Category Archives: Horticulture

March 18, 2026 · 8:03 pm

Succulents: a Garden in a Container

This could be your first garden project of the season — unless you’re currently picking up branches, raking leaves, or otherwise cleaning up.

But even if you are, why not set aside a few moments to make a succulent arrangement that will look beautiful on a sunny spot indoors now and will be ready to be moved outdoors when the weather warms up.

Garden Club members enjoyed learning and making arrangements during our March 17 meeting and workshop led by Horticulture Committee chairs Alix Dunn (left) and Lisa Maxwell. Tables were set up at the O’Hara Nature Center with buckets of gritty mix, container mix, and charcoal (“charcoal is a good soil booster for strengthening roots,” Lisa notes). Containers held ample amounts of gravel, pebbles, moss, and sea glass to decorate, embellish, and hold in water and soil. The table was covered with rows of small succulents in plastic pots.

For an attractive and successful planting that can reside in a sunny indoor spot now, last at all spring and summer, and even come back indoors next fall, follow these suggestions:

  1. Choose a container with or without drainage holes. Because succulents need so little water, you can use plain or fancy containers ranging from stone and terra cotta pots to casserole dishes, interesting pottery pieces found on vacation, coffee mugs, and teacups.
  2. Create your arrangement with the succulents in their plastic pots first. You may also want to add some existing plants, including cacti or fading succulents that could use a trim — old wrinkled leaves removed — and watch them come back to life.
  3. When you’re happy with the design, set the pots aside and sprinkle a little charcoal on the bottom of the container, which some garden club members say helps prevent root rot.
  4. Mix together 50/50 gritty mix and regular container mix and fill the container half full.
  5. Gently remove the succulents from their pots and place in the soil mixture.
  6. Add more soil as needed to cover the roots and even the surface, then top the arrangement with decorative gravel or pebbles and moss as desired.
  7. Water lightly, and water only when the container is completely dry.

Here are some of the results:

Some of these arrangements may be available at our Garden Fair and Plant Sale in May!  Watch this site for announcements.

All potting materials may be purchased at Michaels.com. Succulents can be found at most garden centers or on Amazon.

Filed under Horticulture, Irvington Garden Club Events

Tagged as ,

February 18, 2026 · 4:32 pm

Grow In The Snow!

On Saturday, February 21, Garden Club of Irvington members Dorrie Bernstein and Kathryn Slocum demonstrated that it’s never too early or too snowy to start your kitchen garden plants or perennials from seed. The event was held from 9 – 10 am (indoors) at The Nature Center at Greenburgh. 

At this fascinating, useful workshop, Dorrie and Kathryn showed attendees how to start seeds now during the coldest day that will be ready to transplant in time for warm-season planting and at much lower cost than if you purchased them at a garden center.

Here’s a preview of the steps involved: 

1. Choose translucent 1-gallon milk jugs. Drill holes in the bottom of the jug for drainage.
2. Mark the jug for cutting just below the handle.
3. Slice the jug apart with a sharp X-Acto knife, leaving the area around the handle intact to act as a hinge.
4. Fill the bottom part with moistened potting soil and sprinkle seeds over the top. Press the seeds down to make contact with the soil and sprinkle a light covering of soil over the seeds. Sprinkle with water.
5. Securely duct tape the jug closed.
6. Use a permanent marker (“Garden Marker”) to write the name of the seed variety and the date on the jug. Place outdoors on the north side of your house (yes, in the snow is fine). Watch the jugs to make sure the soil stays moist. Lift the jug. If it is light, it needs water.
7. Following nature’s timetable, the seeds will sprout in time for planting. As the weather warms (if there are seedlings growing), you can open the tops during the day and close them at night.
8.–9. Soon, you’ll have healthy seedlings ready to separate and plant in larger containers or in the garden.

Dorrie filled and placed these jugs with vegetable and native plant seeds on the north side of her house on Monday.

Here are some lovely chard seedlings from last season. Dorrie and Kathryn grow a lot of the produce they use in their creative cooking.
You can, too. Sign up using the QR code below.

Filed under Annuals and Perennials, Horticulture, Irvington Garden Club Events, Rivertowns Westchester NY, Vegetable Gardening

Video

Soil and Water: Two Things Plants Can’t Live Without

By Judith Gouraige, Ph.D.

Until we heard Judith’s talk, 99% of us did not know that 50% of the water on earth is produced by oceanic plankton.

