Conejo Valley Garden Club

50th Anniversary Planning Meeting

2011-07-20T13:06:00.000-07:00

Today, Wednesday, July 20th several of the CVGC members met to start planning our 50th Anniversary Luncheon.
In the picture is Margaret, Melanie, Kathy, Maggie, Beverly and Sherry. We got lots of things started and our assignments to work on. It should be a very fun event!

After the meeting was finished everyone sat around and looked at the archival books that Sherry has been putting together from the last 50 years. There is so much great information in them about the history and the people that have been involved in our club during the last 50 years.

Lots of discussing of former members and activities.

Conejo Valley Botanic Gardens Kids's Adventure Garden

2011-06-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday morning, June 21, 2011 the first day of summer, Joyce, Sherry and Maggie met up with Jean, from the Conejo Valley Botanic Gardens at the Kid's Adventure Gardens. We were there to give Jean a check from our High Tea Fund Raiser. The CV Botanic Gardens is one of the many groups that we support. We love to support the CV Botanic Gardens and the Kid's Adventure Gardens. There is so much to see and experience there every time you go.

Maggie, President Conejo Vally Garden Club, Joyce a long time and very active member, and Jean, the President of the Conejo Valley Botanic Gardens.

Sherry 2nd Vice President of CVGC with Joyce and Jean

Everyone loves the Gardens, even this lizard!! He was just sitting in the sun enjoying all the great buggies that come and visit the garden.

One of the many great art pieces in the garden.

Pirate Hideaway! Walk inside and pretend you are anywhere you want to be!

The Pirate Hideaway is covered with a beautiful Passion Vine.

Flowers, bumblebees, Hummingbirds and birds singing in the trees. What a great way to start the morning!! (As well as great friends!)

Great place to take pictures of the kids! What a fun seat.

The Bog Garden is full and lush this year.

Make sure you stop by and check out the garden soon. The flowers are wonderful!

The Kid's Adventure Garden is open on Sundays 11 - 3pm

Check them out soon!!

We worked hard and played hard during the Garden Club year so we can support all the wonderful things that we do. Please come and join us in September and find out how much fun you can have!

Creative Design Show CVGC Flower Show January 2011

2011-02-22T16:58:00.000-08:00

On January 28th and 29th we had the

First Invitational Creative Design Show.

This was not a Standard Flower Show as it only had Designs and no Horticulture. It was set up so flower designers could chose subjects that they normally wouldn't be able to enter in a Flower Show. Everyone talked to the Chairman, Beverly Switzer and asked that a particular "Class" be opened. After she got the nine classes she then filled them with four entries each.

These are the pictures from the Show which was held at the Newbury Park Libary in Newbury Park, California.

Chairman Beverly Switzer and the Judges for the Show

Joyce Dean, Jill Coleman, Gloria Aminian, Betty Rohan

Class 7: Creative Line Design: 3rd place: Pat Carlson

Class 3: Mass Design 1st Place Winner: Janet Switzer

Class 4: Table Design 2nd Place: Nancy Gorman

Class 4: Table Design 3rd Place: Pat Zarnowski

Class 4: Table Design Honorable Mention: Sherry Molinari

Class 8: Vibratile Design: 3rd Place: Sherry Molinari

Class 3: Mass Design: 3rd Place: Pat Zarnowski
*

Class 8: Vibratile Design: HM: Joyce Reid
*

Class 8: Vibratile Design: 2nd Place: Beverly Switzer
*

Class 7: Creative Line Design: 2nd Place: Gloria Aminian
*

Class 7: Creative Line Design: 1st Place: Monica Lewis
*

Class 5: Exhibition Table: 3rd Place: Beverly Switzer
*

Class 5: Exhibition Table: HM: Lilly Klink
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Class 5: Exhibition Table: 2nd Place: Beverly Switzer
*

Class 6: Capsule Table Design: 2nd Place: Maggie Crane
*

Class 9: Stabile Design: 2nd Place: Beverly Switzer
*

Class 9: Stabile Design: HM: Monica Lewis
*

Class 9: Stabile Design: 3rd Place: Joyce Reid
*

Class 5: Exhibition Table: 1st Place: Janet Switzer

Class 8: Vibratile Design: 1st Place: Monica Lewis

Class 7: Creative Line Design: HM: Lillian Trevisan

Class 2: Creative Wood Design: 1st Place: Camille Van Ast
Designer Choice Award
*

Class 1: Floor Design: 1st Place: Janet Swizter

Class 1: Floor Design: 3rd Place: Beverly Switzer

Class 3: Mass Design: 2nd Place: Lillian Trevisan

Class 3: Mass Design: HM: Barbara Hearn

Class 9: Stabile Design: 1st Place: Camille Van Ast

Designer Choice Award

Class 4: Table Design: 1st Place: Janet Switzer

Table Artistry Award

Sweepstakes Award

Class 6: Capsule Table Design: 3rd Place: Joyce Reid

Class 2: Creative Design with Wood: HM: Barbara Hearn

Class 6: Capsule Table Design: 1st Place: Jean Reiley
*

Class 6: Capsule Table Design: HM: Dreena Tierney

Class 2: Creative Design with Wood: 3rd Place: Beverly Switzer

Class 2: Creative Design with Wood: 2nd Place Monica Lewis

Class 1: Floor Design: 2nd Place: Sue Ianiro

Our Banner outside the room welcoming in visitors.

Overview of the room

Another overview of room

Carolyn Williams entry: Lunch for Judges! The Table and the food by Carolyn, Sherry, and Rosemary won First Place with the Judges!!

We didn't get any pictures of Jane Rand's Table which as always was very cute and fun! Jane provided Tea and Muffins for the early morning enjoyment of the Judges and workers.

Pictures are provided by Pat Carlson, Photographer for CVGC and Maggie Crane.

Thank you to everyone that helped make this a wonderful addition to our Garden Club Year.

2010-12-14T14:54:00.000-08:00

Keep Your Christmas Cactus Blooming

Keep the bright colors coming

Christmas cactus needs short days and cool night temperatures in order to bloom. Bright light, high humidity, and soil that’s kept slightly moist most of the year are all essential as well. To keep the bright blooms after the holidays, follow these tips:

Keep it in the dark. Don’t keep it in a room where lights are on well into the evening. Move it to a dark space or cover it with a dark plastic trash bag so no light reaches it for 12 or 13 hours each night.

Don’t prune the flat, arching stems (buds form on the tips), and don’t fertilize so heavily that you encourage only vegetative growth.

For next year’s blooms, leave your cactus out in the summer months. Place it in a spot where it is protected from strong mid-day sun. Leave it there as late into fall as possible, bringing inside only when frost threatens.
Bring indoors. When you bring the cactus indoors, place it in a bright window where temperatures drop to 55°F to 60°F at night. If nights are a bit warmer (65°F or so), it will take longer for buds to develop.

Google Makes Honey

2010-09-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

Google Instant is pretty cool, but this week the search company released another exciting new product: honey. Real honey.
Back in June, with help from the Marin Bee Company, Google employees set up four beehives (collectively called the Hiveplex) at its Mountain View, California, campus. Spearheaded by Rob Peterson, a software engineer, the aim of the project was to provide Googlers with sustainable honey, raise awareness of colony collapse disorder and the important role bees play in our food system, and address misconceptions about bees ("they're basically vegan wasps," says Peterson).

Yesterday, Peterson and the Google beekeepers harvested the first batch of honey—an estimated 400 pounds of it. In one of the campus cafeterias, they set up stations where Googlers could extract honey from the frames and take a bottle home. There are also plans for cooking classes that incorporate the honey and it might be used in an on-site cafe that specializes in local food.

And how did it taste? "Amazing," says Peterson. "Unless you've tasted fresh raw honey, you haven't tasted honey."

2010-09-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

One of my Garden Residents

In early July this year I was attending to my roses when I noticed a spider sheltering beneath a rose. This spider was strikingly beautiful as she stayed in place, looking very alert and seeming to watch me. The next day, she was still there and so I began a careful guardianship, including a request to the gardeners not to go near her. (They were fine with that, I think they know my gardening ways by now!) The spider is well placed between a rose bush and lavender, so she has a large supply of prey.

I researched this spider on the Internet and so I know that she is a female green lynx spider (Peucetia viridians) It is the largest North American lynx spider and found on many kinds of shrub like plants throughout the southern United States. This spider has its name because it springs onto prey, rather than catching prey in a web. It preys on all insects both pests and beneficial. I have seen it catch three bees while it has been in my rose bed (see photograph) and also one day I saw a large grasshopper suspended beneath it. The grasshopper was three times its size! The females have been known to eat the male green lynx spider.

