ESSEX HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION
MARCH 2006 NEWSLETTER
FROM YOUR PRESIDENT
^ Top ^
Hi again I'm pushing it, but I wanted to get the District 11 meeting
added too. Spring always seems to be the beginning of life; the beginning of a cycle that sometimes springs from the loss of a loved one; Janet Miller lost her husband in early
March. Janet you are in our thoughts and prayers. Another member, Betty Isberg’s husband is in hospital and our thoughts and prayers are with you too, Betty.
DISTRICT 11 MEETING…This has been a busy month with our District 11
Meeting in Brigden this past Saturday. It was a short meeting and covered such topics as…..our dues for our DISTRICT 11, 35 cents per member, 10 cents of which goes to the
Donald Klink Bursary.
The money we receive from the sale of memberships
covers the dues we pay to District 11 and the OHA. THE DONALD KLINK BURSARY, $500., was won by Tyler Clark, a student of Horticulture. Forms will be sent to us and we will take
them to our Essex High School so more students are aware of this bursary. Donald Klink who is no longer living was a President of the O.H.A. about 25 years ago. Through the
continuation of this bursary his quest for learning lives on. Donald Klink’s son is presently a Garden commentator on CKLW. To raise more money for this Bursary Fund we will
be selling draw tickets for a Colasanti Painting, entitled, HERITAGE WILLOW HUNT. This is a painting of the elder Alex Colasanti, who, if you remember a few years ago, you
could visit with him as he wove his baskets. He has passed on and the family gave this painting to the OHA, when we had our Convention in Windsor two years ago. It was worth
$700 and it did not sell at a good price, so it's being used for this project. The second prize is a Gardeners Journal. Third prize is something breakable I'm getting forgetful
and I didn't write it down. The tickets are $2 or 3 for $5. See Kathy , 776-5140 or Teresa 776-7625.
^ Top ^
SPEAKERS - They also had a discussion about compiling a list of
speakers. This is something we have to work on, so we can keep the topics of our meetings new and informative. This would be shared with all of District 11- Essex, Kent and
Lambton.
^Top ^
FLOWER JUDGING COURSE. - This was also discussed and would be a 2-3
year project as it would cover all seasons of flowers, flower arranging and I think this would involve vegetables as well. Your qualification then would cover judging fairs and
flower shows.
OBTAINING GRANT MONEY- On March 30th at 7.00 PM Sue Morain will be speaking
at the Wellness Centre, located at 131 Elliot St. W., Windsor. The Topic is HOW TO OBTAIN GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR CLUB.
100th ANNIVERSARY . Fort Malden Horticultural society is celebrating their
100th Anniversary and they want to plant 100 trees. To cover the cost they are selling raffle tickets. You can find them at their garden show this spring.
I've asked the OHA for signs to celebrate their 100th Birthday. These
will be placed down the main street in Essex when the Centennial Tulips of the OHA are blooming. Our way of saying congratulations to the OHA.
MICHIGAN HERB CONFERENCE I was also lucky enough to go to the Michigan
Herb Conference held in Lansing, Michigan on the Michigan State University Campus. Wow! I learned about the many different scented geraniums; got to taste and learn how to add
herbs to my menus. The fun thing was how to use natural products to clean your house. I'm now trying a counter cleaner that hopefully will clean and deter the ant invasion. The
toilet bowl cleaner actually works! The Michigan State University had a Youth Garden where I had fun. The Theme gardens included Jack's Garden, a bench surrounded by tall sun
flower plants; Alice's Maze, cedar trees trimmed so an adult could get lost, and many more. The teachers, that talked about the classes were educational and lots of fun. If
you want to spend a day it is well worth it. The e-mail address is
http://4hgarden.msu.edu and you can add on a kids tour. Next year the Michigan Herb Conference will be held March 7 and 8th 2007.
