Jamaica Plain Garden Club

Next Meeting: 6/29

Next meeting at my house is: 6/29 (Thurs) 6:30pm

Come w/ ideas for upcoming meetings.

An upcoming event you should try and take advantage of is the Mass Garden Tour.

To learn more about other activities check out the Garden Club Federation of Mass(JP doesn't belong to this group but you can participate in many of the events).

Regards,
Carol Garfield

Plant Sale may 21

Mark your calendars: the Massachusetts Horticultural Society will host The Society Row Plant Sale Sunday, May 21, 2006 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Elm Bank Horticulture Center in Wellesley. Members are invited to a special preview from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. that day. The plant sale will consist of approximately 30 displays by local plant societies and vendors selling their plants and will feature free plant clinics and demos throughout the day given by plant society members and other experts.

Think Spring!

Hello to all JP Gardeners,
We like to call the JP Garden club the most laid back garden club in Boston! In recent meetings we met in members yards to see their landscaping and planting ideas and took a couple of trips. For example, we had a private tour of the Forest Hills green houses and visited a local nursery.

I'm planning to host a "great ready for spring" meeting at the end of March!!

Please forward your ideas on what you would find interesting to include in upcoming meetings. In particular, I'm interested in your knowledge on leads for speakers (for free) that would come and talk at the meetings. Also, your ideas for community activities.

Please note my garden club email address is:
carol.jpgarden [AT] gmail.com

Please use that email address to send your ideas----

Think Spring---
Carol

Neighbors For Neighbors

On Wednesday February 1st from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at the Milky Way Lounge and Lanes (403-405 Center St in Jamaica Plain), Neighbors for Neighbors, JP will host a Community Organizing meeting that will be attended by approximately 150 residents of Jamaica Plain.

From 7:00 to 7:30 PM attendees will socialize and connect with each other. The Organizing meeting will begin promptly at 7:30 PM.

This focus will be on introducing and creating new community projects that residents will lead and participate in as volunteers. New projects include but are not limited to Name Tag Day, Gardening Club, Knitting Club, Left-Right-Front-Back, and re-introducing Safe Walk.

More info here:

Neighbors for Neighbors

Hey Let's Go - Community Organizing Meeting in Jamaica Plain MA

Is this a weed?

Is this a weed? - a photoset on Flickr.
Every Spring when weeding we come upon plants that we don't know if we should pull them up or not. Are they weeds or are they perennials that will grow into gorgeous flowers.

Sometimes we let them grow and we end up with a flowery surprise or a big old weed.

Please help us. Is this a weed?

Visit my Is this a weed? photoset on Flickr and let us know in the comments!

Thanks!

Upcoming Garden Events

Arboretum programs

Allendale Farm upcoming events

Newton Plant Sale:
May 21-22
Newton Plant Sale and Lecture Series
Newton Pride Committee
City Hall, Newton, MA
617-527-8283 or 617-796-1540
www.newtonplantsale.org

Federation listed upcoming events.
Including many garden tours and other events open to the public:

MAY 2005
4 GCFM Executive Board Meeting @ Espousal Ctr., Waltham 10:05 AM
6 Design Workshop IV, Espousal Center, Waltham, MA
7 Hanson GC. Plant Sale. 9AM-12PM. Thomas Mill, located on rt. 58 across from the Hanson Town Hall.
7 Open Gate GC of Chelmsford, Plant Sale, Central Baptist Church, 1
Academy St, on Chelmsford Common, 9:00AM to 2:00PM.  Contact: Linda Jean Smith, 978-256-3101.
7 Groton GC's Plant Sale @ 173 Main St./ front of Town Hall/ Rte.119. 8:30AM-NOON. Contact Theresa Harris @ 978-448-6731.
7 Southborough Gardeners Annual Plant Sale, Community House, Main St. 8AM-NOON. Contact Shelley Dropkin @ 508-481-3860 or sdropkin @rcn.com
7 Y'ise Gardeners Plant Sale @ Ventress Library, Marshfield. Featuring annuals, perennials, vegetables, and Mother's Day gifts.  9:00AM to 1:00 PM
11 GCFMA presents the Wallack Design Lecture featuring Ron Morgan “Symphony of Flowers”. 10:00AM. Regis College Fine Arts Center, Weston.
11 Colonial GC of Marlborough hosts Bill Graham with "Spring & Summer Entertaining Ideas" at Jaworek Elementary School, 444 Hosmer St. Open to public, $5 fee. 7PM. Contact Priscilla Dalamangas @ 508-481-6645.
12 Metro East District Annual Meeting, Endicott Estate, Dover, MA
12-14 Tewksbury GC presents "Art Blooms in Tewksbury" @ the Public Library. FREE. Fifteen groups join in to help celebrate the GC's 35th Anniversary.
13 Judges Council Annual Meeting, Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton.
14 Sudbury GC's Plant Sale at Sudbury Town Hall, Concord Rd. Handicap Accessible. 9AM-NOON. Contact Barbara Clifton @ 978-443-7898 or Kirsten van Dijk @ 978-443-4930 or [email protected]
14 Garden Club of Harvard Plant Sale, 9AM to NOON, rain or shine, on the Harvard Common.  For more information contact Mary Helan Turner, 978-456-3649.
14 GC of Mansfield Plant Sale, largest in the area! Main St &Union St/South Common 9AM-11AM. Please note change in date from the 7th to the 14th.
15 Needham GC presents "Alice in Wonderland" a Standard Flower Show at the Village Club, 83 Morton St. (off Highland Ave.), Needham Heights. 1PM-4PM. $5 admission. Contact : Joan Oakes  @ 781-444-8645.
17 Mattakeesett GC of Pembroke presents  “Creative Gardens/Feng Shui” by Mary Steward. 7PM at Pembroke Public Library Meeting Room, 144 Center St. $5.00 non-members. Contact: Dorothy McGrath @ 781-826-6576.
18 LDC-Arnold Arboretum’s revitalized Master Plan. Annual Meeting, then a walking tour with the lilacs out in force.
18 Hull GC’s Presidents’ Tea with Penny Decker. Hull Senior Center, Samoset Avenue. So. Shore District Presidents by invitation only. Contact: Judy Dorner @ 781-925-4823.
19 Stoneham GC’s Plant Sale  & Lobster Roll Luncheon. All Saints Episcopal Church, 79 Central St. 10AM-2PM. Contact: Jane Trenholm @ 981-438-9529.
19 Beacon Hill GC presents the 76th Annual Tour of “The Hidden Gardens of Beacon Hill”, Boston.  9AM – 5PM. Rain or shine. Tickets $25 in advance, $30 day of.  For info call 617-227-4392 or visit www.beaconhillgardenclub.org
20 Framingham GC Plant Sale @ Cushing Maintenance Bldg, Dudley Rd, (before Barbieri School). 9AM-1PM. Contact Brenda Rodrigues @ 508-877-6248.
20-23 National Garden Clubs, Inc. Convention, Milwaukee, WI
21 Tewksbury GC Plant Sale on the Common. 10:00 AM-3:00 PM.  Free live demonstrations all day. Contact: Elena Power at 978-657-7916.
21 Plymouth GC’s Plant, Bake & Craft Sale @ Plymouth Main Library, South. St. contact Kevinette Considine at 508 747 5919 or [email protected]. Rain date May 22nd.
21 Boxford Village GC Plant Sale. East Boxford Library, Elm Street, Boxford, MA. 9AM-3PM.
21 Medfield GC Plant Sale, Unitarian Church, North St. Medfield, 9:00AM to NOON; Annuals & Perennials.  Contact: Claudette O'Brien 508-528-6265.
21 Haverhill GC Plant Sale @ Bradford Common, Rte. 125. 9AM to sellout. Rain or Shine. Contact Judi at (978) 372-1028 or Lynn at (978) 373-0441.
21 Brockton GC perennial sale 8-11:30AM. @ Park Dept., 45 Meadow Lane, Brockton. Contact: Teddi Hickey @ 508-584-2570 or Laura Bermingham @ 508-584-1280
21 Community GC of Duxbury Plant Sale. Contact Monica Porter @ 781-585-0966 or [email protected].
21 Mattakeesett GC of Pembroke Spring Plant Sale, 9AM-1PM. Pembroke Town Green. Contact Dorothy McGrath @ 781-826-6576
21 Canton GC’s Plant and Geranium Sale, Canton Public Library, Washington St. 9AM.
21 Colonial GC of Marlborough Plant Sale. Corner Main/Rte. 85. 9AM-NOON. Contact Kim West @ 508-480-0370
25 Lexington Field & GC plant Sale on the grounds of National Heritage Museum, corner Mass Ave. /Marrett Rd., 8:30AM-1:30PM. Ample parking. Contact: Joan Farr @ 781-933-2858
26 Wakefield GC- Floral Way Festival, Hartshorne House, 41 Church St. Admission &house tour free. 9AM-2:30PM. Sale outside: plants, green elephant items, baked goods. Contact Rosemarie Mercurio at 781-245-8137
28 Osterville GC Plant & Bake Sale featuring Holland Hosta’s. 8AM-11AM. Please note change in time. Osterville Free Library, Wianno Ave. Contact Ellen Carroll at 508-420-0641.
28-29 Seaside Gardeners Plant Sale at The No. River Arts Society Fair at Marshfield Hills Village. 10AM-5PM Contact: Christine Carroll @ 781-837-0082, Louise Lantz @ 781-834-4840, or [email protected]