The green lynx spider is used in Florida in crops such as soybeans and peanuts as a pest control. However their use in pest control has to be weighed against their preying on beneficial insects.

It is now over two months since I found her and she is still in the exact same place, sheltering under now a very old rose. She has made it more secure with her very fine web. I am on the lookout for an egg sac, although as each egg sac can contain an average of 200 eggs, I am wondering about the future spider population in my rose bed. Green lynx spiders can bite humans, although rarely and the bite is not harmful but it is painful. I am quite fond of her by now but I will be wearing my garden gloves whenever I am attending to my roses!

Margaret

CGCI Backyard Habitat Chairman

Setember Welcome Back Potluck

2010-09-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

Our September meeting will be our annual Welcome Back Potluck! It will be held in the beautiful back yard of one of our members. She has redone her yard with low water use plants. It is a beautifully peaceful yard that you will enjoy with good friends and great food.

A though M brings Salad

N thought Z brings Dessert

Drinks and paper goods will be provided.

We will have a short business meeting starting at 10:15 sharp and then afterwards we will have plenty of time to eat and visit. This is always a well attended and fun meeting. We will get to see all our friends that we have so missed during the summer. If you have gone a trip, bring your photos to share. Great Gardens this year? Brings you pictures! New Grand kids, Bring your photos! You get the idea!!

If you are new to our group and would like to join us please give me a call and I will give you information on where we are meeting. Maggie, CVGC President 805-341-3363

The Lastest Additon to my Yard

2010-05-24T16:09:00.000-07:00

I got this old wheelbarrow a couple of years ago at one of our garage sales. It has been sitting around in the side yard bugging my husband since then. I finally got busy and with my dear husband's help I painted it bright yellow and planted a bunch of herbs in it. Now it is sitting out front of the house bugging my husband. I'm not too sure what the neighbors think of it but I love it!! It doesn't take much to please me, yellow and plants, what's not to love!!

What do you have in your yard?

"Festivities For All" Flower Show Pictures

2010-01-19T10:42:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures from the Flower Show that was held December 6th & 7th. Enjoy!

First stop for everyone displaying, The Check In Table.

Gerry getting ready to make her arrangement.

Lillian working with horticulture.

Chairperson Bev making sure everything is perfect!

Kathy talking to ?

We took the judges down the Greenhouse Cafe for a very nice lunch.

Ron and Pam working on the Horticulture Tables.

Pam playing peek-a-boo?

Lillian and Marjo Gardner providing beautiful music.

Jean and Bob marking the prices on the Plant Market plants.

All the plants for sale at the Plant Market.

Beautiful Horticulture

Horticulture

Chrysanthemum

Horticulture

Horticulture Tables

Horticulture Tables

Horticulture Tables.

Horticulture Tables. You have to love Southern California! Here it is the first of December and this is what we are getting out of our gardens!! Beats three feet of snow any day!

Educational Display by Bob. He had a computer with a looped slide show of local birds and plants.

Kids Growing Strong Educational Display by Nancy Gorman. Look at the cute "flower bed"!

Lillian's Educational Display on the National and State and Local Garden Clubs.

"Holiday Festivities" - Exhibiton Type 1 Place Setting in a Frame

Rita De Silets (SC GC) 1st

Lovita Vandenberg 2nd (W)

"Hung With Care" Wreath etc.

Jan Bull (C) 1st & Artistic Craft Award

Wreath

Jo Maturo (W) 2nd

Decorated Ball

Camille Van Ast (C) 3rd

"Putting on the Ritz"

Necklace Arrangement Camille Van Ast (C) 1st

Hat Bev Switzer (C & WHFD) 2nd

Apron Design

Lillian Trevisan (C) 3rd

Hat

Pat Taylor (C) H.M.

"Four Footed or Feathered Festivites"

Kathy Dustman (O) 1st

Rita DeSilets (SC & WHFD) H.M.

Lillian Tresivan (C) 2nd

Bev Switzer (C & WHFD) 3rd

"Petite Surprise" 18"x18" Design Table

Left to right....Becky Hartlage, Dreena Tierney and Janet Switzer

Janet Switzer 3rd

Becky Hartlage 2nd

"By the Fire" a Tray

Janet Switzer (WHFD) 1st & Table Artistry Award

Lilly Klink (W) H.M.

18"x18" Camille Van Ast (C) 1st

"Bountiful Harvest" 6 foot table

Bev Switzer (C & WHFD) 3rd

Becky Hartlage (C) 2nd

Janet Switzer (WHFD) 1st & Table Artistry Award & Holiday Excellence Award

Close up of Janet's buffet table

"Boxing Day" Card Table

Bev Switzer (C & WHFD) 2nd

"Celebrate the Day" single place setting

Barbara Hearne (W) 1st.

(This is NOT all the designs and winners. When I get more pictures figured out I will put more up. If you find any mistakes please let me know! Thanks. )

Just a brief wrap-up to a very busy weekend. Remember we only do this twice a year so be ready in Spring of 2012 to put your best flowers out for the world to see!!

"Festivities For All" CVGC Flower Show

2009-11-12T19:32:00.000-08:00

The Conejo Valley Garden Club's Flower Show is all set for

December 5, 2009 from 1 - 5 pm

and

December 6, 2009 from 1 - 4pm.

It will be held at the Thousand Oaks Library, 1401 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks, California.

It is Table Settings......

It is a Plant Sale.......

It is a Flower Show......

And you are all welcome to come!!

Come and enjoy the beautiful flower arrangements and horticulture displays. Before you leave stop by the Plant Mart and pick up a couple new plants for yourself and for gifts.

You can't have a bad day looking at and smelling the flowers and it is Free!!

October General Meeting

2009-11-12T19:01:00.000-08:00

Our October General Meeting started out with a short and busy business meeting. Old and new business was handled in a timely manner. After the business meeting Beverly discussed the upcoming Flower Show and explained a lot of the different classes that we could enter. The schedule for the show was passed out to everyone.

Beverly explaining the platform place setting. She then talked about all the beautiful Horticulture that was brought in.

Our speaker for the day was Mike Tardif of Plant Picasso. His talk on succulents was fun and very informative. He discussed the use of succulents in water wise and fire wise landscaping. Also discussed his deep interest in getting kids interested in nature and plants. He talked about something most of us have experienced also, how good a therapy it is to work in the garden.

He made up several pots of succulents that he donated to the raffle. Some very lucky people went home with some great plants!

After the meeting a dozen of us walked over to my house, which happens to be very close, for our first "Lunch in the Garden".

Everyone brought their sack lunch and sat around in the garden and talked and had a great time.

We will be doing this a few more times this year so please join us. It was lots of fun!

Next month, November will be in Jan Bull's garden. Watch the newsletter for more information.

Conejo Valley Botanic Garden News

2009-11-12T19:00:00.000-08:00

Planting Fruit Trees

Come Join Us in

The Kid's Adventure Garden

Conejo Valley Botanic Garden

On December 5th from 9am to 11am for a talk on planting and caring for fruit and citrus trees.

The talk will be conducted by Jon Freeman-Wood. Jon is a licensed landscape contractor and owner of Jon's Nursery of Somis. He is an expert on Fruit trees for our area with over 29 years experience.

If you have and questions about our talk or need directions please visit http://www.conejogarden.org/ or email Tom1374@verizon.net or call Jean at 374-8255

Conejo Valley Botanic Garden News

2009-10-31T09:32:00.000-07:00

Here are some Updates from the CVBG that I thought you might be interested in.

WATER WISE GARDEN DESIGN
*

Come join us in the

Kids’ Adventure Garden
Conejo Valley Botanic Garden

Saturday Nov. 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

for a talk on "Designing a Water Wise Garden."

*The talk will be conducted by Emily Habib.
Emily is a Ventura County Master Gardener and owner of Waterwise Landscape Design. Her talk will cover the basics of good landscape design, plant selection, irrigation and many other aspects of garden design.
Space is limited so come early and enjoy a great talk in a wonderful garden setting.
If you have questions about our "Talk in the Garden" program or need directions, please visit http://www.conejogarden.org/ or e-mail Tom1374@verizon.net.

*
MACY'S COMMUNITY SHOPPING DAY
Saturday November 14, 2009

Conejo Valley Botanic Garden has been selected as one of the non-profit organizations during this event to be given the opportunity to raise funds for our programs. Our volunteers will be at a booth at Macy's to promote the garden on Nov. 14.

Donate $10 to Conejo Valley Botanic Garden and receive ticket for $10 discount at Macy's on November 14 plus you can enter to win a $500 Macy's Gift Card!
CVBG will keep 100% of the $10 from the ticket sales.

