Monthly Programs
Upcoming Programs
Our monthly program season runs from September through May each year.
The central mission of NSHS is to share in the knowledge of how to garden well. It is quite a broad subject, and NSHS is made up of everyone from novices to master gardeners. What is common among all is a desire to learn the answers to the questions, "What makes my garden grow?" and, "What can I learn about other gardens and from other gardeners?" Each year, our nine monthly meetings seek to answer these questions (and to have a little fun at the same time!)
We look forward to seeing both new and familiar faces soon when we will again share our own unique garden stories and enjoy making new memories together. Should you have any questions, please call 978-238-8773 for more information.
Our Program Calendar: 2025-2026
Please note: NSHS meets on Tuesday evenings at Sacred Heart Parish Hall, 62 School Street, Manchester. Social time from 7:00 – 7:30 PM. Meeting begins at 7:30 PM.
September 23, 2025 - Denise Guérin – Creating Pollinator Habitat Anywhere. The first part of the talk answers these questions: What are pollinators? Why are they so important? What do they look for in a garden to rest, eat and reproduce? The second part is the importance of habitat and how pollinator habitat can be provided just about anywhere.
October 28, 2025 – Bonnie Power – Spiders: The Most Misunderstood Garden Protector. Spiders are valuable apex predators in our gardens. Here is an opportunity to learn more about a very underappreciated group of garden arthropods from a spider expert from Indiana. Pictures and descriptions of a wide variety of different spiders will be shared.
November 18, 2025 – Melissa Flinn (one of our members)– Invasive Plants: What Can Gardeners Do? Learn what is meant when we say that a plant is “invasive”, why we should be aware of invasive plants, what gardeners can do about them, and how to identify some plants that are considered invasive in Massachusetts.
December 9, 2025 – Carol Batdorf – Holiday Greens Workshop.
January 27, 2026 – Pot Luck Dinner, Virtual Garden Tour ( Nina Duston) and House Plant Auction ( Carol Batdorf).
February 24, 2026 – Laurie Bebick – Inviting Wildlife into Your Garden. Ecosystems are becoming more fragmented. Pollinator numbers are decreasing. And climate change is a reality. As gardeners, we need to create safe havens for our local wildlife. One way to do that is by providing food, water, and shelter. Learn simple ways to adapt your garden and gardening habits to welcome all sorts of our fellow creatures.
March 24, 2026 – Kathie Skinner – Hydrangea Ps and Qs: Planting, pH, Pruning, Problems and Your Questions. This presentation addresses common issues raised about hydrangeas, including when and how to plant; how to raise or lower the soil pH to control bloom color; when and how to prune hydrangea that bloom on old wood (e.g. H macrophylla, H serrata) and new wood (e.g. H arborescens, H paniculata); and common fungal problems and pests. Extra time is saved to answer your questions.
April 28, 2026 – Carol Rego – Gardening Water Wisdom: Save Water, the Environment, and Money! This presentation explains the water cycle on earth – both the natural cycle and the human cycle – and then reviews the local (MA) impact of climate change on both drought and precipitation. It presents the reasons why, as gardeners and environmental stewards, we need to start adapting to these climate variations to preserve and protect the quantity and quality of our natural resources. The second half of the presentation covers many practical and effective ways of being “Water Smart” to reduce water consumption, improve the environment, and maintain a healthy, productive garden. And save money (so we can buy more plants)!
May 26, 2026 – Jo Goodwin Rogers – Plant Sale and Auction
June 23, 2026 – Picnic and activities
Guests
We invite all non-members to consider joining North Shore Horticultural. For more information on joining, please click on and visit our Membership page.
