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Thursday, October 27, 2016

Matthew, Meetings, and Monarchs

October was not kind to us in northeast Florida, nor to residents of the Caribbean and up into the Piedmonts of North Carolina as Hurricane Matthew spun in a fury both on and offshore.  Members of our club were not affected too badly, and we are thankful for it.  However, neighbors were not so lucky.   Matthew hit on the day we were to hold our District Meeting,  So we will have to reschedule that.

But we still have GardenFest to look forward to on November 5.  We'll have several baskets to raffle off:  spa, childrens, movie, wine, and desk set, along with sales of plants and Christmas gift and decoration items.  Everyone in the club has pitched in to make our sales table overflow with goodies.  Doris will wrap the raffle baskets to make them extra special, Claire and Janet will set up the sales table, and Mickey and Carolyn will man it.

Another item to take note of in mid-November and it concerns our website name:  www.switzerlandgc.org    The name will not change, but we are going to use a different vendor to support the name.  While we change over from one vendor to another, the name may not work, BUT you can ALWAYS get to our website using it's alternate name:  

www.switzerlandgc.blogspot.com

It's a mouthful, so please make a note of it now.  We'll let you know when you can start using the "shortcut name"  www.switzerlandgc.org again.  Thanks for your patience!

Our first club program featured Mickey and her many ideas for reducing waste in the environment.   And Arlene shared her first experiences with the new children at Julington Creek Elementary.  She told them about Johnny Appleseed and his travels in the New World planting the seeds that would grow apple trees.  When she told the class that he had visited Toronto and asked if anybody knew where Toronto was, one young lady informed her that Toronto was near Orlando (we think she mistook Tampa for Toronto).  The anecdote gave us all a good laugh!

Our next meeting is on November 10, where we'll learn about two favorite blooming flowers:  roses and camellias (did you know that the red Camellia japonica is our club flower).  Please feel free to join us at the Bartram Trail Library from 10AM-noon.  See our program calendar for details.

bee on drift rose - photo by Dianne Battle

Find out where the monarchs are meeting as they travel south to their overwintering grounds.  Click the more link below.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Our Program Season Gets Under Way!


We're officially in gear for our 2016-2017 program season!  Our first meeting is Thursday 9/8 at the Bartram Trail Library, 10-noon.  We can't wait to see what programs our officers have lined up for us!  Look for them to be posted on our calendar shortly!

Last month a few of us were able to have lunch and meet one of our newest members, Jeanne Powell-Hendricks.  Although she's a relative newcomer to Florida, she's been a busy gardener with an avid interest in butterflies, especially monarchs!   Welcome, Jeanne and Fran Ziolkowski.

After our last club event in May we found out that our club had won a National Garden Club award for our environmental video in support of the NGC President's Projects.   This award was in addition to the FFGC awards our club won for its website and Dianne Battle's photography.  Click the links in this paragraph to see the photos and videos.  Remember you are currently viewing the award-winning website!

The District IV meetings have been announced.  See the District IV site. www.district4ffgc.org, for these and other updates as they occur:

District IV Fall Meeting October 7th at The Garden Club of Jacksonville

Gardenfest:  November 5 at the Duval County Extension Center

Environmental Studies ESS Course IV:  January 18-19, 2017 Garden Club of Palatka

District IV Spring Meeting: Garden Club of St. Augustine  May 5, 2017

For those of you who are interested in monarchs, we've posted an article on the monarch's summer activities in our Resources page with information from the Monarch Butterfly Migration Log in the educational website, the Journey North.  For most monarchs in North America, breeding season is over and southward migration season has begun.  Learn about the physiological changes this generation is undergoing in order to complete its  journey to the wintering grounds in Mexico and to return to the US to breed the generation of butterflies that will undertake the journey north.

In contrast to the majority of monarchs, our local butterflies will stay here longer and travel less far.  Our Monarch Committee hopes to visit a monarch breeding house built by local Master Gardener Woody Wilson and his wife Dian, this month, and to stop by Mike Adam's Monarch Waystation to see how the milkweed we donated to Saturiwa are doing!  Stay tuned for our October blog posting!


