|
Tuesday's Internet Edition, January 06, 2009.
RVGC features talk on ‘Beauty in the Winter Garden’
|
Photo by Wendy Smith
A large crowd shows up as the River Valley Garden Club holds its first meeting of the season on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at the RMA building in Rancho Murieta.
|
By Wendy Smith
River Valley Times Staff
-
The River Valley Garden Club (RVGC) held its first meeting of the season on the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 23, featuring guest speaker Pat Ruben, the Garden editor of the Sacramento Bee.
Ruben offered a presentation on the winter garden, aptly titled “Beauty in the Winter Garden,” to a packed house in the RMA meeting room. Featuring colorful slides of some of the heartiest flowers and greenery, Ruben dispelled the myth that gardens are simply for spring and summer months.
Quoting botanist Graham Stuart Thomas, Ruben advised finding plants that “don’t simply brave the elements, but embrace them.” Providing the attendees with a helpful list of plants and foliage, Ruben also highlighted a few of her favorites.
“Salvia gesneriflora ‘Tequila’ blooms November through March, and even better - the hummingbirds love it,” said Ruben. Showing flowers in deep purples, vibrant reds and stunning yellows, she also remarked that winter does not mean that everything in nature goes gray.
Another set of winter holiday favorites included plants that have berries, such as Callicarpa bondinieri, or beautyberry that produces purple berries. When paired with Holly, another traditional winter favorite, it creates a stunning arrangement.
Ruben also spoke of the garden as a process, not necessarily an end result. “A garden is a living encyclopedia of knowledge just waiting to be explored,” she said, encouraging gardeners to persevere through deer, moles, voles and other garden ruiners that they may encounter.
Ruben, who said she “could not remember a time in her life when she wasn’t interested in gardening” believes that gardening is in the genes. She remembers buying a rototiller at the age of 18 and digging up her parents’ garden.
Ruben is also pleased to see the resurgence of vegetable gardening among a younger population. “Years ago when you said that you had a garden, people automatically thought of veggies,” said Ruben. “Sometime in the ‘80s and ‘90s that changed to flowers, and now there is a swing back toward the vegetable garden amongst those who are trying to live a greener lifestyle, or a more sustainable one.”
Ruben directed those who wanted more information on winter gardening to ‘Color in the Winter Garden’ by Thomas and ‘Winter Garden’ by Susie Bale. For those ready to start planting, Ruben recommended mail order company Forrest Farm if gardeners were unable to find the plants they needed in local nurseries.
In addition to Ruben’s informative lecture, the RVGC had it’s traditional “Ask Mindy” segment, where members can ask Mindy Cecchettini, a Master Gardener, advice about their specific gardening difficulties. She consulted on trimming and bloom questions from members in addition to encouraging RVGC members to help support the Sacramento County Gardeners through donations or purchase of calendars featuring some of the area’s most lovely flowers. Cecchettini is also available for two-hour private consultations for $30, half of which goes back to the RVGC.
It was also announced that the RVGC would be offering two $500 scholarships this October and another two in the springtime. The group also has regular garden tours, including an upcoming trip to the UC Davis gardens.
|
Online publication, Copyright 2005, The River Valley Times.
Web page design,
Copyright 2005, EZ Edit Web Publishing.
|
|
| |