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| Garden Club members tour the Greenacres Art Center greenhouse |
Every twenty-two years, the Cincinnati Town and Country
Garden Club hosts the Zone X meeting and this was the year! The event was held June 13-15, 2017 at
various venues in and around Cincinnati.
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| Tina Kohnen of Cincinnati Town & Country Garden Club |
The Cincinnati Town and Country Garden Club is a member of
the Garden Club of America, a nonprofit, that has a membership of 18,000 and
consists of 200 clubs across the United States.
The purpose of the GCA is “to stimulate the knowledge and love of
gardening, to share the advantage of association by means of educational
meetings, conferences, correspondence and publications, and to restore, improve
and protect the quality of the environment through educational programs and
action in the fields of conservation and civic improvement.” Vallie Geier and Marian Leibold, were the Co-Chairmen
of this three-day experience: “Rivertopia.”
The whimsical name suggests the significance of the Ohio River. The
meeting featured important connections between town and country which makes
Cincinnati livable and beautiful. Guests came from near and far to experience
the current transformation of Cincinnati.
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| Fleming Ackerman displays a floral arrangement |
The steering committee composed of Fleming Ackermann, Eileen
Barrett, Helen Heekin, Tina Kohnen, Cindy McCarthy, Debbie Oliver, Sara Osborn and
Heather Vecellio along with committee chairs Robin Armstrong, Rhoda Brooks,
Sara Geier, Lanie Grever, Jutta Lafley, Mimi Petrie, Josie Thayer and Ashley
Ward, implemented the plans for the meeting from start to finish. Dinner hostesses Sharon Frisbie, Sydney
Anning, Blair Fleishmann, Debbie Oliver and Ginger Warner offered a lovely
evening in each of their river view or country homes.
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| Robin Armstrong and Rhoda Brooks |
Guests were educated and inspired by knowledgeable and
passionate speakers. Dr. Len Sauers was
the featured speaker at the business meeting and he addressed “Global Warming
and Water Scarcity.” At Peoples’
Liberty, Tim Maloney of the Carol Ann and Ralph Haile Jr. Foundation / US Bank,
brought to light the innovative initiatives that he is leading throughout the
city. Thane Maynard, Executive Director
of The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden spoke about “The Nature of
Hope: Saving Species from the Brink of
Extinction.” Dianne Rosenberg, chief
commissioner of the Cincinnati Park Board, welcomed guests at the carousel in
Smale Riverfront Park. Docent led tours
by volunteers Kate Baumann, Pat Hinkley, Ann Kranbuhl, Lib Ott, Peggy Shaffer,
and Jane Terrill were a high point of the guests’ experience. Speaker introductions were given by Helen,
Heekin, Sally Leyman, Sarah Zamary, Vallie Geier and Marian Leibold. The importance of the country in the life and
well-being of all Cincinnatians was highlighted by a visit to Greenacres Arts
Center with Executive Director Dr. Carter Randolph and to Turner Farm with
Executive Director Robert Edmiston.
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| Pat Hinckley enjoys a visit to the Turner Farm cooking kitchen |
Cincinnati’s town and country treasures including
Greenacres, Turner Farm, The Taft Museum, murals by ArtWorks, The Cincinnati
Zoo and Botanical Garden, Peoples’ Liberty, Findlay Market, Eden Park, Smale
Riverfront Park, and the Anderson Pavilion were all featured. The meeting concluded with an Awards Dinner
at Anderson Pavilion in which individuals and organizations were recognized by
Garden Club of America for their contributions. Local award recipients were: Bryna Bass (Education Coordinator of the
Rothenberg School Rooftop Garden) with the Elizabeth Abernathy Hull Award, The
Fernald Preserve with the Zone Conservation Commendation Award (accepted by Community
Relations Lead, Penny Borgman), Suzy DeYoung (Director of LaSoupe) with the Zone
Conservation Commendation, The Cincinnati Nature Center with the Zone Civic
Improvement Award (accepted by Executive Director William H. Hopple III), Nancy
Linz (Garden Club of Cincinnati) with the Zone Horticulture Award, Timothy J.
Maloney (Chief Executive Officer of the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. / US
Bank Foundation) with the Zone Civic Improvement Commendation, the Greenacres
Foundation with the Zone Horticulture Commendation (accepted by Greenacres
Foundation Trustee, Brad Lindner) and Debbie Oliver with the Barbara Spaulding
Cramer Zone Floral Design Education Award.
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| Eileen Barrett |
Participation in a horticultural challenge included a
display of small trees in the lobby of the Residence Inn. They were propagated by members of the Zone X
garden clubs. The most prolific species
was Quercus macrocarpa (bur oak). They
were all grown from seed without pesticides.
On the last day of the meeting, aesthetic and unique private gardens
were open for touring. The gardens
featured were in both the town and the country.
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| Cincinnati Town & Country Garden Club member Mary Ida Compotn visits with fellow member Sara Hosorn |
At the conclusion of the meeting, the guests were inspired,
energized, and educated by the growing, greening and giving that takes place in
our Queen City every day!
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| Josie Thayer |
Hyde Park members of the Cincinnati Town & Country
Garden Club include: Vallie Geier, Marian Leibold, Helen Heekin, Heather
Vecellio, Jutta lafley, Sharon Frisbie, Sydney Anning, Lib Ott, Jane Terrill,
Dianne Rosenberg, Tim Maloney, Len Sauers, Robert Edmiston, William H. Hopple
III, Kate Baumann, Blair Fleishmann, Ginger Warner, Ann Kranbuhl, Fleming
Ackermann, Cincy McCarthy, Sara Geier, Ashley Ward, Lanie Grever, Carter
Randolph,
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| Dr. Ann Kranbuhl |
Indian Hill members of the Cincinnati Town & Country
Garden Club include: Debbie Oliver, Sara Osborn, Tina Kohnen, Eileen Barrett,
Ann Kranbuhl, Pat Hinkley, Nancy Linz, Blair Fleishmann, Ginger Warner, Sara
Zamary, Cary Brodie, Carter Randolph, Cincy McCarthy, Fleming Ackermann, Brad
Lindner, Sara Geier, Ashley Ward.
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