“Fostering the love of Gardening and the Beautification of our City.”

June 2008

President's Message:

‘There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep up behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling’ Mirable Osler

I hope you are all smiling and your backs are all holding up as the weather keeps getting brighter and you get to spend more time in your gardens.

Much appreciation and thanks goes to all of the members who are helping with the many duties that keep the society going from month to month. Let me encourage you to lend a hand and sign up to help wherever possible. ”No experience necessary” – just people with a heart to help others and to jump in wherever they can are the only requirements.

Please mark your calendar for our June Strawberry Social and Silent Auction on Tuesday, June 24th. This auction will be a great fundraiser for our society so please come with your auction items and friends. See the June Green Thumb for ideas for auction items. Also, I want to remind you that we have a couple of great workshops coming up, one with artist Carol Romaine and another with Chef Daniel Esposito. It will be a pleasure to spend time painting in a beautiful setting with Carol and cooking up a storm with Chef Daniel. The settings for these two workshops will be announced soon.

Look forward to seeing you at the strawberry social!!

Darlene Lecour
President

Our event schedule for 2008

Sat. June 21 - Flower and vegetable show at Northgate Shopping Centre
CANCELLED (see note in newsletter)

June 24 – Strawberry Social & Silent auction ; SPEAKER Jim Aldridge – Bees

Jim grew up on a beef farm, obtained a Fish and Wildlife degree at Sir Sanford Fleming College and has worked ever since with the MNR (for the past 23 years). In 1989, he bought a farm; in 2004 he purchased his first set of bee hives.

Come and enjoy a fun night of delectable strawberry goodies provided by the executive as well as the excitement of our first silent auction. Bring your empty tummies and your wallet!

Tues. July 22 – Ella’s waterfront picnic at noon
Meet at the Rotary kiosk by the Marina

August 22-24 - OHA convention in Brampton
(check out the OHA website (www.gardenontario.org for more details)

Sat. Sept. 6th – Painting flowers workshop with Carol Romaine Cost $25
Join us in the garden to learn all how to paint a picture of your garden
Register at June meeting as space is limited!

Cooking workshop – To be announced

September 23rd – potluck; The art of pressed flowers – Dorothy Antram

Sat. October 4th Gathering Nature’s Bounty (edible wild walk): with Lucy Emmott - $10 includes list of plants and other info

October 28th meeting – Beautiful winter containers – Mark from Bouquet D’Amour

November 25 – Annual general meeting –Waterfront Update with Rod Johnston

Your Horticultural Society
is hosting
a Silent Auction
Treat yourself and your friends to a wonderful evening of
handmade specialty items!

Auction Suggestions:
Baked goods – cookies, muffins, breads, pies Crafts
Preservatives Dried Floral Arrangement
Gardening Tools Basket Handmade Jewelry
Gift Certificates Embroidery – Needle Point
Picnic Basket Wood or metal crafts
Wine Basket Homemade Lawn Ornaments
Homemade Wind Chimes Deck Decorations
Chair Pads
How Do I participate in a Silent Auction?
Members bring an “auction item(s)” to place on the table.
Bring a friend.
Non-members bring an auction item or no item and participate for $5.
(Remember, you can put the $5 towards your new membership!)

Funds raised tonight help support the beautification of our city as well as our educational programs.
For further auction information call Louise @ 495-1011

Plant Sale Thank You

Members, we did it again, another successful plant sale. I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who came out to dig at Marie-Luise Frankel’s. Our timing was great – no bugs and we even managed to escape the rain. Thanks to Judy and Sue for looking after Commanda Country Gardens; the members who made muffins, and to those who helped with setting up as well as working the plant sale.
Thanks to all those members who were so generous with donating plants from your gardens and those donated to you by friends.
Considering the cool spring weather, I feel we did great.
If anyone has suggestions for next year, please do not hesitate to let me know!
My sincere thanks to everyone!

Pat Madill
(P.S. Next year’s plant sale date is Saturday May 23rd)

OHA District 18 Annual Meeting note:

At the annual District meeting this past Saturday, Betty Foy was pleased to present, on behalf of the District 18, the District Service Award to our own Vickie Wiemer, past district director and past president of this Society.
This is the highest award given by our District. Congratulations Vickie!

Garden guide for mid June to mid July

Mid June to Mid July
Continue to transplant annuals, perennials, evergreens, container stock, fall mums.
Fertilize trees, shrubs, evergreens, ground covers if needed.
Treat annual flowers with a feeding of 15-30-15 fertilizer.
Remove rose blooms before they fade to dry for using in potpourris or sachets.
Earmark some flowers, plants and vegetables that you would like to exhibit at the Flower Show and tend to them with this in mind.
Continue to fertilize vegetables.
Shallow hoe the garden regularly to control weeds, especially after rain.
Mulch borders to help preserve moisture and keep weeds in check.
Deadhead flowering annuals to encourage more blooms.
Pinch back annuals that are getting straggly.
Continue to stake and support plants as they grow.
Water garden thoroughly during dry spells.
Give lawn a second feeding of fertilizer in July.
Harvest early vegetables - start canning and freezing vegetables and fruits as they ripen.
Spray aphids with insecticidal soap as they appear.

