The Garden Path, March 2022

The Garden Path A Publication of the Garden Club of Houston, established 1924

March 2022

Along The Path Spring is here, and I love it! I think it is my favorite time of year here: St. Patrick’s Day, our GCH Garden Walk, Lent, the Rodeo, Azalea Trail at Rienzi, the tennis matches, plus It’s a magical time in the garden!

We’ve got lots on our calendar and please remember to always check the Calendar on our Website for any changes or updates to our events. For example, our April General Meeting has a venue change, so you will want to go to the calendar to make note of that.

Please pay attention to this important information about this year’s Garden Walk: Susanne Pritchard is generously and graciously hosting us in her garden; this will be a nice time for us to enjoy the fresh spring air and have boxed lunches together. In years past this has been an event that was open for bringing friends and neighbors – this year it’ll be for GCH Members exclusively and we will need to know that you are planning to attend so that you’ll have a boxed lunch waiting for you. It is very important that you go to the calendar on our website and sign yourself up to attend. The date is Friday, March 25. Elisa Pye and Christine Williams are the Chairs of this event, so please get with them if you have questions.

Thanks to Susan Miclette for hosting the Advisory Board. We met at her beautiful home in February and got right down to business and discussed and approved next year’s budget and the CCC report.

Thanks to Ruthie Kelly (Finance), Nancy Wilson Kelley (CCC), and Catherine Randall (Admissions) and to everyone on those Committees for all their work over the fall/winter - nicely done! Susan Cravens and Mary Jornayvaz delivered another fabulous outing for us in February: a morning at Enchanted Gardens in Richmond and lunch and shopping in downtown Rosenberg afterward. Be sure to sign up for their next offering: March 30 to Shangri La Botanic Garden in Orange, TX followed by a visit to the ower show in Beaumont – all on The Vonlane!

We’ve got an outdoors workshop for Horticulture on Monday, the 7th (10 am to 11:30) at my house with Dany Millikin, from Houston Botanic Garden. This is for all skill levels, and no equipment is necessary. Sign up to spend a morning with friends in the garden.

For March’s General Meeting, we are back at St. Martin’s (9:30 am sharp) on the 9th! See you there.

Happy Spring,

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March General Meeting Ready to learn some tricks to catch the spring awakenings on lm? Join us at our March General Meeting featuring photographer Margaret Reckling, author of Woody Creek: Views from a Homestead. We will again meet at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church at 717 Sage Road in the Bagby Parish Hall C on Wednesday, March 9. Light bites and coffee will be served starting at 9 am with the meeting starting promptly at 9:30 am.

BIOGRAPHY Margaret Wilson Reckling was born in Beaumont, Texas and grew up in Houston, Texas. A graduate of the University of Texas, she is a published poet and an award-winning photographer. Her writing has been published in national magazines, and she is a former columnist for the Aspen Times newspaper. An avid outdoorswoman, her travels abroad often involve hiking, trekking, skiing and y- shing. Margaret’s wanderlust is also fueled by her passion for history and culture. Closer to home she searches for ancient pictographs and petroglyphs in remote places across the American West. In the last decade Margaret has managed and restored an original Colorado homestead ranch, an experience which has been a major inspiration for Woody Creek: Views from a Homestead.

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COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS COMMITTEE REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE PRESENTED AT MARCH GENERAL MEETING RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE VOTED ON AT APRIL GENERAL MEETING The nine members of the Community Contributions Committee (CCC) met in October and December, 2021 to evaluate our six existing projects and our twenty- ve outside grant requests.

To prepare for our rst meeting, the assigned CCC member spent considerable time investigating and studying one project. This member interviewed current and former GCH project chairs, professional staff when applicable and interested GCH members. In all cases the CCC member made a visit to the project site. Evaluation guidelines followed by the CCC included the procedures approved by the Board and General Membership (Procedures SECTION IV, pp 74-76 in our Green Book), the stated purpose of The Garden Club of America, the Articles of Incorporation, and the Grant Request Guidelines. A project is de ned as a commitment involving money and/or volunteers for longer than one year.

