Azalea Trumpet Early Spring-Summer 2016

Azalea Director’s Message

“Fun with Beautification, Con-servation & Education to make a

Better World".

Early SpringEarly Spring--Summer 2016Summer 2016

Hello Amazing Azaleas.

I hope all of you are enjoying the arrival of spring and have been in your gardens weeding, pruning and planting to be able to relax and enjoy your beautiful landscapes this summer.

2016 has been a busy year so far and I have enjoyed getting to know some of you amazing ladies by visiting your clubs. The State Board meeting in Milledgeville in January was fun and informative. It is interesting to learn what other districts are doing and hear from many of the state committee chairman. On January 20th I attended the Native Plant Symposium at the Botanical Gardens in Athens and congratulated all the gradu-ates who received their certificates.

In February, I attended the Watkinsville Garden Clubs 75th Anniversary at the GCG State Headquarters and enjoyed hear-ing a wonderful speaker who praised Garden Club ladies for their diligent work in their communities. On February 11th the Burkeland GC hosted a wonderful Azalea Board meeting with a valentine theme and love cer-tainly did abound as everyone attending took home a door prize.

On March 4th several Columbia County Azaleas were able to meet with State Representative Jodi Lott to express our thoughts on SB 383 and other bills that concern garden club ladies involving wildlife and public lands. She was very interested to hear what we had to share. March 17th I attended an Oyster Roast hosted by the Savannah River Keeper and learned what all this group does trying to keep the Savannah River clean. March 24th the Augusta Council of Garden Clubs held their Annual Spring Luncheon and State President, Martha Price was the honored guest. We enjoyed the program presented by James Farmer and I think the Council did well on their silent auction.

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Director’s Message Continued: Some of your President's reports started arriving as early as January and up unto the end of March. What amazing things the Azalea Clubs have done. No wonder we live in such a beautiful area. I am very proud of all clubs and 18 clubs will be presented the Standard of Excellence certificate at the October Board Meeting at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center. I received these certificates and many others at the 88th State Convention in Macon on April 13-14. And what a fun time we had ringing bells and blowing whistles as many awards were presented to Azalea District Clubs on Awards Night. Pine Tree, Hartwell topped the list of 1st place awards by receiving NINE. I am very proud of all “Amazing Azal-eas” and your hard work paid off.

The Sacred Heart Garden Festival & ACGC Flower Show was April 22-24th and members from across the District have entered designs and horticulture specimens and I know everyone will be a winner.

Mark your Expressions Calendars for the next Board meeting to be held on August 18th in Madison, Georgia. We have a fun time at these meetings and I would really enjoy seeing all of you in attendance. Have a relaxing summer.

Betty Davis Azalea District Director 2015-17

Milledgeville Garden Club has donated two "Caring for Your Garden" baskets to Georgia's Old Capital Museum. The baskets will be auctioned off at the museum's fundraiser, "Moonlight on the Capitol: Sa-lute to Sinclair" being held May 14th in Milledge-ville. Pictured are Ann Vinson, Chair for the project, and Dr. Elizabeth Youngblood, President of the Mil-ledgeville Garden Club

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2016 State President’s Workshop Schedule Tuesday, June 28 1:00 – 2:00 Registration 2:00 – 2:15 Welcome and Announcements 2:15-3:00 Native Plants in MY OWN Yard (Lauren Muller, UGA grad student) 3:15 – 5:00 The Herbal Way of Life (Rosie Davidson, Dogwood District Director) 5:00 – 5:30 Lodge Check in/Break 5:30-6:15 Social Hour with cash bar 6:15-6:30 The Rumble in our Tummies (Sandra Walker, GCG Environmental: Bees Chairman) 6:30- 7:30 Dinner – Royal Buffet 7:30 – 7:45 Our National President Talks to Georgia (Sandra Robinson) 7:45 – 8:15 The District Directors Present… Georgia on Our Minds—and in Our Hands 8:15 – 10:00 Calling of the Moths and Social Hour with cash bar (Jean O’Shields)

Wednesday, June 29 9:00 – 9:45 Buzzing in the Bee World (Robert Brewer, author, speaker, retired County Agent) 10:00 – 10:45 Beautiful Butterflies (Z Ganaway, former GCG member, butterfly enthusiast) 10:45 – 11:30 Butterfly Magnets activity (Marilyn McDonnell) 11:30 – 12:15 Box Lunch 12:15 – 1:00 Wet and Wonderful (Dr. Gary Hawkins, Water Resource Management and Policy Specialist, UGA Asst. Professor) 1:15 – 2:00 Beneficial Birds (Park Staff) 2:00 – 3:00 Homes for the Birds activity (Diane Harbin and Peggy Tucker, Deep South/GCG Garden Therapy Chairmen) 3:00 – 3:15 Closing Remarks

