Seven Elms garden party featured enchanting water garden

The annual garden party included a tour of a lovely water garden. (SMGC photo)

LEBANON - Southern Maine Garden Club held their annual Garden Party at Seven Elms in Lebanon. We assembled on a large wrap-around porch dotted with Victorian-inspired wicker chairs where we dined on tea sandwiches and cakes prepared by club members.

The highlight of the evening was a tour of the beautiful grounds of Seven Elms by owner Becky Silvia. We strolled fields of perennials and annuals with many beautiful trees, shrubs and grasses to enjoy. Becky's husband, John, created an enchanting water garden that was the "hangout" for neighborhood frogs and dragonflies. Becky wanted to ensure that the club members knew that the care and weeding of all the gardens was a family affair with daughter, Caroline, a Navy nurse, lending a hand when she can while waiting for her deployment.

The barn and grounds of Seven Elms are available for rental for weddings, family reunions, etc. Interested parties can find more info on their Facebook Page: Barn at Seven Elms and their e-mail address is: Sevenelms@live.com. Seven Elms is on Shapleigh Road in Lebanon.

SMGC meets throughout the year at the Springvale Library on the third Wednesday of every month beginning at 6:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted). The public is invited to attend to sample our meetings to see if you would like to join us. However, the upcoming Wednesday, Sept. 21, meeting will be held at the Wormwood Conference Center (website: http://wormwoodcenter.org), which is part of the Waban Projects located on Route 4 in Sanford. This is a celebratory event where the club members will be marking their 20^th anniversary as a club formed in 1996. We are inviting all past members to join us for a lovely time. For more info about the club and the 20^th anniversary celebration, please contact in ME - SMGC President, Paula Frodyma, at 207-475-8142 or in NH - SMGC Secretary, Donna Claveau, at 603-332-4860.