2021

Wednesday, September 22, 2021
5 pm Board Meeting

 

Wednesday, September 29, 2021
6 pm General Business Membership Zoom Meeting

Speaker, Suzanne Mahler “Great Public Gardens of New England"

Visit Suzanne's website to learn more: https://www.suzannemahler.com/

 

Past Events

2021

Tuesday, February 2, 2021
5 pm Winter Zoom Meeting - Members Only

Agenda items will be presented first with our scheduled speaker, C.L. Fornari to follow. This is an “informal” meeting, the purpose of which is to allow us to gather, see each other virtually , and have the opportunity to hear various speakers. 

C.L. Fornari is the author of eight books and numerous articles, including the regular column, Retail Revival, in Garden Center Magazine. She is currently the host of GardenLine, on WXTK and co-host of the Plantrama podcast. C.L. speaks to horticultural trade shows, gardening groups and public gatherings.

C.L. runs a consultation service for Hyannis Country Garden. Her not-so-secret mission is to put horticulture back into popular culture…in the meantime she cultivates plants, including dozens of Hydrangeas at Poison Ivy Acres on Cape Cod. Find out more and read her blog at www.gardenlady.com 

C.L. will share the excitement about new hydrangea varieties from a variety of plant breeders and growers, discuss the impact that climate change has had on some of our favorite varieties, and share her thoughts on this year’s Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival.

Tuesday, March 16, 2021
5 pm March Zoom Meeting - Members Only

Our guest speaker will be Kristin VanHoose from Hydrangeas Plus in Oregon. 

Kristin VanHoose and her husband David own Hydrangeas Plus® and Amethyst Hill Nursery in Aurora, OR. David & Kristin purchased the nursery operation in 1999 and specialize in hydrangeas and other ornamental shrubs. The VanHooses grow more than 300 different varieties and cultivars and are renowned for the vast collection of rare and unusual varieties. Kristin grew up in Richland, Washington and graduated from Washington State University and moved to Portland after the completion of her MBA. In her rare spare time, she likes to spend time with her two daughters. She is a past President for the Oregon Association of Nurseries and volunteers on many local committees.

Members will receive a brief reminder and the Agenda along with a Zoom link prior to the meeting date. Not a member? Click Here to join.

Friday, April 9, 2021
10:30 am - 11:30 am Virtual Hydrangea Success Series: Pruning - Open to Public

Hydrangea pruning can be a challenging activity well beyond our much-favored H. macrophylla species – especially considering that there are five “other species” common to home gardens. Over the years, Cape Cod Hydrangea Society's and Heritage Museums and Gardens' Hydrangea Curator and expert, Mal Condon, has refined the pruning process to meet each species’ unique needs. Join us online as Mal provides step-by-step instructions on how to prune these “other species” – including smooth leaf, panicle, oakleaf, mountain, and climbing hydrangeas. Learn how to selectively prune your plants to improve vigor, increase bloom density, check plant height, and enhance ornamental value. Mal’s detailed presentation includes discussion of all the tools, techniques, and tips you’ll need for success with your plants.

The live webinar, hosted by Heritage Museums and Gardens, will include time for questions, as well as a PDF of the slides for reference. All program registrants will also receive a link to the video recording, available for 48 hours after the event. Advance registration is required. Don’t miss this important “how-to” workshop – register here via the Heritage website.

Wednesday, May 12, 2021
6 pm General Business & Membership Meeting via Zoom - Open to Public

Agenda items will include CCHS Board reports as well as Committee Head introductions with a short synopsis of each of committee's functions focusing on current/upcoming activities. There will also be an opportunity for new member introductions.

Directly following will be Mal Condon’s presentation, ‘Hydrangeas in The Azores – So Many Macrophyllas’.

"We visited three islands in the Azorean archipelago in August 2019 principally to view Hydrangea macrophylla plantings which grow in abundance everywhere. An introduced species, the H. macrophyllas dominate the landscape – in home gardens and in the countryside in an almost indigenous wild manner to the point they are now considered invasive.