Planting Pansies in Pots

This week Carol demonstrates how to plant pansies in pots.

May Garden Club Meeting

Landscaping:

This month we visited a local garden and give a member ideas on their landscape project.

Lots of great ideas were shared. We discussed the idea of creating a Japanese Garden with a ton of rocks, until we found out that the rocks need to be raked everyday. That's too much work.

We discussed many different tree possibilities.

One was the American Eastern Redbud Tree. Another was a Red Japanese Maple. A hard to spell one was the Amelanchier canadensis also known as Shadbush serviceberry.

Then we talked about ideas for landscaping tha wall of the garage. One possibility was a Climbing Hydrangea on a cedar trellis.

Forest Hills Greenhouse Recap

Hi JP Garden Club Members and All,

Most of you could not attend the Forest Hills Cemetery Greenhouses tour on Saturday. Fifteen lucky attendees walked away with countless ideas and free fibrous begonias. Did you know that the cemetery has the largest collection of Victorian sculptures in the country? Take in the Daniel Chester French relief, a memorial to the Millipore family, to the left just as you enter the cemetery from Morton Street.

I am forwarding a few tips, for the attendees who didn¹t have paper and pencils:
The cemetery uses 5-10-5 fertilizer and lime in the outdoor beds.
Safers insecticidal soap controls the aphids.
Neem oil is a staple in the greenhouses for controlling insect larvae growth.
Diatomaceous Earth is used to control slugs.

Among the plants that inspired inquiry:
"Kiwi Fern" Coleus
"Inki Pink" Coleus
Plectranthus... a fuzzy leafed shade lover, slug resistant, low growing, green will yellow edges.
Thuja plicata (rooting #3), "Tree of Life". A spring green, deer-resistant Arborvitae
Harringtoniana, shade loving yew. Very hardy.

The Cemetery Personnel:
Brian King is the greenhouses manager.
The volunteer grounds tour guide was Al Maze.
Nini Colmore is the Cemetery marketing manager who organized the event for us. If anyone wants to thank her personally she can be reached at
[email protected].

Upcoming Events:
Anyone can plan events. There is a lot of enthusiasm for trips to nurseries that specialize in grasses or clematis, garden tours in other towns, visits to each other¹s gardens here is J.P, etc. All we need are self-motivated planners!

Feel free to take the initiative. E-mail your event idea, dates, times, locations to other members. A good tip: No date is good for everyone. Just pick the date and time that works for you.

First Meeting of the Year

The Jamaica Plain Garden Club held it's first meeting of the season on Saturday April 24th.

It was a field trip to the Forest Hills Cemetery Greenhouses.

We were taken on a tour by Brian King. Brian showed us around the greenhouses that were built in 1899. Inside the greenhouses, we saw many types of plants that were being propagated for Spring planting.

Here's a photo album of our tour!