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

May 2007
President’s Message

“What makes a garden flourish? For the owners of some gardens, it was seeking out a famously green-thumbed mentor……because sometimes good advice is the best fertilizer.”

We are excited about our society doing just that. Not only mentoring new members that are joining our group but also the prospect of mentoring the young in our community through our youth program. Our goal was to see 10 youth join our society for the first time this year and that’s exactly where we are at already. We have 10 young members enjoying our Story-time Gardening program on Saturday mornings.

A huge thank you to Janet Vos for taking this project on and to Geri Openshaw who has looked after promoting us at the Library.

We have good people! Our executive is still working hard to make this year a huge success.

Please support our society by getting involved. Our plant sale organization is underway. This is our major fundraiser for the year and many hands and many plants are needed.

It’s been mentioned to me more than once to not get stressed out because “after all, it’s only flowers” and even if it is only flowers, our executive is strongly committed to accomplishing goals this year that will increase community awareness of our society and the love of gardening. Ask how you can get involved!!

Darlene Lecour
President

Our next meeting :

Tuesday, May 22
7:00 p.m.
Christ Church Anglican, 890 Vimy Street

Master Gardener: Q & A

Tues. May 22 – General Meeting - Extreme Garden Makeover

Lisa Cutts of Home Depot’s outdoor department will use two of our members’ front yards as examples of how to we can beautify our homes.

GET READY FOR THE PLANT SALE
Saturday May 26
9 A.M. at Christ Church

Our annual plant sale is our BIGGEST fundraiser of the year and helps support all our programming and beautification. Now is the time to help us get ready.
Pot up your the perennials which need dividing or thinning, so they are well established by sale time. We ask that you include the name of the plant and the colour of the bloom on each plant (we find old Venetian blind slats work well for this).
If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me at 472-9836 or at [email protected] .
Thanks!
Pat

Living Wreath Workshop
A reminder about signing up for our much anticipated Living Wreath Workshop with Linda Ellery, Tues. June 12th 7 p.m. Our May meeting will be the last time you can sign up for this night of fun and creativity.
Linda will supply everything but the plants for these wonderful creations, a perfect addition to your front door or back garden.
Cost is only $35.00 for members; $45.00 for non-members.

Our event schedule for 2007

Saturday, May 26, 9 a.m. – Spring Plant Sale- Christ Church

Sat. June 2 - OHA District 18 Spring meeting - Argyle Legion

June 26 – Strawberry Social & Reality Judging Flower Competition

Tues. June 12th 7 p.m. Living Wreath Workshop with Linda Ellery

Sun. July 8th, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Members only Garden Tour

Sat. July 28th - FUN in the SUN : Annual Flower and Vegetable Show Northgate Shopping Centre

Wed. Aug. 8th Garden Photography Workshop with Mike De Moree

September 25 – Plant and rake without Ache with David Henschel, Symetrics

October 23 – Wildcrafting : Harvesting Nature’s Bounty with Lucy Emmott and Jeremy St. Onge

November 27 – Annual general meeting, Christmas Workshop with Bouquet d’Amour staff

-----------------

Interview with a gardener… Kathy Thomas

My father started me gardening at a very young age. My father was an avid gardener and took great pride in his flowers he grew so well along with some vegetables and fruit. We had a huge back yard with several gardens that he created, and maintained so beautifully. The beautiful colourful bouquets of flowers.... so pretty, sitting on the table in the house. Oh, the pleasure meandering around the garden listening to his stories about the various roses and flowers and all of their names.
It was his get away, his stress free time, a pleasure respected and appreciated by anyone who went there. The garden is where we had all of our spring and summer teas, lunches, weddings and parties. I guess, I would say, I have always had a great appreciation and interest of gardening, and the process of doing it well....thanks to my father. There is so much to learn about it, the list just goes on and on!
These things are what really inspired me to want to garden myself, but since then others have inspired me by their creativity and their dedication to beautification as well.
As an adult I have had numerous gardens and have thoroughly enjoyed doing it, with some help, I should add.
I look forward to learning more and being more involved in gardening in years to come and to hopefully pass the love on to others along the way.

ED LAWRENCE FUNDRAISER

Have you ordered and paid for your copy of Gardening Grief and Glory – Ed Lawrence answers your gardening questions? The cost just $26 (plus $1.50 GST) and the society will receive a donation of $4 for each book sold.
Each volume will be signed by Ed and will come with a handy bookmark inscribed with Ed’s famous soap solutions for eliminating garden pests.
This fundraiser will run only until June 30th! Go to the membership table at the next meeting to sign up.

