The Town and Country Garden Club of Newtown will have four of its members presenting a program covering two topics — the problems with invasive vines in Connecticut, and the positive effects of house plants in a home — on Wednesday, October 14. The program will begin at 7 pm. It will be held at Newtown Senior Center, 14 Riverside Road.

All are welcome, free of charge.

Josie Schmidt and Diana Johnson were the co-presidents of the garden club for the last two years.

Mrs Schmidt, a former elementary school teacher, received the Educational Top Exhibitor Award at the garden club’s standard flower show in June that focused on the topic of growing house plants to improve indoor air quality.  Her power point presentation for the program will demonstrate how house plants can remove many toxic compounds from the air.  She will also discuss how growing plant in different rooms improve health benefits and which plants are most safe around children and pets.

Diana Johnson has a degree in Earth Science and taught science at Brookfield High School. Mrs Johnson became interested in invasive vines when she and fellow Town & Country club member Joy Kopesky teamed up to present an exhibit on the topic for the flower show. Ms Kopensky has loved nature and gardening for a long time. She has observed the landscape in Connecticut rapidly changing and has become very interested in the invasive vines problem.

Mrs Johnson and Mrs Kopesky have traveled all over the area studying the Mile-a Minute Vine, Oriental Bittersweet, and Porcelain Berry. They will discuss, with Ann Astarita, how important it is to learn about these plant species and how to eradicate them.

Mrs Astarita, one of the newest members of the club, has already participated in a number of projects.  She earned an MS in Environmental Science and has worked in the environmental field for over twenty years.

Mrs Astarita will focus on the incidence of the Mile-A-Minute Vine in Connecticut, including certain sites in Connecticut.

These programs are expected to be both informative and entertaining.

Reservations are not needed, but additional information is available by calling Liz Arneth at 203-405-6470.