Azalea Trumpet. Fall and Early Winter 2014

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1 . Azalea Trumpet Fall and Early Winter 2014 AZALEA DISTRICT REPORT: September, 2014 Can you really believe that Fall is here and I am into my 18 th month as Azalea District Director? Well, the Amazing Azaleas have been very busy with different workshops and club and council activities in Azalea District has a total of 55 clubs with over 1300 members (changing all the time we hope to a plus) and these clubs have been very busy during this past Garden Club year. We have added 58 new members from the last President s Reports and according to the reports we have a total of 19 Standard of Excellence Clubs and two Councils with Standard of Excellence. I will also be handing out a total of 130 certificates at our Annual Meeting in Milledgeville to clubs that participated in: Garden Therapy, Historic Preservation, Land Trust-Marshall Forest, State Botanical Gardens, Le- Conte-Woodmanston, Natural Disasters and 100% Sale of Calendars. We had a great representation at the Annual Convention in Macon in May and many Azalea Clubs walked away with State Awards. Hats off to each one that attended as well as those clubs that won awards!! Remember, if you don t send them in you will not win!! Azalea Director s Message Learning and Growing in Life s Garden. Fall & Early Winter 2014 On August 19, 2014, we held our Azalea Board Meeting at the State Botanical Gardens. We received a warm welcome from Dr. Wilf Nickolls, Director of the Gardens. He showed a short video of the future children s garden Reconnecting Kids with Nature and after the meeting anyone that chose to do so was invited to take a garden golf cart tour of behind the scenes activities.

2 (Director s Letter continued) Celia Brown, At Home with Flowers chairman for the District has started a new class the first of five being held August 27 th at State Botanical Gardens. Azalea District was well represented at the Wild & Wonderful Camp with 13 energetic campers. Augusta Council just sponsored a free one day workshop on Making a World of Difference Choices Matter and are busy working on upcoming Garden Study Schools. Check the Date Register on GCG website for future dates. Clubs in the Milledgeville area and Council are busy planning our Annual Meeting for October 22, 2014 at the Milledgeville Country Club. You don t want to miss this Fall Fiesta. I have enjoyed representing Azalea District at the Founders Memorial Garden Luncheon, Following in the Footsteps of the Bartram s at the Atlanta History Center, and the Cherokee Garden Library Luncheon. All of this is very interesting and informative information. This is something that everyone needs to see. Then dine in the wonderful Swan House Restaurant. Also, I am travelling over the state during this month visiting the other six Districts. Amazing to see, learn about and enjoy! Amazing Azaleas are Learning and Growing in Life s Garden Peggy H. Tucker District Director Fall Fun in the Founders Memorial Garden Its been a wonderful Summer and there is still time to continue celebrating the 75 th Anniversary of the Founders Memorial Garden, the UGA College of Environment and Design (CED) will be hosting one more Friday evening event. What a wonderful place to enjoy a stroll through a beautiful garden and see an evening of FREE entertainment. So put October 10th on your Calendar for a viewing of the Wizard of Oz movie for all ages (Halloween costume contest, too!) For further information go to the CED.uga.edu website or call Melissa Gogo at (706)

3 Tab YOU Lation (Word definition - YOU gathering tabs for Ronald McDonald House) Amazing Azaleas, The race in on!, says our ever ready Save-A-Tab State Chairman, Betty Davis. Please get your tabs to your tabs chairman, Rachael Tribble, bring to the District Meeting or take them to the Ronald McDonald House. Be sure to let Rachael or Betty know how many pounds you delivered. In Azalea District won First in State. Last year we were Third. Let's get busy and move back into First for Our Pull-tabs help fund the Ronald McDonald House. It benefits families seeking medical treatment for their sick or injured child. The home has helped more than 16,000 families since opening its doors in Sooooooo please contact Azalea District Chairman Rachel Tribble at racheltribble@att.net or for more information or to coordinate donations. REMEMBER: Pull-tabs are a great way to recycle and keep metal out of our landfills! 3

