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.
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2025 General MeetingsMarch 17, 2025
Program: Shoreline Conservation Presenter: Bruce Young Location: St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Hall, Leonardtown MD Hostesses: Beth Matthews, Mary Phillips, Robbie Loker, Sheryl-Marie Dunaway As District Manager of the St. Mary’s County Soil Conservation District, Bruce Young brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise regarding soil conservation. His presentation will address the different types of shorelines – hardening versus living. Mr. Young will discuss the benefits and difficulties of each type as well as the permitting process required by both the state of Maryland and our county, to include setbacks. There are a wide variety of topics to explore with regard to streams, lakes and bay shorelines. April 14, 2025 Program: Bartlett Tree Experts Presenter: Aaron Toczylowski, Eli Walker Location: St Andrew’s Episcopal Church Hall, Leonardtown, MD Hostesses: Judy Moe, Genise Rondina, Gina Hersh, Mary Jane Palmby Bartlett Tree Experts is a multinational corporation dedicated to developing environmentally sound products and promoting their use on both residential and commercial properties. Aaron Toczylowski, a certified Arborist, and Eli Walker, an Assistant Arborist, come to us from the local office in California MD. They will share their expertise in proper pruning techniques, root collar disorders, trunk cankers, root disease and environmental stress which impact tree health and biology. Their presentation will cover preventative maintenance and treatment plans focusing on insects affecting Oak trees, which is contributing to their decline in our area. May 19, 2025 Program: St. Mary’s County House and Garden Pilgrimage Presenter: Fr. William George, SJ Location: St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Hall, Leonardtown, MD Hostesses: Anne Ridenour, Becki Wolf, Amy Henderson Fr. William “Bill” George, SJ is a St. Mary’s County native and current Senior Advisor to the President, Gregorian University Foundation. Prior to this appointment he has held various prominent positions as Advisor to the President for Major Projects at Wheeling Jesuit University, Special Assistant for Development and Public Affairs with the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., and President of Georgetown Preparatory School. He has also served as Assistant to the President for Federal Relations at Georgetown University. Fr. George has acted in traditional and special pastoral ministry capacities serving staff and families on Capitol Hill, at Georgetown Prep and in Southern Maryland. This includes serving in the capacity of President of the Historic St. Mary’s Foundation and a Gubernatorial Appointment as Chairman, Historic St. Mary’s Commission. And much, much more! June 16, 2025 Program: Environmental Restoration Throughout the Chesapeake Bay Region Presenter: Jonathan Bland Location: St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Hall, Leonardtown MD Hostesses: Monika Lee, Lee Lacy, Barbara Stellway, Mary Ann Friesen Environmental Quality Resources, LLC (EQR) has been in service since 1991. Their mission has been to deliver well-built, cost-effective solutions for stream restorations, wetlands, living shorelines, storm water, green infrastructure, native plant landscaping, invasive species management and more. Jonathan Bland is a project manager who has dedicated his career to improving water quality in his local community. Jonathan supports a diverse array of projects in which his company provides cost effective solutions in stream restoration, wetlands, native plant landscaping and much more. He will share with us the benefits these projects to challenging and environmentally sensitive areas. Mr. Bland is a graduate of St. Mary's College and resides in Annapolis. July 21, 2025 Program: Leaf Manipulation Workshop Presenter: Susie Middleton Location: St. Andrew's Episcopal Church Hall, Leonardtown MD Hostesses: Fran Munley, Kathy Glockner, Louise Snell, Trish Parkinson Susie Middleton currently serves as President of the Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland, Inc. She began her career included time heading Human Resources for several Fortune 500 companies. In 2001, after a career including head of Human Resources for several Fortune 500 companies, she and her husband retired to a 120-acre farm on the Eastern Shore. Four years ago, they downsized to a 1/3 acre lot in Cooke’s Hope so she knows how to create gardens of all sizes. A Garden Club member since she moved to the shore she has served in a number of Officer and Committee positions at the Club, District and the State levels. She is currently President of the Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland. Susie is an accredited Master Flower Show Judge, Landscape