Ella’s Picnic – Tuesday, July 22, Noon at the Waterfront

Every July for about a decade, members of the club have been gathering at the waterfront for a picnic. This event, where everyone brings their lunch, was the idea of Ella Fudge, one of our past presidents. Though Ella, who is now 88, doesn’t get out to as many meetings as she would like, she wouldn’t miss this event for the world.

So please mark your calendars and join us for a get-together. Meet at the Rotary Club kiosk by the old Chief Commanda. Ella will make her coconut sponge cake for the event.

from Elaine Fudge and Mom

Flower & Vegetable Show
“Midsummer’s Dream “
June 21, 2008
Cancelled

As Flower Show Chairperson I am disappointed to say that the show has been cancelled for this year. There are a few reasons, the first and for most is that the growing season has had a very slow start and many of the flowers and vegetables will not even be close to being ready for show time. I ran into complications with the Mall and their new regulations for non-profit organizations and it would be too late to try and work with another venue and try and find tables, skirts and tablecloths with this short notice.
I’ve also decided that this will be my last year as chairperson of the Flower & Vegetable Show. I’m sure that one of the committee members from this year would like to accept the challenge. I’ll gladly be on the committee to help with the show.
We may consider a Fall Show at the September meeting but no plans have been discussed as yet.
Happy gardening and just think of all the different plants you can nurture this year for the show next year.

Sincerely
June Charette
Flower Show Chairperson

Wear your Name tags
We would love to try to get out members to wear their name tags to each meeting so we can all figure out who is who. When you grab your mug for the meeting, please remember you tag too!

PLEASE, PLEASE REMEMBER TO LUG YOUR MUG!!
To all our meetings
Help us protect the environment!!

Support our local Farmer’s market

The Farmers' Market runs every Saturday, from May 17th to October 11th, 8:30AM to 1PM. It is located in the parking lot behind the TD Canada Trust, between Main and McIntyre Streets.

North Bay Locavores
As you may or may not know, the Locavores have a table
at the North Bay Farmers Market.
We are there to promote the group, educate and share ideas, help
the farmers market as well as help any producers that would like
to sell their extra veggies, fruits, cookies or anything made and grown locally.
There is no charge to sell your goods at our booth, though we do take donations
to help us with the expenses of the market.
We could also use volunteers to work the booth.
SO, if your interested in helping out or you are a producer please email Erin Darnell at [email protected]

Civic Beautification

If you can spare a few hours this summer to help us in our gardens, please give your name to Ruby McLeod at the next meeting.
With people being away in the summer, we sometimes need a person to help weed or water at one of our seven gardens throughout the city.
We could you your help! Thanks.

North Bay Blooms

This new city program, North Bay Blooms, has been created to promote the beautification of North Bay; the committee has asked our Society for some volunteers to help judge some local gardens. This commitment will take about 2 hours and will be done in pairs, during the first two weeks in July. Simple judging guidelines will be given to each pair, and they will need to visit about 10 gardens in an area to choose their favourites.
We need just two more volunteers for this really enjoyable task. Please see Geri at the next meeting or call her at 476-1894.

Living Green ideas
Solar panels
By Judy and Jane Watling

A friend of ours installed solar panels at his camp – all over the structure. He told us about all his great savings on the cost of propane, and the gas to run his generator. In the area where we have our camp, all the cottagers have to rely on propane which runs fridges, stoves, hot water tanks and lights. A few have electric heaters, most have wood stoves for heat; we have a wood stove as well as a fireplace.
Two years ago, he installed a solar panel for us to run our radio and DVD player. We liked it so much that we went to and bought three more panels to power our lighting.
The solar panels must be placed where the sun is the strongest, so that the panels can charge up. As we do have lots of trees in near the camp, we have these panels mounted on an old umbrella stand form a patio set, where we have it located in one area in the morning and move it to another in the afternoon to take full advantage of the sun.
You also need to buy some deep cycle batteries (850 amp is better).
Each panel is hooked up to a battery, so the more panels you have, the more batteries you need. We are now ready to add more.
We love it!

Website of the month
http://www.pathwaystoperennials.com/

This shop has a great monthly newsletter providing lots of good gardening tips.

Remembering Harold Renault

RENAULT, Harold John - (Veteran of World War II, Long time member of the North Bay Horticultural Society, Retired from the CPR in North Bay) – Having lived a long and full life Harold passed away peacefully with his loving family by his side at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Barrie, Ontario, on Wednesday, May 21, 2008. Harold Renault, in his 94th year, formerly of North Bay, beloved husband of the late Margaret Renault (nee Bullett, 1998). Adoring husband of Jean Baker. Loving father of Winona Schorse (Bill) of Corbeil and Doug Renault of Barrie. He will be sadly missed by his five grandchildren Peter, Tim, Paula, Jackie and Angie and his thirteen great grandchildren Matthew, Nicholas, David, Tamara, Lisa, Robbie, Brody, Brock, Zachery, Kyle, Taylor, Austin and Skylar. Dear brother of Girley Webb (late Ronald), Phyllis Brennan (late Clarence) all of Kitchener. Predeceased by sisters Annie, Eileen, Lillian, Babs, and brother Leslie. Brother-in-law of Bob Dixon and Jen Renault. Also survived by many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Condolences may be made to [email protected] .
Harold, we will miss you and your smile!