Kids’ Day (Adults Optional) Wednesday, June 29 9:00 – 9:30 Welcome Wildflower Seed Bombs Project 9:30 – 10:00 To the Falls Hike 10:00 – 11:15 Creek Splash (Dr. Hawkins) 11:15 – 11:45 Box Lunch at Picnic Shelter 11:45 – 1:15 Silly, Sneaky Salamanders (John Jensen)

1:15 – 2:00 Return Hike to Lodge

2:00 – 3:00 Homes for the Birds

3:00 – 3:15 Closing

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Action Comes Alive! Conserving our World The Garden Club of Georgia

2016 State President’s Workshop June 28-29, 2016

Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge Dawsonville, GA

(Check if attending) (Name) Honey Bee (Signature)

(Check if attending) (Name) Monarch Butterfly (Signature)

(Check if attending) (Name) Herbal Fragrance (Signature)

(Check if attending) (Name) Bird of Prey (Signature)

_____(Check if attending) (Printed Name) ________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________________________________ Phone _______________________ Email ____________________________________________________ Garden Club(s) __________________________________________________________________________ Regular Meals____ Vegan/Vegetarian _____ Other (specify) ____________________________________

Wednesday options: Remain in Lodge for programs all day _______ OR (check one or both if desired) Spend am with Kids group/programs ________ and/or spend pm with Kids group/programs _____ Registration fee of $83 enclosed _______ Check # ___________ Deadline June 1, 2016 Kids fee of $8 for Wednesday only. Mail to: Mrs. Caroline Silcox, 951 East Lake Dr., NE, Gainesville, GA 30506 Room Reservations by May 20, 2016 Contact Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge, 1-800-573-9656 Rates: King ($104.25), 2 Queens ($104.25), 3-bdrm Cottage ($174.25) plus state and local taxes

and $5 Park Pass

For information, contact:

Marilyn McDonnell at mmcdonnell25@comcast.net, 706-863-4992 or Caroline Silcox at csilcox@bellsouth.net, 770-534-4506

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The first garden club in America was founded in January 1891 by The Ladies Garden Club of Ath-ens, Georgia. On May 1, 1929.

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To All Garden Clubs in Georgia: It is time to make plans for National Garden Week which will be observed the first full week in June (5th-11th). Last year we only had 9 clubs and 2 councils to enter their activities. That was twice as many as the year before, so let's double plus some for this year. Plan and carry out your ac-tivities in the community and using the form report them to me. You don't have to wait until December to send them to me. The sooner the better! And don't forget to make pictures of what you do. For more information contact: Linda Harris lkh0112@hartcom.net 706-436-6538

Thank You Amazing Azaleas! We delivered 371 pounds of pull tabs to the Augusta Ronald McDon-ald House between April 1, 2015 and March 30, 2016. You turned in 119 pounds since January 1, 2016 with Pine Needle Lincolnton turning in 61 pounds just this month. Every tab counts. Azalea ranked third this year (371 lbs) behind Laurel (528 lbs) and Oleander (634 lbs). Now is the time to give the other 6 districts some real competition. Encour-age Azalea District youth to “Bring in the Tabs” and offer a prize for the top three to bring in the most lbs of tabs.

RemembeR eveRy Tab counTs! LeTs make a diffeRence

at Ronald Macdonald House!

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They had a “Passion” for Awards: Pine Tree Garden Club, Hartwell had plenty to smile about at the 88th GCG Convention Award’s Banquet in Macon. They brought home 9 (1st place), 2 (2nd place), (Honorable Mention) and 2 youth awards Watkinsville Garden Club took home 6 (1st Place), 2 (2nd Place) and 5 awards for youth activities. These clubs led Azalea District in awards.

Seated: Martha Price, GCG State President, Peggy Tucker, President of PTCG 2nd row: Sherry Westbury, Linda Marsh, Sandra Brown, Linda Harris

Violet Dawe, Phyllis Rother, Nancy Hargroves ,NGC 1st Vice President, Gloria Crews, President WGC, Martha Price, GCG President, Shirley McCorkle

Design honoring Sylvia Gibson Designers: Beth Wiseman & Bar-bara Horner

Honoring Dollie Harper Designer: Janet Massey

~ Celebrating 88th Annual GCG Convention, Macon GA ~

Azalea District Designs

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Sponsored by: North Georgia Council of Flower Show Judges

