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Redbud Reporter Fall 2014

Dear Garden Friends,

Summer is over, and Fall is just bursting out everywhere. Beautiful colors on some of our trees have

already started, especially the sassafras and the forsythia, and bouquets of mums and branches are

popping up in all our homes and at meetings. One of the best seasonal programs I ever had the good

timing to attend was a lady down in LaGrange area who collected bits of plants, flowers, veggies, and

"found art" from her yard and home to make charming seasonal arrangements. That was a year or two

ago, but I still use her ideas to dress up my own home and porch with what is growing in my yard, and

what can be found in my home.

You will want to mark your calendars for the Redbud District meeting, as we have Margot Shaw, editor

of Flower Magazine, speaking. An excellent and cheerful speaker, she has also written books, such as Not

so Prim Rose. The famous Redbud Raffle Baskets will be making a return appearance; if your club has

not already agreed to do one, please contact either myself (see below) or Annette Jones

(raj1947@bellsouth.net) with your theme and contents. The District meeting will be in Jackson, less than

6 miles off I-75 between Atlanta and Macon, at the First Baptist Church. Please see the flyer included in

this Reporter for exact info. Our yearly District meeting will be full of awards, some business, a visit

from our state GCG president Suzanne Wheeler, lots of visiting, delicious food, and of course shopping.

The Country Store has some amazing books this year, courtesy of a member who has donated more than

half her horticulture library. And, of course, amazing plants, which you know will grow here, because

they are from our own gardens!

The Summer was filled with opportunities to visit clubs for special occasions, the Old Town GC of

Sharpsburg held a scholarship tea to recognize the recipients of the last 2 years of scholarships, Azalea in

Jackson held a delightful flower show, themed "Country Life", and several Redbud members of the State

Board got together at the annual meeting. Yellow Daisy Flower Show is always a good chance to see

some of the best designs around, and over 500 plant specimens from members and friends.

Looking ahead to 2015, please be available to accept opportunities for service to Redbud and to the state

GCG, because without each of us helping with growth in activities, in membership, in knowledge, we will

wither away and be less than useful. Remember our District theme, "Gardening Grows Friends," and our

state theme, "Scatter Joy as We Bloom and Grow," and continue to follow the ideals of

GCG.......Beautification, Conservation, and Education.

.

emily w --

Emily Wilbert

Redbud District Director

770-502-8381

Your invitation and registration for the District Meeting

are in this newsletter. Registration deadline - Oct. 2.

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Redbud District

Annual District Meeting

“The Sweet Secret Gardens of Georgia”

Thursday, October 16, 2014

First Baptist Church 1227 West Third Street, Jackson, GA 30233

Registration and Hospitality at 9:00 am ~ Meeting begins 10:00 am

Honored Guest: Suzanne Wheeler, President, The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc.

Guest Speaker

Margot Shaw Editor, Flower Magazine and Author of Not So Prim Rose

Plan to Participate in our Remarkable Redbud Basket Raffle And Visit the Country Store!

Buffet Lunch Provided by Pleasant Surprises Catering

Bring your club members, neighbors and friends – everyone is invited!

There are two recommended motels in Jackson: Days Inn Jackson, 625 East Third St., Jackson 30233

770-504-8100; Rates From $54; www.daysinn.com/jackson

Plantation Inn and Suites Jackson, 385 Macon Ave., Jackson 30233 770-504-8811; Rates From $49; plantationinnjackson.com

There are also several accommodations in Locust Grove, which is approximately ten miles from Jackson.

General Driving Directions:

From I-75, take Exit 205 (Jackson) and travel east 7.3 miles to First Baptist Church on the right.

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2014 Redbud District Meeting Registration Form Mail completed registration form and check for $30.00, payable to Redbud District.

