Beautifying the Boulevard for Summer 2022
Many of our members have been very busy getting the community ready for summer by making it look amazingly beautiful. Our Adopt a Block committee members have pulled weeds and help prepare our tree wells for flowers. Our Oakmont in Bloom committee has secured pink petunias and a few other flowers and planted them in tree wells, urns and the hay baskets along the boulevard. The Civic Planting committee has planted annuals at both the Hulton Road and the Allegheny River Boulevard entrances to Oakmont. The Kerr Museum committee cleaned up leaves and weeds at the museum to help get it ready for spring. Member Sherry Ehrlich has supervised the hanging of lovely flowering baskets at the Train Station and the Clock Tower. A big thank you goes out to all those who helped and continue to help make Oakmont such a beautiful place to live, work and shop.
April Projects for Gardening with Seniors
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Our Gardening with Seniors Committee has been very busy during April 2022. Three different projects were created. Chris Little and Nancy Sloan created Easter baskets containing decorated eggs and flowers. Nancy Barna, Carol Burton and Lilly Fussaro decorated jars and filled them with fresh daffodils donated by Lee Wilson and Carol Burton. Photos of spring flowers were put in hand painted and decorated frames. All three projects were delivered to Presbyterian Senior Care in early April, to be distributed to residents by the staff.
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Annual GCO Plant Sale, May 7, 2022 photos by Ellen Alston
Despite the non-stop drizzle and chilly temperatures, customers of the Garden Club of Oakmont Annual Plant Sale were undeterred, shopping all day in Hoffstot's parking lot for hanging baskets, decorative planted pots, vegetable plants, flowers, and homegrown perennials among our many selections.
This year we were honored to welcome horticulture students and their teacher, Mike McConnell, from Riverview High School. Along with parent volunteers, they sold various vegetable and herb plants grown hydroponically in their campus lab.....very impressive!
Having the From Our Own Gardens section back after a 2-year absence was a welcome return for club members and customers alike. This year we featured fabulous ostrich ferns, day lilies, hosta, iris, filipendula, comfrey, and many other native plants. Everything was beautiful, and everything was sold!
The Garden Club of Oakmont is very grateful to be supported annually in this endeavor by club members, shoppers, local merchants, and the community at large. Our plant sale was a huge success, and Oakmont will be "in bloom" once again this year as a result.
This year we were honored to welcome horticulture students and their teacher, Mike McConnell, from Riverview High School. Along with parent volunteers, they sold various vegetable and herb plants grown hydroponically in their campus lab.....very impressive!
Having the From Our Own Gardens section back after a 2-year absence was a welcome return for club members and customers alike. This year we featured fabulous ostrich ferns, day lilies, hosta, iris, filipendula, comfrey, and many other native plants. Everything was beautiful, and everything was sold!
The Garden Club of Oakmont is very grateful to be supported annually in this endeavor by club members, shoppers, local merchants, and the community at large. Our plant sale was a huge success, and Oakmont will be "in bloom" once again this year as a result.
Gardening with Seniors
The members of the Gardening with Seniors Committee were very disappointed to learn of the closing of Oakmont Center for Nursing and Rehab. We will miss working with the residents and staff.
Although we still cannot visit Presbyterian Senior Care in person to do projects we are still able to create projects to be distributed to the residents. Our February projects were Valentines and snowy pinecone owls.
Although we still cannot visit Presbyterian Senior Care in person to do projects we are still able to create projects to be distributed to the residents. Our February projects were Valentines and snowy pinecone owls.
January 2022 program: Conservatories during the Gilded Age
Our members enjoyed an interesting presentation from Sue Morris of the Frick Pittsburgh at our January meeting. We enjoyed learning about Conservatories during the Gilded Age. If you would like to read more of Sue's research on this topic, here is a link from the Frick's website: https://www.thefrickpittsburgh.org/Story-PITTSBURGH GILDED-AGE-CONSERVATORIES.
