History
The first meeting of the Long Island Gesneriad Society was held on September 20, 1962 at the home of Betty Prescott in Islip, who became the first president. There were 33 charter members. The meetings in the early years were held in the homes of various members. The chapter joined forces with the Greater New York Gesneriad Society to host a booth at the International Flower Show in New York City in 1965.
The chapter began growing under the leadership of Iris August, who was elected president in 1968. Meetings were changed to a permanent location, eventually settling on Planting Fields Arboretum in 1972. The chapter has been meet at Planting Fields ever since, except for a few years in the late 1990’s, when meetings were held at Clark Gardens in Albertson.
The first issue of the chapter newsletter was published in September 1969, with Bill Donnelly as its editor. Originally called “Glox-gossip,” its name was soon changed to “The Gloxette” and eventually to “Gesneriad News.”
The chapter took part in a yearly flower show, held at the Rockville Centre Recreation Centre, and hosted the 1974 Gesneriad Society Convention in Hempstead. The chapter was host again in 1979 and 2004. An annual summer picnic was held at the home of Jim and Babe Wyrtzen in Floral Park, a tradition that continued for many years. During the 1970’s and 1980’s, the chapter continued taking part in flower shows, mainly the Fall Flower Show at Planting Fields Arboretum, a tradition that lasted through the late 1980’s. Today the chapter holds a flower show and sale every year at Planting Fields Arboretum.