April 2024 garden clippings

April Speaker – Jeffrey Robson

Our speaker in April will be Jeffrey Robson, the current secretary of the Bonsai Society of Portland. He has served as Vice President and as director of the Bonsai Society of Greater St. Louis. Jeffrey has been practicing Bonsai for 17 years.

With Jeffrey’s interest in Bonsai is his expertise in Ichibana, a program he will present to the McMinnville Garden Club next year.

President’s Corner – Elaine Pollak

I have just returned from Mexico where it is perpetually spring. The sky was blue, temperatures hovered around 80 and the bougainvillea and hibiscus were in bloom. We were celebrating my grandson’s second birthday.

I drove home from the airport in a rainstorm. McMinnville is home and while I miss my family, most of me is glad to be back. While they may not be tropical, flowers are blooming everywhere.

I just want to say how proud I am of our club. So many members are working diligently on several projects. I so appreciate your hard work and I thank you for your dedication. I know sometimes people get frustrated but in the big picture we are moving forward and making our community a better place. Baby steps are still progress.

Thank you again from the bottom of my heart. It makes my job so much easier to know our various endeavors are in such capable hands.

It is a privilege to serve as your president.

Amazing Talent

Thank you Rita for sharing your graphic design skills with us!

April Birthdays

• April 07: Judy E.
• April 11: Kirsten
• April 16: Barbara S.
• April 18: Colleen
• April 25: Star
• April 28: Judy

Arts and Crafts | Kirsten Browne and Colleen Moxley

April 1st : Abstract Landscape Pendants

Our April workshop is one we are thrilled to share because you will be making
lovely ethereal Abstract Landscape pendants using acrylic inks on Yupo paper. The lesson
will include applying inks to Yupo and creating abstract visual effects, using a viewfinder to
figure out your favorite composition, and adding it to your pendant. All supplies will be
included.

• When: Monday, April 1st Time: 10:00AM-12:00PM
• Where: Colleen Moxley’s, 15548 NW Orchard View Road
• Cost: $6 per pendant ($12 if you’d like to make 2)

Carpooling is encouraged, bring a mug, and (optional: a treat to share) Coffee and tea will
be provided. We hope to see you there!

Contact: Kirsten or Colleen for more information

MAY 6th: Flower Pounding – Botanical Imprints

We will be creating stunning botanical prints on fabric and on paper. Previously
cancelled due to SNOW…

This past summer Colleen and I took a class at The Chehalem Art Center called Botanical
Imprints (or Flower Pounding) with the idea of sharing what we learned with you. In this class
will learn the art of Flower Pounding, how to preserve cloth pieces, and even learn a bit about
its therapeutic benefits. We look forward to seeing you!

• Here are the details:
• What: Flower Pounding
• When: Monday, May 6th Time: 10:00-12ish
• Where: Colleen’s workshop, 5548 NW Orchard View Road (carpooling is encouraged)
• Cost: $8

*All supplies are included. Coffee and tea available
*Optional to bring: Mug, earplugs, flowers/leaves from your garden, scissors, white silk, linen,
or cotton item (napkins, a dish towel), a treat to share.

*Sign up at our April meeting or Contact: Kirsten

Good Eats by Betty Ballentine

Lemonade Scones ( A Scottish Recipe ) Makes 6-8

• 12 ½ oz self-rising flour ( a little extra for dusting )
• ½ C plus 2 T heavy whipping cream
• ½ C plus 2 T lemon lime soda such as Sprite
• zest of one lemon
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg beaten, ( egg wash )

Combine all ingredients, except egg in a mixing bowl. Mix gently until combined, trying not to overwork the dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and form a round one-inch-thick shape. Use a glass or biscuit cutter to stamp out scones and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Brush tops with egg wash for a lovely shine. May sprinkle tops with coarse sugar for a little crunch. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-14 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of cream and raspberry jam or lemon curd. Delish!

2024 Garden Tour: Sunday – June 9, 2024 (Linda H. & Colleen M.)

Mark your Calendars:
Sunday – June 9, 2024

We are very excited to be celebrating the 23rd Annual Garden Tour and Faire on Sunday, June
9th. We want to thank all of the members who have volunteered this year for Garden Tour and Faire Committee leader roles.

At this time, we have the following VOLUNTEER opportunities:

1. Day of Tour: Greeters and Hostesses: two shifts AM (9:30 – 12:30) and PM (12:15 – 3:15).
   a. Greeters: welcome visitors to the gardens, tally tickets, etc.
   b. Hostesses: partner with the home owner in the garden and answer questions
   To sign up please contact June Benson.
2. Garden Tour Road Signs (May): volunteers place five (5) signs in designated local
   areas and
   retrieve after the Tour. Contact: Christine Pritt.
3. Poster Distribution (May): volunteers distribute the Garden Tour and Faire poster at
   designated
   places on a route and retrieve after the Tour. Contact: Elaine Pollak
4. Farmers Market (Thursdays, May 30th; June 6th ): volunteers promote the event and
   sell tickets.
   Two shifts available to sign up. Contact: Kirsten Browne
5. Garden Tour: Members Yard Signs (April/May/June): volunteers place Garden Tour;
   Faire sign
   in their respective front yard. Contact: Betty Ballentine
   If you have any questions, please Contact Colleen Moxley or Linda Hansen

YSWCD’s Native Plant Sale

Head on over to the Yamhill Valley Heritage Center on Durham Lane/Hwy 18 this Friday 9-6 and Saturday 9-2 to purchase your plants/starts!