GCO Annual Holiday Luncheon
After a hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic, The Garden Club of Oakmont held its 16th annual Holiday Luncheon. “Tartan Tidings”, was held at the Oakmont Country Club on Wednesday, November 17. Members and guests enjoyed a most delightful day which included stunning decorations, a delicious lunch, Chance and Silent auctions, a Sweet Shoppe, 50/50 raffle, door and table prizes, a Wine Basket, and a Gift Card Tree. While shopping and mingling, attendees were treated to the music of Ron Bickel on keyboard. Proceeds from this event enable the club to continue their beautification of Oakmont and numerous other community projects.
It's been a busy fall for members of the many Garden Club Committees
Holiday Decorations: Merry Christmas!!
Fall Cleanup of the Boulevard
On October 1st 27 “Get R Done Gals” from our Oakmont in Bloom Committee gathered at the post office in pink t-shirts to pull the pretty pink petunias out of the 26 tree wells in the Oakmont business district. The petunias were removed and the tree wells weeded and cleaned up and prepared for winter. Soon the 9 urns in the business will be decorated for the holidays with big red bows, holiday greens, twinkling lights and wrapped presents. Photos by Judie Beynon.
Fall Kerr Museum Cleanup
When Oct 27th was picked for Kerr Museum Cleanup Day, a beautiful fall day was hoped for, but it wasn't the case. Thank you to Nancy Kline, Paula Jesion, Judy Murray, Karyn Brooks, Karen Schempp, and Carol Coulson for all the help and hard work on that cold blustery day. Your help got the job done
Lilly Fussaro
Lilly Fussaro
Installation of new officers and June Garden Tour 2021
Adopt–a-Block Committee
On Monday April 26th the Adopt-a-Block committee gathered to weed the tree wells along the boulevard. They are now prepared for the upcoming planting of flowers along the boulevard.
Parks Committee
The Parks Committee recently purchased and planted four new Dwarf Alberta Spruce trees replacing four juniper bushes at the base of the flagpole in Riverside Park. The juniper bushes had struggled in that spot and their removal has created a welcome location for the spruce trees which should fit in nicely with the existing landscaping and mature in keeping the other plantings.
The parks committee also held a cleanup in Dark Hollow Woods on Saturday, April 24th.
Many thanks go out to all who participated in the Dark Hollow Woods Spring Clean Up. We were fortunate enough to have lovely weather and a wonderful turnout. We had approximately 30 participants including seven young ladies from our community Brownie Troop and our ever supportive park stewards of the dog walking community.
We were able to make a dent in our ongoing battle against the invasive garlic mustard, weeded the parking circle, removed some grapevine from trees, collected trash and cleared the drainage ditch along Spring Trail. An admirable effort was put forth by all.
Thank you: Megan Gold, Dawn Whyte, Laurie Saxon
The parks committee also held a cleanup in Dark Hollow Woods on Saturday, April 24th.
Many thanks go out to all who participated in the Dark Hollow Woods Spring Clean Up. We were fortunate enough to have lovely weather and a wonderful turnout. We had approximately 30 participants including seven young ladies from our community Brownie Troop and our ever supportive park stewards of the dog walking community.
We were able to make a dent in our ongoing battle against the invasive garlic mustard, weeded the parking circle, removed some grapevine from trees, collected trash and cleared the drainage ditch along Spring Trail. An admirable effort was put forth by all.
Thank you: Megan Gold, Dawn Whyte, Laurie Saxon
WITH GRATEFUL THANKS to DANNY MONACO
It is with profound regret and deep sadness that Garden Club of Oakmont acknowledges the recent passing of Danny Monaco. Danny was well known in our community, not only for his much loved restaurants, Hoffstot’s and Cafe Monaco, but for his energy, his concern for others and his giving nature. Danny was a very good friend to Garden Club members, both individually and collectively. He supported us in many ways, most notably with the use of his parking lot for our annual Spring Plant Sale, along with complimentary lunches for our members who worked a long, hot day. The urns outside his restaurants overflowed with striking plants every summer, reflecting his love of all things bright and beautiful. They beckoned the passer-by inside to a friendly gathering place and food that never disappoints, where everybody was assured of a friendly and personal greeting. It was a job very well done. Every community should have a Danny. We were fortunate that it was ours.
We will miss you, Danny. Thank you.
We will miss you, Danny. Thank you.