^ Top ^
With us back home, the SCHOOLS IN BLOOM project seems to be accepted
by Holy Name, Maplewood and Sun Parlour. They each got $100 to help with this. The judges will be down in June for 2 hours.. Our tree planting project has started. Holy
Name, Sun Parlour and Essex District High School accepted our offer of trees that we bought from ERCA. The trees are Honey Locust, Burr Oak and Silver Maple. These were chosen as
they seem to have the best survival rate. This allows ERCA to give a class with the Children themselves planting and learning how to care for these trees. THE COMMUNITIES IN
BLOOM project is continuing again for ward 1, so look forward to reading more about the .Heritage Gardens . Because we have so many gardens in town and little man power to care
for the Train Station Area. we had to let Heritage Essex know that they needed to find experienced manpower to care for these beautiful and distinctive gardens. I'm going to be
working there for clean up and pruning early in the spring if anyone finds the time; it would greatly help to keep it looking beautiful for the transition period
That’s all for now. Enjoy life! Kathy
FROM THE GRAHAM SIDE ROAD
Did you know . . .
^ Top ^
...that large amounts of sunflower husks are toxic and inhibit
growth in plants and should not be used around the base of plants? If you have just a small amount they can be safely composted. Better yet, scatter them along your chipped wood
paths to discourage weed growth.
...that lavender bushes provide a suitable substitute for boxwood as
low hedges or flower garden edging here or in zones that will not support boxwood? If it is trimmed back to 4" in very early spring, the bushes will still provide lovely blooms
in July.
...that Love in a Mist (nigella damascena) is a great cover for dying
spring bulb leaves and the bare space that comes later? Pat the seeds into the ground in the same area as the bulbs in late fall or early spring; As the nigella grows, thin as
required.
...that Nigella seed pods are great in dried flower arrangements? Pick
stems while pods are firm but not open as this ensures a good colour. The foliage can be left on and the plant can be dried upright or hung upside down.
...that Tansy was used over the centuries in Europe as an insect
repellent in the kitchen and closet? Since introduction into North America two to three centuries ago its leaves have been used in moth repellent mixtures and continue to be used
in this fashion today Lynn
SPRING SHOUTS ALOUD……new growth!…..the promise
of beauty yet to come!
^ Top ^
A
SEASON OF HOPE!
That’s right , and both you and I are engaged in neck stretching but not upward but
DOWNWARDS examining every centimetre of the earth watching and waiting for every green shoot that reassures us that SPRING IS HERE EVEN NOW……….
ON WILDFLOWERS IN OUR GARDEN
Walk through a wild meadow and observe how Mother Nature has arranged her
garden…..certainly not in rows; certainly not grouping the same plants together. In Nature you have a complex profusion of different plants growing together. Plants, animals
and insects co-exist. No one species reigns. You have no pest or weed problems. Pest insects are kept in check by natural enemies – beneficial insects. Our environment is
full of insects in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. Weeds are home for many beneficial insects like the TRICHOGRAMMA WASP, a
parasite placing its eggs on the tomato hornworm. Goldenrod supports
more than 75 species of beneficial insects. Allow some weeds to grow such as, dandelion, wild carrot, lambsquarter, and goldenrod. Then cut them back to one foot high.
Planting herbs in and around the garden helps to control insect pests. Try rue, basil, sage, lavender, thyme, garlic and tansy. Mint repels cabbage butterflies, ants, black
fleas and aphids.
We can look forward next month to another visit from Maria Papp. Here’s a reprint from a
2003 Newsletter…….
We are so fortunate to have Maria Papp as our speaker. Maria will share with us
what’s new this year. Maria always has annuals and perennials that you will not find at the average Garden Centre. Make it a must to visit Maria’s Nursery this
Spring. She is located at 2465 Highway 3 just east of Walker Road and is open seven days a week. Flora Gardens was started by her father in 1956; 95% of the
plants Maria sells there are grown there from seed. Maria is a treasure to our Essex County Garden Clubs and is always willing to give of her valuable time. Be
sure to pay Maria a visit this Spring.
Sandy
AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN
^ Top ^
Every month at our meeting we contribute Styrofoam cups to the garbage. We want to
change .
When you come to a meeting…don’t come alone……….LUG A MUG.
|
