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Fall in Meridian Historic Village Gardens - The Brick House - Photo by Sue Wittick

The Meridian Gardener

October 2016 Volume Ten

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The Meridian Gardener

Newsletter of the Meridian Garden Club, Inc. Editor: Susan Kropschot

Member of Michigan Garden Clubs, Inc., Central Region Garden Clubs and National Garden Clubs, Inc.

October 2016 Volume TenWebsite - meridiangardenclub.weebly.com

Monthly Meeting October 17, 2016

Meridian Township Municipal Building

5151 Marsh Road

Okemos, Mi 48864

Closing the Village Gardens

Agenda

9:00 Business Meeting

10:20 Rededication of the Blue Star memorial

10:45 Plant It Pink Garden - Groundbreaking

11:00 Members report to assigned gardens

(Please bring your garden tools and a sack

lunch).

Morning snacks and beverages will be provided by the

hostesses.

Hostesses: Jodie Sz and Linda Mogyoros

Flower Power (8 am): Cindy Chalou, Kris BeLonge

Environmental Moment: Dottie Thomas

Horticulture Moment: Cindy Chalou

Don't Forget the Warm Up Exercises! Georgia Styka

A good idea to think back to what we learned working with

the physical therapists at our April meeting. Warm Up!

Facebook - www.facebook.com/meridiangardenclub

President’s Column

We started off the year last month with a terrific speaker,

turnout, and meeting - and four new members! Do try to

give them a personal welcome. This month is our

traditional time to “Close the Village Gardens.” It is a work

meeting with seated jobs as well - potting up divided

perennials. However, we have also scheduled two other

important but brief events. Please see the amended

meeting schedule for the timing which will have to be more

precise than usual.

A rededication of our Blue Star Memorial and the

groundbreaking for the new “Plant It Pink” (PIP) Garden will

take place before we go to work in the gardens. There are

excellent articles in this newsletter giving all the details for

these two events. Note we are being asked to wear pink

for PIP, and also to bring 1/2 gal. clean pots for the potting

of plants. You might like to bring a sack lunch if you work

in the gardens very long.

You surely have noticed that there are usually several sign-

up sheets at meetings for various important events or

other matters. Please don’t overlook them. One will

always be an attendance check off which you can do when

you pick up your name tag. This month you will also find

a sign-up for the creative activity for the November

meeting which will require a $5 fee. This covers the cost

of the provided material needed for creating your very own

Gingerbread House for the holidays. This is a first for us -

it should be lots of fun. If you do not think you can use

one, plan to donate it. We have some ideas for that.

See you soon.

Madeline

Why You Should Let Your Garden Go to

Seed From Houzz enewsletter -

Contributor. Margaret Oakley Otto - shared by Peggy Bryson

Take a moment to

appreciate spent flower stalks in your late-summer garden

and the benefits they provide. Click here.

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District IIB Designers 2016/2017 Educational

Workshops DeWitt Millennium GC, Grand Ledge GC, GC Greater Lansing, Howell GC Meridian

GC, Williamston Red Cedar GC All Clubs in District IIB are welcome to

attend.

Example: Underwater Design

To be held at the DeWitt Fire Station, 911 W. Main Street,

DeWitt, MI 48820 . Please RSVP to Kathi Dominguez - 517-

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Bring: Handbook for Flower Shows – revised 2007

Each workshop has a project theme, bring all

supplies needed to participate. Thank you.

Important dates:

December 6, 2016 – Holiday Show – District IIB –

Okemos Holiday Inn

March 16-19, 2017 – District IIB Flower Show –theme:

“Patchwork” - MSU Pavilion

July 19, 2017 - Kick-off Meeting for 2017 District IIB

Flower Show – 10:00-12:00 noon - Workshop; 12:00-1:00

- Lunch; Followed by the Flower Show Schedule

Planning Meeting 1:00-4:00 pm – DeWitt Fire Station

May 9-11, 2017, Flower Show School – Course IV –

Midland

Workshop Projects:

Wednesday – October 19, 2016 “Let’s Take Off”

10:00-12:00 noon – Howell GC and GCGL – Refreshments;

DeWitt - coffee

Project: Spatial Thrust Design – Handbook pages 208-209

A Creative Design in which two parallel placements (lines)

of like materials are used to define a volume of vacant

space, creating a feeling of thrust. Handbook refers to as:

“parallelism.” We will also discuss staging for Dec 6th

Holiday Show.

