About Us
Our Mission
To increase interest and knowledge of gardening and conservation among our members and among the public at large; to promote gardening and conservation by instruction and example; to beautify the surrounding community and to undertake civic cultural and historical projects related to gardening and conservation.
Club History
Marie Hemphill looks back on 25 years as a member of Stony Brook
It all began in the Spring of 1939 when four gals were having tea at Sukie Williams' house on Library Place. Besides Sukie, they were Maggie Donoho, Mary Jane Paynter and Charlotte Schluter....
Past Presidents
2019 - 2021 Louise Wellemeyer
2017 - 2019 Sue Plambeck
2015 - 2017 Olive Coughlan
2013 - 2015 Linda Gecha
2011 - 2013 Andrea Meyercord
2009 - 2011 B.J. Booth
2007 - 2009 Laura Hanson
2005 - 2007 Tracey Gates
2003 - 2005 Anne Gates
2001 - 2003 Meg Gorrie
1999 - 2001 Lockie Proctor
1997 - 1999 Vicky Wildmerding
1995 - 1997 Susan Levy
1993 - 1995 Suzanne Dyckman
1991 - 1993 Wendy Hopper
1989 - 1991 Katie Heins
1988 - 1989 Adela Wilmerding
1986 - 1988 Barby Delafield
1984 - 1986 Nancy Robins
1982 - 1984 Lynn Dawes
1980 - 1982 Janet Haring
1978 - 1980 Alice Carter
1976 - 1978 Audrey Gates
1974 - 1976 Lenkie Adamson
1972 - 1974 Angie Austin
1970 - 1972 Barbara Lawrence
1968 - 1970 Adra Fairman
1967 - 1968 Debbie Carey
1966 - 1967 Sara Sikes
1964 - 1966 Kay Dana
1963 -1964 Peggy Miller
1961 - 1963 Nancy Kirkpatrick
1959 - 1961 Nancy Genung
1957 - 1959 Peggy Milholland
1955 - 1957 Charlotte Schluter
1953 - 1955 Margaret Donoho
1951 - 1953 Sukie Williams
1949 - 1951 Alice Lindabury
1947 - 1949 Marion Leon
1945 - 1947 Helen Griffin
1943 - 1945 Sue Steele
1941 - 1943 Dorothy Fleming
1939 - 1941 Charlotte Schluter
Club Highlights 1939 to 1994
1939
Four women having tea decided to start a garden club.
June 7 - twelve women met to organize a garden club and named it Greenfingers.
In December the name was changed to the Gardeners.
1941
Club did a garden in the community flower show. It was a before and after garden and won a special award. A picture of the garden was published in the New York Sun.
1942-1944
......................WAR YEARS............................
1940
Year spent in organization and planning
1945
Club became a member of the G.C.A. and changed its name to Stony Brook.
1946
Club entered the international flower show in new York city with a bay window planted with begonias.
1947
Stony brook and the G.C. of Princeton cooperated in a garden at the international flower show in New York city and won second prize. Flower show at McCarter Theater.
1948
Club trip to gardens in Ambler PA. One club member copied a solar heated pit garden seen on the trip - Fleming
1949
Club involved in the Princeton community flower show. Also acted as hostesses at New York flower show.
1950
Visiting house day -3 members' homes decorated for Christmas. Members made Christmas decorations and jellies. Club involved in community flower show and served as hostesses at New York show. G.C. of Princeton our guests at flower arranging program with Mitsou Arai. Club became a member of the Federated Garden Club of New Jersey.
1951
Sue Steele member of the schedule committee of the Philadelphia flower show.
1952
Club entered the New York International Flower Show with the Irvington, N.Y. G.C. and G.C. of Somerset Hills, NJ. Entry was a north european garden and won 3rd prize.
1953
Club entered the New York International Flower Show with the same two clubs as 1952. This year the entry was a spring garden with a dry stone wall which the clubs constructed. We won a 2nd prize and also served as hostesses at the show.
Club had a fall garden tour and flower show..
1955
Two members won 2nd and 3rd at the federated zone meeting - Fleming and Schluter.
Evelyn Alyea's Christmas program outstanding.
1954
Member awarded the tr-color at the Hopewell Valley show/ Schluter.
Club held a fall flower show and house tour.
Sue Steele gave a class in flower arranging at the adult school.
1956
Member won 1st prize at Rumson flower show - Steele
1957
Members served as hostesses at the New York Flower Show.
