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Redbud Reporter Spring 2014

Dear Garden Friends,

Redbud District has persevered through the snow and ice, and all the presidents’ reports are in

and are already being considered for the Redbud Awards. As you know, each year we go

through your well-written reports, complete with photos and news clippings at times, and select

the clubs which have made the most effort to follow the Garden Club of Georgia standards of

Beautification, Conservation, and Education - These projects make very enjoyable reading, and

are very inspiring also. Butterfly gardening, community entrance beautification, well-deserved

parties for major milestones in a club’s history, scholarships provided to local students, 100%

participation in the GCG calendar sales for scholarships, new members added, all these add up to

a vibrant and exciting Redbud District.

The year in which we embark now, 2014, can be your best ever, keep thinking of new ways to

educate your members and community about the benefits of being in a Club and how that

translates to community involvement. There were 17 clubs which achieved Club Standard of

Excellence, and several more which were only 2 or 3 points shy of that mark. Keep up the good

work!

Speaking of educating, Virginia Pennington, the GCG 4th

Vice President and Membership

Chairman, has developed a new program called “What is this Thing called Garden Club?” and I

would be happy to travel to your club and present the short but interesting program which she

has provided to the District Directors. September is already filling up, as you and I plan the

calendars in advance, but I have dates available in both September and October 2014, if you wish

to take advantage of the program.

Mark your calendars now for the convention in Macon, May 14 and 15, 2014. There is a

marvelous tour of the Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens at Middle Georgia College on the

first day in the afternoon, so plan to arrive early and go!

Looking forward to seeing you out and about, best wishes for the Spring and Summer plans that

you make for your clubs.

Emily Wilbert

Redbud District Director

Vickey Cooper, editor Vickey1@bellsouth.net

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Arbor Day for Three Clubs The three Jackson garden clubs, Azalea,

Cherokee and Mimosa joined together to

purchase the Yoshino Cherry Tree in the

background to be planted at the new City

of Jackson Walking Park in celebration of

Arbor Day on Friday, February 21. The

garden clubs coordinated with the City of

Jackson and planned the activities for the

program. Madelyn Patterson, Jackson's

own American Idol participant this season,

sang the National Anthem and "How Great

Thou Art". Georgia Forestry Commission

recognized the City of Jackson and

presented them with a flag for maintaining

22 years as a Tree City.

Pictured are from left to right:

Hazel Newman and Myra Potteiger of the Mimosa GC, Phyllis Davis and Ashton Short of the

Cherokee GC and Katie Kilby and Dottie McMichael of the Azalea GC.

Sustainability Now and for the Future Discussed at Avon Garden Club

Ciannat Howett, Emory University's Director of Sustainability Initiatives, was guest speaker at

the January 9 meeting of the Avon Garden Club. She detailed the many ways that Emory and its

hospitals are providing incentives, investing in infrastructure, and creating a strong conviction in

staff and students to live in a sustainable fashion. Its leadership extends to environmental design

of buildings, water conservation, air quality, public transportation, and creating a market for

locally grown food.

Driving sustainability efforts are many simple facts: Emory and its hospitals are Georgia

Power's 6th largest customer; Atlanta has been declared the most toxic city by Forbes; Atlanta

is the largest municipality on the smallest watershed; and surprisingly, students are selecting to

attend colleges that have a strong sustainability initiative. It is now the 4th strongest factor in

selecting a college.

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The techniques Emory is using to accomplish change include many simple measures: College

Deans and building managers were confronted with their share of the Georgia Power bill (after

that the lights and heat were turned down nights and weekends); the parking fees were doubled

and a free bus shuttle called CLIFF was provided (there followed fewer student and staff cars on

campus); trash cans were eliminated from the campus (there is no trash at Emory, only

reyclables and compostables and there are bins for these); and finally a huge fringe benefit, the

CLIFF shuttle runs on biofuel collected from the kitchens on the campus and hospitals. In

addition, condensate is collected from air conditioning and rainwater from downspouts so that no

purchased water is used in gardens or greenspace. The plantings are selected appropriate to the

Atlanta environment and do not require what nature cannot provide.

Over and above the simple measures are fundamental and impressive structural investments:

graywater is captured and used for flush toilets, and a waste water treatment plant is being built

that looks like a greenhouse and will handle solid waste. All new buildings are LEED certified.

Air quality measures include protecting the trees and canopy of the campus and switching to

solar panels for fuel where it can be implemented. Emory is also working with local farmers to

incorporate locally grown food into its school and hospital menus.

The University serves as a model and teacher, sowing respect for the environment and

developing practical techniques toward this end that can be used by many. The accomplishments

have been awe inspiring. In December 2013 Emory won the Best Green College in the USA

award.

Concord Garden Club’s 16th Annual LUNCH ‘N LEARN!!

