December 2016 Weeders’ Digest — 1

Photo Courtesy Darlene Cross

Kelowna Garden Club

Christmas Party

Tuesday December 6th 2016 First Lutheran Church, 4091 Lakeshore Road (link)

5:30 p.m. Social Gathering (appies and refreshment provided)

6:30 p.m. Potluck Dinner And, this year, something different!

Turkey and gravy will be catered for us by Creative Cuisine. We’ll also have cranberry sauce and stuffing.

Bring your favourite potluck items to add to the feast: salads, pies, casseroles, all those wonderful dishes and

desserts that make up a potluck buffet table. Members may bring a guest

Each person should bring a potluck item each enough for six people, please.

Please bring your own serving utensils, dishes, glasses, mugs, cutlery. Coffee and tea will be provided.

Members are invited to bring a centre-piece for table decorations and these will be voted on for first, second and third cash prizes.

WEEDERS’ DIGEST Kelowna Garden Club publication

December 2016

Presentations

Aggregate parlour show winner &

Centrepiece Awards

Entertainment

D’Lite Duo of White Sails Chorus

Centre-piece Competition Raffle

(bring loonies & toonies for Food Bank raffles)

Out of courtesy to our entertainers and fellow garden club members,

please turn off pager and cell phone ringers during garden club potluck

Thank you!

December 2016 Weeders’ Digest — 2

President’s Message

While I really don’t like the cold or the snow and wish we could skip to Spring immediately after Christmas, I know this time of year is essential for the earth to rest and for all that was green and growing to wilt, and droop, and sleep. So when it’s cold and damp outside, I go online to look for Spring catalogues, and I get out my favourite gardening books—some of them going back to the 1970s, to my first days of gardening in Calgary.

I also bring out my garden plan. Have I marked where the new plants are? Did they do well, or should they be moved? Have I erased the bush that died? What shall I draw in its place? It’s so much easier to ‘plant’ perennials and ‘move’ trees and shrubs on paper than to be out there actually digging them up to move them.

Winter is my planning time, and not just for my garden; I look ahead and plan what you and I, as members of the Kelowna Garden Club, will be enjoying in the New Year. Your directors have come up with several ideas so we hope to see you all again in March for another year of gardening.

To you, and to your loved ones, I send my very best wishes for a Merry Christmas and for a happy, healthy New Year. Bless you all. DJR ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ What’s planned for 2017? Read on.... Get your renewal form in early to be eligible for the early bird draw. If you pay your dues by 7 March, your name goes into a hat for a free membership draw. “Seed to Harvest: vegetable growing for novice to green thumb” is an all day event planned for 11 February at the OK College Theatre. This is a member benefit as well as the club’s contribution to the community to publicise the club and the rewards of gardening. A great line up of speakers-- and a couple of outings-- has been planned. When the details are confirmed, you’ll read all about them in the Weeders’ Digest. Pruning workshops: do you have a large garden in need of pruning? Do you live in a complex such as Sandhaven, Stonehaven, Balmoral where your council would agree to a pruning workshop being held? Workshops, with Jeanette Mareck, can start as soon as March—if there is a garden available for the hands-on demonstration. Jeanette will give a talk and a demonstration and, under her guidance, participants will get some hands-on experience. Sign up at March’s meeting. Cost will be $10 per member. Hypertufa workshop: as soon as the weather turns mild again, Bette James will offer a workshop in her back gar-den. One sign-up sheet is already full, but Bette will offer a second workshop if there is demand. Cost is estimated at $10 per member for supplies. Semper swap: Bing your excess of sempervivums, sedums and succulents to swap with other members who bring theirs. Those who bring, choose first; those who don’t bring, choose second. Flower arranging/conditioning workshops: this is for all of us who need a few tips on how to prepare and present an entry for the parlour show or the flower show to make our entries stand out. No date yet; watch for details in the Spring newsletters. June Fair: same name, different program, same fun, and a lot of interaction with other members.

December 2016 Weeders’ Digest — 3

Urgent

As you heard in the treasurers report we depend on revenue from our plant sale to operate the club. We are in desperate need of a PLANT SALE COORDINATOR for our 2017 plant sale. Linda Edser and Pat Zander are happy to explain how it is done and assist the new co-ordinator(s). This p o s i t i o n c o u l d b e c o - s h a r e d . Please contact Dorothy, Linda or Pat to volunteer. WE NEED YOU!

Also urgently needed is a new PUBLICITY DIRECTOR . Please speak to Dorothy or Linda about this. The publicity director circulates press releases about all our events.

