SPRINGFIELD CIVIC GARDEN CLUB

FEBRUARY 2020SCGC Upcoming Events

Feb. 3 Hydrangea Talk 9:15 AM Green View Monthly Meeting

March 2 NO MEETING

March 18 Annual Meeting 11:30 AM Illini Country Club

April 1 Garden Treasurers 9:15 AM to be Found in the Habitat Restore Marc Camp Monthly Meeting

Annual Meeting & Luncheon

Wednesday, March 18th @ 11:30Illini Country Club

Cost: $25.00 Make reservation at February

meeting or mail to: Janet Keistler

2400 Hampshire Pl. Spfld, 62711

Guest Speaker: Glenn Miller of G P Florals, Peoria

G P Miller Florals is a locally owned floral shop serving Peoria and the surrounding area. They are a

full service florist offering gift items as well. Join us as Glenn wows us with his spectacular designs! You will certainly want to purchase a Raffle ticket in hopes of

going home with one of his amazing designs!!!Be prepared to shop the Silent Auction items as well.

Your purchases help to defray the cost of this Meeting/Luncheon.

In addition, this meeting allows you the opportunity to meet the new and

returning officers and board members for this club.

President’s Message

It is an unusual warm sunny day but it is mingled among, rainy and snow days too, welcome to winter in central Illinois. Many of our members retreat to the kinder weather in Florida or Arizona during January thru March, but many of us stay here and tough it out.

This new year brings our Garden Club planning another busy year. Our board members are working on updates to the Bylaws, securing Committee chairs and preparing our new Operating Budget among their usual duties.

We are reviewing annual member service Awards and Community Grants, plus the planning begins full speed on our annual plant sale renamed, GardenPalooza. This large fundraiser and community event takes many hands and we are always grateful for our members support and assistance in the many parts of the Sale. Please signup to volunteer, we need your support and participation.

Change is also happening. Members voted to not hold a monthly meeting in January and holding just the Annual Meeting in March. New Board terms will be 2 years, and look for changes to our upcoming summer meeting schedule.

One great tradition in March is our 91st SCGC Annual Meeting, scheduled on March 18, it is always a wonderful afternoon. Beginning with a great lunch, followed by a short Business Meeting, then culminating with the announcement of our 2019 service Awards. We also install new Officers and board members, then enjoy our special floral design program.

Hope to see you there........

Springfield Civic Garden Club February Newsletter Page 2 of 6

View from My Kitchen WindowDoes anyone have cabin fever yet? Are you looking forward to a January thaw? We may have had it already. Looking out my Kitchen window at the wet leaves, brown dead plants left standing to shelter the pollinators, I can’t help but look forward to Ground Hog Day, February 2nd. Will the forecast be six more weeks of winter or spring just around the corner? Last year the prognostication didn’t hold true--winter went on and on forever. Thinking of February also reminds me of garden chores. The clematis needs to be pruned to 18 inches. The Pee Gee Hydrangea tree needs pruning. I can reach both without stepping on wet soil. I always try to bring in a few pussy willow twigs to force into early catkins.I started my paper white bulbs right after the New Year and three weeks later the five bulbs (I gave away one) have eight stalks of lovely white flower clusters. A white amaryllis bulb also purchased at Greenview Nursery last fall, has favored me with 10 blossoms. WOW! That’s a record for me.As I’ve mentioned before, the forced bulbs bring a brightness to my home during the long, dreary days of winter. Another thing that brightens my days is bird watching. This year I’ve enjoyed watching a pair of Tufted Titmice flitting back and forth. Lately the American Gold Finches have been increasing in numbers too. I don’t like to see the Cooper’s Hawk as it feeds on the little birds.As usual I look forward to the spring migration and wondering if I’ll see the Rose Breasted Grosbeaks. I’ve caught sight them in four of the last five years. Two years ago three came through but only for one day.Checking back a year in my journal, I was surprised to see Winter Storm Gia came through at the same time as this year’s Winter Storm Isaiac leaving the forth significant snowfall. But more will come be sure of it. Jacob is due momentarily.Another sign of spring for me is when the cut daffodils appear in the market. Valentine Day helps when the stores feature forced tulips and hyacinths, etc. Spring will come, we can count of it. Let’s hope Mr. Phil, the ground hog, will tell us it is just around the corner.Article by Mary Selinski

Springfield Civic Garden Club February Newsletter Page 3 of 6

Renew your membership for 2020-21 Our year officially begins on

March 1, 2020. Membership renewals must be received by March 18th to be included in the yearbook.

Regular Membership $30, Sustaining Membership $40 or Life Membership: $500 for life membership fee is paid over the course of five years, with a minimum payment of $100 per year.Dues can be paid at the February membership meetings or sent to SCGC, P.0. Box 9502, Springfield, IL 62791.

Download the current membership form at: https://www.scgc-il.org/join-the-springfield-

civic-garden-club/

We all love meeting new people and making new friends. Our club is no different – we would love to have more members from diverse backgrounds join our club. Please think of people who may enjoy any aspect of our club and invite them to join us. You don’t have to be a gardener or a floral designer to be part of SCGC. We are open to anyone who would like to join us!

