September 27th, MEETING

“The Annualization of Perennials” A demonstration and lecture on the expanded use of perennial plant material in container gardening.  Whether incorporated for foliage, architectural value, or flowers, perennials enhance combinations and broaden the plant palate.  Presented by Debbie Knitz, Great Lakes Territory Manager for Valleybrook Gardens, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.  Valleybrook is the leading wholesale producer of herbaceous perennial material in Canada.

Seascape Dedication Party

At 6:45 on August 18^th the sky cleared and the party began.  It was a wonderful evening, with great food, beautiful decorations, wonderful jazz music and the scenic backdrop of Lake Erie.

In addition to a fun evening, we were able to make it educational as well.  The plants were labeled and handout sheets describing facts about the grasses were distributed.  Enclosed with your newsletter you will find a copy of the handout sheet.

The long journey we traveled to accomplish this project was well worth it!  Many thanks to the committee members that made the party a huge success:

Invitations: Sandra Larimar, Bev Oring, Pam Myers, Sue Nelson
Set up:  Brenda Ziegler, Brenda Alexander, Nancy Jones, Nan Smith, Judy Minium, Rosie Daniels, Giesla Freund, Ruth Maltz, Patty Perona, Maria Kraml, Gayle Cajka
Food:  Karen Bang, Stephanie Uptomer, Chris Lambert, Marge Cutter, Sue Roehl, Lu Laing, Deb Manns, Jan Resko
Publicity:  Nan Wendrowski

Finally, thanks to all that have supported this project from the beginning.  Whether it was attending City Council Meetings, brainstorming the design, planting the grasses, spreading mulch, or writing for a Grant.  We couldn’t have done it without everyone’s help. 
Pam Edlund

Newsletter

The format for the Newsletter has been changed to make it easier to load onto our website.  To help the club save monies for printing and postage I am asking any of you interested in receiving your copy of the newsletter by email to email me dmanns@quanticllc.com with your request.  The newsletters will also be stored on the website bayvillagegardenclub.com for anyone misplacing their copy.  The document is printed in Microsoft WORD so you will need this software to open the newsletter as an attachment.  Another housekeeping detail, I am looking for a few helpers to print the Newsletter from your home computer and to fold and stuff envelopes monthly.  Please let me know, many hands make light work.

Another feature I would love to incorporate in our newsletter are photos members gardens; this month Vivian Mautz’s garden is highlighted.  Please recommend gardens for our upcoming issues, by email or phone (440)871-8173.
Deb Manns

Yard Art

This committee is in need of a new leader (Anyone interested?) who will work with Brenda Ziegler but in the mean time Brenda has organized the first Yard Art Project.  The Garden Club will be traveling to Allen’s Green House in Avon Lake on Monday October 4^th at 2:00 p.m. to plant a Fall Outdoor Arrangement.  Just bring your gloves, trowel, and container with you to the Gazebo about 1:30 to carpool to Allen’s.  The cost is $25.00, Allen’s will supply the soil and all plants for a colorful fall arrangement.  Look for Brenda at the meeting to sign up, to ensure your place please bring a check made out to Bay Village Garden Club.

What to do in your garden in September

PLANTING

Bulbs.  Early fall is the time to plant spring-blooming bulbs. Less common types start appearing in nurseries this month, including baboon flower (Babiana), corn lily (Ixia), grape hyacinth (Muscari), harlequin flower (Sparaxis), Homeria, ranunculus, Tritonia, and species tulips such as Tulipa clusiana and T. saxatilis.

Home Depot has a great buy on Tulips, Daffodils and other spring bulbs.  

Cabbage and kale. Although not actually flowers, ornamental cabbage and kale provide striking midwinter color in the garden. Look for seedlings of the most popular kinds at nurseries.  These look beautiful paired with winter pansies.

A salad bowl.  In a low pot at least 18 inches wide, plant gourmet lettuces such as 'Lollo Rosso', 'Rouge d'Hiver', or 'Sweet Valentine'. Interplant greens (arugula, red mustard, spinach) and edible flowers (calendulas, violas). Keep outside until frost threatens, then bring indoors to enjoy fresh salad.

MAINTENANCE

Reseed lawns.  Late September is a good time to repair bare patches in cool-season grasses (such as fescue).

JULY ARRANGEMENT AT CBG

The beautiful summer days of July found Brenda Ziegler, Ruth Maletz, Deb Manns, and Vivian Mautz making an arrangement for the Cleveland Botanical Gardens.  This arrangement was present to the Gardens from the Bay Village Garden Club for the July 4^th Week-end.  Birds of Paradise, orchids, and various greens were arranged with sand and sea shells.

HOW TO BUILD A PUMPKIN TOPIARY

It’s that time of the year when it is time to start thinking about decorating for your outside gardens for the Fall.  Last Year Brenda Alexander and Deb Manns constructed A Pumpkin Topiary to grace their front doors.  In case you missed the directions on the web site here they are again.

Supplies Needed:

Bag of concrete, we used almost an 80 lb. Bag to do four topiaries.

Terra-cotta pot, we used plastic, about 16 inches round and about 5 inches high.

Small block of wood, a piece of 4 x 4 with a hole drilled in the middle

Metal Rebar, about 2 ½ feet long.

1.      Drill a pilot hole in the block of wood a little smaller than the diameter of the rebar.  (A small piece of 4 X 4 works great.)

2.      Using a hammer, tap a 2-½ foot long piece of rebar into the block of wood until secure.

3.      Set the wood into a bowl shaped terra-cotta container, covering the drain.  The rebar and the wood should be centered in the bowl.

4.      Pour dry cement around the wooden block 3 to 4 inches deep for a heavy base.

5.      Fill the bowl with water, and let the concrete set for 24 hours.

6.      Select three pumpkins.  Drill small holes in the bottoms and tops of the first two pumpkins, and slide them onto the rebar.  Drill a small hole only in the bottom of the third pumpkin to cap the arrangement.

7.      Use pinecones as spacers if your rebar is taller than your pumpkins.  Also, Styrofoam works great as a spacer at the base.

8.      Leaves make a nice cover for the concrete base.  Bittersweet or similarly colored branches wrapped around the arrangement add a decorative touch.

COST

Pumpkins

 (we used artificial, but you could use real)                                                                                                                    $33.03

Pots                                                                                                                                                                                           6.46

Leaf Garlands (2)                                                                                                                                                                     6.00

Orange berries (2)                                                                                                                                                                   7.18

Pine Cones                                                                                                                                                                               2.97

                                                                                                                                                  Total                                  $55.64

Other Ideas for Fall Decorations

Fellow Garden Club member Vivian Mautz and her husband Gus love to add sparkle and surprise to their yard for each season.  Here’s an easy way to turn your Bird Bath into a Fall Center Piece, they filled the bowl of the Bird Bath with small pumpkins, straw and a beautiful Mum. 

One of the prettiest yards in the whole block, their entry garden in Westlake invites your eye to the their front hedge Vivian has placed a section of white iron fence then added corn stalks, ghosts, and a scarecrow to complete their fall decorations.