Current GCH Projects: Houston Hospice Garden Houston Museum of Natural Science Cockrell Butter y Center Museum of Fine Arts, Houston South lawn, & Alice Pratt Brown Garden Museum of Fine Arts, Houston – Rienzi Gardens, ower arrangements & Christmas decorations Pollinator Garden at Hogg Bird Sanctuary Pollinator garden Urban Harvest/Gregory Lincoln Education Center Garden & educational outreach The CCC recommends funding for all six GCH Projects, noting that based on the 2020-2021 CCC recommendation, GCH will phase out our support of the Pollinator Garden at Hogg Bird Sanctuary, eliminating it as a GCH project at the end of the 2024 GCH year.

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Outside Grant Requests: To prepare for the December meeting to review outside grant applications, each CCC member researched two or more grant requests. We received twenty- ve grant requests by our October 15, 2021 deadline. Again, a CCC member thoroughly studied each request with site visits, interviews, and research into the organization. The members evaluated each request thoroughly knowing the amount of monies requested far exceeded the available funds. After thoughtful consideration and discussion, the CCC recommended allocating a substantial amount of funds available to The GCH Major Gift Fund.

The CCC also recommends (full or partial) funding to the following organizations: Brookwood Community: Shipping racks for safe transportation of plants to offsite plant sales Buffalo Bayou Partnership: Great Small Trees path improvement and QR signage Galveston Bay Foundation: Plant materials and greenhouse supplies for educational programs God’s Garden: Funds to improve clay soil quality for planting new sections for garden Houston Arboretum & Nature Center: Produce a “Field Notes Workbook” - printed and on social media Houston Audubon: To purchase items to preserve & display historical documents in Mrs. Moore’s cabin Houston Botanic Garden: Funds for enhancement and restoration of “Botanist Alley” Houston Habitat for Humanity: Funding for trails & plantings in Robins Landing development Houston Hospice: Replacement of many plants lost in the February 2021 unprecedented freeze Jersey Village High School: Soil purchase for use in native garden for Environmental Studies classes John Fairey Garden: Design, creation, and restoration of planting beds at garden entrance JoyRide Center: Sensory Garden for functional life skills classroom in their Preparatory Day program Katy Prairie Conservancy: Expansion of Native Plants Program in underserved populations in Houston Lawndale: Continue work of Symbiosis bringing together experts to inspire urban land conservation Main Street Ministries: Improvement in Community Garden including plants lost in 2021 freeze Parish School: Redevelop Certi ed Monarch Waystation to include raised beds and better access ProVision, Inc.: Purchase new ltration system and other supplies for 5 aquaponics-based greenhouses Hope Farms: Plants for pollinator and perennial gardens damaged in February 2021 freeze SJLI/Attucks Middle School: Funding for garden supplies & plants for underserved students Student Conservation Association: Support for summer conservation programs for underserved youths On January 24, 2022, the Finance Council con rmed that the recommended funds are available. On January 31, 2021, The GCH Board of Directors approved the CCC report. On February 2, 2021, The GCH Advisory Board approved the report.

The nine members of the CCC worked with enthusiasm, intellect, and purpose, giving most generously of their time to serve as good stewards of the trust given them by the members of The Garden Club of Houston. We are grateful for the opportunity to study the worthy projects and grant requests. If you have any questions, please contact me (Nancy Kelley) or any member of the committee. The website http:// www.gchouston.org/members-only/home contains a more detailed report. The full report will be emailed to GCH members as well.

Respectfully submitted, Nancy Kelley, CCC Chair and CCC members: Heather Firestone, Sally Giammalva, Ruthie Kelly, Susan Miclette, Kelli Mize, Eloise Novotny, Cabrina Owsley, and Margaret Pierce

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SUPER FUN! Horticulture Propagation Workshop: Air Layerings and Cuttings with Dany Milliken March 7, 2022 10:00 am – 11:30 am At the home of Meg Tapp, 3736 Tangley

Dany Millikin – is a plant health enthusiast who loves soil, soil biology, root anatomy and the way they all work together. He has served on the Memorial Park Conservancy staff, the Lead Horticulturalist for Hermann Park Conservancy, and operated an organic, edible-focused landscaping company. Daniel is a ninthgeneration Texan and due to his strong Texan heritage, is drawn to native Texas plants and conserving the natural setting.

