Meetings
General meetings are held the second Thursday of the month from September through June at 9:15 AM at:
Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church
9201 Brecksville Road
Brecksville, Ohio 44141
For information on the next meeting, please contact Maureen at mgmichal@aol.com or Donna at 440-346-5445.
Guests are always Welcome!
On May 12, ENGC will host a field trip to Crown Point Ecology Center in Bath. Participants can meet at the Christ the Redeemer Lutheran church parking lot to carpool to the site at
9:15 AM or meet at the site, 3220 Ira Rd., Akron 44333, at 10:00 AM. Crown Point’s mission is to connect people to the land, food and one another through sustainable agriculture, environmental education, and community stewardship. They offer a 20 week CSA program, which is one of the longest running CSA programs in Northeast Ohio. CSA shareholders enjoy the benefits of fresh vegetables and herbs at their peak. At Summer Farm and Science Camp campers care for animals, explore fields, woodlands, prairies and learn through hands-on experiences that spark curiosity and confidence.
Watch the You Tube video available from Crown Point website for an interesting historical review. Some highlights are as follows:
- The first European settlers arrived in Bath Township around 1810, purchasing some 1,500 acres. Jacob and Abigail Swigart purchased the property and built a Farmhouse in 1854. Roswell Hopkins Jr. purchased the property in 1879 for $9,300. He owned the property until 1949 but never lived onsite. Many renting farmers resided on the property and farmed the land.
- In 1967, The Sisters of St. Dominic visited the property with the Bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland. By September 1967 the Sisters had taken the initial steps to purchase the property from the Stollers. A pre-school was opened in 1968. The pre-school was in operation from 1968 to 1977.
- In 1988, a Congregation committee focused on determining the most ecologically responsible use of the land and determined that no synthetic chemicals would be used on the fields. In 1990, Crown Point began to offer workshops and study groups to the public and reinvented itself as an education and ecology center. In 1997, Crown Point began to grow produce for distribution to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. In 1998, Crown Point also began a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
- In 2010, Crown Point Ecology Center reincorporated as its own 501(c)3 non-profit to expand beyond the umbrella of the Dominican Sisters of Peace and take the first steps to being self-funded and supported by members, programs and donations. Crown Point has emerged as a “Crowning Jewel” in the area in terms of ecological education, organic farming and sustainability.
“Kids need to know where our food comes from” declared Sara Continenza. That’s why she initiated Food Strong’s School Garden initiative and Care-a-Van community wellness program she personally launched in 2017. Food Strong started in 2 inner-city schools, guiding students through designing, building, planting, maintaining, and harvesting their own onsite food and native flower gardens, plus learning how to cook what they grew and analyze nutrition labels. Since then, Food Strong has grown to serve 14 schools and more than 400 students. The organization’s work is now carried out by volunteers. It is remarkable that Sara worked primarily by herself until the school program had expanded to eight schools!
In 2020, the Learning Garden, an urban farm located at East Cleveland’s historic Coit Road Farmers Market was constructed. This space is used to host field trips and learning experiences and use the food grown in the culinary education program to sell in the communities served.
In 2022, the Vacant Lot Restoration Initiative was added through support from Cuyahoga County. In 2023, a Mobile Farm Stand was launched, from which fresh produce from the Learning Garden and other healthy, local products, can be supplied in communities with low access to fresh food retail options.
In 2024, 3-acre farm on Superior Ave in downtown Cleveland was acquired as a donation and is being renovated and transformed into Food Strong headquarters, an education hub and community gathering space/farm. ENGC contributed $500 to Food Strong in 2026.
At the Emerald Necklace Garden Club meeting on March 12th, Stuart Kline, long-time member, past president, trustee and currently a consulting rosarian with the Cleveland Rose Society, presented an overview of roses. The Cleveland Rose Society rosarians judge roses and rate them annually. They have two shows a year.