Send to: Rigby Duncan, 2800 Hunting Hill Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-1504

Luncheon Reservation Deadline: October 2, 2014 Late Fee: $10.00

Name______________________________________ E-Mail_____________________ Address________________________________ City ________________Zip_______ Garden Club________________________ District___________ Phone____________

PLEASE CHECK ALL THAT APPLY

____National Board Member ___Past State President ___District Board Member ____National Life Member ___State Board Member ___Council President

____Deep South Board Member ___State Life Member ___Club President ____Deep South Life Member ___District Director ___Club Member ____State President ___Past District Director ___ Guest ____First Time Attendee at a District Meeting ____ New Garden Club Member in 2014

I would like to reserve exhibit space for a display. I will need:

1/2 table ________ 1 table _______ Chairmanship/Name of Display _____________________________________

YOUTH NEWS We are home from camp! The 7

th Annual Wild

& Wonderful Experience camp at Charlie

Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield has ended

with so many delightful new memories for the

campers and counselors alike. We hiked and

learned about Native American lore, fished,

visited with endangered species (various

snakes, a Barred Owl and a Red-Tailed

Hawk). The campers each made a container

garden and a flower design, painted a bird

house and enjoyed many more activities. Lynn

Mills spoke to us on Bees and Pollinators (with

an encased live hive) and we tasted fresh,

natural honey. Live music from Johnny Roquemore and a camp fire rounded out some of our evening

activities. One of the highlights was our annual astronomy lesson from the Greater Atlanta Astronomy

Club, CEWC Chapter. The night sky cooperated beautifully as we saw the planets Saturn and Mars. One

of the kids remarked of Saturn, “It looks just like it does in the book!” We were also able to see a star

burning out, nebulae, various constellations (including the Dippers and Scorpio) and craters on the full

Moon. Theo Ramakers and Frank Garner are so generous with their knowledge and time for us to enjoy

all the night sky has to offer. All these many activities gave the campers a wonderful new look at the

world around us. We are already set for our 8th annual GCG Wild & Wonderful Experience Camp! Our

next date is July 12-14, 2015; mark your calendar and we’ll see you at camp!

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CLUB NEWS

AVONDALE ESTATES TREE WALK Saturday, Oct. 25th, 10 AM – Noon A Conservation Project of the Avondale Estates Garde Those who came out for the Avondale Estates first Tree

Walk in Spring 2013 enjoyed seeing the city’s trees in

their first flush of spring greenery and blossoms. This

year’s walk has been scheduled to take advantage of the

outstanding fall color of the maples, black gum, ash, and

other trees lining Avondale streets. Learn about the value

urban trees have in climate control, air and water pollution, and the importance of native species .Please

put this date & time on your calendar and bring your friends and family! Six local arborists will serve as

our guides this year so we can continue to keep our groups small.

Something New: “Ask the Arborist” table, where tree experts will answer your tree questions – come

early & bring a photo, leaf or twig sample.

Avondale residents: if you would like to nominate one of your trees to be in the walk, send an email

to: bonniebphelps@gmail.com and tell us what’s special about your tree.)

Avon Learns Pruning Techniques The first fall meeting of the Avon Garden Club was held on Sept. 4, 2014. Our

program was "Techniques and Timing of Pruning" presented by Lynwood

L. Blackmon, II, Agriculture and National Resource Agent from the

DeKalb County Cooperative Extension .His program was a "hands-on"

workshop about pruning basics, with emphasis on 3 T's: technique,

tools, and timing. He brought samples for us to learn on, and

demonstrated correct techniques as well as teaching the importance of

selecting proper tools to correctly prune different sizes of branches. He

taught us the difference between pruning for shape and size, pruning to

maximize fruit production, renewal pruning for sizing trees and shrubs to the space they

inhabit, and pruning so that plants and trees are not left too fragile so that they succumb to disease and

winter temperatures. At the end of the program, an excellent handout was given to members that

summarized the program contents.

Members were also busy getting their entries submitted for the Yellow Daisy Flower Show that next

weekend, as well as preparing for the Pancake Breakfast to be held in November! We have a busy

season ahead with many new projects on the board to help beautify and inspire our neighborhood!

