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THE BULLETIN - February 2009
Happy New Year 2009! Wishing you all a year full of new adventures and discoveries, and renewed and continuing friendships!
While the year is still young and full of promises, it occurred to me that some resolutions that don’t involve losing weight
or getting up at 5 AM to go to the gym would be fun, especially if they involve gardening.
Some good resolutions for 2009:
- Never go anywhere without the camera, even if it is a walk to the park with the dog. You never know when you will
encounter the Pileated woodpecker, the family of albino skunks (they were seen in the village last summer – very cute
from a distance), or other exotic sightings. You could also snap out-of-this world gardens, perhaps your neighbours’
or public gardens, download the picture and copy the design to your own garden. It is quite legal.
- Buy exotic seeds of unusual vegetables. Bok choi or other Asian greens look good in flower beds and are so handy.
They could save you a trip to the grocery store when all you have on hand is frozen peas. Spinach and Swiss chard look
good too and I am told contain all the right vitamins. A suggestion for your March “to-do” list.
- Go wild. Make a wild garden. Go out to the woods and dig up “unprotected” wild and interesting things; April is a
good time for this expedition, when the snow has gone and the mosquitoes are rare, and choose things that grow in bunches
so you can leave some there for renewal. Don’t bring back anything with three leaves, it is suspicious and might make you itchy.
- Be whimsical. Make a crazy garden, be it an all-white garden, all red, too tall, or full of ornaments. It is your garden,
your very own artist’s rendition. For inspiration, think Sylvain’s and Wanda’s gardens.
- Come to the PCHS meetings. The 2009 program is varied and interesting - responding to your suggestions and recommendations.
- Be a PCHS volunteer.
- If you think of others, I will add to my list and share them with you.
THE 2009 PROGRAM
This year, your Program Committee put on their thinking caps, found some interesting speakers on topics you suggested and added a few surprises.
As an overview - there will be exotic gardens from France (March),
how-to (October),
creative techniques (May),
serious gardening (April),
and two Members’ Garden Tours (one in May, one in July).
New this year is a change for the February meeting, replacing the traditional Info Fair
will be a houseplant expert sharing his secrets, with a clinic for problems.
The year will end with a members-only bash to celebrate our 75th
Anniversary. Please consult your Program for all our interesting events and meetings.
Unfortunately, the January 28th meeting (with a presentation by David Wees of MacDonald College on Pruning Trees & Shrubs) had to be cancelled
due to the weather. Consequently, the Annual General Meeting has been postponed to the meeting of May 20th (the 3rd Wednesday of this month).
Again this year, the “Early Bird” draw will take place; the 69 members who have renewed their membership early are eligible. Who will be
the lucky person this year?
The February 25th meeting will greet Christopher Chimbers, an experienced houseplant expert who will advise on the best houseplants to grow
and how to treat them. A clinic for problem plants will follow his talk. He would like to see your questions in writing ahead of the meeting,
if possible, with a picture of the problem. Do not bring in the plants themselves as it is not advisable to take them out in the cold. If
they are sick now, this might kill them or contaminate others.
Also at the February meeting will be the judging of the long-awaited contest “The four seasons in your garden”. It is not too late to get
started. Dig up the pictures you have taken of your garden over the past year and make a collage showing the distinctive seasons; you could choose flower beds, vegetable patches, borders, trees and shrubs…. the choices are limitless. There are rules: even if very attractive, pictures of family and pets will be eliminated; one picture or more per season required; all four seasons must be represented. Pictures must not exceed 8” X 10” but a variety of sizes can be presented. The easy-to-view presentations, attractively put together whether in the form of collage, book, or other imaginative form, will be judged by our fellow PCHS members. The winner will be presented with a $50 gift certificate.
By popular demand, Mr. Rejean Millette was again invited to speak to our Society. At our March 25th meeting, this world traveller will delight our members with pictures of grandiose French gardens. I have heavy bets on that the entire membership will attend.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:
To sustain our Society, a great many efforts are required from many volunteers. Over the years, many functions have been filled by
the same volunteers cumulating a variety of jobs.
In any field of endeavour it is always good to get new blood to bring in fresh ideas and energy and add to the organization.
At the moment, the PCHS is in need of volunteers in several areas.
On page 6 of your program, the word “OPEN” is an invitation
for volunteers to come forward and either be a back-up to cover in case of illness or vacation of the volunteer in that function
or fill a vacancy (as in the case of the Library, the Trading Post and the Program Committee). Many members are needed to ensure
our Society functions effectively – please come forward.
Your Society is one of the last few garden clubs offering flower shows. To continue to do so, we need tabulators.
We now have one tabulator, Ailsa Lee Loy; we need two or three more.
Please click here to read the Tabulator job description .
Also, for the past three years, I have been greeting you at every meeting. I would now like to be greeted myself. Anyone for the job?
A great program for the year, a beautiful website to visit (http://www.pteclairehort.org), friendships to make, and all in the good
spirit of happy gardening, that is what is in store for our 2009 PCHS.
Until next time.
Jacqueline Bouchard
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