcopal Church Hall,
Leonardtown MD
Hostesses: Dot Sparling, Macy Hovland
Carla Wilson is the project manager at the St. Mary's county Community Development
Corporation (CDC). She joined the team in 2023 as an intern and has continued since
graduation. This is a non-profit organization focused on revitalizing Lexington Park.
This organization works to foster safe communities, uplift local businesses and beautify
the area. The overall mission is to improve the well-being of the Lexington Park
residents.
The CDC has beautified the area by installing local murals, working on
lighting and bus shelters. Most notably, the organization has established
a community garden at the Lexington Manor Passive Park.
This garden will be ADA accessible and open to all for communal and
rental garden plots.

August 19, 2024
Program: Flower Design Workshop
Presenter: Paula Winkler and Patti Atlee
Location: Tolerance Hall, St. Mary's County
Fairgrounds, Leonardtown, MD
Hostesses: Priscilla Hays, Cherie Heely, Carol
Perrie, Kathy White-Thorne
Paula Winkler is a past President of the District II Garden Club, past Chairperson of the
Judges Council and a nationally accredited Master Judge. She reviews Flower Show
schedules for approval and mentors Maryland Garden Clubs through the Judges Council.
Ms Winkler and Ms Lee work specifically with District I, II and III garden clubs in all
aspects of flower show planning and execution.

September 9, 2024 (Second Monday)
Program: Climate Change and Terrapins
Presenter: Dr. Chris Rowe
Location: Chesapeake Biologic Lab,
Solomons, MD
Hostesses: Monika Lee, Jenni McDevitt,
Lynne Lansberg
Dr. Rowe's research investigates how physical and chemical aspects of the environment
affect animal function and ecology. His work addresses human derived impacts of
climate change, pollution and habitat degradation on wild animals. Dr. Rowe explores
questions dealing with resources,assimilation and allocation, especially the impact on
the iconic Diamondback Terrapin.

October 21, 2024
Program: "Thinking Outside the Box" for Flower Arranging
Presenter: Cherie Heely
Location: St. Andrews Episcopal Church Hall
Leonardtown, MD
Hostesses: Mary Ann Friesen, Suzanne Patterson,
Karen Doherty
Ms. Heely has been a St. Mary's County Garden Club member for over 20 years. Her
favorite hobbies are painting, arranging flowers and gardening. She has provided flower
designs for weddings, dress rehearsals, dinners, private parties, socials and other
events. Ms Heely decorated for the Lady Baltimore Ball held for two (2) years at the
Historic St. Mary's State House in St. Mary's City. Cherie does not consider herself
'more talented' than others, but is excited to share her ideas for looking at flowers in a
variety of unique and new ways.

November 18, 2024
Program: Lasagna Gardening and Bulbs
Presenter: Trish Reynolds
Location: Ironwood Grill, Breton Bay Golf and
Country Club, Leonardtown, MD
Hostesses: Barbara Martin, Barb Raley, Genise Rondina
Ms. Reynolds is originally from Long Island, NY, moving to a 300-acre farm in Maryland
when she was 16. After a long career in finance, Ms. Reynolds moved with her husband
to the Maryland Eastern Shore. There she expanded her love of gardening by participating
in programs at Longwood Gardens. She has held numerous State, District and local
garden club offices including positions with the Talbot County Garden Club. Ms. Reynolds
is a life member for the Federated Garden Clubs of MD and Central Atlantic Region.
She is a member of Daffodil and Horticulture Societies.