It's peak breeding season.
It's peak breeding season.


Sunday, July 10, 2016

Summertime Isn't Blue for Us!

The temperatures were hot on June 8 and 9, but the inside of the library was cool.  Our intrepid garden club members, Claire, Joan, Mickey, Carolyn, and Dianne manned a table at the library entryway during Garden Week to talk to the many patrons about gardening, monarchs, and the many books our library system has for discovering the great outdoors.  Thank you, Carolyn, for bringing us fans.  They were much appreciated!

Later that month, Mickey and I got to attend the third Environmental Studies School class:  Air and Related Issues.  The class field trip to the Museum of Science and History (MOSH) was very enjoyable, so much so that my husband and I returned to the MOSH for my birthday to see some of the exhibits the class couldn't fit in during our 2-hour visit, including a display of animals found along the St. Johns River.  These creatures were too wounded to be able to be returned to the wild.  A Master Naturalist helped us with our questions.  We got to see a large salamander shedding its skin!  I'm glad I took the ESS course and returned to the MOSH!  See the District 4 website for a future announcement for the fourth and last ESS course:  Water and Related Issues.

The last piece of garden club news is that our club won a National Garden Club Award for best video in the Environmental Category of President's Projects.  Turn on your speakers and click to see the video, Dancing with Butterflies or check out A National Garden Club Award for Us .

Thanks to Clarke Bailey for installing new timbers in our garden!  And enjoy the July Issue of The St. Johns Sun, "Have a Succulently Fun Summer."

What's up with monarchs?  Click the MORE >>> link below for updates from monarchwatch and watch a slideshow from the Weather Channel, "Do You Know Your Bees?"


Wednesday, June 8, 2016

A Wonderful Day at the Library and WE'LL BE BACK!

We enjoyed meeting so many of you today at the Bartram Trail Library and we thank you for your time and attention.  The library is a wonderful resource for books for all ages about gardens and the creatures that enjoy them.

We'll be back again tomorrow, 6/9 from 11AM-3PM and we'll have more free plants for you early birds (they went like hotcakes today).  Stop by and see our display of projects and informative handouts to help you enjoy nature (and give her a helping hand).

For those of you who took one of our business cards, here are the links we mentioned.
We hope to see you tomorrow.  And we hope you'll be able to enjoy all the resources we residents have for appreciating gardens and the natural world.

Friday, May 27, 2016

Good Friends, Good Books, a Garden, and a Fond Farewell

Our garden club closed out a successful year with a pot-luck tea party at the Bailey Needmore Ranch.  The day was beautiful and so were we!  Thanks for the photos, Carolyn.  We won two awards from the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Best Club Website and Best Digital Photography of Plants (click the link to see the photos).

Shortly after our last get-together were were given the sad news of the passing of our dear garden club member, Beverly Fleming.  Many of our members were able to attend a memorial for her, which, in accordance with her wishes was a "party" featuring beautifully decorated tables, a light buffet, and the lovely nature photos Beverly was famous for.  We shared our recollections of Beverly while we enjoyed each others' company.  To honor Beverly's wishes we're going to get out and enjoy nature. The St. Augustine Record is also honoring Beverly by reprinting one of her articles in the Saturday gardening section, 5/28/16.

While there are no more Garden Club program meetings until September, we are staying active, and we think this would please Beverly greatly.

We'll be at Bartram Trail Library during Garden Week  6/6-6/11.  Drop by on 6/8 or 6/9 and see what we're up to.   Click here to see our suggestions for library books for you or the kids to enjoy and for nearby gardens to visit, no matter what your gardening style,  Our recommendations are on our Resources page, "If You Have a Garden and a Library, You Have Everything You Need."   Make your summer an opportunity to immerse yourself in the wonders of the plant kingdom!