4 Nancy Hart Garden Club - Hartwell, GA; 60th Anniversary Celebration (held at the May 2014 Meeting) (l-r) Carolyn Wise-Corresponding Secretary; Donna Herron-Recording Secretary & Pam Carroll-Hostess Committee (l-r) Janet Oglesby; Ann Roedler-President & Nancy Hardigree 4

5 Azalea District Board Meeting at State Botanical Gardens August 19, 2014 Speaker, Dr. Wilf Nickolls, New Director of State Botanical Garden. Dr. Nickolls was delighted to get a call from UGA," he says, lauding the esteemed reputation of the University of Georgia's horticulture program that features world-renowned masters in the field including Michael Dirr, Allan Armitage and Jim Affolter. He states, "We can't afford to be thought of as just a pretty place, I want to be a better teller of the garden story," he continues. "We have an opportunity to educate and inspire through beauty and delight and to make people advocates for gardens and plants." August District Board Meeting Chairman Virginia Lassiter presents Azalea District Director, Peggy Tucker, with a painting of Plum Leaf Azalea Rhododendron Prunifloium, the official flower of Azalea District.. That sounds like a great motto for GCG members, don t you think? Endangered Pulpit Plant Member Peggy Tucker, Director; Linda Harris, Pine Tree Garden Club President, Laura rider, Sandra Brown and Janet Massey enjoyed the tropical garden. Sandra Brown and Laura Rider are amazed at the tropical garden plants. 5

6 FABULOUS FUND RAISERS GREAT FOR BOOKS, GROCERIES, KNITTING, BIBLE STUDY, ETC. For only $7.50 donation to the GCG scholarship fund, you can have one if these beautiful bags. They are handy bags and they also support GCG State President, Suzanne Wheeler's "Ban the Bag" project. These bags will be made available at District Board meeting and our Annual District meeting in Milledgeville. You re going to them. Ladies, We all love to shop, and as Garden Club members, strive to save the environment. These Cloth bags keep more plastic out of the overburdened landfills and are a great buy for only $10. They are insulated, just perfect for shopping in our cot or cold weather. Please support your District Projects by buying at least one. 6

7 Pine Tree Garden Club Members in Hartwell Stays Busy. Members of Pine Tree GC pose in front of large picture of Hartwell Dam at City Hall after Mayor Brandon Johnson read the proclamation of Georgia Garden Week as proclaimed by Gov. Nathan Deal. L to R Linda Harris, President of Pine Tree, Laura Rider, Georgia Garden Week Azalea Chairman, Peggy Tucker, Azalea District Director This is the rare book for Azalea District at Cherokee Garden Library. Pictured L-R: Peggy Tucker, Azalea District Director, Suzanne Wheeler, GCG State President and Linda Harris, President Pine Tree Garden CLub Peggy Tucker, Azalea District Director Picks Blueberries at member Janet Massey s mini farm. Peggy had just attended a meeting where Art Schronce with the Georgia Dept of Agriculture stated that blueberries were the #1 berry fruit in Georgia. Annual Scarecrow Competition in Hartwell This year club chose Ban The Bags theme. We have two ladies one standing tall with her canvas bags and one bent over picking up her groceries where her bag ripped with plastic bags tied in the shrubbery Members Sandra Brown, Bobbie Gaines and Peggy Tucker, Azalea District Director presented Easter Eggs to a staff member of the Nursing Home in Hartwell for patients to use when playing B-I-N-G-O 7

8 Adventures for Ladies Garden Club of Athens On September 3rd several members of Ladies' Garden Club and guests toured one of the State Botanical Gardens most recent developments, The Mimsie Lanier Center for Native Plant Studies. Heather Alley is seen in the photo telling us how native plants are grown, native plant nurseries are assisted, UGA classes are involved, and about the native pant sale in early October. A tour of the greenhouses and protected fenced areas viewing endangered species was an interesting part of our tour. This field trip was an exciting kick off to our new year of meetings and events. Rudbeckia hirta (Native Plant Commonly called Black-eyed Susan) 8

