Minutes of the Williamstown Garden Club meeting – May 17, 2016
The meeting was called to order by Dianne Glick, co-president at 1:00 at The Harper Center
Spring Plant sale: Members were told they could start leaving plants for the sale at the Siskinds on Whitman St. Pat said to leave the plants by the barn. If anyone needs pots, Licia, Elaine and Maria Siskind have them. Anyone needing plants dug should get in touch with Elaine.
Bake sale: Carol Oshinsky asked everyone to bring food for the bake sale running concurrently with the plant sale. She requested members bring goods other than brownies and chocolate chip cookies, and have donations wrapped and ready for sale, i.e., 6 cookies in a ziplock bag, etc.
T-shirts: Kathy McKnight announced that she has some medium WGC shirts. She left out a sign-up sheet for those who would like to order them. The price is $15.00 and they should be available by the June meeting.
Scholarships: The members present agreed that the club will budget $1,000. to be donated to the scholarship fund of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts. Kathy Jones thanked us on behalf of the Federation scholarship committee.
Civic Beautification:
Containers – Members planting containers should pick up their plants, which will be organized and marked, at Eastlawn cemetery by the maintenance shed on May 31st.
Bridge planting – will be June 1st at 9:00. Please bring a trowel, a stool if you are short, and gallon containers of water.
Fourth of July parade: The club will participate in the march. Dianne asked a member with an unusual car to get in touch with her. We usually decorate it with flowers.
Our speaker, Kerry Ann Mendez was them introduced by Linda Conway. Kerry’s subject was “Striking, Uncommon Plants, and Awe-Inspiring Design Tips.” Kerry inspired us all by presenting slides and discussion of plants and shrubs which are trouble free, deer and drought resistant, so we can enjoy rather than become “slaves” to our gardens. She had a number of new cultivars which have spectacular leaves rather than flowers which have to be deadheaded. All of her recommendations, which were listed on her handout, were appropriate for zone 4. She recommended that if you improve your soil first, then you can buy smaller plants, and save money, because they will subsequently grow just as well as larger ones.
After the talk she answered questions and sold copies of her books on perennials, shade gardens and trouble free gardens.
The meeting adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Joan Wright, co-president