All nine islands of the Azores are volcanic in origin and the landscape is typically rugged with steep terrain being common. Near the eastern-most pattern of the Gulf Stream, the climate is extraordinarily temperate ranging from 40 to 80F although higher elevations may experience minimum freezing events in winter. This may be the best climate on our planet for H. macrophylla.

And H. macrophylla is the only species that will grow in the Azores. H. arborescens was trialed but winter (dormant) chill hours are insufficient to sustain plant vigor and reliable flowering. This virtual presentation will be a travelogue of our two weeks in this pleasant country well worth visiting for its plants and people."

A handout, including all slides and information presented in this lecture, will be available on the CCHS website following this virtual webinar presentation.

Wednesday, June 16, 2021
Noon - 2 pm Lunch Bunch - Members Only

Container Gardening with Hydrangea Macrophyllas.

Join Linda in her garden for a lunchtime social gathering and a 'Pot-n-Pot' or 'Bag-n-Pot' demonstration using less bud-hardy macrophyllas in containers. Create a beautiful planter using your favorite hydrangea as the focal point and annuals or perennials as supporting players. Learn how to overcome winter damage to those hydrangeas used in your containers. Bring your smiles, a chair, lunch and a beverage.

Hosted at the home of Linda Coven, 121 Camp Street, Unit 106, West Yarmouth, MA 02673 

Friday, July 9, 2021
8:30 am -12:30 pm Virtual Hydrangea University

The Cape Cod Hydrangea Society and Heritage Museums & Gardens are pleased to present the sixth edition of our annual Hydrangea University – the premier opening event of the annual Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival. Through an online webinar format, presenters will inspire and entertain while increasing participants’ knowledge of hydrangeas.

Click Here for complete details about the Speakers, Sponsors and Presentation Topics for Virtual Hydrangea University 2021.

Friday, July 9, 2021 - Sunday, July 18, 2021
Hydrangea Festival, Heritage Museum & Gardens

This ten-day festival's main attractions are the daily tours of private gardens, each designed and maintained by the individual homeowners and carrying a unique charm. Click Here for full details about the garden tours. Gardens will be open 10 am - 4 pm.

Gardens are only one part of the festival. Enjoy workshops and lectures presented by leading international horticulturalists, discover promotions at participating nurseries and home centers, take a class to learn proper hydrangea pruning techniques, or even watch a painting demonstration by renowned local artists. Click Here for the full schedule of events.

Saturday, July 24, 2021 - Sunday, August 1, 2021
Hydrangea Festival, Heritage Museum & Gardens

Post Hydrangea Festival Art Exhibit & Sale @ Harvest of Barnstable, Yarmouth Port

Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Noon - 2 pm Lunch Bunch - Members Only

Hosted at Linda McNeilly’s in Bridgewater. Details to follow...

2020

Friday, July 10, 2020 8:30 am -12:30 pm Hydrangea University, Heritage Museum & Gardens

Hydrangea University will take place on July 10th from 9:00-12:00. This year’s University will be a virtual Zoom experience. We will be using the same format that we have in the past. Our speakers will give a 45 minute presentation with a 15 minute Q&A. The audience will be able to ask questions through the chat feature of Zoom. The program coordinator will read the questions to the speakers. The camera will be on the presentation with the speaker’s face in a little box on the screen. Each participant will be given a plant (ColorChoice® Tuff Stuff Ah-Ha Hydrangea serrata from Proven Winners® ) which they will receive when they visit Heritage, (ticket includes free admission during Hydrangea Festival week) or they may pick up their plant curbside. Our expert speakers, Stacey Hirvela, Marketing Manager for Spring Meadow Nursery Proven Winners Color Choice Shrubs; Joan Harrison, author and founder of the Cape Cod Hydrangea Society; and Mal Condon, Curator of Hydrangeas at Heritage Museums & Gardens, will inspire and entertain while increasing participants’ knowledge of hydrangeas. Tickets will be available shortly on the Heritage Museum and Gardens website. The ticket price has not been established at this time.

