Newly elected Mayor G.T. Bynum will be the keynote speaker at a casual benefit dinner held at the Tulsa Garden Center on March 23rd, 2017.

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1 Many things have been changing in recent days, including the exhilarating sights and smells of spring in the air. As the garden season rapidly approaches, the volunteers and staff of Woodward Park would like to invite you to join us in kicking off our new year with a burst of inspiration. Newly elected Mayor G.T. Bynum will be the keynote speaker at a casual benefit dinner held at the Tulsa Garden Center on March 23rd, Mayor Bynum is a self-proclaimed lover of parks, and, with fond memories of catching tadpoles as a young boy in Woodward Park, he often speaks nostalgically of spending quality time with his family at many Tulsa parks. Although his mother Suzie may not have fully appreciated his enthusiasm for tadpole wrangling at the time, we suspect she saw in him then the same leadership qualities which we do today. For these reasons, and so many more, we hope you will join us on March 23rd to learn more about our Mayor s vision for the future of Woodward Park. To reserve your seat at this special event, detach and mail the reservation form on pages 19/20, visit us online at or phone us at The meet and greet will begin at 6pm, dinner will be served at 7pm, and Mayor Bynum will speak at approximately 8pm. With the chefs serving up mouth-watering Burn Co Barbeque, the taps pouring craft beers from local brewers American Solera and Prairie Brewpub, and something for the wine lovers too, we sincerely hope you will join us on March 23rd to support the future of Tulsa Garden Center and Woodward Park. Tulsa Garden Center News 1

2 I love freebies, especially garden freebies. One arrived in my mail box last spring from Holland Strawberry House, a Dutch company. It was a little seed packet marked: Delizz Strawberry Seed. How cool, I thought. But why are they sending seed instead of strawberry plants. Strawberry seeds are notoriously tiny, slow to germinate and take forever to reach maturity and produce fruit. I almost tossed the seed packet. I m glad I didn t, however. I ll return to seed packet shortly, but first a few observations about strawberries, in some ways the most unique of garden fruit. To be uber technical, Strawberry is not a true berry. It s an aggregate accessory fruit, the only fruit I m aware of that produces seed on the outside rather than on the inside of the fruit. Look closely at a strawberry before tossing it in your cereal bowl. The roughly 200 tiny yellow dots on the skin surface are seeds. No wonder it takes only one bite to get seeds stuck in your teeth. Each seed (achene) on a strawberry is considered to be its own separate fruit. Very unique. Here s more strawberry trivia in case you re ever on a TV game show. California produces over two billion pounds of strawberries annually, each berry hand-picked! That s roughly 80 percent of the strawberries produced and eaten in America. Here s another cool little strawberry factoid figured out by a math major with too much time on his hands. If each California strawberry were laid end to end, the thin red line would stretch around the globe 15 times! Europeans may be even more strawberry crazed than Americans. In France, where strawberries are believed to be an aphrodisiac, berries are served to newlyweds at a traditional wedding breakfast. Strawberry truly is the berry of romance. Back to Delizz strawberry seed. I planted the dust-like seeds under florescent light in small peat pots. To my surprise the seed germinated ten days later and quickly grew into healthy robust plants. And 2 Tulsa Garden Center News March 2017 GROW Delizz Strawberry 2435 S. Peoria Ave Tulsa, OK info@tulsagardencenter.com Tulsa Garden Center News in another six weeks they were ready to plant in the garden. The ultimate surprise came in early July when the robust plants began to produce sweet berries. Normally, strawberries don t go from seed to harvestable fruit in six months. Delizz strawberry definitely is not a normal. It s a new F1 hybrid (Fragania x ananassa). It s also genetically day neutral, meaning it bears fruit over most of the growing season rather than late spring only. Delizz has a compact growth habit averaging 12 inches in height. Foliage is very dark green and very disease resistant. Plant in well-drained full sun locations. The All-American Selection organization that trials vegetable and ornamental plants in the United States and Canada rated Delizz strawberry as a national winner in It has certainly been a huge winner in the Linnaeus Teaching Garden in Woodward Park. Hopefully, local garden centers will offer Delizz this spring. If not, seed and potted plants may be purchased on-line from Burpee, Jung Seed, Loghouse Plants and Muller Seeds. March is ideal strawberry planting time. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Barry Fugatt is Director of Horticulture at the Tulsa Garden Center and Linnaeus Teaching Garden Program. He can be reached at bfugatt@tulsagardencenter.com

