Garden Clippings May 2007

McMinnville Garden Club Vol. 6 No. 9

May 21, 2007

Hydrangeas in the Garden

By Kay Snortum

Hillside Community Retirement “Activity Room”

900 NW Hill Road, McMinnville, Or 97128

Social time: 10:30 a.m.-Business Meeting 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.:

Dessert, coffee & tea provided by hostesses: Beverly Mulkey, Arlene Kempf, Mary Whinery and Marilyn Coats

Program: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Kay Snortum

Kay will be sharing with us her knowledge about Hydrangeas in the Garden. She will be sharing pruning techniques, fertilizer options and appropriate containers for varieties of hydrangeas. Kay Snortum is the owner of Artful Garden for four years located in Hillsboro, OR., she says “it is a product of insomnia and wanting to support local artists in her area.” Her shop is full of unique garden art, metal and iron works for the yard and water features created by local artisans. As a child growing up her family were business owners and Kay vowed never to own a business of her own but she learned how to create one beautifully while helping to support her local community. Formally trained in Childbirth Education, Kay worked in the prison and school systems as an educator for 10 years before opening her shop. Kay is a Master Gardener, past president of the Aloha Garden Club and a member of the Hardy Plant Society. Kay’s Artful Garden store is located at 140 N.E. 3rd Avenue, Hillsboro, OR. Phone number is (503) 648-7817.

May 14, 2007, Field trip **before our May meeting!

Adelman Peony Gardens and More!!! Brooks, Or

Car pool from Bethel Baptist Church: 9:30 a.m. SHARP

Carol Adelman, is prepared to talk to us about growing Peonies. She’s been doing educational programs for years and is excited that we’re coming. There will be tree and bush peonies available for purchase. Many wish the peony had a longer bloom period, but it blooms longer than the iris and as long as the azalea. Carol Adelman hosts a Garden Club week in which she does educational programs for many clubs all week. It’s generally held the week just after Mother’s Day each May.Lunch at the Chalet restaurant near the freeway interchange is recommended. Judy has also located some bonus stops on the way…Schreiner's Iris Garden with a gift shop and Egan’s Nursery full of unusual plants. Hope the trunks can hold all of our treasures from this trip! Call Judy Eggers if you will be going and haven’t signed up yet.

President’s Message

Dear Gardening Friends,

It’s May already! Our gardens have awakened in all their beautiful glory providing rich colors, texture and gentle fragrance. We are blessed!

I would like you to think about an idea we will discuss at the May meeting, but I wanted you to have some “think time”. As a President’s Project could our Club create a cookbook filled with our favorite rendition of recipes, gardening tips, floral photos, plant information and more? The finished books could be placed for sale in those nurseries we’ve established a connection with, as well as local bookstores. Each member could sell to friends and buy for gifts. We could highlight our 80 years as a Club as well. People love cookbooks and many collect them. Think about the kernel idea and we’ll discuss it under new business.

Election of 2007-08 Officers will be another important item of business in May’s meeting. Cindi Miller, Chair of the Nominating Committee, presented the slate of officers-elect at the April meeting. They include: Gaye Stewart – President; Cathy Burdett – Vice President; Amy Eads – Secretary; and Marilyn Coats – Treasurer.

The State Convention will be held in Eugene June 11-13 at Valley River Inn. There are planned tours and workshops in addition to business meetings. I plan to go at least one day and would welcome your company if you would like to go with me. If you’d like to see the program, please call me. Registration deadline is May 18 for best prices.

Thanks to Patty Sorensen and her Co-Chairs Georgia Queen, Jean Lierman, Margaret Roberts and Judy Eggers for all their leadership and organizational skills used in getting us ready for the coming Garden Tour and Garden Faire – 2007. “Backyard Havens” includes 6 wonderful gardens plus the big, diverse garden vendor faire. Tell your friends and neighbors to hold the date of June 24 and you’ll get them tickets.

Enjoy these spring days and I look forward to seeing each of you May 14 for the field trip to Adelman’s Peony Gardens and May 21 for our Club meeting.

Blooms, Gaye Stewart, President

“Backyard Havens” Garden Tour June 24, 2007

Right after this month’s club meeting we will be holding a meeting for the garden tour/faire committee. Everyone is invited! We will also have a meeting Thursday, June 7 from 10-12 at Patty’s house. Mark your calendars ahead!

