PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE IN THIS ISSUE - Meetupfiles.meetup.com/17538542/Blue Ridge Digest Digest-May...
Transcript of PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE IN THIS ISSUE - Meetupfiles.meetup.com/17538542/Blue Ridge Digest Digest-May...
Summer Issue 2015 - Page 1
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
NGC Membership
Dear Garden Club Members,
I am just back from VFGC Convention 2015. How great it was to
be in attendance as our Blue Ridge District members took center
stage at the convention. We have three elected officers: VFGC
President, Janice Clem; First Vice President, Marty Bowers; Re-
cording Secretary, Karen Dillon and two appointed officers: Corre-
sponding Secretary, Patty Smith and Chaplain, Sue Patterson.
Blue Ridge District is well represented for 2015-2017. Lisa Robin-
son was installed as Blue Ridge District President along with Rita
Leiser and Hazel Vance as BRD Directors. Congratulations to these
ladies. What a fantastic group!
My thanks go to all who have helped during the last two years of
my administration. Those of you who have worked on the board,
on committees, helped set up meetings, helped with all the details
of registration, procured wonderful programs, helped with printing
programs, provided us with our lovely issues of the BR Digest and
set up flower shows have done a fantastic job. Many of you have
donated silent auction baskets and other items for our sales tables
and others have worked the tables. You all helped in so many
ways as we hosted the SAR and VFGC in Roanoke in the spring of
2014. You have provided me with guidance and support all along
the way. Every member of every club in Blue Ridge District is such
an asset not only to me but to your club, your community, the dis-
trict, state and beyond.
The last two years have gone by so quickly. I have enjoyed visit-
ing with so many of you at our district meetings, at your club
meetings, luncheons, fashion shows, flower shows, tree dedica-
tions, celebrations of anniversaries, plant sales, etc. Blue Ridge
Garden Clubs and Councils continue to amaze me with your work
on multiple projects which provide opportunities for your members
to share their talents and expertise with others in your communi-
ties and surrounding areas. I have enjoyed reading your Club
President’s Reports which have hi-lighted your activities and ac-
complishments. I loved hearing the names of Blue Ridge District
Clubs as they received awards at the VFGC Convention. Keep up
the good work and apply for awards! Your club deserves the
recognition.
It has been an honor and a privilege to have served as the Blue
Ridge District President from 2013-2015. I look forward to seeing
all of you as we go forward with our next administration of officers
who will need your support just as I have. They have wonderful
ideas and enthusiasm to share with us. …..continued on page 2
IN THIS ISSUE
President’s Message
Contents
New Members
Club News
Dues
New Officers
Janice Clem VFGC Pres
Thank You
Ecology Warriors
NGC Offerings
Marty Bowers
Flower Show Report
Flower Show Results
Blue Ridge Parkway
Awards Winners
Flower Show School
Edible Plants
Water Quality
Waterways Cleanup
Digest Subscription
Book Review
Yearbook Sponsor
Calendar of Events
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Summer Issue 2015 - Page 2
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE continued
Keep being Involved, Invigorated, and actively helping to Enlarge
Garden Clubs in the Blue Ridge District.
Have a great summer. Rosemary
NGC LIFE MEMBERSHIP AWARDED
Hilda Lindell, BRD Life Membership Chairman, presented outgoing
Blue Ridge District President Rosemary Drennen with a National
Garden Clubs Life Membership at the spring district meeting.
Rosemary was thanked for her years of service to the BRD.
CLUB NEWS
DUES DEADLINE - All clubs should submit their dues and
membership rosters to both the current Blue Ridge District (Patty
Smith) and Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs (Claudia Cosby)
treasurers before May 31st.
Belmont Garden Club honored Barbara Catron with a VFGC Life
Membership.
On April 23, 2015, members of Blue Ridge Garden Club planted
two trees at Main Street United Methodist Church in Bedford, Va.
The trees were dedicated to the memory of two long-time mem-
bers of their club, Louise Ford and Jane Murray.