Last, but not least, our Monarch Committee acquired 64 plugs of native tuberosa and swamp milkweed from monarchwatch.org to populate monarch waystations.  Several club members are planting them on their own property, and Mickey brought  a large number of both varieties to Saturiwa for Mike Adams to plant in suitable locations.  Mike is developing a monarch waystation in order to support his wildlife conservation efforts and to educate the public visiting his property about how to support our local monarchs.   If you're a monarch supporter, check out the latest updates on migrating monarchs and how to grow milkweed from seed by reading "more" here.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

A Garden and a Library for Garden Week 6/6 - 6/11

Do you wish you knew more about plants, gardening, butterflies, or nature?  Looking for a novel or history books featuring plants and gardens?  Do you have school-age children who would enjoy fun projects and books about nature over the summer?  The Garden Club of Switzerland's got you covered. 

See what we have in store for you at the Bartram Trail Library during National Garden Club week, June 6 through 11.  We'll be at the library on 6/8 and 6/9 to talk with you personally!

Sunday, May 8, 2016

April Flowers Bring Happy Pollinators

April is the month to celebrate the blooms of spring and the creatures that delight in them.  The Garden Club celebrated the great outdoors by meeting at Alpine Groves to plan their participation in the Bartram Bash.  Just prior to the meeting it had rained, but thank goodness Alpine Groves now has a pavilion.






And while it looked like the Bartram Bash would be a rainout, the sun won the day, and the people that came to the park were rewarded with plenty of good music and fun.  The "birds-nest" wreaths we gave the kids to construct were a big hit again this year.  The surprise event was a visit from the St. Augustine Alligator Farm, which brought a baby alligator for all the "enjoy" (or not)!   Thanks to Carolyn and Arlene for the photos!

While us humans were down by the river celebrating William Bartram, the butterflies and bees were rejoicing in the blooms at the Alpine Groves Butterfly Garden.  We know what pollinators love, and we're sharing the secret now.  See the list of native plants in our Freedom Butterfly Garden.  Plant a few and see who shows up for dinner! 

Several of our club members are also Master Gardeners.  Doris, Kathy, Arlene, and Dianne volunteered at the UF County Extension Center the weekend of April 16-17, for the EPIC Spring Flower and Garden Show.  Lots of preparation went into that event.  Read about it in the April 2016 issue of The St. Johns Sun, "An EPIC Spring Weekend."

We'll be getting together at the Needmore Ranch again this May to celebrate the end of our club season.  Until the next program meeting in September, however, we'll be busy with our individual and group activities, such as Garden Week at the library from June 6-11.  Drop by the Bartram Trail Library during the week to see some of our gardening "Best Picks" available through the library.  On June 8-9 we'll be there to meet you.  Our June website posting will provide you with more information on Garden Club Week and how you can partake in the joys of summer.

Our local monarchs are happily sailing through garden and field, unlike their long-distance migrating cousins returning from rough weather in Mexico.  See the updates on the intrepid traveling "cousins" of our local monarchs:


Thursday, April 7, 2016

Nature in Our Hearts and Homes

County Naturalist, Ayolane Halusky, visited us in March to discuss wildflowers and how they benefit our vegetable gardens.  He also told us about upcoming programs the county is offering to encourage us all to get out and enjoy our local parks.  Last but not least, he shared his love of nature with us, a love WE happen to share!

There's no better month to get out and enjoy the world just outside your door:
Check out our new posts for the month on the Resources page:
  • The Monarch's Fate is in Our Hands - monarchs overwintering in Mexico were hit by an early spring freeze, causing many to die.  Read The Journey North's logbook on the migrating monarch and how you can help it survive
  • Free Gardening Resources in St. Johns County - Our library system and the University of Florida County Extension Center have many free and low cost offerings to help you get your best horticultural results.  In June our club will be at the Bartram Trail Library for Garden Club Week to help you with your summer garden plans.  We'll post the date when it is confirmed. 
Our April meeting will be at Alpine Groves Park.  We'll be sprucing up the Freedom Butterfly Garden for your viewing pleasure at the Bartram Bash!

And speaking of monarchs and the Bartram Bash, Mike Adams, owner of Saturiwa, the longleaf pine pine conservation and tree farm, just informed us that the white aquatic milkweed the Monarch Committee gave him to plant on his property last year is now in bloom!  The salad bar for monarch caterpillars is officially open.  You can talk to Mike about his unique property and enjoy his stirring presentation as William Bartram when you join us on April 23 for the Bash!