Check out all the details at: YSWCD 2024 Native Plant Sale

Their online sales began Jan. 1 – Don’t Miss Out!

Many of these native plants will sell out quickly, so don’t wait too long to order yours! Can’t beat their prices. Preorders will be available at the sale for pickup on March 1 or 2.

Penny Pines Reforestation Project

Once again, Beryl Anderson has donated one of her quilts for the Penny Pines Reforestation Project.

THANK YOU!
Check out the national project at:
Penny Pines Reforestation Program

For every $68 we donate, an acre is planted in a National Forest. Be sure to bring your dollars for the raffle to take this gorgeous quilt home. WOW!

The quilt will be on display at our meeting. Check it out up close……..so much detail.

Serenity Garden Update | Patty Sorensen

We keep hoping our weather will dry up enough for the cement and gazebo pad to be
poured! Maybe by the time we have our April meeting, we will be all done and ready to plant.
PLEASE? COME ON SUN…….

We are thrilled to announce that Barb Hilty, club member and landscape architect, has
volunteered to help us redesign the last two phases due to the immense amount of water in
several locations on the site. Please thank her as well as anyone who helps us onsite.
Keep tuned for some planting dates! We are on the club’s Garden Tour so really do need
to get moving!

We will be promoting the Serenity Garden at the Earth Day event in town, Farmers’
Market dates with the tour, and any other chance we get. Remember, you are our best resource!

Garden Club Plastic Project | Beth Frischmuth and Adele O’Neal Co-Chairs

At the March meeting we had our first collection of plastic from members. There was not a lot
collected, but it was a start!

This project is about educating our members (and ourselves!) about not only recycling, but also reducing our use of plastic, reusing, and even refusing some plastic items. Over the next few months, we will have more information available about these topics.

Did you know that Recology only recycles three types of plastic? Bottles, jugs, and tubs. That’s
right, they collect bottles (generally described as lightweight containers that have necks smaller
than the body of the container), jugs (such as laundry detergent or bleach containers), and tubs
(such as cottage cheese containers). Other types of plastic we throw in the recycle barrel
unfortunately, goes into the landfill.

Through our partnership with Zero Waste McMinnville, the club will be helping to collect and
recycle more plastic items. We will be collecting larger items like clear clamshells, salad
containers and cold drink cups. In addition, we will collect smaller items like caps from the
bottles and jugs, lids from the tubs, plastic utensils, bread clips, straws, and pill bottles, just to
name a few. If you have not picked up one of the flyers available at our meeting with the list of
items we are collecting for Zero Waste, check out The Plastic Project page on their website.

Please bring your items to recycle to the April meeting that are clean and sorted and in a paper
bag. The next collection event by Zero Waste will be at the First Baptist Church on June
15th from 10:00 – 1:00.

The club will be there with items collected from members! Remember, it is not a requirement that you bring items to the club meeting – you can take them to the event yourself and see what is happening – it is pretty impressive!

If you are willing and able, we will have a donation jar available at the recycling table at each of our meetings as we will be required to pay $4.00 per grocery bag at the Recycling Event. Thank you for your participation in this project with the Garden Club.

Chamber of Commerce Greeters Meetings 8:00-9:00 am Fridays

We are looking for club members to represent the club by attending these 8 – 9 AM meetings. Many months, there is no one from Garden Club there! Bring $1 and a business card for the door prize drawings. Garden Club has business cards. It is important that we support our chamber and its members! Please check with Elaine.

• April 5 Yamhill County CASA 638 NE 5th
• April 12 Willamette Valley Medical Center 2700 Stratus Ave.
• April 19 American Cancer Society Relay at Citizens Bank, 455 NE Baker St.
• April 26 Alpine Kitchen / Loft & Lies, 920 NE 8th St.

Call for Horticulture Related Topics | Christine Pritt

If you have a horticulture question that I can look into for our next Garden Club newsletter,
Please Contact Me.

Websites to Explore | Patty Sorensen

• National Garden Club
• Pacific Region National Garden Club
• Pioneer District Website
• Oregon State Garden Club
• Yamhill County Master Gardeners
• Serenity Garden
• Native Plant Society (Our March Speaker used this)
• Enhance Your Yard with Flowers
• Nursery Guide for Finding Plants
• Well Behaved Vines
• McMinnville Oregon Events for April

Quotable

April is a time of wonder, when the spring peepers emerge from hibernation and begin to call, when robins and redwing blackbirds come back north, and when new green life appears. That is one of the greatest of all wonders, the growth of a bud and a leaf from a seed or a root that has lain dormant in the earth all winter.

~ Hal Borlan