HOW TO PURCHASE TICKETS

1. Purchase on Sundays 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Kid's Adventure Garden, CVBG, 350 Gainsborough Rd. (no mailbox)
2. Make check to & mail to Conejo Valley Botanic Garden, P.O. Box 6614, Thousand Oaks, CA 91359 before Nov. 10, 2009.
3. Purchase from CVBG volunteers or phone 818-889-2835.

FOR DIRECTIONS TO THE GARDEN, GO TO http://www.conejogarden.org/

September Potluck

2009-10-14T14:52:00.001-07:00

Our first meeting of the new year was held in the lovely backyard of one of our newest members, Becky. It was a perfect setting and a perfect day. The meeting started off with a short business meeting.

All the members and guests sitting around enjoying themselves.

Lillian passed out certificates for years of service that were awarded to 5 our members.

Kathy for 30 Years!

Bev for 30 Years!!

Pam for 10 Years

Jackie for 10 Years and Lillian for 10 Years.

Congratulations and Thank You to all of you for your dedication to the club.

I couldn't stay for the rest of the meeting but I hear it was a wonderful potluck with lots of delicious food and deserts.

Becky provided door prizes that many people won. We also passed the hat for donations for a brick at the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden in memory of Jeannie.

Thanks to Becky for welcoming us into her beautiful yard and home. Everyone had a great time.

October Tree of the Month from CLU

2009-10-14T13:52:00.001-07:00

From the Barbara Collins Arboretum on the campus of California Lutheran University.

Yes we do have fall colors!!! One of the favorites is sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), native to eastern United States. Look around the campus and you will see quite a few of these trees with the foliage just beginning to turn red. You may also note the little spiny balls hanging on the tree. Another tree with beautiful fall colors is the Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis). There are a few young Chinese pistache west of the Gilbert Sports Facility, but better examples can be found northwest of Mogen Hall. The trees here are quite tall, and the leaves are just now beginning to turn red.

Barbara Collins, California Lutheran University

Native Plants

2009-10-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

Second in a Series
Getting to Know Native Plants

Penstemon heterophylla Margarita BOP
Family: Scrophulariaceae (Figworts)
California Native

Penstemon ‘Margarita BOP’ is a tidy perennial which looks like candy tuft when not in flower and stays attractive year round. Penstemon Margarita BOP is a hybrid between Penstemon heterophyllus and Penstemon Laetus, and was a seedling which appeared in the early 1980’s. The ‘BOP’ stands for ‘Bottom of Porch’ which is where it was first discovered and later introduced by La Pilatas Nursery.
It is an evergreen with smooth linear deep green leaves and grows 1-3 feet high and 1-2 wide. It likes full sun and is drought tolerant. It is hardy to 10 F. in CA.
Flowering commences in late spring and early summer with yellow tinged buds opening to bright blue flowers fading to purple.
The seeds are fertile and will come back as Penstemon heterophyllus.

Propagate from cuttings. I have grown multiple cuttings from Margarita BOP taken during a cutting workshop last March at Theodore Payne Native Plant Nursery in Sun Valley. They have all grown well and I am about to pot them up to 1 gallon.

Penstemon ‘Margarita BOP’ is an L.A. Arboretum All-Star plant currently being trialed at Theodore Payne who call it one of their best sellers.
This plant attracts birds, butterflies and bees and is also suitable for growing in containers.

Fall is the time to begin planting native plants, they respond in a much better fashion to planting at this time of year.

Margaret Strachan, CGCI chairman for Backyard Habitat.

Sunflower in Carolyn's garden

2009-09-11T18:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo of the beautiful sunflower that a kind and cooperative bird "planted" in my front garden. Now I wish a flock of birds would fly over and plant my entire garden. Hahahaha

Carolyn

Native Plants

2009-08-27T16:49:00.001-07:00

The first of a series:

Getting to know Native Plants

Conejo Buckwheat - Saffron Buckwheat
Eriogonum crocatum

This plant is one of the seventy-six species in the genus Eriogonum in California. I have chosen it as the first one to write about in our newsletter because you can see from its name that its distribution is in Ventura County. It is our very own native plant; it is rare, a perennial, and it grows on the rocky slopes of the Camarillo grade, in only a small part of the northern Santa Monica Mountains.

This is a small shrub, generally round to mounding in form. It will grow up to eighteen inches tall and two to three feet wide. The stems and broad inch-long leaves are covered in white hairs and the flowers are tight heads of sulphur yellow blossoms which turn to cinnamon brown as they age. It flowers from April to July. Because its natural habitat is a rocky slope a garden planting on a sunny bank which would provide good drainage is best, especially with some afternoon shade. A raised border or a rock garden will also be a good home, and this plant does have tolerance for our clay soils.

Buckwheats are among the most drought tolerant of native plants, with moderate watering needed until well established. Conejo Buckwheat does not have a dormant season.

Before the fires in Santa Barbara this year I saw several Conejo Buckwheat plants in the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, and you will also see it in both the Kids Adventure Garden and the main area of the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden. It is propagated from seed, and that is being done currently at the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden with a view to having it available for their weekly Sunday sales in the future, maybe by next year. Theodore Payne Native Plant Nursery in Sun Valley tells me that they carry it in their inventory, but it is best to check the inventory online before purchase.

This plant is great for butterflies in your backyard habitat.

Margaret Strachan
CGCI Chairman for Backyard Habitat.

August and Zucchini

2009-08-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Did you know that August is national

"Leave zucchini on your neighbor's porch and run" month?

How are your gardens doing?

Afternoon Tea

2009-07-26T16:39:00.001-07:00

On May 9, 2009 the Conejo Valley Garden Club served

Afternoon Tea!

The menu was as elegant as the table settings:

A Sip of Sherry

Salmon Sandwich

Egg Salad Sandwich

Tarragon Chicken Sandwich

Cucumber Sandwich

Sausage Roll

Scone, Jam, Cream

Peach Tarts

Many of the club members made the Beautiful Table Settings

Look at all these flower arrangements! They truly set the stage for the Tea.

All kinds of China settings too.

The tables were spread out in the backyard beside the pool, in the front yard under the trees and inside of Lisa's home so everyone had a choice of a beautiful setting.

Many thanks to all those that pulled this Tea together!!
Lisa for hosting the Tea at her home.
Beverly for arranging for the people to set the tables.
Camille for selling the tickets and arranging for all the Door Prizes and Raffle tickets. For all her helpers during the Raffle.
To everyone that supplied the Chinese Auction and Raffle prizes.
All the members that made the sandwiches.
The servers that helped out and made everything run so smoothly.
To Joyce who supervised and organized so much with the food and the serving.
(and to anyone that I have forgotten!!)
*

No club could do without the members that volunteer and we thank you for all you do!

Some of the pictures of people enjoying the wonderful afternoon.

This is our major fund raiser of the year and we are happy to say it was a huge success!!

"Butterflies Alive" at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum

2009-07-26T14:18:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make sure everyone knew about the "Butterflies Alive" program that is going on now at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.

http://www.sbnature.org/exhibits/butterflies/

(I can't seem to find an ending date but I think it goes through the first of September.)

It is a fun exhibit with or without your camera. They have great examples of plants for butterfly gardening and some of the hanging baskets are breathtaking!
*

"Experience the magic of Butterflies Alive!as you walk through a beautiful garden filled with flowers, luscious greenery, and more than 1,000 free-flying butterflies.

Watch as the butterflies flutter past you, and see them as they drink nectar from nearby flowers.

Butterflies Alive! will offer many memorable opportunities, so bring your family, friends and cameras."

As you can tell from this picture the pavillion is very large. They limit the number of people that can go in at any one time so it is never very crowded. That being said I would suggest going up on a week day or early in the day on the weekends. You will have to wait in line at the very busy times.

It is well worth the trip up to Santa Barbara.

Jeannie Simpson

2009-07-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

Jeannie Simpson

1926-2009

It is with great sadness we say good-by to one of our own Garden Club members. Jeannie joined the Conejo Valley Garden Club in 2000 and was always ready with a smile and a very helping hand. She served on many committees and helped out any way she could. We have missed her greatly the last year as she tried to recover from a fall. She had been set to help us have the best plant sale ever.

She was a wonder with her gardening. I remember her saying that she had been blessed with the ability to grow anything. She took great joy in everything she did. She went to a geranium sale and when she came back she was talking about all the new plants she had bought. Along the lines of: "Well, I shouldn't have, didn't need them but I kept thinking about all the new starts I could make with them so I went ahead and bought them. Figured I could get 4 plants for the price of one! Just had to do it. "

I was thinking about Jeannie a few days ago when I was transplanting some of the geranium plants I have that came from starts she had brought into one of our meetings. She pushed me and gave me the courage to try and grow them when I had never done that before. Now I'm just a cutting fool, all because of her!

