Making Hypertufas

Our president hard at work.

Many members of the Tweed Horticultural Society enjoyed a “hand-on” workshop making hypertufa containers during the June meeting. The workshop was held in the garden of President Joan’s home and many members took a walk around her beautiful lush flower beds and veggie patch!

The members arrived carrying a variety of containers, hosta and rhubarb leaves as well as bug spray and bug jackets. However, gentle breezes kept the bugs away as everyone worked on their creations….or perhaps everyone was too busy creating that they did not notice the bugs!!!

A cement mixer mixed the various mixtures for the participants and the mixture was wheelbarrowed to a giant wagon where everyone worked and helped each other. Advice and assistance was readily available for “newbies”. Members added decorative stones to their creations and lines for the veins in the leaves and of course everyone was reminded to sign their name on their “work of art”!

Finished products were bagged to be taken home. Everyone was instructed to keep the planter in the bag for at least 24-36 hours to allow for slow drying.

Members were encouraged to bring their planted hypertufa to the Tweed Fair in July as part of the group’s display at the Fair.

COMING UP….

July 4-6…Tweed Fair. Members are encouraged to bring some of their planters or flowers to set up a Club display on Saturday at the Fair. Set-up is 8 am on July 5^th.

Members are encouraged to enter some of the categories that the Horticultural Group is sponsoring at the Fair. A $5.00 fee per entry is required by adults and there is no charge for juniors. For more info please contact Linda @613-478-6850.

GENERAL INTEREST EVENTS…

July 18-20…OHA Conference in Cornwall. 

Some Cool Stuff

Marjorie Mason

“Really Cool Plants” was the topic of Marjorie Mason’s presentation at the May meeting of the Tweed and District Horticultural Society. Her power point presentation showed members the “cool” plants for 2014! After this long cold winter, the audience was eager to hear about the newest plants and even more excited to be able to purchase plants that she had brought from the from the Mason House Gardens greenhouses.

Throughout her presentation, Marjorie gave little snipits of information about gardening. The trend now is that foliage is more important than the actual flowers on plants!

Tender plants, like the coleus family need to be acclimatized slowly to the outdoors…especially this year with the very cool or should we say cold spring we have been experiencing.

Did you know that dahlia tubers can be eaten…why not try substituting these tubers in place of zucchini…. instead of zucchini loaf you can bake a dahlia loaf!!!

Impatiens…..SHOULD NOT BE GROWN THIS YEAR!!! Even Mark Cullen has said that growers should not be growing the bedding impatiens (the ones we buy by the flat for instant garden colour). Why?? The only way to get rid of  the Impatiens Downy Mildew disease is to stop growing the plant until this disease has disappeared…the New Guinea impatiens do not carry the disease. Marjorie suggested using begonias, dragon wing begonias and  spider plants in place of the impatiens…and her photos certainly proved that these plants are equally as appealing as the impatiens...if not more so!

Another tip….elephant ears and cana lilies make a dynamite combination together.

For bird lovers…plant Wendy’s Wish salvia that blooms all summer and attracts hummingbirds.

2014 plant of the year….Panicum Northwind… an outstanding grass perennial!

Allium Millennium…blooms in summer (how exciting is that) and the foliage does not turn that sickly yellow (now that IS exciting)!

TIP….always open the soil ball of a plant before planning to ensure that the roots will spread out to get the moisture. This will also cut down on watering!

Audience members shared their concerns about Echinacea and the fact that it does not overwinter well.  Again Marjorie had a tip…..the plant needs to develop a “clumping” at the base of the plant to help with over wintering. To do this, she said that it is best not to have the Echinacea bloom during the first year…groans could be heard throughout the audience….so Marjorie had another suggestion….allow just one bloom, cut it and place it in your favourite vase to admire it and then cut back the main stem on the plant to promote this clumping….the rewards the second year will be well worth the wait!!!!

Marjorie invited the audience to visit her greenhouse at 3520 Regional Rd #1 (Brock Road), RR#4, Uxbridge, ON

905-649-3532  info@masonhousegardens.com

 COMING UP….

May 10…Spring Cleanup of flower beds. Meet at Moira Garden @ 9 am.

May 17…Annual Plant Sale at Tweed Memorial Park @ 8am. All plant material should be at the park by 7 am. Please attach a label with the name of the plant. For more info, please call Joan @ 613-478-6115.

May 23….10:30 am at the Library….Scarecrow making workshop for children. Participants are asked to bring in old clothes, hat and accessories to make their scarecrow. Straw will be supplied.

Please pre-register at the Library for this event.

May 27...Planting town planters and flower beds. Meet at empty lot across from ValuMart @ 5:30 pm.

June 3…Hypertufa Workshop starting at 6:30 @ 240 Uens Rd, Thomasburg. Please dress for both bugs and weather! There will be a small fee for supplies. Please bring your own plastic container or leaves to make your hypertufa container.

GENERAL INTEREST EVENTS…

July 4-6…Tweed Fair. Members are encouraged to bring some of their planters or flowers to set up a Club display on Saturday at the fair. Set-up is 8 am on July 5^th.

