Wednesday, March 25 from 6 - 7 p.m. 

Spend an evening with three local Master Gardeners who will be available to answer your questions on a wide range of gardening topics. Whether you are unsure about planting perennials for the best results, wondering how to care for hydrangeas, looking for best practices for spring fertilizing, or trying to manage common critters such as deer, rabbits, and skunks, they can help. The gardeners will also share recommendations for the most useful gardening and horticultural resources to support your success throughout the growing season. It will be held in the Schiesske Large Meeting Room at the Ashland Public Library, 66 Front Street, Ashland, MA 01721.

About our Panelists:

Chris Gatti is a Certified Massachusetts Master Gardener who graduated from the Fall Massachusetts MG Class in 2016. Chris has spent her career working in education, training, and organizational development roles, driven by a strong love of learning. She was an elementary school teacher, a corporate trainer, and then led her own consulting and training firm for 25 years. She has always gardened, influenced by growing up next to her Italian grandfather’s tomato farm. After serving on the MMGA Board of Directors for 8 years, she continues to volunteer for both the Ashland Garden Club and the Massachusetts Master Gardener Association. She is also a member of the Trustees of the Reservation, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and the New England Botanical Garden.

Elena Lapitsky is a Certified Massachusetts Master Gardener who graduated from the Massachusetts MG Class in 2021. Elena retired after nineteen years at BC, teaching the Russian language, and before that, in several other High schools. After her retirement from teaching, she wanted to continue with her second passion: gardening. Being born in a small country by the Baltic Sea, Latvia, in its capital Riga, a city that was founded in the 13th century, Elena grew up surrounded by many beautiful gardens and parks, which were influenced by the English garden style. The Museum of Nature was right next to her house, with annual flower shows that she loved to attend. The Botanical Garden was also a place to spend time in the middle of nasty winters, and picking amber by the sea after high tides was a routine activity during summer. She is a member of the American Horticultural Society, the Audubon Society, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Elena is a very active member of the Ashland Garden Club and offers tours of her amazing “Garden on the Rocks” in Ashland.

Jonathan D. Stein is a Certified Massachusetts Master Gardener who graduated from the Massachusetts MG Class in 2021. Jonathan has spent most of his adult life in health care, now in his 46th year as a practicing chiropractor. Jonathan is a lifelong gardener influenced by his mother’s love of gardening. He is a member of the Ashland Garden Club, the Ashland Community Gardens, the American Hosta Society, the New England Hosta Society, the American Conifer Society, and the New England Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society. He teaches a number of adult education classes on various gardening topics and runs a small fine gardening company. In his home garden, he is interested in dwarf conifers and dwarf Japanese maples, as well as his woodland garden.

We are pleased to be partnering with the Ashland to bring this program to our community. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library. Registration is requested.