Our printing order is complete, the postcards to previous attendees have been mailed and the race is on! Lists of all the current volunteers for the various committees will be posted at this month’s meeting. Be sure to check what you’re scheduled for and add your name anywhere you can! This month is everyone’s turn to start practicing their selling and publicity skills! Gaye will demonstrate how to easily survive approaching others about purchasing tickets to our Garden Tour & Faire. Who amongst us will beat her record last year of selling 28 tickets? At only $10 they make great gifts too! Kim will be passing out four ticket booklets and four postcards to each garden club member. It is expected that each member will sell at least four tickets and mail the four postcards to others to entice them into purchasing the tickets. REMEMBER, this is our one money making activity of the year to support all of our community gardening projects. Let’s amaze our community with hundreds of attendees to this signature garden tour and faire!

By the end of the month, the posters should be up so garden lovers can mark their calendars to save the date! We also will be promoting the event at the Farmer’s Market which starts Thursday, May 31^st. Drop by if you’re at the market and pick up more tickets, flyers, posters, etc. Keep checking the website for additional information and posters, postcards, etc. to print if you need more!

Garden Author To Visit Mac!

Thursday June 14, 7 p.m., Third Street Books, 334 NE Third Street, McMinnville 97128.

Floral Prozac: Barbara Blossom Ashmun will bring bouquet of flowers from her garden and identify the plants, then read from the Luxury of Bouquets in the newly republished Married to My Garden (William, James & Co.). Time for Q & A, followed by book signing and sales. For other appearances check her website at: http://www.barbarablossom.com

Our Garden Club is one of the sponsors for this event so be sure to mark you calendars to attend. Gaye said that Barbara is requesting that attendees wear their favorite garden hat. She is going to pick her favorite and give that person an autographed copy of her new book. Spread the word to other garden lovers!

May Yard of the Month

May’s yard of the month has been given to Bob and Delores. Their home is located at 2810 Pinot Noir Drive which is located in the Oakridge Subdivision off Baker Creek Road. Their son did their landscape design. Pictures will be on the website soon.

Dues Due

Please either bring your annual membership fee of $12 to the May meeting or mail them to Jacci Reed, treasurer. Jacci would LOVE to have the membership monies collected before she turns over the books to Marilyn Coats, next year’s treasurer, in late June!

Meet Marilyn Coats Vicki Brink

Marilyn and her husband, Garry, retired to McMinnville four years ago. Marilyn was originally from the Midwest (Kansas, Wisconsin and Minnesota) and has lived in southern California (where she met Garry), Amity and Portland. Her gardening experience started with her mother, who had more of an affinity for indoor plants. Marilyn's other avocation, sewing, embellished her wardrobe for years but now she's turned more to quilting. Years ago she did some painting but this artistic bent is now expressed in her wall hangings. She considers herself introverted and feels that joining the Garden Club has changed that because she so enjoys talking with the other members. When she was recovering from her recent battle with cancer, she found her garden and the birds provided a haven for her. The favorites in her garden are her lilacs and roses.

Hertz Garden Center to Close

The garden center at Hertz Rental is closing in early May so as of now their plant material is 30% off. They have provided addresses where we can express our sentiments about this closure. Send your comments to: Bryan Harrington, Hertz Equipment Rental Corp., 4939 NE Columbia Blvd.,  Portland, Or   97218        or you may e-mail him at:   bharrington@Hertz.com

Add the July 11^th Field Trip to Your Calendars!

Destination Garland Nursery - Corvallis.  We'll leave Bethel Baptist Parking lot at 9:30, planning on arrival around 10:30.  We've chosen a Wednesday for this field trip as Garlands rewards their senior customers with a 10% discount.  We'll have lunch and then start our way back, and if the cars have enough room for more plants, we'll stop at other nurseries on the way. Sign up sheets will be at the May and June meetings.

Garden Club History August 20, 1934 Dorothy Mathiesen

“Meeting called to order in Chenoworth Garden. 15 members present.

Minutes were read and amended to read Bill of $31.95 instead of $22.10 for flower holders. Yearbooks for ’34 and ’35 were passed out and our president explained some interesting things for the new year. After some discussion it was decided to have our meeting place and date in the local paper following the meeting and just before the next one. Floral committee appreciates flower donations for the Chamber of Commerce dinners held on Monday of each week. Call or deliver what flowers you have.