Garden Club member Judith Gouraige has been a leader in science education in New York City and Westchester Country schools for more than 20 years. Her roles have included implementing AP programs and working with administrators, teacher leaders, and classroom teachers to plan strong 9–12 science programs. She has an M.S. in Educational Leadership and Administration from the College of New Rochelle and a Ph.D. in Science Education from Stony Brook University.

She recently spoke to Garden Club members and guests on the subjects of soil and water, emphasizing that for optimum plant health water and soil can’t be separated (and making many of us wish she’d been our high school science teacher.) The talk included a “not too geeky” summary of the effects of global warming: More water is in the atmosphere because it’s hotter, and we’re having more and stronger storms that cause floods. And she recommended that we collect and recycle rainwater.

Following are Judith’s practical points related to plants’ soil and water needs to keep in mind, especially now that winter is here and most plants we’re taking care of are in pots, living indoors in less than ideal — too dry — environments.

“Water is involved in every cell,” Judith reminded club members and guests during her talk at the O’Hara Nature Center. “97% of the earth is covered with water.”

WATER

  • Water is the essential nutrient for plants and comprises up to 95% of a plant’s tissue. It’s required for a seed to sprout. As the plant grows, water carries nutrients throughout the plant. The roots reach toward water sources and pull the water toward the stem and leaves.
  • Water is necessary for photosynthesis. During this process, plants use carbon dioxide from the air and hydrogen from the water, absorbed through their roots, to make their food, glucose. Oxygen is released as a byproduct.
  • Water is responsible for cell structural support in many plants, creating a constant pressure on cell walls called turgor, which makes the plant flexible yet strong, and allows it to bend in the wind or move its leaves toward the sun to maximize photosynthesis.
  •  Winter is the time for dormancy, and therefore less watering (if any) is needed for outdoor plants. Indoor plants require watering at least weekly. If you have forced-air heating, thus very low indoor humidity, use a hand-held water meter to check the soil.

Attendees were given worksheets with the formulae for water, the physical characteristics, density, and amounts of water in the atmosphere, on the earth, in the body.

SOIL

  • Soil is the substrate in which plants grow and obtain nutrients. Plant roots reach into soil pores and collect nutrients that are held in the soil. Bacteria and fungus in the soil break nutrients from mineral and organic sources free, making them water-soluble for plants to use.
  • Plant roots create smaller pores in the soil, which help serve as water and air channels in the soil. A healthy soil is about 50% solids (minerals and organic material). The rest is pore space for air and water.
  • Plants need nutrients. Essential ones are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are largely absorbed via the air and water. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) are the main components of fertilizer. Most Westchester soils are nutrient-rich, so it’s recommended to fertilize plants once a month during the growing season.
  • Soil compaction is the cause of many houseplants’ misery. Repot at least every three to five years. Most commercial potting mixtures are not ideal to be used as-is in pots or beds. Make your own mixture by adding perlite or vermiculite and sand to avoid compaction and increase drainage. Check to see what percentage of each amendment is right for your plants.

Applause, please. With Judith, learning stuff out of your usual comfort zone can be fun.

(Editor’s note: Need more information? Where and how to check your plants’ needs? Many recipes are available online for making good houseplant mix beginning with bagged potting soil.

To find specific  requirements for each indoor plant, reach for this classic book: “The Houseplant Expert” by Dr. D.G. Hessayon (ISBN13: 9780903505130) available at sites like Thriftbooks. It contains an extensive A-Z Houseplant Encyclopedia that lists the ideal air temperature for each type of houseplant and its light, water, and repotting needs.

The types of soil moisture meters Judith swears by are available at Home Depot and various online sources.

 

 

 

 

 

December 14, 2025 · 12:31 pm
October 19, 2025 · 8:41 pm

The O’Hara Nature Center’s CJ Reilly: What It Really Means to be an Influencer

If you’re not already a fan of CJ Reilly, meet the heart and soul of the O’Hara Nature Center and Irvington Woods Park.

With a passion for nature and a gift for teaching, CJ has been greening our community for the past five years. He’s not only an arborist, ecologist and plant scientist, he’s a mentor, leader, and friend to many.

CJ’s journey is as diverse as the land he cares for. As director of the O’Hara Nature Center (ONC) and Irvington Woods Park for the past five years, Charles J. Reilly III has been leading the stewardship of a 251-acre forest, selecting and caring for the trees and plants and supervising staff, contractors and volunteers. With grants from the New York State Department of Conservation, Harvard Forest, Cornell, and Westchester County agencies, CJ manages more than $500,000 for invasive species control, deer mitigation, tree planting and youth-led programs.

