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Water Garden Society of Oklahoma Newsletter: Pond Life February 2015 Volume 29 Issue 2

PPRESIDENTRESIDENT ’’SS PPADAD

President’s Pad ....................... 1 Meeting Information ................. 1 New Members / Renewals ........ 2 Word Find .................................. 2 Board Meeting Info ................... 2 Ad Rates .................................... 2 Event Calendar .......................... 3 WGSO Board Contact List .......... 3 Last Month’s Recap ................... 3 Share Your Pad .......................... 4 February Gardening ................... 5 Eyesore Problem Solved ............ 6 Small Space................................ 6 Pond Tour Entry Form ............... 7 2015 Membership Application .. 8 Upcoming Events Details ........... 9 Birthdays ................................. 10 What To Feed The Birds .......... 10 Club Contact Info ..................... 10

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

What a way for the Water Garden Society to start 2015. I don’t think we have ever had so many members show up for a January meeting. It sure didn’t hurt with Connie Fisher getting such a great guest speaker. It’s good to know our pond plants are good for some-thing besides looking pretty and helping our ponds from turning green. Don’t forget this month is our Fourth Annual Sweets for the Sweet contest. So drag out your recipes because February 3rd will be here before you know it. Just bring your desert, cut into bite size pieces with only the name of the dessert, not yours. For those who don’t desire to participate in the contest we are also going to have regular refreshments so you can help with that. In doing so, it will help some of us with our sugar high. Once our contest and Val-entine’s Day is over we can then concentrate on our diet for the year. See, we have figured it out for you! Since our last meeting, the WGSO board met for our annual planning retreat and we heard new ideas and made some great decisions for our upcoming 2015 year. WGSO workshops were decided on and have made the final decision on which ones we are to have. Only the first two workshops have a definite date and they will be announced at the February meeting. Since we have to watch the weather we generally set the dates a couple weeks out. Because Mother Nature seems to make us change our workshop dates at least once a year. WGSO is now accepting ponds for our 2015 Public Tour so print your form out of the news-letter or we will have some for you at our general meeting. To ensure that the books get out in time there will be a definite April 1st deadline. Tom does need time to work on the Tour Guide and don’t forget he had two toddlers who are also competing for daddy time so get all of your information to him as quickly as you can. The Water Garden Society will be having a booth at the Cox Center in March so if you would like to help, contact Paullei Mumme. We will be making faux boulders, so if you attended the workshop this last year we could use your help making some for this show as you now know how to make them. It will be late March this year instead of late January so we are in high hopes we won’t have an ice and snow storm like last year. It was sooooo cold, but I know for sure we had some really dedicated members who braved the snow and ice that day. Hope to see you at The Sweets for the Sweet! Diane Clark WGSO President

N E X T M E E T I N G

1st Tuesday of the Month1st Tuesday of the Month

February 3, 2015 @ 7 pm Doors Open @ 6:30 pm

Northwest Church of Christ Family Living Center

4301 NW 23rd St, OKC 73107

PROGRAM:

Details on Page 9

We Want Your Water Feature On WGSO’s Public Pond Tour

Don’t Say “It’s Not Ready”

People Like To See Works In Progress

Let Yours Inspire Others

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WGSO AD RATES If you would like to place an ad in the Pond Life, the rates are as follows:

Business Card $10.00 1/4 Page $25.00 1/2 Page $75.00 Full Page $100.00

Ads are to be CAMERA READY PREPAID in advance. Send payment to the WGSO Treasurer, Jim Maida, 10612 Turnberry Ln, OKC, OK 73170.

Send ad to the newsletter editor, Paullei Mumme at [email protected].

Ad must be in editor’s possession no later than the 15th of the month preceding publication.

EX: August issue must be received by July 20th.

Tuesday, Feb 24 @ 6:30 pm

RSVP Required to Diane Clark [email protected] 947-6999

Diane Clark’s House 4900 NW 35th St

Oklahoma City, OK

All Executive Board Members and Committee Chairs are encouraged to attend.

