Sunday, December 14, 2025, 2:00 pm.

Kitchen gardens in the 1700's fed, healed, and clothed Early American families. The 18th century "huswife" skill set included "physicke, cookery, distillation, perfumery, the making of wool, hemp, flax, dayries, brewing, baking," and, of course - gardening.  Growing plants both Native American and from their homelands, these women turned their soup pots into the "melting pot" that is America and exemplified all the best qualities of plantswomen and patriots. 60 minutes.   

About the speaker: Garden historian and writer, Lesley Parness, worked in public gardens in America
and abroad for five decades. Before she retired, Lesley was Superintendent of Horticultural Education at the Morris County Park Commission, where she oversaw education at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Willowwood Arboretum, and the Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center. Now, she is a popular speaker throughout the mid-Atlantic region, giving talks to garden clubs, plant and historic societies, Master Gardeners, and libraries. Lesley is a feature columnist for Gardener News Magazine, and a contributor to many print and online gardening publications. She is a member of the Herb Society of America, The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries and Garden State Gardens, a non-profit consortium of New Jersey’s public gardens, of which she is also a past President and founding member. 

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No physical ticket will be required or distributed.

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