The Hawthorn

The Hawthorn Summer 2015

Merryspring Kitchen Tour Always A Summertime Treat The Merryspring Kitchen Tour, which will take place on Wednesday, August 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., promises to be another exciting summertime treat for locals and visitors alike.

This years Tour invites you and your guests into eight beautiful kitchens in Camden and Rockport homes, some with spectacular views, and at each stop you will sample a gourmet tasting from a talented local chef. The kitchensfrom an in-town sea captain's home to an environmentally conscious contem-porary on a hilltopshow you what creative homeowners can do, together with skilled designers, builders, and craftspeople. The chefs at work in each kitchen will give you a sampling of the remarkable, ever-expanding culinary choices available in our Midcoast area.

For a complete list of homes and chefs on the 2015 Tour, please go to page 7.

Special treats during this years Tour include a book-signing by local author Nancy Harmon Jenkins, an additional stop for sampling artisan olive oils and vinegars, and a chance to win a gift basket from Stonewall Kitchen or gift certificates to Francine Bistro, Shepherds Pie, and Surroundings.

Tickets for the Tour are on sale now. You can save $10 off the regular Tour price of $35 by purchasing an advance ticket between now and Tuesday, Aug. 4, at any of the following locations: Surroundings, Once a Tree, and Zoot Coffee in Cam-den; The Market Basket in Rockport; Atlantic Baking Company in Rockland, The Good Table in Belfast; The Highland Caf & Coffee House in Thomaston, and Rising Tide Community Market in Damariscotta. Advance tickets for $25 are also available by e-mailing Merryspring at info@merryspring.org or calling 207-236-2239. Tickets will be held at Merryspring for pick-up the day of the Tour.

On the day of the Tour, tickets will cost $35 and will be available at Merryspring or at any kitchen on the Tour. You can also purchase a ticket for an individual kitchen for $15. For more information, call Merryspring at 236-2239.

The 2015 Kitchen Tour is once again generously spon-sored by EBS Style Solutions of Camden. More than 40 local firms and individuals have also given financial sup-port to this years Tour.

All proceeds from this popular summertime event sup-port Merryspring Nature Center, a 66-acre park in Cam-den and Rockport that is open to the public from sunrise to sunset every day of the year.

One of eight beautiful kitchens on the Kitchen Tour.

C A M D E N R O C K P O R T ~ M A I N E

V I S I T 8 U N I Q U E M I D C O A S T K I T C H E N S A N D E N J O Y T A S T I N G S F R O M T A L E N T E D A R E A C H E F S

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Sponsored by

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Inside this issue:

Kitchen Tour Coming Up 1

Presidents Message 2

Rose Day Celebration 3

Education Calendar 4

Fall Fairy Festival 4

Summer Ecology Camps 5

American Horticultural Society 6

Coastal Opportunities 6

Kitchen Tour Homes & Chefs 7

Kitchen Tour Supporters 7

Merryspring Reservations 8

Putting Together The Kitchen Tour By Ray Andresen

On Wednesday, August 5, we will be holding our annual Kitchen Tour, Merrysprings largest fundraiser of the year and always a major summertime treat for residents and visitors alike. Last year we had more than 600 attendees from 40 Maine towns, 30 different states, and six other countries. We are hoping this years event will be just as successful.

Putting together the Kitchen Tour, however, is much more than a one-day affair. It takes a dedicated group of volunteers, working on the Kitchen Tour Committee since mid-winter, to plan and organize such a complicated en-deavor. We not only have to locate generous homeown-ers willing to show off their exciting new or unique kitch-ens, we also have to find enough local chefs and caterers to prepare tasty samples of their cuisine for Tour-goers to enjoy at every stop.

On top of that, we have to find enough volunteers to make the affair go as smoothly as possible for everyone concerned. On Tour Day, a small cadre of 80 volunteers collects tickets, directs traffic, guides visitors through the houses, and assists the visiting chefs. Behind the scenes, others run errands or stand ready to fill in where needed.