WELCOME
NEW MEMBERS
North Lake
Jennifer Harvey
Bonnie Beuggert
Salem GC
Esther Davis
Ann McBroom
Bev Reiger
Wendy Shepperson
Marsha Shortell
Be sure to let the
Treasurer/Membership Chair-
man know of any new
members in your club.
Dried Asters
IN MEMORY
Please let the BRD President know of any
deaths in your club.
North Lake Garden Club honored Barbara Hawkins with a VFGC
Life Membership.
Sugar Loaf Garden Club honored Jinx Weary, 2013-2015 Presi-
dent, with a VFGC Life Membership.
Summer Issue 2015 - Page 3
Blue Ridge District’s
JANICE CLEM
was recently
installed as the
2015-2017
VFGC
PRESIDENT
The theme for her
administration is
“MAKING
CONNECTIONS
TO SHAPE
THE FUTURE”
PRESENTING the NEW OFFICERS for 2015-2017
National Garden Clubs
Theme - “Leap into Action”
President - Sandra H. Robinson NGC Headquarters 4401 Magnolia Avenue St. Louis, MO 63110
Telephone: 1-314-776-7574 [email protected]
South Atlantic Region
Theme: "Inspire Conservation Through Education”
Sarah Ann Parler, Director PO Box 306
Elloree, SC 29047 803-879-2304
E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.southatlanticregiongardenclubs.org
Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs
Theme - “Making Connections to Shape the Future”
President - Janice Clem [email protected] 2261 Donagale Drive 540-977-1713 Roanoke, VA 24012
1st Vice Pres. - Marty Bowers [email protected] 2854 Hickory Cove Lane 540-297-0965 Moneta, VA 24121
Treasurer - Claudia Cosby [email protected] 3015 Mount Hill Drive 540-794-7798 Midlothian, VA 23113
Blue Ridge District
Theme - "Education and Communication - the key to our best future"
President - Lisa Robinson [email protected] 2931 Avenham Ave. SW 540-352-9085 Roanoke, VA 24014
Director Secretary - Rita Leiser [email protected] 1218 Chestnut Mtn. Dr. 540-890-3006 Vinton, VA 24179
Director Treasurer - Hazel Vance [email protected] 210 North Branch Road 540-384-7226 Bedford VA 24523
Summer Issue 2015 - Page 4
THANK YOU
Thank you to each one who came to the VFGC
Convention installation dinner. It was wonder-
ful to see so many Blue Ridge District friends!
I was overwhelmed and honored when our dis-
trict president, Rosemary Drennen, presented
me a gorgeous bouquet of red roses on behalf
of the Blue Ridge District following the installa-
tion service conducted by our National Garden
Club president Linda Nelson. Thank you for
your love, friendship and support.
I look forward to serving as your VFGC Presi-
dent and will do my best to serve our organi-
zation and make you proud. I know that I can
count on your continued friendship and sup-
port as we work together these next two years
“Making Connections to Shape the Future” –
the theme of this administration.
The Planting Together Community Garden
Project is expanded so that projects complet-
ed throughout the year will be eligible for
recognition. Another focus will be the creation
of Monarch Way Stations to help the threat-
ened monarch butterfly survive. We will par-
ticipate in the Living Legacy Tree Planting
Project which will commemorate the 620,000
lives lost in the Civil War. Each tree planted
will be geotagged with information on a soldier
who made the ultimate sacrifice. To raise
funds for the project, we are asking that our
members make a $10 donation to “Green
Gloves for Planting Trees.” For each $10
donation, the donor will receive a pair of green
garden gloves. Our Plus One membership
campaign will be launched soon. And, VFGC
will host the 2017 National Garden Club
Convention May 16-21 in Richmond. Save
those dates and plan to come. This is the first
time that a NGC convention has been in Vir-
ginia. We want you to come and enjoy this
exciting event. There you have it --- two busy
and fun years ahead. I am counting on you to
be part of this journey in “Making Connections
to Shape the Future.”
Janice Clem
2015-2017 VFGC President
Dried Lobelia
Dried Kousa
Dogwood
NGC’s ECOLOGY WARRIORS
Do you know that National Garden Clubs has
put together an educational publication called
Ecology Warriors Workbook?