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Elms and Roses Garden Council

Presents

Hidden Gardens of Georgia

November 3, 2014

Del’avant, LaGrange

Wine and Cheese 5:30 – 6:30

Lecture 6:30 – 7:30

Speaker – Staci Catron

Director, Cherokee Garden Library

Tickets - $10

Contact –Marilyn Williamson 706-884-5081, mbwifw@gmail.com

DeKalb Federation of Garden Clubs Celebrates National Garden Week

The week of June 1-7 was celebrated by

Federation Garden Club members who

worked beautifying the grounds of their

Conservatory/Garden Center. Twenty-five

years ago the Federation moved into the

Garden Center in the restored Callanwolde

Conservatory. The grounds around the

facility have been an ongoing maintenance

project for the Federation with various clubs

and individuals donating time and funds

since the original planting. Over the years,

lack of funds, man/woman power, time and

ability to do everything that needed to be

done to oversee the space resulted in an

overwhelming need of attention!

Fifty seven garden club members and a group of 11 DeKalb County Master Gardeners participated in the

week long project. Over 200 hours were put into the weeding, raking, pruning and general clean up, as

well as putting down 290 bags of mulch! What a success! Now we can be proud of our home on the

grounds of the Callanwolde Arts Center!!

Gardening Grows Friends

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Ladybugs Become Busy Bees The Ladybugs Garden Club members had a busy

summer! Besides tending the 16 gardens and

wildflower garden on the Lilburn Greenway Trail,

members participated in 3 workshops to make and

create items to sell at our annual fundraising

opportunity, Lilburn Daze. The 41st Annual

Lilburn Daze will be held at Lilburn City Park

on October 11 from 9am to 4pm.The Ladybugs’

booth, donated to us by the Conservation

Committee of the Lilburn Woman’s Club, will be

full of whimsical yard art, beautiful potted plant

combinations, functional and decorative

birdhouses, terrarium gardens and other garden

related items. Plants propagated from the Lilburn

Greenway Trail, the Ladybugs’ major ongoing project, will also be available.

In an effort to encourage gardening for youth, rosemary seedlings and small stone ladybugs will be given

to children visiting the booth. Proceeds from the sale of items will be used to continue funding the Lilburn

Greenway Trail and other ongoing community activities.

Spade and Trowel at the Yellow Daisy Festival The Yellow Daisy Flower Show is always fun for Spade and

Trowel. This year was added fun and learning! Three of our

members, Claudia Perkins, Glenda Stevens and Jane Varner,

were clerks. The poodle aprons added to the excitement of

remembering the 50's.The experience was enlightening to us

because we met so many new garden club friends and learned

some pointers about how judges select blue ribbons. Our club

was fortunate again to win the most blue ribbons in

horticulture. Looking forward to 2015!

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Daisy Really Rocked the Mountain Well, little darlings…oh little darlins’, what a great show you put on for this year’s Redbud District

Flower Show Daisy Rocks the Mountain at the Yellow Daisy Event in Stone Mountain on September 4-7.

Betty Lester and Dian Goldwire were co-chairmen for the

show. Janet McGinnis and Joy Zaidan outdid themselves

on the schedule and wonderful staging on the Rock N Roll

theme. Clerks and hostesses in pink poodle skirts (and

some in saddle oxfords and bobby socks) set a fun mood

for the 1,275 visitors who came to the show. Most of the

visitors just had to dance a little or sing when they viewed

the 659 horticulture exhibits and heard the Rock N Roll

music being played. Everyone enjoyed the 39 children’s

designs and 28 horticulture entries. Those big pumpkins,

which we now know are Cucurbita maxima, wowed the

viewers.

Glenn Dowling, Director of Georgia

River Network, Suzanne Wheeler, GCG

President and Betty Lester open the

show.

