February 28, 2017
Business Meeting
President,
Claudia Hickly, welcomed twenty-eight members and three
visitors including new member, Dorothy Maruscak. Claudia read “Blessed
Is the Club” by Edith R. Fisher which celebrates gardening and friendships.
Blooming in our late winter gardens are --- winter aconite, crocus, snowdrop,
Lenten rose, and primrose.
·
Card
Shower for Sharon Walston – High member participation. Claudia read Sharon’s thank you note to
group.
·
McCandless
Museum will be delighted to accept LAGC archive (1950-2016) so says Jeff
Bojarski of Town of McCandless. Claudia
will drop off items and complete the paperwork in the next six weeks after
reviewing and updating the inventory through 2016. Items will be on loan only
and will be available for club use in the future. A 65th LAGC
Anniversary scrapbook Claudia completed will be included.
·
Claudia
suggested we maintain LAGC history using yearly folders and donate those every
four years to our archive at the McCandless Museum. Each folder would include a
handbook, meeting summaries with photos, plant sale summary with photos,
year-end treasurer’s report, donations, correspondence, and published articles.
Follow up needed re changes in committee chair responsibilities.
·
Denny
Brown reported: Donations made to Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Botanic
Gardens of Western Pennsylvania, and the North Area Environmental Council.
Church room rental remains the same as last year. Penn State Master Gardener
speaker fees have increased by $10 to $75.00. Sales tax from plant sale has
been paid.
·
Members
declined to donate to the UPMC Passavant Cancer Treatment Center garden since
the Boy Scouts have already met their $35,000 fundraising goal. We will continue to maintain the UPMC
Passavant Chapel Garden.
·
Members
approved a donation to The Learning Garden at Northland Public Library for a
$150 brick paver to read “Longvue Acres Garden Club est. 1950.” Mary Anne
suggested possible donation of plants (plant sale) to their project.
·
More
information is needed before a donation is made to Ross Township’s Evergreen
Community Garden. Plants from plant sale could be donated as Mary Anne
previously suggested.
·
May
20th Plant Sale – Andrea Maire will assume more responsibilities due
to Mary Anne’s upcoming surgery. Please bring more than the required 10 plants
per member as this is our only
fund-raiser.
·
If
you have extra 4” or 6” pots, please bring them to next meeting as members need
them to pot their plant sale donations.
·
Ellen
Dvorsky announced that there will be a Terrarium Workshop in August at the
Chartiers Valley Library sponsored by Allegheny County Parks.
·
Marilyn
Gurtner asked that members consider donating household goods to North Hills
Community Outreach. Call Larry Nugent 412.213.8330 for pick-up.
·
Member
news: Helen Dean is recovering from successful surgery and Esther Nagy has
moved.
·
Thank
you to Patty Bumbaugh and Janine Zink for desserts and arrangement
respectively.
Program: Cutting and
Arranging Perennials
North Journal sent a
photographer to this presentation – look for photos in upcoming issues!
Jenna Noker introduced speaker Kurt Malecki,
manager of Babcock Boulevard Best Feeds Garden Center. Kurt has a degree in
horticulture from Penn State, owns a commercial greenhouse with his wife, and
worked in a floral shop during college making 25-100 arrangements per day. He
also offers classes at Best Feeds. Kurt gave points as he made a boutonniere
and three arrangements which he donated to club members.
1. Cut stems in early
morning and plunge into warm water. Remove leaves before arranging.
2. Add 1 tablespoon and 2
drops of bleach to a gallon of warm water for oasis or vase. Change water every
third day.
3. Pick a container that is
about a one half the height of tallest flower stalk. Polished rocks can
stabilize the stems and are attractive in clear vase.
4. Oasis should be wet but
not squeezed or damaged.
5. Think in triangles and
viewing front on or from all sides. Place greenery into container or oasis
marking the triangle(s).
6. Wrap floral wire around
delicate stems. Use a small stick to make hole in oasis before putting in the
delicate stem. Stem should be at the bottom of the oasis. Place largest flower at the lowest part of
the arrangement. Add the other triangle points. Next add filler such as baby’s
breath or less showy flowers to the interior.
7. Vases: crisscross tape
to top of vase, finishing with tape around the top. Use triangles again with showy flowers, filler, and interior
flowers.
Calendar
·
March 28 – LAGC Meeting “Straw
Bale Gardening” by Pat Morgan. Bring extra 4-6” pots for members to use for
their plant sale donations.
·
April 25 – LAGC Meeting
“Mushrooms” by Bob Sleigh
·
March-April – Dig perennials for Plant sale on May 20
