Thursday, December 31, 2015

A New Year's Rosey Treat

Pure indulgence in this post. A while back Liz K. and Diana W. emailed some photos of  roses they recommend for our area. For your enjoyment:

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Seasons of Giving

Christmas is a popular time for the giving of gifts and supporting causes. Many of our members volunteer their time year round, sharing their skills in the community. Here are two projects benefiting from our members' gardening knowledge.

Monday, November 23, 2015

English Holly

We will be learning how to make wreaths at our meeting on Tuesday Nov 24th. This is a great way to use up some of the invasive English holly which springs up all over the place.

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Christmas Comes to Garden Club

Our garden club has its last meeting of the year at the end of November. The timing makes it a perfect kick off for the Christmas season. The schedule for Nov 24th combines our routine of reports and news, guest presenters and a Christmas Social. Here are a few details:

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Secret Gardens of the Cotswolds

If you had a peek at the basket being raffled at Garden Club you would have seen the following book:



Sunday, October 25, 2015

What's Blooming Right Now?



It’s the end of October. Which flowers are still going strong? Your blogging team asked a number of Garden Club members this question. Turns out there are quite a few gorgeous blooms still out there. Here’s a selection of flowers in bloom this past weekend around Powell River.

Acidanthera bicolour murielae or Peacock flower in Jacquie’s garden.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Pollinators Part Three

My final post in the series on creating pollinator friendly habitats takes us out of our own gardens. Have you heard of guerrilla gardening? Guerrilla gardening is the act of gardening on land that the gardeners do not have the legal rights to utilize, such as an abandoned site, an area that is not being cared for, or private property. (Wiki)


Sunday, October 4, 2015

Climbers

We started our new season of meetings with an excellent presentation from Christine Allen. Her topic was climbing plants. I came away wanting one or two or ten for my own garden. If you felt the same, Christine has provided us with a list from her talk. To read it click on the tab at the top of the page.

Clematis Miss Bateman in Christine's garden

Monday, September 21, 2015

Plant Now for Pollinators

In my last post we made sure our pollinators would have a comfortable place to over winter. Now we need to think about what they are going to eat when they wake up. 

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Bedtime for our Buggy Friends

Yes, there is a thing as too tidy in the garden. Beneficial insects need a place to overwinter which means leaving a little litter in the yard. Here are some ideas for providing shelter.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Summer 2015 Fruit Fly Bulletin


2015: We have had a very difficult time here so far this summer with fruit fly.  SWD (Spotted Wing Drosophila).  They bred up early.  Many people lost almost all their cherry crops.  Even the gardeners who knew the routine and tried to

Monday, August 10, 2015

Edible Garden Tour

 Were you inspired by the Edible Garden Tour on Sunday? By the end of the day I had  several new ideas and projects spinning around in my head.  Here are some images from the tour.

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Our Float

And what a beautiful float it was! In my opinion best in show. Were you able to get down to the parade? Here are some photos for those of you who missed it.

Monday, July 13, 2015

Edible Garden Tour


Guidebook will be out third week of July, pick up a printed copy at Breakwater Books or Tourism Powell River.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Our Garden Party

The timing was perfect for our brunch garden party. The heat had yet to reach maximum intensity and a light breeze off the ocean was refreshing. Thanks to M for opening her home and delightful garden for everyone to enjoy. More than 50 people shared good food and friendly chatter. If you didn't make it here are a few pictures.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Bees and Flowers

Did you know the theme of the garden club float is Bees?

Walkers along side the float will be handing out packets of bee approved seeds.


Would you like to be in the parade?

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Flowers Needed

A note from our President:

We as a club responded to a request from the Prisma organizers to provide flowers for the stage at the big free concert on the 17th, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the freedom of the Netherlands, liberated by Canadian forces. This concert is called  Celebration of the Senses and what would that be without flowers?!


 
We are planning

Sunday, June 7, 2015

So Many Things Happening at the Club

The next month and a half is packed with activities for our members. It makes me realise yet again what a thriving club we have.

A reminder not all events are listed in the posts. Check in from time to time and look at the Events box to your right.  Our Facebook page will keep you up to date too.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Float Work Party and Garden Visit Pics

If you are ready to pitch in and contribute to our beautiful float show up Sunday May 24th anytime in the afternoon after 1pm in Lund. Exact location email prgardenclub@shaw.ca or check the newsletter.