In Memory of Suzanne Wheeler

Course III: September 26-29, 2016 Course IV: March 28-30, 2017

Venue: Bellmere Garden House 10777 Bell Road

Johns Creek, GA 30097 Registration Deadline: March 1, 2016

FLOWER SHOW SCHOOL, COURSE III

In memory of former GCG President Suzanne Wheeler, North Georgia Coun-cil of Flower Show Judges is sponsoring a Flower Show School to be held at Bellmere Garden House in Johns Creek. Come and join us September 26-29, 2016 for Course III. Learn all about flower shows and how to judge floral de-signs and horticulture. Penny Decker, NGC Flower Show School Design In-structor, will exhibit and discuss American Creative Designs. If your focus is on horticulture, then you’ll want to come and hear the very dynamic David Robson, NGC Flower Show School Horticulture Instructor, talk about combi-nation plantings and container-grown plants, with an emphasis on Coleus and Begonias, and how to grow, show and judge them. Our very own Carolyn Hawkins will present Flower Show Procedure and the rules associated with holding a flower show. Flower Show School is not only for prospective flower show exhibitors and judges, but also for all garden club members and all persons interested in flower design and horticulture. While the primary purpose of these courses is to train those aspiring to become flower show judges, many people attend for information only. Each of the four courses, offered approximately six months apart, includes Horticulture curriculum, Flower Show Procedure and Design instruction. The cost for each course is $130.00 for full-time stu-dents and a judge’s special of $90 for the two-day course. Courses need not be taken sequentially. For further information, contact Joy Zaidan, GCG Flower Show Schools Chairman at jzaidan@bellsouth.net or 770-493-8475.

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The Suzanne Wheeler

FLOWER SHOW SCHOOL Course II

Registration Deadline: September 16, 2016 NO REFUNDS AFTER AUGUST 26, 2016

Course III: September 26-29, 2016

(The 2007 Handbook is required for credit)

Name_______________________________________ Address_____________________________________ E-mail_______________________________________ Phone #_____________________________________ Garden Club__________________________________

Make Checks Payable to NGCFSJ Flower Show School

Mail to: Cookie Roland, Registrar & Co-Chairman 2771 Anscot Court, Snellville, GA 30078-3005

r_cookie@att.net

(Check one) Students, Full Course (with exam) $130_____ Students, Full Course (no exam) $115_____ Student, One Day Auditing $ 65_____ Judge’s Auditing Special, Full Course $ 90_____ Judge’s Auditing, One Day, Tue., Horticulture $ 55_____ Judge’s Auditing, One Day, Wed., Design $ 55_____

Total Enclosed $________

Fees include lunch and snacks on Tuesday & Wednesday

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Dear Youth Enthusiasts: We are already receiving emails and phone calls about our 9th Annual GCG Wild and Wonderful Experience Camp. Once again The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. will be teaming up with the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center for this exciting, fun-filled three day environmental education camp. Our rising 5th and 6th grade youth will be eligible to attend this camp, July 10-12, 2016. Do you know a child who would love an opportunity to be surrounded by na-ture, go fishing, and put together a flower design or a container garden? Learning more about wildlife conservation, environmental issues and mak-ing new friends is all part of the experience as these young people enjoy a wonderful time this summer! Check out the 9th Annual GCG the Wild and Wonderful Experience Camp! We have much fun and exciting programs planned with guest speakers and of course, all the fun and exploring the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center has to offer. Space is limited so don’t delay in finding your special camper!

It is easy find on the GCG website under Youth: http://gardenclub.uga.edu/summercamp.html

You may also contact:

Molly Kimler Susan Turner W&WE Camp Chairman GCG Ass’t. Treasurer GCG Youth Awards & Youth Coordinator mollykimler@gmail.com glencree@bellsouth.net

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75 Years of Work and Fun for Watkinsville Garden Club The Watkinsville Garden Club celebrated their 75th Anniversary on February 4, 2016 in the Terrace Room of the State Garden Club Headquarters at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens. WGC President Gloria Crews presided over the gala event. Watkinsville mayor, Charles Ivie, welcomed everyone. The Keynote Address was given by Wilf Nicholls, Director of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Lois Kraeling, WGC Historian, gave a PowerPoint presen-tation on the history of the club. A Proclamation from the State House of Representatives was read by the wife of Represen-tative Chuck Williams, Beth. A Proclamation from Oconee County Board of Commissioners was read by Jim Luke. A Special Guest at our celebration was Martha Price, President of the Garden Club of Geor-gia. The Azalea District Director, Betty Davis, also attended the event. The festive occasion ended with a delightful potluck luncheon.

