Letter from the Editor: "Down the Garden Path" by Ellen Grant

“Gardening is a way of showing that you believe in tomorrow”

Anonymous

And a new season starts as soon as the old one ends. As I have been raking leaves , not a short task with over 50 deciduous trees and as many shrubs, I have been checking the branches for signs of buds and leaves set to pop with next spring’s warming weather. There seems to be plenty of new growth and most of the early bloomers have set a lot of buds. Only a few roses are left clinging to the bushes and the garden’s glow is provided by the berries that add a red hue to most beds. As my rake reveals the velvet moss beneath the fallen leaves I managed to decide the theme for this year’s holiday décor …nature’s palette of soft yellow-green and burgundy red with snowy white accents. Every year it is something new. Several years ago I tried a lime green with orange in an oriental theme. Traditional red and green are a standard as are schemes with the blue and white. But this year I wanted something cozy but not too fussy. Besides I’ll have lots of things from the garden to start the displays.

My grandfather would be shaking his head as I pile my leaves against the back fence. He worked for years to level his land for hay meadows and pasture fields, orchards and vegetable gardens and now I am building hills and digging ponds! But it is all part of my plan to keep my water in my yard and the rain runoff from other properties out. I had noticed long ago that along the fences that divided my grandfather’s farm into special areas the land seemed higher and the grasses grew vigorously. When we harvested the hay in late June the strip next to the fences was not cut. The plowing missed this area too. But when the manure was spread it reached the whole field. A natural berm was slowly built up consisting of dried grasses and any debris deposited by high water (aka “floods”) or wintery winds. Even long after the farm was subdivided and the original fences had disappeared, the fertile lines where they once stood could be detected. Although I am adding all matter of things to my creations, leaves, twigs, rocks, weeds, and garden waste, it is always a project in progress. The vegetative component rots down so only a few centimeters of height is added per year. This year I managed to add some sods that someone had discarded in a ditch nearby and kitty litter (the non clumping kind) did help as a base in previous years. I now have one section planted up with bulbs and perennials and topped with a bench and another forming part of a pathway reaching into one corner of the garden. One gets the sense of being nature’s helper!

“New” is the operative word for me these days. I have been thinking about the newsletter these past few days. Its purpose and form have changed rapidly in the last few years. Our website has fulfilled most of the roles that once were the realm of the newsletter. Even the fact that I no longer wait for items from the events committee, the president, or the secretary before I send this to Dave has changed. These items can be published at any time on the site or sent directly in emails. I don’t even have to worry that you won’t get the reminder about when or where our meetings will take place or who will be the speaker. All this information can be found on the home page of the website. And now Dave has set up a bloog for the Club where members can voice their opinions, exchange ideas and information and comment on all sorts of gardening trivia. But still there is a catch! Not all members have computers or are full conversant with its uses. Several members would still prefer a written copy mailed to them. That option has passed but I would still like to try to add items to this letter from members that may not feel comfortable sharing on the bloog. I will continue writing “Down the Garden Path” but I will probably not feel confined to a “once a month” routine. If you would like to join me, just sign up at our November meeting and I will add any of your comments, ideas, discoveries, photos, recipes, ads, etc. that you send me to my “letter” for the web page. Try to commit to one item sometime during the year.

Just a few reminders; wreaths need to be ordered and paid for this Monday. Memberships for next year can be paid for but please post-date your cheques for January 2012. Our speakers from Botannus will be bringing spring bulb for sale at our meeting Monday November 21 so bring your wallet!! Our Christmas social and wreath decorating is at the B.A.G. Monday December 5th. Remember to bring a holiday treat to share and decorations to gild your wreath. May you all enjoy a fabulous festive season and all you dreams for 2012 be fulfilled.