Long Island Horticultural Society
JuLy News & Notes
President's Message...
Hi LIHort Friends,
It’s officially summer, and it is about to feel like it - and then some! As I write this, we are about to find ourselves under a “heat dome” and I’m worried about my garden. Riva and I can stay inside with the A.C., but my flowers, herbs and veggies don’t have that option! I am moving some pots into the shade, especially the violas, which I need for flower-pressing. I doubt they’ll survive but it’s worth a try. I’ll be out watering early and late and hoping for the best.
So far the garden has been looking wonderful, what with the relatively cool and sunny weather, and I’ll try my best to keep it that way, or at least bring it back. I’m guessing that many of you share my concern.
On a happier note, I’m proud to say that my Native Perennial Border, which I started last year, has come back tall and strong.
As you may have heard, our Monarch Butterfly Garden at PFA got off to a great start but was then attacked by critters who did a lot of damage. Good detective work discovered raccoons were the culprits, and protective measures seem to be working. So we hope to have a wonderful garden ready for guests - butterflies and people - by the fall!
Our next opportunity to get together will be our BBQ/Picnic on July 18th (rain date July 19th) and I am looking forward to seeing many of you then! It’s always a fun and delicious event!
Stay Cool,
Ronnie Branczio
Membership Form
Dues for membership are:
Single $35, Household: $45, Student $5
Please fill out the Membership Form here on the website, when renewing or joining. Just type your information into the form and print it out. Bring it with your dues to a meeting or mail it to the address on the bottom of the form.
LIHS 2026 PICNIC
Saturday July 18 (rain date Sunday July 19)
Time: 11:00 am
We are having a Picnic at Marjorie Post Park in Massapequa Park. Same location as last two years.
There will be hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken tenders, corn on the cob, water, coffee and tea.
Please bring sides dishes such as Pasta, potato, macaroni, coleslaw salads, snacks and/or desserts to share.
There will be a 50/50 raffle.
There will be an exhibition table to show off your plants or creations but no official competition.
Address & Directions: 451 Unqua Road, Massapequa, NY. After entering the park, follow the road into the second south parking lot. We will be on the south side of the park at the Gazebo (you continue left when entering the parking lot instead of bearing right into the north parking lot). Just look for the large Gazebo. There is only one in the park.
If you have difficulty walking from the lot, you can park along the sides of the road next to the Gazebo. Just make sure you don’t block traffic or emergency vehicles. There are also park attendants that go around with golf carts to transport you if necessary.
June Horticultural Competition
Div 1 Class 4 Sec C Breakfast in Provence
Div 2 Class 7 Sec B Vanda Orchid
Div 1 Class 1 Sec A Yarrow & Japanese Painted Fern
Div 1 Class 4 Sec C Breakfast in Provence
Click on gallery to view slideshow
Horticultural
Ronnie Brancazio 1st Place Div 1 Class 4 Sec C Breakfast in Provence
Ann Wetzel 1st Place Div 1 Class 2 Sec B Ikebana Arrangement
Maureen Wawrzonek 1st Place Div 2 Class 7 Sec B Vanda Orchid
Botanical Arts
Patricia Martin 1st Place Div 3 Class 2 Photograph
Andrea Gibson 1st Place Div 3 Class 4 Ceramic Vases
Welcome New Members
Francine Kirton
From the editor....
On Juneteenth we traveled by ferry to the flower show in Newport, Rhode Island. We took in the sights in Rhode island, the Cliff Walk, drove the Coastal Drive, and stopped to visit the oldest topiary garden in the northeast, Green Animals Topiary garden in Portsmouth, RI. The Newport flower show was spectacular and you will all get a full description in the September newsletter; for now, enjoy some of the photographs from our weekend, we had the most beautiful weather too!
-Ann Wetzel
Monarch butterfly display
Check out the Garden Calendar page this month for All the jobs that need doing
Our 2026 Scholarship winner: Adam Schnepp
Thank you to
Ann Wetzel for the Hospitality Table Centerpiece.
Thank you
Donations to the Hospitality Table: Andrea Gibson, Dale & Suzan Goldstein, Laura Weill, JoAnn Semeraro, Toni & Stuart Germain, Laura Weill, Courtney Quinn, Patricia Martin, Cynthia & Donn Hopping
Raffle Table Donations: Kathy Readinger, Russ Gorog, Debi Goldfisher, Priscilla Baurschmidt, Laura Weill, Patty Jarrett, Toni & Stuart Germain, Courtney Quinn, Rosemarie Papayanopulos, Levente Hajdu, Patricia Martin, Leslie Leber
Ronnie's Recap
At our June Members’ Meeting we were fortunate to have a return visit from Doreen, who is an expert on so many aspects of gardening and horticulture. Last fall she taught us all about “Figs”, and this time she educated us about “Herbs” - how to select, grow, and use them. Her focus was on the culinary uses of herbs, and the unique flavors and qualities of each.
