Kingston Garden Club
October 21st, 2009
One of the flower arrangements made by Liz at our meeting.
Kingston Garden Club
Meeting Minutes for October 21, 2009
Be Inspired!
Kingston Garden Club Membership Books for 2010 were distributed. Be sure to read the book for future meeting and event information. President Maxine thanked Liz J. for her work on the books. In keeping with our Be Inspired theme, Liz designed them to double as coloring books.
Program
Liz J, a Kingston Garden Club member, demonstrated the building of four beautiful fall flower arrangements using Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily), dahlias, red twig dogwood, and more. She also showed us how to properly soak and use the Oasis foam blocks from the Ways and Means table to create an arrangement.
Hospitality Report
· Attendance: 40 members and 4 guests: Pam, Linda, Susan, and Barbara - all of whom became members!
· Thanks to our hostesses: Haifa E., Marilyn K., and Roddy R..
· Thanks to Carol D., Carol M., and Trudy V. for setting up the night before.
Treasurer Report
· Ann I. announced our current bank balance is $10,022.53.
As part of President Maxine’s decision to include relevant community announcements to keep our membership informed and participating, all of this information will be contained in the meeting minutes which Secretary Holly will distribute by E-mail in a timely manner the week following each meeting. This should eliminate extra E-mails and phone calls. Those very few without E-mail will have the minutes mailed to them.
New Business
Kingston Scholarships to Bellevue Botanical Gardens
Sharon N. introduced Kori Henry from the Port of Kingston who participated in the Bellevue Botanical Gardens workshop on decorating gardens with Christmas lights. The Port of Kingston is looking for volunteers to assist them in making 60 Christmas light flower baskets to decorate the Mike Wallace Memorial Park this Holiday season, and to convert the downtown hanging flower baskets to Christmas light flower baskets. Please contact Kori by E-mail at korih@portofkingston.org, by phone at 297.3545, or by cell phone at 360.509.2206 to volunteer.
Kingston Garden Club Plant Sale
Maxine reminded us we historically rely on our membership to contribute and maintain at least 10 plants each. Carol D. passed around sign-up sheets for members to request help with digging, dividing, and/or repotting plants in their yards, and for members to volunteer to help.
Upcoming Events
· November 5, 2009 at 10am – Plant Potting Party at Linda Morse’s house. Soup and bread will be provided. Plain black 1 gallon pots are needed, so please bring what you can. Dress for planting outdoors (e.g. muck boots).
Bring your own clippers, trowel, gloves, and plants!
Kingston Art in the Woods
Vice President Karen A. announced the upcoming Art in the Woods local artists’ studio tours and offered brochures about the event. KGC member J. S. Adams’ studio will be on tour this year! His studio is featured prominently on the posters for this event!
Upcoming Events
· November 13, 14, & 15 2009 from 10am to 5pm – Please contact Karen A. for additional information.
Kingston Community Beautification Committee
Monthly meetings held at Cleo’s Landing on the 4th Thursday of each month at 4pm. Chairperson Kay P. thanked all KGC volunteers for their help in renovating the planting beds surrounding the Kingston Community Center and reminded us of our ongoing commitment to maintain the beds.
Upcoming Events
·
November 28, 2009 - Kingston Christmas boughs and
light pole decorating in the tent at the
Nancy M., KGC representative on the Kingston Citizen Advisory Council, is asking for a volunteer to replace her on the council. Please contact Nancy to volunteer. Monthly meetings are held at 7pm the first Wednesday of each month at the North Kitsap Fire & Rescue Headquarters on Miller Bay Road. Meetings are an hour and a half long.
KGC Website
Webmaster Bobbi W. gave instructions on how to access and navigate our KGC website. The address is www.kingstongardenclub.com and can be found by typing “Kingston garden club” in Google – our site is the first website listed.
KGC Quilt Raffle
Bobbi displayed a block from the new quilt KGC will raffle in the upcoming year. Colors are blue, green, and yellow and blocks depicting flowers and flower pots. Please contact Bobbi or Nancy M. if you can volunteer to help with the sewing.
Old Business
Blanche Gray Garden Shows
Chairperson Annika M. thanked all of the KGC volunteers who helped make “Gardening with the Stars” such a success in September. President Maxine thanked Annika for all her hard work organizing the events. A granddaughter of Blanche Gray attended the event at Gordon Elementary School and thanked KGC for continuing to honor her grandmother.
· Visit the KGC website, www.kingstongardenclub.com, to see Bobbi’s wonderful pictures of the event!
Pearls of Wisdom
· Sura J. encouraged us to buy up old sale mums and plant them now for great color next year. Plus mums are easily divided into more plants come spring.
· Wendy T. reminded us to cut back mums in spring - NOT fall!
· Sharon M. updated us on the success of her straw bale veggie beds. Bush beans planted from seed in the bales were sown in the same bale over and over throughout the growing season. Best of all, Sharon will use all of her bales again next year! (Scroll down to see the photos!)
Potting Party at Linda's after the meeting!
Pam W, Sharon N, Sue H, Debbie G, Barbara A, Mary G, Holly G.
Straw Bale Gardening by Sharon Mc!
All in all pretty successful. Next year no pumpkins; they pulled down two bales, also no tomatoes, the plant just sprawled all over and made it hard to harvest.
Late May 2009—after the initial prepping of the bales, the bales were planted with starts of cucumbers, zucchini, crook neck squash, tomatoes (Gardener’s Delight) and pumpkins (Sugar Pie). Several bales were topped with 2 inches of compost and planted with bush beans and nasturtiums. (basket of first strawberries of the season J )
Late July—left to right zucchini, pumpkin, beans and crookneck squash.
Panned again left to right, zucchini, pumpkin, beans, nasturtiums, large crookneck squash in center, beans, tomato and cucumbers.
Close up of the crookneck
Sunflowers are behind the bales not planted in them.
c2009 Kingston Garden Club