Spouse Welcomed.

NEW MEMBERS: NEW MEMBERS: Mary and Jeff Fields

RENEWALS: RENEWALS: Vicki Baker, Michael Benson, Jim Conner, Paula

Davis, Larry and Barbara Davison, Terry and Connie Fisher, David and Cathy Foreaker, Johnny and Martha Garrard, Jim and Mary Gar-rett, Phil and Sarah Grissam, Gary and Julie Guild, Judith Hogan, James and Degeta Huffman, Michael and Rita Hurst, Bob and Sue Jones, Pamela Jones, Doug and Connie Kaye, Allen and Marilyn Knol, Alan Long and Patty Smith, Jim and Leah Maida, Bryan and Wilma McDaniel, Terry Mock, Jim Porterfield, Bernard (Chris) See-gel, Larry and Kathie Smathers, Jeff and Donna Strother, Mike and Tonah Tharp, Tom and Heather Thompson, Jim and Donna Tinsley, Mary and Leo Trujillo, J.B. and Ruth Turcotte, Dennis and Elynn Wag-ner, and Karen Wolf

As of the 20th of the month:

WW ELCOMEELCOME WGSO MWGSO M EMBERSEMBERS

Open to all WGSO members - RSVP Required - Bring a Dish.

If you paid your 2015 Membership Dues and DON’T see your name, contact Patty Smith at [email protected]

Tickets are $1 @ Meetings & Club Events.

$ 1 7 7 . 0 0 1/6/15

The WGSO Public Pond Tour is your opportunity for the biggest and best

SHOW and TELL SHOW and TELL of your life!

Put your water feature on tour and share your story. Let others enjoy

your personal paradise!

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Landscape Show Water Feature Build January 31 Sweets 4 the Sweet Dessert Contest February 3 Board Meeting February Landscape Show Water Feature Build February 7

Pond Tour Guide Photo Contest Deadline March 1 General Meeting March 3 Meet-N-Greet Pond Pro -Spring Start Up March 7 OKC Spring Remodel & Landscape Show March 27-29 Meet-N-Greet Pond Pro - Pond Filtration March 28 Board Meeting March 31

Pond Tour Entry Deadline April 1

General Meeting April 7 Gutter Hanging Garden Workshop April 11 Wine Bottle Tiki Torch April 11 Meet-N-Greet Pond Pro - Pond Build April 11 Meet-N-Greet Pond Pro - Pondlless Build April 25 Board Meeting April 28

Members Only Plant Sale May 5 Meet-N-Greet Pond Pro - Plants/Fish/Algae May 16 Board Meeting May 26 General Meeting June 2 Meet-N-Greet Pond Pro - Pond Build June 6

2 0 1 52 0 1 5 W G S O B O A R D W G S O B O A R D

EXECUTIVE OFFICER*/ COMMITTEE CHAIRS NAME CELL OTHER E-MAIL

*President Diane Clark 802-6200 947-6999 [email protected]

*Vice-President Ellie Miller 243-7380 [email protected]

*Secretary Connie Kaye 826-0157 [email protected]

*Treasurer Jim Maida 691-7630 [email protected]

*Historian Martha Garrard 245-3601 [email protected]

*Past President Jim Conner 317-6016 801-2891 [email protected]

Newsletter / Activities Paullei Mumme 642-4767 [email protected]

Activates Sue Jones 341-4179 [email protected]

Membership Patty Smith 694-0886 717-9995 [email protected]

Plant Sales/Tour Guide Sales Gary Guild 397-5758 390-8112 [email protected]

Programs Connie Fisher 350-3378 [email protected]

Refreshments Claribel Collier 396-8074 N/A

Refreshments Phil & Sarah Grissam 454-3571 [email protected]

Refreshments Tonah Tharp 973-4209 340-6495 [email protected]

Tour Guide Publication Tom Thompson 693-5098 [email protected]

Website Jim Porterfield 799-7974 [email protected]

Tour Guide Ad Sales/Members Tours Diane Clark 802-6200 947-6999 [email protected]

Tour Guide Ad Sales Karen Wolf 799-8434 [email protected]

LAST MONTH’S RECAP

Connie Fisher started out 2015 with an educational format for our first meeting of the year. She made ar-rangements for Robert H. Cichewicz,Ph.d. who works at Oklahoma University in the Chemistry and Biochemis-try departments in research to be our guest speaker.