Design Consultant, Environmental and Gardening Consultant, as well as a Master Gardener. Fortunately, she also loves to share what she has learned and is a frequent speaker at Garden Clubs across the State. Most of us immediately think of flowers when we think of a design. If we think of leaves it is typically as a filler for our container or to hide our oasis. However, there has been a growing trend to shape leaves into forms that can dramatically enhance your designs. Susie Middleton will present, via PowerPoint, an introduction to many of the techniques of leaf manipulation. Her presentation will be enhanced with a hands-on demonstration illustrating several of the more common forms of leaf manipulation and how they can be used in a design. This will be accompanied by a handout summarizing the tools, recommended plants, techniques and information on where to get additional information. You will leave with lots of ideas that you will be comfortable trying on your own. August 18, 2025 Program: Demystifying the Creative Line Design and more Presenter: Paula Winkler Location: Tolerance Hall, St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds, Leonardtown, MD Hostesses: Ingrid Swann, Nell Elder, Kimberly Westcoat Paula Winkler is the Federated Garden Club of Maryland, District II Director. Previously she has served in that office, as well as, Chairman of the MD Judges’ Council, Master Landscape Design Consultant, and a Nationally Accredited Master Flower Show Judge. Paula evaluates flower show schedules and mentors garden clubs for the Maryland Judges’ Council. She generously contributes her time and talents to District II and District III garden clubs in all aspects of flower show planning and execution. September 8, 2025 Program: Oyster Farmers are Good Neighbors. All About Oysters Presenter: Tal Petty Location: Tolerance Hall, St. Mary’s County Fair Grounds, Leonardtown MD Hostesses: Nancy Graf, Julie Kemp, Barbara Martin Tal Petty founded Hollywood Oyster Company on a family farm in Hollywood, MD in 2010. Prior to that he practiced oyster gardening under the dock for seven years and threw an annual oyster festival for friends and family where his foodie friends told him ‘Sweet Jesus – these are good oysters!’ His interest in commercial oystering coincided with revisions to the oyster aquaculture laws unanimously passed by MD legislators in 2010. Tal moved to Hollywood, full time, in 2013. Prior to oyster farming, Tal, who has an MBA, worked in New York City, Boston and Bethesda, MD in commercial real estate management and development, contract financing, software development and sales to global airlines. October 20, 2025 Program: Thinking about the World of Honeybees and Beekeeping Presenter: Mary Anna Phillips Location: St. Andrew's Episcopal Church Hall, Leonardtown MD Hostesses: Patty Teague, Macy Hovland, Debbie Kole Mary Anna Phillips grew up in a family of gardeners in Miami, Florida. While living there she was active as a member of the Fairchild Tropical and Botanical Gardens, worked in the gardens and greenhouses of the President of the Greater Miami Orchid Society and also woked in a neighbor’s apiary who kept honeybees. . Formerly a member of the Calvert Garden Club, she joins us this month in sharing one of her favorite subjects, Honeybees. Moving to Calvert County over 20 years ago, she and her husband dove into farming including growing pumpkins, sunflowers, perennials, boxwood and the last tobacco crop before the buyout. Mary has been a Board Member of Calvert Hospice and participated in fundraising, designing and helping to open the doors of Burnett-Hospice House. She assisted in the design and installation of two major gardens in Calvert County, the Sensory Garden at Hospice House and the Butterfly Garden at Annmarie Gardens. Her heart is in the community starting several volunteer projects in nursing homes, including the Boxwood Christmas Tree project. She is on-call for Animal Control for inquiries about swarms and is honored to suit up, go out and SAVE THE BEES. Mary Anna brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our garden club. November 17, 2025 Program: Everything You Need to Know About Dahlia Varieties for Southern Maryland Presenter: Priscilla Wentworth Leitch Location: St. Andrew's Episcopal Church Hall, Leonardtown MD Hostesses: Dawn Szot, Anchored Roots Farm is a small diversified farm focused on growing specialty cut fresh flowers during the March to October growing season. Priscilla grows over 60 varieties of cut flowers on her farm in Hollywood, MD. Sharing her expertise, Priscilla will provide tips on selecting the best dahlias for our climate. She will provide guidance on how to dig, divide and overwinter dahlias in the garden. Anchored Roots Farm is a wonderful resource for flowers for special occasions both wholesale and retail. |
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