January 2018 Forget me Nots

Transcription

1 January 2018 Forget me Nots January President s note I hope you enjoyed the holiday madness and are ready to usher in a New Year full of good health, happiness and rain! After a year of devastating natural disasters and heartbreaking loss for so many throughout the country, I am grateful for our beautiful community of Orinda and appreciate how lucky we are. We have a lot to look forward to this month! A field trip to Alcatraz, a special Hort program at Orchard Nursery and one of my favorite events, mini luncheons which are a wonderful way to get to know your fellow garden club members. Mini luncheons are after the January meeting which is on Wednesday the 31 st. Our speaker, Gregg Lowery, Curator of The Friends of Vintage Roses will speak before the business meeting so please come early. Another reason to come early, our esteemed Horticultural and Flower Arranging judges (and resident experts) Phoebe Kahl, Heather Dunne, Suanne Inman and Joyce Nelson will be available before the meeting to discuss and encourage your entries in the Wonders of the West Flower Show. We are all looking forward to a festive social evening on February 10 th Barb Boster and Ruth Fortune have an exciting evening planned that you don t want to miss! Happy New Year, Cathleen

2 RANCHER, FARMER, FISHERMAN February Conservation Film Event This Documentary debuted at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. It is the story of five Americans whose work puts them on the front lines of conservation, from Montana, to Kansas, to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.

3 Alcatraz Gardens and Florilegium Join us on Friday January 12, 2018 for a trip out to Alcatraz Island! We are excited to have Shelagh Fritz, Alcatraz Gardens Project Manager, giving us a personal tour of the newly restored gardens, and introducing the Alcatraz Florilegium now on exhibit in the Band Room of the old prison. This is a unique opportunity to visit the island and enjoy the historical gardens beautifully restored by the Garden Conservancy with the added highlight of viewing the full collection of exquisite Botanical paintings and drawings that document the plants of the Alcatraz Gardens. The Florilegium is a project of the Northern California Society of Botanical Artists in collaboration with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, was 4 years in the making, and includes 77 artists, who created 126 framed works. The Florilegium educates and inspires the viewer to appreciate the Gardens of Alcatraz, but it also serves to remind us of the continuing importance, relevance and value of Botanical Art and Florilegia today in recording and preserving plant collections. Family and friends are welcome for this special trip to "The Rock". Purchase your ferry ticket for the 10:00 am ferry ASAP! Ferry tickets sell out. To carpool to the Ferry, meet at OCC lower lot at 8:30am SHARP! Hort Meeting on January 17 Imagine harvesting fresh fruit from your garden! It s achievable with space saving compact fruit tree pruning. Wouldn t a small orchard be a delight studded about the yard? Come learn the art of pruning for a compact tree with harvestable fruit in reach all over. Espalier technique will also be discussed by Master Gardener Helen Erickson, a specialist who oversees the compact orchard at Shadelands. Randall Barnes, an expert horticulturalist with a foodie bent, will add his choices for fruit trees tailored to our growing conditions and his selections for culinary uses.meet inside at Orchard Nursery, Lafayette, on Wed., January 17 at 9:45 am for a unique presentation. Orchard will offer a classroom set-up for our exclusive use. Flower Show Preview At the January General Meeting there will be a floral arrangement display on the round table in the lobby during our coffee hour. This is a preview for entering the flower show at the 2018 Annual Meeting in San Francisco on April 26-29th. Come to the table and chat with Phoebe, Diana and Heather about the arrangements, schedule and any questions you may have about entering the show or attending as a volunteer. See you at the OGC meeting on January 31. Suanne Inman will also be available during coffee to answer questions and explain the Horticulture schedule."