So, while youre out enjoying the Kitchen Tour this year, I hope you will join me in thanking my fellow members of the Kitchen Tour Committee Dorothea Graham, Edie Kyle, Kathie Kull, Jeannine Smith, and Mary Waltz and all of the other volunteers and Merryspring supporters who have dedicated so much time and energy to making this years Tour a success.

Park Etiquette

Merryspring Nature Center is a pri-vate, member-supported non-profit nature park and education center that is open to the general public from sunrise to sunset. For your own enjoyment and safety, and to protect and preserve the park, please follow these simple rules:

Stay on the paths or lawns and do not step in the flower beds.

Leave all plants, flowers, and wildlife undisturbed.

Dispose of trash properly.

Park in designated areas only.

Enjoy your picnic, but no cooking please.

Footwear must be worn at all times.

No admittance from dusk to dawn.

No smoking in the buildings or on the grounds.

No bicycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, or other recreational vehicles are allowed on trails, lawns, or fields.

No hunting or trapping is permit-ted.

No dogs, except service dogs, are allowed anywhere in the park.

Remembering Frank Callanan

A memorial service was held at Merryspring on Saturday, June 6, to com-memorate the life of Frank Callanan, who passed away earlier this year. Frank was a valued member of Mer-

rysprings Board of Trustees for seven years and contrib-uted his time and many talents to improving our Nature Center, from creating the database for managing Mer-rysprings financial and membership accounts to design-ing the signs adorning our kiosks to clearing trails and burning brush piles. He truly loved Merryspring and will be sorely missed.

Merryspring Nature Center P.O. Box 893, Camden, ME 04843 Tel: (207) 236-2239 Fax: (207) 230-0663 Email: info@merryspring.org www.merryspring.org

Mission Statement Merrysprings mission is to practice, teach, and advocate sound principles of ecology, conservation, and horti-culture in order to protect our natural environment and to provide natural landscapes and cultivated areas for public enjoyment.

Hours of Operation The park is open free of charge from dawn to dusk every day of the year. Our offices and library are open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., or by appointment.

Membership Levels

Keeping in Touch You can sign up for our eUpdates at www.merryspring.org to receive the latest news on programs and events. Or you can visit Merrysprings Face-book page, where you can check on upcoming events. Please go to www.tinyurl.com/merryspring-facebook/.

Board of Trustees Ray Andresen, President Glenn Jenks, Vice President Richard Ailes, Treasurer Karin Rector, Secretary Kathleen Kull Sarah Rheault Susan Shaw Jeannine Smith Matthew Speno

Staff Toni Goodridge, Managing Director Brett Willard, Program Director Cindy Gerry, Garden Manager

2015All Rights Reserved

Individual $3549

Family $5099

Friend $100 249

Donor $250499

Steward $500999

Conservator $1,0002,499

Partner $2,5004,999

Patron $5,000 or more

Beautiful weather, gorgeous blooms, an enthusiastic crowd, and a visit from VStv made this years annual Rose Day Celebration a truly special event. The annual affair attracted over 100 people over the course of the day, which included a talk about the rose industry, a tour of three area rose gardens, and a reception party. Along the way, the new area news outlet VStv was there to cap-ture the moment.

The day began with a crowd of more than 40 people in the Hexa-gon where Merryspring Vice President Glenn Jenks greeted the group with a talk about the rose industry. Glenn discussed how the industry has changed since the economic recession, how to select good roses for Maines difficult climate, and how to care for roses to ensure that they overwinter properly and continue to bloom each June. After participating in a short question and an-swer session, attendees took a short walk through the Mer-ryspring rose garden before carpooling to three renowned rose gardens in the area, including the home garden planted and tended by Jenks himself.

After the tour, VStv was waiting at the Nature Center with a garden party reception. Hats for ladies and bowties for men were encour-aged. While not everybody showed up in costume, plenty of food and drink was available, with donations from Merryspring members, a cheese and fruit platter from Megunticook Market, and a keg of beer from Rock Harbor Pub & Brewery. The event drew a crowd of more than 70 people over the course of two hours, with a healthy mixture of seniors, young adults, families, longtime Merryspring members, and new friends visiting the park for the first time.