Need to contact us with comments, questions or suggestions?
North Bay Horticultural Society
P.O. Box 1482, North Bay, ON P1B 8K6
Website : Go to www.gardenontario.org and follow the links!
Email : [email protected]

President : Darlene Lecour
First Vice-president : Louise Cicci
Secretary : Betty Foy
Treasurer : Ruth Wright
Civic Beautification : Ruby McLeod
Plant Sale : Pat Madill
Flower Show : June Charette
Youth : Janet Vos
Membership : Maureen Ranger
Social :Judy Watling
Telephone Committee : Audrey Morton
Green Thumb : Geri Openshaw
Assistant directors : Lorne Cutts, Daphne Andrews, Vickie Wiemer, Sue Finnis

Treasurer’s report to May. 31/08

Investment savings $3630.78
Bank statement as of Apr. 30/08 $ 987.39
Last month’s outstanding cheques - $ 62.38
Deposit + $2495.95
Expenditures - $ 863.98
This month’s outstanding cheques + $ 653.62
Total current account 3210.60

Expenditures
Horticultural meetings $ 25.00
Green Thumb $ 87.90
Bank charges $ 4.95
Civic beautification $ 46.61
Plant sale $ 445.90
Gifts and social $ 21.76
Flower show $ 23.96
Advertising $ 207.90
Total expenditures $ 863.98

Receipts
Membership $ 140.00
Plant sale $2345.95
Total receipts $2495.95

North Bay Horticultural Society
General Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Held at Christ Church, 890 Vimy Street, North Bay, Ontario

President Darlene Lecour called the meeting to order at 7:10pm. 41 members were in attendance.

Business

Minutes of the April 24, 2008 General Meeting Minutes as presented in the Green Thumb were MOVED to be adopted by Monica. CARRIED.
MOTION to accept the Treasurer’s Report as presented in the Green Thumb by Katherine. CARRIED.

Announcements
A big thank you to all who donated so much time to digging, potting, baking for the Plant Sale. Thanks to June Charette and 100.5FM EZ Rock with the “worm poop” – great commercials/advertising.
The Downtown Farmers Market is now open every Saturday morning.
See Kathy Thomas for Horticultural T-shirts.
Harold Renault passed away this week. Condolences to the family.
The Society’s Living Green articles are now in the Nugget each Tuesday until the end of October.
Silent Auction to be included with the Strawberry Social.
Last frost date is June 8.
Committee Reports

Civic Beautification Report.
Ruby McLeod reported that the five beds at Canadore College have been planted with begonias, impatients, Alyssium, Salvia, Dusty Miller and Geranium for a total 1,710 plants. The beds are ready for the June graduation class on May 31st. Canadore covered fees and provided lunch for the volunteers. Thank you to our volunteers Daphne Andrews, Helen Bannerman, Cindy Wilson, Judy and Jane Watling, Pat Madill and Betty Atkinson. See Ruby tonight to volunteer for the next upcoming plant date.
Plant Sale.
Thanks to all in the Society who participated in another successful Plant Sale which was held on Saturday, May 24th at Christ Church at 9:00am. We did it again ladies, another successful plant sale. Many thanks to all who came out to dig at Marie Luise Frankel – our timing was great with no bugs and we even managed to escape the rain. Thanks to members who baked, set up, dug plants, potted and donated their own plants. Janet Vos also had 3 youth come out and participate in the sale.
Summary: Sale $2,213.70
Coffee/Muffins $ 119.00
Commanda Gardens -$ 348.00
Advertising -$ 300.00
Grand Total: $1,684.70
Flower Show Update.
The Flower Show is booked for June 21th at Northgate Square from 10:00am – 2:00pm. We should have plenty of floral choices in bloom for the show. The Flower Show Book is available to membership with entry information with many new categories including all levels with beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Ontario Judging booklets are available for $5.00.

Membership Report.
We now have 117 members as of May 24

“Inspired Article” Volunteer for June
Darlene asked for a contributor for the article “What Inspired Me to Garden” for the May Green Thumb.
Coming Events

• June 24, Strawberry Social and Silent Auction
• June 12, Flower Show at Northgate {cancelled}
• Ella’s Picnic
Adjournment
MOTION to adjourn business at 7:43p.m. by Rosalyn Charland.
Master Gardener Segment hosted by Vickie Weimer.
Topic: Growing Herbs and Vegetables in Containers with Bonnie Cappadocia.
Four door prizes were awarded.

"On this June day the buds in my garden are almost as enchanting as the open flowers. Things in bud
bring, in the heat of a June noontide, the recollection of the loveliest days of the year - those days of
May when all is suggested, nothing yet fulfilled."
- Francis King