For more information and to register for the program, visit: https://heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/event/hydrangea-university-3/

Sixth Annual Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival: July 10-19, 2020.

The following Cape Cod Hydrangea Society Member Gardens will be open from 10 am - 4 pm on the days specified.

Visit https://www.capecodchamber.org/events/featured-events/cape-cod-hydrangea-fest/hydrangea-fest-events/ for a description of the gardens.

Each garden is $5 (cash) per person.

July 11th - Dan & Linda Pessoni, 4 Driftwood Lane, E. Orleans From Exit 12, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), turn right onto Rt. 6A, turn right onto Eldredge Parkway, go through stoplight at Rt. 28, turn left at next stoplight onto Tonset Rd. turn left onto Driftwood Lane.

July 11th - Mal & Mary Kay Condon, 181 Thacher Shore Rd., Yarmouth Port From Exit 7, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), turn right onto Willow St. At Rt 6A turn right. Turn left onto Thacher St.(across from the Post Office). Turn right onto Thacher Shore Rd.

July 11th – Carol Condon, 85 Wharf Lane, Yarmouth Port Carol’s home is only 0.8 miles west of the Condon’s – just continue on Thacher Shore Road which merges into Wharf Lane 3 ‘doors’ before #85. Parking is ample and should be on the east (marsh) side of the road.

July 11th - Linda Coven, 121 Camp St.#106, West Yarmouth From Exit 7, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), turn left onto Willow St. Turn left onto Camp St.(at Mobil gas station).

July 14th - Mal & Mary Kay Condon, 181 Thacher Shore Rd., Yarmouth Port From Exit 7, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), turn right onto Willow St. At Rt 6A turn right. Turn left onto Thacher St.(across from the Post Office). Turn right onto Thacher Shore Rd. Parking is ample and should be on the east (marsh) side of the road.

July 14th – Carol Condon, 85 Wharf Lane, Yarmouth Port Carol’s home is only 0.8 miles west of the Condon’s – just continue on Thacher Shore Road which merges into Wharf Lane 3 ‘doors’ before #85. Parking is ample and should be on the east (marsh) side of the road.

July 14th - Linda Coven, 121 Camp St.#106, West Yarmouth From Exit 7, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), turn left onto Willow St. Turn left onto Camp St.(at Mobil gas station). Turn right into 121 Camp St.

July 15th - Marsha & George Chapman, 28 Sady's Lane, E. Falmouth From the Mashpee Rotary, take Rt. 28 North (Falmouth Rd.) 4.2 miles. Turn left onto Sady's Lane.

July 16th - Gail Watts, 232 Sesuit Neck Rd., E. Dennis From Exit 9B, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), turn right onto Rt. 134. Go straight at Rt. 6A, turn right onto Sesuit Neck Rd.

July 18th - Marsha & George Chapman, 28 Sady's Lane, E. Falmouth From the Mashpee Rotary, take Rt. 28 North (Falmouth Rd.) 4.2 miles. Turn left onto Sady's Lane.

CANCELLED -- Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 6:00 pm, Spring Meeting, Harwich Community Center, 100 Oak St, Harwich, MA

We continue to work behind the scenes and will keep you abreast of news as it currently pertains to CCHS and we will keep you updated as to the status of previously scheduled events as well. During these challenging times for all, we are continuing to adapt while keeping you informed.

Wednesday, January 29th at 10 am at the South Yarmouth Library

The public was invited a third General Membership Meeting. This meeting was in addition to our annual Spring and Fall meetings.

It was held on Wednesday, January 29th from 10am-12noon. The meeting at the South Yarmouth Public Library in the Leonard Room which is downstairs. The library is located at 312 Old Main Street, South Yarmouth, MA. 02664. Parking is across the street from the library on Old Main Street or around the back of the library off of Mill Lane and bordered by Rte.28.