No definite plans at this meeting for Flower Show. We’ll leave everything in the hands of committee with date published in local paper as soon as decided. It was also decided to use only blue ribbons as prizes. Mrs. Dielschneider read about Phlox and Miss Stout brought a bowl of lilies, the two flowers studied at this meeting. Nine persons paid dues. $4.50 Punch and cookies were served by the hostesses and were greatly enjoyed.”

Bag Ladies Strike Again

A group of ten Garden Club members cleaned up Third Street, on Monday, April 20, 2007 and then were treated to a great lunch at McMenamins. Rumor has it there are a few sore backs, hands, and knees!

Sunshine Joan Friese

Joanie Smith’s husband, David, recently passed away. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she faces each new day.

There have been reports of several minor accidents to our members including Joan Friese and Mary Whinery.

Website to Check Out

The Gardener’s Network http://www.gardenersnet.com/birds/ Great info on birds and gardens!

Horticulture Julie Maahs

Time to Fertilize!  Those cherished gems of marigolds, cosmos, geraniums and the like,many hued colors  we all cannot resist when Nature shows us the slightest promise of spring.  These plants are in need of some special attention.  Fertilize now and there will be beautiful blossoms all through to midsummer.

Use a 10.10.10 Fertilizer at a rate of 1pound per 100 foot row. Apply evenly around the plants and scratch it into the soil. Water regularly and thoroughly if spring rains are sparse.( here in the Willamette Valley not a problem ). Hanging baskets and containers can be fertilized with a soluble fertilizer such as Miracle Grow, Shultz or Peters apply every 7 - 10 days once the plants are established, a notice of new growth coming on strong, this means the roots have taken off and ready to support new growth.

     Fertilize Iris, apply a 5.10.5 Granular or slow-released fertilizer to your Iris to help *promote more blooms. You want the second number in the fertilizer the Phosphorus to be the largest number. Scatter a handful around each plant and water well.

At our next meeting I will have a handout if you will in regard to: Region Description: Pacific Northwest

This is a run down of the Zones i.e.; Hardiness, Climate and the Growing season provided by  NGA - National Gardening Association. other great information can be found by going to www.garden.org

Garden Calendar Schedules are still available through me for $ 4.95 ea.

McMinnville Garden Club Organized in 1926 PO Box 386 McMinnville OR 97128 http://mcminnvillegardenclub.org Information: 503 434 4344 Meeting Information Meeting Day: Third Monday September through June 10:30-11:00 AM Social Time 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Optional Brown Bag Lunch Hillside, Activity Room, 900 NW Hill Road, McMinnville, OR Meetings are open to the public. Executive Board President Gaye Stewart Past President Kim Jongedyk Vice President Beverly Mulkey Secretary Mildred Reppeto Treasurer Jacci Reed Conservation Pledge I pledge to protect and conserve the natural resources of the planet Earth, and promise to promote education, so we may be caretakers to our air, water, forests, land, and wildlife. Ongoing Projects Summer Garden Tour The Oregon Garden Support Scholarships for Horticulture National Garden Week Garden of the Month Blue Star Memorial Marker City Beautification “Garden Clippings” is a monthly publication of the McMinnville Garden Club. Contact Gaye Stewart or 503-434-4344 for info.

Committee Chairs Backyard Habitat Alicia Dimond Field Trips Judy Eggers Garden Tour 2007 Patty Sorensen Garden Tour 2008 Jean Lierman Georgia Queen Garden Faire 2007 Margaret Roberts Judy Eggers Historian Dorothy Mathiesen Horticulture Julie Maahs Hospitality Julie Hughes Cathy Burdett Library Plant Care Sandy Ford Membership Mary Whinery Newsletter/Website Patty Sorensen Newsletter Asst. Sandy Bolmer Parliamentarian Sharon Gunter Post Office Landscape Joanne DeWitt Publicity/PR Beverly Mulkey Scholarship Ann Silverthorne Sunshine Joan Friese Telephone Vicki Brink Yard of Month Evelyn Mundinger Yearbook/Photography Kim Jongedyk The newsletter deadline for submission of articles for our monthly newsletter is the 25th of each month. Please send them to Patty Sorensen. Do you know of any prospective Garden Club members? Be sure to let Mary Whinery know names and addresses. We would love to send them our newsletter for two months.