Dunnville Horticulture Society

Thank you

Debbie Thomas
Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone!!!!!!!!
     May 27 Planting Day Update! We had the best volunteer turn out ever including 4H and Jr. Gardeners, Cadets, and over 25 dedicated DHS members. Our volunteers finished the flowerbeds (planting over 200 flats of red and white annuals and 80 pots of grasses) …in just over 2 hours.
     Mother Nature cooperated providing us with moist soil for planting and perfect weather for planting—not too hot for the new plants or for the willing volunteers.
     Thanks goes out to Kim C, Rob & Sandi M, and Petra K-D for the use of their trucks and trailers. Thanks also to Konkles Greenhouse for all the generous plant donations. Thanks to Wray and Bev M. for buying coffee and scones for busy volunteers from Flyers.
     To everyone who came out and planted….thank you! We’ve already received many kudos. The town truly looks amazing. Now all we need is a little sunshine to help make the flowers pop.
     Inserts for Town Pots will be delivered June 5th just in time for Mudcat festivities.

Last day with Christian and Lukas

In this photo gallery: Christian Corbet with the last panel on the last day, Christian Corbet and his protégé Lukas France, Packing of original pieces from Elizabeth Bradford Holbrook that Christian displayed for DHS members, Chatting with DHS members, Centennial Monument Partners including: Debbie Thomas- DHS, Katrina Schmitz- Haldimand County, Margaret Kamping- DCS and  Christian Corbet, Christian Corbet and Lucas France taken in the Merritt Room, Queens Hotel, Dunnville On

May 2017 DHS Monthly Program – Optimist Hall

Sandi Marr, DHS Recording Secretary

DUNNVILLE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
MONTHLY PROGRAM
OPTIMIST HALL
Thursday, May 18, 2017

A record of over 125 people signed in for our May program night. Debbie Thomas welcomed guests and members to our special evening with Artist Christian Corbet and his protege, Lukas France who refurbished of our Centennial Park Monument. Guests Margaret Kamping, Rob Shirton, and Katrina Schmitz were also recognized.

Thanks to Brant Richardson (former DSS student volunteer and son of Denise Richardson, DHS Board member) for designing 2 metal garden trellises for donation to DHS. One will be auctioned at the upcoming Mayor’s Gala, May 27. $5 donations are accepted tonight for a chance to take home the second garden trellis at a draw at the end of this evening’s program.

Our regular speaker, Jim Lounsbery, “The Art of Pruning” will be rescheduled due to the timing of Christian’s visit. Tonight’s program is a celebration of Centennial Park Monument and the history of Artist Dr. Elizabeth Holbrook.

Brief business updates included:
-Plant Sale, May 13 raising $1809 (plant sales), $170 (bird house draw), $1250 (donation). 8 new members and 16 junior gardeners joined our club. Remaining plants were donated to Thompson Creek Community Garden. Thanks to all who volunteered their time and contributed their plants.
-Lions Home and Garden Show, April 21-22: 66 new members joined. Prize winners: Helena Collins and Marianne Knight.
-Centennial Park Monument Kick-off, April 29: great community networking and profiling of our project
-Planting Day, May 27, 8am: meet at the parking lot by the bridge with your gloves and hand trowels. Volunteers are welcome as we have over 200 trays of annuals and 50 grasses to be planted. “Many hands make light work.” Thanks to Konkle Greenhouses for their generous donations.
-Mayor’s Gala, Cayuga, May 27: tickets available $125/person. Call (905) 318-5932 ex. 6102 for tickets. DHS is a recipient of this fundraising event this year!
-Mark Cullen, Speaker, June 15, GrandErie Garden Centre: our regular program night will join this great event. Tickets must be purchased in advance at GrandErie Garden Centre. $5/person includes entry into draws, raffles, and refreshments. Proceeds donated to DHS.
-Haldimand Motors Great Trike Race, Sept. 8: DHS will be participating. If you wish to help, contact Deb Z. or Debbie T.
-Visit our website www.dunnvillehortandgardenclub.org for summer updates. Kim C. will send out email updates as well.

Break was announced. Tonight’s refreshment volunteers were thanked: Joan King, Sharon Sykes, Evelyn Wardell, Lisa Burden & Kathy Black. September refreshments will be provided by: Marie Bak, Bev & Wray McLean, Beth Powell, Sandra Gill, and Lorraine Stevenson.

Our garden trellis was won by Woody and Joan King with $300. raised toward the Monument restoration project.

