Meeting are held on the 2nd Thursday of the Month
from 12:30 - 3:00 PM
Brookside Museum, 21 Fairground Ave., Ballston Spa, NY
No meetings the months of December, January, July & August
June 2026
May 2026
Business Meeting Hostess ~ Goldenrod (Po-Z)
Thursday, May 14, 12:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Brookside Museum, 21 Fairgrounds Ave., Ballston Spa
Program: Greeting the Spring with Veggies
Presenter: Jessica Luse, Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Saratoga County.
Jessica is Manager, Community Horticulture and General Agriculture at Saratoga County CCE.
As winter loosens its grip on the land, it’s time to think about growing! Jessica Luse will share with us the best vegetables to grow as Spring moves into Summer. She will also talk about creating soil for our gardens that is healthy and supportive for vegetables. How do we make our soil the best it can be? What varieties should be considered that are insect and disease-resistant?
We anticipate a fun Q&A session, and so we will reserve time for that.
This educational program is open to the public.
Let’s invite friends, too!
Business Meeting Hostess ~ Crocus (A-Ha)
Thursday, June 11, 12:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Brookside Museum, 21 Fairgrounds Ave, Ballston Spa
Program: Surprise! The Popular Garden Plants
You Should Replace
Welcome to a presentation by Kate Brittenham,
an ecological landscape designer and the owner of Front Stoop Gardens.
Kate will remind us that “going native” in our gardens requires us to understand more about what we are buying. We don’t expect the plants we buy at our garden centers or online to come with warning labels, but some should. We will discuss non-native plants – some are old garden favorites – and what native plants we can use to replace them. Kate will also focus on common garden or landscaping plants that are invasive.
This educational program is open to the public.
Let’s invite friends, too!
3 pm IRON SPRINGS GARDEN TOUR
DIRECTLY FOLLOWING THE MEETING
Join Margaret Kinosian, our Iron Springs Garden chair, for a special tour of Ballston Spa’s Iron Spring Garden. This historic garden was renovated in 2021 by BSHGC members. The vision for the renovation was, and remains, that the garden be a showcase for native plants and demonstrate how a beautiful native garden can contribute to the ecological health of our cities and towns.
SEPTEMBER 2026
Business Meeting Hostess ~ Daisy (He-Pi)
Thursday, September 10, 12:30-3:00 p.m.
Brookside Museum, 21 Fairgrounds Ave., Ballston Spa
Program: Gardening with Climate Resilience
Presented by Martie Teumin
Wild Ones of Capital Region, NY Chapter
Climate change is one of the most alarming realities of our time. Living with it requires new thinking, adaptation to new conditions, and a willingness to transform gardening methods and choices to counter the changes.
In this presentation, we will learn how to make our gardens resilient to the ravages of climate change, from drought to flooding rains. Making the right plant choices and using the best gardening methods will also be covered.
This educational program is open to the public.
Let’s invite friends, too!
No July or August meeting
OCTOBER 2026
Business Meeting Hostess ~ Goldenrod (Po-Z)
Thursday, October 8, 11:30-3:00pm
Malta Community Park, 285 Plains Road, Malta
Program: Workshop - Creating Hydrangea Wreaths
11:30am – “Gather and Graze”
12:00pm – Program
2:00pm – Business Meeting
Hydrangeas are among the most treasured flowering shrubs in ourgardens. They are hardy and reliable plants season after season and delight us in all their variations. The colors of hydrangea flowers – green, white, purple, pink, blue and more - evolve throughout blooming time.
Hydrangea flowers are also great to work with. As a result, they are popular in arrangements and décor of all kinds. In today’s workshop, we will create our very own hydrangea wreaths! Bring your creativity, pruning tools, and garden gloves. A complete list of items to bring will be provided closer to the event.
NOTE: October meeting is moved outdoors to a covered pavilion in Malta. Brookside Museum is also reserved should we need to move indoors.
Location will be confirmed closer to the event.
Organizers: Linda Fay and Cathy Pothier
NOVEMBER 2026
Business Meeting Hostess ~ Crocus (A-Ha)
Thursday, November 12, 12:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Brookside Museum, 21 Fairgrounds Avenue, Ballston Spa
Program: Holiday Home
Decorating with Festive Plants
This program is presented by Tim Emanuel, florist, grower, and owner of the Clifton Park, NY garden center Native Sun Flowers.
Library decorating
Tim Emanuel returns to us for another creative, informative, and interactive workshop! Fall is a wonderful time for bright colors, with changes to the light outdoors bringing a special brilliance to everything around us. It’s also when certain flowering plants and shrubs are at their best. Join us to learn more about how we can bring color into our gardens and landscapes to enjoy season after season.
This educational program is open to the public. Let’s invite friends, too!
No December or January meeting
FEBRUARY 2027
Business Meeting Hostess ~ Daisy (He-Pi)
Thursday, February 11, 12:30-3:00 p.m.
Brookside Museum, 21 Fairgrounds Ave, Ballston Spa
Program: Growing a Bird-Friendly Back Yard
We are pleased to welcome Liz Wagner from Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (EEC) in Delmar, NY.
Adjusting our gardening techniques and plant selections can make the difference between the creation of a thriving habitat and an ecological
desert. Liz views habitat restoration as an inspiring opportunity for every gardener and will be sharing that vision and experience with us.
Liz Wagner spearheaded redevelopment of “Nature’s Accessible Backyard Trail” at Five Rivers, studied community-based conservation at UC
Berkeley, and has been an environmental educator with New York State for 19 years.
This educational program is open to the public. Let’s invite friends, too!
MARCH 2027
Happy Spring!
Business Meeting Hostess ~ Goldenrod (Po-Z)
Thursday, March 11, 12:30-3:00 p.m.
Brookside Museum, 21 Fairgrounds Ave., Ballston Spa
Program: Landscape Design
Presented by Jessica Luse, Saratoga County Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE), Manager, Community Horticulture and General Agriculture
Landscape design is the art and science of planning and arranging outdoor spaces to create functional, aesthetic, and sustainable environments. It
combines elements of architecture, horticulture, environmental science and art to shape gardens, parks, residential yards, and public spaces. The use of both hardscape elements and living, horticulture elements combine to create a pleasing landscape with balance, proportion, rhythm, and areas of visual interest.
Jessica will discuss how we can use key elements of landscape design to shape our own gardens and home landscapes.
This educational program is open to the public. Let’s invite friends, too!