In memory of John Tripp…

“Scatter my ashes in my garden
so I can be near my loves.
Say a few honest words, sing a gentle song,
join hands in a circle of flesh.
Please tell some stories about me
making you laugh. I love to make you laugh.
When I’ve had time to settle, and green
gathers into buds, remember I love blossoms
bursting in spring. As the season ripens
remember my persistent passion.
And if you come into my garden
on an August afternoon
pluck a bright red globe,
let juice run down your chin and the seeds
stick to your cheek. When I’m dead
I want folks to smile and say:
“That John,
He sure was some Tomato!”

Our hearts go out to the Tripp family.

Originally written by Patti Tana - gardendigest.com

Garden guide for Mid May to Mid June

Fertilize grass with a good quality lawn fertilizer. This will supply a boost of nutrients to get turf grass plants off to a good start this season.
Prune out dead and spindly wood on rose bushes. Cut remaining canes back so each has 3 to 5 buds left - top bud should be outfacing.
Plant shrubs, trees, hedges and roses. Evergreens should be planted in late spring and always with a ball of earth.
Transplant biennials (violas, pansies, foxgloves, etc.), perennials, container stock, Fall mums. Pinch out new growth in mums to encourage plants to fill out and increase size for fall.
Check trees for caterpillars and other insects.
Turn compost heap to start it working after winter dormancy.
Deadhead faded blooms from spring bulbs. Do not remove leaves - they provide nutrients to the bulbs.
Prune raspberries, vines, evergreens, hedges, hydrangeas, and lilacs and crabapple after flowering.

Volunteers needed for our civic beautification
Ruby McLeod, our Civic Beautification chair, is asking for volunteers to help plant at our beds at Canadore College on Tuesday, May 22nd at 9:30 a.m. at the back just outside of the cafeteria. We need lots of help planting annuals to beautify their grounds for the June convocation.
We will be planting the garden at Dellandrea Place on Monday June 4th at 9 a.m. and the Flag flowerbed at the waterfront (across from the Marina) on Saturday, June 9th at 9:30 a.m.

Already have lily beetles? Overloaded with weeds?
For the answer to all your gardening questions, call the
North Bay Master Gardeners
a volunteer organization of trained horticulturalists here to help you with all the gardening answers.
Call them at 495-0920 or email them at [email protected].
There is no charge for this service!

Green notes

Want another reason to garden?

Here are a list of a dozen fruits and vegetables from the Environmental Working Group that notoriously test positive for pesticide residue (so try to buy organic when you can):
apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, spinach, strawberries.

Winter lettuce is not on the list, but preliminary studies have found that perchlorate (rocket fuel) may be contaminating lettuce grown in southern Arizona and California, where 90% of the nation’s lettuce is grown in the winter.

Foods with the lowest pesticide residues: asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn, kiwi, mangoes, onions, papaya, pineapple, sweet peas.

Source : Natural Home, July/Aug 2006.

Where is the Lilac bed???
The Society’s lilac garden is located among the 50 some waterfront gardens, at the end of the last parking lot to the east of the marina.
If you are walking along the waterfront paths, in front of this garden are many low shrubs. Look just past them towards the road, and you will see the unusual varieties of lilacs, which should be in bloom shortly.
Thanks to the gardeners you take such good care of this garden for all to enjoy.

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]
Proud member of the Ontario Horticultural Association District 18
We meet the 4th Tuesday of the month at Christ Church Anglican, 890 Vimy Street
at 7 p.m.

Treasurer’s report to Apr. 30 /07

Investment savings $3500.00
Bank statement (Mar. 31/07) $ 1037.79
Outstanding cheques last month $ -72.75
Outstanding cheques this month $ 102.32
Deposit $ 518.25
Expenditures $ -220.44
Total current account $1365.17

Expenditures
Horticultural meetings $ 25.00
Green Thumb $ 112.32
Bank charges $ 5.80
Social and gifts $ 20.48
General office $ 6.84
Total expenditures $ 220.44

Receipts
Membership $ 10.00
Workshops $ 350.00
Seed exchange $ 20.45
Miscellaneous $ 137.80
Total receipts $ 518.20

General Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Held at Christ Church, 890 Vimy Street, North Bay, Ontario

President Darlene Lecour called the meeting to order at 7:10pm. 44 members were in attendance.
Business
Darlene welcomed the membership with a quote “Seeing plants coming up in the garden in spring is like welcoming old friends”. Minutes of the March 27, 2007 General Meeting Minutes as presented in the Green Thumb were MOVED to be adopted by Helen Bannerman. CARRIED.
MOTION to accept the Treasurer’s Report as presented in the Green Thumb by Helen Bannerman. CARRIED.

