The garden paths have been carpeted with the glory of fallen leaves and I have been busy keeping them raked from the doorways and the drains. I haven’t been able to keep up with all of them so now there is a golden river winding through the garden and pooling outside my bedroom door. Even in the recent rain they fill the house with sunshine. In fact the rain just makes the colors more brilliant. The brief freezing period we had early in October was just enough to set the sugars in the leaves. The result has been an exceptionally colorful fall. Even now, the second week of November, many trees and shrubs still are bedecked in reds and golds, coppers and royal purples. Strung across the hillsides like ribbons, the colors mark the paths of deserted logging roads and on every body of water, from lakes to street puddles, the leaf boats float. Yes, I’m out raking leaves for the compost pile but it is also an excuse to drink in the last of the gardening year. I prune the roses a little to keep the stems from breaking in the wind or from the snow load to come. I tuck leaves around some tender perennials. I move some plants to new locations. I stop to admire a daylily still trying to bloom or to pick a few roses to grace the kitchen island.

There are still raspberries on the bushes too and as the leaves fall from the witch hazel and the magnolias, I stop to examine the buds that will bring flowers in the coming year. Although I haven’t finished planting my bulbs yet, I have replaced the begonias in two planters with winter pansies, heuchera, heathers and spring bulbs. Set beneath a window these should help to lift my spirits when winter winds blow. I have also got a head start on Christmas by planting up another amaryllis, double this time. Last winter’s bulbs have been resting in the dark for six weeks so I will soon bring them out and repot them. These amaryllis plants should bloom in January and February. My orchids and Christmas cactus have had their first fertilizing of the season. Now a regular light feeding every second watering should help to set the flower buds. I still have half a bag of 6 8 6 fertilizer in the carport so I’ll need to give the winter heathers in the garden a feeding soon. A light sprinkling under their leaves seems to intensify the colors of the late winter flowers. Every season I try to add some new plant to the garden. I am amazed that what was once only a spring garden with a few summer annuals and hanging baskets has morphed into something that I can draw delight from in all weather all year round. It was not always the case. I know that many of you are somewhere along the journey to create your own garden too. Guess what! The journey never ends. You continue to grow with it, change with it. Where ever your garden is in its development, enjoy it. We do not wait until a child reaches maturity to appreciate the gifts they bring to our lives. We cherish every step along the way; every change, every challenge. So let it be with your garden.

There will not be a Newsletter for December but will return in January. May you all enjoy a great holiday season.

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The meeting and plant exchange was rescheduled to the Brackendale Art Gallery due to a movie location shoot at the Railway Museum. A special ‘Thank you’ was extended to Dorte and Thor for their generous hospitality.

The meeting came to order at 7pm.with president Carol Robson chairing the meeting. Ellen Grant was asked to take the minutes as Pauline was absent.

Treasurer’s Report stated that we made $1600 on the Garden Tour and that there was $4500 in the account. A gift certificate for Marina in the amount of $50 was approved. Because our secretary has been away we missed the correspondence concerning the fall session of the B.C. Council of Gardeners. Dave Colwell, our web master and Ellen Grant, our newsletter editor reported on our communication links and efforts to improve service to members. Nairn Stewart discussed possible speakers for the rest of the year and mentioned the difficulty of acquiring people in the winter months when the weather and driving conditions are not ideal. Nairn will be giving up this task this year after many very interesting programs that she and her team have presented to the membership. I am sure that Nairn will continue to be an active club member in other capacities in the coming months.

Thank you for your efforts Nairn. We will discuss our donations for this year from our Tour moneys at our next meeting. It was suggested that the library get $450 plus our donation for two magazines Fine Gardening and Garden Wise and that Lily’s Garden receive $200 for up-keep. Last year we supported the Scholarship fund of the B.C. Council of Gardeners at $200 and the Railway Museum for $300.If you have any other suggestions please bring them up at the November meeting. Please also bring any suggestions of public gardens worthy of a certificate of acknowledgement to that meeting also. Memberships will remain at the present $15 AND $25 for a family membership. You may pay your membership fee at either the November or January meetings. Once again Gerd Moore’s refreshment group provided us with delicious goodies as we discussed up-coming events.

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