July 18-20…OHA Conference in Cornwall.

George Thomson and Elizabeth Churcher spoke at the April meeting of the Tweed and District Horticultural Society. Their power point presentation, “Gardens for Nature”

highlighted their personal gardens to show how we can use plants to encourage birds and insects to visit our gardens. The best way to maximize your yield of fruit and flowers is to encourage pollinating bees. Bees are nature’s primary pollinators.

According to Elizabeth, the plants we select for our gardens need to produce nectar and pollen for bees and insects if we want to encourage them to visit our gardens.

Both George and Elizabeth were excited to share their photos of the Giant Swallow Tail Butterfly which was first noticed in this area in 2009…..due to climate warming, certain insects like this butterfly are starting to move further north…need the prickly ash for this butterfly to survive.

Throughout the presentation, George and Elizabeth provided members with many examples of plant, trees and shrubs that can be used to attract insects and birds.

Native plants…..

·       Bee Balm/Monarda

·       Bleeding Heart (for ruby throat hummingbird)

·       Butterfly Bush

·       Black-eye Susan

·       Obedient Plant

·       Lupines

·       Echidna/Cone Flower

·       Cardinal Lobelia

·       New England Aster

·       Sunflower

·       Coreopsis

·       Gaillardia

    

During the presentation it was suggested do plantings in large clumps and to have a variety within the garden so there are always flowers for the insects.

Native Trees and Shrubs that attract birds….

·       Service Berry

·       Choke Cherry

·       High Bush Cranberry

·       Red and Black Current Shrubs

·       Juniper

·       Mountain Ash

·       Wild Rose(good to encourage nest building)

Some non-native plants that grow well in this area…

·       Sedum

·       Clematis

·       Glorosia Daisy

·       Holly Hocks

·       Phlox

·       Variety of herbs

·       Bachelor Buttons

·       Columbine

·       Hostas….provide shade for frogs

Non-native shrubs for this area….

·       Apple tree

·       Blue spruce…shelter for birds and nests

·       Maple tree…food and perches for birds

·       Cherry tree

·       Willow tree

·       Flowering Crab

·       Lilac

·       Korean lilac

·       Snowball Bush

Since George and Elizabeth grow most of their own food they had a few tips to share…….put grass clippings between the rows of plants as this will help to control weeds. Zinnias planted around the perimeter of the garden act as a barrier and discourage animals.

These lists of plants will certainly help members plan gardens that will entice birds and insects to visit.

COMING UP….

May 6 Meeting….Marjorie Mason of Mason House Gardens will talk about the new plants for 2014 plus some special plants from the past that should be included in every garden. She will be bringing plants for sale. NOTE: This meeting will be held at the White Building at the Fairgrounds in Tweed. $3.00 for non-members.

May 10…Spring Cleanup of flower beds. Meet at Moira Garden @ 9 am.

May 17…Annual Plant Sale at Tweed Memorial Park @ 8am. All plant material should be at the park by 7 am. Please attach a label with the name of the plant. For more info, please call Joan @ 613-478-6115.

May 23….10:30 am at the Library….Scarecrow making workshop for children. Participants are asked to bring in old clothes, hat and accessories to make their scarecrow. Straw will be supplied.

Please pre-register at the Library for this event.

May 27...Planting town planters and flower beds. Meet at empty lot across from ValuMart @ 5:30 pm.

GENERAL INTEREST EVENTS…

May 3…AGM hosted by Land O’Lakes Garden Club

Native and Rare

Peter Fuller from Fuller Native and Rare Plants.

On March 4, Peter Fuller, owner of Fuller Native and Rare Plants in Belleville, showered members of the Tweed and District Horticulture Club with the beauty of springtime.

 Peter has combined his lifelong interest in horticulture with a fascination of the natural world by opening a nursery that specializes in propagating (from seed) perennials, grasses, ferns, shrubs and trees that are native to the Great Lakes Region as well as specialty Arisaema and rock garden plants. 

With his inspirational pictures, Peter took us on a photographic journey through a variety of habitats, introducing us to native plants that can survive in a range of conditions.  From the radiance of the brilliant red Cardinal Flower growing in very moist, rich soil to the intrigue of the delicately patterned Butterfly Weed surviving in sandy, well-drained soil, Peter helped us to understand that we can propagate native plants from seed to benefit all of our gardens. 

Our beautiful native species are both food and host plants for many pollinators and they help to promote biologically diverse and sustainable landscapes. 

Peter’s encouraging words and the packages of seeds he made available to us filled all present with the warmth and hope of the coming season of new growth.  For more information, check Peter’s website:  www.fullerplants.com. 

COMING UP….

March 14…Bus Trip to National Home Show and Canada Blooms at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto. Cost is $65. For more information, please contact Linda @613-478-6850.

April 8 Meeting….PLEASE NOTE MEETING WILL BE HELD ON 2^nd TUESDAY OF THE MONTH!....Susan Chan will speak about the characteristics, behaviours and habitats of native bees. This promises to be a very informative evening that will hopefully inspire us to protect the  bees that live in our gardens.