Announcements
Pat Madill asked membership to sign in this evening. Pat announced she’s looking for volunteer diggers and volunteers for the plant sale. Sign up sheets are available at the back.
Book Fundraiser an “Ed Lawrence Fundraiser” with his book “Gardening Grief & Glory”. The books are $26 each. Pat took the presale of the books with the books being available next meeting. As an incentive, the author, Ed Lawrence will host an event at the location of the group who sells the most books – “An Event with Ed”. For more information on Ed Lawrence, his website is www.gardeningwithed.com and he is on CBC Radio at 1:00pm daily.

Committee Reports
Civic Beautification Report.
Ruby McLeod listed the areas we maintain in town. We have five beds at Canadore College, 3 beds at Dellandrea Place, 2 tubs at the Chamber of Commerce, the Waterfront bed, Lilac and Lily Bed at the Public Library. We need to plant our 5 beds at Canadore College on May 22 to be ready for the June graduation class on May 31st. Canadore will cover any fees and will provide lunch for the volunteers. Planting begins at 9:30 a.m. See Ruby tonight to volunteer.
Youth Report.
Janet Vos reported that the 6 week Youth Program will begin May 5 – June 9, 2007 with Seedlings Storytime on Saturday afternoons at the Public Library. Maximum of 10 youths with registration starting April 11. Program Fees are $9.00 and membership fee of $5.00 for a total of $14.00 to participate in this year’s Youth Program.

Janet Vos attended a meeting at the request of King George principal to discuss participation in their “Greening” Program. The principal has requested Society participation / assistance with this project. Janet will report at next meeting.

Plant Sale.
The Plant Sale will be Saturday, May 26th at Christ Church on 890 Vimy Street starting at 9:00am. Request for “diggers” and volunteers to sign up with Pat Madill. Dig date is May 5. All are welcome to come along with Sue Finnis, Audrey Morton and Pat Madill who will be buying plants at Commanda Gardens on May 12. Received letter from Carol Cox selling delphiniums at great prizes – could be good for plant sale.
Volunteer Info: Plant sale volunteers kindly receive the opportunity to have “first choice” of plants only after set up is completed. Also if plants are already priced, please do not change pricing. Bring boxes. Sandy Charette will be called to see if she might bake muffins for the sale. Please keep track of all volunteer hours and pass to Pat Madill.

Flower Show Update.
The Flower Show is booked for July 28th at Northgate Square from 10:00am – 2:00pm. The theme is “Fun in the Sun”. We should have plenty of floral choices in bloom for the show. The Flower Show Book should be ready for the May meeting with many new categories. Judging booklets are available to buy.

Publicity Report.
We’ve booked a Publicity Table at the Northgate Square Shopping Mall on Saturday, May 12 from 10:30am – 4:30pm and Saturday, June 16 at 10:30am – 4:30pm. Would like to attract shoppers with large floral displays along with membership brochures and Society Literature. Memberships could be purchased at table. See June to volunteer.

Membership Report.
We now have over 100 members and are hoping to reach 150. Members were encouraged to renew.
Social Committee
Maureen Ranger and Helen Bannerman will supply baking for the next meeting.
“Inspired Article” Volunteer for April
Darlene asked for a contributor for the article “What Inspired Me to Garden” for the May Green Thumb. Kathy Thomas will contribute.
Seed exchange was available. Five door prizes were awarded.
Harriet Madigan, Chair of the Nipissing Botanical Gardens Committee has requested the support of the Society in aid of the “Murray Sweetman Park”. If you agree that the “Murray Sweetman Park” should become an official public park in North Bay, we are asked to forward a letter of support from individual members or as a Society (indicating the number of people represented) to the City of North Bay. For further information contact Hariett at 495-4045. (attached)

Coming Event
• May 14 - The Horticultural Society will present at the After 5 Ladies Club at the Clarion Resort Pinewood Park. For dinner reservations, call Louise Cicci at 495-1011 ($20.00 inclusive). All are welcome. Come out and see your Society in action.
• May 22 – Extreme Garden Makeover by Home Depot
• May 26 Plant Sale
• June 2, Annual Meeting, Argyle Legion
• June 12th, Living Wreath Workshop with Linda Ellery. Registration tonight with prepayment.
• OHA Convention in Owen Sound, August 10-12, 2007
• 2 Society Shirts are still available in white at $30 each.
Adjournment
MOTION to adjourn business at 7:45p.m. by Deborah Lee.
Topic: “Daylilies in the Garden” with Carole-Ann Friedrich from Field, Ontario.