Wednesday – February 22, 2017 “Winter Blues”

10:00-12:00 noon – Meridian GC – Refreshments; DeWitt -

coffee

Project: Sculpture Form Design – Handbook page 208

A Creative Design featuring a three-dimensional sculptural

form.

Wednesday, April 26, 2017 “Hold Your Breath”

10:00-12:00 noon – Williamston Red Cedar Refreshments;

DeWitt - coffee

Project: Underwater Design – Handbook page 212

A Creative Design having component/s, including some or

all plant material, submerged in water to create interest.

Those components underwater must contribute artistically

to the overall design and not merely be stems and/or

mechanics.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017 No Design Project – Discuss

and Learn “What do I do with this?”

(continued)

10:00-12:00 noon – DeWitt & Grand Ledge Refreshments;

DeWitt – coffee; followed by Potluck Lunch

and 2018 Flower Show Schedule Meeting.

Project: Bring problem containers, mechanics,

components, accessories, etc. We will discuss and

together offer suggestions, alternatives, for that hard to

incorporate item. Handbook pages 151-158

Wednesday, October 18, 2017 “I’ve Been Found”

10:00-12:00 noon – Howell GC and GCGL – Refreshments;

DeWitt - coffee

Project: Assemblage –Handbook pages 197

A three-dimensional Abstract Creative Design, consisting

of a combination of “found”, disparate objects and plant

material.

Back Door Gardener Fall News Patty Cotter

September 21, 2016 - Back Door Gardeners and Haslett

Community Church youth group shown harvesting the

back door and picket fence gardens. We donated carrots,

beets, turnips, potatoes and acorn squash to the Haslett

Food Bank.

Free Plant Available Kris BeLonge

Kate Midthun - her phone number is

xxxxxxxx and her address is xxxxxxxxx

Street in Lansing, has a Majestic Palm

which she is offering free to the first

caller. The plant is 5 foot tall and sits

within a 5 gallon pot.

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New Members

Jo-anne Tuttle (Gary) (xxxx)

xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

Gardening Interests - Composting, Floral Design,

Horticulture, Landscape Design, Soil Improvement,

Dahlias,

Skills - Community Building, Computer Skills - Word

and PowerPoint, Leadership/Team Building, Public

Speaking, Sales.

Interested in working on: Backdoor Gardeners, Group

Trips, Plant It Pink, Social Activities, Fundraising,

Youth Education, Floral Design.

Learned about: All the beautiful work this group does

for the community through signage.

Elaine High (Rick) xxxx)

xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

Gardening Interests: Composting, Environmental

Preservation

Herbs, House Plants, Organic Gardening,

Interested in working on: Back Door Gardeners, Plant Sale,

Group Trips, Flower Pressing,

Learned about: From Friends

More New Members

Diane Robinson (xxxx)

xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

Gardening Interests: Garden Crafts, Herbs, Landscape

Design

Interested in working on: Group Trips, Plant It Pink,

Learned about: From Patty Cotter

Julie Turner xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

xxxx

Gardening Interests: Photography, House Plants

Organic Gardening, Writing/Proofing/Editing

Hanging Tomato Baskets Jodie Szalankiewicz

If you bought a tomato plant in a hanging basket at the

plant sale in May, please bring the

empty basket with you to the

October meeting so Jodie can reuse

them. Don't worry about cleaning

them, she'll be cleaning and

sanitizing them prior to their reuse.

This will help defray her costs for

next year.

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Panera Fund Raiser Huge Success

Madeline Masterson

On September 27, many members and their friends and

families had a fun, social time patronizing the Okemos

Panera's during a fund raiser for the Meridian Garden Club.

