Long Island Horticultural Society
June News & Notes
President's Message...
Ronnie Branczio
Hi Fellow Gardeners,
Hard to believe, but our upcoming June Members’ Meeting will be our last formal meeting before our Summer Break!
Here I was, whining about the endless Winter and the cold, rainy Spring, and suddenly Summer is almost here! I think that’s often the case, but this year the seasons have been especially ornery, in my opinion.
So far my main spring undertaking has been plant-shopping, which is my greatest talent! I have purchased plants from four different local nurseries and three different mail-order companies, and am about half-through the planting tasks, at which I’m not quite so talented. Almost everything goes into pots, hanging planters and window boxes, and my taste runs to vivid primary colors, so it will be a happy, colorful little space when I’m done!
Our May Meeting was a lively event, thanks to our excellent Speaker on “Trees”, and our “Mega-Mini Plant Sale”. The Sale was a glorious display of Annuals, Perennials, Seedlings, Tubers, etc., all donated by members and a local merchant. We all did our best to “shop until we dropped”, with the result that we added about $1000 to our coffers! Good job, everyone!
The exciting news is that our Monarch Butterfly Garden is now fully planted and being tended to by our hard-working volunteers. I got a report this morning that a Monarch actually came to visit! Hope it notifies all its friends and relatives to stop by.
At our June Meeting we will be presenting our Annual Scholarship Award to our highly-qualified winner. Please be there to help offer our congratulations!
I hope you are all having a good spring and I’m looking forward to seeing you at the June meeting.
Happy planting,
LI Hort Member Kathy Readinger volunteers in the gardens at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Huntington Station. This is also the location of the food pantry where LI Hort members donate food at our November meeting.
Some of these Rhodies are 2 stories tall, see the building in the background.
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.
Fee for members $15. Guests are welcome for $20 fee.
We will have 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.
Cook's Corner
This month's recipe comes from Toni Cabat, Lemon or Lime Cream Cheese Pie
Welcome New Members
Karen Ehrlich
May 17 Meeting
Doors open at 12:30pm
Place Horticultural Competition entries by 1pm.
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1:15 pm 2026 LIHS Scholarship Presentation
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​​1:30 - 2pm LIHS Business, Announcements​
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​​Speaker starts at 2pm​​
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Please consider donating
refreshments to the hospitality table. If anyone home-bakes a refreshment please add your name as people would like to know who to ask for the recipe.
2026 LIHS Scholarship Winner by Carlos Taborda, Scholarship Chairperson
The 2026 Scholarship Committee has selected Adam Schnepp as our award winner.
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Adam is a 28-year-old 2024 graduate of Suffolk County Community College and is currently a freshman at Farmingdale State College with a 3.8 GPA. His field of interest is Arboriculture and Ecology; he is pursuing a Certified Nursery and Landscape Professional (CNLP) designation and is involved in coastal land management and the revitalization of invasive-heavy landscapes. He has worked at Bayard Cutting Arboretum since the age of 16 under Professor Wiecks' guidance. Professor Wiecks provided an excellent letter of recommendation for Adam.
Professor Kevin Wiecks, the Director of the Bayard Cutting Arboretum, has also been invited to the scholarship presentation that will take place at our meeting on June 14, 2026
INSPIRATION FROM OUR SPEAKERS
By Ronnie Brancazio
At our monthly LI Hort Members’ Meetings we have a lot going on - Raffles, Competitions, Exhibitions, Special Sales, Major Events, and of course Refreshments - which keep us educated, entertained and in conversation with our fellow plant-lovers.
But it is our Speaker Program which is the backbone of each meeting and which most directly fulfills our mission as an Educational Organization. Recently I began reflecting on the many Speakers I have been privileged to hear during my years as a LIHS member, both in live presentations and in Webinars during the terrible time of Covid isolation.
I can honestly say that every speaker has had something of interest to offer which contributed to my knowledge and appreciation of gardening, horticulture, and the natural world. However, rather than carefully researching our speaker list, I just let my mind wander and pulled up memories of those presentations which had the greatest impact on me and most changed or influenced my own garden practices. And - true confession - that has often meant lots of shopping! But it has also meant changing my approach to gardening and to the place of my tiny garden in the grand scheme of nature.... Continue reading here
Thank you to
Ann Wetzel for the Hospitality Table Centerpiece.
Donations to the Hospitality Table: Dale & Suzan Goldstein, Laura Weill, Carlos & Kathryn Taborda, JoAnn Semeraro, Toni & Stuart Germain, Shelly Maines, Annette Zbudula, Susanne Millner, Lynn Simmons, Phyllis Richards, Janet Kielbasa, Courtney Quinn, Francine Reff, Eileen Anders, Judy Basse, Mary ellen Sullivan, Cynthia Hopping, Judith Dunn, Joan Insognia​
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Floral Arranging for Beginners
Prep Like a Pro
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Strip the leaves: Remove any foliage that will sit below the waterline. Submerged leaves rot quickly, which breeds bacteria and shortens the life of your arrangement.