3 From the Executive Director Counting Our Blessings As part of the various routines I go through on a regular basis, I always try to be cognizant to take a few moments out of each day and give thanks for the gifts God has given me. Sometimes my gratitude occurs on the drive home from work as I leave the city, decompressing from the day, and sometimes it materializes when I wake up in the morning and look outside to see a brilliant sunrise. Good morning, World! I say to welcome the new day while reveling in its possibilities. Showing gratitude and counting blessings are just a few of the purposeful acts I entertain each day which help put my planned accomplishments and goals in perspective. I actually believe giving thanks is a good practice for anyone wanting to be more mindful of their connection to others and to the contributions they provide for communities and friends. This philosophy really struck me as poignant recently when I attended one of our Children s Committee meetings and was awestruck, once again, by the seemingly endless energy and dedication of our many volunteers. I just kept thinking to myself, as the 20 or so committee members each gave their reports, how truly blessed we are to have touched the hearts of so many individuals who are now motivated to share their knowledge and joy with others. These volunteers are men and women who work tirelessly to develop and organize quality programming, seminars, and workshops offered every day in Woodward Park. Within the Children s Committee alone, there are 5 educational programs, including Story Time in the Garden, Little Green Thumbs, SENSE-Sational Science, the Teen Program, and, lastly, the Curriculum Committee which helps to enhance all the children s programs by weaving in supportive curriculum, educational materials, and hands-on activities for children who visit the Linnaeus Teaching Garden. If you ve ever had one of those days when it just seemed like nothing could go right, then you may empathize with my occasional struggle to come up with a silver lining after a long and harried day. Being part of something greater than myself which brings happiness to so many people, though, never seems to leave me empty handed when searching for the sunny side of street. So as I continue to count blessings, knowing there are so many volunteers around me who feel the same way about being of service to others, it begs the question, who can you count on for your inspiration? If you struggle for an answer, perhaps you can flip that script and instead focus on being someone others can count on to supply their positivity and blessings for the day. How about it? How many blessings can you count? Laura Chalus Tulsa Garden Center News 3

4 ARE YOU AN ACTIVE MEMBER? P. A. DONNALLY Are you an active member, The kind that would be missed, Or are you just contented That your name is on the list? Do you attend the meetings, And mingle with the flock, Or do you stay at home And criticize and knock? Do you take an active part To help the work along? Or are you satisfied to be The kind who just belongs? Do you ever work on committees, To see there is no trick? Or leave the work to just a few And talk about the clique; So come to meetings often, And help with hand and heart; Don t be just a member, But take an active part. Think this over members, You may be very wrong, Are you an active member, Or do you just belong?

5 Mark your calendar to help celebrate the 10 th anniversary of the Linnaeus T Donations January 8, 2017 February 7, 2017 Tulsa Garden Center In Memory of Donna Roblyer Marthanelle and Robert Jones Linnaeus Teaching Garden Chevron Matching Employee Funds and Vince Zardus Williams Companies Matching Gift Program and Beverly Friedl Rent The Perfect Setting In Mid-town Tulsa A 1920 s Italian Renaissance mansion surrounded by the lush gardens and urban forest of Woodward Park. Weddings, receptions, dinners, private and corporate parties Historic Tulsa Elegance 2435 South Peoria Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma Contact: Ms. Janet Gaither events@tulsagardencenter.com Tulsa Garden Center News 5

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12 Mark your calendar to help celebrate the 10 th anniversary of the Linnaeus T Gardening by the Book Ornamental Grasses Ornamental grasses are moving front and center as befits their versatile, adaptable, and irresistible nature. They have at last achieved the recognition deserved for beauty, longevity, ease of maintenance, and the key role they play in many ecosystems. They are no fuss and add so much drama in all four seasons. The variety of species of ornamental grasses available today have made them an integral part of garden design. When chosen wisely and used with care, grasses can endow the garden with show stopping appeal requiring very little work. Designing with Grasses (Timber Press, 2011) details maintenance techniques, design checklists and lists of grasses for a variety of situations. More than 450 grasses include profiles with information on growth and care. One can learn how to combine grasses with woody plants, perennials, bulbs and evergreens. These can add texture, movement and yearround garden interest or serve as borders, screens, and wildlife habitat. British author Neil Lucas includes U.S.-specific discussions and images. Grass Scapes: Gardening with Ornamental Grasses (Ball, 2003) demystifies grass terminology and provides practical and innovative ideas for adding these plants into the landscape. Gardeners learn how grasses offer texture, shape, color, and movement to create a dramatic and calming effect in landscape design. Simple plans show how easily grass can be placed in gardens. The Grasses at a Glance shows and describes 100 different grasses which thrive in a wide range of conditions. Landscaping with Ornamental Grasses (Sunset Books, 2002) explores the history of grasses in their natural settings, and how to integrate them in a variety of climatic situations. Step by step directions also give ideas for container and craft projects. Although an older book, it has stunning photographs of grasses for a variety of climates and gardens. Timber Press Pocket Guide to Ornamental Grasses (Timber Press, 2004) will help people to select and grow grasses in their gardens in a wide range of situations and climates. This provides an accessible and comprehensive reference to grasses available to the gardener. With 530 species and cultivars and more than 330 color photographs, it provides cultivation information and descriptions in a handy compact format. This is a valuable complement to Richard Darke s other books. For a comprehensive practical guide, try The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes (Timber Press, 2007). Rick Darke s photographs illustrate these succinct but thorough descriptions including appearance, height, spread, behavior and hardiness. Practical matters of propagation, growth, and maintenance are also covered. Mary Moore Tulsa City County Library 12 Tulsa Garden Center News