Phone numbers on page 10

or email

ledser@shaw.ca pkzander@shaw.ca

dorothyrobison@gmail.com

Christmas Potluck Dinner

Table Centerpieces

Please bring a centerpiece for the tables at our get together on 6th December. All the creations for this purpose will be greatly appreciated and judged by all those present (firsts, second, and third). Cash prizes will be awarded accordingly. We love having many of these arrangements, the more the merrier. Please remember these table arrangements ideally should be (including unlit candle, if used) not taller than 10" - 12". Centerpieces should not obstruct view of your companion across the table and it should encourage a friendly "getting to know you " conversation. Christmas Centerpiece may include purchased plants/flowers and accessories.

Food Bank Raffle Please bring a toonie or loonie or more for the raffle

NOVEMBER MEETING: Rosemary with poppy display, Dianne registering people in Wreath workshop, Darlene selling cacti.

Thank you Judy for another great Year-in-Review PowerPoint presentation

December 2016 Weeders’ Digest — 4

Kelowna Garden Club Minutes for

annual general meeting November 1st 2016 Rita Parker

Members and guests were welcomed

Resolutions/Motions: None made but for 2017 suggested resolutions will be posted in the first newsletter of 2017: anyone joining after the June meeting pays half dues—this allows people to join at Flower Show. Life membership: bylaws say “long and dedicated membership” but was established, some years ago, as 25 years so the bylaw should say so. Change number of directors to allow for shared positions Statement that we are a member-funded club Members who would like a copy of the Constitution and Bylaws, please email dorothyrobison@gmail.com.

Directors Reports. No omissions, errors, or objections so the Directors Reports were accepted as published in November’s newsletter. Directors and assistants do a lot for the club. Many have been long term members. New members may feel some hesitation so Dorothy read the story from movie dirt! narrated by Wangari Muta Maathai (http://www.dirtthemovie.org/)

Acceptance of new directors: Marian Ingram has volunteered to take over as Membership Coordinator. However there have been no nominations nor has anyone contacted Dorothy to volunteer for the positions of Newsletter Editor, Plant Sale coordinator, Publicity coordinator, or a President in waiting. Dorothy reminded members that any job can be shared, e.g. co-President. Last year, there was a very real danger of not enough volunteers to run the club. A plea from Rosemary Botner motivated us, regenerated the enthusiasm, people started saying Yes, so we continue going strong but still need volunteers to keep us going.

Seed to Harvest day: Rosemary Botner talked about Seed to Harvest day planned for Saturday, 11 February at the Okanagan College on KLO. An all day event, there will be four speakers. Admission is free as this is our club’s member benefit and community donation.. A poster will be sent to all members in the next few weeks.

Financial Report: Lisa Boulanger gave a year to date financial report. Membership dues do not cover our yearly operating costs; it is essential we continue to have a plant sale for the income it generates. Lisa will apply for a new 50/50 licence for 2017. A volunteer is needed to examine the accounts. It was also announced that, beginning 1 March 2017, membership dues will increase from $15 for a single person to $20, and from $20 for a family at one address to $25, and our drop-in fee/donation will increase to $5. There is a surplus cash situation this year, after the incoming committee cut expenses to the bone and the plant sale exceeded all expectations. However, future expenses are:: a new brochure, designed and printed, and graphic design is not cheap. our logo in an updated vector format. Our trophies are getting old and dented. Do we replace them or retire them? Our Seed to Harvest day next February will need to be funded. Members want socials and events and workshops. Impossible to subsidize them all, but we can subsidize some.

Christmas social: Tuesday, 6 December. Details will be in the December newsletter. Special this year is catered turkey and gravy. Proceeds from raffles will go to the Kelowna Food Bank plus, thanks to donations, there will be a gift at every place setting.

Judy Runzer presented the club’s Year in Review

50/50 and door prizes

Meeting adjourned at approx. 9 pm.

December 2016 Weeders’ Digest — 5

Parlour Show NOVEMBER ENTRIES What a lovely show of flowers for November. We had twenty entries in all and they were all quality entries. Thank you all for your participation. DECEMBER PARLOUR SHOW This is the month to present the aggregate trophy and prize for points earned in the judged trophy classes for 2016. Cash prizes are given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place-ments. There is also a cash prize for the person who brought the most entries in the non judged classes during the year. There were a total of 35 members who entered these classes during the year. Good for you. Maybe 70

November 2016 Parlour Show

2016 Parlour Show Thank you to all the judges who were asked to ‘serve’; your efforts are appreciated. Thank you to all who entered the Parlour Shows this year; your entries make our Gar-den Club meetings colourful.

