Mill Creek Towne Garden Club

April MCT Garden Club Meeting Topic: Garden Critters
2017-04-25 19:30 - 20:30 UTC | Mill Creek Towne Elementary, 17700 Park Mill Dr, Derwood, 20855, United States
Happy April neighbors, friends, and fellow gardeners!
Spring is VERY much in the air with the trees, plants, and bushes all coming into bloom – we hope you are enjoying this lovely time of year! The Mill Creek Towne Garden Club meeting will be hosting Montgomery County Master Gardener, Mary Hagedorn, at our April 25th meeting. Mary will be speaking about Garden Critters – we all have them, so lets learn more about them!! Please plan to join us for a fun and enlightening evening – the meeting details are below.

Date: Tuesday, April 25, 2017 @ 7:30 p.m.
Location: Mill Creek Towne Elementary School Teacher’s Lounge
Speaker: Mary Hagedorn
Topic: Garden Critters
Hostesses: Carol Hyland, Joan Carpenter

March Meeting Topic: Orchid Care
2017-03-28 19:30 - 21:00 | Mill Creek Towne Elementary, 17700 Park Mill Dr, Derwood, 20855, United States
Hello Fellow Gardeners, Neighbors, and Friends!
What crazy weather for March—cold one day, warm the next!! Our plants and animals are all getting confused!
At the March Mill Creek Towne Garden Club meeting, Montgomery County Master Gardener, Steve Robinson, will deliver a presentation on “Orchids.” Please plan to join us to learn more about these lovely plants. Look below for more information.
Date: March 28, 2017 @ 7:30 p.m.
Location: Mill Creek Towne Elementary School Teacher’s Lounge
Speaker: Steve Robinson
Topic: Orchid Care
Hostesses: Cathy Freel & Kathy Landkrohn

February Meeting Topic: Art Night
2017-02-28 19:30 - 21:00 | Mill Creek Towne Elementary, 17700 Park Mill Dr, Derwood, 20855, United States
Join us for a special art night as Claire Peterson shows us how to make your own creation to give as a gift or keep as your own keepsake! Please wear washable clothes or bring a large tee shirt or apron to cover up. We will have lots of pictures and still life arrangements set up. If anyone wishes to bring pictures of your favorite still life that is perfectly fine. Please note that we will be meeting in the Art room this month so we won’t have to worry about any spills.

Date: Tuesday, February 28th at 7:30pm
Location: Mill Creek Towne Elementary School (Art Room)
Speaker: Claire Peterson
Topic: Art Night—Still Life with Conte Crayons or Pastels
Hostesses: Betty Laffan and Sue Kay

Please RSVP so we can have enough supplies for everyone.

January Meeting Topic: Healing Herbs
2017-01-24 19:30 - 21:00 | Mill Creek Towne Elementary, 17700 Park Mill Dr, Derwood, 20855, United States
Hello Neighbors, Fellow Gardeners, and Friends!
Happy New Year to you! To help us battle any health issues this winter, our January program will be on “Healing Herbs”. Montgomery County Master Gardener Heather Whirley will be sharing her knowledge on the use of herbs. We hope you can join us. Below are the meeting details.
Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Mill Creek Towne Elementary School Teacher’s Lounge
17700 Park Mill Dr.
Derwood, MD 20855
Speaker: Heather Whirley
Topic: Healing Herbs
Hostesses: Sandy Ceely and Cathy Freel

NOTE: If Montgomery County Schools are closed due to inclement weather, the Garden Club meeting will be cancelled.

MCT Garden Club October Meeting Topic: Planting for Birds
2016-10-25 19:30 - 21:00 | Mill Creek Towne Elementary, 17700 Park Mill Dr, Derwood, 20855, United States
Join us for Montgomery County Master Gardener, Stan Fisher’s talk about Planting for Birds. Learn more about how our yards can be more inviting to these backyard visitors. As always, refreshments will be provided. The meeting information is below and we look forward to seeing you there!

