Notes from the Board - Unabridged

Notes from the Board - Full Version

The Friends are celebrating 40 years of service to the Arboretum this year. We have asked past presidents to share their memories with us and here are their comments.

Katie Porter, President 1972 - 1974

The Friends of the Frelinghuysen Arboretum was founded by Mrs. Jo Lloyd, one of the original Park commissioners. She was responsible in large part for the start of the Park Commission and had always envisioned a friends group to oversee the arboretum and to enlighten more people about the activities of the park system. Mrs. Lloyd asked me to be the first President. Fortunately, I had a strong board! Mrs. Henrietta Shangle, Mrs. Win Bower, Mrs. John Koelsch, Mrs. David Ackerman were on the board and Mr. Carl Keuffel was the Treasurer. Those first years were spent in setting up a structure for the Friends. There was not much programming as yet. All newsletters were mimeographed! Right from the beginning we engaged the area garden clubs in Friends activities. Discussions about a youth gardening program started. Congratulations to the Friends on their 40th!

Cynthia Robinson, President, 1992 - 1996

As President of the Friends of the Arboretum, it was my pleasure to work closely with Helen Mageau, Education Coordinator, Ann Abrams, the Friend’s Secretary, Helen Hesselgrave and Quentin Schleider in addition to a knowledgeable and helpful board. Nobody ever had an easier presidency. Membership was growing. Many attended our special lectures and workshops often served with delicious homemade cookies. The colorful Fall Harvest Show held in September gave every member a chance to strut their gorgeous homegrown fruits, vegetables and flowers and herbs. A scarecrow contest crowned the show. The horticultural trips continued to be popular with an overnight to Dumbarton Oaks and Charlottesville, VA , a successful tour of English Gardens with our Horticulturist, Richard Hartledge, and the well attended Philadelphia Flower Show. The Gingerbread House Event was introduced and was an instant success bringing many to the Arboretum for the first time. We celebrated the 25th Anniversary during my presidency with a blowout party and plant sale honoring Peter and Bea Frelinghuysen. The Annual Plant Sale we now look forward to each year grew from this benefit.

It was my pleasure to serve on the board of The Friends of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum and to see it continue to be a beautiful oasis and community amenity.

Royce Lee, President 2001 - 2004

In 1978 after noticing a write-up about a visiting English woman who would be giving informal instruction in flower arranging at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum (where on earth was that?), the only requirement was, in turn, doing a few arrangements for downstairs rooms in the Mansion and before I knew it, I had joined the "Friends” and was allowed (?) to work on all kinds of jobs!

The Haggerty Education Center was yet to come, so classes and programs were held in a room to the left of the back entrance of the Mansion, as well as the Library, and Drawing Room. Harvest Festival took place in the Carriage House and once the Education Center became a reality, the Festival grew and became a grand event. What is now the Gingerbread Wonderland was a charming new idea with all of six or seven entries -- only houses on pedestals. Meanwhile the children’s gardening program, "Branching Out!" grew and prospered and many classes were offered for school classes.

The long dreamed of Gift Shop opened with elegant offerings, including our own cookbook "Among Friends”, and later a tiny little book, -- "Tea with Friends”, both well received. An Arboretum Tour of English Gardens and the Chelsea Flower Show was a trip of a lifetime.

Two kitchens were welcomed in back-to-back classrooms to be used by Plant Societies and Garden Clubs as well as for demonstrations using herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Plant sales became even more special and successful with customers coming from great distances to be advised by experts in horticulture, sun?, shade?, dry?, bog?, invasive?.

Our popular Sunday afternoon series offered programs by members, of their travels to view gardens in England, France, and South Africa. "The Darling Buds of May” tour featured member’s gardens. The gardens were perfect and the sun shone --- Life is good.

These are some of my memories of events and happenings with the Friends, a wonderful organization of talented, dedicated members, truly a place for people and plants to grow.

Joan Buck, President 2004-2008

I found being President of the Friends was a good job and not very difficult because all committee heads DID their job and all I had to do was run a meeting. The Friends have a very good and active Board.

Sue Acheson, President 2008-2011

I never really imagined being President of the Friends but I knew from the first class I attended that this was a place I could feel at home. I was undaunted at the prospect of balling and burlapping a tree, mostly because I had no idea what that meant. I wasn't even a gardener but I wanted to be. After twenty years I'm still taking classes, attending lectures, meeting amazing gardeners and I've never been to a lecture, workshop or trip where I didn't learn at least one new thing. My "friends" are here. They are the people I now hang out with, work with and learn from. This is a place I can bring my whole family because there is something for everyone---a place for my husband to take photographs, my daughter to walk and take craft classes and a summer camp(Branching Out) for my granddaughter.

Being President of the Friends was an amazing experience. The Friends have a mission to encourage and support horticultural education. During my tenure we were able to foster and cement a new relationship with The County College of Morris and present four deserving students with scholarships that were made possible by the Blackburn Scholarship Tea. The Friends kept up with the times by their presence on Facebook and Twitter. We now offer online registration and payment for classes. Through the Friends support we have added cell phone tours to enhance visitors experiences to the gardens. For the first time in over a decade we went traveling to the spectacular and enchanting gardens of Scotland. Most importantly we continue to do what we do best: share a love of gardens and gardening. I'll happily go back to my job as plant sale co-chair but being president of the Friends was the second best volunteer job in the world!

Karen Curry, President 2011 -- current

I have been president for only about two months as I write this but have been a member for many years. Attracted by the seasonal beauty of the grounds I came to get new ideas for my garden and got involved with the Friends. The huge hanging baskets created by Richard Hartledge were most inspiring, but I couldn’t even come close to duplicating them. The concept of the Detention Basin, an outgrowth of the enlarged parking lot project, was an inspired way to cleanse parking lot run off. Over the years the Arboretum has had to evolve. We have expanded programs beyond horticulture to include cooking classes, photography classes and musical performances to attract visitors. The Cottage Gift Shop will some day be a snack bar, appealing to all visitors. Plans are forming for a Children’s Garden to bring in even more families. Join us to celebrate the 40th Anniversary on October 2nd and see photos from each decade of the 40 years and an exhibit of the ephemera found in the rare book collection.