September marks the end of vacations and start of school, the shortening of days, and cooler weather.  It’s an important month for gardeners, as we begin the last harvest of vegetables and herbs and start preparing beds for winter.  This month, we were joined by horticulturalist Cathy Beauregard for her program, “The Autumn Lullaby.”

Cathy Beauregard is a New York Botanical Garden Graduate of the School of Professional Horticulture.  Her firm specializes in using a wide pallet of native plants and organic materials to reduce environmental impact, combat deer damage, and minimize the amount of water needed to keep the landscape in pristine condition.

In her program, Cathy shared tips with us including proper fall mulching, fertilizing, and pruning.  She recommended using a calendar to establish a routine of garden preparation.

For additional information, Cathy shared a wide variety of reference books covering care based on plant type as well as garden condition.  The books were on display for ORGC member perusal.

On the Horticultural topics for this month, we discussed 20 medicinal plants worthy of garden space.  Among them were common selections, such as Basil, Peppermint, Sage, and Garlic, as well as less frequently seen choices like Astragalus, Blessed Thistle, and Comfrey.  For members interested in trying any of these plants in their own yards, we included a list of local herb farms, including Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center and Moorefield Herb Farm.

Our arrangements and plant contributions for the meeting highlighted the start of the fall season, with a basket of vegetables from Holly Secskas, wild clematis from Linda Hooper, and back-to-school table accents from Fran Hope with flowers from Libby Root.