Helpers get to visit a fantastic hidden gem later in the afternoon; David Smith's gardens carved out of 2 acres of hillside. They are filled with Rhodo's in bloom, hostas and many more plants.

To get you in the mood here are some images from Liz's garden.

Saturday, May 16, 2015

SWD! and Float News

Fruit Fly Active Already




Margaret reports that already, using a sticky trap, she has caught numerous SWD (Spotted-Wing Drosophila Fruit Fly) around a compost bucket outside her kitchen door.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Garden Visits for Saturday May 16th

On Saturday May 16th from 10 until noon club members are invited to visit the gardens of Wendy and Val in Wildwood. Please see the email sent on May 2nd for directions. Here's a preview of what you will find in these two lovely gardens...

Monday, May 11, 2015

Gardens of Powell River

Last Saturday was the first of our club garden visits. A big thank you to Rena, Liz and Ken and Kathie for generously making their gardens available and answering all those questions! Enjoy the images,

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Garden Visits on Saturday May 9th



Garden Visits are scheduled for this weekend! On Saturday, May 9th from 10 am to 12 noon, three gardens south of town will be welcoming members. Liz, Rena, and Ken & Kathie will inspire you with their gardens. See April’s newsletter for locations.

Liz has talked about container gardens in the past. Here's a photo of an area of her garden taken last year around this time. She told us that she likes to move the containers around for different looks and conditions so we will see how she has rearranged for this year.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Reminders

Plant Sale

Sunday May 3rd from 1 – 3pm at the Curling Club in Cranberry. Keep on potting up seedlings and plant divisions for the Club Table - an important fundraiser! Deliver them to

Monday, April 6, 2015

Local Resources

In Powell River we are blessed with a sharing culture and this is very evident in garden world. For people new to Powell River or gardening or social media I'm listing some places worth checking out.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Roses Love Tomatoes and other chemical free tips

As part of my chemical free garden plan I'm putting tomatoes in with my roses. I've heard it helps control black spot. What are your favourite companion plantings? Are you trying a new pairing this year? What methods do you employ for chemical free gardening?

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

March Book Review

Eleven inspired artists of the garden share their stories, their secrets, and their passion for gardening in “Beauty by Design”: “Inspired Gardening in the Pacific Northwest” by Bill Terry and Rosemary Bates. Reviewed by Vicki.

Friday, March 6, 2015

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (Seedy Saturday)

Powell River's 10th annual Seedy Saturday is happening on Saturday March 14, 2015!
9:30am - 2:30pm

 at the Rec Complex. Read all about it here.

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Bokashi Handout From February Meeting

What is Bokashi Fermenting
Bokashi fermentation is a pickling process. Just like a pickle or pickled onion still looks like it did before pickling, so will your organic waste look as if nothing has happened after fermenting it for 2 weeks. It is however structurally and chemically quite changed.


What's the difference between compost and Bokashi fermented end product from the soil?

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

February Book Review

Introducing the first book review in our monthly series. This month a guide to vegetable growing in the Pacific North West reviewed by Sharon.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Garden Tour In Jeopardy

The organizers of the Powell River Annual Garden Tour have told us it is in danger of being cancelled this year. Only one garden has been offered.

Would you be willing to open your garden for one day in June?

Monday, February 9, 2015

Sub-tropical Plants

“What can you grow in Powell River?” This is a question that is often asked of our unique landscape and climate. Indeed, coastal BC allows for a wide range of warm-weather plants to be grown here that cannot be (or are not being) successfully grown in other parts of Canada

Acca sellowiana-pineapple guava

Friday, January 30, 2015

Recipe For Making Your Own Effective Micro-organisms

Here is the recipe for Effective Micro-organisms we heard about from Ron Berezan at the last meeting. If you missed the meeting come next month when Kitty Clemens will be talking about Bokashi which also uses EM. Ron will be talking about Biochar again at the next Homesteading Workshop at the end of March.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Garden Sheds in the Pacific Northwest


In the January/February issue of the BC Council of Garden Clubs' Bulletin we have inspirational photos by Jennifer Lamb.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Signs Of Spring

Are your gardens showing any signs of Spring? Here are a few photos taken in Gwen's garden two days ago.

Friday, January 9, 2015

Heating It Up In Small Spaces

The cool weather is refreshing but what is it doing, or not doing, to our compost? If you are looking for ways to heat things up in the compost pile, or are challenged for composting space, you will not want to miss our next meeting.

On Tues Jan 27th, Ron Berezan, the Urban Farmer, will be speaking about-