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17 Affiliate News Tulsa Area Daylily Society Tulsa Area Daylily Society will meet Thursday, March 2nd, in the Tulsa Garden Center. Social hour with snacks is 6:30pm and the guest presentation will begin at 7:00pm. We are honored and excited to present Bob Scott, owner of Bob Scott Nursery, Yukon, OK as our guest speaker. Mr. Scott is famous nationwide for his beautiful daylily hybrids. His nursery also offers a large selection of specialty plants, hostas, hellebores, huechras, ferns and a wide selection of peonies. The public is invited to this special event. Contact: Kathryn Earle kathrynearle1@gmail.com The Tulsa Council of Federated Garden Clubs The Tulsa Council will not meet on February 3, 2017 its normal meeting day. Make plans to attend the Northeast District Convention of Oklahoma Garden Clubs on March 9, See flyer in this newsletter. Contact: Marillyn Lay mnhlay@cox.net The Tulsa Garden Club The March meeting will be held on March 6, 2017, at 10:00am. The program will be Amphibians, Bats and Birds Oh, My! presented by Matthew Fullerton, Wildlife Biologist, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Morning coffee at 10:00am and the meeting will begin at 10:30am. There will be a Flower Arrangement/Design Study Group with member Melinda McLane giving a small program called Let s Have a Flower Show! Contact: Marillyn Lay mnhlay@cox.net Oklahoma Native Plant Society The Northeast Chapter of the Oklahoma Native Plant Society will meet on Monday, March 6, 2017, in the Ballroom of the Tulsa Garden Center with snacks and desserts available at 6:30 p.m. and the spring business meeting of the chapter beginning at 7:00 p.m. In addition to the evening s presenter, plans for chapter spring field trips will be announced. Donna Horton, former Naturalist at Oxley Nature Center, will present Geocaching for Botanists as the evening's presentation. Donna will describe her experiences in geocaching and how locations employed for the activity can be a great way to find new areas for future botanizing. The meeting is open to the public, and Tulsans interested in how botanizing and geocaching can make great partners are invited to join us. Contact: Sue Amstutz D-s-amstutz@cox.net Tulsa Area Iris Society The Iris Society will meet on March 9, Social hour will be at 6:30pm, program at 7:00pm, and the business meeting will be held after the program. Program hasn t been determined. Contact: Joshua Winzer at Jjwinzer@aol.com The Tulsa Orchid Society The Tulsa Orchid Society meets the second Sunday of each month at 1:30pm, except July when there is no meeting. This March 12th at 1:30pm we will enjoy an American Orchid Society webinar presented by Fred Clarke of Sun Valley Orchids. Fred s webinar is Splash and Spotted Cattleya Breeding. In addition to the webinar, we will have refreshments, beautiful blooming orchids on display that are grown by members, and a raffle where you can win an orchid. We will also have many experienced growers who can answer your questions. We welcome everyone to visit one of our meetings to learn, interact and enjoy the beautiful world of orchids. Contact: Soundra Schacher at schacher1@cox.net Tulsa Rose Society The Tulsa Rose Society will meet at on March 12 th, from 2:00 to 4:00pm, in the Ballroom. Refreshments will be served and all are invited to come and enjoy our Bingo For Roses. Over 60 bare root roses were donated by national growers, including David Austin. Contact: Gordon Beck at gordonleebeck@yahoo.com The Tulsa Perennial Club The Tulsa Perennial Club welcomes Marcus Clayton to speak at its March 16th meeting. Marcus is the resident Horticulture Manager at the McBirney Mansion charged with the design, installation and maintenance of its grounds. Previously, he managed two sections of the Cincinnati, Ohio Greenspace Program and was an adjunct Instructor at Cincinnati State. The meeting will begin at 7:00pm. Contact: J. Diane Diane.Beckert@jmwsettlements.com The Calligraphy Guild of Oklahoma The Calligraphy Guild of Oklahoma meets the fourth Monday of each month, except June, July and December in the ballroom of Tulsa Garden Center at 6:00pm. The March meeting topic will be Making Pearl-Ex into ink, or Making Shiny Inks. Everyone is welcome to attend even if you are not a member. For more information, visit our website or send an to calligraphytulsa@yahoo.com. The Hosta Connection Tuesday, March 28, is the first meeting of 2017 for the Hosta Connection. The speaker is Tulsa Master Gardener Jim Long. Jim will be speaking on "Key Hole Gardening". Rodale recently called this concept "the most brilliant raised bed we've seen". Members will have the opportunity to pay dues for 2017, sign up for our trip to Topeka on May (Monday/Tuesday) as well as Sign up to bring refreshments/raffle for the year. Contact: Carol Puckett at osu295@cox.net Tulsa Garden Center News 17