Guests could not help but notice a large tent sitting in the center of the gardens area. From there VStv ran its operations for the day, including shooting footage of the gardens, interviewing members, and even shooting an episode of its daily news talk show Soup du Jour. Jenks and Program Director Brett Willard had previously been on the Soup du Jour show earlier in June, shot at VStvs studio in Rockport. This time, however, Merryspring was the soundstage, with the afternoon sun, the special lighting, and the blossoming gardens providing the set.

Show host Vicki Doudera interviewed Jenks and Willard about the Rose Day event and other educational pro-grams sponsored by Merryspring, while Garden Manager Cindy Gerry and Heron Breen, a plant researcher and area coordinator for FedCo Seeds, spoke about the gardens and promoted Merrysprings new collaborative heirloom kale garden with FedCo, which will be planted this summer in the place of the former childrens garden. The two also touted Merryspring as a community resource for all to learn about horticulture and growing their own gardens.

Both episodes of Soup du Jour, are available on VStvs website through the links at the end of this article.

Such a successful event would not have been possible without the new and beneficial collaboration between Merryspring and VStv. The two organizations are working together this summer to cross-promote each other as sources for new information and community involve-ment. In addition to the Rose Day Celebration, VStv has been active at Merryspring this year, including filming a bee hive opening with resident beekeepers Holly and David Edwards. We very much look forward to continue working with VStv this summer. Community events such as this one are the essence of what Merryspring is about bringing people of the Midcoast together to learn, to appreciate the beauty of nature, and to foster healthy relationships in the community. The summer season at Merryspring traditionally begins with Rose Day and will continue to bring people together this year through a variety of programs, including two weeks of summer ecology camp, the always interesting Tuesday Talk series, free family programs, a new childrens garden, peaceful walking trails, and of course the blossoms, foliage, scents, and color of our wonderful gardens. http://bcove.me/3wr0n2yo http://bcove.me/b51oc4t1

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Rose Day Celebration Brings Out Blossoms, Crowds, TV Cameras

The annual Rose Day Celebration begins with a talk about rose identity.

New Sign, Sitting Stone Enhance Vernal Pool

A new interpretive sign and beautiful granite stone overlooking the Vernal Pool have been donated by the Kyle Family and installed by Jackson Landscaping. The interpretive sign recounts the history of our Vernal Pool and describes, season by season, the animals and activities one might encounter there. The sign, designed and installed by Adventure Advertising, expands upon the information available in the Interpretive Trail Guide describing the pool. The engraved granite stone pro-vides the perfect place to sit and enjoy this natural wonderland and important habitat.

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2015 Events Calendar

August 4

August 11

August 18

August 25

September 1

September 8

September 15

September 22

September 29

October 6

October 13

SUMMER Tuesday Talks at Noon Co-Sponsored by Camden National Bank and Goodridge-Lermond Tree Service

Fall Fairy Festival

Families are invited to Merrysprings Fall Fairy Festival on Saturday, September 12, from 10:00 a.m.12:00 p.m. Children can make a variety of fairy-inspired crafts as well as build fairy houses in the woods. Author Liza Gardner Walsh will be on hand to sign copies of her books, Fairy House Handbook and Fairy Garden Handbook. Enter a raffle for a signed copy of either book. Free to all.

Free Family Workshops

Weekend Workshops

Bird Walk with Glenn Jenks Learn to identify a variety of warblers and other birds with one of the areas most knowledgeable birders. 8:00 a.m.

Perennial Division Workshop with Cindy Gerry. Learn when and how to divide perennials in your garden. The workshop will be free. Divisions will be available for purchase.

Star Party with CMAS Join the Central Maine Astronomical Society at 7:00 p.m. for a closer look at our stars and planets. This program is free; telescopes will be provided.

September 19

Date TBA

October 17

Tending the Perennial Garden in Early August Wendy Andresen

NO TALK (Summer Ecology Camp week)

Whales of Maine Rosemary Seton

Tending the Perennial Garden in Late August Wendy Andresen

Wild Turkeys and Microbiology Peter Milligan

Maine Sea Vegetables Micah Woodcock

Tending the Perennial Garden in Mid-September Wendy Andresen

Maines Biggest Environmental Issues Lisa Pohlmann

Maine Beer from Plant to Pint David Carlson

Tending the Perennial Garden in October Wendy Andresen

Buckminster Fuller in Maine & Dymaxion DesignSean OBrien

Build a Nature Journal Create your own nature journal. Learn about your surroundings through observation and art. 11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.