Did you know some of the very top current cancer drugs are now being derived from water plants? He went to some of our members’ yards to get samples from our own ponds for their research. He explained how long it takes and what they have to go through in order to get it ready for even testing. They have found that quite a few water plants including ocean, river, and our own backyard fish ponds have the types of plants that are needed in the research for cancer and now they are going off into other areas, not just cancer.

So when he calls this summer for samples, step up and invite him over to collect plant material at your home.

Who knows, it may be one of our samples that may be used to save someone’s life. http://npdg.ou.edu/

Is there a WGSO member’s water feature you’d like to see

on this year’s Tour Guide? Ask them to enter the contest

and put their yard on tour!

mailto:[email protected]



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Each year WGSO hosts our Public Pond Tour to share our yards and love of everything outdoor, but mostly to give the general public a glimpse into our water wonderland. During its heyday, WGSO had well over 40 ponds on the public tour, but each year there has been a decline. For many years it has been a struggle to get enough ponds on tour to satisfy the advertisers, justify the effort, and produce a tour WGSO can be proud to call its own.

Why is it so important to have 30 plus ponds/water features on the public tour? The more ponds/water features on tour, the more interest it will generate in the public. The more places to see, the more ideas you get. The more members who participate, the more we can spread the word about WGSO.

Think back to the first public pond tours you went to see. Were you amazed at how beautiful it all was and envisioned doing something in your own yard? I’m betting you’d have to say yes. I’m also betting that those yards you visited had owners who felt they weren’t perfect. That there were weeds here and there, this still needed to be done, and that wasn’t just right. How many of you WGSO members are guilty in that regard? I

know, I’ve been there myself. But the truth to the matter is the public loves to see you yard regardless of the condition.

Just two years ago, the Wagner’s just had a hole in the ground but they open their yard to the public. Granted, it was a pretty impressive hole, but it gave others the opportunity to see the beginning stages and ask questions. As the years go by and they continue to be on the public tour, their pond will always be special to those who have watched it mature over the years.

Small water features are just as important to have on the public tour as big ponds! Most people are working with either limited space or a lim-ited budget or both. Being able to see what WGSO members have done in similar situations inspires others to take the plunge into water gar-dening.

Now if you are lucky enough to have a large pond, we really would love to see it on the public pond tour! Since most of us have small to medium ponds or water fea-tures, the chance to see a big pond is a real treat. We don’t care if you don’t think its ready! We want to see your vision for it and watch it develop over the years. Just the opportunity to see a large body of water with potential is more than enough for us fellow ponders.

So dig out those photos and write up a brief description of what you got and how you got there. If you need help, let a board member know and we’ll help you out. Don’t forget to include directions to your house from the nearest main intersection.

Deadline for the Tour Guide Cover Contest in March 1st. Deadline to enter the Public Tour is April 1st.

A work in progress was on the Public Tour!

Homeowners with small spaces & small budgets love to see small ponds on the Public Pond Tour.

Many people love to watch ponds evolve over the years.

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WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN IN FEBRUARY: There's always something to be doing in the garden, whether it's pruning, tidying or sowing, so we've put together our top gardening tasks for February.