“Rock Star Floral Designs” Featuring speaker: Sharon McGuykin

April 17, 2014 11:00 a.m. Strickland Building, Concord, GA

In 2009, Floral Management Magazine named Sharon McGuykin as one of the

floral industry’s top Ten ‘Rock Stars’. Having started her career as a small town florist, Sharon

now travels presenting floral design seminars and tracking floral trends. She is a member of the

prestigious team of Smithers-Oasis Design Directors, Past-President of the American Institute of

Floral Designers, and is a member of Professional Floral Communicator Int’l and the American

Academy of Floriculture. She often writes wedding design and floral trends articles for

prominent publications and contributes to national news and magazine articles.

Doors open at 11:00 a.m. Guests are asked to either bring a brown bag lunch or order one by

calling the Concord Café 770-884-5566. Please have your orders placed by Wednesday morning

April 16th. Beverages and desserts will be provided by the Concord Garden Club. Vendors will

be available for your shopping pleasure with the latest and greatest in spring plants, antiques,

home fashions, yard art, and other garden goodies! Additional vendors may apply by calling

Anna Evans at 770-229-1210.

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Moonflower Takes a Field Trip On January 8, eight Moonflower Garden Club members adventured to the

Atlanta High Museum. The art was amazing and the fellowship was a lot of

fun.

Georgia Tech Students Complete Lullwater Conservation Garden Stream Restoration Study

In the spring of 2013, the Lullwater Garden Club reached out to John Koon, Professor of the

Practice in Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech University to assist with 2 studies that

needed to be completed as part of the Lullwater Conservation Garden Master Plan created by

Spencer Tunnell in 2012.

Their project constituted their Spring Semester class in the Environmental Engineering School.

They presented their 288 page findings to the LGC Board and to representatives of Tunnell and

Tunnel Landscape Design in December of 2013. Their design report presented

recommendations for the following goals specified in the Master Plan:

Install 6-inch granite curb around the Garden to control overland erosion

Redesign storm drainage system to accommodate curb

Present and recommend techniques for stream bank restoration and for the prevention of

further erosion.

They performed a flow analysis of the drainage basin surrounding the Conservation Garden. In

addition, they provided engineering guidance to complete the overall restoration of the Garden.

They included copies of all the necessary

permits from a variety of organizations

both local, state and national that will be

required to move forward. In the process

of completing the analysis, they saved the

LGC over $20,000.

Pictured are the participating students

Stephen Helmly, Christine Yi, Luke

Chambers, and Elizabeth Kornegay (Project

manager)

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Daffodils for Rachel

One thousand "Jack Snipe" daffodil bulbs were put in

the ground on February 1 at Callanwolde and are on the

way to a beautiful, natural memorial for Rachel Fowler.

Rachel spent most of her life in service to Georgia both

in her working life and as an advocate for

environmental issues. Fourteen volunteers from the

DeKalb Federation, the Redbud District, DeKalb

Master Gardeners and Friends of Rachel worked

together to plant something that will remind every spring of her dedication. Thanks for braving

the weather and your backs to get this done. And a special thanks to Chris DeGrace of the

Department of Transportation for his donation and inspiration to get this done.

We are very grateful to Roger Duvall and the DeKalb Master Gardeners for their vital support

and effort. And special thanks to the Herrings who worked on environmental issues with Rachel

over the years.

So here's to our heroes on all sides!

DeKalb Federation DeKalb Master Gardeners

Marcella Elmer Roger Duvall

Deanna McFarlan Martha Foster

Sandra Threadcraft Bill Lide

Susan Turner Layla Newman

Diane Hunter John Kruger

Shawnmarie Smith

Friends of Rachel

Neill Herring

Mac Herring

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Spade and Trowel Visits Waddell Barns Botanical Gardens

Jane Varner, Claudia Perkins, Glenda

Stevens and Patsy Jo Adams of the

Spade and Trowel Garden Club spent an

informative, delightful day at the

Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens 2014

Spring Symposium at Middle Georgia

State College. Sessions included

“witty” facts and helpful hints on

hydrangeas by Elizabeth Dean, tea

farming by Jason Koone, advanced

pruning by Art Morris, propagation

methods by Dan Miller and wild orchid

discussion by Jim Fowler. Healthy

specimens of plants and special art were

available for purchasing.

Shenandoah Rose Honors Members In memory of George Bowen,

Shenandoah Rose honored

seven members with life

membership in DeKalb

Federation. Pictured from left to

right are Barbara Maaskant,

Karen Fishman, Sandy Reed,

Peggy Benedict, Vickey

Cooper, Phyllis Frey, Marion

Trollop. Other life members are

Frances Bowen, Alice Boyd and

Dee McFarlan.

Gardening Grows the Spirit

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Cherokee Garden Library – A Great Field Trip

The Cherokee Garden Library at the Atlanta History Center presents the American Society of

Botanical Artists’ Following in the Bartrams’ Footsteps: Contemporary Botanical Artists Explore

the Bartrams’ Legacy, a unique traveling exhibition of world-class botanical artwork depicting

plants discovered and introduced by John and William Bartram, colonial explorers of the

American Southeast. The exhibition also features a native plant garden that allows visitors to see

the plants showcased in the artwork in their natural habitat. Especially significant to the native

plant garden is the State Champion Franklin Tree, a botanical discovery made by the Bartrams in

the 1760s and now believed to be extinct in the wild.