Worm Harvest Party with Jock Robie Beginning vermiculturists and curious composters can learn how to harvest castings and make fertilizer from worm bins. 6:00 p.m.

August 6

October 15

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The first week of summer day camp at Merryspring was a rousing success as seven young Eco-Explorers enjoyed a range of activi-ties from planting garden beds in the new Childrens Garden to watching beekeepers tend their hives.

This is the second year in a row that Merryspring has teamed up with the Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District (KLSWCD) to present summer day camp programming for kids. The first session, Eco-Explorers, ran the week of July 20-24. Tar-geted for children ages 7 to 9, it focused on getting young kids outside to learn about the world around them. Part of the weeks activities included hands-on outdoor science activities, nature walks, gardening, the beehive demonstration, nature journaling, and the world of bugs.

Coming up in August is a new program for younger children, ages 4 to 6. Called Little Sprouts, it will run from August 10 to 14 from 9:30 am to 11:30 am each day. Little Sprouts acts as an introduction to nature and ecology, with activities like daily songs, nature walks, nature art, and science games.

Reservations are still available for Little Sprouts. The cost of the one-week camp for Little Sprouts is only $75, with a discounted rate of $65 for Merryspring member families. Camp activities take place outside as much as possible, so campers should be pre-pared for being in the sun, insects, and allergies. Themed snacks and water will be provided each day.

The Summer Ecology Camps are co-led by Rebecca Jacobs of the Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District and Brett Willard of Merryspring.

To learn more about this program and to sign up for Little Sprouts, please contact Merryspring at 236-2239 or education@merryspring.org. You can also stop by the Merryspring office to pick up a registra-tion form or sign up online at www.knox-lincoln.org/summer-ecology-camps.

Eco-Explorers Enjoy a Week of Learning

New Childrens Garden Taking Shape

The Childrens Garden has been moved to a new and better location behind the Rose Garden and Rose Cottage. The new area was leveled in early July, some small trees and big stumps were removed, five new raised garden beds were installed and filled with compost, and a large area covered in wood chips all in time for the first week of Summer Ecology Camp.

During that first week of Camp, our seven Eco-Explorers planted the five raised beds. Each bed had a theme, with a new bed being planted each day of camp. These beds included a pizza garden, with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and basil; a root vegetable garden with beets, carrots, and radishes; a salad greens garden; a bean teepee; and a pollinator garden, with a selection of beautiful and colorful flowers to benefit our backyard bees, butterflies, and bugs.

In addition, a natural flag pole was built and installed for raising and lowering a camp flag made by the young campers. Future additions to the Childrens Garden will include a picnic table, a garden arbor, and a small sitting area. Another benefit in moving the Childrens Garden is the location of the Rose Cottage, which has been cleaned out and will be transformed into an easily ac-cessible outdoor classroom.

A special thank you goes to Terry Fitzy Fitzpatrick, who built the new raised beds, to Keryn Annis, who cleared and leveled the area, to the many volunteers who spread chips, moved compost, or helped in other ways, and to The Ethel & W. George Kennedy Family Foundation, Inc., which has provided a grant to remake and improve our Childrens Garden.

Clockwise from left: The day begins with raising the camp flag; Inspecting the daily catch during the bug du jour activity; Learning tree identification from camp leader Brett Willard; Chronicling each days observations with nature journals.

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American Horticultural Society Enjoys Stormy Day at Merryspring It was a dark and stormy day at Merryspring, but that didnt stop the Presidents Council of the American Horticultural Society (AHS) from visiting the Nature Center and touring the gardens on Tuesday, June 23.

The Presidents Council of the AHS is made up of 24 high-end donors from around the country. Each year, as a thank you and benefit for their contributions, the AHS takes the Presi-dents Council on a trip exploring many of the public or private gardens that are represented by the AHS. This year, the Alex-andria, Virginia-based organization brought the group to Maine, where they visited multiple sights, including the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden Gardens, the Camden Amphitheatre and Harbor Park, and Merryspring Nature Center.

