Hooksett Garden Club
Hooksett, New Hamphshire 03106
Current Events
The Hooksett Garden Club had a fun and successful year in 2009.
We created a new community garden, selected the native Wild Geranium as their club flower and increased our membership by twenty-five percent.
The new community garden is located at the intersection of Main Street and Route 3A. Overgrown plants were removed by the town parks and recreation department and a kidney-shaped garden was designed to include the granite welcome sign and the WWII monument to Pvt. Omer W. Nadeau.
We thank Agway for donating the initial shrubs and perennials. In the fall, mums and daffodil bulbs were added for seasonal color.
Other beautification projects included colorful annuals planters at the library entrances, historical society watering trough, town hall entrance, and the Route 3 welcome sign. We also added plants to the library butterfly garden and cared for all plantings at the library. During the Christmas season we placed wreaths, poinsettias and evergreen swags in town locations. We thank all volunteers who helped us make Hooksett a more beautiful place.
During the first full week in June, we opened National Garden Week by holding native fern identification walk along Heads Pond Heritage Trail where we helped finance an Eagle Scout project to put up signs and benches.
We would like to thank everyone who attended our closing National Garden Week ceremony at the patriotic Tree in Donati Park which honored all freedom fighters. A wreath and numerous flags were placed around the Purple Plum tree that the club planted at the entrance to upper field three years ago. Attending were members of the American Legion, Legion Auxiliary, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Club Scouts, patriotic citizens and garden club members.
Thanks to the support of the community we had a successful plant sale in June where we dug our favorite plants to share with other gardeners. In November we crafted red velvet bows for our annual wreath sale. Proceeds go to the upkeep of the community gardens, educational programs and state garden club’s scholarship program.
Our meetings are open to all and are held at 6:30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month at the library. Last year our programs included: How to use low toxic controls to fight off unwanted bugs, attracting birds and butterflies, preserving garden produce, enjoying your winter garden and the principals of floral design. We also offered a tour of two gardens, a small condominium garden and a large yard with many pocket gardens.
We were extremely honored to have been named “Overall National Winner” for our 2008 National Garden Week community projects. Additional national awards were received for our club newsletter, membership brochure, publicity press book and for our support of the Memorial School classroom garden. We also captured state awards for our yearbook, scrapbook and publicity press book.
Respectfully submitted,
Nan Veilleux
Hooksett Garden President
2008 & 2009
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Hooksett Garden Club's Daily Activities for National Garden Week
Click here for a printable photo document capturing our National Garden Week activities
The Hooksett Garden Club will be promoting National Garden Week with daily activities from Sunday, June 7 to Saturday June 13. The public is invited to join several of these events which include conservation, preservation, town beautification, healthy exercise, native plant education and patriotism. Last year the club was honored by being named the "Overall Winner" with a National Garden Clubs, Inc. Certificate of Merit for the best promotion of National Garden Week across the country. This year the following events have been planned by the club:
On Sunday, June 7, 10 to 11 a.m., members of the club will lead a conservation walk to identify native plants, including fern along the Heads Pond Heritage Trail, located across from Greens Marine, 1822 Hooksett Road, Hooksett. This free event will be held rain or shine. It is suggested that you wear sturdy walking shoes and bring water, a snack and insect repellent.
On Monday, June 8, 3 p.m. members of the community are welcome to join the club in cleaning up the area below the Hooksett Historical Society building on Main Street and planting a profusion of annual flowers into the antique granite horse watering trough.
On Tuesday, June 9, 10 a.m. members of the club will present an annual planter, designed by a member, to the Town Hall staff. The club will then proceed to the Town Hall courtyard to help plan a design for refurbishing this neglected area.
On Wednesday, June 10 from 2 to 4 p.m. several club members will attend a tea and deliver a welcome gift to the newly-installed president of the New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs, Diane McMillen, a member of the Atkinson Garden Club. This visit will also involve stopping at a nursery to investigate new native host plants for the club's Butterfly Garden that was planted last year at the Hooksett Public Library.
On Thursday, June 11, 4 to 5 p.m. club members will be joining the Hooksett Memorial School staff and the community in the official opening of the elementary school's outdoor classroom that the club helped sponsor last year. The club will, at this time, be reaffirming that they will continue to sponsor this valuable local resource with funds and education assistance as requested.
On Friday, June 12, 10 to 11 a.m. club members encourage the public to join them in conducting a spring clean-up to the front area of the upper field at Donati Park on Main Street. This will include weeding and mulching around the Purple Plume (Patriotic tree) that the club planted there three years ago.
On Saturday, June 13, 10 to 11 a.m. the club will hold their annual Patriotic Tree Ceremony in the upper field at Donati Park on Main Street. Members will be joined by American Legion honor guard, the American Legion Auxiliary, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and town dignitaries. A flags and a memorial wreath will be placed at the base of the tree to remember all freedom fighters, both at home and at war. All scouts and other children will be given a flag to place under the tree. An inspirational reading will be shared by a member of the club. Refreshments will be served following the ceremony.
Hooksett Garden Club honored by NGC
The Hooksett Garden Club has been named “Overall Winner” in the National Garden Clubs contest to promote National Garden Week.
Nan Veilleux, president of the club, was presented with the First Place award during the New Hampshire Federation of Garden Club’s annual meeting held at the Atkinson Country Club on May 27. The club was chosen for this esteemed award over applicants across the country when members dedicated seven consecutive days last spring promoting NGC objectives,including participation by the American Legion, Boy & Girl Scout groups, community leaders and businesses. The club ended the week with a well attended patriotic event for the entire community at Donati Park.
The Silver Seal award was presented to Nancy Barrett, club treasurer and charter member, in recognition for eleven years of dedicated service in numerous positions. She was also installed onto the NHFGC’s Executive Board as co-treasurer. She will serve under incoming state president Diane McMillen who announced her theme, “On track for Growth.”
In addition the club won three first place NHFGC state awards, in the small club category: Scrapbook created by Heidi Martell, Publicity Press Book assembled by Jean D’Espinosa and Yearbook designed by Mary Kate Donais.
National awards, in the small club category included the Tommy Donnan Certificate of Merit for the club’s president’s one-page monthly Newsletter, a Certificate of Appreciation for the Membership Brochure designed by Betty Mae Parnell, and a third place for the Publicity Press Book.
A Certificate of Achievement was also received for supporting the Memorial Elementary School courtyard garden. This was coordinated by Marty Lennon, a certified master gardener,
The four club members who attended the meeting enjoyed the program “All about Rain Gardens,” presented by Margaret Hagen, an educator with the UNH Cooperative Extension. To learn more about this Green gardening technique to purify ground water run-off, contact her at the Extension office.
Check out the Hooksett Garden Club link at www.nhfgc.org.
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