June 2013 Happy Summer everyone! Of course the official start of summer is still a few weeks away but this hot weather can only mean one thing: “♫♪♫..Summertime..and the livin’ is easy.. ♪♫♪”. I love this time of year. Everything is blooming and colourful. Have you seen the handiwork of the DHS’s volunteers with the planting of the town flowerbeds? They are absolutely gorgeous! Thank you to everyone who took the time on May 25^th to come out and spend the time to plant these beds. There are 20 beds in total since the vitalization of the downtown. Our volunteers work very hard planting and maintaining these beds throughout the season. There were more than 20 volunteers who showed up and afterwards everyone was treated to a meal that was kindly donated by McDonald’s Restaurant.

Our plant sale on May 11^th was a major success. This year’s sale broke our all-time record (which was set last year with sales of $1826.50). We managed to raise $1962.70 plus $30 in membership sales and $30 in apron sales for a grand total of $2022.70. Thank you to everyone who donated plants and who helped with sorting, pricing, setup and sales. Our past-president Judy Jeffery with her vast knowledge of everything “gardeny” did a great job of organizing the sale and with Mother Nature being so kind as not to rain on us it was a great day.

Dunnville’s Mudcat Festival is soon going to take place and as we do every year we will be entering a float in the parade. This year’s theme is “Welcome to the Jungle” and it should certainly prove to be interesting! We need members to volunteer to help with decorating the float and of course to participate in the parade itself on Saturday June 8th. Director Pam Blanchard is organizing this event so please see her if you’re interested in helping out.

Our member’s only garden walk will be held on June 20^th in lieu of our usual general meeting. We will be touring Rosa Flora at 6:00 p.m. Rosa Flora is charging us a $5.00 fee per person and if you’ve never been there, believe me, it’s well worth it. It’s fascinating to see how the place operates. Afterwards we’ll be meeting at the home of Rob & Lori Maracle for a BBQ. Rosa Flora is located at 717 Diltz Road, Dunnville. Maps were handed out at the last general meeting but if you need directions please contact one of the directors and they will be happy to help.

Master Gardener and DHS member Beth Powell has invited us to her open garden tour on Saturday June 29^th and Sunday June 30 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Her garden is located at 440 Concession 1 North, Canfield, Ontario. If you need information or directions please call 905-772-3088. Beth’s garden is a true gem hidden away in rural Canfield. Beth hosted our member’s only garden walk last June and if you haven’t seen it yet you will not be disappointed.

Trillium Awards Nominations are now being accepted. Ever wonder how your garden stacks up? Nominate your own home if you think your garden lends curb appeal to the town of Dunnville. Nominations are open until June 30^th with the judging beginning right after the July 1^st holiday. You can nominate anonymously if you like. It doesn’t matter who nominates the home as long as we get the nominations. The judges will take it from there. Nomination forms will be located at various garden centres and businesses around town as well as on our website: www.dunnvillehortsoc.gardenontario.org. Ever wonder what it would be like to judge the nominees? We are looking for members who are willing to take a little time to help with the judging. There is a list of very strict criteria that these homes must meet and Lori Maracle will be arranging for some training sessions for new judges. Judging is fun and really won’t take up a whole lot of your time. You’ll get to see beautiful gardens and homes that you may not have even known existed in this beautiful town of ours.

Garden tip of the month: June is a great month for gardening. By now you should have your annuals and vegetables planted and your perennials should be in full swing. Don’t forget to water regularly and feed regularly. Roses in particular have voracious appetites. If you visit the DHS website look for the “hints” link to some helpful tips on weed and pest control.

Please remember that there will be no general meeting in July. See you at Rosa Flora!
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