GENERAL INTEREST EVENTS….

Peterborough Garden Show at the Evinrude Centre, 911 Monaghan Rd, Peterborough. Admission $7 Friday April 11… 5-9 pm, Saturday April 12… 10 am-6 pm and Sunday April 13…10 am-4 pm.

Get a head start on your spring planters. Check Stonepath Greenhouses in Tweed @613-478-1675 and Farmgate Gardens in Foxboro @613-967-1581 for workshop dates.

Sprouts and Chocolate

Jackie Patterson

The Tweed and District Horticultural Society “sprouted” into their 2014 program on Tuesday February 4,…topic of the meeting was “Sprouted Super Food Products”. Jackie Patterson, owner of Back 2 the Garden located in Stirling spoke about the health benefits of sprouts. During Jackie’s presentation it became evident that increased nutrients in our diets will decrease toxins and stress. By incorporating sprouted products into one’s daily diet, individuals will be better able to handle stress, increase their ability to exercise daily which will lead to a healthier life style!  Jackie’s product line of dried and milled sprouts is manufactured in an organic and gluten free facility in Stirling.  Her products include Broccoli Seed Powder, Chia Seed powder, Flaxseed Powder, Brown rice, Lentils and Quinoa. Recipes were provided at the meeting. For more information, check out Jackie’s website-www.back2thegarden.ca

Sujo Bae

Sujo Bae, the group’s “resident chef” created mouthwatering chocolates using sprouts with the melted chocolate…what a treat for Valentine’s Day and so healthy! Never feel guilty about eating chocolate again!

COMING UP….

March 4 Meeting….Peter Fuller will discuss various kinds of native plants that can be incorporated into perennial garden. He will also share strategies for achieving success with these plants….something all gardeners like to know!

March 12….1:00 at the Library

Children are invited to plant flower or vegetable seeds in a recycled 2 liter pop bottle. The children can take their planted seeds home and watch them grow.

Please pre-register at the Library for this event.

March 14… Bus Trip to National Home Show and Canada Blooms at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto

Cost…$58.00 before February 12/$65.00 after that date.

Price includes admission to both shows and motor coach. Bus leaves Tweed at 7 am from the parking lot behind Quinn’s of Tweed. For more information, contact Linda @613-478-6850

GENERAL INTEREST EVENTS…

March 6-9…International Home and Garden Show at International Centre in Toronto

March 14-23…National Home Show and Canada Blooms at Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto

Welcome to 2014!

Despite the bone-chilling temperatures, frost quakes, fields of ice and layers of snow Tweed Horticultural Society promises there will be flowers this year!!!

The first meeting of 2014 takes place at the Tweed Public Library on Tuesday February 4^th at 7 pm.  Jackie from Back 2 the Garden in Stirling will talk about the health benefits of sprouts. Sujo Bae will speak about the benefits, sustainability and affordability of sprouting your own seeds and grains. To get the members into the Valentine’s Day spirit, Sujo will demonstrate how to make nutritious chocolates!

Annual dues will be collected at the meeting…$16.00 for family, $12.00 individual and $1 per year for junior membership (ages 8 to 17. Non-member fee per meeting is $3.

UPCOMING EVENT:

A bus trip is schedule to Canada Blooms and the National Home Show…something for everyone!!!

The trip is on Friday March 14, 2014, leaving from the parking lot behind Quinn's of Tweed at 7 am. COST: $65.00……get your ticket before FEBRUARY 12 for the cost of only $58.00...a savings of $7.00!!! Cost includes bus, and admission to both shows.

Some Christmas Cheer

The Tweed and District Horticultural Society hosted their annual Christmas potluck dinner on Tuesday December 3, 2013. Beautiful poinsettia plants were placed on fresh evergreen boughs on the tables. Santa figurines of every shape and size were displayed among the evergreen boughs thanks to a member’s large Santa collection.

Besides being outstanding gardeners, the members also showed their culinary expertise with the variety of mouth watering dishes….vegetable casseroles, an array of salads, roast turkey with dressing, gravy and mashed potatoes, devilled eggs, cheese tray and a veggie platter with dips.  The dessert table was laden with homemade cookies, pies, cakes and yummy butter tarts!

After indulging in the feast, members were invited to relax and watch the video presentation which highlighted the club’s activities and guest speakers during 2013.  The members thoroughly enjoyed the video and many thanks to Linda Holmes for creating it!

Poinsettia plants, a colourful candy wreath and several books were won by lucky members.

Merry Christmas and best wishes for a happy and healthy 2014

SPECIAL ACTIVITY:

Before the Tweed Santa Claus parade, join members of the Horticultural Society for a special children’s Christmas activity at the Library on Saturday December 7^th at 10:30 am.

NEXT MEETING:

The next meeting will be Tuesday February 4, 2014 at the Tweed Library. Memberships will be on sale….$12.00 individual and $16.00 family