| * * * * * * The Hampstead Garden Club Newsletter August 2006 Hampstead Garden Club Newsletter PO Box 714, Hampstead, NH 03841 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What a great stretch of weather! We waited so long for summer and have been duly rewarded. Let's hope it holds for our August meeting which is being held on Wednesday, August 16th, at Ordway Park, beginning at 6:30 p.m (Hampstead Meeting House if rain). Even if you do not plan to participate, please come and support your fellow gardeners!! Ordway Park is one of the club's gardening sites that greet anyone coming into the West Hampstead area. Here, committee members tend the beautiful 80 foot long Commemorative Garden and Ellie's Garden. Club members will be participating in our own version of "Art in Bloom", either individually or in groups of 2 or 3. They will choose a painting or sculpture and create a floral design interpreting the artwork. The floral design will be displayed that evening in a competition to be judged by a selected panel. The public is invited to this exciting event. Bring a blanket or lawn chair to sit on and your bug spray. Hosts for the night are Butch C., Theresa M., Deb P. and Gail T. There will also be a short business meeting. At this meeting, Gail T. and Sandi G. will be calling on the civic site chairs to talk about the progress of their garden sites. This is one of the most visible signs of our efforts within the Town and our gift to our Town is a substantial one. Each member's efforts reflect on the entire club. That is why we all work together, problem solve, and WORK SMARTER-NOT HARDER. Tell us about your experiences at your site this year. Update your yearbooks!!! Mary Ann M. has a new email address Please feel free to contact Webmaster for address. WELCOME HOME Donna!!! Donna R. has been released from the Northeast Rehab Hospital and will continue recovering from her home. Donna has been away from her home most of the summer and is very happy to be back. We all wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her at a meeting real soon. As you are probably aware, District 5 (our district) of the NH Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc is hosting the semi-annual meeting this year. Suzy M. and Terry H. are co-district directors and are in charge of planning it, along with Diane M. of Atkinson GC. Mary Ann M. is the registrar and they would love to see a big Hampstead turnout! The meeting is Sept. 27, 2006 at the Sheraton in Bedford (by Macy's). The theme is "Photographing Your Garden," and there will also be a small standard flower show. The speaker is a well-known garden photographer from Hooksett, who also happens to be in the Hooksett GC. There will be lots of food, prizes, and fun. If you need more info or tickets, please contact Terry or Suzy. Gail T. received these hints from Raymond Scenic Nurseries: "This excessive heat is not fun! Please make sure you keep a close eye on your plants, especially anything planted this season. The rain we have been getting is not enough to satisfy thirsty roots and Mother Nature is not holding up her end of the bargain. Check for dryness by sticking a finger into the ground near your plants, about 4" down. If the soil feels dry - WATER! If it feels moist, you can hold off. Evergreens don't show drought stress until it is too late, so even though they look green and lush - the still need water. As for mulching - have you ever driven by a shopping mall or a bank and seen mulch "volcanoes?" This is where the landscaper mounds the mulch several inches up the trunk of the tree into what looks like a volcano. The average homeowner may think this is the way mulching is supposed to be done. Mulching trees and shrubs in this fashion is extremely detrimental to the health of the plant. Mulching too high traps moisture around the trunk, leading to rot and eventual death. Recently a customer came into the nursery with a complaint of 4 out of 14 arborvitaes dead that she planted last year. She brought in pictures of the plants in her yard and what do you think we found? Mulch volcanoes! She accidentally killed her arborvitaes herself by mulching this way. Mulching, when done properly, adds aesthetic appeal to the landscape, as well as making the maintenance of the area much easier. It helps keep the root zone moist, and makes it so you don't have to mow right up to the tree, avoiding mower damage to sensitive tree trunks. Mulch should be placed around the root zone, but pulled slightly away from the trunk of the plant. Any suggestions, comments, member news, or questions-gardening or otherwise are always welcome. Email Dottie B. Corresponding Secretary Meeting of July 19, 2006 There were no 'official' minutes of last month's meeting, but Barb P. offered this: Our July field trip to Tom Busta's home in Andover was inspirational and enjoyable to all who attended. (Approx. 25). Some of the ladies were lucky and got to bring their husbands along for a first hand view of the beautiful water gardens that Dana Landscaping designs and installs. The Busta's invited us to dine in their lovely backyard that is made up of 'rooms', each having tables & chairs and even a putting green. After our sandwich swap, which was delightful and delectable, as usual, we piled and I mean that literally (just ask Nancy D., who won driver of the night) into cars and Tom took us to his father's house where we found a wonderful train and village set up in his back yard. The tracks ran under a waterfall (installed by none other than son, Tom) and was amazing to watch. Our next stop was everyone's favorite. We wished we hadn't run out of daylight. A whimsical garden with loads of hostas and paths under huge pine trees, one pond with a waterfall and another in the planning stages. The paths took us half way around the perimeter of the very large yard, under the trees to see man made labyrinth style patterns of rocks some of which had plants in them and some just decorative. In the darkness, we probably missed some of the 'fairy houses' that were in there. After our tour, we went back to Tom's house to indulge in the wonderful desserts the hostesses had waiting for us. It was a good trip. Wish you all could have been there! |