Spring Luncheon Judith Rankine created a wonderful luncheon for everyone at the Melia Hotel. The theme was ‘When life deals you lemons’ , floral decorations and favors were created with lemons and everyone drank lemonade and wore yellow. At the luncheon our Community Advocate Lyn Berelsman presented our scholarship winner Mayuko Mitzutani to the Club. She attended the event with her father. Everyone enjoyed a wonderful luncheon – thank you Judith!
Emily Ruff herbalist and director of Florida School of Holistic living gave a fascinating talk on medicinal and edible uses of many plants growing around us which we often regard as weeds. Everyone was captivated by her wonderful presentation and wealth of knowledge of a wide variety of plants, some of which she picked from around Heritage Hall!! . Vanessa Winter, a new member of the CROA board introduced herself to the Club and spoke about her ambitions. Richard Boturla and Philip Tores from Give Kids the World presented souvenir books and bags to everyone who had volunteered at the garden and expressed the gratitude of Give Kids the World for the work that Garden Club members had undertaken …
Our third visit to Give Kids the World butterfly garden – we moved a tabebuia tree and lots of wonderful shrubs and plants from a nursery bed on site and added lantana, marigolds and other plants that the butterflies will love. We cleared the front bed of the plot and made it look inviting. Everyone worked hard to tidy areas of the garden so that eventually it all looked amazing. Finally we added Denise’s wonderful creation – a scarecrow called Denis with his sunflowers. Thirty Garden Club members and their partners spent three days working in the butterfly garden or Millie’s Garden at Give Kids the World. The garden is a lovely area with a variety of features, a waterfall, …
The retiring and incoming Board members met to discuss plans for the forthcoming year Photo of Board for 2015/16 – Lorna Sauter (Membership) Debi Jackson (Fundraising) Priscilla Erickson (Secretary) Eileen Ruth (Treasurer) Judi Nelson (Vice president) Judith Rankine (Hospitality) Charlotte Denhof (Secretary) and Tricia Alesbury (President) Sylvia Cocks (Membership) and Lyn Berelsman (Community Advocate) were unable to attend.
A group of Garden Club members were given a tour of the indoor garden at Gaylord Palms Hotel. Bethany Lahey, horticulturist, took us around all parts of the wonderful hotel giving us lots of information about the plants and how they care for them. She told us about the development of the hotel from it’s opening in 2002 and the rare plant specimens such as Percy that inhabit the garden. We admired the displays of tulips, daffodils, grape hyacinths, hyacinths and tete a tete miniature daffodils in borders around the pathways. The edible garden was interesting with specimens of coffee, nutmeg, bay rhum and other trees.
Our second working party at Give Kids The World, we cleared and tidied another section of the butterfly garden, cleared around the pond and prepared the garden for the planting of lots of new plants.
Don Kendzior gave a wonderful presentation on hummingbirds, where they fly from and to and what attracts them in our gardens. He talked about how climate changes are affecting the birds and also changes to our environment. His statistics on the numbers of birds lost nationwide to glass windows and cats were horrifying. He showed us which hummingbird feeders to use in our gardens and which ones not to use. Lots more information can be found on his website –www.donsnaturenotes.com
A large group of members volunteered to work early in the morning in the butterfly garden at Give Kids The World. This garden was once an oasis for the children but had become overgrown and uncared for. Using their gardening skills, Garden Club members and some husbands cleared and pruned overgrown shrubs, cleared areas of invasive ferns and Mexican petunia and tidied neglected areas. We replanted the three raised beds with herbs and some flowers. It was a great morning’s work. Picture will be available on the website at the end of the project. Before and after!!
Fifteen members ran the booth at the town Expo at the rear of Town Hall. The booth was decorated with pine straw and an assortment of plants for sale. Many residents placed orders for pine straw and purchased plants. Proceeds of the sale were for the benefit of our scholarship fund, Give Kids The World and our civic beautification projects.
Judith Rankine and many Garden Club members organised a surprise luncheon for Dave and Tricia to show the Club’s appreciation of their efforts in taking the Club forward. They were both overwhelmed and delighted by the event and the wonderful gifts of the door wreath, hydrangea and garden plaque. Thank you to everyone! Check out the pictures in the gallery.