Visiting Gardens The GCA Visiting Gardens Program is one of the perks of being a Member of a Garden Club of America. It allows any Member of any Club the opportunity to tour the private gardens of other Club’s members. I thought it might be fun to start a new venture in Houston - visiting each other’s gardens, here in Houston, within our very own Club!

Now that bulbs have been planted (and some are already blooming) and spring will be here before we know it, let’s share our beautiful bounty with each other.

Whenever you have blooms – bulbs, plants, trees, shrubs - or a special garden setting you would like everyone to see or even a special plant, simply contact me and I will get a notice out to The GCH Membership only.

No refreshments or any other special arrangements needed, just a willingness to open your garden one morning or afternoon for a couple of hours and allowing us to drop by for a viewing - unlock the garden gate, leave a sign where to enter, and we‘ll leisurely walk around admiring your hard work. Of course, if your “show” is in the front garden, it makes it easy. You do not have to be present, unless you like. Also, if you do not want photographs taken, please let me know.

Kingslea von Helms GCH Visiting Gardens Chairman kt1648@aol.com, 713-899-2128

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Shangri La Gardens and Beaumont Flower Show Vonlane coach to Orange, Texas and beautiful Shangri La Gardens with lunch and then a stop on the way home at the Beaumont Flower Show.

Sign up on GCH website-seats limited.

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Conservation Field trip to Sheldon Lake State Park Guided Tour This park is teeming with things to see, from birds to alligators, prairie grasses to wild owers, trees to aquatic plants, butter ies to grasshoppers. Bring binoculars to see details and cameras to capture memories. The 82-foot John Jacob Observation Tower features panoramic views of the park, the distant Houston skyline, and the San Jacinto Monument! The tower has two observation decks, one accessed by ramp and the other by stairs and elevator.

Friday, March 4th 10:00am Sheldon Lake State Park 14140 Garrett Road, Houston, 77044 Lunch following, at POST Houston Sign up on GCH website Click link for more information https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/sheldon-lake

HELP US IDENTIFY THESE RIENZI NEEDLEPOINT ORNAMENTS!

If you recognize either of these as an ornament you stitched, or if you know who did, please contact Kim Thomas kjst1221@hotmail.com

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! COLOR, our GCA Flower Show, is next month, April 21-22, at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. Volunteers are needed for set-up beginning Wednesday, April 20, at 8:00 am, and continuing throughout the day, as Horticulture and Floral Design entries are accepted Wednesday afternoon and early Thursday morning, April 21, until 9:00 am.

Judging begins at 10:00 am on Thursday, and our Cocktail Party is that evening from 6:00-8:00 pm (watch your email inbox and Quick Dirt for the electronic invitation; tickets are $115 per person and must be purchased in advance).

The show is open to the public for viewing on Thursday, April 21 from 12:00-4:00 pm and Friday, April 22, from 10:00 am-4:00 pm.

Please click on the Sign-Up Genius link to volunteer, as many, many volunteers are needed all three days. As a reminder, all Active members of GCH are required to contribute a minimum of four (4) hours to the Flower Show.

Donations also are needed for Hospitality.

Please venmo Liz Rotan, @Elizabeth-Rotan, to support Hospitality for the Show.

Questions: Contact Liz Wozencraft, COLOR Chair (lizwoz@att.net or 713-252-3720) or Renee Davis, COLOR Co-Chair (rdominguedavis@hotmail.com or 832-215-5766).

The full COLOR Show Schedule may be found on the GCH website.

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What to do in your Garden in March

by Nancy Keely and Laura Levenson

Plant Plant Plant Trees: Fruit, Shade, Ornaments, use a root stimulator every few weeks for the rst three months after planting.

Shrubs: Roses and Azaleas, use a root stimulator every few weeks for the rst three months after planting.

Perennials: Shasta daisy, rudbeckia, gaillardia, verbena, coreopsis, lantana, perennial salvias, bee balm, porterweed, mist ower, jatropha, skullcap, respike, shrimp plant, Persian shield, leopard plant, cat whiskers, ruellias, turk’s cap, sweet potato vine, creeping jenny Annuals: marigolds, fuchsias, petunias, osteospermum, perilla, bachelor buttons, coleus, forget-menots, dusty millers, annual phlox, geraniums, impatiens, begonias Summer Vegetables and Herbs: beans, melons, cucumbers, summer squash, peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, basil parsley and dill Prune Dormant trees, shrubs and roses to remove dead or damaged branches.