Last but not least, our membership season is in full gear.  Why not become a member of the Garden Club of Switzerland?  Membership and Contact information is at the bottom Let's Stay in Touch area of our Home Page. 

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Beautiful Gardens Start with Seed

The signs are clear!  Spring is here!  In anticipation of the "greening up" we were fortunate to have Master Gardener, Shirley Barber, present a topic that is near and dear to her heart (and ours):  Beautiful Gardens Start with Seed.  This photo shows some of the plants Shirley grows at the St. Johns County Extension Center demonstration gardens.  The sign in the foreground identifies a variety of impatiens grown as part of All-America Selections trials.

And if beautiful gardens start with seed, beautiful garden clubs start with members!   Now is the time for current garden club members to renew for next year.  See our District IV Membership Renewal Announcement for details.  The deadline is June1.

And DO take note:  the FFGC website now has a new name:


Before describing Shirley's presentation, there are a few additional items to mention.
  • Congratulations to our own Sarah Bailey, who was honored on March 5 by the Mandarin Museum and Historical Society's annual Miss Aggie 2016.  More on the ceremony at our Awards Page.
  • Alpine Groves Park was the locale of the first annual Blessing of the Waters, to honor the waters of the St. Johns, Matanzas, and Cannon Springs.
  • At our February meeting, our Secretary, Mickey, shared an article on how to recycle electronics devices.   This and an update from Journey North on monarchs in Mexico are posted on the Resources Page:
E-Cycling Your electronics

Monarchs in Winter


 
Beautiful Gardens Start with Seed

Shirley Barber knows a thing or two about growing plants from seed.  She is one of the key propagation gardeners at the County's UF/IFAS Extension Center demonstration gardens, part of a 40+acre parcel devoted to growing Florida Friendly plants and educating the public on horticultural issues.  Two years ago, these demonstration gardens were selected as trial/demonstration gardens for several varieties of ornamental landscape and vegetable plants by All-America Selections.

Not only did she bring a poster and slideshow highlighting the many plants she has grown in the demonstration gardens over the years, but she brought several flats of "home-grown" seedlings to give away!  The talk she gave was the same one she made last October at the Master Gardener Convention.  Attendees paid to hear her speak, and we were able to hear her for free.  (Such a deal!)   Her first topic was, "Why Start with Seeds?"  Nurseries have plenty of plants already potted and ready for transplanting.  The reasons she cited were:  the diversity you can get when you purchase seeds instead of just choosing from commercial selections, knowing that the plant you're going to end up with is the plant you intended to grown (no false advertising) provided you get your seed from reputable sources, lower prices, opportunities to share seeds with others, and the satisfaction of growing your plant from start to finish.

Shirley aims for 100% germination for her seeds.  She has a huge area that must be planted and ready for public enjoyment by the EPIC Garden and Flower Show event in April.  She starts her seeds indoors at home, which means every inch of growing area is precious.  Some of the tips she shared with us included:
  • learn the botanical names of the plants you want to grow
  • understand their germination/propagation requirements:  including temperature, unlocking seeds with scarification, etc.
  • proper storage of seeds
  • seed viability
  • clean containers
  • starting mediums
  • humidity and water requirements 
  • pricking out/transplanting to larger pots
  • hardening off
  • pest control
  • fertilizing
  • transplanting outdoors
  • keeping records of what worked and what didn't
A key to success is locating a good seed supply company.  Shirley had her favorites:
Handouts:  Click here for the handouts distributed at her presentation.  Now start germinating!

Reminder:  March 10 at 10AM we'll be meeting in the Bartram Trail Library.  Our presenter is Master Naturalist, Ayolane Halusky, who will discuss, "Wildflowers and Vegetable Gardening."  The public is invited, but asked to contact us at switzerlandgc@gmail.com so we can be sure we'll have enough refreshments for everyone!  And April 23 is the Bartram Bash at Alpine Groves Park.  Check out our Events and Calendar page so you'll know all the latest.