Date: Tuesday, October 25, 2016 @ 7:30 pm
Topic: Planting for Birds
Speaker: Stan Fisher, Master Gardener
Location: Mill Creek Towne Elementary Teacher’s Lounge
Hostesses: Nancy Brady, Claire Peterson

MCT Garden Club September Meeting Topic: Montgomery Countryside Alliance's "Growing Legacy"
2016-09-27 19:30 - 20:30 | Mill Creek Towne Elementary, 17700 Park Mill Dr, Derwood, 20855, United States
Join us for our September community meeting to view “Growing Legacy”, the award-winning film about Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve – a national model for farmland and open space preservation. The Agricultural Reserve also serves as the “Green Lung” that cools and cleans the air and protects our drinking water and wildlife. Post-film Q & A features local experts on farming along with filmmaker and Executive Director of the non-profit Montgomery Countryside Alliance, Caroline Taylor. Film produced by Montgomery Countryside Alliance. Door-prize sponsored by Mill Creek Towne Garden Club, Derwood, MD. Refreshments will be provided. This program is for Adults and Teens.
Date: Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Time: 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: Mill Creek Towne Elementary, 17700 Park Mill Drive, Derwood, MD 20855
Room: All-purpose Room
Hosts: Mill Creek Town Garden Club members
RSVP: info@mctgardenclub.org
*Please RSVP by Sunday, September 25th.

Link to Printable Flyer

About the Montgomery Countryside Alliance
http://mocoalliance.org
Map by Tina Thieme Brown
We:

Educate about the environmental, economic and recreational benefits of local farmland.
Support local farms to strengthen our rural economy.
Celebrate the beauty and abundance of the Ag Reserve.
Conserve the economic value and rural landscape of the Ag Reserve for current and future generations of the region.
Advocate for land use and transportation policies that enhance agriculture and land preservation.

Volunteer for Montgomery Countryside Alliance!
The Montgomery Countryside Alliance has a small full-time staff and there are always volunteer opportunities available. Opportunities range from photography, research, events planning, publications, phone outreach, grant making, and web management. We will try to find opportunities that match your interests. The work is demanding yet fulfilling. This program is approved for Student Service Learning (SSL) hours by Montgomery County Public Schools.
Mill Creek Towne Garden Club
www.mctgardenclub.org
Illustration by Sue Kay
Established in 1968, the objective of the Mill Creek Towne Garden Club is to stimulate and increase knowledge and interest in all facets of gardening among amateurs, establish an active community beautification program and to encourage civic beautification, and foster group activities for the benefit of the members and the community. The garden club also landscapes and maintains the Mill Creek Towne entrances and common areas.
The club meets once a month, at 7:30 pm on the 4th Tuesday of each month (except for May, July, November, and December). During school year, meetings are held at Mill Creek Towne Elementary school and during the summer, meetings are held at individual member’s homes. Each meeting features a garden-related program.

#‎MoCoAlliance‬ ‪#‎MOCO‬ ‪#‎AgReserve‬ ‪#‎Farm‬ ‪#‎OpenSpaces‬ ‪#‎DrinkingWater‬ ‪#‎CleanAir‬ ‪#‎Parks‬ ‪#‎Garden‬ ‪#‎Rockville‬ ‪#‎Gaithersburg‬ ‪#‎MontgomeryCounty‬ ‪#‎Maryland‬ ‪#‎Nature‬ ‪#‎Wildlife‬ ‪#‎Volunteer

06/25/2016 - Weed Warriors - Friends of Sligo Creek at Forest Glen
2016-06-25 08:00 | Norwood Local Park – Weed Warriors, 4899 Willett Parkway, Bethesda, MD, 20815, United States
Saturdays, 8-10am

Join us this morning to take on the invasive plants along the stream and the bike path. This seciton of Sligo Creek has had a steady group of volunteers working to preserve the secret biodiversity of Sligo Creek. Join us and we may just show you something cool. We’ll certainly teach you how to work the invasives that are probably in your yard too. Work continues in this section to remove undesirable plants, restore forest health and enjoy Sligo Creek throughout the year, usually the last Saturday of the month. Workdays occur in all temperatures, but are cancelled in the event of rain. Wear appropriate clothing, bring your own tools or borrow ours.
Please RSVP by noon on Friday.

