Category: Events

Our first meeting of the new season was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Treasurer Howard Hunter (President Colleen Green being absent with a new grandbaby – congratulations, Colleen!). Howard welcomed the 28 members present and introduced our guest speakers, award-winning Peterborough gardeners Dianne and Gary Westlake.

The Westlakes (http://www.dianneandgarywestlake.com/index.html) gave a very entertaining presentation on “Garden Art for Cheapskates”. They start from the premise that since all gardens have plants, it’s the man-made objects in each one that define its style and make it unique. You don’t need – and probably shouldn’t have – dozens of objects, but any garden can be enlivened by features like a gravel path, a fountain or pond, an arbor or a special gate. And you don’t need to spend a fortune: they showed how you can stack floor tiles to make a pillar, mold a statue in those Styrofoam shapes that come in packing cases, make trellises out of old pipes, cover rhubarb leaves with cement to create stepping stones, stencil a word or phrase onto a smooth rock. Bed frames, broken china or glass, disused bird baths, soap dishes and old flower pots can all be transformed into accents that will catch the eye, as well as being useful to your plants. Dianne and Gary illustrated their talk with lots of vivid slides, and finished by answering questions from the audience.

Announcements

Howard distributed copies of a proposed amendment to the By-laws, and explained that it was worded by our insurance company to protect the members of the Board from being named in any lawsuits against the Society. Due notice having been given, the membership will be asked to vote on the proposed amendment at the AGM in November.

Also at the AGM, elections will be held to choose members of the Board. Several current members must be replaced as they have been in office as long as the Constitution allows. Howard urged members to consider volunteering.

The October meeting is the first of our new year, and members are asked to pay their dues for 2015-16 at that time.

Mini-show winners

Pat Stuckey won the arrangement of grasses class. In the three-flower arrangement class, Mary Jenkins came first, Reg Lapierre second and Pat Stuckey third.

Photographs by Sheila Simmons

The meeting opened at 7pm with the President Colleen Green introducing the speaker for the evening, Dawn Tack from Gardens Plus, Donwood ON. Dawn has operated Gardens Plus since 1997 and concentrates on easy-care perennials.

Dawn defines easy-care plants as plants that have low water requirements, a resistance to bugs and disease, that do not require frequent division, or support, and above all are hardy through the winter. Dawn recommends the following plants for a reliable garden: heuchera, monarda, salvia, daylilies, coneflowers, Siberian Iris, sedum, hardy geraniums and buddleia. She feels getting the plant’s light requirements right is most important, and recommends planting in an almost overcrowded fashion to restrict weed growth. It was an interesting talk with a colourful slide-show. She then answered questions from the members. Plants were made available for members to buy.

Announcements, etc.

Signs were distributed for the Garden Show.

Applications are available for $50 for the Civic Gardens. Volunteers are need for the Hospital Gardens. Please contact John Garside if you can help, or show up at the hospital on Tuesday mornings between 8 AM and 12 noon. There was some discussion about who pays for the plants for the Hospital Gardens. John Garside will be making some calls to see if the Hospital Auxiliary will give us the money.

Mary Jenkins will be calling people for help with the Garden Show, baking for the Victorian Tea, helping with the Flower Show, or the set up on the Friday night.

Mini-Show

Angela Palmer won the mini-show “Woodland Magic” with her wildflower entry.