District/State leadership! Violet Dawe (Youth: Gardens for Children), Vir-ginia Wells (State Headquarters), Shirley McCorkle (Arboreta, Botani-cal, Memorial Gardens), Azalea Dis-trict Director Betty Davis, WGC President Gloria Crews, GCG Presi-dent Martha Price, and Janet Massey (Newsletter Editor: Azalea Trumpet; Scrapbooks).

WGC President Gloria Crews, Past Presidents Violet Dawe and Shirley McCorkle, Azalea District Director Betty Davis, GCG President Martha Price, Past Presidents Mary Davis, Emily Reynolds and Virginia Wells.

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The Frightened Frog's on Ferst !!!

With special permission from the Ferst Coordinator, the Monticello Garden Club was able to incorporate The Frightened Frog into its Seuss on the Loose Booth.

The Monticello Garden Club

invites everyone to the great

Flower Show celebrating 120

120 years of Gardening.

Open to the public and admis-sion is FREE. So plan to be there with your family and friends.

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EVERGREEN GARDEN CLUB Arbor day, February 19, 2016

To observe Arbor Day this year, our club planted a tree at Felker Park in Monroe, a Walton County park that is beneficial to all our citizens, offering ball fields and a gym for our youth sports teams, exercise classes for seniors, an indoor walking track & even some gym equip-ment. Pictured are three members of our club, Yonette Rooker, Horticulture Chairman, Julie Barker,

President, and Kathy Oliver, Vice President. Also pictured are Kevin Little, Walton County Commissioner, and several county workers. (Photo courtesy Brittney Fitzpatrick, Walton Tribune.)

Watkinsville Garden Club received many awards at the Annual Meeting in Macon. They received first place for: Scrapbook, Garden Therapy, National Garden Week, Birds, School Grounds Improvement, Jr./Intermediate Activities, Jr. Club Leadership. They received second place for History and Yearbook. In the Poster Contest, Abbey Pierce received 1st Place, 3rd Grade Smokey Bear; Johana Medina 1st Place, 4th Grade Woodsy Owl; Nikaia He 1st Place 5th Grade Woodsy Owl. Pictured are members attending the Annual Meeting: Phyllis Rother, Gloria Crews, Violet Dawe, Shirley McCorkle

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Oak Grove, near Newnan GA in Coweta County, GA, will be the focus of the HH&G Fundraiser for The Garden Clubs of Georgia, Inc., for 2016. Owned by George and Liz Tedder since 1983, the GCG tour will include not only the gardens but also the house itself, built in the early 1800’s and lovingly restored by the Ted-ders. The house, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has a traditional farmhouse layout, with 4 rooms up and down and central hallway, originally heated by 4 huge chimneys with their fireplaces. Mrs. Tedder is in the process of writing a book about the discovery, renewal, and years of living in the house, and the contin-ued growth of the gardens. This property was on the very first GCG Historic House and Garden tour set up by James Cothran, and the cemetery garden and other gar-dens have been greatly expanded in the last 20 or so years. Docent-led tours of both the house and of the gardens, an "interpretive restoration" of a plantation landscape, will be held all day. The $35 ticket individual ticket brings you the beauty of the gardens, the uniqueness of the house, and a boxed lunch at midday on the grounds. Saturday April 30, 2016, from 10a.m. to 4p.m. Advance-purchase tickets are $35, including lunch, and can be obtained from Emily Wilbert, phone 770-502-8381 Checks made payable to The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc., and mailed to E. Wilbert, 206 E. Camp St., More-land GA 30259. Deadline is April 15.

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Iris Garden Club of Washington, GA

At our Garden Club meeting last week we had an interesting horticulture moment that we wanted to share. I had a swarm of bees gather in a cedar tree in my back yard. I called Mr. Bobby Rachels, a beekeeper, to come capture the bees. He did not have all his equipment with him but said he could manage with a cardboard box. He cut a hole in the side of the box and taped a piece of screen over it so the bees would have some air circulation while in the box. Mr. Rachels put on his hood, he didn’t have his full suit with him nor his smoker. The pictures show what happened next. 1. The swarm of bees in the cedar tree. 2. He cut the limb that the swarm where the swarm was clustered. 3. He gently brought the branch with the bees on in down and put it in the cardboard box. He left a small slit in the box for about fifteen minutes and the few bees that were not on the cluster went into the box with the swarm. He never got stung once. He took them home and introduced them to their new hive. This was an amazing process to see and get pictures to share.

