Hortensia Winter 2023

Important deadlines and changes

January 20 Smokey the Bear is Due

Judy Burton 1601 Downs Rd., Mount Olive, AL 35117 judyburton1601@yahoo.com Home: 205-631 -2895 Cell: 205-240-4617

Feb. 1 Club President’s Report due

Page 9-10 in Summer/Fall 2021 Hortensia, Send to District Director h p://gardenclubofalabama.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GCA-Club-Pres_Rpt-Winter-2020.pdf

WhenÊfillingÊoutÊtheÊaboveÊformÊitÊisÊgoodÊtoÊalsoÊapplyÊforÊtheÊ

Feb. 1 Club of Dis nc on award due Feb 1. Page 78 Summer/Fall 2021 Hortensia (page 2 is missing so please use link below) h p://gardenclubofalabama.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GCA-Club-Pres_-RptWinter-2020.pdf

Send to: Martha Wood, 26199 Co. Rd. 89, Mentone, AL 35984

March 1 Mary Hall Ward nomina ons due (page 84 in biennial issue) March 1 District III NGC Flower Show Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Changes:

Suzy Shepard’s (Chair of the Every Light a Prayer for Peace) correct email is: suzysgardenclub@yahoo.com

Awards 72-74 Christmas Lights and Holiday Houses Chair, Donna Blackwell 908 Magnolia Ave., Oneonta, AL 35121 donnaluvs2laff@gmail.com

Program Ideas: Linda Tucker 251-747-5767 lwhippersnapper@aol.com See page 58-59 of the Summer/Fall 2021 Hortensia for more information and a listing of programs

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT LAMAR MERRILL

Wow its 2023 Already!

Since the October Board Meeting, I have attended the National Board Meeting at the St. Louis, Missouri headquarters. The new leaders were announced for the upcoming term. Brenda Moore of West Virginia will be the new president. She likes antiques, so we got on great. She asked me to serve as the newly created position of National Chairman of Preservation of Historic Gardens throughout the country. Our clubs have held several flower shows, which reflects great activity. Karen and I attended the fantastic Oct. 15 flower show in Montgomery. A special thanks to Rose Winkler for escorting us around.

I attended all our District meetings, and it was especially gratifying to hear of all the great club projects which better their communities. It was great to hear that new members are coming into our clubs. I believe that we have at least three new clubs. Unfortunately, we have also lost a couple.

Many of our clubs placed Christmas decorations at historic sites. In Huntsville, in honor of those who have served our country so gallantly, wreaths were placed on veterans’ graves.

December was our moment to shine at the State Capitol Tree Lighting. Our first stop was the Governor’s Mansion for tea. The home was beautifully decorated, we heard lovely piano music by a club member, and we enjoyed the delicious food brought by District II and VI. I would like to thank them heartily. In the State Capitol, Karen and I took pictures with Governor Ivy and met several of our legislators. During the ceremony I was introduced, and our members provided heartwarming cheers. I spoke about the history of Tree Lighting. Governor Ivy spoke next and thanked the Garden Club of Alabama for originating this annual event. She personally thanked me, and the tree was lit. I want to thank all the clubs and districts for their participation in making and sending tree ornaments for the state Capitol tree. The Governor was delighted at how many were sent. Hope we can do this every year. A very special thanks to Suzy Shepherd for her hard work organizing this whole event. Sadly, she became ill and couldn’t attend. Thank you, Suzy!

It is now 2023 and we have a great year ahead. Kim Edgerton and Kathy Sudduth have been busy planning a great convention. I hope you all can attend at the beach. I plan on attending the State Convention, Deep South Convention in Louisiana, and the National Convention in West Virginia.

Lamar’s speech at the Alabama Capitol

Alabama has long been in the forefront of honoring our Veterans for their service to our country and preserving democracy. Raymond Weeks of Birmingham in 1945 had the idea to expand Armistice Day, which had been honoring those Veterans of World War I, to celebrate all Veterans including those from World War II. General Eisenhower supported his idea and in 1947 the first celebration was held and has continued to this day.

Only a few years after the end of WWII our young men were sent to fight in Korea. In 1950 a member of our garden club from Greenville, Alabama, Dorothy Parrish, wanted to do something to express our concern for those serving. So she came up with the idea of a ceremony called “Every Light A Prayer For Peace”. The ceremony was to have a Christmas tree covered in lights and that every light on the tree was to signify our honoring the soldiers who have served, are serving, or have given their lives in Service. With this a hope that peace would come.