4 Partners for Plants on January 23 Please plan to join us for Partners for Plants (P4P) January 23rd. Meet at the lower parking lot of OCC at 12 noon to carpool. January 31 st Mini Luncheons Our Mini Luncheons are coming up in January. Mini Luncheons are one of the best ways to meet new members and get to know all our members. It is one of those not to miss events great food, conversation and setting! If you would like to host, co-host or attend a Mini Luncheon in one of our member s lovely homes on Wednesday, January 31 st (right after the general meeting), please watch for the virtual clipboard sign up. If you have questions, dena.raffel@comcast.net or call History Corner The Orinda Garden Club has a treasured history of celebrating the holidays. Years ago, we decorated a member s home highlighting our new members (and their sponsors) talents. There was a tea in the morning and everyone could bring a guest to enjoy the décor, homemade cookies and tea sandwiches provided by members. In the evening, spouses were invited to join in the fun but again, members did potluck and there was even a box of liquor that was stored and brought out each year! Over the years the evening event became much more involved with caterers and tenting and more decorating and members felt like it was time for a more community based event. In 2011, Wreaths Around Orinda was born and we teamed up with Boy Scout Troop 237 to put our time and decorating dollars to work hanging wreaths around Orinda. Instead of a holiday dinner party with spouses, we enjoyed our first Corktoberfest! It took place on the OCC tennis courts in October and celebrated, with a great view, the Cork Oak restoration project around Lake Cascade. With the Octoberfest theme, we served sausages and beer and DD Felton dressed up in a dirndl! We have just completed the 7 th year of Wreaths Around Orinda which is beloved by members and community alike. Since then we have enjoyed 5 successful holiday teas and dinner events at the country club, highlighting our new member talent with beautiful wreath making (1 year) and creative and gorgeous tablescapes (4 years). Now, once again, our evening social will take on a new theme, we are going out on the town for a Jazzy evening in Lafayette on February 10th! Stay tuned, it s going to be fun!

5 OGC Calendar is now available on our website. Click here to view the Orinda Garden Club Calendar Orinda Garden Club Calendar Bouquets 10:30am - 11:30am January 8, Deb Stephenson's 14 St James Ct, Orinda Rose Pruning 9am - 10am January 10, 2018 Bring clippers, loppers and gloves Heather Farm Park, 301 N San Carlos Dr, Walnut Creek Visiting Gardens/Alcatraz 8:45am - 9:45am January 12, 2018 See the Alcatraz Floralegium and tour the restored Alcatraz Gardens Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Helen Erickson & Randall Barnes on backyard orchard pruning a9:45am - 10:45am January 17, 2018 Helen will give a presentation on pruning fruit trees to a compact size so that they can Orchard Nursery and Florist, 4010 Mt Diablo Blvd, Lafayette Partners for Plants (P4P) 12noon - 2:30pm January 23, 2018 carpool Orinda Country Club, 315 Camino Sobrante, Orinda Rose Pruning 9am - 10am January 24, 2018 Bring clippers, loppers and gloves Heather Farm Park, 301 N San Carlos Dr, Walnut Creek Board Meeting 3:15pm - 4:45pm January 25, Pam Goode's 35 Fallen Leaf Terrace, Orinda General Meeting: Gregg Lowery, Curator of The Friends of Vinta9:30am - 11:30am January 31, :30 social, 10:00 meeting/program, Mini Luncheons Orinda Country Club, 315 Camino Sobrante, Orinda Conservation Event - Movie Night 3:30pm - 5:30pm February 8, 2018 Movie TBA St. Stephen s Episcopal Church, 66 St Stephens Dr, Orinda Holiday Party 7pm - 10pm February 10, 2018 All that Jazz Metro Lafayette, 3524 Mt Diablo Blvd, Lafayette Bouquets 10:30am - 11:30am February 12, Lisa Stefan's 109 Van Ripper Lane, Van Ripper Ln, Orinda Deadline to Register for Annual Meeting Flower Show 12pm - 1pm February 15, 2018 register at gcamerica.com online Board Meeting 3:15pm - 4:45pm February 15, Deb Stephenson's 14 St James Ct, Orinda Joint General Meeting with Piedmont - John Greenlee on Mead 9:30am - 12pm February 22, 2018 *9:30 Social, 10:00 Meeting, 11:00 Speaker Orinda Country Club, 315 Camino Sobrante, Orinda Bouquets 10:30am - 11:30am March 12, 2018 TBA Partners for Plants (P4P) 12noon - 2:30pm March 13, 2018 carpool Orinda Country Club, 315 Camino Sobrante, Orinda Board Meeting 3:15pm - 4:45pm March 15, Laura Sawczuk's 93 El Toyonal, Orinda General Meeting: Author Amy Stewart on "The Drunken Botani3:30pm - 6pm March 21, :30 Social, 4:00 Meeting, 5:00 Speaker Orinda Country Club, 315 Camino Sobrante, Orinda