MCT Garden Club April Meeting Topic: Shade Perennials
2016-04-26 19:30 - 21:00 | C Peterson’s house, 7825 Rydal Terrace, Derwood, 20855, United States
Hello fellow gardeners, neighbors, and friends!
The Mill Creek Towne Garden Club April meeting is all about planting perennials in the shade. Quite appropriate, since we all have shade somewhere in our yards. The program will be presented by Master Gardener, Les Rucker.

Since our meeting date falls on the Maryland voting day, we will be having the meeting at a member’s home – Thanks, Claire! Please join us to learn more about shade perennials and other gardening tips. Below is the date, time, and location of the next meeting:

Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2016 @ 7:30 pm
Topic: Shade Perennials
Speaker: Les Rucker, Master Gardener
Location: Claire Peterson’s home, 7825 Rydal Terrace, Derwood, MD 20855
Please RSVP by Monday, April 25th via email @ cspeterson84@gmail.com or call 301-869-4249
Hostesses: Claire Peterson, Carol Hyland

04/08/2016 - 2016 Green Matters Symposium: A Garden Gateway
2016-04-08 08:30 | MD
Join us for the 2016 Green Matters Symposium: A Garden Gateway! Brookside Gardens will host this annual educational event on Friday, April 8 from 8:30AM-4:00PM.
New landscapes are designed and constructed everyday in cities and towns throughout the country. Unfortunately, these projects often wreak havoc on the local environment. Demolished materials are sent to the landfill. Soils are compacted and washed away. Tree roots are damaged beyond repair. New materials contain pollutants and travel many miles to the site. Storm water is treated like waste in the design and is diverted straight into our sewer system. New plants are installed without consideration for their mature size, suitability for the site, or nativity to the area. The end product may look beautiful upon completion, but with a great environmental cost and often short-lived results. However, this is not the only way. Using Brookside Gardens’ recent Garden Gateway project as a springboard, the 2016 Green Matters Symposium will focus on elements of a successful, environmentally friendly landscape construction. From thorough planning to hardscape materials, native plants, and local artistry, the Symposium will inspire and offer practical suggestions on how landscape projects can be designed and constructed in an environmentally beneficial way.
Speakers include:

Lori Arguelles, Executive Director of the Alice Ferguson Foundation
Gennadyi Gurman, Head of Interpretation at the Queens Botanical Garden
Mary Pat Matheson, The Anna and Hays Mershon President & Chief Executive Officer at the Atlanta Botanical Garden
Stephanie Oberle, Director of Brookside Gardens
Thomas Ranier, Landscape Architect & Author of “Planting in a Post-Wild World”

Register at ActiveMONTGOMERY.org (Course #14881). Fees: $85 before March 1st; $99 from March 1st onward.
Friday, April 8, 2016 8:30am-4:00pm
Course # 14881Fee: $85 before March 1st, $99 from March 1st onwardRegister online at ActiveMONTGOMERY.org or call 301-962-1451
Green Matters, an annual symposium at Brookside Gardens since 2004, concentrates attention on the intersection of horticulture and environmental issues. Environmental issues. Environmental stewardship is a core value of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Brookside Gardens’ parent organization. As such, we strive to provide timely information and viable solutions to environmental challenges, because we feel strongly that green does matter

MCT Garden Club March Meeting Topic: Bees, Beneficials, and Blooms
2016-03-22 19:30 - 21:00 | Mill Creek Towne Elementary, 17700 Park Mill Dr, Derwood, 20855, United States
Hi Fellow Gardeners and Neighbors!
In March, the Mill Creek Towne Garden Club will have Master Gardener Marie Rojas talk about honey bees, native bees, and other beneficial insect pollinators and what to plant for them. As always, refreshments will be provided. Please come join us – all are welcome! Below are the details.

Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 @ 7:30 pm
Topic: Bees, Beneficials, and Blooms
Speaker: Marie Rojas, Master Gardener
Location: Mill Creek Towne Elementary All Purpose Room
Hostesses: MCT Garden Club members

02/28/2016 - Black History Month Celebrations 2015
2016-02-28 12:00 | MD
Celebrate Black History Month February 27 & 28, 2016Montgomery Parks is proud to provide this introduction to this rich, local African American history by hosting a series of free, tours, documentaries, and poetry at Josiah Henson Park!
Located in North Bethesda, MD on the historic Isaac Riley Farm this park is where the Reverend Josiah Henson lived and worked as a slave from 1795 to 1830.
Saturday, February 27

Free Guided Tours – Last tour begins 3:00 pmVolunteer historians and archeologists provide free guided tours that retrace the footsteps of Reverend Josiah Henson from his enslavement to escape on the Underground Railroad to freedom in Canada. Walk the grounds where Henson toiled as a slave on the Isaac Riley plantation.
Time Team America Documentary – “The Search For Josiah Henson”Shown at Noon, 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 pmEach Saturday we will show PBS’ Time Team America’s documentary, “The Search for Josiah Henson,” – an over-the-archaeologists’-shoulder view of discoveries made at our very own Josiah Henson Park.
Spoken Word Poetry Event – Lyrical Rhythms: The Sounds of Freedom3:00 – 4:00 pm | Free AdmissionClose out our Black History Month celebration with our annual poetry event. The month-long festivities conclude on Saturday, February 28 with a spoken word poetry event, “Lyrical Rhythms: The Sounds of Freedom.” Participants of all ages and races are welcome.

Sunday, February 28

Free Guided Tours – Last tour begins 3:00 pmVolunteer historians and archeologists provide free guided tours that retrace the footsteps of Reverend Josiah Henson from his enslavement to escape on the Underground Railroad to freedom in Canada. Walk the grounds where Henson toiled as a slave on the Isaac Riley plantation.
Time Team America Documentary – “The Search For Josiah Henson”Shown at Noon, 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 pmEach Saturday we will show PBS’ Time Team America’s documentary, “The Search for Josiah Henson,” – an over-the-archaeologists’-shoulder view of discoveries made at our very own Josiah Henson Park.

Josiah Henson Park is a historic resource of international significance because of its association with Reverend Henson, whose 1849 autobiography, The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe’s landmark novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Visit HistoryInTheParks.org for more information.

02/27/2016 - Black History Month Celebrations 2015
2016-02-27 12:00 | MD

MCT Garden Club February Meeting Topic: Creating Children's Gardens: Growing Gardeners
2016-02-23 19:30 - 21:00 | Mill Creek Towne Elementary, 17700 Park Mill Dr, Derwood, 20855, United States
Hi Fellow Gardeners, Neighbors, and Friends!
The next Mill Creek Towne Garden Club meeting is planned for February 23rd at the Mill Creek Towne Elementary School beginning at 7:30 p.m. Two Montgomery County Master Gardeners, Merikay Smith and LeeAnne Gelletly, will be speaking on “Children’s Gardens – Growing Gardeners”. This should be a great talk! We hope you can join us. We look forward to seeing you then! Below are the details.

Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2016 @ 7:30 pm
Topic: Creating Children’s Gardens: Growing Gardeners
Speaker: Merikay Smith and Lee Anne Gellety, Master Gardeners
Location: Mill Creek Towne Elementary Teacher’s Lounge
Hostesses: Heather Whirley, Lynn Hughes