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Cut at an angle: Trim all stems at a 45-degree angle using sharp scissors or pruning shears. This increases the surface area for water absorption.
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Clean the vase: Wash your vessel thoroughly with soap and water before adding fresh, lukewarm water and flower food.
Build Your Base
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Make a grid: To keep flowers from flopping to the sides, create a criss-cross grid across the top of your vase using clear waterproof floral tape.
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Start with greenery: Insert your foliage first. This establishes the overall shape of your arrangement and provides a supportive framework for your blooms.​
Layer the Blooms
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Add focal flowers first: Place your largest, most eye-catching blooms into the vase first. These will act as the anchors for your design.
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Vary the lengths: Don't cut all stems to the same height. Cut about one-fifth of your flowers 1 to 2 inches shorter to sit around the outer rim of the vase, allowing the longer stems to stand taller in the center.
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Fill the gaps: Use smaller detail flowers and fillers to fill any holes, add texture, and create movement.
Maintaining Your Flowers
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Refresh the water: Change the water and re-snip the stems every other day.Watch the sunlight: Keep your arrangement out of direct sunlight and away from drafts, heaters, or air conditioning vents
From the editor....
Last month I went and visited the Nathan Hale Garden Club flower show. Some of our members also belong to that garden club and had entries in the show. Longtime LI Hort member Judy Basse had several entries and must have needed some help carrying all her awards home. Jenny Holmes, the queen of dried flower materials entered a headpiece beautifully created with various seeds. Past President Terry Sajewski was awarded 1st place for a cocktail table arrangement.
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I really enjoyed how the pressed flowers were displayed pressed between glass and as the light was streaming through the window they all just glowed. One person actually ground seeds up to create pigments and painted them onto the glass, talk about patience!
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There was one display I was totally wowed by, an ikebana style arrangement using beehive ginger flowers; I would love to know where she sourced them, and phormium leaves.
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One thing I would like to suggest is to have them include in future shows is a People's Chioce Award. They had that at the CT flower show and it was great, got the people visiting the show involved, as well as paying closer attention to what was on display, rather than just walking through and observing.
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All this was set in the peaceful locale of the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, in Llyod Harbor. If it wasnt such a warm day I would have lingered and walked around the grounds more. A very traquil, peaceful place. They do have other events there and if you are in the area I would recommend a visit
-Ann Wetzel
1st Place
Check out the Garden Calendar page this month for All the jobs that need doing
May Horticultural Competition
Vanda Orchid 'Mr Santi'
Tropical Arrangement: Helconia, Peruvian lily, Fantail Willow, Kale flowers
Omission from last month David's 2nd place Butternut Squash photo
Vanda Orchid 'Mr Santi'
Click on gallery to view slideshow
Horticultural
Maureen Wawrzonek 1st Place Div 2, Class 7, Section B, Vanda Orchid 'Mr Santi'
Ann Wetzel 1st Place Div 1, Class 2, Section B, Tropical Arrangement: Helconia,Peruvian lily, Fantail Willow, Kale flowers
Botanical Arts
​​Patti Fichtelberg 2nd Place Div 3 Class 3 Textiles Lilacs
Omission from May
David Papayanopulos 2nd Place Div 3 Class 3 Photograph Butternut squash
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Flower Power at NYGB
By Toni Cabat,Photos by Stuart Germain
The symbolism of flowers , as the icon of peace and love in the 1960, is celebrated in the new exhibit at the New York Botanical Gardens (NYBG). Vibrant and psychedelic colors, canopies, love buses blasting 60's music, Volkswagens painted and filled with plants and flowers marks the display. The conservatory as well as the courtyard and gardens in front and back of it are ablaze with color. In addition to the fun park of the 1960's , the Mertz Library Building has the cultural and historical impact of the 1960's with photography, attire, news articles and visual displays.
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The 1960's civil rights and social justice movement propelled me into my 50+ years career in social work, while the graphic artists, Milton Glaser and Seymour Chwast, on display inspired Stuart into his career in graphic arts. So the Mertz Library exhibit is not to be missed. On weekend there are musical concerts, lectures and other activities inspired by the 1960's.
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As always, there are exceptional season flower displays. On our May visit the peonies were if full bloom in a myriad of colors and forms, as well as the Rockefeller Rose Garden. The tram was well worth the time to see the entire garden. The Flower Power exhibit is on display until Oct. 18th, 2026. Go to the website for tickets and more information. Membership is clearly the most economical way to see this exhibit and other more than once.
