CIVIC GARDEN CLUB OF SAN CARLOS Upcoming Dates to Remember *SEE PAGE 2 FOR DETAILS April 11 10:30am April 2016 Board Meeting April 15 11:00am Members Meeting 11:45 am Lunch Served* 12:45pm Program: Tom Davids, Old San Carlos Please Read By-law Changes See Page 6 Special Events *SEE PAGE 2 FOR DETAILS April 3 Master Gardeners Plant Clinics* April 3 Full Orchid Water Culture* April 9 & 10 13th Annual Going Native Garden Tours* April 15 Project Mission Blue Tour at Milagra Ridge* April 23 Spring Plant Sale* May 6 John Ward Garden Tour* May 7 Hillsborough/San Mateo Garden Tour & Plant Sale* May 12 Carolands Garden Club Flowers in Space* June 16 Installation Luncheon* Inside this issue... President s Message 1 Notices 2 Club Members Gardens 3-4 Flora and Fauna 5 By-law Changes 6 737 Walnut Street San Carlos, California 94070-0954 Member of Bay Ocean District California Garden Clubs, Inc.(CGCI) MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT April Showers Bring May Flowers. This year it may be true, as we have had a few nice rainy spells in March and we are optimistic that April will bring more of the same. My yard is coming back to life and I am glad that I didn t take out plants that were not performing well last summer because they are turning green with new healthy growth. Caveat: Beware of underground wires in your garden. We found a wire about 8 inches down in the middle of my front yard that was not protected by a covering that connects my timer to the sprinkler valve. My gardener installed a new wiring against my sidewalk. Did you enjoy last month s the new feature in our Newsletter, Club Members Gardens? This month we will be featuring Renate Kemper s garden. Don t forget to take pictures of your favorite areas of your garden or plants and send to me, or call Edd Dundas to take the pictures for future issues of our Newsletter. We will be voting on By-Law changes at our April Members Meeting and changes in the size of the Nomination Committee, see page 6 for details. Also, our Nominating Committee will announce the candidates for offices that are available for the next fiscal year. Nominations can also be made from the floor. Don t forget our Spring Plant Sale on April 23. Bring your plants for sale to Casa or call Tom for pickup. That s the news for this month. Enjoy the Spring growing season. Joyce
Congratulations to the Members with an April Birthday Bill Barrons April 14 Victorina Jeffers April 17 Dolores Riviello April 27 The Club will donate $1.00 to Pennies for Pines for each of our Birthday celebrants. www.sancarlosgardenclub.org Our New Casa Rental Website Please direct members to our new rental web site: http://www.sancarlosgardenclub.org/ casa-de-flores-rentals/ Officers and Directors for 2015-2016 President: Joyce L. Sanns Vice President: Tom Davids Recording Secretary: Nancy Ruff Corresponding Secretary: Dolores Riviello Treasurer: L. David Waterbury Membership Chair: Carol Wagenast House Chairs: Olga Erlichman and Joanie Kay Parliamentarian: Edythe Miller Please support your new board by serving on committees. NOTICES ACTIVITIES IN THE PLANNING STAGES REMINDER All members shall sign up to serve lunch. A member may volunteer or be appointed to be the monthly Hospitality Chair. The floral table decorations will be provided by the monthly lunch committee. If a member is unable to serve, the designated fee of $40 shall be paid. Failure to pay the fee will be cause for loss of membership. San Mateo County Fair Entries October 1 Wine and Cheese Party Please signup to help with this event. Donation are needed for this event. APRIL MUSIC I d like to spend April, sitting on a hill, With a mushroom for a parasol and violets for a frill, And the wind for a violin, to play spring tunes, And the blossoms in the treetop, For gay ballons. I d like to spend April sitting on a mound, Watching for the flowers to pop out of the ground, With their green silk stockings, And new spring clothes, Trying to look taller by dancing on their toes. S.J. Goldner Special Events *DETAILS FROM PAGE 1 April 3 SAN MATEO ARBORETUM SOCIETY Master Gardener Plant Clinics* 11:30am 1pm Master Gardeners are available to answer your questions from general information from general information to advice about specific problems. You may bring samples of your plants for better diagnosis. Use a Ziploc or similar bag to carry your sample. If you suspect insect damage, try to include some of the insects so they can be correctly identified. http:ucanr.org/sites/mgssmsf/ *April 15 11:45 Lunch Served at Members Meeting The luncheon will be prepared this month by: Olga Erlichman, Sonia Blum, Claire Sebald, Alice Story, and Carol Lloyd *April 3 1pm-2:30pm Full Orchid Water Culture = Growing Orchids in Water. Free. How to demonstration. *April 9 & 10 13th Annual Going Native Garden Tours North Peninsula: April 9, 10 am to 4 pm South Peninsula: April 10, 10 am to 4 pm Most of them private home gardens. Each tour features 40-70 gardens *April 15 12pm 2 pm Project Mission Blue Tour at Milagra Ridge RSVP to Price Sheppy 415-561-3073 or email to: psheppy@parksconservancy.org *April 23 9:00 am to 2:00 pm Spring Plant Sale Chair: Tom Davids *May 6 10:15 am John Ward Garden Tour Free Admission Chair: Joanie Kay Meet at Casa at 10:15 am to carpool. *May 12 1:30-3:30 pm Carolands Garden Club Flowers in Space a Small Standard Flower Show Burlingame Women s Cub 241 Park Ave., Burlingame, Free Admission. APRIL 2016 CIVIC GARDEN CLUB OF SAN CARLOS page 2
