2026

JANUARY

we welcomed a new board with an installation ceremony held on January 17 and officiated by NHFGC President Winnie Schmidt and District II Director, Diane Beaudry. Our new board includes Bonnie Pierce, President; Karen Derie, Vice President; Pat Molan, Treasurer; Rachel Sweeney,Co-Treasurer; Christine Estes, Corresponding Secretary; and Mary Ellen Aleksza and Caragh Doyle, Co-Recording Secretaries. A small reception with refreshments was held after the ceremony where Winnie spoke about the upcoming NHFGC events for the year.

L–R: Bonnie Pierce, Karen Derie, Christine Estes, Mary Ellen Aleksza and Pat Molan. Missing from photo are Caragh Doyle and Rachel Sweeney.

FEBRUARY

 This year the first meeting of 2026 and our traditonal Yankee Swap was held on Saturday, February 21 instead of our normal Wednesday night. The first portion of the meeting was basically discussing up-coming meetings and events for the club. The second part was a lunch of chicken tenders and salad and then our Yankee Swap. Fifteen members participated. There was not a lot of swapping and it seems like most members went home happy with their choices.

MARCH 

The program for the March meeting was presented by Mary Ellen (Mea) and Tony Aleksza on Aerogardens. What exactly is an aero-garden? According to Mea and Tony, it is an indoor gardening system that allows you to grow a variety of plants – herbs, micro-greens, vegetables, and flowers without soil, just water. So a water garden. At the very beginning of their talk they referred to it as a “hobby gone awry”. Although they obviously love doing it and the results, Mea was very candid about the pros and cons and the challenges.  

 APRIL 

The program for the April meeting was Cardinals and Coneflowers presented by Willa Coroka who owns a company called the Magpie Apprentice based out of Chester, NH. Her background is as an herbalist, a homesteader and a UNH Extension Master Gardener. She is also affiliated with the NH Audubon. She travels all over the world studying birds and plants. The company started as a project for a Masters Degree in 2015 and Willa now offers presentations and workshops on a variety of topics and also does garden installs. She showed slides of yards with large, perfecly manicured lawns that will not attract birds as they need bushes and trees and places to hide in order to feel safe. Her hour long program gave lots of tips on how to attract birds to your property.

 MAY 

There was no program for the May meeting. The club used this meeting to prepare for the plant sale.

On May 20th, six members of the Hooksett Garden Club 

attended the May Annual Meeting of the NHFGC at the Zorvino Winery in Sandown, NH – Rachel Sweeney, Irene Bergeron, Carolyn Taylor, Steve and Donna Gemma and Pam Melone. As the day was one of the first 90 degree days this year, we were inside and no one wandered around their beautiful grounds. But we were cool inside and had a wonderful lunch and a very entertaining lecture by Speaker John Forti, who spoke about “The Evolution of Gardens in America”. 

JUNE 

June 6 was the day of our annual plant sale at the Hooksett Public Library. Although it was a 90 degree day we still had a successful sale. Thanks to all who helped, either by bringing plants, setting up, or helping in any other capacity. Thank you to the Hooksett Public Library for allowing us to use their grounds and for the tables; Boy Scout Troop #292 for another year of helping set up; all the companies and members who donated raffle items and yard sale items; and last but not least, Ronnie Proulx for transporting our plants to the plant sale in his truck. If I forgot anyone, apologies. It certainly takes a village to put this on.  

JULY

This year for our countrys 250th anniversary, the NHFGC has asked its members if we could use a red, white and blue theme for our community beautification sites. We have complied and this is what you will see all over Hooksett this summer.

Hooksett Public Library

The Point