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Milledgeville Garden Clubs celebrate another successful year with a delicious luncheon and a great program by Al Woods, Floral Designer. This annual gathering of all four garden clubs was held at First United Methodist Church and the large crowd enjoyed every moment, with many taking home flowering plants as door prizes. Pictured (L/R) are: Kathy Chandler, president Garden Council; Diane Sargent, president Old Capital Garden Club; Al Woods, guest speaker; Dr. Elizabeth Youngblood, president Milledge-ville Garden Club; Cecile Parker, co-president Carrington Woods Garden Club; and Roslyn Mullis, president Town & Country Garden Club. It was a joyful event. Milledgeville Garden Club members enjoyed a very interesting program on "Memory Hill Cemetery's Infamous Graves" as presented by Matt Davis, Executive Director of Georgia's Old Governor's Mansion. Memory Hill is a historical treasure, with thousands visiting each year. Also, it has many famous residents, with daily guided tours. Delicious refreshments were prepared and served inside Rose Hill Plantation, located on the beautiful grounds of Lockerly Arboretum. Hostesses pictured (L/R) Polly Echols, Dr. Elizabeth Youngblood, Helen Fetrow, Carolyn Ford-ham, and Nan Carpenter. Not pictured is Sara Register. It was a delightful and very informa-tive afternoon!

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Mayor Perriman presents a Proclamation to Boxwood Garden Club President, Steve Poling, in honor of the club’s 50th Anniversary.

Pictured left to right: Bobby Crawford, Terrell Saffold, Carol Ann Moore, Merrill Carter, Faye Carter, Jim Argo, Steve Poling, President; Anelle Argo, Mayor Perriman, Jim Davie, Julie Davie, Carolyn Broome and Glynn Broome. Members not present: Nancy Crawford, Irene Paul, Bill and Rue Player, Barbara Poling, Mary Ellen Price, Janette Saffold, Fred and Ann Zimmermann.

Proclamation WHEREAS, Boxwood Garden Club, an affiliate of the Garden Club of Georgia, was founded on March 25, 1965 following an organizational meeting comprised of three Garden Club groups; and

WHEREAS, Boxwood Garden Club was the first couples garden club in the state of Georgia; and

WHEREAS, Boxwood Garden Club established Boxwood Memorial Gardens, a greenspace honoring their de-ceased members, and planted it with various plants and shrubs; and

WHEREAS, Boxwood Garden Club sponsored the dedication of the Blue Star Memorial Highway and placed a marker about the Highway in Boxwood Memorial Gardens; and

WHEREAS, Boxwood Garden Club maintained a garden at the former Morgan County Library and has estab-lished a garden at the new library facility with the intention of certifying the garden as a Pollinator Habitat;

NOW THEREFORE, I, Fred Perriman, Mayor of the City of Madison, Georgia, do hereby proclaim on this 10th day of June, 2015, recognition and support of the efforts of BOXWOOD GARDEN CLUB and wish them contin-ued success.

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TIDBITS

Interested in NGC’s website? Our latest information is: User name - member and Password - flight.

If you go to http://gardenclub.uga.edu/links.html You will find a wealth of information. Look at the fantastic WWW links for our Districts, Councils, Individual Clubs and GCG Affiliates.

There are many other organizations such as : American Audubon Society, American Daffodil Society, Cherokee Garden Library, Georgia Wildlife Fed-eration, LaConte-Woodmanston and State Botanical Garden of Georgia.

Look at Pinterest .com for hundreds of ideas for recycling and utilizing scrap lumber, material, etc.

NGC Conservation Pledge I pledge to protect and conserve the natural resources of the planet Earth and promise to promote education so we may become better caretakers of our air, water, forest, land and wildlife. If you haven’t been repeating this pledge at each club meeting, please consider this as part of your monthly meeting. It was issued by the National Garden Club as a reminder of who we are and what we need to be doing to insure a better world in which we live.

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Attention All Azalea District Clubs: Please have pictures and information to be included in the April Trumpet to me on or before April 15, 2015. It would even be better if you email items to me as soon as you have your event, that way I can avoid the last minute panic!

Newsletters Deadlines are :

Winter/Early Spring January 15 Spring/Early Summer April 15 Summer/Early Fall July 15 Fall/Early Winter October 15 Suggestions and feedback about Newsletter are always welcomed. Janet Massey, Newsletter Editor jandjmassey@usa.net

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER (Conventions and Board Meetings)

2016

May 12-28 - GC Convention - Louisville, KY June 28-29 State President Workshop –Amicacola Falls, GA July 14 Azalea District Club Officers Workshop in Athens These get-togethers are so important to the success of the Garden Club Of Georgia and all the individual garden clubs in our great state. Please try to attend as many as you can.