'Turnback Tuesday' highlights gardening, Derby Avenue house

Turnback Tuesday is thinking spring. Getting ready for the time of year to garden. There are many types of gardens including, herb, vertical, vegetable and flower. 

This home which was on Derby Avenue shows what vertical gardening looks like. With limited space it was the perfect solution to have beautiful flowers. 

The [Derby Public] Library has many books on gardening for everyone to borrow. We have Square Foot Gardening and Vertical Vegetable Gardening books available, so anyone even with the smallest spaces can still enjoy the benefits of gardening.

Thanks goes to Derby Public Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week. 

Seymour Public Library to host program on landscape architecture pioneer

 

Shelton Historical Society to hear presentation on Victorian gardens

SHELTON - Join us on Sunday, Jan. 26, from 1-4 p.m. at Huntington Congregational Church for our Shelton Historical Society Annual Meeting with Presentation by Marie Hayes, which will kick off 2025!

After a brief business meeting, our guest speaker, Marie Hayes, will share the secrets of Victorian gardens (more details to come).

Refreshments will be provided after the business meeting and presentation conclude.

This is shared from the historical society's Facebook page.

Kellogg Estate in Derby to host outdoor quilt show

 

Derby Neck Library offers virtual tour of gardens around the world

DERBY - Join us [at Derby Neck Library] on a virtual tour around the world with Dr. Benfield, former chair of the CCSU Department of Geography, through unique gardens on six continents.

This is a Zoom program. To register, call the Library, 203-734-1492 or email headlibrarian@biblio.org.

This is shared from the Derby Neck Library Facebook page.

Oxford Public Library programs this week to feature crafts, cats, gardens, more

Valley United Way to host block parties at neighborhood gardens

Valley United Way seeks Grow Your Own volunteers in Seymour, Ansonia

Learn to make crafts from repurposed items at Ansonia Library

Valley United Way offers 'grow your own' gardening in Ansonia

Valley United Way helps residents in two Ansonia neighborhoods plant and tend to vegetable gardens./ Contributed photo

ANSONIA - ​The​ ​enthusiasm​ ​was​ ​infectious​ ​and​ ​tangible​ ​as​ ​neighborhood residents​ ​came​ ​together​ recent​ly ​to​ ​celebrate​ ​​flourishing​ ​community​ ​gardens​ ​planted​ ​in​ ​May.  
The​ ​Valley​ ​United​ ​Way’s​ ​program,​ ​“Grow​ ​Your​ ​Own”​ ​spearheaded​ ​by​ ​Susan​ ​Meek​ ​and​ ​followed by​ ​Brian​ ​Rich,​ ​consists​ ​of​ ​numerous​ ​garden​ ​beds surrounded​ ​by​ ​picket​ ​fences in​ ​Gatison​ ​Park​ ​and​ ​Pine Lot.

These​ ​neighborhoods​ ​were​ ​chosen​ ​as​ ​an​ ​ongoing​ ​effort​ ​to​ ​help​ ​low-income residents​ ​fight​ ​food​ ​insecurity​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Valley​ ​and​ ​provide​ nutritious​ ​food​ ​for​ ​their​ ​families. 

​Valley​ ​United​ ​Way​ ​President​ ​Sharon​ ​Gibson​ ​said,​ ​“Valley​ ​United Way​ ​is​ ​excited​ ​to​ ​offer​ ​the​ ​garden​ ​program​ ​to​ ​our​ ​Valley​ ​communities.” 

The​ ​key​ ​word​ ​is​ ​“community”​ ​as​ ​residents​ ​came​ ​out​ ​in​ ​droves - many​ ​discovering​ ​the​ ​gardens​ ​and produce​ ​were​ ​for​ ​them​ ​for​ ​the​ ​first​ ​time.​ ​Wide​ ​eyes​ ​and​ ​big​ ​smiles​ ​became​ ​commonplace​ ​as​ ​the​ ​news spread.​ 
​Many​ ​residents​ ​asked​ ​for​ ​tours​ ​and​ ​were​ ​given​ ​bags​ ​to​ ​search​ ​for​ ​fresh​ ​veggies​ ​that​ ​were​ ​ripe​ ​for picking:​ ​cherry​ ​tomatoes;​ ​lettuce;​ ​green​ ​peppers;​ ​squash;​ ​chard;​ ​cabbage; cucumbers;​ ​eggplant;​ ​and​ ​​more,​ ​plus​ ​herbs​ to flavor ​their​ ​meals.

“I​ ​live​ ​right​ ​next​ ​to​ ​Pine​ ​Lot​ ​and​ ​I​ ​thought​ ​this​ ​garden​ ​was​ ​just​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Boys​ ​and​ ​Girls​ ​Club.​ ​I clicked​ ​like​ ​and​ ​share​ ​on​ ​Facebook​ ​and​ ​headed​ ​down​ ​here​ ​right​ ​away,”​ ​said​ ​Rhonda​ ​Rossik.​ 
“I​ ​can​ ​get​ ​the​ Girl​ ​Scouts​ ​involved​ ​too!”​ ​as​ ​she​ ​walked​ ​through​ ​the​ ​garden​ ​sharing​ ​her​ ​knowledge​ ​and enthusiasm​ ​with​ ​others​ ​who​ ​were​ ​deciding​ ​what​ ​they​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​pick​ ​for​ ​dinner.  