Wait to prune spring owering shrubs and trees (spirea, azalea, redbud) until after they bloom.

Lawn At this time the grass is actively growing so it is a good time to apply an organic fertilizer.

Birds Put out hummingbird feeders. To keep birds at your feeder, maintain a fresh nectar supply, and empty and wash the feeder each time you re ll. Hummingbirds remember where they nd a reliable food source –so if your yard is one of them, they’ll often return year after year.

Fertilize and Mulch Feed Bulbs, Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, and Plumeria. This will help plants to put out new lush growth and plenty of blooms.

Spread a fresh layer of mulch around trees, shrubs, and beds to protect roots, retain moisture, and prevent weeds. Remember to keep mulch away from trunk of trees.

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The Sun owers In February, the Sun owers attended another oral design workshop organized by Floral Design Chair, Stephanie Shanks. A rockstar design team of Marianna Brewster, Mundi Elam and Ingrid Kelly went through the process of preparing for a ower show and creating an arrangement in addition to giving expert oral design advice!

The Provisionals were also fortunate to meet with Meg Tapp to get tips on pruning and caring for their horticulture entry, an Ornamental Pepper Onyx Red. Later this month the Provisionals will attend a Judges’ Critique in nal preparation for COLOR.

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Softer, Safer, Smarter Outside Lighting Take a walk around your neighborhood while it is dark and notice the street and outdoor house lighting.

You will be surprised by the effects of different lighting. Some types of lighting will actually make it more dif cult to see the surrounding area.

When you are driving at night have you noticed that some of the car headlights are so glaring and bright that they make it dif cult for oncoming drivers to see? Those bright headlights have a “blinding” effect on eyes. You can only see the glare of the lights, not the surrounding area. The same holds true for the lighting around your home. The bright white LED lights can be a problem because the surrounding area is less visible, and this gives someone lots of places to hide in plain sight.

Can you see the intruder in the rst photo?

Check out the website of Soft Lights Houston. There you will nd a wealth of information on what is the best outdoor lighting to use. https://www.softlighthouston.com/ Street lights using 2700 Kelvin bulbs have a warmer color with less blue and provide excellent lighting without the glare. Same is true for your front door lighting. Those homes https://www.darksky.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Outdoorusing the bright white LED lights at Lighting-Crime-and-Safety-English.pdf their front door appear harsh and unwelcoming compared to the front doors with 2700K bulbs. Notice that the homes that have the bright white ood lights attached just under the roof shining down are not as effective as those homes using the softer light bulbs. In addition, considerate neighbors will consider installing shields on their ood lights to direct lighting so that it does not shine into their neighbor’s windows, since not only sleep but overall health can be impacted by poor lighting. There is a wide selection of light shields available on the Internet.

Smart lighting also has a bene t for wildlife. An estimated two billion birds migrate through Texas each year, and since they travel at night some lights can attract and disorient these birds, which often results in collisions with buildings. Houston Audubon sponsors a Lights Out campaign during the height of spring migration starting April 19 through May 7. You can help by turning off outside lights during this time or use shields to help direct lighting downwards. This not only helps the birds but is a way to keep the sky dark and the stars visible.

After you have looked around your neighborhood at night, you might decide that you can improve the appearance and safety of your home lighting. Neighborhoods with street lamps that have non glare lighting are fortunate because these lamps are not only attractive but effective.

-Doris Durbin Heard

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20 Years Flew by So Fast!

GCH Provisional Class of 2002: Alice Thomas (Provisional Mom), Cindy Wallace, Susan Miclette, Dabney Pierce, Cheryl Monteith, Gail Faris, Sue White, and Cindy Ward. Photo taken at their 20th reunion.

