Outside Decorating Ideas

                                     

If you weren't at our last meeting you missed an event full of cheer and goodwill. A member panel answered questions from the audience as we described our successes and failures. We applauded and commiserated and offered advice. A table was packed with tasty morsels to share. Our cookbook was launched and over fifty sold. $600 was raised and several large boxes filled for the Christmas Cheer Fund.

It seems like garden club members have Christmas in their hearts. If you are in the mood for

Merry Busy Meeting

Do we ever have a packed meeting planned for Tuesday:

• we have an interesting panel of 4 speakers, Joyce Bredo, Lin Morrison, Kevin Wilson, and Helena Bird. The plan is to discuss Successes and Non-successes in our gardens this year and consider solutions for next year. We will start off trading a success or “non-success” story with another member, then we’ll have a chance to direct questions to our panel members.

BC Council of Garden Clubs article about Powell River Garden Club!

At the beginning of October, we posted a visit from Sandy Peters of the BC Council of Garden Clubs. Below is the article she wrote for the November/December Bulletin of the BCCGC.

Riviera of the Sunshine Coast: on the 
beautiful rocky shores of the Salish Sea, a mild climate, almost non-existent snowfall, sunshine galore and vistas to ocean, sky and mountains, sandy beaches, wooded fishing holes. Truly stunning: Powell River, home to the Powell River Garden Club, 160 warm-hearted members.

The PRGC functions as a dynamic force of gardeners from all walks of life. Having settled on solid rock and sand, these gardeners have had an enormous challenge. As a result, there exists, among the PRGC members, an accelerated problem-solving gardening culture. Part of their credo is: buy “tried and proven” specimens grown locally but also experiment, constantly share ideas, offer advice and ask questions in a very affable social manner. All this in Canadian Plant  Hardiness Zones: 7b to 9.

“Gardening is the slowest of the performing arts”

Our speaker for the October meeting, Gwen Odermatt is on the Great Plant Picks (GPP) committee. Gwen gave an engaging talk on suitable plants for small spaces. She included photos of many options. We've put together a small selection of her ideas for developing gardens with big impact.

In choosing plants for small spaces, Gwen suggests looking at those that are attractive as much of the year as possible. The first thing to choose is a tree. It will provide height, shade, and privacy. A deciduous tree is a better choice than an evergreen which can be too dark and closed in, especially in winter, and will not allow as much planting beneath it. The chosen tree should be slow growing and have a winter look, such as interesting bark. Some examples are Acer griseum which has paper bark.

Stewartia pseudocamellia with its