There is great information for adults and chil-
dren on:
• Air
• Bees
• Birds
• Butterflies
• Energy
• Forests
• Invasive Plants
• Land Conservation
• Recycling
• Water
• Wildlife
You may download it for free at the NGC web-
site. Four have been printed for this submit-
ter’s grandchildren for “Grammy Camp” in Ro-
anoke this summer. NGC has a Girl Scout
Badge too!
~ Shirley Edillon
THE NATIONAL GARDENER
The quarterly publication of the National Gar-
den Clubs magazine can be ordered at its
website for $8 per year.
NGC also has books and manuals on numer-
ous topics. You would be surprised at how
many are available! They might be of interest
to you or your club as well as gift ideas.
Summer Issue 2015 - Page 5
2015 FLOWER SHOW RESULTS
There were sixty-three horticulture speci-
mens with eleven clubs represented. The
top Horticulture winners were:
Arboreal Award
Jean Summerbell of Hunting Hills GC
Award of Merit
Joyce Woods of Sugar Loaf GC
Growers Choice Award
Brenda McManaway of Boones Mill GC
& Designer Atelier
Collector’s Showcase Award
Brenda McManaway of Boones Mill GC
& Designer Atelier
Award of Merit
Carolyn Fleming of New Castle GC
Award of Merit
Award of Horticulture Excellence Glynis Hopkins of Belmont GC
& Designer Atelier
The top Design winners were:
Designers Choice
Mary McLaughlin of Hunting Hills GC
Table Artistry Award
Janet Shelburne of Southside GC
Petite Award
Award of Design Excellence Brenda McManaway of Boones Mill GC
& Designer Atelier
FLOWER SHOW REPORT
The Blue Ridge District returned to the Sa-
lem Museum for the second time, holding a
Standard Flower Show “Spring … Comes to
the World” on April 10-11, 2015.
Director John Long graciously welcomed the
BRD back, permitting the use of their lovely
facility once again at no charge. The BRD
Board of Directors approved a $100 dona-
tion to the Salem Museum.
A Blue Ridge District Project in 2011 sup-
ported Salem Garden Club’s work reaching
out to like-minded organizations to share in
the funding and construction of the Native/
Adaptive Plant Restoration Project for the
new Salem Museum grounds. The Blue
Ridge District was pleased to contribute
$500 to the Salem Garden Club in April
2011 for the Museum grounds. The Land-
scape Design called for native plantings that
attract wildlife. Be sure to check out the
landscaping when visiting the Salem Muse-
um. The building itself is LEED certified.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design and is an internation-
ally recognized green building certification
system.
Flower Show Chairman, Janet Shelburne,
and the committee wish to thank the Salem
Museum and all of the participants and visi-
tors who helped make the 2015 Flower
Show a success.
MARTY BOWERS
VFGC 1st VP Marty Bowers, a member of Moneta
Garden Club and former President of the
Blue Ridge District, was installed as First
Vice President of the Virginia Federation
of Garden Clubs at their convention in
Williamsburg.
FRIENDS of the
Blue Ridge Parkway An “Easy” New Way to Give to
FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway
Announcing Amazon Smile!
FRIENDS is partnering with Amazon in a new
program called "Amazon Smile." Every time
you shop with Amazon, part of your purchase
price will be automatically donated to
FRIENDS! Prices are the same and the buying
process is the same. The next time you visit
Amazon, go to smile.amazon.com, choose
FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Ama-
zon takes care of the rest!