Unlike our Spring and Fall meetings this meeting will be an informal gathering with no business agenda. It is meant to be informative but with no outside guest speakers. Presenters will come from within the membership and there will be opportunity for discussion as well as Q&A. For this first meeting, Linda Coven will give a Power Point presentation, the topic being, Hydrangeas 101. With growing new members this seems to be the best subject with which to start.

It also provides an opportunity of those of us who have been members for a while to refresh our basic knowledge.

Should you have any questions please feel free to contact us…info@thecapecodhydrangeasociety.org

2019

Saturday, September 28th, 10 am - 12 pm, General Meeting, Harwich Community Center

Our speaker will be Lorraine Ballato. Lorraine will be speaking on THE MAGIC OF REBLOOMING HYDRANGEAS

Lorraine’s love affair with plants comes through in her lectures, social media writings, magazine articles and photographs which you can find in Connecticut Gardener, Edible Nutmeg, and elsewhere. She is an instructor at the New York Botanical Garden and in the Connecticut Master Gardener Program as well as for the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut. Her weekly gardening columns ran for over ten years in local newspapers, reaching more than 15,000 homes in northwest Connecticut. As a professional horticulturist, Lorraine has been a guest on numerous gardening radio programs from Alaska to Connecticut. She speaks at regional symposiums, flower shows, to civic groups and garden clubs, creating talks that are both instructive and highly entertaining on a broad range of subjects tailored to each audience. You can find her listed at Great Garden Speakers where you can read the glowing reviews from happy audiences. In her role as an Advanced Master Gardener, Lorraine works with a sizable team of gardeners of all levels in a 3000 square foot organic fruit and vegetable garden in Fairfield County, CT. From April through October each year, they grow and annually donate over 800 pounds of produce to homeless shelters and food banks, train master gardener interns and assist the gardening public on a weekly basis. It's work she enjoys immensely.

Display Garden Maintenance Team

The Display Garden at Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich began as a partnership with the Cape Cod Hydrangea Society in 2010. It is home to a collection of H. macrophylla, H. paniculata, H. serrata, H. aborescens, H. quercifolia, H. aspera, and H. involucrata.

The first hydrangeas planted in the Display Garden were generously donated by CCHS members, and the garden has grown to include more than 200 hydrangeas. With the ongoing efforts of CCHS members we have established a fine collection with many difficult to find cultivars. All CCHS members are invited to join the Display Garden Maintenance Team and work together to increase our knowledge and enjoyment of hydrangeas, while caring for the hydrangea collection.

Our work includes spring cleanup, pruning, prepping for the Hydrangea Festival, bud counting, weeding, and drying blooms in the fall. Workshops and informational talks are scattered throughout the season. Maintenance work in the Display Garden begins in April, 2019 on Wednesdays. Mark your calendar, and sign up for work days at the General Meeting in May, or contact Paula Rushworth at prushworth85@gmail.com

Work sessions are from 9:30-12:00. Dates for 2019: April 3,10,17, 24…..May 1,15, 29…. June 12, 26….July 10, 24 August 7, 21…September 4,18

Hope to see you in the Display Garden where “Hands on Learning” never ends.

Wednesday, May 15th, 6 - 8 pm, General Meeting, Harwich Community Center

Our speaker was Linda Coven.

Hydrangea University, July 12th, 8:30 am -12:15 pm

Check-in & Coffee: 8:30 am - 9 am

Speakers: 9 am - 12:15 pm

The Cape Cod Hydrangea Society (CCHS) and Heritage Museum and Gardens are pleased to again partner and present the fourth edition of our annual Hydrangea University – the premier opening event of the annual Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival.