18 March 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat :00am Tulsa Garden Club Meeting 12 Daylight Savings Time starts 1:30pm Tulsa Orchid Society Regular Meeting 2:00pm Tulsa Rose Society Regular Meeting 4:45pm 5:45pm 6:00pm 7:00pm TGC Class Tai Chi 6:30pm Native Plant Society Regular Meeting 7:00pm Green Country Bonsai Society Meeting 13 4:45pm 5:45pm 6:00pm 7:00pm TGC Class Tai Chi 7 9:00am Tulsa Herb Society Member Activities 12:00pm Let s Talk Gardening 6:30 8:00pm TGC Class Use of Native Plants in the Landscape 14 9:00am Tulsa Herb Society Regular Meeting 12:00pm Let s Talk Gardening 6:30pm Green Country Water Garden Society 1 2 6:30pm Cacti & Succulent Society Regular Meeting 7:00pm Tulsa Area Daylily Society Meeting 8 9 9:00am 3:00pm Northeast District of Oklahoma Garden Clubs Spring Convention 6:30pm Tulsa Area Iris Society Regular Meeting :00am 11:00am Spring Break Story Time All About Gardens 6:30 8:00pm TGC Class Growing a Cook s Garden 7:00pm Perennial Club Regular Meeting :00am 3:00pm Tulsa Area Iris Society Judging School 17 1:30pm Parliamentary Study Group :45pm 5:45pm 6:00pm 7:00pm TGC Class Tai Chi 21 9:00am Tulsa Herb Society Member Activities :00pm Sierra Club Regular Meeting :30 11:00am TGC class Bats and Bat Houses 7:00pm African Violet Society Regular Meeting 10:00am Anne Hathaway Herb Soc. Meeting 12:00pm Book Discussion 6:00pm 9:00pm Garden Thyme with the Mayor Dinner 6:30pm Audubon Society Regular Meeting :00pm Calligraphy Guild Regular Meeting 4:45pm 5:45pm 6:00pm 7:00pm TGC Class Tai Chi 28 9:00am Tulsa Herb Society Member Activities 12:00pm Let s Talk Gardening 6:30pm The Hosta Connection Regular Meeting 29 9:30am Linnaeus Gardener s Monthly Meeting 30 12:00pm 1:00pm Tulsa Garden Center Board Meeting 31 10:00am Northeast Council of Federated Garden Clubs Regular Meeting

19 Reservation Form March 23rd Benefit Dinner Garden Thyme with the Mayor Mail to: Tulsa Garden Center; 2435 S. Peoria Ave., Tulsa, OK Tulsa Garden Center News 19

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21 STORY TIME IN THE GARDEN IS HELD IN THE LINNAEUS TEACHING GARDEN IN WOODWARD PARK.

22 Because of another mild winter and early spring we have a BUMPER crop of weeds in the Tulsa Municipal Rose Garden. More weeds in fact than our Woodward Park Gardeners can handle. We need some help putting the Rose Garden in tip-top shape. Bring your friends, some gloves and your favorite weeding tools and meet in the North end of the Garden Center parking lot. It s a great chance to do a good deed, have fun, and make new friends. We will supply snacks and all the water you can drink. The tentative Rose Garden Volunteer dates for 2017, listed below, are planned for the 3rd Saturday of each month, March October, from 7:00 10:00am. March 18th April 15th May 20th June 17th July 15th August 19th September 16th October 21st Call for more Information