1958
Club entered the Philadelphia flower show. Entry was a garden planted to attract birds. It won 2nd prize.
Members served as hostesses at the New York Flower Show.
1959
Club invited by Philadelphia clubs to join them at a judging forum held in the Philadelphia art museum. Club went by bus.
Fund-raising committee was to hold an annual spring plant sale at a member's home.
1960
...........MAY MARKET WAS BORN..............
Outstanding speaker, Madeline Leuthardt, on dwarf and espaliered fruit trees,
1961
Mrs. Colie lectured on flower arranging. Club entered a garden at the Philadelphia flower show. Member received 3rd prize in arrangement class at Hopewell Valley Flower Show - Schluter.
1962
Suggested study of trees for zone, club started our tree box, which was later given to a local school, club entered a garden in the Philadelphia flower show. Members also served as hostesses at the NY show.
1963
Club program with Lois Poiner talking on how to garden without a gardener.
May market featuring unusual and hard to find plant material grown by members held at Helen Woodward’s. Sale becoming very popular by fellow serious gardeners.
1964
.*********25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CLUB**********
**********GARDEN AT ROCKINGHAM BORN**********
Herb garden designed by Helen Griffin and executed by members planted at Washington’s headquarters in rocky hill. This garden won the sears roebuck award.
1965
Flower arranging course by Mrs. Reynolds held on four wednesdays. 2 members entered the NY flower show and won 3rd in an arrangement class - Schluter and Campbell. Members served as hostesses at NY show. Club had spring and fall flower show.
1966
GCA Zone IV meeting held in Princeton with Adra Fairman our chairman. Meeting was co-hosted with the G.C. of Princeton. Some meetings held in Princeton university's newly opened art museum. Keynote speaker, Ian Mcharg, spoke at Lowery House,
1967
Fall, joint flower show with the G.C. of Princeton. Members slide show as a program.
1968
First scheduled work meeting at Rockingham. Club entered a window box at Philadelphia flower show. There was a club bus trip to the show. Joint flower show with the G.C. of Princeton.
1969
Joint meeting with the university league garden club. Club bus trip to Rutgers greenhouses and to the duke gardens.
1970
Bus trip to Bryant Park flower show in New York. Members served as hostesses at the show.
1971
Bus trip and meeting at the Brooklyn botanical gardens
1972
Member appointed zone iv chairman - Patton. First second-generation club president. Angie Austin, daughter of Dorothy Fleming, president 1941-1943
1973
Member appointed director of G.C.A. - Patton.
1974
Trip to New Hope for a program at the Rosade Bonsai Studio.
1975
Mini G.C.A. sone iv meeting. 1st prize and 2 second prizes in arrangements. Members served as hostesses at Bryant Park show.
1976
Club started project of planting chambers walk in Princeton. Members cared for beds. Member entered Bryant Park show and won first in arrangement class - Delafield. Morristown flower show - two 1st prizes in horticulture.
1977
Two members worked together on an arrangement at the Philadelphia flower show and won third place - Delafield and deckman. One member served as an aide at the show. Member entered the Bryant Park flower show in NYC and won second place in the decoupage class - Fairman.
1978
Club held workshops on artistic arrangements and vegetable gardens. Contribution was made to American Land Trust whose project in NJ is the Pine Barrens.
1979
Autumn in the air - a joint community flower show with the G.C. of Princeton. Club invited guests to an evening meeting with Ralph Snodsmith as our speaker.
1980
Club won a first prize at the Philadelphia flower show in the new challenge garden class. The chairmen of our entry were Austin and Flemer. GCA Autumn in the Atrium Flower Show invited Austin and Flemer to run the horticulture classes. Member appointed G.C.A. Zone IV chairman, two year term - Fleming.
1981
Two members invited to be chairmen of challenge garden class at the Philadelphia flower show for next 2 years - Austin and Fleming
1982
Club voted to incorporate.
Member appointed G.C.A. Zone IV chairman for two year term - Austin,
Two members asked to be in charge of staging for G.C.A. autumn in the atrium flower show in NYC - Austin and haring.
1983
Tax exempt status for club approved in April.
1984
Club entered Philadelphia flower show room class Shangri-La, a place of your dreams. The title of our room was a slow boat to china. Won 1st prize and the Delaware valley florists' trophy - arrangers - bever and Rulon-miller.
GCA Zone IV meeting in town with the G.C.. of Princeton. Our chairman - Audrey gates.
