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May 21st SpeakerLucretia Schanfarber Grow your own Superfoods - Build your own Supersoil Doors open at 7:00 pm Speaker begins at 7:30 pm Lucretia (Lu) Schanfarber is a dedicated organic gardener and author of "How to Grow Your Own SuperFoods" and “How to Build Your Own SuperSoil". She is a writer for "Alive magazine" and a contributing editor to the award-winning "Encyclopedia of Natural Healing." Her talk blends her expertise in natural healing and organic gardening to deliver an entertaining, educational and uplifting presentation. Lu proclaims the power of plants to HEAL! Learn what easy-to grow foods prevent. and even reverse disease. - Kale prevents age-related macular degeneration. - Blueberries prevent dementia and improve cognitive health. Grow and use herbs such as rosemary and oregano; they provide concentrated sources of antioxidants to improve immune functions, promote healthy aging, protect visual health and prevent many forms of cancer. Recent research also praises the power of soil's own natural probiotic bacterial for mental health. There are so many healthy reasons to garden! Come to hear what Lu has to say about other plants.
| Gardening StuffThe Bees Need Your Help!!
Neonicotinoid pesticides are slowly killing bees. 75% of the world's honey is now contaminated with bee-killing pesticides. Please educate yourself and make sure you are not part of the problem.
April Gardening To Do list By Angelika Hedley General Water especially under eaves, evergreens if rainfall is low. - Compost unrotted perennials/vegetation once bees, ladybugs have emerged from hibernation Plant - bedders, summer bulbs, perennials, container plants Prune - winter heathers Plant Health Feed spring flowers - Mulch - Water during morning Click here to see the entire calendar | Feb Speaker RecapGary Lewis NEW INTRODUCTIONS IN HELLEBORES by Heather Fayers
It was a knuckle biter as Gary arrived shortly before our meeting began with the most gorgeous selection of Hellebores for purchase. Many hands helped shift them into place and then the beautiful slide show began. Thanks to advances in tissue culture, and careful selection of breeding crosses for seed development, we now have upright facing Hellebores in multiple colours with picotee edging and splashed petals. As his wonderful slide show revealed there is so much more than there used to be in the field of late fall or early spring blooming, long-lived perennials. The plants you buy now are the product of years of research and take three to five years to reach marketable size for nursery sales. This care is reflected in the price. Do not consider them a strictly shade plant. Ones with mottled silver leaves require sun because one of their parents came from Sicily. A good location for most is eastern exposure with some shade from hot afternoon sun. I know they grow floppy if the shrub they are growing beneath becomes too dense. They will live years in the same spot, so the soil should be deep, rich and evenly moist with good drainage. Top dress with 2-3 inches of compost or well-rotted manure in the spring. Slow release fertilizer also helps develop flower buds. Cut all diseased or winter damaged leaves when you see them. If the flowers are covered with green leaves, remove them for a better show. Place dark slate or purple coloured plants to the front of the border for best appreciation. Hellebores go nicely with ferns, moss, Beesia deltophylla, Strawberry begonia and hardy cyclamens. Of course epimediums and cardamine also look good. Gary advised that Marietta O’Byrne, of Eugene, Oregon interplants her prize winners with large sun lovers like Rudbekia, Asters and daisies for all season colour. Let your clump increase for five to seven years and then look for a small off shoot at the edge. That is what you can cut off and replant. Do not do a shovel split as with day lillies. Hellebores will sulk. Some varieties are hardy to zone three in protected areas, but not all. If you are interested in lower than zone 5 tolerance, you will have to ask specifically about the plant variety you are considering . We enjoyed the enthusiastic presentation as always. Happy Hellebores everyone. |