Merryspring enjoys inclusion in the AHSs Reciprocal Membership program, which grants members of Merryspring free admission to hundreds of participating gardens across the country.

The AHS group arrived by bus in the middle of a torrential downpour, but were warmly greeted by Merryspring staff and board members with some hot coffee. After a short introduction and colorful photo slideshow about Merryspring by Program Director Brett Willard, the group braved the stormy weather for a tour of the gardens. Garden Manager Cindy Gerry and Vice President Glenn Jenks led them through the gardens, speaking about the history of the beds, the Maine gardening season, and the direction the Nature Center will be taking the gardens in the future.

After coming inside, the crowd was treated with a lunch catered by Megunticook Market. After everybody was full, the group held a meeting to discuss the goals of the AHS and its visions for involving the public with gardening nationwide. Following the meeting, Dave Jackson, Director of the Camden Harbor Park & Amphitheatre, gave a presentation on landscape designer Fletcher Steele, the history of Harbor Park, and how the park became recognized as a National Historic Landmark. Directly after the talk, the AHS members suited up in their rain gear and headed with Dave over to Harbor Park for a tour.

Merryspring is thrilled and honored to have been selected by the American Horticulture Society to be a part of its annual Presi-dents Council tour. It was a great moment for us, giving Merryspring the chance to show off our gardens and share a little bit of our story and all of the things that happen here.

Volunteers from Coastal Opportunities Keep Park Clean A group of volunteers from Coastal Oppor-tunities in Camden has been coming to Merryspring on a weekly basis to remove branches, leaves, and other material from the pathways and parking areas near the Ross Center and flower gardens. Their help is greatly appreciated.

Birdwatching is one of many activities that visitors enjoy at Merryspring.

1 RY HILLS & TIM KILEY, 70 BARRETT DRIVE, ROCKPORT AM CHEF: Laura Cabot of Laura Cabot Catering, Waldoboro PM CHEF: Vicki Murray of Laugh Loud, Smile Big, Rockport Buy raffle tickets at this stopwin a gift basket from Stonewall Kitchen or gift certificates to Surroundings, Francine Bistro, and Shepherds Pie.

2 HOLLY & LANCE LIMOGES, 71 BARRETT DRIVE, ROCKPORT AM CHEF: Tom Sigler of Comida, Rockland PM CHEF: Sean & Tracy Beaudry of The Highlands Coffee House, Thomaston Catch a view of Cadillac Mountain from this gracious hilltop home.

3 DIANE & KEITH BLIZZARD,118 CHESTNUT STREET, CAMDEN AM CHEF: Sherrie Gibson & Ashley Seelig of FOG Bar & Caf, Rockland PM CHEF: Brad Purdey of Inn at Sunrise Point, Lincolnville See how charming architectural details of an 1890s Victorian cottage have been lovingly restored.

4 LAURIA & DAVID OCONNELL, 20 LINDEN LANE, CAMDEN AM CHEF: Jennifer Thieme of Blue Sky Cantina, Rockport PM CHEF: Susan Boivin of MSAD 28, Camden and Rockport Enjoy the open layout and casual, coastal feel throughout this newly renovated and enlarged home.

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Kitchen Tour Information

5 HEATHER & JASON HEARST, 4 UNION STREET, CAMDEN AM CHEF: Josh Hixson of 40 Paper Italian Bistro & Bar, Camden PM CHEF: Natalie Hill of The Market Basket, Rockport View striking contemporary artwork by Maine artists at this his-toric 1851 sea captains home.

6 MEREDITH MENDELSON & NICK BATTISTA,76 WASHINGTON ST., CAMDEN AM CHEF: Nile Recchia of Eclipse & The Speakeasy, Rockland PM CHEF: Kate McAleer of Bixby Bars, Rockland Buy raffle tickets at this stopwin a gift basket from Stonewall Kitchen or gift certificates to Surroundings, Francine Bistro, and Shepherds Pie.