1985
GCA zone meeting hosted by the G.C. of Trenton. 1st prize in abstract arrangement class - Austin.
1986
Joint meeting with g. Clubs of Princeton and Trenton for lecture by betty brown on art in bloom. Flower show staged in the Boston art museum.
Club bus trip to longwood gardens at Christmastime,
1987
**********GCA ANNUAL MEETING IN ZONE IV ************
One of 3 co-chairmen of meeting - Austin, joint meeting with g. Clubs of Princeton and Trenton to hear and see Herb Plankinton in the subject of arranging flowers.
1988
Club entry in Philadelphia flower show garden class, won 1st prize and PHS Silver Bowl with our Australian garden, chairmen of entry - Austin and Henkel.
1989
**********HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY TO CLUB**********
Member invited to be vice chairman of all artistic classes at the Philadelphia flower show for 2 year term - Austin
1990
Club entry in the room class at the Philadelphia flower show - theme of class was music. Our title - Flamenco, won 2nd prize and the Delaware valley florists' trophy and the G.C.A. certificate of excellence. Entry chairmen - Dawes and Hopper. Arrangers - Delafield, Dyckman and Haring.
Member asked to be G.C.A. flower show area vice chairman - Austin, area - NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA.
Member elected chairman of NJ Committee of the G.C.A. - Austin.
1991
Joint meeting with the G.C. of Princeton. G.C. of Trenton held a G.C.A. small flower show in state museum, 1st in arrangement - delafield.1sts in horticulture - Austin and Haring. Member asked to be co-chairman of arrangement workshops for Philadelphia flower show - Austin. Club became involved in isles Trenton inner city improvement program.
1992
Member was one of 18 ladies from across the country to create an exhibit in class America Discovered at the Philadelphia Flower Show invitational class - Austin. Entry was on CBS Good Morning America tv show and written up in NY Times - Austin.
Two members entered defined space class in Philadelphia - title size and shape. Entry won 1st prize and the GCA certificate of excellence - Austin and Delafield.
GCA Zone IV meeting in Englewood - flower show results : arrangement 1sts Austin and Delafield. Delafield also won best arrangement in show. Horticulture 1sts - Austin and Pontius. Club won the zone award for the most points earned in the flower show. Barbara Spaulding Cramer zone flower arrangement award - Austin.
1993
Member invited to be advisor for open and defined space class at Philadelphia flower show - Delafield.
May flea and flower market fund raiser,
1994
GCA zone iv meeting in town with co-hostess G.C. of Princeton. Co-chairman - Hayes
Awards
Garden Club of America Awards
PHILADELPHIA FLOWER SHOW 2018
GCA Certificate of Excellence; PHS Award; Blue and Gold Ribbon of the Garden Club Federation of PA: Blue Ribbon for Best Pedestal in Class
Suky Bracken
* PHS Award - to the outstanding blue ribbon exhibit of the week in the Pedestal Classes
* GCA Certificate of Excellence in Floral Design [awarded to an exhibit of great distinction in a competitive class at a major flower show. The entry must have placed first, second, or third. Awarded in even years to an exhibit in the Artistic section - next awarded in 2020]
* Blue and Gold Ribbon of the Garden Club Federation of PA- presented to hightest scoring blue ribbon winner, scoring 95 points or more.
GCA MEDAL OF MERIT
Recognizes an exceptional contribution in horticulture, conservation, civic achievement, or leadership within the area of the recipient's club
2016 Alice St. Claire-Long
2007 Adra Fairman
1996 Janet Haring
GCA NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS AWARD
2006 Stony Brook Garden Club
GCA CLUB HORTICULTURE AWARD
2014 Lockie Proctor
GCA CLUB FLORAL DESIGN ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
2016 Anastaszja Panek-Tobin
2013 Suky Bracken
GCA HORTICULTURAL ACHIEVEMENT CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE WITHIN A CLUB
2003 Anne Gates
1996 Katie Heins
GCA CLUB PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD
2014 Leslie Kuenne
GCA CLUB APPRECIATION AWARD
GCA CLUB CONSERVATION AWARD
2013 Katie Kinsolving
2009 Susan Finlay
Zone IV Awards
ZONE IV GAVEL AWARD
This award is presented to the club with the highest number of points earned from all competitive classes in a GCA Flower Show at a Zone IV Meeting.