The restaurant counted 67 flyers turned in which allowed

us the maximum percentage of 20% of the money spent.

The total spent was $1003.98 and the amount raised for

the club is $200.78! Thanks to all who participated in this

event.

WEAR PINK TO THE OCTOBER MEETING!

Sue Nieland

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and on Monday

October 17th, the Meridian Garden Club will break ground

in the Meridian Historical Village for a “Plant It Pink Garden”

to promote breast cancer awareness and to provide a

healing and meditative space for the survivors of breast

cancer, their families and the Meridian Township

community. The concept behind this effort is that

awareness and funding are critical to ending breast cancer.

National Garden Clubs, Inc. (NGC) is promoting this activity

to their clubs all over the country. Clubs are being urged to

plant pink gardens in public landscapes and partner with

community groups to “help create hope for a breast

cancer-free world”.

The Plant It Pink Garden is part of the new Meridian

Township Master Plan and has been configured as a 720

sq. foot respite situated east of the promenade and

overlooking the pond in the Meridian Historical Village. The

garden will feature an organically arranged mix of trees,

flowering shrubs and plants in various shades of pink

chosen to provide color, texture and scent during the

spring, summer and fall. The plan also includes plantings

that provide structure and dramatic visual interest during

the winter months.

Corporate sponsorship to date has been provided by

Meijer, Walmart, H&H Mobil, and Young Brothers & Daley.

We will sell 10 $100 Meijer gift certificates at the meeting.

They are available from our treasurer, Peggy Bryson if you

would like to purchase one. Fundraising for this project is

ongoing. You may make tax-deductible donations to this

project at by clicking

http://meridiangardenclub.weebly.com/donations.html

2016 Newsletter Deadlines

Month Articles Due Print Date

November November 9 November 12

December December 7 December 10

October and November Birthdays

Kathy Rhodes October 2

Bev Johnson October 10 Sue Wittick October 14

Peggy Hartmann October 24 Mary Ballard October 27 Patty Cotter November 1

Lorrie Dyal November 12 Miriam Minshall November 28

JoEllyn Roe November 28

Blue Star Rededication Jean Goetz

We will be having a short rededication ceremony after our

business meeting on October 17th

at our Blue Star

memorial outside the meeting area. We are doing this to

acquaint our many new members with the Blue Star

project. We also want to honor veterans, including Sharon

Hudson a former club member who died in 2013, and Paul

Cassidy who worked for the township and has a memorial

plaque in the Blue Star Garden.

If you have a son /daughter or close family member

currently in the armed forces, please let Jean know so they

can be mentioned. Also, please phone if you would like a

role in the rededication ceremony at xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

xxxxxxxxxx.

Sad News

It is with heavy hearts that we report that Sue

Wittick's son, Kevin, died on October 3rd in Nicaragua

at the age of 46. We wish to send Sue and her family

our heartfelt condolences. Please honor Sue's request

for private family time as they cope with their loss

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Spring Plant Sale 2017 Jean Goetz

Now is a good time to pot some plants in your garden for

our May 19th

Spring Plant Sale. You can overwinter them in

their pots in the garden. Be sure the pot is buried an inch

below ground with dirt and leaves on top, and be sure you

include their roots! Hopefully, they will get an early start in

the spring. You can clean up the pots, add a coffee filter, a

little fresh potting soil, and labels then. Of course, you

could just ID plants with a popsicle stick now and do the

potting in the Spring!

We will be potting up extra plants from our village gardens

at our club meeting/ clean-up day on October 17th

. Please

bring extra half gallon pots to donate if you have them.

Members unable to dig in the gardens can volunteer to pot

and label plants at a picnic table near the farmhouse

garden.

Debbie xxxxxxxx) and Jean (xxxxxxxx) cell (xxxxxxx-

xxxx) are co-chairing the 2017 plant sale. We extend a

special invitation to new members who would consider

shadowing us as we plan ahead. We would like to have

coffee and share guidelines in the loose leaf binder/ plan

book with you.

