The Nauset Garden Club of Cape Cod, MA
NGC OCTOBER 2026 GENERAL MEETING
Meetings have changed to the second Tuesday of each month
Hours, 10:00-1:00, Meetings start at 10:30, Programs start at 11:15.
Our NEW Meeting location is The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, Rt 6A, Brewster
October 7 Board Meeting
October 13 General Meeting
"Peonies - Flowers of Exquisite Beauty" by Master Gardener Kathi Gariepy
Peonies are one of the longest-lived perennial flowers. In this talk we will look at the history of the peony, the different types of peonies- woodland, herbaceous, tree and intersectional, how to best grow these beauties and how to transplant and divide. From single flowered goblets to hundreds of petals per flower, peonies are the fragrant staple of the early summer garden.
Kathi has been a Master Gardener for more than 25 years, president of her garden club twice. She currently is the lead teacher for the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Education Coordinator for Mass Audubon and is chair of the Conservation Commission in my town. She has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Massachusetts Master Gardener Association and a silver medal from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Kathi owns Pleasant Vistas, a garden design company.
MORE PHOTOS COMING SOON
COMING SOON
WE DESIGN, WE DECORATE, WE DIG
WHAT DO WE DO?
Our Club supports Preservation, Conservation, and Environmental Outreach Programs. Through design and horticulture, our club holds workshops to teach us so that we can compete in regional, state and national flower shows. Our club is also known for its Special Events that are held regularly, but we invite you to join us in order to participate in our recurring club meetings.
CONSERVATION
The Nauset Garden Club is a founding member of the Pollinator Pathway Cape Cod. We joined with nine Cape organizations:
- The Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC) ~ Garden Club of Harwich
- The Chatham Conservation Foundation ~ Nauset Garden Club
- Master Gardeners Association of Cape Cod ~ Orleans Conservation Trust
- Orleans Improvement Association (OIA) ~ Orleans Pond Coalition
The Town of Orleans.
The goal is to spread the pathway to all of the towns on Cape Cod
to create a contiguous pathway.
OH, THOSE INVASIVE PLANTS!
A main focus in cleaning up the Village Green Gardens was to identify and remove invasive plants. Here is some information and links so you can become more informed about invasive plants on Cape Cod.
What is an Invasive Plant Species?
An "invasive species" is defined as a species that is non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration, and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.
The deciduous tree typically grows 40 to 60 feet tall. Unlike sugar maple, Norway maple produces a milky sap. The trees can also have red and purple leaves. It produces a large number of seeds that can out compete surround plants. What to do: Small trees can be mowed or hand pulled. For larger trees, removing tissue around the circumference and applying herbicide can be effective.
The purple loosestrife can grow up to 7 feet tall, but usually is about 3 to 5 feet in height. It can be spotted easily by its long stalks of purple flowers. It invades wetlands often forming dense colonies. A single plant can produce more than a million seeds. What to do: Hand pulling works for smaller populations. Repeated cutting can prevent seed production and might eventually kill the plant. Galerucella beetles have also been introduced under state supervision and have been successful.
This small tree can grow up to 20 feet. It has small shiny leaves and small dark fruit. It is native to Europe, Central Asia and North Africa. Birds can spread the fruit causes it to overcrowd fields, woodlands and wetlands. What to do: With small populations hand pulling works or mowing frequently in fields. For larger plants systemic herbicide at the cut stems or stump sprouts.This small tree can grow up to 20 feet. It has small shiny leaves and small dark fruit. It is native to Europe, Centr
The deciduous tree typically grows 40 to 60 feet tall. Unlike sugar maple, Norway maple produces a milky sap. The trees can also have red and purple leaves. It produces a large number of seeds that can out compete surround plants. What to do: Small trees can be mowed or hand pulled. For larger trees, removing tissue around the circumference and applying herbicide can be effective.
PROBIBITED PLANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS SORTED BY COMMON NAME
An easy to use, extensive guide to plants that are prohibited in Massachusetts
The Mass Audubon Society has designated 31 species
as invasive to Cape Cod. The slide show below highlights about half of themwith identification and descriptors. Read about and view more invasives.