9 Gray Garden Club has enjoyed many informative programs this year. The top three winners were the following programs: 21 Century Trees with improved genetic characteristics. The speaker was the late Jim Garner. He was Executive Director of Lockerly Arboretum until his untimely death on July 5, 2014 He will be missed by many GCG members. Butterflies By Terry Johnson, Retired Wildlife Biologist, Program Manager, Non-Game Conservation Program Annoying Insects By Keith Fielder, Putnam County Extension Coordinator. 9

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11 Native Plant Symposium When: Wednesday, January 21, 2015** Where: Time: The Garden Club of Georgia, Terrace Room 8:45 am - 3:30 pm Native plants are uniquely adapted to local conditions, having co-evolved with other plants, animals, pollinators, and soil biota. Therefore they require little maintenance and withstand temperature and moisture extremes. Most importantly, native plants provide diverse sources of food and shelter for a wide variety of insects and birds, butterflies, mammals, reptiles, etc. in the complex web of life. Join us for a day-long program that considers gardening with native flowers and trees along with related conservation issues. Learn how to incorporate your appreciation of these plants into your home landscape plan during this day long series of presentations. Fee: $60 (lunch included) More information on topics and speakers plus a registration form will be sent when plans are finalized. Doris Nevels Hall GCG Native Plant Symposium Chair Passiflora incarnata L. Purple Passion Flower Maypop Vine Symphyotrichum Georgianum Georgia Aster 11

12 Course II Gardening Study School will be held November in the Sun Room at First Baptist Church of Augusta, 3500 Walton Way Extension, Augusta, GA. Future courses are III, February and IV, May 1-2, Contact or Gardening Study School is a series of four courses covering basic botany, soils, annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs, fruits and vegetables, lawns, pests and diseases of plants, plant classification, propagation, pruning, and selected topics of local interest. The courses do not have to be taken in order. Garden club members successfully completing all four courses and passing the exams will receive a certificate and the status of Accredited Gardening Consultant. The general public may take the courses and may attain Consultant status by joining a garden club during the course series or shortly after completion. Certificates must be renewed within five years according to NGC procedures. Upon renewing for the fourth time, a Master Status is granted. Gardening Study School Series 21,Course II PLEASE PRINT Name Address City/State Zip Phone Address Garden Club Member: Yes No Name of Club Master Gardener: Yes No Total Cost: $80 includes lunch Special dietary needs? PLEASE CHECK CORRECT BOX: ( ) Full Course (with exam) ( ) Refreshing (Gardening Consultant) ( ) Non-credit student TOTAL ENCLOSED I subscribe to The National Gardener MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: Augusta Council of Garden Clubs, Inc. Registration Deadline: Wed, November 5 Mail to: Marilyn McDonnell 1311 York Street Evans, GA

13 IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER (Conventions and Board Meetings) October 22 - Azalea District Meeting in Milledgeville (ALL Azalea District Club Members urged to attend) January February 3 April GCG State Board Mtg in Rome, GA Azalea District Bd. Mtg in Sharon-Raytown GCG State Convention in Jekyll Island These get-togethers are so important to the success of the Garden Club Of Georgia and all the individual garden clubs in our great state. Please try to attend as many as you can. Attention All Azalea District Clubs: Please have pictures and information to be included in the January Trumpet to me on or before January 10, It would even be better if you items to me as soon as you have your event, that way I can avoid the last minute panic! Newsletters will be published four times per year. Deadlines Are: Winter/Early Spring January 10 Spring/Early Summer April 10 Summer/Early Fall July 10 Fall/Early Winter October 10 Suggestions and feedback about Newsletter are always welcomed. Janet Massey, Newsletter Editor jandjmassey@usa.net 13