President's Letter
“Autumn is a second Spring where every leaf is a flower”
~Albert Camus
September 1, 2026
Dear Evergreen Garden Club Members,
Summers’s end has arrived. While I can be quite nostalgic about the magic of those golden days and the wonder of small discoveries – the buzz of a pollinator at work, harvesting something grown with my own hands, the first flower breaking through the soil – there is the promise of Autumn and anticipation of everything that is about to start.
Welcome to a new garden club year! Donna Roberts, First Vice President, has again crafted a variety of programs to spark joy, inspire curiosity and feed our passion for gardening through learning such as: decorative floral containers with a Master Gardener, birds and bird conservation, and a special outing to the famous Ladew Topiary Gardens in Baltimore. The Programs for Evergreen Garden Club 2026 -2027 are at the end of this letter. Locations and hospitality will be updated. Meetings are September – May the third Tuesday of the month. Please mark your calendars now!
Your help is urgently needed! We are still in need of host homes for our program meetings. Who will graciously host October? Ann Reid is the lead and has information about open months and hospitality (refreshments) opportunities.
PROGRAM
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 10am. Guided tour of the Bishop’s Garden, the National Cathedral.
Location: Meet at the Norman Arch, South Road entrance of the Bishop’s Garden (there is a parking garage as well as limited outdoor parking on the grounds).
The Garden is a terraced, three-acre medieval style sanctuary originally planned to compliment the Cathedral’s Gothic architecture. Opened in 1928, it features historical, native, and biblical plants along side garden sculptures.
RSVP to Ann Reid at acarrollr@gmail.com by Tuesday, September 10, 2025.
Your attendance and participation in meetings and activities are indispensable! Having a good turnout each month is appreciated by our speakers and is a terrific opportunity to connect with fellow members. As a reminder, Active members must attend 3 meetings and are encouraged to attend at least 4 meetings each year.
Rosa Wallach our Membership Chair will provide the membership Directory to everyone this month. Just as we did last year, we are not mailing a Directory; rather, it is on the EGC website and will be updated as needed. Please review the roster and send any changes to Rosa (Rosawallach@verizon.net) by October 1.
At the September meeting, Rosa will announce our current vacancy and the nomination process. The information will also be posted on the website.
Colet Mitchell is once again coordinating our Fall November 3, 2026, Tregaron Conservancy Volunteer Workday. It is a morning of rewarding work, camaraderie, and in the best tradition of EGC community service.
The survey for our 75th anniversary celebration will be emailed to all members this month. The survey Taskforce made up of Catherine Farrell, Fran Usher, Winkie Crigler and Chair Ann Reid have devoted their time, energy, and thoughtful consideration to this effort. Please take a moment to respond. Every response matters and will help us make informed decisions moving forward.
Our website. www.evergreengc.org is your best resource. The password for the Members Only section is Forevergreen. This user-friendly website is a One Stop Shop for all things Evergreen Garden Club! All members receive communications, such as meeting minutes and program information, through emails which are blog posts to the website and will appear on the site at the same time. These emails contain links, and it is crucial that you click on the link to get all the information. The link takes you to the members-only section of the website, and you will have to enter the password to access the information. The website works equally well on both laptops and cell phones. Questions/concerns? Jane Dana our award-winning webmaster stands ready to help: Janetuckerdana@gmail.com
Thank you on behalf of your leadership team as we continue into our second term with a spirit of enthusiasm, commitment, and friendship.
Until next time,
Ellen🌷
Below is the list of Programs for 2026-27 and a note from our Membership Chair.
PROGRAMS FOR EVERGREEN GARDEN CLUB 2026-2027
Meetings are every Third Tuesday of the Month
Gather at 10am – Program at 10:30am – Business meeting at 11:30am
RSVP for all meetings – Ann Reid acarrollr@gmail.com
September 15, 2026
Field Trip to the Bishop’s Garden at the National
Cathedral. Meet at 10am at the Norman Arch. Tour at
10:30am. Lunch optional Open City Café, located on the Cathedral
Grounds; serves sandwiches, coffee, pastries.
October 20, 2026
“The Dozen Most Important Things You can do for Birds
and Bird Conservation” by Speaker Paul Baicich, MD Ornithology.
November 3, 2026
Tregaron Conservancy Workday at the EGC Garden.
November 17, 2026
Holiday Floral Workshop with Lee Koch, Chevy Chase
Garden Club.
January 19, 2027
“Global Gardens II” by Alison Milligan. Alison will take us
on a Virtual Tour of Gardens few people have the
opportunity to visit!
February 16, 2027
Vegetable Container Gardening – learn the fundamentals
of growing vegetables in containers including watering,
fertilizing, and dealing with pests and diseases.
March 16, 2027
"Beauty, Resilience and Regenerative Gardening in a
Changing Climate" by Claire Jones focuses on practical,
achievable ways gardeners can create beautiful, resilient
landscapes while adapting to the challenges of a changing
climate.
April 20, 2027
Decorative Floral Containers by Master Gardener, Anne
Brooks Rudzki.
May 18, 2027
Field Trip to Ladew Gardens in Baltimore with a tour of
Both the House and Gardens and lunch!
A note from our Membership Chair:
I am pleased to share that there are two openings for new members. Here is the process.”
The Membership Committee requires a proposal and two seconding letters for any person to be considered for membership. Letters of proposal and seconding letters must be written by members who have been active for more than one year. Any such member is limited to either proposing one candidate and seconding one candidate or seconding two candidates each year. At present there is one opening for new members. It is the responsibility of the sponsor to collect all letters and the membership form for the proposed and to send them to me as Chair of the Membership Committee not later than October 1st. The Committee shall present the name of the candidate and read the proposal letters at our October meeting. In November, members will receive the proposals and seconding letters for review and vote by email for the candidates. The email with your vote must be received not later than Monday, November 16th. New members will be introduced at the November meeting. It is the responsibility of the candidate proposers to ensure that the candidate is familiar with the Constitution and Bylaws of Evergreen Garden Club.” If you have any questions, please let me know.
Rosa Maria Wallach
Membership Chair