In the flower garden

• Prune your Wisteria now, cutting back summer side-shoots to 2 or 3 buds. • Towards the end of the month prune summer-flowering Clematis before active growth begins - find out how with our clematis pruning

guide. • Cut back shrubs such as Cornus and Salix cultivars (grown for their colourful winter stems) down to their bases. • Cut back the old foliage from ornamental grasses before growth begins - clip them to within a few centimetres of the ground. • Prune overwintered fuchsias back to one or two buds on each shoot. • Prune Winter Flowering Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) after flowering to encourage new growth for next year's blooms. Cut back the pre-

vious years growth to 5cm from the old wood. • Prune winter flowering shrubs such as Mahonia and Viburnum x bodnantense after their colourful display has finished. • Trim winter-flowering heathers as the flowers disappear, to prevent the plants becoming leggy. • Remove any faded flowers from your winter pansies to stop them setting seed. This will encourage a flush of new flowers when the weather

warms up. • Lift and divide snowdrops still 'in the green' if you want to move them or create more plants. • If you need to move deciduous trees or shrubs, now is the time to do it provided the soil is not frozen or waterlogged. • Plant Lilies and Allium bulbs. • Plant bare root roses in a sunny position for spectacular summer colour. • Plant fragrant winter flowering shrubs to add interest to borders. Try Daphne, Viburnum x bodnantense, Witch Hazel (Hamamelis x interme-

dia) and Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox). • Hardwood cuttings taken last year may need planting or potting on now. • Pot on rooted cuttings of tender perennial plants taken last summer. • Look out for Hellebore leaf spot (rounded brown spots on the leaves) and remove any leaves that are affected.

Other jobs about the garden

• Trim deciduous hedges before the birds start nesting. • Vines such as Ivy, Virginia Creeper and Boston Ivy can be cut back now to keep windows, gutters and roof tiles clear. • If you're adding woody prunings to compost bins, shred or chop them first as they are slow to decompose. • Wash empty pots by scrubbing them with hot water and a mild detergent. Rinse them well afterwards. • The weather is still cold this month so hang fat balls and keep bird feeders topped up to attract birds, who will in turn eat pests in your gar-

den. • Install water butts now ready for the summer. Rainwater is particularly useful for watering acid-loving, ericaceous plants (tap water is often

slightly alkaline). • If you don't already know what type of soil you have, invest in a soil testing kit to help you choose the right plants for your garden. • If all you can see from your windows are unattractive sheds, composting areas and bins this winter, think about using evergreen climbers

such as Clematis armandii or Clematis 'Fragrant Oberon' to screen the area, or just to add winter interest. Bamboo plants also make a fan-tastic screen.

Looking after your lawn

• With spring on the way it's worth preparing your lawn for the season ahead. Try installing lawn edging which creates a neat and tidy appear-ance and makes maintenance easier.

From your armchair

• Sort your seeds by sowing date, month by month. • Consider using containers and hanging baskets filled with bedding plants to add colour to your patio. • Order flower bulbs for summer colour such as Lily of the Valley , Lilies and Gladioli in preparation for spring planting.

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WGSO Faux Boulder Workshop inspired Jim Maida to turn an ugly eyesore of sprinkler pipes into a seamless part of the landscape.

Sprinkler Pipes Eyesore

Styrofoam Form + Hypertufa Mix = Faux Boulder Pipe Cover

See how well the faux boulder covers the sprinkler pipes

and blends into the landscape. Great Job!

Jim Conner takes a very narrow backyard and transform it into a garden paradise. Check out the before and after photo below. Jim’s no mow yard is filled with sensory treats. Sights, sounds, smells, and textures to sooth a person’s stress away without even having a pond in the mx. Jim Conner has put his yard on tour many years and people are always amazed and inspired by what a major impact in such a small space. Everyone finds something that inspires them to think about addng a version to their on personal paradise.

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Are you r eady to ge t cr ea t i v e ? WORKSHOP HOST DATE Gutter Vertical Garden Mary Garrett April 11 Wine Bottle Tiki Torch Mary Garrett April 11 Leaf Casting Diane Clark TBD Leaf Casting Finishing Diane Clark TBD Faux Rock Wall Fountain Diane Clark TBD

RSVP is required on all workshops due to limited space. Waiting list will be started when spaces are filled. Please let us

know if you can’t make it so someone else can join the fun.