2016 Spring Gardening Conference
2016-02-20 08:30 - 14:30 | University of Maryland Extension Montgomery County Office, 18400 Muncaster Rd, Derwood, MD 20855, Derwood, MD, 20855, United States
$55 per person or $50 each for two or more, includes lunch
Registration closes Febuary 16; no refunds after February 13
*Snow date – February 27, 2016 (In case of inclement weather, we follow Montgomery County Public Schools’ Weekend Activity Policy.)
Schedule of Events
Registration & Refreshments (8:30 – 9:00)
Welcome & Opening Remarks (9:00 – 9:15)
Session I (9:25 – 10:30)
A. Lawn vs Lore – Patricia Eng and Eric Wenger Do luscious lawns really require constant chemical care? Find out the truth about maintaining healthy turf in your landscape.
B. Designing a Right-Sized Garden – Susan Bell Overwhelmed at the prospect of gardening? Wondering how to downsize your landscape maintenance duties? Susan explores what elements create the most work in a garden and then discusses how to reduce or eliminate those tasks until you have a ‘right-sized’ garden that you can manage easily.
C. Healing Herbs – Heather Whirley Using herbs for healing is shrouded in mystery, going back centuries. Heather will highlight 15 herbs that can be grown in our area, with unique scientific properties that can aid in preventative medicine for overall health. This interactive class will include live and dried samples to smell and touch.
Session II (10:40 – 11:45)
D. Making the Most of the Soil You’ve Got – Mary Hagedorn Many folks bemoan “Maryland clay,” despite the fact that it has many advantages! And we actually don’t all have the same soil. There are many different soil types in our area. Find out how to tell what type of soil you have and tips to make the most of what you’ve got.
E. Creating a Children’s Garden: Growing Gardeners – LeeAnne Gelletly and Merikay Smith Gardening isn’t just for grownups! Inspire kids to learn more about the world of dirt, plants, and bugs. What makes a garden child-friendly? We’ll share garden elements that appeal to kids and ideas on how to incorporate these into your garden. Includes inspirations from public children’s gardens.
F. Managing Garden Pests – Marie Rojas Are organic pesticides always safer than synthetic ones? Come and discover what works and what doesn’t; which insects and diseases are common in our landscapes, and how to prevent them from becoming a problem in yours.
Lunch (12:00 – 1:00)
Informal lunchtime talks are open to anyone interested; register for one or both
Lasagna Gardens – Heather Zindash. Learn the “lasagna method” of gardening! Heather will show you how to create easy, no-till garden beds for food, flower, or ornamental plants.
Tools of the Trade – Joe Ginther. Get ready for spring! Joe will discuss and demonstrate garden tool sharpening and maintenance.
Session III (1:00 – 2:05)
G. Proper Pruning Practices – Do Plants Care? – Eric Wenger Is pruning harmful to plants? Find out the truth about how plants really feel about “surgery!”
H. Simple Seed Starting – Terri Pitts Think indoor seed starting takes lots of time and effort? Think again! Learn simple ways to start your seeds indoors and get a jump start on the growing season.
I. Going Native – Merikay Smith Do native plants really thrive in our gardens without care? Will planting natives really bring in more butterflies, birds, and pollinators? Come and learn how to successfully use native plants in your landscape – be it deer-ridden, shady or sunny, wet or dry, or sloped.
Wrap-up (2:15 – 2:30)
Open question-and-answer forum with presenters. Last of the fabulous door prizes will be awarded.

Have questions about EXPLODING THE MYTHS: Facts to Help You Avoid Common Gardening Mythstakes? Contact Montgomery County Master Gardeners

02/13/2016 - Maple Sugaring Days
2016-02-13 15:00 | MD
February is Maple Sugaring Month at Brookside Nature Center. Every Saturday and Sunday you’ll have an opportunity to experience an American tradition: maple sugaring! Watch the whole maple sugaring process from start to finish. See sap drip from trees and taste it. Watch us boil it down into sweet maple syrup, then sample a tasty treat. Join in the fun and activities and learn something new at this family-friendly program! Space is limited so pre-registration is encouraged.
Ages 3 & up

02/13/2016 - Make It Take It: Valentine Treat for the Birds.
2016-02-13 11:30 | MD
Share a valentine with our feathered friends. Drop by during program hours and create this seasonal delight to take home with you. No registration required. Exact change appreciated.
All ages

02/13/2016 - Explore Wild Montgomery: Black Hill Trail
2016-02-13 10:00 | MD
Explore wild Montgomery with a Locust Grove park naturalist. Each week we’ll hike a different trail at a different Montgomery County park. Today we’ll take a leisurely 3-mile walk on Black Hill Trail around Little Seneca Lake and up into the natural surface trails of Black Hill Park. Meet in the Visitor Center parking lot in Black Hill Regional Park.
Ages 6 & up

02/09/2016 - Community Meeting- Long Branch Wayne Local Park
2016-02-09 19:00 | MD
A Community Meeting to discuss the future of Long Branch-Wayne Local Park will be held on Tuesday, February 9, 2016 from 7:00PM-9:00PM at the Oak View Elementary School in Silver Spring, MD. The public is encouraged to come out and provide input on park usage and offer ideas on potential park improvements.

