By Cynthia Whitty

The Ashland Garden Club (AGC) will welcome five new members at its meeting planned for 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 11, in the Ashland Public Library Cheever Room. The new members, Ana DiMascio, Melissa Nadeau, Pursvashi Padye, Ashley Thompson, and Susan Wax, all share a love of the wonderful world of gardening and many gardening experiences, according to AGC President Gretchen Bravacos.

Although ACG hasn’t met as a group in recent months, members have been busy carrying out the club’s mission to beautify Ashland’s public spaces.

“I am particularly pleased that we were able to replant the gardens at the post office” Bravacos said. “Over the years that site has been very difficult to plant because the soil, particularly on the right side of the ramp, is very sandy. Members have been analyzing and working on enriching the soil. In early August, we dug up plants that we wanted to divide or move, and enriched the soil once again. When we had the soil analyzed, one of the recommendations was to plant succulents. So what you see today is a combination of shrubs, and a variety of succulents. The taller pink succulent just starting to bloom is Sedum Audumn Joy and the low-growing succulents along the walk are Sedum Dragon’s Blood. To add more color, we replanted some vinca that had been there. We also planted a new hybrid perennial Cone Flower along both sides of the ramp because we know that the soil is best there. The yellow succulents along the walk to the left of the ramp is Sedum Little Miss Sunshine.”

At the time of this writing, Covid-19 restrictions are easing and allowing for in-person gatherings. ACG members are looking forward to resuming their programming to educate members and the public in the study of horticulture and the pleasures, benefits, and rewards of gardening. 

Members benefit from each other’s expertise in a variety of topics, such growing orchids, using ergonomic tools that make gardening safe and efficient, and planting a raised rock garden. Each garden club meeting ends with a question and answer period where members or guests can ask a question and then benefit from information gardeners share. AGC meetings and programs are open to the public. If you have a topic that interest you and think others would enjoy learning about, send your ideas to [email protected].