Dried
Larkspur
Summer Issue 2015 - Page 6
2014 BRD AWARDS WINNERS
Blue Awards
B-10i Flower Show Schedule -
Westchester Garden Club
Sponsored by Hilda Lindell
B-14ii Habitat for Humanity -
Green Thumb Garden Club
Sponsored by Fincastle GC
B-18 Membership Award -
Green Thumb Garden Club
Sponsored by Patty Smith
B-24i Club Newsletter -
The Garden Club of Bedford
Sponsored by Shirley Edillon
B-25A Club Yearbook -
Southside Garden Club
Sponsored by Anne Robinson
B-25B Club Yearbook -
Sugar Loaf Garden Club
Sponsored by Marty Bowers
B-27ii Youth Activities -
Moneta Garden Club
Sponsored by Janice Clem
B-28ii Youth Horticulture Education -
Moneta Garden Club
Sponsored by Rachel Yungman
B-31i Club Membership Brochure
The Garden Club of Bedford
Sponsored by Hazel Vance
B-4ii Butterfly -
Moneta Garden Club
Sponsored by Janet Shelburne
B-21i Scrapbook -
Sugar Loaf Garden Club
Sponsored by Marian Danco
B-21ii Scrapbook -
Green Thumb Garden Club
Sponsored by Betsy Klein
Red Award
B-21i Scrapbook - The Garden Club
of Bedford
VFGC WINNERS from the BRD
VFGC Special Award—Plant Trees Native to
Virginia <40 Red-Southside GC
>40 Yellow-Moneta GC
#11 Butterfly—Blue Moneta GC
#17 Decoration of Historic Buildings—Blue
Southside GC
#19ii Horticulture Therapy—Garden Project
Blue—Green Thumb GC
#21B Membership Blue—Green Thumb
#30ii Youth Horticulture Education-Blue
Moneta GC
#31i Club Membership Brochure-HM
The Garden Club of Bedford
#32Ai Club Newsletter –The Garden Club
of Bedford
#33 Blue Yearbook <20– HM Southside GC
20-29 Red Sugar Loaf GC
#34i Flower Show Schedule–Red Westchester
#36ii Website—Blue Moneta GC
Flower Show Achievement Award
FS-I-B Standard Flower Show Purple Rosette
Blue Westchester GC
TWO CLUBS WIN SAR AWARDS
SAR 1ii—Arbor Day Tree Planting/Activities
Moneta Garden Club
SAR 6—Garden Therapy/Healing Garden
Green Thumb Garden Club
SAR 28i-Website
Moneta Garden Club
Dried
Love-in-a-Mist
Summer Issue 2015 - Page 7
FLOWER SHOW SCHOOL Course II
The Kirkley Hotel and Conference Center in
Lynchburg, Virginia will be the venue for the
second course in this series of Flower Show
Schools sponsored by the Virginia Federation
of Garden Clubs on August 24-27, 2015.
VFGC welcomes Sue Kirkman, a first time in-
structor for the state, who will teach the hori-
culture course. Frances Thrash, Virginia's
own, will be teaching American Creative De-
sign.
Sue Kirkman is a member of the Garden Club
of Frankfort, Kentucky, a NGC Flower Show
Judge, Gardening Consultant, Landscape De-
sign student and a Master Gardener. She is a
member and judge for the American Iris Socie-
ty and a member of the American Horticulture
Society and American Lily Society.
She is a retired history teacher and gerontolo-
gist and served as Kentucky Director of Aging
for several years. Her special interests include
grandchildren, gardening, and home redesign.
Sue and her husband live on a farm with nu-
merous dogs, cats, fox, wild turkeys and the
occasional coyote.
Born Mary Frances Dent in Jackson, Mississip-
pi, Frances now resides in Virginia Beach with
her retired military husband where she is a
member of the Little Neck Garden Club, the
Lynnhaven Heritage Garden Club and the Vir-
ginia Beach Council of Garden Clubs. Now an
NGC Master Judge, she belongs to the Tide-
water Judges Council and the Virginia Flower
Show Judges Council. In all of these organiza-
tions she has held many elected and appointed
offices. Frances was the President of both the
Tidewater District and the Virginia Flower
Show Judges Council for 2013-2015. She is
currently Flower Show Judges Symposium
Chairman for VFGC.
Frances is a Life Member of NGC, SAR, and
VFGC, the American Iris Society and the Tide-
water/Hampton Roads Iris Society. She is also
a member of the Camellia Society.
In 2008 Frances was approved as a Design
Instructor for NGC. In 2009 she was invited to
enter the WAFA competition in Washington,
D.C. where she won a first place award.