Meeting will be held at Oak View Elementary School, 400 E. Wayne Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20901.
Click here for additional information.

02/07/2016 - Maple Sugaring Days
2016-02-07 15:00, 2016-02-07 13:00 | MD

02/07/2016 - Harpists at the Visitor Center
2016-02-07 13:00 | MD
Join us for an afternoon of beautiful harp music and the natural beauty of Black Hill all around you.
All ages

02/06/2016 - Maple Sugaring Days
2016-02-06 15:00 | MD

02/06/2016 - Raptor Feeding
2016-02-06 12:00 | MD
Observe Meadowside’s resident raptors during their feeding time and hear some stories about the raptors on exhibit.
All ages

02/06/2016 - Raptor Enrichment
2016-02-06 11:30 | MD
Raptors are smart! Come see Meadowside’s resident raptors as they search for food, explore new objects, and encounter new experiences.
All ages

01/31/2016 - What Are You Missing?
2016-01-31 16:00 - 16:30 | Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD, 20902, United States
Look around…listen…breath deep…touch! Our understanding of the world around us is based on what we can sense, and what we can imagine. As humans, we have limited senses of hearing and sight–and our sense of time also has an effect on what we understand. Join a Brookside naturalist to learn how to use different tools to expand your powers of observation and sharpen your senses. You never know what you’ll discover when you take a closer look!
Ages 5 & up

01/31/2016 - January Storytimes: Winter Weather
2016-01-31 15:00 - 15:30 | Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD, 20902, United States
Now that the weather is colder, enjoy a tale about nature in the cozy comfort of the nature center. Join us in January by our cozy hearth to watch the weather from our big window while listening to a different story each week about the wonders of winter weather like snowflakes, crystals and ice.
Ages 3 to 6

01/31/2016 - Make It and Take It: Twig Art
2016-01-31 13:30 - 15:30 | Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Dr., Boyds, MD, 20841, United States
Drop by the Visitor Center and have some fun! We’ll have easy-to-make seasonal crafts that you can make and take home. No registration required; drop-in anytime during program hours! Fee is per craft; exact change is appreciated.
All ages

01/31/2016 - Meet the Animals
2016-01-31 13:30 - 14:00 | Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD, 20902, United States
What animals live in and around Wheaton Regional Park and which animals actually live in the nature center? Join this family friendly presentation and your chance to see the animals close up.
Ages 2 & up

01/31/2016 - Ladies Trek: Agricultural History Farm Park
2016-01-31 09:00 - 11:00 | University of Maryland Extension Montgomery County Office, 18400 Muncaster Rd, Derwood, MD, 20855, United States
Want to hike but don’t quite know where to go? Meet other women and hike park trails with a park naturalist. Hike lengths vary with the pace of each group. Today we’ll hike in the Agricultural History Farm Park – a 410-acre complex situated along Rock Creek in Derwood, Maryland. The park features a farmhouse, barn, assorted farm buildings and an activity center, as well as 7- acres set aside to depict historic life on the farm. Meet at the parking lot to the left of the Activity Center, 18400 Muncaster Road, Derwood, MD. Trail Map: http://www.montgomeryparks.org/PPSD/ParkTrails/trails_MAPS/trailmap_pdfs/Ag_HistFarm.pdf
Ages 18 & up

01/30/2016 - Family Scavenger Hunt
2016-01-30 13:00 - 15:00 | Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Dr., Boyds, MD, 20841, United States
Bring the family to Black Hill Visitor Center to hunt for natural treasures! Drop by the Visitor Center to pick up a scavenger hunt sheet, get some helpful hints, and then head outside to start looking. When you’ve finished, come back to the Visitor Center to get a prize. No registration required – drop in anytime during program hours!
All ages