CJ in his ‘office’ at the O’Hara Nature Center

“My first — and continuing — passion is teaching,” he says. That’s evident in the many ways he’s teaching us how to take care of our planet and the living things growing on it. Consultant and project manager for the Irvington and Mamaroneck School Districts, he’s develops K–8 sustainability and climate education projects and aligning curricula to State and NextGen standards. In the Village of Irvington, he’s responsible for the street trees. At the ONC, he leads innovative, hands-on horticulture and land management programs, including monthly volunteer Stewardship Saturdays for adults and families.

Budding Naturalists conduct water-quality and wildlife surveys

Participants in the  2nd through 4th grade Budding Naturalists gain exposure to “backyard ecology” and learn about everything from the animals in the environment to the impact of climate change.

Changing Forest students with the Norway maple they helped take down

The 6th through 12th grade Changing Forest students are involved in projects like taking down invasive trees, making what now looks like “a messy pile of branches” into an area that in 30 to 40 years will be a sustainable host forest for varied bird and insect life.

“My family loves CJ, and the kids grow in so many ways under his instruction,” says Katherine Lark, mom of two high school students who participate in the ONC’s programs. “My husband Fritz and I couldn’t be happier with their experiences. The programs provide so many benefits, including learning about nature and environmental conservation, doing hands-on work that develops practical skills, and getting leadership, citizen-scientist and community service opportunities — welcome breaks from screen time!”

At the Old-Growth Network recognition ceremony last spring

CJ’s efforts have received many accolades, including the Old Growth Network Award for Community Forest Recognition; a Google Geo for Good Impact Award; and a Cornell Graduate Student Research Award. The Garden Club of America (GCA) awarded him the 2023 GCA Elizabeth Abernathy Hull Award for Youth Environmental Education.

Garden Club of Irvington members are longtime CJ fans; he’s been one of our most influential voices, leading us in workshops where we learned to propagate citrus trees using air-layering techniques. He’s assisted our members in planning hands-on workshops on topics like making bee hotels. Our club will be playing a growing role as ONC docents and community educators.

This past June, CJ was a keynote speaker at the GCA’s Zone III Meeting, where he shared with presidents and representatives of the 23 GCA garden clubs in New York State his successful strategies for partnering with parks departments, school districts, nature centers and community volunteers. Says Meeting Chair Anne Myers, “CJ’s training, experience and passion for forest ecology and community land stewardship captivated the audience and sent attendees home motivated to get more involved in their own communities.”

We invite you to visit the O’Hara Nature Center and Irvington Woods. “The grounds and woods are open every day from dawn to dusk,” CJ explains. “It’s a great place to come for hiking, walking and birdwatching.”

The O’Hara Nature Center is located at 170 Mountain Road, Irvington, NY 10533. Preregistration is required for the free Stewardship Saturdays. (The upcoming meetups this year are 10/25, 11/8, 11/22, 12/6 and 12/13.) The afterschool programs, have a fee. Much more information here.

Filed under Conservation, Family Events, Horticulture, Native Plants, Rivertowns Westchester NY

Tagged as , , , ,

September 27, 2025 · 8:32 pm

Window Boxes Continue to Brighten Irvington

September is ending, and the windowsills at the Irvington Post Office on Buckhout Street sport garlands of fall leaves. Two cartons are already set up for kids to post their letters to Santa. However, the window boxes planted by Garden Club of Irvington members and friends are still going strong.

On June 1 (above): Planting at the Post Office — and then in window boxes in front of stores along Main Street —  (l-r): Judy Frimer, Jo-Anne Kelly, Marilyn Ghilardi, Tracy O’Neil, Anne Myers, Joan Nelson, Renee Shamosh, Christine Plazas, Sarah Ostrower, Mary Toomy.

Later in June, we caught Irvington letter carrier Ahmed Khursed (l) and and postal supervisor Vernon Searight admiring the blooms.

On September 26, still blooming: Supertunia® ‘Tiara Blue’ Petunia; ‘Million Bells’ calibrachoa petunia hybrid; and ‘Angelface White’ angelonia summer snapdragon.