The top award winners and clever class titles in the show were:

NGC AWARD OF DESIGN EXCELLENCE – Joy Zaidan, exhibition table Rock Around the Clock

Section A: DESIGNER’S CHOICE – Shirley Porterfield, Student Judge, creative design, Splish Splash

Section B: DESIGNER’S CHOICE – Joy Zaidan, Designer’s Club, exhibition table, Rock Around the

Clock

Section C: PETITE AWARD – Alice Boyd, Shenandoah Rose, Miniature collage, Run Around Sue

NGC AWARD OF HORTICULTURAL EXCELLENCE – Dewey Holbrook, Ladybugs GC for Plumeria

AWARDS OF MERIT:

• Flowering Annuals – Karen Depew, Ladybugs GC for Mandevilla ‘Sun parasol white’

• Hosta - Sandra Wheeler, Breckenridge Garden Arts I GC for Hosta ‘Stained Glass’

• Flowering Perennials – Dewey Holbrook, Ladybugs GC for Plumeria ‘frangipani’

• Fruits and Vegetables – Elizabeth Newman, Spade and Trowel GC Thomaston for Capsicum

‘Super Sweet Banana’

• Foliage Bulbs, corms, and Rhizomes – Jeanie Schoelles, Avon GC for Canna

NGC COLLECTION SHOWCASE AWARD – Rosalee Gage, Olde Towne GC for collection of Rex

Begonias

NGC ARBOREAL AWARDS

Shrubs – Charlyne Harrison, Designer’s Club for Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’

Trees – Beth Weilage, Avondale Estates GC for Katsura tree Cercidiphyllum japonica

NGC GROWER’S CHOICE AWARDS:

• Flowering/Colorful Bracts – Glenda Stevens, Spade & Trowel, Thomaston, Saint Paulia

• Foliage – Diane C. Hunter, BGAI GC for Euphorbia milii ‘Crown of Thorns’

• Combination Planting – Joy Zaidan, Designer’s Club for mixed succulent planting

NGC EDUCATIONAL AWARD – Mary Lovings, Avondale Estates GC for Bridge Over Troubled

Water

NGC SWEEPSTAKES AWARD – Berna Spencer, Ladybugs GC (22 blue ribbons in Horticulture)

STONE MOUNTAIN PARK AWARD – Spade and Trowel (60 overall blue ribbons)

ELINORE WILSON SILVER TROPHY - Dewey Holbrook (Winner of NGC Hort Award)

HALLIE BROWN SILVER TROPHY – Berna Spencer (NGC Sweepstakes winner)

MICKIE HOLTON INSPIRATIONAL AWARD – Shirley Porterfield

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YOUTH AWARDS:

YOUTH DESIGN: We’ve Got a Groovy Thing Goin’

JUNIORS: Mary Lynne Traynelis, Age 7, Sponsored by Hunting Hill GC, Design

Title: Rock Star Guitar, Plant Materials: Bird of Paradise

INTERMEDIATES: Luke Johnson, Age 9, Sponsored by Spade & Trowel GC, Design Title:

Rock Around the Clock, Plant Materials: Rudbeckia Denver, Daisy and Wisteria vines

HIGH SCHOOL: Virginia Flory, Age 13, Sponsored by Breckenridge Garden Arts I GC, Plant

Materials: Gerbera daisies; Lily; Carnation; Button Mums; Liatris; Grasses and Yarrow.

YOUTH HORTICULTURE: Purple People Eater, fruits and vegetables

JUNIORS: Lydia Halloran, Age 7, Sponsored by Smokerise GC, Cucurbita maxima , Pumpkin

INTERMEDIATES: Sophie Li, Age 9, Sponsored by Smokerise GC, Solanum lycpersicum

Cherry Tomatoes

HIGH SCHOOL: Virginia Flory, Age 13, Sponsored by Breckenridge Garden Arts I GC, Cucurbita

maxima Pumpkin

With visitors’ remarks of how enjoyable the show was and with many favorable comments by the judges,

we know the show was a success. Thanks so much to all of the committees who worked so hard with

precision coordination. Thanks for your positive remarks for next year’s show. We hope to have more

Redbuds working with us and enjoying this fun weekend on Sept. 10-13, 2015. Just a reminder, if you

have not sent in a club contribution to help on Yellow Daisy expenses, please consider doing so.

Splish Splash, Creative

design by Shirley

Porterfield.

Designer’s Choice Award

and the Mickie Holton

Inspirational Award

Rock Around the Clock, Exhibition

Table by Joy Zaidan, Designer’s

Choice Award and Award of Design

Excellence

Run Around Sue, Miniature collage section showing

Petite Award won by Alice Boyd.