The ceremony was held in Selma until 1968 when then Governor Albert Brewer asked permission to move it to the capitol steps in Montgomery, so that the whole state of Alabama could participate in honoring our Veterans and praying for peace. So as we gather here this evening we want to all honor those who have served our country in the military in some capacity or has given their life for our tranquility. Here every light on this beautiful tree will represent our eternal love of God and country and celebration of peace toward all mankind. This year Garden Clubs from throughout Alabama have sent large ornaments to be added to the tree. We hope you enjoy them, and we hope to add more in coming years. The Garden Club of Alabama is extremely proud to continue this tradition here at the Capitol the 72nd time and want to thank Governor Ivey for helping us continue this beautiful ceremony.

Floradora club members and their ornaments

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR CLUB PRESIDENTS

EachÊclubÊisÊaskedÊtoÊelectÊconventionÊdelegatesÊandÊalternates.ÊÊTheseÊdelegates,ÊalongÊwithÊtheÊcurrentÊBoard,ÊwillÊvoteÊforÊtheÊnewÊBoardÊandÊforÊanyÊ bylawÊchangesÊatÊtheÊConvention’sÊbusinessÊmeeting.ÊÊEachÊclubÊisÊentitledÊtoÊ oneÊdelegateÊforÊ25ÊorÊlessÊmembers,ÊandÊoneÊadditionalÊdelegateÊforÊeachÊ15Ê membersÊthereafterÊbutÊnotÊtoÊexceedÊ6Êdelegates.ÊÊTheÊnamesÊneedÊtoÊbeÊ sentÊnoÊlaterÊthanÊMarchÊ1,Ê2023Êto:

AnnÊDillman,ÊGCAÊConventionÊRegistrar 9513ÊHemlockÊDr.ÊS.E. Huntsville,ÊALÊ35803 256-883-7909 al1ann2@aol.com

ForÊproceduralÊquestions:ÊÊTreceÊChancellor,ÊBy-LawsÊChair 706-888-3204,ÊÊecert1@aol.com

TheÊdelegatesÊyouÊselectÊwillÊvoteÊonÊtheÊbelowÊnomineesÊorÊtheyÊcanÊnominateÊfromÊtheÊfloor.ÊÊ

President:ÊÊKathyÊSudduth

1stÊVP:ÊÊBrentÊWheeler 2ndÊVP:ÊÊLeighÊCassidy Treasurer:ÊÊBarbaraÊAnthony RecordingÊSecretary:ÊJaniceÊKnight ChairmanÊofÊFinance:ÊÊJudyÊManning

What is going on at the Convention?

Dolphin Cruise: Available every day (get your reserva on in soon!)

Tour: Ride through Gulf Shores State Park

Turtle Crawl and Nest Presenta on at the beach (extend your beach me if you wish)

Workshop: Succulent Globe Terrarium

Speakers:

Mark Acreman from the city of Gulf Shores on the city’s Sensory Garden

Tanner Hammond grows mushrooms and has kits for sale for you to grow them too!

Auburn professor Dr. Layne

Sara Johnson speaking about the Share the Beach Program

Papa Vince speaking about olive oil and Craine Creek Hydroponic Le uce

Chris na Woerner McInnis with a AgriTech Soil Kit tes ng presenta on

Linda Ennis Ikebana Design presenta on

Travis Langen– Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism and Sustainability

Featured

designer demonstra on by Claudia Bates

This form is also downloadable from the GCA website:

h p://gardenclubofalabama.org/calendarandevents/conven on/

Convention,ÊSpringÊBreakÊGardenÊClubÊStyleÊbeingÊheldÊatÊtheÊOrangeÊBeachÊ EventÊCenterÊÊMonday,ÊAprilÊ10-Wednesday,ÊAprilÊ12,Ê2023. TheÊSpringhillÊ SuitesÊisÊofferingÊusÊaÊreducedÊrateÊincludingÊfreeÊbreakfastÊandÊparkingÊforÊ $149ÊKingÊroomÊorÊ$169ÊforÊDoubleÊQueensÊwithÊbalcony. ThisÊhotelÊisÊrightÊ nextÊtoÊtheÊeventÊcenter.ÊPleaseÊbookÊearlyÊbeforeÊthisÊpriceÊisÊgone! YouÊcanÊ cancelÊupÊtoÊ72ÊhoursÊpriorÊwithÊaÊcreditÊcardÊandÊyouÊwon’tÊbeÊchargedÊupfront.Ê HereÊisÊtheÊlink: https://www.marriott.com/events/start.mi?id=1651779962003&key=GRP YouÊcanÊalsoÊcallÊ877.590.8185ÊandÊrequestÊtheÊrateÊforÊtheÊGardenÊClubÊofÊ Alabama.

TheÊWharfÊRentalÊManagementÊdirectlyÊonÊtheÊIntercoastalÊWaterwayÊhasÊbeautifulÊcondominiumsÊavailableÊatÊspecialÊratesÊforÊlimitedÊtimeÊasÊwell! GreatÊoptionÊonlyÊ4ÊminuteÊwalkÊfromÊOrangeÊBeachÊEventÊCenter. ThisÊisÊaÊterrificÊwayÊ toÊbringÊtheÊfamilyÊorÊgroupsÊofÊfriendsÊtoÊenjoyÊevenÊmoreÊtheÊareaÊhasÊtoÊoffer!Ê PleaseÊcallÊ866-864-0937ÊforÊrateÊoptions.ÊÊForÊmoreÊinformationÊtoÊÊandÊviewÊ photosÊgoÊtoÊtheirÊwebsite.Êwww.wharfcondos.com KimÊEdgerton,Ê 2023ÊConventionÊChair, kimbilledge@yahoo.com 574-210-9350

The Garden Club of Alabama, Inc. “

In a State Where Gardens Grow, God Walks”

Dear Convention Sponsor,

The Garden Club of Alabama, Inc. has been in existence since April 28, 1932, when 71 delegates from 50 Alabama Garden Clubs met and organized the Alabama Federation of Garden Clubs. In 1954 we began giving scholarships to deserving students in Alabama. That year we gave one scholarship for $250. We now have 6 endowed scholarships and give almost $20,000 every year.

Our annual Convention is coming up on April 10-12, 2023, in Orange Beach, Alabama. This year we are seeking sponsorships from various businesses, organizations, and people to help defray the cost of this event. We have set a goal of $5000, this money will be spent to put on the event. We can’t meet our goal without the help of people and businesses like yours. Would you consider making a donation to help sponsor our event? By giving to the Garden Club of Alabama you will help our club further Horticultural, Environmental, Landscape, and Floral Design education in Alabama. We will place your name or businesses’ name on our donor board and in our convention program. Our attendees come from all over Alabama. We hope that we can count on your support to make this year’s GCA convention memorable to all involved.

Please fill out the enclosed form and send it back or call Kathy Sudduth at 251-978-0661 and she will pick it up from you.

If you are interested in an ad for our Convention Program, those are available as well please call me and I will get you that information.

Thank you in advance for your support!

Sincerely,

Kathy Sudduth

1 nd Vice-President/Convention Co-Chair

Garden Club of Alabama Conven on Sponsor Form

Name

Level of Sponsorship

Pla num Plus - $1000 Dona on ______________________________

Pla num - $500 Dona on __________________________________

Diamond - $250 Dona on

Gold - $100 Dona on

Silver - $50 Dona on _________________________________

Bronze - $25 Dona on _________________________________

Mail to Kathy Sudduth, 33507 U S Highway 31, Spanish Fort, AL 36527. You can also contact me at 251-978-0661 or kathymsudduth@gmail.com if you have any ques ons. The Garden Club of Alabama, Inc. is a 501c nonprofit organiza on. Thank you again for your contribu on.

The Garden Club of Alabama,

“In a State Where Gardens Grow, God Walks”

The Garden Club of Alabama 2023 Convention Committee is selling ad space in their 2023 Convention Booklet.

Full Page - $125.00 Half Page - $75.00 Quarter Page - $50.00

Please mark which type of ad you would like to purchase.

