meetings

Meetings and Gatherings

The SBGC generally meets the first Thurs. of each month at 6:00 pm in the Deering Room of the Dyer Library at 371 Main St., Saco.

editor of our favorite gardening magazine, People, Places, and Plants , and host of the TV show with the same name. Paul inspired us with the topic "Gardeners as Stewards of the Planet". We look forward to learning "Design Lessons from the Past" with Lucinda Brockway in Jan.

Outings
In Feb., members' admission was paid to the Flower Show in for a group outing. In June we traveled by bus to Tower Hill Botanic Gardens in Boylston, Mass. Through our fundraising, SBGC is able to pay for or discount admission fees and transportation costs for members.

We also visited the gardens of Nancy Freeman, Mark Bell, Sheila Clifford, Bob and Nancy Hodge, Cheryl Boulay, Mildred Wood, Cathleen Fejedelem, and the Peaks Island home of Cynthia Mowles for our summer bbq. We look forward to seeing more members' gardens next growing season.

Sweet pea 'Old Spice' from saved seed from Cathleen's garden is becoming a staple in many of our member's gardens.

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Guest Speakers 2005
Chris from Robin's Nest Water Aquatics did a nice presentation on installing water features in the garden. South Portland Horticulturist Mary Lou Fathke shared both common and under-used annuals at our May meeting. Brian Smith led the topic "David Austin Roses for the Maine Garden" in June. And in November, we were pleased to sponsor Paul Tukey, founder and

Seed trading, magazine swaps, and homemade refreshments are also a part of our meetings. Hope to see you there!

2004 has been busy for the SBGC. Although we did not sponsor a garden tour in the summer, we remained active with a bus trip and several informative guest speakers.

In summer, we try to meet outdoors at members' gardens. Please email us or phone ahead for location and meeting agenda.

Yes, we can grow beautiful, fragrant roses here in Maine. David Austin's 'Heritage' attests to that in one of our members' garden.

2006 brought us Sharon Whitney of Eartheart Farms, who continues the hybridizing work of the late Dr. Currier McEwan in Siberian and Japanese irises. We visited an exquisite Japanese garden in S. Portland for our Sept. meeting, and we chartered a bus in July to Eartheart Farms and the new Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. In the spring, we invited a peony expert who enlightened us on the fascination of tree peonies. And Jeff O'Donal brought a slide presentation of shrubs and perennials that stretch the season in both early spring and late fall.

Gearing up for 2007, we plan on scheduling more local professionals, a bonsai expert, and a soil workshop.