Corresponding Secretary’s Report January, 2022 Letters of Condolence

To Member Elizabeth Moore Elder on the loss of her mother, GCH Member and past President, Betty Kyle Walker Moore To Member Cheryl Hess Moore on the loss of her mother-in-law, GCH Member and past President, Betty Kyle Walker Moore To Member Sharyn Weaver on the loss of her mother-in-law, honorary GCH Member, Mary Hancock Weaver To Member Nancy Godshall on the loss of her husband, Jonathan “Jon” Godshall To Member Cathy Chapman on the loss of her father, Thomas James Taylor To Member Odette Mace on the loss of her father-in-law, Charles “Charlie” Edward Mace

Mary Stanton Smith from Active to Af liate Nancy Godshall from Active to Af liate Debbie Robinson from Active to Af liate Julie Donaldson resigned from Membership

Status Changes

Contact Updates

Mary Hale Lovett McLean’s address has changed to 3648 Wickersham Lane, Houston, TX 77027-4138 Liz Wozencraft’s address has changed to 7626 East Jordan Cove, Houston, TX 77055

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GCH Donations January, 2022 The Bulb and Plant Mart Fund In memory of Jon Godshall from Liz and Matt Rotan In memory of Betty Kyle Moore from Mrs. Edwin J. Hess Sr In memory of Betty Kyle Moore from Drs. Richard Wray and Susan Hess The Major Gift Fund In memory of Thomas Taylor from Marianna Brewster Community Fund In honor of The Garden Club of Houston from Mrs. Mary H. Cain In memory of Katherine W. Stanton from Marjorie and Palmer Hutcheson In memory of Katherine W. Stanton from Carolyn and Phillip Santamaria In memory of Katherine W. Stanton from Janet Hoover In memory of Betty Kyle Moore from Judith and Ned Earle In memory of Betty Kyle Moore from Ann and Tom Kelsey In memory of Betty Kyle Moore from Nancy Etheridge In memory of Betty Kyle Moore from Nancy Kelley In memory of Jon Godshall from Marianna Brewster In memory of Thomas Taylor from Nancy Etheridge In memory of Jon Godshall from Nancy Etheridge Endowment Fund In memory of Betty Kyle Moore from the Sexy Seven GCH Provisional class (Dodie, Susannah, Sheila, Catherine, Fran, Mundi and Robin) In memory of Betty Kyle Moore from Sara Ledbetter In memory of Betty Kyle Moore from Meg Tapp In memory of Betty Kyle Moore from Gay Estes In memory of Betty Kyle Moore from Judy and Charles Tate In memory of Jon Godshall from Meg Tapp In memory of Jon Godshall from Gay Estes In memory of Thomas Taylor from Judy and Charles Tate In memory of Mr. Charles Mace from Judy and Charles Tate

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MARCH 2022 Tues. 1

Deadline for April The Garden Path

Fri. 4

Conservation Field Trip Sheldon Lake State Park, followed by lunch at POST Houston.

15315 Beaumont Hwy. (@ Park Rd. 138), 77049 281-456-2800

Fri. 4 Sun. 6

Azalea Trail Home and Garden Tour 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Rienzi, 1406 Kirby Dr., 77019

Mon. 7

Horticulture Propagation Workshop Air Layerings and Cuttings with Dany Milliken 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Home of Meg Tapp 3736 Tangley Rd., 77005

Wed. 9

Fri. 25

Spring Garden Party 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Home of Susanne Pritchard 3401 Sleepy Hollow Ct., 77019

Wed. 30

Shangri La Gardens & Beaumont Flower Show 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Depart St. Martin’s Episcopal Church 717 Sage Rd., 77056 Registration and fee required through calendar at GCHouston.org

Thurs. 31

GCA Photography Study Conference - Virtual 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Registration required at GCAmerica.org

Thurs. 31

Floral Design - Judge’s Critique 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Home of Stephanie Shanks 3722 Overbrook Ln., 77027 Not mandatory, but highly recommended for Provisionals.

Open to all members, by appointment only.

General Meeting 9:00 a.m. Coffee, 9:30 - 11:00 a.m. Meeting St. Martin’s Episcopal Church Bagby Parish Hall C 717 Sage Rd., 77056 Speaker: Margaret Reckling, nature photography author of Woody Creek: Views from a Homestead

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 THE GARDEN PATH

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