April 2021 Garden Path

A Publication of the Garden Club of Houston, established 1924

April 2021

Along The Path “I have great faith in a seed.”

Henry David Thoreau As we head into April and warmer weather, I trust your gardens have been re-planted post freeze where needed and you nd time to relax and enjoy the bounty of Spring.

Although we had to cancel our Garden Walk and our Photography overnight trip to Galveston, we have a lot to look forward to in April.

Patty Porter and Katherine Stacy along with Lucy Barrow and Doris Heard have organized a conservation day trip to High Island and the Bolivar Flats for some bird watching!

And, after many months of preparation and pivoting, our Graf ti Flower Show is nally happening later this month. I know our Provisionals are well prepared to enter their Hort and Floral Design entries. Thank you in advance to all members who participated in this grand show!

I look forward to seeing some of you in person at the Show.

Julie

Garden Bouquets

Bouquets go to all our Communications Chairs, Katherine Lucke, Laura Kelsey, Alix Nakfoor, Susan Cravens, Elisabeth Millard and Melissa Rabalais, for being exible and continuing to provide our membership with important, up-to-date information.

Irises go to Carol Price, Meg Tapp, Nancy Keely and Margaret Pierce for helping with our Salute Zone IX Flower Show. Meg Tapp deserves awardwinning potted plants for both of her Hort Workshops!

Bunches of bouquets go to Liz Wozencraft, Gay Estes, Sara Ledbetter, Mundi Elam and Ingrid Kelly for their instruction and help with the Floral Designs workshops.

Finally, bunches of bouquets go to our Graf ti Chairs, Nancy Keely and Estelle Lozmack for their persistence and tenacity.

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The Garden Club of Houston presents a GCA Flower Show “Graffiti - Art in the City".

Located at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street: Once you enter the parking lot, Silver Street Studios are on the left, pull around the building and Door A , with a wood deck, is where our event takes place.

Graffiti is open to the public on April 27 from noon until 5pm and April 28 from 10am – 3pm.

For Horticulture Entry Cards please download from the GCA website, under committee pages, Flower Show, Entry cards. Or cut and paste the following link: https://www.gcamerica.org/members/flower-show#resourceid=3613 For all other divisions, please contact your division chairman.

Monday, April 26, 2021 8:00 am Set up begins and volunteers are needed. Please contact Susannah Wallace at susannahwallace@comcast.net. Photography, Botanical Arts and Needle Arts Chairmen to set up their divisions. Floral Design to have professional art installer.

1pm – 5pm Floral Design entries accepted and passed 1pm – 5pm Horticulture entries of accepted and passed Container grown plants must be entered at this time Volunteers needed in Horticulture, contact Meg Tapp at megtapp@hotmail.com 1pm - 5pm Horticulture Design entries accepted and passed only at this time

Tuesday, April 27, 2021 7am – 9am Floral Entries accepted and passed *subject to change* 7am – 9am Horticulture cut specimen entries only accepted and passed Volunteers needed in Horticulture, contact Meg Tapp 9:30am Judges and Clerks briefing 10am Judging 12pm – 5pm Show open to the public. Hostess shifts start: Volunteers needed contact Heather Firestone at heather@jbfco.com

Wednesday, April 28, 2021 9am Refreshing and maintenance of exhibits. Volunteers needed, contact Katherine Stacy at katplee@gmail.com 10am Show open to the public. Hostess shifts start; Volunteers needed contact Heather Firestone 3pm Show closes. Entries removed by exhibitors 3:30pm Staging to dismantle show. Volunteers needed, contact Susannah Wallace

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April General Meeting: Guest Speaker, Deborah Nevins Wednesday, April 14 9:30 am Virtual Meeting Deborah Nevins is the president of Deborah Nevins & Associates, the New York-based landscape design rm she founded over 25 years ago, and a partner in Nevins & Benito Landscape Architecture DPC. She has designed major public and private landscape projects throughout the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean, including two large residential projects in Houston. Her institutional work includes the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens, Greece, with Renzo Piano Building Workshop, a LEED Platinum site that includes a 40-acre public park and one of the largest green roofs in Europe. Deborah's work with DNA and NBLA on the expansion and redevelopment of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston—an expected LEED Silver site with new buildings by Steven Holl Architects—includes the master plan, new landscapes, and the renovation of Isamu Noguchi’s iconic Cullen Garden.

FLORAL DESIGN JUDGES’ CRITIQUE We are moving the Judges’ Critique to Thursday, April 8th beginning at 10am at Liz Wozencraft’s house: 11311 Piney Point Circle. This is by appointment only. You must text (713-252-3720) or email (lizwoz@att.net) Liz to sign up. Spots will be in thirty minute windows, beginning at 10am and ending around 3pm.

Judges’ Critique information: This is a unique opportunity for those who are entered in the Floral Design classes to bring their mostly completed designs to have GCA oral design judges evaluate them. They will offer insights and critiques for you and because it will be almost three weeks before the show, you will have time to make any necessary adjustments. This can also help ease any nerves for those entering!!!

