June 2014

Happy summer everyone!
We haven’t had much of it yet, but I’ll take any hot weather we can get. This past winter was so cold and seemed so long.  I hope Mother Nature provides us with lots of warm weather this summer—bring it on!

The May plant sale was a huge success with the DHS raising $2073.65 in total, with the sale of plants, aprons, t-shirts and memberships.  Where else can you get such a great selection of perennials and annuals at such a bargain?  Our members came through with lots of donations and everyone worked hard sorting, labelling and pricing the plants.  The weather was great and the turnout was great.  Thank you to everyone who volunteered.  We were just a few dollars shy of setting another record—good job everyone!  We signed up 10 new members and Bruce & Olga Nevils won the garden basket that was raffled off.

McHappy Day at McDonald’s restaurant was held on Wednesday May 7th.  Lori and Rob Maracle, Debbie Thomas, Maura Cooper, Ian Steel and Pauline Bradford graciously donated their time to represent the DHS and help support one of our sponsors. Everyone had fun helping out.  Please take a look at the sponsor page on our website and support our sponsors.  Without their financial support we would not be the strong society that we are today.

Planting day on May 24th was an outstanding success this year with a record number of 38 volunteers. Some of our volunteers were non-members who responded to our request for help from the townsfolk and some of our helpers were students from Dunnville Secondary School.  Our partnership with the school is a win-win situation: we need volunteers and the students need volunteer hours in order to graduate.  Volunteers are the backbone of our society and keeping Dunnville blooming and beautiful is our main goal.  All summer long the town flowerbeds look beautiful and without the hard work of our volunteers it just wouldn’t be so.

Lester Fretz was our guest speaker for May, speaking about micro-gardening.  He’s a big hit with our members every time he comes to visit, but I think this year he had some stiff competition with the cinnamon buns that his wife brought along.  There will be no general meeting on June 19th—instead we will have our annual members’ only Garden Walk at the home of Beth Powell & Ken Sherwood in Canfield.  We were there 2 years ago and their garden is absolutely beautiful.  If you didn’t make it that night be sure to attend this year—you won’t be disappointed. The tour will start at 7 p.m.  Maps are on the website and we’ll email them to our members as well.  Food and beverages will be provided afterwards. Please remember that this is just a snack, not dinner and please bring lawn chairs.

One of our most important events each year is the Trillium Awards.  DHS gives recognition to homeowners in the Dunnville area who work hard to make their homes and properties look beautiful. Any property located within the defined limits of the town of Dunnville is eligible for a nomination.  A map of the physical limits is available on our website. Nomination forms are available on the website as well as around town at various garden centres and businesses.  You can nominate your own garden if you like and please feel free to nominate any home that you think is deserving of this prestigious award.  If you are interested in volunteering as a judge please let one of the executive know. There are strict criteria that each property must meet in order to be awarded a Trillium Award.  Judging will begin mid-July and the awards will be presented at the August general meeting.

This year’s bus trip on July 12th will be taking us to Whistling Gardens and Bonnieheath Lavender Farm.  Whistling Gardens is located in Wilsonville and the owner, Darren Heimbecker, will be giving us a private tour.  They have acres of blooms on display with many different plants for sale.  Fountains that are choreographed to music are displayed 3 times a day and there is also an ever-expanding aviary with many different birds to see.  We will also have a catered lunch before we leave Whistling Gardens.  After lunch we will be whisked off to Bonnieheath Lavender Farm in Waterford for a wagon ride through the beautiful lavender fields.  There is also a winery and gift shop at Bonnieheath so be sure to bring some spending money.  We will meet at the condo parking lot Saturday July 12th at 9:00 a.m.  The tickets cost $40 for members and $50 for non-members.  Contact Debbie Thomas at 905-774-3064 if you would like to purchase tickets.

There is no general meeting in July and your hardworking executive who usually meets once a month is taking the month off as well.  Everyone has been working very hard and it’s nice to have a break.  My next newsletter will be in August.

Our next get together after the garden walk and bus tour will be the August general meeting on Thursday, August 21st.  Our guest speaker for the evening will be Leanne Dykun of Blooming Designs which is located in downtown Dunnville.  She’ll be giving a floral demonstration. This is perfect timing because our annual plant and vegetable show is scheduled for the September general meeting.  Leanne will make sure your arrangements will be spectacular.

We are holding our “four season” photo contest at our November general meeting again this year. Keep this in mind while you are out and about this year taking pictures.  Our gardens are always a never ending source of photos, so why not enter some of your pictures in the contest?  The rules are simple: gardening is the subject.  One photo is allowed in each division: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.  Each photo should be 4 x 6 and not be framed.  You can have animals and/or children in the picture but they mustn’t be the focal point.

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

See you at the garden walk!

 

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

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