We all will miss her!

A few messages from the group:

I just wanted to say that Jeannie was one of the nicest and friendliest people I have ever met. I never saw her without a smile. What a great asset she was to our club. Carolyn

Jeannie was a lovely person. She was especially supportive to me in my time as club president when I very much appreciated her kindest and great sense of humor. I will miss her. Margaret

The Botanic Garden will surely miss Jeannie. She was a wonderful help for many years in the propagation group and at our plant sales. She really knew how to handle the money! We will miss her greatly. Jean Reiley, Pres. CVBG

How I remember Jeannie: It was on the day of my very first Garden Club visit. Jeannie was trying to carry more plants than she had hands from the car to Lisa's house. I offered to help her and she never forgot. Just a little deed turned into a very warm welcome to the club and into the heart of a very warm and genuine person that Jeannie was to me. I'll miss you Jeannie!! Ursula.

2009-05-13T17:46:00.000-07:00

Installation Luncheon

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Thousand Oaks Inn

75 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Library Room

$16.00 per person

Buffet Luncheon

Sliced Tri Tip

Chicken Marsalis

Glazed Carrots & Summer Squash

New Potatoes with Butter & Parsley

Caesar Salad

Pasta Primavera

Rolls

Chocolate Mousse

Reservation: Sherry Molinari 805-498-2778

Camille Van Ast 805-498-7421

Due no later than Friday, May 22, 2009

Join us for a fun wrap-up of our Garden Club year. We will have the installation of the new officers, great food and lots of good cheer. This the the last activity for our 2008 - 2009 year so don't miss it!

Poem: Plant A Garden by Edgar Guest

2009-04-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

Plant A Garden

"If your purse no longer bulges

and you've lost your golden treasure,

If times you think you're lonely

and have hungry grown for pleasure,

Don't sit by your hearth and grumble,

don't let mind and spirit harden.

If it's thrills of joy you wish for

get to work and plant a garden!

If it's drama that you sigh for,

plant a garden and you'll get it

You will know the thrill of battle

fighting foes that will beset it

If you long for entertainment and

for pageantry most glowing,

Plant a garden and this summer spend

your time with green things growing."

- Edgar Guest, 1881-1959

Afternoon Tea

2009-04-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

(Click the picture to enlarge the flyer.)

Hope to see everyone there!!!

2009-04-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

Conejo Valley Botanic Garden

Sunday May 3, 2009 1 - 5 pm

Matilija Poppy Festival

The spectacular display of the Matilija poppies will

provide a backdrop for an afternoon of garden fun.

Children’s Activities

Harp music by Judy Reiter

Matilija Poppy Watercolors,

Artist Elizabeth J. Miller

Plant sale

Starter plants for children

Popcorn

AND IT’S FREE!

PROGRAMS 1:45 Growing Rare Fruit

Edgar Valdivia of the California Rare Fruit Growers

2:45 Birds in the Garden

by David Person of the Conejo Valley Audubon Society

3:45 The Master Gardener Program &

Composting Tips

by Bill Dobner, Master Gardener & Volunteer

To Reach the Garden:

Exit 101 Freeway at Lynn Road & go north 0.7 miles.

Turn right at Gainsborough Rd.

and continue for 0.5 miles to Jeaunine Dr. on right.

Website: http://www.conejogarden.org/

Garage Sale 2009

2009-04-07T16:10:00.001-07:00

Bright and early on March 28th the Garden Club had their annual Garage Sale. The work had already started months ago though, thanks to Sherry. She offered her driveway for the sale and her garage to store the goodies in until the sale! Several people came over on Friday evening to unload the boxes and put things out on the tables so they would be ready in the morning. As everyone knows that has had or gone to a garage sale: they start early!! The early bird gets the worm or the prized treasure!!

I got over there at 0 dark 30 (6:30am, with my coffee in hand!!) and Sherry and her husband, Bill had most of the stuff already out and set up and they had already made a sale!!

It kept up pretty busy for the first few hours.

Bargin Hunters everywhere. Even some from our own club! I told myself that I wasn't going home with anything but little did that help!! I came home with several "great deals"!!

I thought about bringing this home to my husband but didn't think he would find the humor in it!! Oh well.

Lovely things

It is a garden club sale so there were lots of vases. We do love our flowers!!

A very successful sale this year. Thank you Sherry for all your hard work setting this up. Thank you for all the volunteers that helped work it. I don't have the names now but I'm sure they will be in the newsletter!!

Our Members are So Busy!!

2009-04-07T15:25:00.000-07:00

Japanese Pagoda at The Gardens of the World

A few months ago, fifty-three local residents received George W. Bush's President's Volunteer Service Awards for volunteering at least 100 hours with the Hogan Family Foundation.

Among these volunteers was our own Nan Moors!! She put in more than 100 hours of work at The Gardens of the World on Thousand Oaks Blvd. Way to go Nan!!

If you haven't been to the Garden's of the World stop by and check it out. It is a beautiful garden full of wonderful things. It is gorgeous all year long but this time of year it will be outstanding!! http://www.gardensoftheworld.info/index.htm

Japanese Gardens Tour

2009-02-26T18:44:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday for our February meeting we had a special tour down to the Japanese Gardens in Van Nuys. I'm going to post some of the pictures from the tour. It was a very interesting tour and the weather even behaved itself!!

"The Japanese Garden Suiho En the garden of water and fragrance is a 6½ acre authentic Japanese garden fashioned after “stroll gardens” constructed during the 18th and 19th centuries for Japanese Feudal lords. Our facility is unique in that it incorporates three classical designs: a dry karensansui, a wet garden with promenade chisen, and an authentic tea ceremony garden incorporating a 4.5 tatami mat tea room."

The gardens came into being when the City of Los Angeles had to built a new Water Treatment Plant. The gardens are on the property of the The Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant.

Photo by Pat Carlson

This is an example of the dry gardening with rocks and gravel and plants.

(Photo by PC)

One of the several styles of stone lanterns in the garden. This is called the Wet Heron Lantern. The top is the bird's wings covering itself in the rain.

One thing the guide told us that in Japanese gardens they are going mainly for colors of green with some flowers mixed in. There is always something blooming in the gardens.

One of the several kinds of bridges. I think this is a viewing bridge but I might be wrong. One thing I didn't do is get a group picture!! You will have to do with a couple candid pictures of the group. Someone remind me next time we go somewhere!!! Our very good guide is in the red in the middle of the bridge. She told us lots and lots of things about the gardens.

Another type of lantern. This is a Snow Viewing Lantern. For the life of me I can't remember the story behind the name other than the beauty of the snow. If you click on the picture and enlarge it you can see the Pine next to the lantern has bamboo sticks and wires with weights to shape it. All the pine trees in the garden are being trained in this fashion. I don't know how long the wires and sticks will have to be on the trees. They were just put on in the last year.

The Tea house and Shoin Building. The Tea house is a small part of this building. Shoin was the residential dwelling developed for aristocrats, upper class monks and samurai during the 14th and 15th centuries. The exterior of this building is authentically shoin style, but the interior has been modified to provide a place for meetings and special events. This room offers a panoramic view of the lake.

This is the waterfall where the water from the water treatment plant enters the gardens.

Crane Island

Photo by PC

Great Blue Heron

Lots of birds on the land and fish in the lake.

Another of the group. Pat is the background taking that great picture of the heron!

Photo by PC

One of the many islands in the lake.

Taken from the Shoin House. The Shoin Screens on the windows were used to frame the views for guests. I thought this view was good enough for the best guest!!

Iris growing in the lake. They had several large beds of these growing on the edges of the lake.

Looking across the lake.

So we don't forget why we have this wonderful garden we have the pictures of the Water Treatment plant. Our guide gave us a great overview of how the sewage is treated and what happens to it. Very interesting.

Holding tanks

Photo by PC

Overview of the gardens looking down from the treatment plant.

They also have a small Bonsai garden area.

After the tour several of us went to the park next door and had a picnic lunch.

Good Times!!! Thanks Sherry for setting this tour up. I am looking forward to the next tour in April to the Adamson House in Malibu.

Drying Flowers, Composting and a lively Business Meeting.

2009-01-28T16:36:00.000-08:00

We had our January General Meeting this morning. Here is part of the board listening to Joyce and Bev tell about the Youth Program through the State Garden Club. We decided to fund an award for a Youth Essay Contest for the next two years. It will be $50 to one winner per year.

Another thing discussed was the Afternoon Tea to be held on May 9, 2009. We might have a place for the event to be held and now we need lots and lots of volunteers to help with the planning and the tea. Talk to June to let her know what you are able to do.

