Dunnville Horticulture Society

DHS Newsletter

Sue Mazi, DHS Corresponding Secretary

Oct. 2012 Hello Everyone!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.  It’s a great time of year to visit family and friends to partake in way too much turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. I especially love the turkey leftovers that seem to go on and on and on.  This time of year is busy with vegetables being harvested, church bazaars and fall fairs, canning, pumpkin patches and Halloween.  There is so much to see and do and things can get quite hectic, especially if you have flowerbeds to put away for the winter.  There never seems to be enough time and a sudden onset of cold, wet weather can certainly thwart the best of our intentions to get outside. Watching the squirrels hard at work with their walnuts makes me wish there was a way I could put them to work cleaning up the rest of the yard!

October also means it’s time or the DHS to put the town’s flowerbeds to sleep for the winter.  The scheduled clean up date is Saturday, October 13th.  Lori passed around a sign-up sheet for volunteers at the September general meeting and held a special meeting on September 27th to organize the day. Volunteers are always needed and greatly appreciated.  Please contact Lori at 905-701-8512 if you would like to help.  She and Rob will be hosting a BBQ at their home afterwards to feed everyone after a good day’s work.

The 2012 Trillium Awards were presented at our September general meeting. Congratulations again to the residential and commercial winners.  On behalf of the executive, directors and members I would like to extend a huge thank you to Susan Lusted, OHA District 9 Director, and Councillor Lorne Boyko for being on hand to present the awards. The new format for presenting them was a big success and we will continue to do it this way from now on.  We had many of our winners attend the meeting and some of them even became members!  The directors did an amazing job with the food and the cake was absolutely beautiful and delicious.  Eddie Chau from the Chronicle attended the meeting and a group photo of the winners was in the September 26th edition in the “Community” section.  Great picture!  The framed photos of the winning properties will be on display at the Optimist Hall until next September.  You can also visit our website www.dunnvillehortsoc.gardenontario.org to see them.

At the general meeting this month we will be holding our annual Potluck dinner.  Members can bring their favourite dishes (but are not obligated to) and there’s always lots of good food in which to indulge.  Don’t forget that the meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. to accommodate dinner.  Our guest speaker for this month’s general meeting is from Oakridge Garden Centre who will be discussing “putting your gardens to bed”. There are so many things we need to know and do to make our flowerbeds awesome for next season.

Don’t forget the photography contest which is being held at the November general meeting.  There are 4 categories (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) and you can enter a maximum of 1 photo in each category.  This time of year is especially nice to get out and capture the beautiful fall colours. We would love to see your creative side so don’t be afraid to enter! We will also be holding installations of our new directors so please plan to attend.

Garden tip of the Month:

Chrysanthemums are readily available in most stores and garden centres and are a colourful addition to our gardens, decks and patios this time of year. Did you know that if you plant them in your garden now they will not likely come back next year?   These plants are in full bloom and all of their energy is being put into the flowers. They likely will not be able to establish a good root system in time. The best thing to do if you want perennial garden mums is to buy them in the spring and let them grow and develop in your garden over the season.

Sue Mazi, DHS Corresponding Secretary.

 

Essential advice for the gardener: grow peas of mind, lettuce be thankful, squash selfishness, turnip to help thy neighbor, and always make thyme for loved ones. ~Author Unknown

DHS Monthly Program – Optimist Hall

Oct. 2012

Our annual Pot Luck dinner was a success as usual.  49 members signed in and enjoyed a marvelous meal.  Thank you to Julie Jurik for looking after the kitchen, giving our executive and directors the opportunity to sit and enjoy the meal, and also to everyone who contributed their favourite food and dessert for the occasion.

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:14 p.m.

 

The minutes from the September general meeting were handed out to the members to read.  We were supposed to vote on them at the end of the evening but in all the excitement of the Way & Means draw the vote was unfortunately forgotten.  We will vote on the minutes at our November meeting.  Please read them and be prepared to vote.  A copy of them can be found on our website at dunnvillehortsoc.gardenontario.org or you can email me at secretary-dhs@gardenontario.org.  I will have some copies with me at the next meeting.

 

The Treasurer’s report was read:

 

Members to date: 116

Opening Balance: $8411.17

Income:  $0.00

Expenses:  $554.00

Closing Balance: $7857.17

 

A few questions regarding the watering expenses were fielded by Lori Maracle.  Hopefully things have been clarified and if you need any more information please contact Lori directly or see her at the next meeting.

 

Kim announced that orders were being taken for Crocosmia and Camassia bulbs.  These are being offered for sale by the Ontario Horticultural Association and the DHS receives $1 for each one that we sell.  Orders must be in by November 1st.

The OHA also is taking orders for their 1812 Rose. Official Rose of the 2012 Ontario Horticultural Association Convention & the War of 1812 Bicentennial Celebration:

  • Floribunda – Old Fashioned
  • Scented
  • Height: 3′ – 4′
  • Very large and full crimson red blossoms.
  • Repeat Bloomer.
  • Disease resistant – Hardy
  • Grown & tended for by Palatine Fruit & Roses a family-owned nursery.
  • Sold Exclusively by the 2012 OHA Convention Committee and District 9 Societies.

You can see a picture of this beautiful rose and get more information on their website at http://gardenontario.org/gar/newsl.php?news=238.
Orders taken now will be delivered in 2013.

 

We have approximately 3000 tulip, daffodil and grape hyacinth bulbs that need to be planted.  The Dunnville BIA has donated $500 toward the purchase of bulbs for the downtown area, and one of our members, Mary Galli, has graciously donated daffodil bulbs.  Vesey Seeds has donated bulbs as well.  Without these donations we wouldn’t be able to fill the flowerbeds with these beautiful spring flowers.  Now all we need is the man power to put them in!  Please donate a few hours of your time to help us plant these bulbs.  Our next scheduled planting date is this coming Saturday, October 20th.  We will be meeting at the condo parking lot next to the bridge at 9:00 a.m.   Any assistance will be appreciated.

 

Our guest speaker for this evening was Donna Crooks from Oakridge Garden Centre.  She talked to us about fall flowerbed cleanup and what kind of plants to use for winter pizzazz.  Thank you very much Donna for a very informative talk.

 

The Gourd centrepieces were raffled off.  Winners were:  Glen Love, Vel LeVatte, Stanley Carnes, Ian Steel, Olga Nevils, Betty Ballanger, Judy Jeffery, Gwen Van Natter, Glen Coverdale, Lori Maracle, Karen Waltham, Steve Elgersma, and Jacky Bursis.

 

Please remember that the November meeting will be one week later than usual on November 22nd.  This is the FOURTH Thursday of the month.   Our photography contest will be held this evening.   Photos need to handed in by this Monday (October 22nd) to Maura Cooper at the Chamber of Commerce by noon .  The pictures should be 5 x 7.  We will accept 4 x 6 and 8 x 10 as this is our first contest and there is a bit of a learning curve for us.  If this goes well it will be an annual event.

 

We will be holding our  Early Bird membership draw again in 2013.  Please pay for your membership renewal at or before the January general meeting in order to qualify for a draw for a prize yet to be determined.

 

Pauline Bradford will be returning to the DHS as a director and our archivist.  Welcome back Pauline! We missed you.

 

The Ways & Means draw raised $61.90 and the meeting was adjourned.

 

Thank you to everyone who helped out with tonight’s meeting.  As usual our Pot Luck dinner was a huge success!

 

Sue Mazi, Secretary.