KEY WEST GARDEN CLUB Summer Newsletter 2012

PRESIDENT'S REPORT

By Sue Sullivan Hello from Paradise! Summer is coming to a close and it has been a good one for the Club We survived the Tropical Storm Isaac .The gardens suffered from salt wind damage and some downed limbs but overall did well. Some of our wonderful members came before the storm and moved plants from Propagation into the Meeting Room and moved them back and helped

with clean up. STORM ISAAC

Thank you to Debby Crowley, Rosi Ware, Hazel Hans, Ellen Engleson, Donna Froelich, Eloise Pratt, Patti Rodriguez and Mary Ladue and everyone who helped. Thanks to Bob Hans, Chuck Pratt, Ron Zemlicka, Bob Hans and Jeff Ware, our manly men.And thanks to the summer workers who brave the heat to keep us looking special!

TREE PLANTING With help from the Key West Garden Club ,Fran Ford and Debbie Jo Clem, local Girl Scouts from the Lower Keys planted a pigeon plum tree at the Truman Little White House in celebration of 100 years of girl scouting in the USA. The Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida, Inc. is one of 112 councils nationwide chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA to deliver the Girl Scout program within specific geographic boundaries. Club member Debbie Jo has been an active supporter and leader with the Girl Scouts for many years.

SCHOLARSHIP Ready for FSU! Recent KWHS graduate Dora DeMaria receives the Lois Kitching Memorial Scholarship from the Key West Garden Club Fran Ford is in attendance. Fran has been active in keeping the scholarship going with the help of Annette Liggett. The Club awards the scholarship each year to a college student interested in pursuing a career related to the natural environment. When Dora attended KWHS she was a member of the National Honor Society, a winning member of the KWHS swim team and an active Girl Scout. She plans on getting a degree in Environmental Science with an emphasis on Marine life. ORCHID ARBOR MAKEOVER

Donna Froelich and Ellen Engleson have taken over the care of the Orchid Arbor from Sandra McMannis and Cherre Marchak. Donna and Ellen with the help of Dean Miller installed a new shade cloth to help with the sun and have purchased some new orchids and have given the Arbor a new look.

CHAMPION TREE CALENDAR The Florida Division of Forestry ( the organization which awarded us the Native Tree Grant) asked for a photo of the Southernmost Champion Mahogany Tree and some Garden Club members along with it. Lynne Bentley-Kemp our fantastic photographer-member did some shots with a few members. It is a BIG tree and we are the little humans next to it. The National Forestry Division puts out a calendar each year of Champion Trees . The KWGC will be represented in many places that care about trees. The tree is located next to St. Mary’s Basilica on Truman Ave.

There really are people under that tree! FROM THE RECEPTIONISTS RON and DEAN Last week a visitor stopped at the desk after viewing the gardens and asked, “Are those grapes growing on the coconut palm?” I said no, and since it wasn’t busy, I asked her to show me the exact tree to which she was referring. She led me to the bismarck palm, and said “See”, as she pointed to the seeds hanging down. I explained that this was not a coconut palm, and that what she was pointing to were seeds, needed for the tree to propagate itself. I further explained that coconuts only grow on coconut palms and that while there are more than 2800 varieties of palm trees, very few grow coconuts. “Really”, was her reply, “I thought all palm trees grew coconuts”. So do you think she was a master gardener elsewhere, just not familiar with the tropics?

A NEW FENCE IN PROPAGATION The County put up a new fence in the propagation area. It is much more secure than the old one and the plants are so much happier. Our nursery is full of plants getting ready for the annual plant sale which will be held on the first weekend in December this year.

ORCHID SOCIETY EVENT Joe Liskza had a wonderful open house at his home in Key Haven and the the KWGC was invited along with the Orchid Society, . Joe has a spectacular house with loads of lovely plants and orchids, There was music and wonderful nibbles by Surrey. Garden Club and Orchid Society members go to catch up on old friendships.

Thanks to Robin Robinson and Julia Woods for photos BLUE STAR MEMORIAL Elosie and Chuck Pratt are members who keep the Blue Star Memorial looking so good. They headed up a work force to keep the red white and blue theme by laying some white rock to help with the contrast.

MEETINGS Our first meeting will be Thursday, October 4th at 1:30 at West Martello. Cory Malcom of the Mel Fisher Museum will discuss the history of the South Beach Graves and the history of the Garden Club. It is a follow up to Tom Hambright’s talk last April. This will be videoed and be part of the history of the Club. Sandra McMannis has a great lineup of speakers this year. Topics will include: -“Green Management” of Key West” -“The Scent of Scandal: Greed, Betrayal and the World’s Most Beautiful Orchid. Tales of orchid smuggling” -“The Big Digs: Archeological sites in South Florida for trips and visits” -“Goin' Native in the Landscape” "Butterfly Lures for Key West" "Local Native Plants as Herbal Pharmacy" Mary Ladue and Donna Froelich have put together two good evening horticultural programs too. Our Annual Plant Sale will be Dec 1st and 2nd this year This is later than ususal but a great event for Christmas shopping! The Yearbook will be available at the Club and is available online just send me an e-mail request. It has a beautiful cover designed by Patti Johnson and great drawings by our own Rosi Ware. Our Website is undergoing a change and should be up and running by October. It will be a more functional site, so a Huge Thank You to Jeff Ware for all the time he has put into this project as a volunteer. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back in town and to the Gardens. Hugs and peace. Sue