More specific plans and the sign-up for volunteers will be

requested during a winter meeting. This is our major,

yearly fund raiser, and we ask everyone to contribute

plants and work a shift on sale day.

James Dyal's Memorial Service Mary Lou Hatfield

Lorrie Dyal was a former president of the Meridian Garden

Club from 2000 to 2002 and a member for many years.

We have learned that her husband, James Oliver Dyal,

passed away Thursday, September 29. Burcham Hills

Center will host a memorial service for him in the lower

level and it will be held on Saturday October 15, at 11

am. We are sure that Lorrie would welcome a card or e-

mail or seeing you at the service.

Mrs. Lorrie Dyal

2700 Burcham Drive

East Lansing, Mi 48823

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pressed Flower Workshop Kris BeLonge

Now is the time to gather those lovely colorful Fall leaves!

The Japanese Maple leaves are stunning in framed art.

Any remaining flowers in your garden press well in old

phone books weighted with a rock or brick and can be

placed in a dry room for about 2 weeks.

A workshop will be held from 9:30 am to 12:00 noon on

November 15 in the Meridian Township Meeting room.

This allows members a time to visit and create at the same

time. Supplies will be provided. If you would like to

bring your own small scissors or additional pressed

material that would be great. If you are new to this

activity, come and learn how; it's satisfying and fun!

Our club has been successful in raising funds selling the

pressed flower art at the Meridian Mall, in the General

Store in the Historical Village and at District Meetings.

Michigan Garden Clubs Area IIB Annual Fall Meeting

Thursday, Oct, 13, 2016 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Registration, refreshments and vendors 8 to 9 AM

Location

Crystal Gardens Banquet Center

5768 East Grand River Ave.

Howell, MI 48843

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Educational Opportunities - Save the Dates

Environmental Studies School, Course I Location – First Reformed Church, 630 State Street,

Holland, Michigan

Date October 17 & 18, 2016

Registration

Landscape Design School – Course I

Monday, October 24 and Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Hosted by Landscapers and Petal Pushers in District III

Registration

2017 District IIB Standard Flower Show

Show chair Lois Snover Hanson says to be looking for the Flower

Show Schedules that will be distributed at the Inter-City and Fall

District IIB Meetings for the March 2017 District IIB Standard

Flower Show "Patchwork".

Pick up your Schedule and tell a class consultant what you would

like to enter - Horticulture, Design, or Artistic Craft. Your choice!

Watch for further information.

Dates to Remember

October 13 Fall District IIB Meeting

Howell

October 19 District IIB Design Guild Meeting

DeWitt Fire Station

October 27 Garden Clubs of Mid Michigan Meeting

December 6 "Winter Wonderland" Flower Show

Save the Date!

National Garden Club 2017 Convention

May 16-21 - Richmond, VA

Do You Like to Take Pictures?

Seeking members who like to take pictures with their phones,

pads, or camera. Please share your efforts with other members

while maintaining our on-line photo archive of club events.

Contact Sue Wittick to volunteer xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx or (xxx-

xxxx).

see attached schedule

You can work with your child, grandchild, niece, nephew or

neighbor to prepare an entry. Ribbons will be awarded. Also

or designs. Pick up enter your horticulture

a schedule at our October meeting, or

find it on the Meridian Garden Club website

or attached to this mailing

Join us for the fun and cookies!

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Holiday Inn Express

2209 University Park Drive

Okemos, Michigan

MSU Horticulture Gardens The Curious Gardener

The MSU Horticulture Gardens’ staff offers exciting educational opportunities for homeowners each Spring and Fall. Join us for one (or more) of this season’s classes! Members of the MSU Horticulture Gardens receive a discount on all workshops. For more information on becoming a member, please visit here.

Registration Fall Wreath Holiday Porch Pot

To register online, go to http://hrt.msu.edu/cg-register

Location B109 Plant and Soil Sciences Building 1066 Bogue St. East Lansing, MI 48824

Make Your Garden a Haven for Backyard Birds

Create a bird-friendly habitat in your yard with food, water and shelter Lauren Dunec Hoang -Houzz enewsletter

Click here for further information