______ Memorial – Please include person’s name, Club, City, and District. You can also include a picture of the person.

______ Regular Advertising – Size wanted and any artwork to be include.

Please make your check out to Garden Club of Alabama 2023 Convention with 2023 Convention Ad on the memo line. Send the checks to Kathy Sudduth at 33507 U S Highway 31, Spanish Fort, AL 36527. With your check, please send what you want the ad to say. You can also email any artwork to Kathy at 1stvicepresidentgca@gmail.com Please have your ad orders in by March 15.

Can you donate to our Ways and Means?

Our Ways and Means Co-chairs work relessly and a end all of our func ons and mee ngs. They are always looking for new material to sell.

If you or someone you know is downsizing, they would love to have floral pin frogs.

If you have jewelry that you no longer use, please consider dona ng it for sale at our April conven on. The proceeds will help cover conven on costs.

Bring your dona ons to the conven on in April or send them with a club member who is a ending.

Joyce Wiechmann, Susan Robbins

Alabama Coopera ve Extension Service

Online Gardening Class

January 22, 2023, is the registra on deadline for a new Alabama Extension training offering in home gardening! Garden-U is a new Extension home garden training that offers on-line research-based classes on topics such as lawn care, trees, shrubs, annual and perennial flowers, and vegetable gardening.

Garden-U registra on is available on-line. Register by Jan 22, 2022.

h ps://www.aces.edu/.../topics/lawn-garden/garden-u-course/

Tree Care

The trunk flare (or root flare) is where the trunk at ground level begins to widen, or flare as the roots spread. The flare should not be covered with mulch or soil. When a tree is planted too deep or the trunk is covered with Volcano mulching, where an excessive amount of mulch is piled up high around the trunk of the tree, destroys a tree’s natural growing pa ern as it covers the s flare. This creates two detrimental effects: fungal wood decay due to heat and moisture along the trunk and girdling roots which wrap around the trunk and choke the vascular system.

Girdling roots are also caused by improper plan ng when a tree is planted too deep. Girdling roots weaken a tree thus making it suscep ble to disease and insects. It can also weaken its ability to anchor itself, making it more suscep ble to uproo ng in a storm.

According to Clemson University: 93% of professionally planted trees are planted too deep 75% of nursery grown trees are planted too deep

Deep South Convention in New Orleans

This conven on is packed with great speakers. h ps://www.deepsouthgardenclubs.com/conven on

Dr. Todd Lasseigne , Execu ve Director of Bellingrath Gardens and past president and CEO of Tulsa Botanic Gardens. He has lectured across the US, Japan, South Korea, and Mexico.

Neal Sanders, author of 16 mysteries, most of which revolve around hor culture. He writes the popular blog ‘TheÊPrincipalÊUndergardener’.Ê

Paul Norman, third-genera o owner of Thibodeaux’s Floral Studio, draws from his background in architecture, film and theatrical ligh ng, fashion couture and floral arrangements for carnival organiza ons, conven ons and ArtÊ inÊBloomÊat the New Orleans Museum of Art.

Bonnie Sa erwaite, Southeast Territory Sales Manager for Espoma, is speaking about organic gardening. For the past 16 years she has taught classes about the benefits of organic gardening.

Peggy Mar n, a er which the PeggyÊMar nÊRoseÊis named, had a over 400 roses before hurricane Katrina . Her home and garden were decimated by two weeks of saltwater. Her rose survived. She is a member of six rose organiza ons and President of the New Orleans Rose Society.

Debbi Harrington is a NGC Master Judge, a member of OFAD, a NGC Four Star Recipient and American Daylily Society Judge. She will speak on Manipula ng and abstrac ng fresh plant material.

Anna Timmerman is a LSU hor culture agent. Since 2008 she has focused on edible flowers, urban agriculture for restaurants, na ve stormwater mi gaon, and historic garden restora on. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Horculture.

Dana Brown is a professional landscape architect. She authored a manual for stormwater management. She is a licensed trainer for the Na onal Green Infrastructure Cer fica on program.

Tri-Refresher Course at the Deep South Conven on

On March 8 the Deep South Conven on is offering a tour with 6 stops. Un l Feb. 1 the tour will give first preference to Landscape, Environmental, and Gardening council members. A er that the tour will open up to all club members.

Included is a boat swamp tour, two planta ons, Hopewell Gardens of Covington, a vineyards.

Do you know a club that would like to join our state and na onal organiza on. Our Membership chair can help.