2016 Stony Brook Garden Club
2004 Stony Brook Garden Club
ZONE IV HORTICULTURE AWARD
2016 Anne Gates
2006 Katie Heins
1982 Adra Fairman
ZONE IV HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD
2007 Sheila Stuart
ZONE IV CREATIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD
2016 Katie Heins
2006 Susan Levy
ZONE IV CONSERVATION AWARD
2016 Katy Kinsolving
2012 Meg Gorrie
1998 Janet Haring
CORLISS KNAPP ENGLE HORTICULTURE SWEEPSTAKES AWARD
This award may be presented to the club with the highest number of points earned from all competitive horticulture classes in a GCA Flower Show.
2016 Stony Brook Garden Club
2008 Stony Brook Garden Club
2004 Stony Brook Garden Club
ZONE IV BARBARA SPALDING CRAMWE FLOWER ARRANGING AWARD
1992 Angeline F. Austin
ZONE IV CLARISSA WILLEMSON HORTICULTURE PROPAGATION AWARD
2004 Angeline Austin
MARION THOMPSON FULLER BROWN CONSERVATION AWARD
This award may be presented for an outstanding conservation exhibit at a GCA Small Flower Show. The award recognizes an exhibit of exceptional educational and visual merit which increases the public's knowledge and awareness of our environment.
2016 Stony Brook Garden Club
2004 Lila Cruikshank
ANN LYNN CRAMMOND AWARD
This award may be presented at a GCA or Small Flower Show to an outstanding educational exhibit which best educates the public about gardens. Any educational exhibit which increases the appreciation of any aspect of plants, gardens or landscape design may be considered for this award.
2004 Meredith Peterson
DOROTHY VIETOR MUNGER AWARD
2004 Barby Delafield
HARRIET DEWAELE PUCKETT CREATIVITY AWARD
2005 Barby Delafield
SBGC Club Awards
SILVER TROWEL AWARD
Given to the club member who over time, shows an enthusiastic spirit and consistent willingness to participate in club projects and activities; need not be awarded annually.
2004 Margie Gibson
2005 Sharon Altmeyer
2007 Nancy Robins
2008 Leslie Kuenne
2009 Liz Murray, Sue Plambeck
2010 Gail Denise, Andrea Meyercord
2013 Molly Schneider
2015 Alison Beers
2017 Sarah Shannon
CATHERINE BEATTIE MEDAL
2000 Angeline F. Austin
MENTOR AWARD
The award is given to the club member who demonstrates exceptional mentoring skills; need not be awarded annually.
2000 Audrey Pfeilsticker
2007 Daphne Townsend
2009 Anne Gates
2014 Janet Haring
BOTANICAL ARTS AWARD
2017 Liz Bell
NOVICE BOTANICAL ARTS AWARD
Given to club members who, as a novice arranger, accumulates the most post points in all Botanical Arts classes during the Club year.
2017 Gail Denise
2016 Sue Plambeck
GREEN GODDESS AWARD
The award is given to a club member who has demonstrated leadership, creativity and persistence in an effort to protect the environment.
2017 Carrie Dyckman
2008 Susan Finlay and Lori Citrone
NOVICE ARRANGER AWARD
Given to the club member who as a novice arranger accumulates the most points in all arrangement classes during the Club year.
2017 Judy Sarvary
2016 Karen Laub
2015 Susan D'Amour
2014 Melissa Bernardi
2013 Anastazja Panek-Tobin
2012 Joyce Johnson
2011 Sarah Shannon
2010 Ruth Smet
2009 Carolyn Healey
2008 Debra Costa
2007 Gail Denise
2006 Sue Plambeck
2005 Toby Goodyear
2004 Merrill Long
2003 Liz Murray
2002 Lori Citrone
2001 Tracey Gates
2000 Meg Gorrie
1999 Joyce Lathbury and Katherine Toland
1998 Anne Gates
1997 Anne Gates
1996 Jennifer Aldrich
1995 Betsy Wislar
ADRA FAIRMAN DAFFODIL AWARD
Given to the club member who achieves the most points for exhibiting daffodils at club and out-of-club shows.
