Karen's Photos from St. John

There's nothing like a winter get away to "the islands". We are greeted not only with blue skies, warm breezes but also a feast for the eyes of wonderful tropical flowers. Karen Carriera has returned from St. John with these wonderful pictures to share.
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Christchurch, New Zealand - Festival of FLowers

These photos were taken by Bert Turner at the Cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand at their "Festival of Flowers" week.

Note the center aisle from entrance to altar area paved with flowers. Side aisles features the arrangements. Costume for the parade were done by Jenny Gillies, Costume & Fabric, Cosume & Fabric Designer. Fabulous! Her website is http://www.jennygillies.com/ - to see more as we, the audience, were not allowed to photograph them. I snuck in one.

By Bert Turner, MGC

Reminder - you can click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Sound & Country Article

The Mystic Garden Club Plant Sale at the Mystic & Noank Library was featured in the Spring issue of Sound and Country. If you missed the article click here to read it.

Upcoming Local Plant Sales

Gardeners are always looking for new plants for their gardens. Buying plants from local clubs and growers is always desirable. Here are the dates for some Local Plant Sales.
Ledyard Garden Club
May 10th, from 8:30 am to noon, rain or shine,
at the Ledyard Congregational Church. More information,
phone Sue Anderson at 860-464-7740.
Duck River Garden Club
May 9, from 3-7pm and May 10, from 9am to 1pm.
In front of the Old Lyme Shopping Center.
More information phone Doreen Thomas at 860-434-7740.
Connecticut College Arboretum
May 9, from 11:30 to 2:30 at the Crozier Williams College Center and May 10, from 10 to 2pm, at the Connecticut College Green.
For Directions and more information go to www.conncoll.edu/ccrec/greennet/arbo/
Friends of Harkness
May 9 and May 10, from 9am to 4pm rain or shine
at Harkness Memorial State Park, Waterford.
Garden Market Fair
Wilcox Park, Westerly, RI
Sunday, May 18 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Over 100 vendors
Please call (401) 596 - 2877 for more information.

MGC April Activities

Barbara Rousseau is organizing a trip to Logees Greenhouses in Danielson, CT on Friday, April 11th. People are to meet at Go Fish at 9 AM to drive together. Visit their website http://www.logees.com/ to see what they have to offer.

The daffodils are coming up and we will be bringing our specimens to the April Meeting. You should choose your specimen carefully. It is best to choose a daffodil that is not yet open. Color must be showing before you cut it or it will never open. Cut the daffoldil near the base but not below the ground. Using a pen write the name of the daffodil on the stem and place in very hot water. This will encourage it to open over night. You should bring your daffodil to the church on Monday, April 21 between 3 and 5 PM or 6:30 to 8 PM.

Going Green with fewer Catalogs

If you are overwhelmed with catalogs and hate to have all that paper wasted you can visit www.catalogchoice.org to choose which catalog mailing lists you'd like to be removed from.

Our Website is now at www.MysticGardenClub.org

We have a new location for our website - it is at www.mysticgardenclub.org Be sure to visit often.

Hawaiian Flowers

We have been coming to Hawaii for the past 5 winters. I am always so impressed with the flora and fauna here. There are several botanical gardens "up country" which means part way up the side of the volcano. The elevation assures more moisture and a slightly cooler climate than at sea level. I am always struck by the very vivid colors of the plants here. By comparison our flowers seem soft and pastel while here in Hawaii everything is large and bright and vivid.
The first year we visited the Enchanting Floral Gardens they were full of abundant blooms. There were little signs identifying the hundreds and hundreds of varieties of plants. It was obviously the life's work of someone very dedicated. Unfortunately it was somewhat over grown but still very charming and lush. Each year we have visited it has become more and more overgrown and some things have been sheared back without any real thought to the pruning. As a result our visit this year was very disappointing. Things are overgrown but no longer blooming profusely. They look tired and strangled.

Most hotels and condos have wonderfully manicured lawns and plantings in Hawaii. There are gardeners working constantly to keep things under control. Hibiscus and bougainvillea grow as profuse hedges. Orchids grow in large pots in lobbies everywhere.








I've taken some of my favorite flower photos from our visits here and put them in a slide show. I hope you enjoy it. You will recognize many flowers we use as annuals and plants that we use as house plants.

Bluebird Workshop with the Bluebird Lady

Bluebird Workshop with the Bluebird Lady

The Denison Pequotsepos Nature

Sunday, February 24, 3 - 5 p.m.

Led by Bet Zimmerman

Members $8 Non-Members $10

Ever wonder how to get Bluebirds to come to your backyard? Come to this wonderful bluebird workshop to find out from the Bluebird Lady!

Bet Zimmerman knows bluebirds. During this slide presentation, learn what to do and what NOT to do to attract bluebirds and help them survive and flourish from someone who has studied their behaviors and nesting habits for over 20 years. During mid-late winter, bluebirds are staking out their homes for the coming spring, so this is the ideal time to develop a plan for bringing bluebirds into your yard and garden.

Call 536-1216 for more information and to sign up. Click here for more info

The Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center is a non-profit environmental education center and museum located at 109 Pequotsepos Rd. in Mystic.

DPNC and its adjacent properties comprise over 300 acres of preserved woodlands, wetlands, and hiking trails.

For more information, call 860-536-1216 or visit http://www.dpnc.org/

SECT Garden Club Meeting

Arija and Betty O’Donnell attended the SECT Garden Club Meeting
at the Waterford Public Library and found it to be worthwhile.

Topics of Interest:

• The Spring Symposium of the Hardy Plant Society, to be held March 1st at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 371 Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield. 10 am. Exciting ornamentals for the New Season especially suitable to Connecticut gardens is a topic.
• Most clubs support F.R.E.S.H., and Habitat for Humanity. The latter needs gardening tools. If members of the club, or another source has implements for donation, contact: Wendy Kelleher 572-0441.
• Bar codes in grocery stores include a scan number. #8 indicates a product has been genetically engineered. #9 indicates a product has been organically grown.