Some workshops will have a flat fee for all inclusive material kits, other workshops will have a partial fee for bulk materials provided, and a few workshops will have attendees bring all of the materials.

Sign Up Sheets will be at the General Meetings

Got questions? Contact, WGSO Activities Chair, Paullei Mumme [email protected] or 642-4767

4th Annual WGSO4th Annual WGSO

February General MeetingFebruary General Meeting DIG OUT YOUR FAVORITDIG OUT YOUR FAVORITE E

SWEET TREAT RECIPE SWEET TREAT RECIPE

Only current paid WGSO members are eligible to enter,

but tasting and voting is open to all for the low cost of $1.

1st

, 2nd

, & 3rd

P lace Winners

CONTESTANTS Sign Up At January Meeting

All Desserts Must be HOMEMADE!

Have Desserts Cut into Small Servings

Entries need to be turned in by 6:45 pm

Label Entry on 3”x5” Sign as Follows:

Dessert Name ONLY

DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON DISH

Type of NUTS if applicable (Allergy Alert Info)

TASTERS / VOTERS

$1 tasting kit per person*

Each paying taster will receive one voting ticket

When tasting, take just a BITE of each dessert so everyone will

have an opportunity to taste the dish.

After tasting all the desserts, write your favorite dessert on your

voting ticket and place in ballot box.

Winners Will Be Announced and Prizes

Will Be Award After All Votes Are Cast

29th Annual WGSO Public Pond TourWGSO Public Pond Tour

Saturday* June 20 - 9 am to 6 pm Sunday June 21 - 1 pm to 6 pm

*SPECIAL HOURS - Select Homes Public Night Tour - SAT NGIHT ONLY

9 am to 3 pm for Day Viewing

9 pm to 11 pm for Night Viewing

All WGSO Members with WATER FEATURES are eligible to be on the Public Pond Tour. Pondless waterfalls, bubbling

rocks, fountains, container water gardens, small ponds, big ponds - WE WANT THEM ALL!

Entry forms will be at the General Meeting.

2015 WGSO PUBLIC POND TOUR GUIDE COVER CONTEST

DEADLINE TO ENTER IS MARCH 1, 2015DEADLINE TO ENTER IS MARCH 1, 2015

Only WGSO members who have entered to be on the Public Pond Tour are eligible to be on the cover. If you would like your water feature to appear on the cover, check the appropriate box on the entry form and have your completed entry postmarked by March 1. WGSO members will vote for the best photo at the March General Meeting.

COVER PHOTO ENTRY MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

A minimum resolution of 600 dpi in TIF or JPEG format only

Good lighting and in focus

Portrait orientation

For More Information Contact Tom Thompson

at 693-5093 [email protected]

Add Lights and be on Both Day & Night Tours

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WGSO POND LIFE Paullei Mumme 645 E Frolich Dr Midwest City, OK 73110

Mailing Label

The 15th of each month is the deadline for articles/advertisements for next month’s issue of Pond Life. E-mail articles and advertisements to Paullei Mumme at [email protected].


www.wgso.org [email protected]

Birthdays for January: Monica Allen

Teresa Asbury, Evelyn Baird,

Michael Benson, Wayne Booze, Jeanie Booze, Pat Bourgeois, Larry Davison,

Barbara Davison, Robert Guidry, Justin Harvey, Cindy Kienlen,

Allen Knol, Marilyn Knol, Kirsten Land,

Kate Lay, Jim Porterfield,

Patty Smith, Heath Oldham,

Ronald Rampersad

Birthdays for February: Whitney Beller,

Nancy Burns, Sandi Caldwell,

Jim Conner, Sam Estes, Freddy Hill, Jay Jones, Jim Moss,

Terry Moss, Vergil Roper,

Donna Strother, Mike Tharp,

Dennis Wagner, Charlotte Wilson.

What To Feed The Birds

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