Frances graduated from the University of Mis-
sissippi with a BA in Education and Math. In
addition to being a retired teacher, Frances
has worked as a floral designer at several busi-
nesses having earned an FTD Master Design
Certificate.
A registration form is found in the Old Domin-
ion Gardener. If there are questions con-
cerning Flower Show School, please contact
Betsy Klein at [email protected] or
call 540-586-0190. Your district representa-
tive to the Flower Show School Committee is
also a source of information.
EDIBLE PLANTS
Refrigerate spinach after harvest;
leave it unwashed until just
before using.
Rumex sanguineus
(Bloody dock, Red-veined dock, Bloodwort)
This is an edible plant that is attractive as an
ornamental both in the garden and floral de-
signs. Try putting its leaves in some of your
recipes for salads, soups, etc. You may find it
a little bitter as do some critters. Let Sue
know if you have any good recipes using
bloody dock.
~ Sue Patterson, BRD Chairman
Summer Issue 2015 - Page 8
FALL WATERWAYS CLEANUP
Saturday, October 3rd, 2015
Roanoke Valley and Botetourt County
8:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
On Saturday, October 3rd, 2015 volunteer
teams from all over the Roanoke Valley will
join forces to remove trash from streams,
creeks and rivers and their vicinities. Clean
your favorite spot along a stream, tributary or
river (or get to know a new one). In 2010,
nearly 780 volunteers collected 31 tons of
trash and 355 tires! Volunteers found hoards
of bottles, cans, cigarette butts and plastic as
well as many other items such as an animal
skull, bikes, a Desoto hubcap, bait cans, dia-
pers, a full furniture suite, toys, tires and
more.
An after cleanup celebration will be held at
Wasena Park 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. Sponsors will
be supplying food, drink, and great music!
Join in by registering your team today. This is
a "surf and turf" event so you may choose to
work in your neighborhood, park or special site
if you can't work near a stream or river. Sup-
plies are provided. Register online at http://
cleanvalley.org/fall-waterways or download a
registration form and mail or fax in to the
Clean Valley Council.
The flowers featured in this issue
of the Blue Ridge Digest are PRESSED!
Remember to get some of the beautiful
blossoms from your garden
to dry this season.
WATER QUALITY
Water Quality...what can YOU do? What’s in
YOUR water? You would be amazed at all the
toxic material that has to be filtered out of
your water supply to make it useful to you.
How can you help keep your water supply
clean?
An innovative program has been established
by the Environmental Protection Agency. It is
called Adopt a Watershed. This program of-
fers you the opportunity to become a part in
protecting the watershed that is in your area.
We all live in a watershed…it is an area that
drains into a common waterway. This can be
a stream, lake, estuary, wetland, river or the
ocean. There are more than 2,600 watershed
groups. If there is not one in your area, then
you can start one.
EPA has a “Watershed Tool Kit” with eight dif-
ferent things you can do to make a difference.
Become a volunteer monitor, organize or be-
come a part of a trash cleanup, build a Rain
Garden or organize a stream drain marking
program. Green-scape your yard.
Educate your community about water Quality
Protection. Advocate for low impact develop-
ment in your community. Start or join a wa-
tershed organization. For more information
go online to: EPA Adopt a Watershed Pro-
gram. You will find instructions and infor-
mation on all of the above.
Have a drink……of clear, clean water.
~ Carolyn Augustine, SAR Chairman
Dried
Hydrangea
WANT YOUR DIGEST
MAILED?
It’s time to renew your subscription or
subscribe to the Blue Ridge Digest for the
upcoming year which begins June 1.
For $5.00 per year, the quarterly issues of
the Blue Ridge Digest can be mailed to you
with the first issue arriving in August. All
other district members will receive the Di-
gest by email.
Make your check out to the “Blue Ridge
District” and mail to the BRD Editor:
Shirley Edillon, Editor
4858 Glenbrook Drive
Roanoke, VA 24018
Summer Issue 2015 - Page 9
are written for the dry southwest and Califor-
nia and one book which looked like it was pub-
lished for the Wayside Gardens Collection in
South Carolina was actually written by a Brit-
ish author and included some plants that
would not be found in the United States.