We also discussed the upcoming Garage Sale to be held on March 28th at Sherry's home. Start saving all your great stuff so we can make lots of money with this. Sherry is willing to store anything you have so if you want to take it over to her house just let her know.

Lillian, President, Sherry, Programs Chair and Evelyn our wonderful Secretary.

There weren't too many flowers and plants today for the horticulture. Considering what the east is going through right now with Ice Storms and cold we are very lucky to have any flowers out in the garden!! Ron told all about the plants and what the judges in the flower shows look for. All the flowers were great but I really liked Pat's Poinsettia plant. Pat said she got the cutting years and years ago from Evelyn so it is a very old plant. Ron said it is a old fashioned style that you don't see in the nursery anymore. It is different than anything I had seen before. I think I need to get slips for this one and see if my Brown Thumb can get it to grow!! Pat or Evelyn go ahead and bring in cuttings when you can!!

Here is the group listening to Ron tell about the flowers.

Our first speaker at the meeting was Dick Wolf. He talked about composting and the Sun-Mark Garden Composters that he sells. He gave some very good information on how to compost and how it helps the plants and the dirt. If anyone is interested in contacting him for more information his number is: Dick Wolf 805-495-7996. The CVGC gets no part of the money from the sales and we don't make any claims about this composter. This is just for your information.

Our own Sherry was our main speaker on Drying Flowers. She said that when she was growing up her mom was always drying flowers. She showed some samples of plants that her mom had put into books years ago. She was saying she was watching HGTV and they pressed some ferns and then mounted them into a frame and it make a wonderful picture for the wall.

She explained about the Flower Drying Crystals that she had bought at Jo Anne's. She was saying the flowers will hold their color if you put them in this instead of just drying them without. I know I have several things that I just let dry and they lost all their bright colors so I think I will try this the next time.

She brought in a framed wedding invitation for her daughter's wedding. Around the outside of the invitation she had put her daughter's wedding flowers. It really makes a great way to store and yet still be able to see the flowers.
It was a great talk and she passed out lots of great information for us to take home. I was beginning to read it this afternoon and it looks great.

Thanks Sherry!

During the break I took a picture of Joyce and Margaret with the jacket that Margaret painted last year. I'm sure you remember the district had a contest last year that had each club decorate a jean jacket and then they auctioned them off at the State Convention. Margaret was kind enough to do ours and it turned out so pretty. I tried to get it at our auction at the May meeting but Joyce out bid me. Oh well. Here is the front and ....

Here is the back. I thought it should go up on the blog so everyone can remember how pretty it is. Don't forget you can "click" on the picture and it will enlarge so you can get a good look at the art work.

Good job, Margaret!!
*

That was the January meeting in a nut shell. If you weren't there we missed you and hope you can make next month's. We had 5 guests at this meeting!! Welcome all and I hope to see you all back again!!
*

Speaking of next month we will be doing a tour instead of a regular meeting.
We will meet at the church at 9 am and have a short business meeting. We then will car pool down to

The Japanese Garden in Van Nuys.

Bring a sack lunch and we will have lunch at the park next door afterwards. Any questions call Sherry.

January Meeting - Drying Flowers

2009-01-27T14:24:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, January 28, 2009 at our General Meeting we will be having a special program on Drying Flowers.

The meeting starts at 9:30 am with a short business meeting and the judging of the horticulture.

Make sure you are there by 9:15 with lots of horticulture in your green bottles. If you have extra green bottles that you won't be using again bring them along so some of the newbies can get their feet wet!!

Sherry will be showing us different methods of drying flowers

What flowers work best with each method

And different ideas of what to do with the flowers after we get them dried!

Now I don't think this is what she is talking about!!!
*
See you all there!!

Poem: I Belong To Garden Club Because

2009-01-05T13:31:00.000-08:00

I Belong to Garden Club Because

By Mary R. Duling

In the beginning I belonged
Because I dreamed of flowers
Growing in the garden where
I’d while away the hours;
And I belonged because a
friend
Invited me along
And to the melody of life
It added one more song.
Then I belonged because the
friends
I met there were so fine
The wealth of love they had to
give
Could only add to mine,
And I belonged because I felt
I, too, had much to give,
And this exchange of thoughts
and plans
Could help us all to live.
Now I belong because the
world
Needs beauty,love and peace,
And Garden Club helps fill this
need
Our tensions to release.
Each meeting of our local
group,
Each gathering afar
Expands our wide horizon’s
view
As we reach for our star.
Each one belongs to Garden
Club
For reasons of her own,
But each one knows within
her heart
She does not stand alone,
Since every flower that’s ever
shared
Adds beauty to the soul,
And every friendship ever made,
Makes love a sweeter goal.

Golden Gardens, May/Jun 1981, Vol 50 #1

Why do you belong? What has it given you?

Barbara Collins Arboretum at CLU Tour

2009-01-04T17:39:00.001-08:00

On Friday, December 19th we were treated to a wonderful tour of the

Barbara Collins Arboretum on the campus of California Lutheran University here in Thousand Oaks. Who better to lead the tour than Dr. Barbara Collins!!

Barbara Collins, Ph.D., is a professor of biology at California Lutheran University. She teaches General Biology for the majors, Microbiology, Environmental Ecology, California Plant Communities, Flora of Southern California, and Wildflowers of the Sierras. Dr. Collins has authored four books on the flora of Southern California and six books on botany and biology. She has been teaching at CLU since 1963.

*
The Arboretum came into being as Dr. Collins said with an act of Lemons to Lemonade! Some of the best things aren't planned but come about when you are waiting for something else! Barbara had hurt her hand and couldn't go out "hunting" wildflowers as she normally does. She looked around and wondered about what she could be doing and thought of the beautiful grounds at the University. No one had ever cataloged what plants were there so that is what she did.

The plantings there aren't exotic on the whole but when you put then all down on paper and look at them there is a great collection of the standard Southern California landscape plants. It is the act of writing down and looking that makes this tour great. What we might have just walked past we now stopped and looked at.

The tour began by the Administration Building. Dr. Collins is in the turquoise jacket on right. We were sooooo lucky with the weather! As you can see we have coats on but considering that two days before it was raining and terribly cold this felt Hot!! The sun was shining and quite comfortable walking around.

I took a few pictures of the plants along the tour.

This is in the middle of winter so there weren't that many flowers out ( there were a few!) but the main color was all the fruit and berries on the trees.

Barbara kept our attention with great stories and interesting facts about the plants. She must be a wonderful teacher!!
She told one story about mushrooms that she said she heard was true but wasn't sure.
*
Seems like some college kids decided to pick some mushrooms. They didn't want to take the chance of eating something that would be poison so they gave some to the cat first. They waited for awhile and the cat seemed to be fine so they went ahead and cooked up the mushrooms and had a fine feast. Well, in the middle of the night the cat started to howl and moan and the kids started to panic!! If the cat was that sick they would be soon. They all piled into the car and headed down the the hospital and met with the stomach pump!! After a awful night they all came home thinking that the cat would be dead for sure. There she was sitting so pretty purring away with 5 new little kittens by her!!
Moral of the story? I think you can guess!!
*

Barbara had cookies for us in the Science Building during a break in the tour.
Here is most of the group at the end of the tour. A few had to leave before we got to this point.

We had a great morning and I would suggest that anyone that couldn't make it to the tour go to the website http://www.callutheran.edu/plants/ and download the tour brochures and check out this beautiful campus. A nice comfortable, easy walk with lots of great things to look at.

The Blog site has links to the Arboretum and also Dr. Collin's great websites of wildflowers and garden flowers.

Thank you Sherry for planning this great day!!

December Meeting Pictures

2009-01-03T17:49:00.000-08:00

Our December Potluck Luncheon and Meeting was as festive as always even if it was one of the worst weather days we have had all year!! It was cold and windy. Luckily the rain held off until after the meeting!! We started out the meeting with a PowerPoint slide show by Beverly Brune from the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden. She had lots of great pictures of the gardens and of all the great things that are going on there now. She told of all the money that the CVGC has given to the gardens and all the trees and plants that we have planted. Good job, Us!! It made lots of us want to take more hikes up through the Botanical Garden.

Beverly Brune, President of the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden.

The food was so plentiful that after this picture was taken more tables had to be added to hold it all!! As always Jane made it look so pretty!!

Many Raffle tickets sold by Sherry and lots of great things were given away with Lyndell's help.

Time to eat!! No pushing folks, lots for everyone!!

Everyone is full and just sitting around talking. Who could think of moving at that point?

To everyone there and those that couldn't make it:

I hope you had a great Holiday season!!

December Meeting - Potluck!!!