7 KAREN MILLER & BUD HILLMAN, 49 TIMBERCLIFFE DRIVE, CAMDEN CHEF ALL DAY: Derek Linker & Alyson Flemming of Bleeker & Flamm Maine Street Meats, Rockport See fascinating antiques that fill a unique home that once served as a carriage house on a grand estate.

8 KAREN & DICK CEASE, 60 TIMBERCLIFFE DRIVE, CAMDEN AM CHEF: Maressa Kelly of The Waterfront, Camden PM CHEF: Heather Moran of Cappys Chowder House, Camden

This years gracious hosts and talented chefs are:

Kitchen Tour Supporters Generous contributions from Supporters of the Kitchen Tour, many of whom have their excellent services and products on display in the kitchens, are an invaluable source of support for Merryspring. Please help us thank these supporters with your patronage.

* Thank you very much for your extra support!

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D ESI GN/ DE CO RA TI NG

Chatfield Design, LLC, Rockport EBS Style Solutions, Camden Interiors by Janis Stone, Belfast Leslie Curtis Designs, Camden Lorraine Streat, Rockport Margo Moore Interiors, Camden New View Studio, Rockport

FI NI SHES/ M ASO NRY

Distinctive Tile & Design, Rockland Freshwater Stone, Orland Morningstar Stone & Tile, Topsham North Atlantic Painting Co., Camden Rockport Granite, Rockport Smith & May, Inc.Hearth & Patio Showroom, W. Rockport

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Houses & Cottages Architectural Design, Rockland Peter T. Gross Architects, PA, Camden Scholz & Barclay Architecture, Camden Silverio Architecture & Design, Lincolnville

B U IL DE RS

Cold Mountain Builders, Inc., Belfast Limoges Builders, Rockport Phi Home Designs, Rockport Pine Ridge Carpentry, Hope Taylor-Made Builders, Inc., Northport

C A BI NE TS

Bench Dogs Inc., Rockland Cornerstone Kitchens, Northport EBS Style Solutions, Camden Heartwood Millworks Company, Northport

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L A NDS C APE DES I GN

Lee Schneller Fine Gardens, Camden TREEKEEPERS LLCJohnson's Arboriculture, Camden

P LU M BI NG/P LU M BI NG F IX T U RES

Fixtures...Designer Plumbing Showroom, W. Rockport Rock Coast Plumbing & Heating, Thomaston

SP ECI AL A PPOI NTME NTS

Barnes Custom Window Treatments, Warren

Mike Rich Design, Portland Neumann Fine Arts, Camden Rockport Steel, Rockport Windsor Chairmakers, Lincolnville

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F RIE NDS OF THE TO U R

Carol A. Witham Advanced Health & Fitness, Rockport David E. Olivas, DDS, Rockport-Francine Bistro, Camden Paul Cavalli & Jack McKenney, Camden Shepherds Pie, Rockport Stonewall Kitchen, Camden Surroundings, Camden The Good Table, Belfast

A PP LIA NCES

Brown Appliance & Mattress, Inc., Ellsworth Daves Appliance, Winthrop Kelseys Appliance & Sleep Center, W. Rockport

A RCHI TE C TS

Christian Fasoldt Architect, Camden Dominic Paul Mercadante Architecture, Belfast

Special Treats at EBS

Be sure to stop at EBS Style Solutions on Limerock Street in Camden between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. for two special treats: a sample tasting of extra-virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars, presented by Pat O'Brien of Fiore Artisan Olive Oils & Vinegars in Rockland, and cookbook

author Nancy Harmon Jenkins who will be signing copies of her newest book: Virgin Territory, Exploring the World of Olive Oil.

P.O. Box 893 Camden, ME 04843

Reserve Merryspring for Your Event Remember to think of Merryspring when you or your friends are planning a wedding, memorial service, meeting, or party. Conveniently located near Route 1 in Camden and Rockport, Merryspring offers a secluded, quiet location for your event. Stunning gardens and an outdoor hexagon are perfect for small ceremonies. A well-tended lawn bordered by flower beds filled with spectacular color from June through Septem-ber will accommodate a tent for up to 200 guests. And the meeting room inside the Ross Center can accommodate up to 50 people.