May 2013 Happy sunshine everyone! Finally! This winter has been long, cold and dreary. It’s beautiful outside and I hope this is the end of the cold weather. Just today with the warmth and sunshine my spring bulbs have exploded with colour.
We did a bang up job showing off the Dunnville Horticultural Society to the members of District 9 who attended the AGM Spring Forum on April 27th. There were guest speakers, a flower show, a penny sale, door prizes and loads of delicious food. Thank you to Pazzo’s Pizza for donating the pizzas and to Maura Cooper and Marilyn Stavinga for providing the yummy desserts. Counsellor Lorne Boyko made an appearance and spoke to the group about the DHS’s history and impact on the community. Members from District 9 societies in St. Catharines, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls, and Grimsby attended and I’m sure they were impressed with the spread. 25 year membership awards were given out as well. There were many recipients from the other societies of District 9, and our very own Karen Waltham, Janice Croft, Doris Thomson, and Janine Jungus were awarded their pins. Congratulations ladies!
Our annual plant sale is coming fast. The date is May 11th. Now is a great time to start dividing those perennials that are coming up and donate some to the sale. Donations will be accepted on Friday May 10th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the condo parking lot next to the bridge.
Please make sure that your donations are potted and clearly labelled with as much information as possible (name, size, sun/shade etc.). If you have a couple of hours to spare please let Judy Jeffery know so she can fit you into the morning schedule where she needs help. The sale runs on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to approximately noon at the Optimist Hall. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year so your help will be greatly appreciated. FYI: the Optimist Club is holding an indoor garage sale at the same time so it will be a shopper’s paradise.
The Mudcat Parade is coming up too. This year it’s on Saturday June 8th. More details will follow at the May general meeting. We need volunteers to help with decorating the float and of course to participate in the parade. Please let Pam Blanchard know if you’re interested in taking part.
Planting day in the public flowerbeds will be May 25th. Please plan on helping out. This is a great opportunity to show the public what we’re really all about: beautifying Dunnville. The backbone of our society is our volunteers and this is the single most important event that demonstrates that to the public.
I have just been informed that Master Gardener Beth Powell is opening up her beautiful gardens for tours on Saturday June 29th and Sunday, June 30th. Her garden is located in Canfield and is definitely a must see. We visited her place last year and it was amazing. There is no charge for the tour so make sure you mark your calendar.
Garden Tip of the Month: Remember to stretch, stretch, and stretch some more before digging around in the garden. Back injuries happen so easily with raking, wheel barrowing and shovelling so we need to be careful.
It’s a little early to plant most annuals, but pansies can be planted now if daytime temperatures average 15 degrees and they’ll tolerate night time temperatures around 4 degrees. If you’re a fan of tender bulb plants you can plant dahlias, gladiolas and crocosmias (a personal favourite) any time now.
It’s great to see everything greening up and blossoms opening again. I love spring—it’s the dawn of a new gardening season. Get outside and enjoy your gardens and don’t forget: with a little extra effort you could be the recipient of a DHS trillium award!
See you at the meeting!
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