Aggregate Cup for the Year 2016 will be awarded at the Christmas Potluck

Congratulations to all winners and thanks to everyone who entered

Coordinator Shirley Hathway Assisted by Marg Finnie

Photos Courtesy of

Jean Dangerfield

December 2016 Weeders’ Digest — 6

Link to website

December 2016 Weeders’ Digest — 7

For four years I have

very much enjoyed

being the club

newsletter editor. I

now pass the flame to

a very capable

replacement, John

Waddington, who will

produce the March

2017 issue. Wishing

you a Merry Christmas

and the very best of

health and happiness in

2017 from your

retiring editor,

Rosemary

Open Gardens Trophy Winners 2016

Bev and Wilf Akerlund

Trophy presented by coordinator Fran Haywood

Thanks to all who opened their gardens for members to visit

December 2016 Weeders’ Digest — 8

The Kelowna Garden Club couldn’t run without volunteers so let’s acknowledge and thank the members who volunteered this past year. We have coordinators of events (plant sale, flower show, parlour show) and we have assistants (greeters, photoboard, photographers, open gardens, Natures Gold, 50/50, door prizes, speakers/excursions), and we needed this army of volunteers to run the plant sale and the flower show:

WALL OF HONOUR 2016

Deby Helpard Barbara Hicks Denis Hicks Rosie Lawrence Doreen Morash Myrna Nelson Alicja Paradzik Matt Paradzik Rita Parker Hugh Philip Marion Pippolo Don Rampone Jane Rampone Pat Rooke Bill Runzer Judy Runzer Wilma Schellenberger Diane Smith Ethel Valiant Diane Vargo John Waddington Bob Wilson Kurt Zander Pat Zander

Bev Akerlund Wilf Akerlund Shannon Allan Sue Bannerman Bev Barnes Judy Bell Rosemary Botner Lisa Boulanger Kathleen Bruce Donna Buch Patricia Campbell Yolanda Campbell Chris Casey Darlene Cross Jean Dangerfield Sherrell Davidson Alan Edser Linda Edser Yvonne Falkner Jim Finnie Margaret Finnie Rachael Fleming Linda Gamble Fran Hayward

Then there are the directors of the club who take care of publicity, advertising, plant sale, flower show, finances, and produce minutes, the membership list, and the newsletter. And let’s not forget the members who brought cookies for the meetings or made the tea and coffee. From all of us to all of you, thank you.

December 2016 Weeders’ Digest — 9

December 2016 Weeders’ Digest — 10

Tip of the Month

By Martha Stewart CHRISTMAS GREENERY

Control/lick for full article

Keep It Moist

Whether greenery is hung in the heat of your house or the cold air outside, these winter environments are intensely

dry, and the plant has no source of moisture. Once you've conditioned the

cuttings, treat them with an anti-desiccant spray (sold at

nurseries). This seals the pores on the leaves and bark and

helps the foliage retain moisture.

www.kelownagardenclub.ca

The Weeders’ Digest is a publication of the Kelowna Garden Club and appears monthly from March to July, and September to December. Newsletter deadlines are presently the 10th of the month for any submissions to be included in the following month’s issue. Next deadline is February 10, 2017. Comments, suggestions and submissions from members are always welcome Your new editor may change this deadline for future issues. You can contact John at johnchar@telus.net

Happy reading,

Your retiring Editor Rosemary Botner

Executive Slate 2016 President: Dorothy Robison 1-587-254-1616 dorothyrobison@gmail.com

Co-Vice president: Yolanda Campbell 778-215-7881 Co-Vice president: Darlene Cross 778-753-6264 Treasurer: Lisa Boulanger 250-215-3192 Co-Secretary: Jane Rampone 250-861-6643 Co-Secretary: Rita Parker 250-869-4077 Director/ Newsletter Editor: Rosemary Botner 250-215-5322 Director/flower show assistant: Alicja Paradzik 250-717-0570 Director/ Flower Show Convener: Sue Shanks, 250-860-2733 Director/publicity& plant sale assistant: Linda Edser 250-769-6893

Assistants: Library: Rita Parker and Yolanda Campbell see above 50/50 : Iris Moffat 250-861-1113 Sherrell Davidson 778-478-1956 Door prizes: Chris Casey 250-450-9263 Greeters: Pat and Gerry Leishman, 250-765-8198, Donna Buch 250-860-0788, Pauline & Ray Waruk 250–762-5659 Karen McLaren as back-up 250-763-3502 Hospitality different volunteers each month Membership. Rosie Lawrence 250-807-2626 Natures Gold Carol Taylor 250-764-9046 Open Gardens Fran Hayward 250-762-9006 Parlour Show Shirley Hathway 250-769-2842 Photo Board Ethel Valiant 250-764-2471 Photographers: Jean Dangerfield 250-764-0620, Bob Wilson 250-764-0005 Plant Sale Pat Zander 250-769-4174 Speakers and Excursions Gudrun Hohenwarter 250-765-5092 Webmistress and Facebook Darlene Cross see above

December 2016 Weeders’ Digest — 11

December 2016 Weeders’ Digest — 12

Santa's Arrival by

Helicopter Saturday, December 3, 2016 - 11:00am.

Free hayrides (dress warmly) entire store is on sale!

20% off regular priced product