Minutes to Garden Club 12 April 2008 May 8, 2008

At the home of : Karen Gray-Kilfoils
Guest speaker : Judy McConachie

Firstly thank you to Karen for hosting our third Flourish garden club
meeting and for the care and attention that went into preparing your intro
to your garden. Thank you to Judy for her presentation on the basics on
preparing and planting .. I never new you had to dig a square
hole. Thanks to you all.

Welcome
To Donna - we hope to see you at our next meeting

Fame and Fortune
Tracy Van Maaren in the March issue of Garden and Home

Banking Details
Set up and and banking details available on the blog - Thanks to our
treasurer Nikki Ferris.

Library
Is now up and running - A selection of 20 books kindly on loan from the
Constantia Gardening Club
Members asked to donate books or Gardening magazines for our library

Blog
Please visit share suggestions as to how we can improve our site
http://flourishgardenclub.wordpress.com

Stodels and Starke Ayres
Join their clubs - both nurseries offer discounts and /or free plants

Worm Farms
Available at “Soil for Life” & Footprints

Owl Box
Phoned 021 799 8783 / 7971305 / 797 2090 and was unsuccessful in obtaining
details - the best they could do was advise that a minister or professor in
Piketberg makes them but she does not have name of tel details… HELP !!

Patricia Simons

May Flourish Meeting - Change of Venue April 29, 2008

Our May Flourish meeting is now to be held at Brigitte Berg’s house in Constantia.

Brigitte Berg will be speaking to us about ‘Bringing wildlife into the Garden’ (i.e. using natural gardening methods to promote balance and harmony of the natural order in the garden, and in so doing, encourage birds etc to enjoy your garden too!).

I think that this meeting will be most fascinating - Brigitte is an accomplished organic gardener and we are very lucky to have this opportunity to experience her gardening practices!

The address is (refer to email for full details):

“Sunbirds”
Constantia
(off Southern Cross Drive)

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE!

best regards

Caroline

Minutes of Meeting #2 March 9, 2008

FLOURISH!

Minutes of Meeting #2: Saturday 1^st March 2008

Venue: Tracy Dunley-Owen, Higgovale.

Flourish committee: Caroline Doyle (Chair Lady); Tricia Simons (Editor); Alison Reidy (Web Manager); Sally Franz (Librarian); Joanne Austin (Secretary); Nicky Ferris (Treasurer)

Apologies:

Mandy Hewlett; Craig Carbutt; Ally Reidy; Lise Kargaard; Louise Mulholland; Saranne Salmon; Tracy Vainio; Nicky de Stadler; Karen Gray-Kilfoil; Paul Kilfoil; Olga Constantatos; Natalie Turner; Alistair Simpson; Emily Tyler; Saranne Salmon
Hostess Garden

Tracy Dunley-Owen discussed her garden with us and later there was an informal walk-around after the meeting, at tea time. Thank you Tracy for opening your home to us.
News/Announcements:

Look out for the March issue of Garden & Home – Tracy Van Maaren’s garden is featured. Congratulations Tracy, your garden certainly looks fabulous!

Admin:

Although at this stage, there are no subs in early days; each new member to pay R60 – if you haven’t already paid R60, please contact Nicky Ferris (Treasurer) for Flourish bank details. Many thanks to Nicky Ferris for volunteering to be our Treasurer.

Minutes:

Joanne Austin has very kindly volunteered to take minutes at our meetings. As such, she takes on the role of Secretary, and joins the committee. Many thanks Joanne.
Library:

Our library - there are 25 books in the collection so far. People are also welcome to loan or donate books to the library. Please contact Sally Franz, our librarian. Sally will bring books along to our next meeting, and members will be able to take out books then; the loan to last till the next meeting.

Flourish Blog:

Remember to check out the latest information on our new and beautiful blog (bravo to Ally Reidy for creating a wonderful website!): http://flourishgardenclub.wordpress.com/
All sorts of useful information and news of events etc, is regularly added by Tricia Simons (Editor) – thanks so much Tricia - and Ally Reidy (Web Manager). Members with any material to add to the blog, please contact Tricia Simons.
Project Flourish Update

A few members have already taken their ‘before’ photos and selected/prepared their chosen areas. And Nicky Ferris kindly showed us her photos and 3D plans of her garden. Let’s keep our inspiration going!