For long-lasting color and continuous bloom in containers, choose heat- and drought- tolerant annuals like alyssum, lantana, petunias, verbena, and vinca for sun and/or begonias and impatiens for shade. Here are more ideas: https://www.provenwinners.com/learn/top-ten-lists/21-annuals-sun-scorched-patios-and-window-boxes

Filed under Annuals and Perennials, Horticulture, Rivertowns Westchester NY

Tagged as , ,

May 19, 2025 · 5:27 pm

Five Reasons to Love Our Plant Sale

Reason #1 — Your deck was almost cleaned up and the furniture was arranged, but it looked a little dull.

 

Reason #2 — So, last Saturday morning you visited The Nature Center at Greenburgh. Awaiting you were the healthiest, most beautiful plants and the friendliest people to provide expert gardening advice.

 

Reason #3 — It wasn’t easy to choose, but boxed up in on the Nature Center lawn, your choices looked terrific and the prices were so good you just had to grab a few more.

 

Reason #4 — When you got home, the real fun began: choosing the right pot and spot for each plant.

 

Reason #5 —  There! All the deck really needed was a few pops of color.

 

Reason #5, continued — In just a few hours, the deck was ready for its close-up, and for the plants to grow and bloom. And for you and your guests to enjoy relaxing and meals outdoors. And for you to get back to work planting the perennials — especially those beautiful natives — out in the garden.

You weren’t at the Nature Center at Greenburgh on that Saturday morning last year? There’s always this year. Mark your calendar now: Saturday, May 2, 2026.

Filed under Annuals and Perennials, Family Events, Greenburgh Nature Center, Horticulture, Indoor Plants, Irvington Garden Club Events, Landscape and Garden Design, Rivertowns Westchester NY

Tagged as , ,

November 16, 2024 · 5:00 pm

“Train Yourself to See Things Differently”

Those were the words of the talented, animated, passionate photographer Jeanne Newman, who recently spoke to the Garden Club about how to take the best pictures of flowers and other natural subjects.

Major takeaways:
• Have the light behind you.
• Remember the “rule of thirds,” that is, don’t shoot dead center. Use the grid on the phone to place the subject of the image within the left or right two-thirds of the frame.
• For the most dramatic images, bisect the frame on the diagonal.
• You don’t need a tripod, but you do need to keep the camera or phone steady. Dig your elbow into your hip to stabilize yourself.
• Use pattern, repetition, and visual cadence — different heights of objects in the composition — to create mystery and make your image a world unto itself.
• You have to love the way nature designs everything.

In her slide presentation, Jeanne generously offered the following detailed advice:

Know your camera, whether it’s your phone, a point-and-shoot, DSLR, or mirrorless camera. Become familiar with all its capabilities. Refer to the manual or go to YouTube for more information. Once you’re comfortable with the tool you’re using, shoot lots of images. You can always delete or transfer them to your computer. But shoot!

Try multiple ways of photographing your subject.  Get as close as you can. Move far away too. Look up or down at the subject. Change the angle of the camera with a deliberate tilt. And be curious. What drew you to photograph the subject? Does it deserve one or two snaps or 20? Fully explore everything about the subject in as many shots as you can manage.

Positive and negative space is important! It’s a primary and essential design concept that will change how you view all your photographic subjects. The interplay between the positive space in your picture plane and the “empty” space that surrounds it is crucial to creating a dynamic image.

Lines, curves and kineticism. Get serious about the curves and lines within the composition that guide the viewer’s eyes. Because you’re designing within a rectangular space, remember that diagonal lines within the composition create kineticism or movement and energy. “S” or “Z” curves do the same. Capitalize on those design facts when you shoot. Repeating vertical and horizontal lines is another energizing tactic.

Bokeh (blur) yes or no? Learning how to use the aperture or f/stops affects the overall look of your image-making by letting you focus on the subject and artistically blurring the background or foreground. Start by trying portrait mode on your phone-camera. Then experiment with f/stops; the larger the aperture, the smaller the number, the more light comes in through the lens, creating a shallower depth of field.

Color or black and white? Mono or polychromatic? Look for color families within your subject. Is the color the most compelling thing about the image, or do you think that because of the dramatic light, the image will translate well into B/W? Sensitize yourself to these possibilities as you refine your shooting approach.

Study floral/botanical/nature/photographs online and in magazines. You will begin to see how all the design concepts above will merge and come together for you. Learn to be discriminating in how you view our amazing world with every image you shoot.