2008-12-15T20:06:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, December 17th is the date for the December meeting. Third week instead of the normal fourth because of the holiday season.
*

We will be having a Soup and Salad Potluck Luncheon. Members with the last name of A-M Bring a Dessert and the rest of you bring a Salad. Two people have already signed up for the Soup this year.

This is always a fun meeting with lots of talking and laughing and EATING!! How good is that?!?

We will also have a short program from Beverly Brune on the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden. I know she will be bringing pictures to share with us of our wonderful hometown Garden.

There will be no horticulture this month, no time, but be thinking about what you will bring in January! Aren't we lucky that even in the middle of winter we can still bring in our horticulture!

Come and help us celebrate the holiday season and our own Conejo Valley Garden Club!!

December Senior Concerns

2008-12-11T18:54:00.000-08:00

This Wednesday, December 10th we had the Senior Concerns Workshop. As always this was held at Senior Concerns on Hodencamp Drive here in Thousand Oaks. There was music and crafts and lots and lots of laughing.

Here is the group that came from the Garden Club. I spy some new members helping out!! Good job!

Busy, busy, busy making citrus baskets.

Our President, Lillian provided the music by playing her flute.

Here is the finished product all ready to be wrapped up in cellophane and taken home.

I'm sure everyone had a great time. I think the next one will be in February so keep your ears open at the meetings and watch the newsletter. This looks like way too much fun to miss!!

Newbury Park Library Decorations

2008-12-10T19:15:00.000-08:00

On Friday, December 5th a group from the Garden Club went over to the Newbury Park Library to decorate the children's section. We put toys and wrapped presents on the top of the shelves.

Dolls, and trains and all kinds of toys.

Teddy Bears of course.

The group that went over from the Garden Club. We have been doing this every year for several years now. Make some time to go over and see the display that Sherry thought up. It is very cute. It will be up though the holidays until the first of the year.

Nativity display This Weekend

2008-12-03T15:34:00.000-08:00

Camille sent this over to share with everyone:

What: No Room at the Inn, a display of more than 500 Nativity sets.

Where: St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church, 5901 Kanan Road, Westlake Village.

When: Opening gala 6 p.m. Friday; public exhibit 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7.

Why: A fundraiser for homeless services.

Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at the door for Friday's gala.

Admission for public exhibit, $5 for adults and $1 for children.

More information: http://www.noroom.org/.

Trail of Trees

2008-11-19T08:41:00.000-08:00

CGCI President's Project

As you are all aware, our CGCI President Robin Pokorski selected the Trail of Trees project in our local Conejo Valley Botanic Garden as her President's Project during her term in office.

All of the clubs across the state have been very generous in their support of this project. The Conejo Valley Garden Club has been very supportive of this project. To date the project has raised approximately $13,500. A third area of new trees is now being planned, and it will be located at the far end and just below the Australian garden.

Please come and visit the garden. We have trees turning their fall color now, and many beautiful Toyons are covered with their red and yellow berries. Spring will be here soon and the garden will be showing off its best flowers.

Thank you for your support.
Jean Reiley, President

Friday November 14 Birthday

2008-11-14T06:36:00.000-08:00

It's the birthday of one of the first Impressionist painters, Claude Monet, born in Paris (1840).

He said, "I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers."

What do you owe to flowers?

November General Meeting

2008-11-13T10:09:00.000-08:00

Don't forget that this month the meeting will be held on the third Wednesday, November 19th. Start arriving and setting up your horticulture at 9 a.m. and the meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. with a short business meeting and then refreshments.

This month's program will be a fun hands-on workshop run by Pam. We will be making succulent wreaths. If you haven't signed up for the workshop yet just call Pam and let her know you want to make one. She will be bringing the base and moss to put the succulents in. The cost for that will be $20. She is asking everyone that has succulents in their yards to please bring cuttings to share with the group. She is looking for succulents that stay fairly small.

I took these pictures off two different Internet sales sites and they were both around $100 each! I know we can make ones that are just as beautiful (or even more so!!)

Don't forget to bring your horticulture in and share all your beautiful flowers and plants with the group.

If you have extra cuttings of other plants you would like to share bring those in also and let the group pick what they want to plant in their own yards.

See everyone on next Wednesday!!

Sogetsu San Fernando Valley Branch

2008-11-07T20:14:00.000-08:00

Come join us at the beautiful JAPANESE GARDEN designed by Dr. Koichi Kawana.

We will be presenting two SOGETSU IKEBANA demonstrations,

garden tours and Koto music performed by Ms. Toshiko Okawa.

A selection of handmade items, vases and a silent auction will be available.

Refreshments will be served.

This is a fund raising event for the Sogetsu San Fernando Valley Branch.

We are featuring our Sogetsu style “ikebana” arrangements demonstrated
by our very talented teacher “Sensei Kyoko Kassarjian” and others like
Camille Van Ast, Lisa Cosand & Earlyn Mosher and others at 12 noon and 2 pm.

Date and Time November 22, 2008
11:00am to 4:00pm

Place Japanese Garden
6100 Woodley Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91406
(818) 756-8166

Ikebana Demonstrations 12:00 noon & 2:00pm
Tours by Docents 11:15am & 1:15pm

Cost is $25.00, and is tax deductable

Call Camille for information and tickets.

805-498-7421

Our Winners from the Chrysthemum Show

2008-11-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

"If you would be happy for a lifetime, grow Chrysanthemums."

(a Chinese philosopher)

The Weekend of November 1 & 2, 2008 the

Descanso Chrysanthemum Society

held their annual flower show at the

Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge

http://www.descansogardens.org/site/

I think they are connected to the National Chrysanthemum Society

http://www.mums.org/

(If this is not correct, please someone let me know!! )

"The chrysanthemum was first cultivated in China as a flowering herb and is described in writings as early as the 15th Century B.C. In fact, their pottery depicted the chrysanthemum much as we know it today. As an herb, it was believed to have the power of life. Legend has it that the boiled roots were used as a headache remedy; young sprouts and petals were eaten in salads; and leaves were brewed for a festive drink."

This and a lot more information about Mums can be found on their Website.

At our meetings Ron always brings in awesome Chrysthemums that he has grown. Last year he told us how he propagates his and showed us how to do it. I am very happy to say that two of the slips I took home from that meeting are now blooming!! Sherry brought one of her's in to show at the last meeting.

Joyce sent over some pictures from the show and the information that Ron and his wife had won the Top Prize for his flowers!!!!

Best of Show Award Winner: Ron and Georgene Hedin

Good Job Ron & Georgene!!!

Camille also won prizes.

Designers Choice Award Winner:

Camille Van Ast

We have very talented people at our garden club!!

Here are some of the pictures of the show. Joyce wasn't sure if any of these were Ron's but they are all winners.

Award winners

Camille's Award winning place setting.

Camille's miniature

Joyce's 2nd place Winner! This was her first year to enter so she was very happy with her 2nd place!

They grow them large!! (as well as small)

More beautiful flowers.

From the pictures it looks like a great show to go to. Maybe next year we can take a group down there to see all the prize winners!

Congratulations to all our Garden Club Winners!!

November Gardening Chores

2008-11-06T07:57:00.000-08:00

"If it is true that one of the greatest pleasures of gardening lies in looking forward, then the planning of next year's beds and borders must be one of the most agreeable occupations in the gardener's calendar. This should make October and November particularly pleasant months, for then we may begin to clear our borders, to cut down those sodden and untidy stalks, to dig up and increase our plants, and to move them to other positions where they will show up to greater effect. People who are not gardeners always say that the bare beds of winter are uninteresting; gardeners know better, and take even a certain pleasure in the neatness of the newly dug, bare, brown earth."- Vita Sackville-West

Senior Concerns Pumpkin Day

2008-10-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

Here are pictures from our last Senior Concerns Outing.

CVGC has been putting on Crafty Workshops for Senior Concerns here in Thousand Oaks for over 20 years now. About 4 times a year a group from the garden club go over and help the seniors that are there make a craft, sing some songs and have a general good time. This is one of our main outreach projects for the community.

Serving the community since 1975, Senior Concerns is a private, non-profit organization, dedicated to serving the senior community and especially frail and special-need seniors, caregivers and families. http://www.seniorconcerns.org/

Gerry is the Senior Concerns Chairman again this year. She organizes the activities and makes sure she has people signed up to help and to bring the needed materials.

Some of our workers working hard and it looks like having fun!!

Our CVCG Group.

Laughing!! Everyone that helps out with one of these activities always says how much fun they have doing it.

This time as it was near Halloween they are making little pumpkin flower arrangements.

