News

Big Changes Coming to Post Office Square

Big Changes Coming to Post Office Square

If you’ve walked past the garden in front of the Belfast Post Office recently, you might notice that something looks different, though you can’t quite put your finger on it. The blue spruce that grew at–and then outgrew–the center of the garden has been removed by the Department of Public Works in preparation for a complete revamping of this very visible space. City Council approved the BGC redesign of the garden on April 1, and Public Gardens co-chair Marsha Siviski and her team of volunteer gardeners will be hard at work this spring and summer reshaping the space to be…

Public Gardens Committee Springs Back Into Action!

Public Gardens Committee Springs Back Into Action!

For many visitors, the thirteen public gardens maintained by the Belfast Garden Club are their first inkling that Belfast is a very special place. Go to the post office, the library, the public landing at the harbor, the police station, the city park, the cemetery, the city hall, the Coast Guard station, or to the loo* and you’ll find the handiwork of some very adept and dedicated club members who don’t mind getting their hands dirty. Although summer will be the time to showcase each garden individually, now’s the time to give a shout-out to some of the hardest-working members…

vintage water lily graphic

BGC Poster Contest: Beautiful Conclusion

We received 23 entries to the contest to find work by local artists to feature on the posters advertising the Annual Plant Sale and the Open Gardens Days. The five judges (from the BGC and Waterfall Arts) had an impressive array of paintings, prints, drawings, and photographs from which to choose. The two artists whose work will appear on the poster are photographer Louise Shorette and painter Judy Taylor. This is just a teaser: You won’t see their lovely winning pieces until the posters go up in late April and late May!

Now Appearing In A Yard Near You

Now Appearing In A Yard Near You

Snowdrops are showing up in yards all over Belfast (and probably in other places, too–but it’s in Belfast where we have seen them). Galanthus nivalis reportedly herald Persephone’s annual return from the Underworld, where she spends the long, bleak winters with her husband, pining for her mother and eating pomegranates. Transported to Britain from the Middle East in the 16th century by monks, snowdrops have long been the impetus for rejoicing. Not only are they a sign that winter is drawing to a close, but they were an early source for galantamine, a drug used to slow the progression of…

Two women starting seeds at a window

Starting Spring

A group of eager gardeners met on Thursday, March 20th at the home of Lee Graham to learn the secrets of successful seed-starting. Lee and Sue Conard, seed starters extraordinaire, provided tips on containers, soil mixes, light, heat, and varieties of seed. While attendees learned that there is no single “right” way to start plants from seed, much can be done to avoid the inevitable pitfalls that might discourage a novice. Many left the workshop with containers planted and ready to germinate!

maple sugar buckets on trees

Maple Sugaring Time Means EdCom Is Busy!

Contributed by Kayleen Penniman, Educational Committee Well, it may be hibernation time for many of us but in the elementary schools’ garden programs, activities are awake and well. Food Core workers at East Belfast, Nickerson and the CASS school have been busy. Trees have been tapped at the schools that have maples and the schools are busy making and sharing fresh-churned ice cream. The garden workers are reading about Augustus Jackson, the first United States citizen to create a recipe for ice cream using rock salt. The fun part is being invited to help and taste the delicious treats. Students…