News and Notes from August meeting

News and Notes from Garden Club meeting Wednesday August 26, 2015

1. Attendance and intros: Bev Wagar (chair), Anne Valentin, Tamara Messersmith, Kathleen Livingston, Sue, Fran Frasier, Susan Noakes, Anna Zygowski, Ben Babcock, Christina Babcock, Elizabeth Seidl
regrets: Kathy McPherson

2. Gardens Update.

Pipeline Pollinator. Jen Baker and team put up the new sign. Weeds under control, oak has put up new leader, one of the Eupatoriums looks dead, Asclepias incarnata has been “treated” (with water spray) for aphids, Bev will bring sprinkler and do a thorough watering. A spot for Amy’s native Obedient Plant is dug and ready. Bev planted a native Achillea and a Baptisia. Looking for Campanula rotundifolia (about five plants) for bare spot in front. Liatris has disappeared– possibly removed by accident while weeding. Someone has taped a copy of The Point article about the June 6 planting day to the new bench. Anne V. suggested that we put stakes with the plant names. Bev will do an inventory and get her the names. Anna Z. may have access to some stakes, will coordinate with Anne for production.
Triangle Garden. The last work party was a success– the garden still has a way to go but there are fewer big gaps. Ongoing watering will be needed since many of the new plants do not have established root systems. We removed one of the spireas and moved it to a spot next the fence on the south path boundary, on the far west end.

3. Pipeline Trail Update. Elizabeth presented news about the Master Plan process and urged everyone to attend the next (final) public consultation on Sat. Sept 19 at the Steam Museum, 2-4:30. Garden club members are invited to help out with door-to-door leaflet distribution on Saturday Sept. 12, to promote the Pipeline Parade. Meet at Dairy Queen at 10 am.
A trail clean-up will happen Wednesday, September 23rd at 6 pm (meet behind DQ)– all Garden Club members and friends are urged to help out (we are the Adopt-a-Park group for the Crown Point section of the trail). Supplies will be provided. The trail cleanup happens on the fourth Wednesday, the usual date for regular Garden Club meetings. We will combine the two events, perhaps over refreshments after the cleanup. Details TBA

4. Pipeline Parade Float Update. Bev showed a styrofoam & felt prototype of a bee for use on the float. Susan N. showed the poles and “confetti” (peony petals). We scheduled a “Bee Bee” to collectively make decorations: ARCH room, Wed. Sept. 9, 7:30 pm. Bring supplies to share. Martinis afterwards… Final float assembly will happen the night before the parade (Friday Sept. 25) at the Pollinator Garden.
The parade assembles at 10 am behind the Tim Hortons at Roxborough and Kenilworth. After float and costume judging (and prizes) the parade starts, following the trail to Ottawa Street.

5. Community Garden on Pipeline Trail. Bev and Elizabeth recapped the activity to date, from Joe Muto’s initial request, the first meeting (with Elizabeth and Bev), the design submission, and the most recent request from the City for an revision that will “fit” the plan for a re-designed green space and path location in the green space on the west side of the path intersection at Crossthwaite. After some enthusiastic discussion and brainstorming, we came up with an open garden concept that would have many advantages over the fenced allotment model, with fewer ongoing costs and organizational challenges. Four garden wish-lists were identified: herbs (culinary and apothecary); berry patch; and two teaching gardens. One would be a dyer’s garden for traditional natural fibre dyes, and a Staple Grains garden, to show what wheat, barley, oats and other farmed crops actually look like before they are harvested. Bev agreed to do up a short proposal and revised design and submit (via Elizabeth) by Friday. These gardens would need access to water; Elizabeth said she would check the plan to see if a drinking water fountain has been included in the master plan and to request that a hose spigot be added. (update: community garden proposal met with lots of support and enthusiasm from the City planners. Tentative name is “Garden of Useful Delights”)

6. Road Trips.
Native plant sale and garden tour. Given the Sept 12 conflict with leaflet distribution, the idea of going to Vineland for the Master Gardener plant sale was given up in favour of an event in town. Organized by Environment Hamilton’s Pollinator Paradise Project (which our garden is part of) the Native Plant Sale and Garden Tour on Saturday Sept. 5 at the Unitarian Church on Dundurn (near the tracks) is our new destination. http://www.environmenthamilton.org/ for more info.

Road Trip to Norfolk Fair. A longer day-trip is planned for Friday Oct. 9 (Thanksgiving weekend) to Simcoe, for the Norfolk Fair, one of Ontario’s largest traditional fairs. Car pooling will be arranged. Meet in the Perkins Centre parking lot (behind the Perkins Apartments building at Main and Kenilworth) at 9 am.

7. Announcements.
– the Garden Club Fundraising Plant Sale will be held at the Pollinator Garden next spring. Please keep the sale in mind when doing your fall divisions and garden cleanup. Pot up any volunteers, pot your divisions, and take cuttings. We need plenty of donations! You might consider buying some on-sale plants this fall, temporarily planting them, then dividing and repotting in the spring to donate to the plant sale.
– thanks to Amy Lou Taylor for inviting the Garden Club to her Herb presentation at the Gage Park Community Garden last week.

7. Adjournment and next meeting. Our next meeting would normally be held on Wednesday September 23, but we’ll combine any “business” discussion with the trail cleanup scheduled for that evening.