How to select and grow roses, care for them and the varieties available were included in Stuart’s talk. (Major requirement: 5 hours of sun per day minimum.) Roses fall into two main categories: Species (old garden, hardy, repeat blooming) and Shrub (such as hybrids, Grandiflora, Florabush, Mini, Miniflora, Modern English). A rose is named by the person who registers it, usually the hybridizer. Many are named after family members or celebrities (e.g. the recently advertised “Martha Stewart” rose!). Roses can be purchased “budded,” or “own-root.” Spring or fall are the best times to plant.
If you are interested in growing roses, everything you need to know is on The Rose Society’s two websites and a Facebook page. In addition, Stuart recommended another website, “Healthy Vines,” for lists of roses, information and photos. A book by Peter Schneider titled “Right Rose Right Place” has specific recommendations for planting roses in OH. Freedom Gardens in Ravenna, OH grows 1300 varieties of roses. They will be open to the public in June for public visits and sales on Sundays from 10a to 5p. Check their Facebook page for rose lists and lots of additional information.
At the Emerald Necklace Garden Club meeting on February 12th, Noelle Akin, Director of Communications at Petitti Garden Centers, was the speaker. Her presentation ”Upcycle Junk Gardening” provided a wide range of suggestions for recycling and upcycling discarded objects, including watering cans, pallets, cinder blocks, shoes, ladders and garden tools among others. She also brought a dozen plants that were distributed to meeting attendees via a drawing.
At the January , 2026 meeting of Emerald Necklace Garden Club, a power point that highlighted ENGC’s past year’s events and activities was presented by Donna Hessel, the club historian. Members and guests learned about the speakers, activities and events that filled a very busy 2025. ENGC meets at Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 9201 Brecksville Rd., Brecksville 44141 the second Thursday of the month. The business meeting is at 9:15 followed by refreshments and the presentation at 10:30. Guests are always welcome. Learn more on these web pages and follow ENGC on Facebook at Emerald Necklace Garden Club for club news and interesting garden posts from garden-related organizations.
Click on the link below to view the power point of “A Year in Review”.
JANE PETRIE, ENGC 1st VP-PROGRAMS, PRESENTED RECOMMENDED READING
At the November 13, 2025 meeting, a last minute, unavoidable cancelation by the scheduled speaker gave Jane Petrie, ENGC Programs Co-chair the opportunity to introduce the group to a favorite book, “Earth on Her Hands” by Starr Ockenga. The book profiles individual gardens created by older women with details on how the gardens were created and evolved. Jane also shared the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s publication on the history of the Garden from its inception. Club members then shared stories about their gardening experiences.
KIM HAWKINS, CUYAHOGA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER, SPOKE AT THE OCTOBER 9TH MEETING OF EMERALD NECKLACE GARDEN CLUB
At the October 9, 2025 meeting of Emerald Necklace Garden Club, Kim Hawkins, Cuyahoga Counter Master Gardener volunteer, presented the organization’s mission and goals and shared some of the community projects the group has undertaken. She also provided information on how to become a certified master gardener volunteer.
RACHEL CARSON,
AUTHOR OF “SILENT SPRING,” PORTRAYED AT THE SEPTEMBER 11th MEETING
At the Emerald Necklace Garden Club September 11, 2025 meeting, attendees learned about Rachel Carson’s life that led to the publishing of her 1962 book, “Silent Spring.” Carson was a marine biologist, writer and conservationist. The book raised awareness of the damage to humans and nature from DDT and other pesticides, and launched a Federal movement for environmental change. An actor with the organization Women in History, portrayed Rachel Carson and presented an entrancing story of her life. It was an amazing account of the many odds she overcame throughout her life, including poverty, disruptive family events, cancer diagnosis and treatments and her fight against commercial pesticide producers to reveal the deadly effects of DDT. Thanks to her perseverance, the EPA was founded and DDT was banned.
NICHOLE LOPEZ PRESENTS
RAIN GARDEN INFORMATION
JULY 10 at 9:30 AM
All are invited to visit the Rain Garden on the grounds of the Broadview Heights Community Center at Oakes and Broadview Roads in Broadview Heights. A presentation by Nichole Lopez, CSWCD representative will share information on rain gardens and how her organization will collaborate with the Broadview Hts. Service Department and Emerald Necklace Garden Club to renovate the rain garden. The meeting will take place at the Splash Pad adjacent to the garden. Please join us to see the renovation progress to date.