Plant Table

Amarylis Bella Donna (March Lily) – Glenda Bell.

*** members please feel free to bring a plant to show or query next time***

Garden Queries:

Caroline Doyle asked how to handle Amarylis after it has finished flowering; Jenny Simpson suggested planting it in a shaded but not wet area of the garden and ensuring that it does not get much water to prevent rotting of the bulb.

Sally Franz asked for advice on how to manage a vine creeper that has taken over in her garden. Advice is to get it under strict control, and restrict its growth only in useful places, otherwise it will dominate and become a pest.
Plants to Gift:

Sally Franz has indigenous yellow-flowered water plant.

Glenda Bell offered shade-loving slips to Tracy Dunley-Owen for her hillside garden.

Joanne Austin has asparagus fern.

**Please contact these members directly if you are interested in these plants**

Guest Speaker

Jenny Simpson inspired us all with her valuable advice on ‘What to be doing in Your Garden in March/Autumn’. Jenny’s farm garden in Elgin sounds like paradise on earth and listening to Jenny speak of tried and tested gardening practices, home-made recipes to ward off pests, and tell her stories over the years had us all captivated and enchanted. Jenny also brought with her a beautiful collection of what is flowering in her garden at the moment - suffice to say that we were suitably wowed! Thank you so much Jenny for honouring us with your time and advice! Also, many thanks for those delicious apples! *A copy of Jenny’s talk will be available on our blog – watch that space!*

We would love to arrange a Flourish outing to Jenny’s garden, to coincide with the annual Rose & Garden Festival in Elgin – Jenny’s garden is one of the open gardens at this festival which is held in October every year. That will definitely be something to look forward to and diarise!!!
Next Meeting:

Saturday 19 April 2008 at Karen Gray-Kilfoil’s house: Sun Valley. Our guest speaker is: Judy Maconachie and the topic is: “Tips on planting & re-locating shrubs”. Please arrive from 8.45 for a 9am sharp start! We will aim to finish by 11am with tea and hostess garden walk-around. **Please RSVP yes or no ASAP to Caroline Doyle: **

Meeting #1: 2 Feb 2008 February 26, 2008

Time: 9:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Tricia Simons, Newlands
Chairperson: Caroline Doyle

Apologies:

* Mandy Hewlett
* Dianne Norman
* Olga Constantatos
* Natalie Turner
* Alistair Simpson
* Emily Tyler
* Julie Erasmus
* Janet McCullum

Caroline Doyle welcomed everyone to the first garden club meeting and thanked the hostess Tricia Simons for opening her home to us.
General Items:

• Flourish Meetings to be held monthly – with the exception of January, July and December (9 meetings annually). Meetings always on first Saturday of every month – weekends coinciding with public or school holidays will be avoided. Meeting start time is 9.00, please arrive at 8.45, so we can start promptly at 9.00. We will aim to finish Flourish business by 10.30, followed by tea!
• Flourish committee includes: Caroline Doyle (Chair Lady); Tricia Simons (Editor of Newsletter); Sally Franz (Librarian) and for the first year we are gratefully under the guidance of Glenda Bell and Jeanette Van Maaren!
• Thanks to Shaune Rogastschnig for volunteering to take the minutes at the first meeting! This task will be shared – please can we have a volunteer at each meeting!
• No subs in early days; each new member pays R60.
• If you are keen to host a Flourish meeting, please speak to Caroline Doyle, so that we can fill the calendar!
• The Constantia Valley Garden Club (CVGC) – our ‘sponsor’ club - has lent 25 books to initiate a gardening library - Sally Franz volunteered to be the Flourish librarian. Thank you Sally!
• Plant Table - Members are welcome to bring along an item for ‘show & tell’ or to make an inquiry about a plant.
• BOUNCE BACK – anyone interested in buying some can order a large bag for R90. It will be a bulk order, so please either contact Jeanette Van Maaren directly before or at next meeting. Bounce Back is usually used in Autumn, but must not be used on acid loving plants such as azaleas, fuchsias. Jeanette to write up a ‘how to use’ guide which will be included in the first Newsletter.
• Members are welcome to donate plants to the group; either bring to meeting or let us know at meeting/via e-mail and anyone who is interested must contact you directly.
• Glenda Bell offered to provide slips (May) – please contact her directly.
• Flourish Blog – Alison Gardiner-Reidy has very kindly offered to set up a blog for us. Further info on this to follow!