Speakers:

C.L. Fornari Hydrangeas: Game of Thrones, Moans and Zones New varieties, propagation, flowering, insects and more. Hear The Garden Lady address common questions and concerns about Cape Cod’s Signature Shrub. Find new varieties that are more bud-hardy, shorter, or have unusual flowers. Hear about how to grow Hydrangeas in pots for porch or patio décor. Learn about strategies for floppy plants, chilli thrips management, browning flowers and more. C.L. Fornari is the author of eight books and numerous articles. She’s currently the host of GardenLine, on WXTK and co-host of the Plantrama podcast. CL speaks to horticultural trade shows, gardening groups and public gatherings, and she runs a consultation service and writes for Hyannis Country Garden, an independent garden center on the Cape. Her not-so-secret mission is to get horticulture back into pop culture… in the meantime she cultivates plants at Poison Ivy Acres on Cape Cod and blogs at www.GardenLady.com

Mike DuVall Selecting Plants for Growers and Gardeners: Star Roses and Plants Top Hydrangeas Everyone wants success in their gardens, and choosing the right plants is the key to that success! Learn industry insights on this important topic from someone in the business of choosing plants: Mike Duvall, Woody Ornamentals Program Manager for Star® Roses and Plants. Find out how to pick the hydrangeas that will flourish and bloom in your garden and get the inside scoop on “Cherry Explosion,” this year’s Hydrangea University take-home plant, generously donated by Star® Roses and Plants. Mike DuVall is the Woody Ornamental Program Manager at Star® Roses and Plants. He is a graduate of University of Georgia with a degree in horticulture and has over 34 years of experience in the industry.

Sandra Jones Designing a Year-Round Garden with Hydrangeas Sandra Jonas, garden designer, garden blogger, garden enthusiast will examine some of the best uses of hydrangeas in a garden setting. Sandra is a long time member of the American Hydrangea Society. In fact, she designed the garden of Penny McHenry, the founder of the American Hydrangea Society, for whom the ‘Penny Mac’ hydrangea is named. She will share photos of notable gardens including Penny McHenry’s garden and also that of Margaret Moseley whose garden was frequently included in the annual tour of gardens organized by the American Hydrangea Society in the Atlanta area. Many gardens featuring hydrangeas will be presented and she will focus on the elements that make each garden a success. Sandra will discuss the organizing principles of a garden; that for it truly to be a garden, it must have structure and a narrative. As she says, “Without these organizing principles, one simply has a collection of plants, or chaos.” Her philosophy is that a garden is a refuge, an ongoing work of art to be honed and nurtured. Sandra Jonas is the owner of Recreating Eden Landscape Design. She has been designing noteworthy landscapes for over 20 years, from residential gardens of all types to public parks, cemeteries, and restorations of historic sites. Her garden designs have been profiled as cover stories by Southern Living and Atlanta Magazine’s Home and have been highlighted in the regional lifestyle magazine Oconee Living. The work she did on American Hydrangea Society founder Penny McHenry’s Atlanta garden has been widely photographed, appearing in such notable media outlets as Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Living, and HGTV. A garden she created to complement a stately home designed by noted Southern architect William Frank McCall, Jr. received accolades when the property was chosen to be the LaGrange Symphony Guild’s show house in 2006. An avid plant collector and gardener herself, Sandra has created a sweeping series of gardens around her antebellum home in Hogansville, Georgia. Her own garden, planned for four-season interest, appeared in an extensive photo feature in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Sandra wrote a monthly garden column for 85 South magazine and has also lent her expertise to special projects. Prior to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, she headed the design team for equestrian competition courses. She also participated in an ambitious verification project at Boston’s Arnold Arboretum, helping to identify the exact genus and species of all plants in the living collections. Sandra holds the Certificate in Landscape Design from Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts./p

Participants will have the opportunity to tour the Cape Cod Hydrangea Society Display Garden and the North American Hydrangea Test Garden. Admission to all of Heritage Museums & Gardens will also be included with registration, and each participant will receive a goodie bag and a hydrangea plant to take home. Advance registration is recommended, as space is limited. You can register at www.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org

Fee: $55 Members and Cape Cod Hydrangea Society , $65 Non-Members

Hydrangea Fest, July 12th through July 21st

Generously sponsored by:

The following Cape Cod Hydrangea Society Member Gardens will be open from 10 am - 4 pm on the days specified. Each garden is $5 (cash) per person.