Happy Gardening – we’ll see what this sum-
mer brings us and, hopefully, you have sus-
tainable plants.
~ Marty Bowers, Chairman
Dried
Blupleurum
BE A YEARBOOK SPONSOR
SUPPORT THE VFGC 2015-2017 YEARBOOK
Each club in the Blue Ridge District should be
a VFGC Yearbook Sponsor. Individuals may
also be a sponsor.
The Yearbook provides a wealth of information
for clubs and individual sponsors:
♦ A directory of names, addresses, tele-
phone numbers and e-mail addresses for
all VFGC, SAR and NGC officers and chair-
men, district officers and chairmen, and all
garden club presidents
♦ Information that the Garden Clubs need—
on dues, donations, Life Memberships, etc.
♦ Calendar of Events
♦ Awards offered by VFGC, SAR and NGC for
clubs and individuals
♦ List of Flower Show Judges and Landscape
Design Consultants
♦ VFGC Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and
Standing Rules
The form can be downloaded from the VFGC
website and a check for $10 mailed before
the DEADLINE of June 1. Binders are also
available for $8.
BOOK REVIEW
Dryland Gardening: Plants That Survive and
Thrive in Tough Conditions
By Jennifer Bennett
Firefly Books
As we hear more and more about climate
change, we hear more about xeriscape or dry
land gardening. This does not necessarily ap-
ply to known dry areas in the United States.
Even we, here in the eastern United States
can experience times of prolonged dry hot
weather in the summer. You might want to
consider having a garden that is less demand-
ing on a water supply if you have to manually
carry the water to the plants or if you have to
pay for water or if you need to conserve your
time and energy.
Water is the lifeblood of any garden. Weight
for weight, plants need about 17 times as
much water as humans. Deprived of water,
most plants, except cacti and succulents which
can store water, will soon die.
In Chapter One, author Jennifer Bennett gives
an overview of water sources, watering priori-
ties, watering systems, garden water conser-
vation and the necessity of selecting the right
plants for your garden.
The Pleasure Priority, Chapter Two, touches on
landscaping your planting area. “Your garden
site may be sunny or shady, windy or calm,
sloped or flat, rocky, sandy or gifted with deep
loam.” You may not be able to use all your
favorite plants, but you can pick and choose to
develop a garden with leaf and bloom colors to
make it exciting.
The following chapters cover: Herbs, Grasses
and Ground Covers, Bulbs, Perennials and
Vines, Annual Flowers, and finally Shrubs.
Each chapter spotlights recommended plants,
giving the botanical and common name, zone,
and detailed descriptions, planting instruc-
tions, care and maintenance. Color photo-
graphs are provided for a number of the plants
or shrubs. I was surprised to see some of my
favorites that I would not have considered
suitable for dry land gardening.
Check out the book “Planting the Dry Shade
Garden” by Graham Rice. There are many
other sources of information for dry land gar-
dening, but be sure to check that the infor-
mation is applicable to this area. Some books
Summer Issue 2015 - Page 10
BRD CALENDAR OF EVENTS
2015
May 31 Deadline for BRD & VFGC Dues June 7-13 National Garden Week August 24 VFGC Board Meeting-Lynchburg August 24-27 Flower Show School-Lynchburg October 15 BRD Fall District Meeting October 19 VFSJC meeting-Richmond October 19, 20, 21 VFGC Judges Symposium Richmond Landscape Design School
One of the most beautiful species of spring
ephemerals is the Virginia bluebell
(Mertensia virginica).
This is the flower of the Blue Ridge District.
Quarterly Newsletter of the Blue Ridge District
Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. ● South Atlantic Region ● National Garden Clubs, Inc.
Shirley Edillon, Editor 4858 Glenbrook Drive SW Roanoke, VA 24018-2800
Newsletter Deadlines: August 1
send info to: [email protected] November 1
540-989-3137 February 1
($5/yr or $10/2yr if mailed ) May 1