Deb Z. had the privilege of introducing our guest, Christian Corbet who shared many interesting stories about the life and work of artist, Dr. Elizabeth Holbrook. Christian was Holbrook’s sole protege. Slides and actual art pieces enriched his engaging presentation with time for questions. Christian also provided an overview of his work the past 8 days on the restoration process of the Centennial Park Monument. The presentation ended in a standing ovation with thanks for Christian’s work along with his protege, Lukas France.

“Auctioneer” Don Zynomirski led a live auction of original watercolour artwork donated by Christian. He chose to paint geraniums since this is our club’s official flower. Original pieces were purchased by: Marilyn Stavinga, Don Davis, Denise Richardson, Kim Christoff, and Deb Zynomirski raising a total of $615 toward the Monument restoration project. Thanks to Christian for his generous donations, to those who made art purchases, and to Don Zynomirski, our auctioneer.

Our Annual May Rose Draw concluded this great evening with 10 winners: Peter Zynomirski, Nelly Engelage, Woody King, Donna Cavers, Keith Bak, Lynda High, Rose Marie Bosak, Svetlana Poltavets, Tina Janssen, and Boukje Dykstra.

Kitchen & Refreshment donations were: $69. Thanks to all who contributed.

Everyone was dismissed with a grateful appreciation to all who made this evening an enjoyable time.

Sandi Marr, DHS Secretary

Planting a Pollinator Garden

Sandi Marr, DHS Secretary

You don’t need a lot of space to start a pollinator garden. Even a few containers of flowers can attract hungry bees and butterflies. To plan a pollinator garden, remember the basic needs of wildlife — food, water, shelter, and places to rear young.

Good plants for pollinators include: aromatic herbs (coriander, catnip, mint, parsley, lavender), annuals (sunflower, aster, dahlia, marigold, zinnia, cosmos, salvia), and perennials (bee balm, Shasta daisy, iris, coneflower, lobelia, delphinium, lupin, bachelor button). Try to plan a combination that ensures something is blooming at all times during the growing season..

Do not use pesticides and herbicides. Even organic pesticides can be harmful to pollinators as well as pests. Herbicides may wipe out key plants (weeds) that are important food plants for pollinators. If certain plants are continually plagued with pests, replace them with less susceptible species or varieties.

Flowers with bright colours, especially blue, yellow, red, and violet are attractive to pollinators, and during the night, flowers’ fragrances are alluring. It is best to pick plants that are native to your region. They are more able to provide for pollinator’s needs than are non-native plants.
Keep in mind while planning a garden that gardens with a high density of diverse plants are most attractive to pollinators.

Creating a pollinator-friendly garden at your home is a fairly simple task to undertake. However, it is an action that has the potential to make a larger impact on the environment, and most importantly, a positive impact in the lives of essential plant pollinators.

Dunnville Horticultural Society (DHS) will be planting a pollinator garden as its part of our Centennial Park and Fountain Restoration. DHS is very excited about this project and all of its community partners. World renowned artist Christian Corbet will be refurbishing the friezes of Centennial Park Fountain, May 10-24. These friezes, created in 1967 by his mentor Dr. Elizabeth Holbrook, have fallen into a state of disrepair. The public will have two rare opportunities to hear Corbet speak. On May 9 at 7pm, the Dunnville Christian School hosts Mr. Corbet; a second presentation will take place at the Optimist Hall on May 18 at 7pm, hosted by DHS.  Both presentations are free (by donation).  All funds donated go towards the restoration work of the fountain.  More information about Christian Corbet can be seen at his website www.christiancorbet.com. Visit Christian Corbet facebook page and Elizabeth Bradford Holbrook Sculpture facebook page.

If you have questions or for more information call Debbie Thomas, Dunnvillle Horticulture Society/Garden Club President (905) 774-3064 or Deb Zynomirski, VP (416) 556-9337 or vist our website at www.dunnvillehortandgardenclub.org and follow us on Facebook!
-submitted by Sandi Marr, Secretary DHS

A Rare Opportunity: 7-9pm, May 18

So exciting to see the great progress on our Centennial Park Monument (no longer a fountain). Thanks to Dunnville Silo (Ed Zylstra) for all the hard work. Nice to see the scaffolding coming down already. Christian Corbet and Lukas France have been working tirelessly to rehabilitate the historic relief works. You will have a chance to hear from Christian this Thursday night (May18) at 7pm at the Optimist Hall! A rare opportunity!