July 13th - Marsha & George Chapman, 28 Sady's Lane, E. Falmouth From the Mashpee Rotary, take Rt. 28 North (Falmouth Rd.) 4.2 miles. Turn left onto Sady's Lane. Hydrangea plants will be on sale.

July 14th - Mal & Mary Kay Condon, 181 Thacher Shore Rd., Yarmouth Port From Exit 7, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), turn right onto Willow St. At Rt 6A turn right. Turn left onto Thacher St.(across from the Post Office). Turn right onto Thacher Shore Rd. Hydrangea plants will be on sale.

July 14th - Linda Coven, 121 Camp St.#106, West Yarmouth From Exit 7, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), turn left onto Willow St. Turn left onto Camp St.(at Mobil gas station). Turn right into 121 Camp St.

July 15th - Gail Watts, 232 Sesuit Neck Rd., E. Dennis From Exit 9B, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), turn right onto Rt. 134. Go straight at Rt. 6A, turn right onto Sesuit Neck Rd. Hydrangea plants will be on sale.

July 15th - Mary & Roger Bowker, 151 Old Country Rd. East Sandwich From Exit 4, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), from the West, turn left, from the East, turn right onto Chase Rd. Turn left onto Old Country Rd.

July 17th - Marsha & George Chapman, 28 Sady's Lane, E. Falmouth From the Mashpee Rotary, take Rt. 28 North (Falmouth Rd.) 4.2 miles. Turn left onto Sady's Lane.

July 18th - Mal & Mary Kay Condon, 181 Thacher Shore Rd., Yarmouth Port From Exit 7, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), turn right onto Willow St. At Rt 6A turn right. Turn left onto Thacher St.(across from the Post Office). Turn right onto Thacher Shore Rd.

July 18th - Linda Coven, 121 Camp St.#106, West Yarmouth From Exit 7, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), turn left onto Willow St. Turn left onto Camp St.(at Mobil gas station). Turn right into 121 Camp St. Hydrangea plants will be on sale.

July 19th - Mary & Roger Bowker, 151 Old Country Rd. East Sandwich From Exit 4, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), from the West, turn left, from the East, turn right onto Chase Rd. Turn left onto Old Country Rd. Hydrangea plants will be on sale.

July 19th - Gloria Buxbaum, 30 Quaker Lane, S. Harwich From Exit 10, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), from the West, turn right, from the East, turn left onto Rt. 124. Turn left onto Main St., turn right onto Chatham Rd., turn right onto Rt. 28, turn left onto Quaker Lane

July 20th - Dan & Linda Pessoni, 4 Driftwood Lane, E. Orleans From Exit 12, Rt 6 (Mid-Cape Highway), turn right onto Rt. 6A, turn right onto Eldredge Parkway, go through stoplight at Rt. 28, turn left at next stoplight onto Tonset Rd. turn left onto Driftwood Lane. Hydrangea plants will be on sale.

The Cape Cod Hydrangea Society - Propagation (members only)

Propagation 101 Taking cuttings from mature plants and striking (sticking, planting) these in appropriate soil mix.

Pinch prune young plants to encourage new branches for a fuller plant. With all types of hydrangea, it pays dividends to build a strong bushy plant before you worry about flowers. The first few years after being planted are the most important for pruning, because it builds the foundation for years to come. As a young plant, it is best to prune or pinch your plant in order to build a full bodied, well-branched plant. Every time you cut off the growing tip of a plant, you get twice as many branches and thus in the long-run, more flowers.

Propagation 201 Transplant 1 and 2 year old plants into larger containers; once again appropriate soil mixes are essential.

CCHS Pot Luck Dinner

CCHS Fall Meeting at the Harwich Community Center

Annual Dinner - Members Only

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