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Stephanie Shanks received the Dorothy Vietor Munger Award and won rst place Floral Design class 2 for her Salute to Streamline Moderne design (pictured here).

The Munger Award is given to a design of outstanding creative beauty using predominantly fresh plant material.

Gail Hendryx and Gay Estes received prestigious Zone IX Awards at the Salute Flower Show. Gail received the Alice K. Stout Mentoring Award and Gay received the Zone Judging Award, for outstanding achievement in the eld of judging. Because the Zone IX Meeting was cancelled in 2020, those awards, including Gail’s,were presented in 2021.

In Horticulture, First Place Awards were given to Nancy Keely for her Variegated Aspidistra, to Margaret Pierce for her carrot, and to Meg Tapp for her tomato. Meg Tapp also won the Rosie Jones Horticulture Award for her tomato. The Rosie Jones is awarded for an entry of exceptional visual appeal that re ects the spirit of growing with joy and enthusiasm and inspires others to propagate, grow, show and share horticulture.

Sue White and Alice Thomas were recognized for receiving the “Medal of Merit” for GCH in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Every member should have received an email inviting them to register for Springtide a few weeks ago.

If for some reason you haven’t and you wish to sign up, please go to the GCA website, log on and register.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO GCH AWARD WINNERS!

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Conservation Update

By Patty Porter

NAL CONFERENCE The 2021 National Affairs and Legislation Conference was held February 23-25 via Zoom. The focus was Climate Change Solutions and GCA advocacy of various bills that would implement these solutions. Many of the proposals were natural solutions such as better agricultural practices to improve soil and restoration and protection of coastal, forest and other areas on land and in the ocean. Other proposed solutions included improved technology and increased renewable energy.

One takeaway was a proposal to set aside on a national and global basis 30% of the land and 30% of the oceans by 2030 to allow renewal and restoration. Another proposal was to reduce carbon emissions to “Net Zero” by 2050 through these various solutions. While the title referred to climate change, many of the proposals involved reducing air, land and water pollution. Please go to the NAL tab on the GCA website under the committees heading. There is an overwhelming amount of great information, including a “What We’re Watching” sheet that gives brief summaries of proposed legislation of interest to the GCA. Thanks to Cabrina Owsley who is taking the lead in advocating on behalf of The Garden Club of Houston in phone calls and communications with our elected representatives in Washington. Janna Webber of River Oaks Garden Club, our Zone IX Conservation Representative, is organizing all the Zone IX delegates in this endeavor.

APRIL FIELD TRIP TO GALVESTON FRIDAY, APRIL 9 The eld trip to Galveston will be a one day trip to the Houston Audubon sanctuaries on High Island and the shorebird sanctuary at Bolivar Flats. We will leave Houston in separate cars at 9 am to arrive by ferry at Bolivar Flats. We will bring picnic lunches to have when we arrive at High Island and will complete the guided portion of our tour by 2 pm (although people can stay later). We will be limited to 24 people and there will be a small fee of $8. Please RSVP on the website and to Patty Porter at porterbp@aol.com.

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GCH Project Update from Urban Harvest/Gregory Lincoln Education Center Gregory Lincoln Education Center is a K-8 HISD Magnet School for the arts, including culinary arts. It is located on Taft Street near downtown. Urban Harvest supports the school’s garden, which grows all kinds of vegetables, herbs and fruits. The school has an academic program that teaches the elementary school students all about gardening, and then, in the classroom, how to cook their harvest. It is an inspiring program that would bene t all children, but it is particularly meaningful at Gregory Lincoln since many of the students’ families have very limited resources and may otherwise not have any exposure to gardening.

As you might imagine, COVID has been a very challenging time for the program and students at GLEC. The silver lining is watching how teachers and administrators have scrambled to nd alternative ways of teaching and having experiential learning for children who are quarantining at home, and in this case, some of the GLEC Children are in shelters. Teachers are working tirelessly to come up with innovative ways to teach students in person and online all at the same time.

Last spring and summer the teachers and Urban Harvest made take home growing kits. The kits were large containers made out of a heavy felt-like material. They included dirt and seeds and small plants. Then the GLEC team made videos, demonstrating how to do the planting and then, the next step, how to make dishes with what they grew, like pesto sauce from basil. They were very cute and informative videos.

They are continuing that same program this semester with Spring grow kits with tomato transplants, green beans and basil seeds. They learned from the rst take home effort in the fall that the containers were too heavy and unwieldy, so they have downsized to a more portable size. They are planning a second kit this spring for at home herb growing.

One of the programs in non-COVID years was having public Dig it Days where anyone who wanted – families, neighbors, GCH members – were invited to come and help in the gardens. Public get togethers are not happening now, but they hope to arrange for some smaller groups to come help with speci c projects – like pruning in the orchard. A group of GCH Members was recently able to do just that. Not long after the big freeze, a group of volunteers helped to weed the garden and get things back in order and ready for the spring. Keep an eye out for an announcement about other opportunities to volunteer in the near future.