Artist Christian Corbet Completes Panel

Deb Zynomirski

Special To The Haldimand Press

DUNNVILLE—Art is a funny thing, completely subjective, sometimes divisive, always
inspiring. The same can be said for people. These past two weeks I had the distinct pleasure
and privilege of meeting renowned Canadian artist Christian Corbet and his protege Lukas
France, in Dunnville to work on the Centennial Park monument restoration.

Corbet’s mentor Elizabeth Holbrook had created 10 historic panels in 1967, which were
mounted to either side of a tall fountain in the fledgling park. These panels depicted
Dunnville’s illustrious history, from the early days of First Nations presence, to the
importance of agriculture and industry, to the celebration of Dunnville’s role in the history
of the Welland Canal. In the 50 years since their initial installation, they have witnessed
countless changes in our town.

They have also witnessed the ravages of time. Weather-worn and falling into disrepair, this
monument was long overdue for a facelift. However, one constant remained: Dunnville has
always had great civic-minded citizens.

Debbie Thomas, President of the Dunnville Horticultural Society (DHS), spearheaded an
initiative to restore both the fountain and Centennial Park. Soon a partnership was formed
with Dunnville Christian School (who utilize the park as an outdoor classroom) and
Haldimand County. Through a series of happy coincidences, Thomas connected with Corbet,
the one and only protege of Holbrook.

 

While Corbet and France were here, many had the chance to interact with the artists and
survey the progress on the restoration. I’m not sure what I was expecting the finished
product to look like, however I can say that it surpassed anything I could have imagined.

Corbet painstakingly reassembled crumbling pieces of concrete like an intricate jigsaw
puzzle, placing each piece in its rightful place. Where pieces were missing entirely, he
crafted and moulded new concrete to recreate the images, often using old Polaroids that
were relics themselves. While watching Corbet and France form the canoe for the final
(bottom) panel, I was impressed with their teamwork and the skill with which he crafted the
vessel and the waves surrounding it. However, I think I was even more impressed with the
honour he gave to his mentor as he went about his work. Always deferring to her brilliant
career, he paid dutiful homage to Holbrook, the First Lady of Canadian portraiture.

This was even more evident as he presented at the recent DHS program night at the
Optimist Hall. Watching him recount Holbrook’s many prestigious works of art during his
slideshow was like witnessing an open door to his precious memories of the years when she
mentored him. Sometimes serious, sometimes hilarious, Corbet recounted stories of
Holbrook’s life and career, each anecdote delivered with an honest sincerity that revealed
his genuine admiration for her.

Following the presentation, Corbet watched as we auctioned five original watercolour
paintings he created while working here in town. Proceeds from the auction go towards the
monument and park restoration which continues. In addition, attendees could get up close
and personal with many never before displayed sculptures, paintings and medallions by
Holbrook, which Corbet had recently acquired.

As the evening wrapped up and we said our goodbyes to Corbet and France, I considered
how fortunate we were to have had an artist of his calibre here in our small town. And
fortunate as well to have seen him working to pass the torch to his own protege France, just
as Holbrook had done for him.

Corbet’s legacy here in town will not only be the beautifully restored monument, but also
the challenge he issued to see art in the everyday things around us. The architecture on our
buildings, the designs of our gardens, the writings and wisdom in books we read, indeed in
each creature and creation in our world. I can think of nothing better to be remembered for.
Christian Corbet, for these reminders and lessons we are grateful. You will be welcome in
Dunnville any time!

Annual Plant Sale Success

Thanks to all our DHS members and volunteers who donated plants, helped price plants, and sold plants at our Annual Plant Sale. Thanks also to our community supporters who made this year’s Annual DHS Plant Sale a huge success! Please see a complete listing of our SPONSORS on our website. Many gardens will be full of beautiful flowers, fruits and delicious veggies.

 

Great job everyone! Here are the statistics:
16 junior members joined
8 new memberships sold
Monument draw:  $170
Donations to Centennial Park Monument:  $1250!!!
Plant Sale:  $1809.15!!!!

 

Wow!!! A super day all around!  So proud of our team…everyone working together made it another fun event!

 

Welcome Christian Corbet and Lukas France

Debbie Thomas

World renowned artist, Christian Corbet along with Lukas France, will be here in Dunnville from May 9-24. Christian will be at work in Centennial Park refurbishing the friezes originally created by his mentor, Elizabeth Holbrook. We look forward to his contribution in the grand restoration of our Centennial Park and Fountain.

We invite you to follow Christian on Facebook: “Christian Corbet” and share and invite people to “Elizabeth Bradford Holbrook Sculpture” facebook page, as well.