This exhibition will be free and open to the public. The exhibition opens on March 19th with an

installment of the Ashley Wright McIntyre lecture series of the Cherokee Garden Library. The

evening of the 19th will feature Joel Fry, Curator of the Bartram’s Garden in Philadelphia, who

will present a survey of William Bartram’s illustrations and examine the scope and influences of

his career as a seminal American natural history illustrator.

The exhibition will be on display until June 17th

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Thomaston Celebrates 85 Years On February 19, 2014, The Thomaston

Garden Club celebrated their 85th

anniversary. The occasion was marked

with a Tea held in the Grand Jury Room

of the Upson County Courthouse where

the first Club meeting was held on

January 12, 1929. The celebration was

held to honor the memory of the

remarkable ladies and one gentleman

who organized the club and to recognize

their many accomplishments and

contributions to the community during

the Depression and war years.

Guests enjoyed refreshments while

viewing displays of the early history of the

club, names of Charter Members and Past Presidents, and award winning scrapbooks, yearbooks

and photos from the early years. The highlight of the displays was a book containing the original

hand written Minutes and Treasurer’s Reports from January 1929 through October 1934.

Pictured in their hats and gloves are Committee Members: Martha Butler, Dianne Jimmerson,

Glenda VanHouten, LaVerne Newman, President Janice Goins, Shirley Boldenow, and Becky

Hemperley. Not Pictured: Claudette Barger, Sabine Jarvis, and Jane Avera.

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Cooperation Among Garden Clubs

The Chattahoochee Valley Camellia

Society Small Standard Flower Show co-

sponsored by The Flower Workshop of

Columbus, Iris and Pine Needle Garden

Clubs of LaGrange was held at the

Columbus Art Museum on February 15.

The show featured 676 entries. Pictured

are clerks Ann Harmon and Barbara

Dunn (Iris GC), Joy May (Pine Needle

GC), Jay Funck and Earlene Hill (Iris

GC) and Evelyn Mitchell (Flower

Workshop).

African Violet Club Invites You

The African Violet Club of Greater Atlanta would like to invite you to our monthly meetings,

first Saturday of each month (most months) at 1pm.

.

April 5th

meeting is at a club members business. Cut Flower Wholesale, Inc., 2122 Faulkner Rd.,

Atlanta, GA 30324 404-320-1619

May 10th

Mini Show and Sale, North DeKalb Mall, 2050 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur, GA

30033

Monthly meetings include a Mini Show, Program, Refreshments and the answers to all your

violets questions.

Contact: Kathy Spissman 770-939-5289 or mrsstrepstreps@comcast.net for questions.

Iris Garden Club Has Fun Meeting Iris Garden Club in LaGrange had a great program from

Ann Harman, a member of our club. She is a great

gardener and she preserves a great deal of her produce.

She had the club over for a luncheon served by her from

the produce of her garden. She explained how it was

preserved and cooked for us. As we were leaving her

house, there was a basket of preserved produce for each

of us to choose from and take home. Needless to say,

we all went home well fed and enthusiastic about

starting our own gardens in the spring

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Youth News

COME ON YOUTH CLUBS ~

I KNOW YOU’RE OUT THERE!

Whoever you are

Wherever you may be

It’s not too late to register with me!

Maybe you mailed a check last spring,

Check your records and give me a ring.

A quick form I’ll send via email or U.S. Post;

Not to worry, we won’t do a “Roast”.

Get involved now,

It’s not too late

‘Cause Our Youth really need us…

…Their TIME just won’t WAIT!!

For Information Contact

Susan Turner

GCG & Redbud Youth Garden Clubs Chairman

3380 Glencree, NW

Conyers, GA 30012

770-922-4411

glencree@bellsouth.net

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The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. &

Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center Presents a

Wild and Wonderful Experience July 13-15, 2014

Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center

Mansfield, Georgia

The forest is calling! Bunk beds are waiting! Let’s join in and send a Remarkable Redbud camper to the

7th Annual GCG Wild & Wonderful Experience Camp! Camp is open to all children entering 5th or 6th grades. Our young people are invited to spend time learning about nature, conservation, enjoy fun

and exciting programs, guest speakers and of course, all the fun of the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center!

Spread the word to your club presidents, members and friends, as space is limited. The fee is $125.00 per child. Redbud scholarships are available!

Call or email for more information and get the Youth in your life involved

with this Wild and Wonderful Experience offered by

The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc.

Info & Registration Forms may be found on our website www.uga.edu/gardenclub under “Youth”

Registration closes June 1, 2014 Don’t forget your back pack and water bottle!

~Questions? Call or email~

Molly Kimler Susan Turner GCG Youth Team GCG 2nd VP & Youth Coordinator

W&WE Camp Chairman W&WE Camp Co-Chairman

770-464-3589 770-922-4411 mkimler@uga.edu glencree@bellsouth.net

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Celebrating Southern Style 86th Annual Meeting of the Garden Club

of Georgia May 14 – 15, 2014

Macon Details are in your Spring Issue of Garden Gateways

Gardening Grows Friends