Cherry​ ​tomatoes​ ​were​ ​by​ ​far​ ​the​ ​most​ ​popular​ ​vegetable.​ ​
At​ ​Gatison​ ​Park,​ ​Maya,​ ​her​ ​two​ ​sisters Ramona​ ​and​ ​Tiffany​ ​Wright​ ​and​ ​their​ ​children​ ​come​ ​to​ ​the​ ​garden​ ​often.​ ​“We​ ​go​ ​here​ ​everyday​ ​picking carrots​ ​and​ ​grape​ ​tomatoes​ ​and​ ​eating​ ​them,”​ ​she​ ​said.​ 
​Jazmiah,​ ​Ramona’s​ ​7-year-old​ ​daughter​ ​“loves vegetables”​ ​and​ ​Tiffany’s​ ​daughter,​ ​5-year-old​ ​Kaylynn​ ​“loves​ ​gazpacho,” they said.

Another​ ​Gatison​ ​Park​ ​resident​ ​who​ ​frequents​ ​the​ ​garden​ ​is​ ​Malika​ ​Mosley.​ ​
She​ ​has​ ​an 11-year-old​ ​daughter​ ​and​ ​walks​ ​by​ ​in​ ​the​ ​morning,​ ​afternoon, ​and​ ​the​ ​evening​ ​on​ ​her​ ​way​ ​home​ ​from work.​ ​“I​ ​usually​ ​look​ ​for​ ​the​ ​lettuce,​ ​cucumbers,​ ​and​ ​tomatoes,”​ ​Mosley​ ​said. 

And​ ​what​ ​would​ ​a​ ​block​ ​party​ ​be​ ​without​ ​Domino’s​ ​pizza,​ ​an​ ​ice​ ​cream​ ​truck​ ​and​ ​a​ ​special​ ​arts and​ ​crafts​ ​project​ ​for​ ​the​ ​children?​ ​

Chef provides samples, recipes
Also on hand was chef​ ​Audra​ ​Weisel,​ ​who​ ​had​ ​stiff​ ​competition​ ​from​ ​the​ ​pizza​ ​and ice​ ​cream,​ ​but​ ​was​ ​up​ ​to​ ​the​ ​task.​ ​Happily​ ​she​ ​handed​ ​out​ ​samples​ ​of​ ​her​ ​healthy​ ​cooked​ ​tomatoes, asparagus,​ ​zucchini,​ ​and​ ​other​ ​fresh​ ​veggies​ ​along​ ​with​ ​the​ ​recipes​ ​for​ ​cooking​ ​them​ ​in​ ​their​ ​own​ ​homes. 

Weisel​ ​has​ ​a​ ​long​ ​history​ ​of​ ​helping​ ​out​ ​low-income​ ​families​ ​and​ ​started​ ​digging​ ​and​ ​planting​ ​for “Grow​ ​Your​ ​Own“​ ​this​ ​past​ ​May.​ ​“I’m​ ​happy​ ​to​ ​lend​ ​my​ ​expertise​​ ​i​n​ ​any​ ​way,​ ​shape ​ ​or​ ​form,”​ ​she​ ​said. Quickly​ ​adding​ ​whether​ ​that​ ​means,”teaching​ ​them​ ​how​ ​to​ ​can​ ​their​ ​vegetables​ ​or​ ​learning​ ​how​ ​to​ ​cook them.”​ ​She​ ​is​ ​hoping​ ​“they​ ​will​ ​try​ ​something​ ​new​ ​…​ ​and​ ​like​ ​it.”  

“Grow​ ​Your​ ​Own”​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​Valley​ ​United​ ​Way’s​ ​projects.​ ​
With​ ​a​ ​third​ ​garden planted​ ​at Irving​ ​School​ ​in​ ​Derby,​ ​the​ ​program​ ​is​ ​expected​ ​to​ ​expand​ ​next​ ​year,​ ​including​ ​more​ ​locations​ ​and getting​ ​more​ community members​ ​involved.​ ​
This​ ​project is​ ​possible​ ​thanks​ ​to​ ​the​ ​generosity​ ​of​ ​​​premiere sponsor,​ ​Avan​ ​Grid,​ ​Newtown​ ​Savings​ ​Bank,​ ​and​ the ​Lavietes​ ​Foundation. 

To​ ​volunteer​ ​or​ ​get​ ​involved​ ​with​ ​Valley​ ​United​ ​Way,​ ​​contact​ Patricia​ ​Tarasovic,​ ​Vice President​ ​of​ ​Community​ ​Engagement, ​203-​926-9478​ ​or​ ​visit:​ ​​www.valleyunitedway.org​. 


This was written by Lori Singer, volunteer writer, Valley United Way.

Celebrate gardens at Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby

DERBY- Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection celebrates Connecticut’s Historic Gardens Day at the Osborne Homestead Museum from noon-4 p.m. June 25.

The Osborne Homestead Museum, 500 Hawthorne Ave., is one of 15 members of the prestigious Connecticut’s Historic Gardens. 

Guided tours of the museum and its gardens will be provided. 

Visitors can enjoy tours of the lovely Colonial Revival gardens and learn about the medicinal uses of the flowering plants.  
After strolling through the gardens, visitors can visit the historic house museum where they will learn about Frances Osborne Kellogg’s passion for flowers and land conservation. 

Decoupage workshop
At the museum, a decoupage workshop will be offered to honor Frances’ love of flowers and handicrafts. 

Visitors can make decoupage art from pictures of the Kellogg Estate’s gorgeous flowers.  
All materials will be supplied, and there is no fee. 

Connecticut’s Historic Gardens Day increases the awareness of the state’s unique historic sites and gardens and offers visitors an opportunity to explore a variety of historic garden styles.  

For more information about Connecticut’s Historic Gardens, visit: www.cthistoricgardens.org

The Osborne Homestead Museum, a facility of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, is open from May through October for free guided tours on Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from noon-4 p.m.

For additional information call 203-734-2513 or email donna.kingston@ct.gov.

This is a press release from the DEEP.