Monday, February 1, 2016

Our Adventures at the GTM NERR by Garden Club President, Claire Fioriti

January is a month to get outdoors and enjoy the clean fresh air, which is what members of the Garden Club of Switzerland did.  Trooping to the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM NERR)* on A1A in Ponte Vedra gave us all what we were looking for and more.

Shepherded by wonderful and informed guides, we divided into two groups: one to learn the workings of an estuary and the other to take a 2.2 mile hike to view the Guana River Marsh and the Tolomato River.  Both groups were equally ecstatic about their experience and the GTM NERR.  Speaking for group 2, we saw  the Guana River dam, a “toothache” tree and hardwood hammock, birds, a Minorcan well and an oyster bed.   It was 64 degrees and sunny with a slight breeze. Following the tour, we enjoyed lunch at a nice restaurant on the Intercoastal waterway.  A perfect day!

* According to their web site, www.gtmnerr.org, "The GTM NERR is part of 28 sites designated to protect and study estuarine systems, established thru the Coastal Zone Management Act."   It offers educational events and activities for schools and the general public (admission fees may apply).  For information do a GTMNERR search. There are many informative sites.

We've recently published a few articles that might also be of interest.  In The Creekline January 2016, see our, "Bluebirds Beat the Winter Blues," and in the St. Johns Sun for February 2016, "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden,"  with a notice about Washington Oaks Gardens State Park's presentation on maintaining roses, 11AM on February 13.   All our articles are at Our Published Articles at the About Us page.

And don't forget!  We're back at the Bartram Trail Library, Thursday, 2/11 from 10AM-noon.  Our featured presenter, Master Gardener Shirley Barber, will share how "Beautiful Gardens Start with Seed."  She gave this presentation ro a paying audience last October at the state-wide Florida Master Gardener Convention.  Guests are welcome to join us (no charge!) and encouraged to RSVP so we'll have enough snacks for everyone!  See our Calendar for future events and activities.

Friday, January 1, 2016

A New Year and We're Happy!

Happy 2016!  And, "happy" is the word that describes our December luncheon at Carabba's Italian Grill.  "Yummy," also applies.  Lots of smiling faces and full plates - so full that some "doggy bags" were in order!  We were especially touched when the manager stopped by our table to thank us for creating our Freedom Butterfly Garden at Alpine Groves Park.  He told us he loves to come there to watch the butterflies.  And so do we!

We are happy to play our part in supporting nature and contributing to its enjoyment and understanding.  January's Creekline newspaper features an article, "Bluebirds Beat the February Blues," encouraging our fellow residents to follow our example and provide habitat for Eastern Bluebirds.  By having a suitable bluebird house waiting for them, you can help ensure the survival of the next generation and enjoy the experience of seeing a bluebird family grow.  These beautiful and shy birds usually return to our area in late February.  However, it's been so warm this past month, thanks to an El Nino weather system, the author has already seen some small flocks investigating the bluebird houses in her back yard!

The January issue of The St. Johns Sun features a look back to January 2015, when Master Arborist, Chuck Lippi, was our presenter for Florida Arbor Day.  The article, "Adventures in Arboriculture," recounted Chuck's descriptions of all the wrong ways to plant and maintain trees.  See all Our Published Articles at our About Us page.  Don't forget our Blog Archives for 2015.


This January we are planning a trip to the Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas National Estuary Research Reserve (GTMNERR) near Vilano Beach.  The GTMNERR encompasses 74,000 acres of coastal lands in northeast Florida from Ponte Vedra Beach to Palm Coast.  It is part of a national system of research reserves that focus on research, education and stewardship.  In February, we'll be back at the Bartram Trail Library for a presentation by Master Gardener, Shirley Barber, "Beautiful Gardens Begin with Seed."  See our calendar for this and other program event descriptions.  The public is welcome, but we ask that you Contact Us, so we can provide sufficient refreshments

As you can see, we are a friendly group always interested in sharing our learning and love of gardening and the environment.  You are welcome to join us as a member.  Your garden club membership also connects you to a wider network of state, regional, and national garden clubs, which have a variety of events and programs to enjoy!


 
Happy New Year!