"Irises in the Garden" Presented by The Garden Club of Newtown, Tuesday, May 24 at 1:00 p.m. at C.H. Booth Library

The upcoming meeting of The Garden Club of Newtown will feature a presentation on "Irises in the Garden" by Ruth Bennett of the CT Iris Society.  The program will be held on Tuesday, May 24, at 1:00 p.m. at the C.H. Booth Library in Newtown.

Ms. Bennett will present an overview of the Iris species - both bearded and beardless - with a focus on hardy New England varieties and those that have been hybridized in New England.  She will also discuss the native New England Irises and what hybridizers are doing to save them from extinction.  In her Power Point presentation Ms. Bennett will cover the best cultural practices for successfully growing Irises in the garden and some of the disease and insect problems specific to Irises that you may encounter on your plants and how to effectively deal with these issues.

Ms. Bennett, who holds a degree in biology from Lycoming College, is a Master Judge for the American Iris Society and is a well-known speaker at the CT Flower Show and at Federated Garden Clubs of CT meetings around the state.  She has written several articles on Irises and their cultivation for the American Iris Society Bulletin and for the CT Gardener Magazine.

An ardent proponent of the Iris species, Ms. Bennett has been growing a wide variety of Irises for 30 years in her East Haddam home.  She has 250 different names varieties occupying her personal gardens.  She is especially interested in the little known Iris species and in those that re-bloom.  She helps to promote Irises that have been hybridized in New England specifically for their hardiness to withstand the difficult and varied climate conditions found throughout the region.

Ms. Bennett has also helped established and maintain the CT Iris Society's nine Iris display beds at Elizabeth Park, the noted rose garden in West Harford.  She serves as treasurer for both Region I of the American Iris Society of New England and the CT Iris Society which disseminates information about growing Irises and fosters appreciation for the species through programs, shows and tours.

This informative program, sure to inspire you to include more and different Iris species in your garden, is free and open to the public.  Registration is not required.  Donations are appreciated.  The program will be held in the Olga Knoepke Meeting Room on the first floor of the Library.  For additional information on this program you may email thegardenclubofnewtown@yahoo.com or call (203) 775-7063.  For further information about The Garden Club of Newtown and its many activities and programs please see our website at www.gardenclubofnewtown.com