2017 Anastazja Panek-Tobin
2016 Lockie Proctor
2015 Anne Gates
2014 Anne Gates
2013 Anne Gates
2012 Anne Gates
2011 Lockie Proctor
2010 Lockie Proctor
2009 Lockie Proctor
2008 Lockie Proctor
2007 Anne Gates
2006 Adra Fairman
2005 Anne Gates
2004 Lockie Proctor
2003 Lockie Proctor
2002 Lockie Proctor
2001 Lockie Proctor
2000 Lockie Proctor
1999 Sheila Stuart
1998 Lockie Proctor
1997 Lockie Proctor
1996 Lockie Proctor
1994 Adra Fairman
EMILY COWENHOVEN STUART AWARD
For significant contributions to the growth and vitality of Stony Brook Garden Club; need not be awarded annually.
2015 B.J. Booth
2010 Susan Levy
2005 Sheila Stuart
2004 Daphne Townsend
1994 Lucy Belding
1993 Zoe Bylin
1990 Lynn C. Dawes
SWEEPSTAKES PLATE
Donated by Charlotte Schluter and Jerry Brown. This award is given to the club member who achieves the most points for horticulture, photography, and flower arranging exhibits during the Club year. She must have entered in all three categories.
2017 Janet Haring
2016 Anastazja Panek-Tobin
2015 Anastazja Panek-Tobin
2014 Anastazja Panek-Tobin
2013 Lisa Marttila
2012 Lisa Marttila
2011 Leslie Keunne
2010 Katherine Toland
2009 Daphne Townsend
2008 Katherine Toland
2007 Anne Gates
2006 Katherine Toland
2005 Betsy Wislar
2004 Katherine Toland
2003 Katherine Toland
2002 Angeline F. Austin
2001 Angeline F. Austin
2000 Sheila Stuart
1999 Angeline F. Austin
1998 Sheila Stuart
1997 Angeline F. Austin
1996 Katie Heins
1995 Angeline F. Austin
1994 Elly Petronio
1993 Katie Heins
1992 Angeline F. Austin
1991 Katie Heins
1990 Angeline F. Austin
1989 Angeline F. Austin
1988 Janet Haring
1987 Janice Pell
1986 Janet Haring
1985 Adra Fairman
1984 Adra Fairman
1983 Angeline F. Austin
1982 Angeline F. Austin
1981 Alison Flemer
1980 Angeline F. Austin
1979 Josie Hall
1978 Josie Hall
1977 Barbara Delafield
1976 Josie Hall
1975 Suzanne Dyckman
1974 Suzanne Dyckman
1973 Jerry Brown
1972 Jane Howe
1971 Jane Howe
1970 Adra Fairman
1969 Adra Fairman
1968 Alice Carter
1967 Marion Leon
1966 Jane Wilmerding
1965 Jane Wilmerding
1964 Jane Wilmerding
1963 Jane Wilmerding
1962 Marion Leon
1961 Marion Leon
1960 Virginia C. Williams
1959 Emily Stuart
1958 Elizabeth Yeatman
1957 Barbara Emeny
1956 Marion Leon
1955 Ethel R. Young
1954 Caroline Wright
1953 Mary Jane Paynter
1952 Helen Griffin
1951 Mary Jane Paynter
1950 Helen Griffin
1949 Dorothy Fleming
1948 Dorothy Fleming
1947 Susan Steele
1946 Susan Steele
1945 Susan Steele
GCA FLOWER ARRANGING CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE WITHIN A CLUB
2011 Janet Haring
2005 Lori Citrone
2004 Liz Murray
2003 Katherine Toland
1994 Barby Delafield
HORTICULTURE AWARD
2013 Alice St. Claire-Long
2012 Alice St. Claire-Long
2011 Lockie Proctor
2010 Lockie Proctor
2009 Anne Gates
2008 Janet Haring
2007 Anne Gates
2006 Katherine Toland
2005 Anne Gates
2004 Betsy Wislar
2003 Betsy Wislar
2002 Angeline F. Austin
FLOWER ARRANGING AWARD
2013 Suky Bracken
2012 Joyce Johnson
2011 Janet Haring
2010 Laura Hanson
2009 Sue Plambeck
2008 Daphne Townsend
2007 Liz Murray
2006 Sue Plambeck
2005 Liz Murray
2004 Liz Murray
2003 Liz Murray
2002 Katherine Toland
PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD
2017 Lisa Granozio
2016 Anastazja Panek-Tobin
2015 Leslie Kuenne
2014 Leslie Kuenne
2013 Leslie Keunne
2012 Leslie Keunne
2011 Leslie Keunne
2010 Leslie Kuenne
2009 Leslie Kuenne
2008 Liz Murray
2007 Elizabeth Lugar
2006 Elizabeth Lugar