To see more of the beautiful work of Jeanne Newman—and learn from it—please go to thewelldressedsnapshot.com

Filed under Botanical Art, Garden Club Flower Show Categories, Horticulture, Nature Photography

Tagged as , , ,

May 29, 2024 · 4:36 pm

More Reasons to Love Our Garden Club

The pergola at Wave Hill frames glorious views of the Hudson River and the Palisades. Wave Hill’s 28 acres of gardens and woodlands are located in Riverdale, the Bronx, New York City.

The benefits of belonging to the Garden Club of Irvington include the many trips we take to botanical gardens and private gardens in the New York City area. In recent years, we’ve enjoyed visits to the Bartlett Arboretum, Battery Park Gardens, Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Cloisters, the High Line, private gardens in Bedford (including Martha Stewart’s), and Untermyer Gardens Conservancy. The trips are always guided by expert docents and followed by lunch onsite or at a nearby restaurant. We recently had the pleasure of visiting Wave Hill on a beautiful late spring day. Our members are not only interested in the ever-changing plantings, but in honing their photography skills. Here is a selection of shots taken that day, with kudos to the photographers.

 

Alison Gilmore

 

Alison Gilmore

 

Deb Flock

 

Edna Kornberg

 

Edna Kornberg

 

Ellen Shapiro

 

Kathy Evers

 

Dorrie Bernstein

 

Dorrie Bernstein

 

Renee Shamosh

 

Renee Shamosh

 

Our guides Tony Courtade and Eileen Kreisle, a Garden Club member who volunteers at Wave Hill.

Filed under Garden History and Design, Horticulture, Landscape and Garden Design, Nature Photography, NY and CT Public Garden Tours

Tagged as ,

April 15, 2024 · 2:15 pm

Mark Your Calendar! Plant Sale and Garden Fair May 17

The best plants! The most fun! The best prices!

Featuring shade-friendly and deer-resistant native perennials, many grown in members’ gardens.

Our unusual, colorful annuals are grown from cuttings and seeds and lovingly tended in the Nature Center greenhouse.

Plus you’ll get free expert gardening advice and supervised potting activity for kids.

Get there early for the best selection.

GNC staff will guide you to parking and help you get your haul to your car in a wheelbarrow or wagon.

 

The Nature Center at Greenburgh is located at 99 Dromore Road, Scarsdale, off Central Avenue

Filed under Annuals and Perennials, Family Events, Horticulture, Irvington Garden Club Events, Native Plants, Outdoor and Indoor Plants, Plant Sale, Recreation, Westchester County, NY, Rivertowns Westchester NY, Shade Plants

Tagged as , , , ,

October 21, 2023 · 8:26 am

Members Learn Air Layering to Clone Fruit Trees

Woman propagating citrus

Garden club members learned a challenging and rewarding new skill: How to air-layer citrus plants — lemon, orange, kumquat — to create offspring that will bear fruit identical to that of the parent.

CJ Reilly, Director of Education and Head of Grounds and Operations at the O’Hara Nature Center and Irvington Woods Park, led us through a process that included:

  • Locating a healthy, straight branch about the diameter of a pencil and selecting a 1″ long area of the branch to work on.
  • Clipping off the leaves adjacent to the area, then scraping of the bark to expose the inner wood.
  • Mixing one part each moss and organic soil into a rough ball, moistening it, and wrapping it around the exposed inner wood.
  • Covering the rounded mass with a plastic baggie and sealing it with tape or twine.

CJ Reilly demonstrates how to strip off an inch of bark without injuring the young tree.

Air layering is an age-old and important skill, CJ explained, because you can successfully clone many fruit trees, including apple, peach, fig and lychee—all of which usually take eight to ten years to bear fruit if planted from seed. And the fruit from seed will often different from that of the parent. With air layering, flowering and fruit typically occur in one to two years for limes and lemons and in two to three years for oranges. This method can also be successful for perennial shrubs like azaleas.

The Nature Center graciously supplied all the materials and most of the plants,

The plants Garden Club members worked on will live at the Nature Center until the mossy spheres in their plastic skins sprout roots. Then the root balls will be transplanted into new containers. The young plants can be left outdoors when there is no chance of frost. “Your air-layered branches should be ready to transplant in two to three months,” CJ said. “You’re all taking them home at the end of December.”

 

“We all look intense and immersed in what we are doing,” commented Club co-president Linda Azif. “These photos reflect how our members work, learn and support each other.”

 

For further information, please contact the  O’Hara Nature Center.

Photographs by Edna Kornberg and CJ Reilly.

Filed under Horticulture

Tagged as , , , ,