The first part of her presentation discussed the most popular and useful culinary herbs, including basil, oregano, rosemary, mint, sage and others which are familiar to us. We learned about which are annuals vs perennials, what growing conditions are favored by each, and how to successfully grow them in the ground or in pots.
Doreen then got more specific about the culinary uses of each herb, and our individual likes and dislikes (I am one of those people for whom cilantro tastes like soap!).
The last part of her talk went into detail about how to harvest and preserve herbs, such as drying or freezing them or, if one feels more adventuresome, creating herbal butters, salts, oils, vinegars, jellies or pestos.
There were many good questions from the audience, and Doreen answered them all clearly and helpfully. Her presentation was not only highly educational but also lively, entertaining and fun!
I wonder what we can ask her to talk about next!
Day Trippin'
Five Long Island Hort members enjoyed both an indoors and outdoors walking tour of PFA's Education Department & Children's Garden on Thursday, June 18, 2026. The day trip was organized and accompanied by Hort member Courtney Quinn and the tour was led by Education Manager Erin Fitzpatrick. Erin began our introduction to the former laundry building with a a brief slide show of the history of the Coe estate and their former laundry building before touring us around.
The Education Dept's Tudor Revival Education building was built in 1918, and designed by the famous architectural firm of Walker & Gillette. It served as the laundry building for the Coe family and their staff on their 409 acre country estate. Its design and construction matches the main residence, "Coe Hall," the hay barn, horse stalls, storage shed, and garages. Later, it served as an education building for the State University of NY, a courthouse for the local municipality and currently, as an education building again. It also, once served as the residence for two full-time laundresses who resided on the second floor as the first floor had been used for laundry services as well as for coal storage for the laundry's boilers. There is a partial basement, too. Vintage blue prints of the building line the walls.
Nowadays, the Education Dept. provides educational classes to elementary school aged children as well as operates its own children's summer camp.The grounds around the Education Dept are comprised of a mini sensory garden, an inviting picnic table grove, mushroom garden, compost bins, a vegetable garden, a raised bed garden, a pond, a natives plants garden, a look-out area edged with more native plants, a colorful Monarch Butterfly Way Station and pollinator garden. We learned a small butterfly enclosure will be constructed soon. In the large classroom, there were tables and chairs, interesting and colorful monarch butterfly and nature diagrams and exhibits, tree leaves, as well as patches and compasses for PFA's Junior Ranger camp program. In addition, there was a tree themed reading book nook with cushions resembling tree slices.
Day
Trippin'
Please check out the Trips page for the calendar of upcoming trips and the NEW guidelines for the trips
Arbor Day Donation to Planting Fields Arboretuem
HAPPY ARBOR DAY - A LITTLE LATE!
By Ronnie Brancazio
At our June meeting, you may have noticed a tall, beautiful SERVICEBERRY on the lawn in front of the Horticultural Center, waiting to be planted. This specimen will be LIHort’s contribution to the beauty of the Center and the enjoyment of its visitors, in honor of Arbor Day!
It took some time to select the very best plant, but after much collaborative research with PFA, it was agreed that the Serviceberry was the best choice. This Native deciduous shrub or small tree was selected for its four-season ornamental beauty, benefits to wildlife, and appropriateness to our location.
The Serviceberry (Amelanchier) is also known as Juneberry, Shadbush, or Saskatoon, and it is highly valued by Native Americans for its many uses. An excellent little book on the subject is “The Serviceberry” by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
The photo above shows the Serviceberry being “planted” by the Arbor Day Committee including Jenny Holmes, Laura Weill, Patty Jarrett, and Ronnie Brancazio. Thanks to the PFA staff for doing the real work!
Amelanchier arborea, Serviceberry
Arbor Day Donation Committee: From Left to right : Jenny Holmes, Ronnie Brancazio, Patty Jarrett, Laura Weill
The Newsletter team is taking a break for the summer we will see you again in September
Language of Flowers
The language of flowers has been recognized for centuries in many countries throughout Europe and Asia. They even play a large role in William Shakespeare’s works. Mythologies, folklore, sonnets, and plays of the ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and Chinese are peppered with flower and plant symbolism—and for good reason. Continue reading here