Friends of Starhill Forest-

Special dates:

SPRING VOLUNTEER WORK DAY

Saturday, April 18, 9 am to noon.

FRIENDS GATHERING

Saturday, June 6

FALL VOLUNTEER WORK DAY

Saturday, October 3, 9 am to noon.

Starhill Forest, 12000 Boy Scout Trail,

Petersburg, IL 62675

SCGC Bus Trip:

MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN TOUR

Monday, June 22, 8 am to 5 pm

leaving from Chatham Square.

Contact Susan Smartjesse (789-7323) for details.

susan@readingsolution.com

The SCGC tour committee is working hard to plan a great year for you.

• JUNE 22: we plan to visit St. Louis and the Missouri Botanical Garden, including touring the National Garden Club site there and later shopping at ‘AT HOME’ last visited on the St. Louis shopping tour. The garden has a tram and also mobility scooters to rent. Price will be $36, or $23 for those with Washington Park membership cards.

• AUG 3-5: we plan a three day overnight tour of the Amish Quilt Gardens in Elkhart, Indiana. 18 gardens created in quilting patterns, Amish culture, two evening meals dining with an Amish family, quilting shop, boutique shops, and artisan shops, totalling 11 shopping opportunities. Just a note that you can rent mobility scooters in Springfield and then bring them on the bus to use as we wander or rent them in Elkhart. Includes: master gardener tour guide throughout, all meals but no lunches, 2 nights in a shared hotel room, and a super bus line. The price of this tour will be approximately $300, at this time we are negotiating with vendors. Let us know asap if you are interested as it will it will fill up fast, email Susan Smarjesse!

• LAST FALL: to the Pumpkin Patch in Arthur late October...remember the owner has spoken twice to our club.

• We are trying to arrange carpooling to other garden clubs when they have their garden walks or just visit gardens of those willing to have us visit.

• We will continue to keep you up to date on opportunities such as the latest emailed to all of you concerning the Home, Lawn, and Garden Day in Bloomington, March 7, at Central Catholic High School for $50: great keynote speakers, 35 seminars where you choose 4, many garden vendors, sack lunch provided, and silent auction. I went last year and will definitely return! Info on line at go.illinois.edu/HLGD and register at https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=21421 or 309-663-8306, McLean County Extension Office. THIS FILLS UP FAST SO DON’T PUT OFF REGISTERING.

• Anyone interested in returning to Sunrise Nursery we visited last year, please let Susan know by email only.

Questions or ideas to susan@readingsolution.com Susan Smarjesse, 217-789-7323 or

text/cell 217-381-2301

Springfield Civic Garden Club February Newsletter Page 4 of 6

Garden Club had a fantastic 2019!

Springfield Civic Garden Club February Newsletter Page 5 of 6

Christmas Tree in a Bag

We are hoping for another season for 2020, but we need to find a new venue. Though we’ve had several leads, nothing meets our needs. We are looking for a place that has at least 3 rooms or big

enough space to store supplies and finished decorations and a work space for 6-8 long tables.

If you know of a possible site contact Mary O’Brien 553-4573, Jan Sorenson Hill 381-4043, Barbara Olson 361-4841.

We have received generous donations of completed decorations from Lincoln Memorial Garden. We hope you have saved small items as you put away your decorations. Hang on to them until we have a new venue.

The Christmas Tree In a Bag committee and crafters thank everyone in SCGC for your support and volunteer hours of crafting and delivering.

Organizations so appreciate receiving items to bring a happier holliday to people who otherwise would have no decorations.

February 2020 www.SCGC-IL.org

Published quarterly by Springfield Civic Garden Club, Inc. P.O. Box 9502 Springfield, IL. 62791-9502

Calendar of Events

Feb. 22, 23, 29 Annual maple tree tapping at Lincoln Memorial Gardens: Demonstrations will show the entire syrup making process from tree tapping to boiling the sap down into syrup. Dress for the weather as this program is hands on, and will involve a trek to one of the Garden’s many sugar bushes. Programs start at the Nature Center and are free to the public. http://lincolnmemorialgarden.org/events/all-events/

March 10 Think Spring and Grow Green - District IX 41st Annual Meeting and Luncheon RSVP by February 15th (no registration or cancellation after March 1st) https://www.gardenclubsofillinois.org/event-informationMarch 21, 22, Pancake and Sausage Breakfast, Lincoln Memorial Garden, 8am to Noon 28, 29March 18 - 22 Focus on Flowers - Chicagoland Flower & Garden Show, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL http://chicagoflower.com/tickets/April 15 “Save the Date” for District III Spring Meeting & Lunch, Zion Lutheran Church in Kewanee.April 18 & 19 Woodland Plant Sale, Lincoln Memorial Garden, Saturday 9am to 4pm, Sunday 1 to 4pmApril 26 Lunch in Bloom, Lincoln Memorial Garden, 11:30amApril 26 & 27 93nd Annual Garden Clubs of Illinois Convention - Climate Change The Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, Lisle, IL Early Bird Raffle Registration due by March 1 https://www.gardenclubsofillinois.org/event-informationMay 2 Garden Palooza, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Barn 26

Click on green underline copy to take you to the website links.

March 1, 7, 8, 14, 15 1 & 2:30 p.m.