· Next Meeting: 1 March 2008 at Tracy Dunley-Owen’s house:  Higgovale . Topic is: “What to do in your garden in March!” by Jenny Simpson. Please arrive from 8.45 for a 9am start! ****RSVP to Caroline Doyle: cjmdoyle at mweb dot co dot za

**** Announcements:

• Alistair Simpson and Emily Tyler will be getting married in March! J

Initiatives:

• Project Flourish – members to choose a section of their garden to take on as a special project and to make it flourish!! Please take ‘before’ photos and then in a year’s time (February 2009) take ‘after’ photos, and the results can be enjoyed and celebrated with all members in the club. Caroline Doyle will co-ordinate so please email her your before photos at: cjmdoyle@mweb.co.za
• Tricia Simons has kindly volunteered to co-ordinate a Monthly/Seasonal Newsletter, which will include a relevant ‘to-do list’ etc. If anyone has interesting info to share, please get in touch Tricia.
• Free Garden Advice – there are members of CVGC who are willing to offer Flourish members their advice! They will help to create a plan for a certain area of our garden. Members who would like to take up this very generous offer, do so with the commitment to act on the advice given.

Problem and Solutions (answered by Jeanette van Maaren and Glenda Bell):

Name	Problem	Solution
Tracy	What to do with red locusts?	Cut them in half
Suranne	Black spots on roses	Remove the worst leaves with spots as this is a fungal disease and throw away in the bin and not on compost heap. Remember to leave some leaves on the bush!! Can use Neem oil (non-toxic) or bio-product.
Nikki	Black growing up rose bush	Remove dead leaves and flowers is all you can do in heat. Try cutting-back and feed with Kelpak which is a growth stimulant due to the “shock” of renovating. Remove plant from plastic bag as this is too hot and place in area that receives morning sun.
Alison	Red spider mites	Wash the affected plant down (especially the underside of the leaves). They should disappear when it is cooler.
Karen	Potato creeper has died back	Remove dead bits and to protect it from sun, place cloth or thick bark around the roots. Water it.
Caroline	Aphids on roses on new buds	Spray off with water. Or use ‘bio-kill’ if desperate!
Joanne	Fruit trees have old fungus	Rub off as much as possible. Improve the health of the plant and feed it with bounce back or compost. Vinegar is used to remove mould, perhaps experiment with a vinegar / water solution.

Activities / Speakers:

1. Tricia Simons introduced her garden and showed members around.
2. Jeanette van Maaren consulted on a section of Tricia’s garden. Her brief was to revamp a section of her garden. Changes needed to include a bird bath, shrubs along fence and back wall, no annuals and to be low maintenance.

General principles:

• Draw up a plan to scale
• First look at the view/outlook and ways to enhance it.
• Trees provide better views in winter
• Consider the borrowed scenery (trees etc off the property).
• Decide on style and theme (formal, modern, country, Mediterranean)
• Look for N/S and clear areas where winter sun comes in.
• Look at tree scale
• Look at sun pattern (e.g. all day sun, full shade, bed is east facing etc.)
• Decide on plants to move/remove
• Identify and plan to remove aliens which seed themselves eg Privet and Sestrum (nothing grows underneath them either)
• If possible, prepare the soil in May when planting conditions are best
• Design new beds using a hose / flour / mielie meal to outline shape. Make bed bold. Cut the edge and prepare bed with compost etc (will need strong hands to help!).
• Remember to fully prepare your bed before you buy plants and have your design plan confirmed, so that plants can go straight in. A bed can lay ready for weeks, whereas plants need to be planted promptly.
• Look at the texture of the plants you choose as you need to mix and match (e.g. ferns, round leafed, berries etc.)
• Decide on background plants
• Look at when things flower – aim to have flowers throughout the year, but concentrate the flowering plants during summer when you spend the most time outdoors.
• Watch out for paving – too much makes it clinical.

-oOo-