If anyone is interesting in helping out with our next Workshop it will be on December 10th. They will be making Citrus Baskets with all kinds of citrus, nuts, and candies. Lots of songs and good times. Gerry will have a sign up sheet at the next meeting or you could give her a call.

Good job all of you!!

New Times for Plant Sales at Conejo Valley Botanic Garden

2008-10-30T08:15:00.000-07:00

Something new at the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden.

Every Sunday there will be a plant sale at the Kids' Adventure Garden.

Just park your car in the parking area and take a few steps and you are there.

We feature native plants and low water use plants.

Remember, every Sunday from 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Located at 350 W. Gainsborough Rd. at Jeaunine Dr.

in Thousand Oaks.

While your there, bring your kids or grandkids or the neighbor kids and enjoy the

wonderful Kid's Adventure Garden!!

Come and support your local botanic garden.
Jean Reiley, 374-8255

Butchart Gardens in Fall

2008-10-27T15:55:00.000-07:00

Jean R. sent me these pictures of Butchart Gardens in the fall. I can not believe that some of these colors aren't done by Disneyland!! They don't seem real. Beautiful yes, real no!!

The Butchart Gardens is located on Vancouver Island, 23 km (14 miles) north of Victoria, B.C.
"The Butchart Gardens is one of the world's premier floral show gardens. Jennie Butchart began to shape this magnificent landscape in 1904. She established, in the style of the grand estates of the period, several distinct gardens to evoke a range of aesthetic experiences. An abandoned limestone quarry was transformed into the dramatic Sunken Garden, a reflection of the early 20th-century beautification movement and an exceptional achievement in Canadian gardening history. Through successive generations of the Butchart family, The Gardens has retained much of its original design, and continues the Victorian tradition of seasonally changing the outstanding floral displays."

Just a little information from their web site. For the website and all the information go to:

http://www.butchartgardens.com/

How many of you have gone to these gardens? It is on my list of places I want to visit. Anyone else have it on their list?

Lyndell's Bread Pudding

2008-10-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

Classic Bread Pudding

2 Tbsps unsalted butter, softened, for baking dish. (I did not grease my glass 13x9 pan.)
12 oz brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes. (I used any kind of bread; store brand French loaf, sour dough, wheat…..)
2 cups milk. (I used soy milk, or Carnation milk, or non fat milk……)
3 cups heavy cream
4 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk. (I just used 3 eggs.)
1 cup of sugar
½ tsp salt
1Tbsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ cup raisins. (I used ¾ cup of raisins or nuts, apples, blueberries….., only raisins need to be soaked.)
1 cup boiling water

Butter a 9x13 baking dish; set aside. Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Soak raisins in 1 cup of boiling water for 30 mins. (I soaked the raisins, when I was ready to use them, I used them regardless of how long I had soaked them. It could be less than 30 mins. There was no problem.)

Heat milk and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until just about to simmer; remove from heat.

Whisk eggs, yolk, sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

Whisking constantly, pour cream mixture in a slow, steady stream into egg mixture.

Pour over bread.

Drain the raisins, stir the raisins into the bread mixture.

Fold to combine.

Let stand 30 mins., tossing and pressing occasionally to submerge bread.

Using spoon, turn top layer of bread crust side up.

(I let it stand overnight in the fridge. Before I need to bake it, I let it sit on the counter for ½ hour.)

Set the baking dish in a roasting pan; transfer to oven.

Pour boiling water into the roasting pan to reach about halfway up the sides of the dish. (Mine is about 2 cups of water.)

Bake until golden brown, about 50 mins.

Let dish cool on a rack 10-20 mins before you serve.

ENJOY!!

October Meeting News

2008-10-22T13:13:00.001-07:00

Our October meeting was more than fun!! We started out with a short business meeting. Let's see if I can remember anything that we discussed!! Ever have one of those days where your brain "leaks"???? Good thing I brought the Agenda home with me.

Lillian welcomed us to the meeting. She suggested that everyone bring their own cup for coffee, tea etc. Just one more way of cutting down on waste. I have been doing this since I watched Jeannie S. do it in the past. I thought, what a great idea!

Lillian also invited everyone to a hike at the Botanic Garden after the meeting. I think she will be planning a hike somewhere after each meeting so bring your walking shoes and join everyone for a brown bag lunch and hike!

The Membership drive is going strong. Sybil, Sherry & Jackie are all tied with one new member each. We had several guests today which is a great sign!! Keep it up everyone.

Sherry mentioned that she would be willing to have a garage sale at her home in the spring. She is even willing to store some stuff at her home if you don't have space to save it at your home. Just let her know. We will be setting the date later but everyone keep it in mind!! Let's see if we can earn a few hundred dollars this way!!

Ron did his first Horticulture after the business meeting. Look at all the flowers and plants that were brought in!! Ron explained his judging of all the flowers and what he was looking for in each type of plant.

Just a few pictures of some of the plants that were brought in.

Next month let's see if we can double the amount brought in!

Food, food, food!! Look how great everything looks! I will be posting the recipe for Lyndell's Bread Pudding very soon. Everyone said it "was to die for!"

Mark Matthew from Nordic Nursery gave us an excellent talk on Container Gardens and so much more. I found the information on how chemical and organic fertilizer worked differently very helpful. I knew they were different but I didn't know how they worked differently. He talked about different types of soil also and what to look for in a good soil. He planted up three different types of containers and explained a lot about what you should be looking for in plants to go into the containers. He had a lot of information and a fun way about him!! Thank you, Mark!!

After he finished he raffled off all the stuff he brought! That was great! I even won some stuff!

When he came to the Happy Frog Soil that he was giving away Kathy said she wanted that. Guess who's number was pulled!!! Yes, that is right, Kathy. How lucky was that? Of course she said she was going to plant her "ferns" in it. Ask her how they are doing the next time you see her!!

The Excited Raffle Winner!!

All in all a great meeting. Next month will be a hands-on workshop of succulent wreaths. Call Pam if you didn't sign up and are interested in making one. That should be lots of fun. See you all there and keep bringing in new members and guests!!

I want to thank everyone for signing up to post things in the blog. I will be contacting everyone in the next few weeks. If you want to send the pictures, stories, tips etc over to me now I will post them as I can. Thank you!!

October Meeting

2008-10-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

Don't forget our October Meeting will be this

Wednesday, October 22 at 9:00 am.

We will have a speaker on Container Gardens. I'm sure he will have great ideas to get our creative juices flowing!!

Don't forget to bring your horticulture for Ron to judge!!

Maybe we will be able to do something like this one to give as a gift at the holidays.

Somehow I don't think any of us will be doing a Container Garden like this one!!

Please come and join us on Wednesday!!

Poem: October' Party

2008-10-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

October's Party

"October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came-
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band."

- by George Cooper, October's Party

Good Food - Recipe #1

2008-10-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

I am always amazed at the food that gets brought to our meetings. Both for the monthly refreshments and to the luncheons. This past luncheon in September was no different. All the food looked wonderful. (As most of you know with my limited diet I don't get to taste most of the dishes but my eyes "taste" for me!)

Toward the end of the luncheon there was talk about one dish that caught several people's taste buds and they wanted to know More! We found the maker of the dish in question and we twisted Ron's arm to send it over to me so I could post it on the blog.

So this is the first of many, many recipes that we will have here.

Ron's Trail Mix Broccoli Salad

6 cups chopped broccoli
1 cup Bermuda onion
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup raisins (dark or golden)

In a large bowl, combine the 5 ingredients

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons vinegar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Mix until smooth and stir into vegetables just before serving. Then sit back and Enjoy!

If there are any more recipes that you want up here make sure you send them over to me and I'll make it happen.

Happy Eating!!

African Violet Society's Annual Show & Sale

2008-10-06T17:18:00.000-07:00

Sherry wanted to let everyone know about the

African Violet Society's 28th Annual Show & Sale

Sat., Oct. 25, 2008 11am to 5pm

and

Sun., Oct 26, 2008 1pm to 4pm

at the Grant Brimhall/Thousand Oaks Library

1401 E. Janss Road Thousand Oaks, Ca

The public is invited. For more information, call (805)581-0014.

I'm sure anyone that went to our September meeting noticed the beautiful Violets that Sherry grows. I know there is a "art" to growing violets and it seems like Sherry has it!!

This sale is put on by the Thousand Oaks African Violet Society.

They meet at Redeemer Lutheran Church,

667 Camino dos Rios, Thousand Oaks.

Meeting Times: First Thursday each month, Jan-Dec, except July, 7:00 p.m.

The official web site for the African Violet Society of America is:

http://avsa.org/

They have lots of information on types of violets, how to grow and other great things. If you are interested in this beautiful plant check out the web site and make sure you go to the show and sale!