ECO FRIENDLY ROSES FOR LONG ISLAND
Roses are classic garden plants with vast emotional appeal. They’re familiar, nostalgic and symbolic. In recent decades they’ve shed their reputation of being fussy and prone to disease, thanks to groundbreaking cultivars like Knock Out (‘RADraz’), which turned 20 in the year 2020. The breeding of disease-resistant roses has given them entry to spray-free pollinator-friendly gardens. That said, a gardener looking to add a rose to her garden faces dizzying choices and, often, a lingering wariness that the plant will require chemical sprays. There are tens of thousands of rose cultivars circulating today, with new introductions entering the market each year. How to choose one? The non-profit American Rose Trials for Sustainability (ARTS) is working to simplify this decision by identifying the best cultivars for different regions...Continue reading here
Donation to the Peit Oudolf Garden at Planting Fields
The LI Hort Board of Directors voted to donate 3 plants to the Peit Oudolf Garden at Planting Fields Arboretum. See the plants below.
Swamp Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata
Turkish Sage Phlomis russeliana
Blazing Star, Liatris spicata
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.
Day
Trippin'
Please check out the Trips page for the calendar of upcoming trips and the NEW guidelines for the trips
Old Westbury Garden Tour
By Courtney Quinn
On Saturday, May 16, 2026, a small group of LI Hort members assembled at Old Westbury Gardens to partake in two private tours. In the morning, we toured the mansion known as "Westbury House" and in the afternoon, we toured the Gardens. We were led by our excellent guide, Susan Nolan, a 41 yr. volunteer docent. In-between tours, we ate our home-packed lunches, outdoors, while some members purchased beverages from the Gardens' Cafe In The Woods.
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Westbury House and its 200 acres was the former LI Gilded Age country estate of John "Jay" Shaffer Phipps, heir to U.S. Steel fortune and his wife, Margarita "Dita" Grace of the Grace Shipping Line family. Together, with their four children, they resided at their George II style country manor house estate from 1906-1957.
After the passing of her parents, their only daughter, Peggy Phipps Boegner established a private foundation to preserve the estate and to transform it into a public museum. It was opened to visitors in 1959. It now operates as Old Westbury Gardens.
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In the afternoon, we either viewed or toured all the major gardens and their features: the Italian Garden, Rhododendron & azalea gardens, patterned rose garden with its 12 month pedestal sun dial, the Lilac Walk, the Phipps Family's pet cemetery, the Walled Garden with its verdigris pergola with cascading wisteria, goldfish waterlily pond, central fountain, flowering trees and plants. We also, saw Peggy's English thatched-roof cottage playhouse complete with its own fireplace, her brothers' three wooden cabin playhouses, the estate's beautiful wrought iron gates, three allees' of majestic mature trees, the newly recooked Hemlock Ghost Walk, the family's former swimming pool and lake.
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We also, saw several of the new fun Nature-inspired Lego sculpture exhibits throughout the Gardens: the wheelbarrow, lawn mower, the hummingbird, Monarch butterfly with Milkweed, the Goldfinches and More!
In addition, we saw a bridal couple having their wedding photos taken after their marriage ceremony at the Gardens and at the edge of the lake by the swimming pool, several of us witnessed a marriage proposal- a young man was down on one knee with a ring in hand in front of his standing intended. We clapped after the young couple embraced.
On this beautiful sunny day, we left Old Westbury Gardens feeling very tired but very happy, too, for we saw and learned so much during our wonderful, wonderful visit!
Ronnie's Recap
At our May Members’ Meeting we were honored to have a presentation by EVAN DACKOW, who is an expert on TREES.
He is the Vice President of his family’s company Jolly Green Tree, he holds a degree in Ornamental Horticulture, and he is a Certified Master Arborist who has held executive positions in various Arboricultural organizations.
Even better than all these important qualifications, however, Evan is a man who just knows everything about trees and is eager to share his knowledge and advice with his audience. He began his talk by inviting questions, and our enthusiastic LIHort folks were happy to oblige! Evan did have a slide presentation prepared, and he managed to cover a good amount of interesting material that way. But - the questions kept coming and so did his answers, much to the delight of his audience!
We learned that many of the trees that were heavily planted on Long Island turned out to have serious problems. For example, the Norway Maple was extensively planted to replace the dead elms after Dutch Elm Disease decimated them. Unfortunately it was a poor choice and has become seriously invasive in NY State since it is a prolific seeder and a quick grower. It is also allelopathic, meaning that it discourages the growth of other plants nearby.
Other tree problems on Long Island include the Southern Pine Beetles which have attacked the Pine forests on the East End, Laurel Wilt which has attacked native Sassafras, and the effects of housing development which makes it impossible to do controlled burns, and also results in trees being planted on property which is too small to sustain good root spread.
Among the trees which Evan highly recommends are the Pin Oak, the Freeman Maple, and the Eastern Redbud.
He provided valuable advice about various insect and disease problems, general tree care, and so many other useful facts and suggestions. After his presentation was over Evan remained to answer more questions, and every time I checked he was surrounded by an appreciative mini-audience!
We are most grateful for this fascinating, informative, and generous presentation!
