Erin Grajek at Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

Grajek named interim CEO at Botanical Gardens

Erin Grajek, who has been the chief operating officer since 2021 at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, has been appointed interim president and CEO. She has held progressive leadership roles at the Botanical Gardens since 2006. The appointment came one week after the death of Mark Mortenson, the organization’s president and CEO. “Erin has been a trusted leader with the Botanical Gardens,” said Tisha Luciani, board chair of the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, “and we are…...

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maple leaf copyright Connie Oswald Stofko

Bat conservation & seasonal trees are topics in gardening symposium

The Jamestown Garden Club will hold its fall gardening symposium from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 5 at the YWCA Lake Lodge, 185 East Terrace Ave., Lakewood. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Tickets are $15. Jonathan Townsend, bat biologist at EDR, will speak on “Conservation of Bats in Chautauqua County.” EDR is a firm that does environmental design and research. Bruce Robinson of Bruce E. Robinson Forestry Consultants, Inc. will speak on “Selecting Trees and Shrubs for Seasonal Beauty.”…...

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Mark Mortenson at Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

Mark Mortenson, CEO at Botanical Gardens, died suddenly

Mark Mortenson, president and CEO of the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, has died suddenly. The Botanical Gardens made the announcement on Sunday, Sept. 15. “Mark was a visionary leader who embodied the spirit of our ‘Wow, Wonder, Welcome’ philosophy, enriching the experience of every guest who visited our Gardens,” according to the announcement. “His warmth, generosity, and dedication made a lasting impact on all who had the privilege of knowing him.” In honor of Mortenson, the Botanical Gardens…...

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Sign up now for SUNY Niagara classes; free to audit for ages ages 60+

You have just until Friday, Sept. 6 to sign up for plant classes at SUNY Niagara (previously called Niagara County Community College). Sign up sooner if you can; Sept. 6 is the Friday of the first week of classes. If you don’t want to get credit for the course, you can audit a course. Seniors who are 60 years old or older can audit a course for free! All of the courses that can be audited are under Workforce Development. Here…...

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Master Gardeners to hold fall classes

Get great tips in upcoming gardening classes by Master Gardeners this fall. Keep up to date with all kinds of gardening activities on our Events page. Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties The fall 2024 Master Gardener Lunch & Learn series will be held via Zoom or in person in Jamestown and Ellicottville. The in-person sessions will be held at: Please register and a Zoom link or room location will be emailed to you. Register here. If you cannot attend live, a…...

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Local professionals get statewide honors in horticulture

Two Western New Yorkers will receive statewide honors from the New York State Nursery and Landscape Association (NYSNLA). Steven S. Sypniewski, Lifetime CNLP, will receive the CNLP of the Year Award. Carolyn A. Stanko, CNLP, will receive the President’s Award. They are both members of PLANT WNY, the Western New York trade association for the professional landscape and nursery trades. They will receive their honors on Aug. 21, the opening day at the Great New York State Fair. The awards…...

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rows of flowers in cutting garden at Henry's Gardens in Eden NY

Enjoy acres of flowers in bloom at Henry’s cutting gardens

by Connie Oswald Stofko “Bring your children. Bring your mom,” said Barb Henry, referring to the scenic cutting garden at Henry’s Gardens in Eden. “Take a photo out in the field; we’re not charging.” Even professional photographers are welcome; they are just asked to tag Henry’s Gardens on social media. Last year, a man proposed in the cutting garden, said Barb Henry, who founded Henry’s Gardens with her husband Martin. A yoga group also met for a few weeks in…...

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illustration of logo courtesy Buffalo and ERie County Botanical Gardens

New look at Botanical Gardens, plus more developments to come

by Connie Oswald Stofko Check out the new website for the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. It’s easier to find what you’re looking for—and you may find things you hadn’t even heard about before. For instance, did you know that the Botanical Gardens has a Farm Garden that provides more than 13,000 servings annually of fresh produce to Gerard Place in East Buffalo? (Here’s some recent news about the Farm Garden: It was awarded financial support from the U.S…....

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USDA plant hardiness zone map comparing Western New York in 2012 to 2023

Your Western New York garden may be in a new plant hardiness zone

by Connie Oswald Stofko What plants will last through the winter in your garden? You can figure that out by knowing what hardiness zone you are in. And you may be in a warmer zone than you thought. A new version of the Plant Hardiness Zone Map was released last week by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature. The zones go from coldest to warmest; 5 is colder…...

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Grants available for community gardens, school gardens, urban farms

The Urban Farms and Community Gardens Competitive Grant Program has a total of $1 million available for grants through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. The grants are to support the development and expansion of community gardens, school gardens and urban farms. The state will cover up to 90 percent of the total project costs, with the total state contribution not to exceed $50,000. The minimum grant amount is $20,000. An informational webinar about the program was…...

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