CELEBRATE NATIONAL GARDEN WEEK WITH EMERALD NECKLACE GARDEN CLUB
National Garden Week, June 1-7, is sponsored by National Garden Clubs, Inc. This year Emerald Necklace Garden Club (ENGC) will host several events to celebrate the week. Meet Bryan Stowe, Brecksville Horticulturist, on Thursday, June 5th at 11:15 at the Brecksville Library. Bryan will present “Native Plants for Your Garden” and share recommendations for ground covers to small trees that will improve both your garden and the environment. The public is invited and can register on the library website or by calling 440-526-1102. A display showcasing ENGC activities and events, plus membership information and the Mayor’s Proclamation, will also be featured at the Brecksville library.
On Friday, June 6th, ENGC members will help youngsters at South Suburban Montessori plant a marigold to take home. Students will also hear a story about how seeds grow into plants in the garden. The marigold planting project will repeat at St. Basil’s family picnic on June 8th from noon to 2 PM.
SUCCULENTS AROUND THE WORLD SHARED BY HENDRICKS AT ENGC MEETING
At the April 10, 2025 meeting of Emerald Necklace Garden Club, Bill Hendricks shared tips on how to include succulents in our gardens as well as photos of a variety of succulents growing around the world taken during his many trips. Hendricks is past president of Klyn Farms, a teacher and writer. He has received numerous awards related to gardening.
It’s Spring and now is an ideal time to join a garden club, share gardening experiences and make new friends with similar interests. Guests are always welcome at meetings, which are monthly on the second Thursday at 9:15 AM at Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 9201 Brecksville Rd., Brecksville 44141.
WESTERN RESERVE LAND CONSERVANCY PROTECTS 76,419 ACRES IN NORTHEAST OH
Renee Boronka, Director of Conservation, Education & Outreach with Western Reserve Land Conservancy, was the presenter at the March 13, 2025 meeting of the Emerald Necklace Garden Club. Members viewed restored landscapes on public and private grounds through a virtual field trip. WRLC conducts in person field trips for adults and youth, hosts webinars, creates green spaces and gardens in urban areas, champions reforesting and sponsors a tree steward program among other projects.
FOSTER BROWN SHARED FASCINATING HISTORY OF COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE
At the February 13, 2025 meeting of Emerald Necklace Garden Club, Foster Brown, Naturalist with Brecksville Metroparks, shared the history of coffee and chocolate – two plants that changed the cultural and economic history of the world. Some fascinating facts: Coffee beans were discovered in 800 AD by a shepherd whose sheep were energized by consuming coffee beans growing on trees in their fields, The beans were chewed by monks for energy but not grown commercially until 1100 in Yemen. It didn’t become popular in the U.S. until 1773 with the advent of the Boston Tea Party. In 2024, 2.25 billion cups of coffee were consumed every day in the world. $75.2 billion was spent on coffee in 2024. It is second only to oil in legally traded commodities. Coffee berries are harvested twice a year, fermented, water processed, skins removed and dried in the sun. The longer coffee beans are roasted, the more flavor but less caffeine results; thus “dark roast” coffee has the most flavor but the least caffeine. Decaf coffee undergoes a chemical process to remove the caffeine.
Chocolate and coffee trees are grown in the same countries, those that are in the 15-20 degree latitude above the Equator. Theobroma cacao was called “Foods of the Gods.” The beans grow on the tree trunks; are hand picked; dried on banana leaves; fermented, dried and roasted to become chocolate. Cocoa originated in 1400 BC in Honduras. It was originally an alcoholic drink made from the pulp around the bean. Beans were used by the Aztecs, Incas and Myans as a trading medium (vs. coins). The Dutch mixed cocoa with sugarcane to invent a sweeter drink. In the 1800s, the British made it into bars, but only the rich could afford them. Milton Hershey, in PA, wanted the product to be for everyone; his bars and other forms are now the most sold chocolate in the world.