Renate Kemper s Garden APRIL 2016 CIVIC GARDEN CLUB OF SAN CARLOS page 3
Renate Kemper s Garden APRIL 2016 CIVIC GARDEN CLUB OF SAN CARLOS page 4
FLORA and FAUNA In this age of recycling have you ever wondered what happens to all the plant material, leaves, clippings and grass that are collected from our curbside containers? The material in the trucks goes directly to the transfer stations and ours go to San Carlos station. From there they go to Newby Island compost facility in Milpitas, where machines go over the various pieces. This mulch material is put into large piles where the temperature is carefully monitored and moisture measured. These large piles (100 feet long) are called windrows. They start to decompose and get hot enough to kill any microbes and any weed seeds. This takes about three to four months and the material breaks down into a rich soil product called compost. Then it is cured and screened for any large chips. Farms, nurseries and gardens can use this finished compost to enrich the soil to grow healthy plants. Many communities have Giveaway Time during the year. Residents can come and take a look at this and also share in the finished product a good rich soil additive. These days are advertised in the local papers and in recology on www.rethinkwaste.org. Better yet, call the company in San Carlos and get the information desk, and they will be able to help you with your questions. From time to time I have added some interesting notes on herbs, both fresh and dried. I have not covered the mint family, and here are some of the most common and tasty ones. Spearmint: usually found in garden shops and nurseries. A mild tasting variety. Apple mint: lightly scented with a definite taste of apple. Pineapple mint: this variety has multi-colored leaves of cream and green. It has a pineapple flavor. Peppermint: available in all garden markets, and is more pungent and peppery than Spearmint. Lime mint: a very aromatic mint with a full lime flavor.s To store fresh mint, rinse well and place stems in a container of water. It will last two to three days in refrigerator or at room temperature. When planting your aromatic garden consider a few of these mint plants. They are a perennial and easy to grow. They spread quickly and can take over your garden. Grow it in a large container or use a barrier to separate it from other plants. The flavor of mint is strongest just before it begins to flower. Pick early in the day as the sun draws out some of the essential oils. APRIL 2016 CIVIC GARDEN CLUB OF SAN CARLOS page 5
CHANGES TO BY-LAWS AND STANDING RULES Club Members will vote on changes for membership dues dates at our April General Meeting. We would like to change our By-Laws as follows: ARTICLE 3, Section 7 Change nominating committee from five members to three members. Two selected by the President and one selected by the membership. The section would read: In March of each year, a Nominating Committee of three members shall be selected: Two to be chosen by the President and one elected by the membership at a regular business meeting. The three-member Nominating Committee shall elect a chair. The Committee shall meet to consider candidates for the Board officer positions. Each nominee shall be fully advised of the duties of the office to be filled. The Committee Chair will announce the names of the nominees for the respective offices at the general membership meeting in April of each year. Members will be invited to make additional nominations at this meeting. The slate of officers will be voted on at the membership meeting in May. ARTICLE 3, Section 9 Change section to announcing membership dues at the March meeting, notices in April newsletter and delinquent if not paid by May 31. Now the dates are announcing membership dues in May, notices in June newsletter and delinquent if not paid by August 31. The paragraph would read: Annual membership dues and any other obligations of members shall be determined by the Board and announced to the membership at the March meeting. The Membership Chair shall send out dues notices in the April newsletter. Dues are delinquent if not paid by May 31. We would like to change our Standing Rules as follows: Section 2(4) Change to announcing membership dues due March 31. Now they say beginning June 1. The first sentence would read: (4) the designated annual dues of $30 shall be paid in advance, beginning March 31. APRIL 2016 CIVIC GARDEN CLUB OF SAN CARLOS page 6