Left to right: Wendy Fatjo, Nellen Hawkins, Sally Hilliard, Meg Tapp, Doris Heard, Julie Grif n and Greta Zimmerman.

Missing from picture, Stephanie Willinger

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“Wild owers” Provisional Update by Greta Zimmerman Our 2020/2021 Wild owers, along with several of last year’s Pedal Pushers, watched with fascination as 4 mono-chromatic oral arrangements came to life at their February 24th Floral Design Workshop. Liz Wozencraft gathered award winning design pros: Ingrid Kelly and Mundi Elam to demonstrate the crafting together of the four separate arrangements, all using the Provisionals’ required glass mason jar. Each design was completed in twenty minutes or less.

Personal creative technique, oral scale, negative space and coordinating containers were just a few of the expert tips shared with our active audience. This was truly an eye popping workshop to get our girls ready for their Graf ti class competition. We will be showing off this talented group of novice designers this month at Silver Street Studio! Do NOT miss!

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GCH Tour of Glenwood Cemetary March 2

Thank you, Adele Bentsen, for the photos!

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What to do in Your Garden - April

By your Horticulture chairs, Carol and Heather

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Cut Back bulbs after the foliage dies and wilts – be careful with lilies (leave about 1/4th of foliage above bulb) and gladioli (leave a few leaves on the lower part of the stem). Plant amaryllis that spent the winter in pots.

Prune and fertilize camellias after blooming. A foliar spray of molasses and liquid seaweed (both about 1-2 oz/gallon) will add strength to the plant and help combat scale and other insects.

Buy cacti, succulents, or orchids you might want to enter in a future ower show. The one-year ownership date is generally April 1st, depending on when the show is scheduled.

Plant everything that you want to plant now, early in the month, before the full on heat of summer gets here.

Water before 9am or after 4pm and remember to avoid frequent short periods of water and opt for less frequent longer watering sessions to encourage strong roots Mulch to discourage weeds, to keep your soil cooler, and to conserve moisture.

Move your orchids outside to a shady spot and feed them. Re-pot them if necessary and them once a week.

Sow vegetable seeds for cantaloupe, watermelon, summer squash, and cucumber directly outside. Keep plants well mulched.

Keep your birdbath tidy and clean.

Consider giving your soil some attention. MicroLife Super Seaweed and Medina Soil Activator are both good organic choices and are easy to apply. Or…if you are really adventurous, you can order garden worms from Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm!

SAVE THE DATE

Bulb and Plant Mart will be returning to St. John the Divine October 14-16, 2021!

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“Spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm”

John Muir

While at your “Spring work” for the GCH needlepoint ornament collection, please keep in mind the earlier than usual finishing dates recommended by most of our favorite local shops.

Questions, comments? Kim Thomas - kjst1221@hotmail.com

Corresponding Secretary’s Report February 2021 Submitted by Sheila May eld

Letter of Condolence To Mary Lou Swift on the loss of her sister, Kathryn Sommer

Contact Update Cindy Fitch’s new address is 1107A Berthea St. 77006

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Deadline for May Garden Path

Thurs. 1

Graf ti Photography delivery deadline

Tue. 6

Rienzi Garden Subcommittee Meeting 9:15 a.m.

1406 Kirby Dr., 77019

Wed. 7

Garden Walk and Lunch Canceled

Wed. 7

Advisory Board Meeting 9:30 a.m.

Virtual Meeting

Thurs. 8

Floral Design Workshop Critique by Judges By appointment only Contact lizwoz@att.net 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Home of Liz Wozencraft 11311 Piney Point Circle, 77024

Fri. 9

Conservation Trip to Bolivar Peninsula Contact Patty Porter - porterbp@aol.com

Wed. 14

General Meeting 9:30 a.m.

Graf ti Setup All Day Show Set-Up Volunteers are Needed Please contact Susannah Wallace susannahwallace@comcast.net Or Meg Tapp megtapp@icloud.com Silver Street Studio 2000 Edwards Street, 77007

Tue. 27

Graf ti - Art in the City a GCA Flower Show 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Floral design entries accepted and passed; Hort cut specimens only accepted and passed 9:30 a.m. Judges and Clerks brie ng 10:00 a.m. Judging 12:00 noon - 5:00 p.m. Open to public Silver Street Studio 2000 Edwards Street, 77007

Wed. 28

Graf ti - Art in the City a GCA Flower Show 9:00 a.m. Refreshing and maintenance of exhibits 10:00 a.m. Open to public 3:00 p.m. Flower Show closes; entries removed by exhibitors 3:30 p.m. Staging to dismantle show; volunteers needed; contact Susannah Wallace susannahwallace@comcast.net Silver Street Studio 2000 Edwards Street, 77007

THE GARDEN CLUB OF HOUSTON EST 1924 4212 San Felipe, PMB 486 Houston, Texas 77027-2902 Member, Garden Club of America www.gchouston.org

Submissions to The Garden Path may be sent to Elisabeth Millard and Melissa Rabalais

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Mon. 26

Virtual Meeting

APRIL 2021

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