Margaret's Bird Talk

2008-10-02T13:04:00.001-07:00

Our own Margaret is getting pretty popular!! If you heard her talk on Creating a Wildlife Habitat last year you will remember how great it was. I just noticed in the Star that she is going to reprise the talk for the Westlake Village Garden Club. Good choice on their part!!
If anyone missed her talk maybe you could join Westlake and get all kinds of good information on backyard birding and wildlife habitats.

Last year's talk

From the Star:

"Westlake village Garden Club will meet at 10 am Tuesday at Westlake City Hall. Guest Speaker will be Margaret, Conejo Valley Garden Club member and California Garden Clubs, Inc. Channel Islands district director. She will discuss how to create a wildlife habitat in your garden. "

Break a leg, Margaret!!

Camille's Sogetsu Ikebana Floral Design Class

2008-10-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

I have not been to this class yet but do hope to get down there on the 23rd of October. When I do I'll be able to tell you more about it and show pictures of what she is doing. For now I wanted to mention the class so everyone remembers it.
*
This is what I found on Wikipedia about the art of Ikebana.
*
"Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. More than simply putting flowers in a container, ikebana is a disciplined art form in which nature and humanity are brought together. Contrary to the idea of floral arrangement as a collection of particolored or multicolored arrangement of blooms, ikebana often emphasizes other areas of the plant, such as its stems and leaves, and draws emphasis towards shape, line & form."
*

I am quite sure there is much more to be said about it and I will ask Camille to explain it more fully so I can pass it on to everyone. For now, for your information:
*

Floral Design Classes in the Sogetsu Ikebana style will be held in the Kid's Adventure Garden of the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden at 9:30 a.m. on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month. The cost for each class is $15 plus $10 for flowers, or $50 per month. For more information call Camille at 498-7421. Enter at 350 W. Gainsborough Rd., Thousand Oaks.

Our Members are So Busy!!

2008-09-30T19:20:00.000-07:00

This is the first of several blogs on classes and workshops that our members are doing. The first one is about Martha Harris a long time member of the CVGC. She has been an associate member for sometime now as she has been working full time and not able to come to the meetings. Martha is now a Landscape Contractor and hopefully will have time to join us at our meetings. This is a class that she is putting on at the Conejo Valley Adult School. If you are interested in the class please call CVAS and ask about it at 805 497-2761.

Holiday Centerpiece Workshop

Come and join the fun in this workshop to create a Halloween, Thanksgiving,

Christmas or Chanukah themed table centerpiece as well as charming

and fun table details and guest favors. You will take home a ready-to-use

centerpiece that will enhance your holiday décor. No experience required!
Bring a low, plastic or ceramic container an appropriate size for your table.

Also bring sharp clippers, a mix of fresh greenery (deciduous or evergreen such as

mock orange, ivy, pine, Cyprus, boxwood, etc.), small décor items

(example: small pods, cones, twigs, etc. for any year-end holiday),

and a sharp 8-10 knife (blade protected).

A sturdy cardboard box will be useful in transporting your creation home.

The instructor will supply some greenery,

oasis blocks, floral tape, picks, some décor items and handouts.

Instructor: Martha Harris is a former classroom teacher and experienced floral arranger and presenter on this topic.

She has been a member of the Conejo Valley Garden Club since 1987

and is a licensed Landscape Contractor specializing in plant selection for garden design.

Saturday, October 18 10:00am-12:00pm

Conejo Valley Adult School Room 4

Cost: $25 plus $7.00 material fee payable to the instructor #4151
**

Penny Pines Conservation Award!

2008-09-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

From the Golden Gardens magazine:

"Congratulations to the winners of the Conservation Awards at our spring convention.

Top winner for the club per capita: Conejo Valley Garden Club, including the Junior Garden Club sponsored by CVGC. "

Way to go to Us and the Junior Group!!

Let's keep up the good work and see what we can win this year!! For all our new members, we give our "pennies" (folding kind very welcome!) at each meeting. When we collect $68.00 we send it to the State Garden Club and they send it on to the forest department to plant new trees.

I was reading a little about the Penny Pines program on the State Garden Site. I found it quite interesting. Follow this link and you will read about the history and what the program does now. http://cagardenclubs.org/html/Chairmen/pennypines.html

I always wondered how they picked the amount of $68.00 for a plantation. It seemed like a rather random number to me!
" At the start of the program in 1941, seedlings could be produced for about one cent each. Approximately 680 seedlings were used to plant a typical acre. For $68.00, seedlings for ten acres could be purchased."

I was surprised that the program had been going on as long as it has. I'm quite sure it as important now as when it was started! Our funds go to our local Los Padres National Forest.

Plant Sale at Conejo Valley Botanic Gardens & Composting Workshop

2008-09-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

Conejo Valley Botanic Gardens
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
SPECTACULAR FALL PLANT SALE
at the
KIDS ADVENTURE GARDEN
Saturday Oct. 4
Sunday Oct. 5
10 am-2 pm

Plants that will be available:
Hummingbird Sage, California Rose, Catalina Cherry, California Fushia, Toyon, Desert Willow, White Sage, St. Catherine's Lace, Germander Sage, Clary Sage, Prairie Sage, Roseleaf Sage, Garden Sage, Tropical Sage, Silver Sage, Matilija Poppies, Tarahumara Chia, Wooley Blue Curles and many more

If raining, sale will be held the following weekend
Information: 805 497-3266

Beginning Compost Workshop

sponsored by the City of Thousand Oaks
Saturday October 4 9 a.m. - 10:30

Picnic Area adjacent to the parking lot at the Conejo Botanic Garden

Advanced Composting and Organic Gardening Workshop

What a Good Looking Group!!

2008-09-24T16:14:00.001-07:00

(Click on picture to enlarge)

September 24th Potluck Luncheon

The 2008 - 2009 year of the CVGC started out with a wonderful potluck luncheon held in Sherry's beautiful backyard. This is the second year she has opened her home to us. The Mulberry Tree she has in the backyard shades the whole half of the yard. What a treasure. Thank you Sherry!

Lillian and her new board started the meeting off with a business meeting. We voted on the budget, set up the date and chairperson of the the Afternoon Tea (thank you June!), and talked about some of the things we will be doing during the year.

Lillian told us about the membership drive and that Sherry was in the lead for bringing in new members. I think it was Sybil that got credit for our newest member, Susan so they are now tied at first place. Susan found out about us at the Earth Day booth last spring. You never know where we will find that next member so keep your ears and eyes open for those potential members!! Lillian said there will be a wonderful prize for the person that brings in the most new members.

The Group also thanked June for all her hard work on last years Afternoon Tea and Pat for hosting it at her home. Lillian gave them both container gardens. This is our major fund raiser for the year and it is a lot of work so we all have to get behind our Chairman June this year and get the work done. As they say, many hands make light work. Or something like that.....

Save the date: May 9, 2009

After the business meeting we headed inside to do what we do best.... EAT!! I should have taken some pictures of all the food everyone brought. I say I should have because I was too busy getting my food to even think about taking pictures!!! I can't believe how great everything looked. I'm sure we could have fed 10 more people easily.

After having the summer off it was nice to get back together and see everyone again! I know I had a great time and I think everyone else did also. What a great way to start the new year. Good Food and Good Friends and did I mention Good Food?

Next month's meeting will be at the Methodist Church and the subject will be on Container Gardening.

From Sherry's yard.

A new Blog to Tell all About our Activities for the Year.

2008-09-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

For this blog I will post as many pictures from our meetings and tours as I can.

I'll also try and get some pictures of the members gardens and garden art. Also the local Botanic Garden and Gardens of the World. If you have something that you want to see here please let me know and I will try and put it in.

Here are a couple of pictures of a members home tour we took in 2006.

A couple pictures from the last Flower Show

This is just an example of what the blog would look like. We could put lots of information on it and lots of pictures.

If anyone else in the club has any interest in posting on this blog just let me know and I will add you to the list. If you don't want to post but have something that you want me to put up make sure you let me know!!

Poem: To A Butterfly

2008-09-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

To A Butterfly

I've watched you now a full half hour

Self-poised upon that yellow flower;

And, little butterfly, indeed,

I know not if you sleep or feed.

How motionless! - not frozen seas

More motionless; and then,

What joy awaits you when the breeze

Hath found you out among the trees,

And calls you forth again!

This plot of orchard ground is ours,

My trees they are, my sister's flowers;

Here rest your wings when they are weary,

Here lodge as in a sanctuary!

Come to us often, fear no wrong,

Sit near us on the bough!

We'll talk of sunshine and of song,

And summer days when we were young;

Sweet childish days that were as long

As twenty days are now

William Wordsworth