Deborah Harris, 205-285-1480 hsamdeb@bellsouth.net 8979 Marsh Mountain Road, Pinson, Al 35126 h ps://gardenclub.org/start-club

TheÊbelowÊformÊisÊcurrentlyÊnotÊonÊtheÊGCAÊwebsiteÊasÊitÊisÊbeingÊrewri en.

Helpful hint for crea ng a publica on. There are two ways one can insert a PDF into a document.

Microso has a tool called Snip and Stretch which will place the image you want on your clipboard. The first step is to use the magnifying glass on the PDF page to adjust the size of the image to approximately the right size (it allows one to increase or decrease the size of the image.) Once on the clipboard, one can copy and paste. A er pas ng, the image can s ll be manipulated.

The second way is to use the snapshot op on at the top of the PDF reader and this works in a similar way.

Different PDF makers may have different icons.

Celebrate National Garden Week!

It’s that time of year again! National Garden Clubs, Inc., will be celebrating National Garden Week beginning next Sunday, June 6, and will continue through Saturday, June 12. This is a time to celebrate the projects clubs have done throughout the year; a time to inform others on the hard work our clubs pour into our communities; and a time to educate everyone else on the benefits of gardening, beautification and environmental awareness.

Gulf Shores delivered 96 poinsettias for The Haven and Meals on Wheels, they also decorated the historic SwiftColes house

The Garden Dale Club donated $250 to this local scholarship fund via their tree.

The November meeting of the Wedowee Garden Club was packed with a craft project, toy collection for community children, discussion of upcoming projects, and of course, good food!

The Red Bay Garden Club’s Community Memorial Tree. More than 200 names were placed on the tree.

The Fayette Garden Club worked with the City of Fayette, Fayette Extension Service and others to replace trees

Thank you to our patrons

Blossomwood Garden Club, District I who wishes all a Happy New Year!

Scattered Seeds Garden Club, District VI

In Honor of those members who are now gardening in heaven:

Essie Duncan Horton, Blossomwood Garden Club, Brownsboro, District I

Carolyn Jackson, Rose Garden Club, District II

Carolyn Jackson

Carolyn was the glue that held Rose Garden Club together. She kept us focused on weeding, watering, and dead heading roses in the club’s flower beds. She was auctioneer for our fund raiser and she kept us up to date on members illnesses and birthdays. She did all this with an infectious laugh! We love and miss you!

Rose Garden Club of Oneonta, District II

Memorials and Ads

Memorials and ads need to be sent in a timely manner. Unless you are requesting the free memorial listing, text and proper information must be included. Please do not ask the editor to compose your ad. The editor reserves the right to publish the Hortensia if your material is not ready when publishing time approaches.

How to send: email: gcahortensia@gmail.com or mail to Joey Skaff, 127 South Drive, Fairhope, AL 36532

1. Please identify yourself with your full name, your club, your phone number, and district.

2. Try to put it in a document format (not a PDF which is harder to edit.) Please remember our format is 4.25” wide by 5.5” high. Please send your photos in a jpeg format. This provides better clarity and gives the editor the ability to crop and edit them. Photos sent from IPhones are often blurry. Next Deadline: July 1 Free Memoriam listing with name, club, city and district

Full page=$135, 1/2 page= $75, 1/4 page $40 Patron listing $12.50 Make checks payable to: Garden Club of Alabama

ATTENTION

District Directors, Club Presidents, Members

We Need Your Help to make this publication informative and interesting.

What to Send:

1. Information about your projects, your outreach to the community, your speakers of interest, your flower shows. 2. Correct and up-to-date information on your members

3. Important dates for our calendar

4. Memorials now go directly to the editor (info below.) Please provide wording for the memorial. We cannot do this for you.

How to send: email: gcahortensia@gmail.com or mail to Joey Skaff, 127 South Drive, Fairhope,AL 36532

1. Please identify yourself with your full name, your club, your phone number, and district.

2. Try to put it in a document format as PDF’s are harder to work with. Please remember our format is 4.25” wide by 5.5” high.

3. If possible, send your rosters in an Excel format. If not, send it as a word document. Rosters need to be sent in a timely manner. We are updating our membership and if we do not have the proper information then your club or members will miss out on important information.

4. Please send your photos in a jpeg format. This provides better clarity and gives the editor the ability to crop and edit them. Photos sent from IPhones are sometimes blurry.