The South Carolina Gardener - The Garden Club of South Carolina

GCSC | FALL ISSUE 2015 | VOL. 93 NO. 3
The South Carolina
GARDENER
The Official Publication of The Garden Club of South Carolina, Inc.
Linda Nelson, NGC President
with Yvonne Morris, GCSC
President with NGC Awards
won at the NGC Convention.
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 1
President’s Message
Fellow Garden Club Members,
This fall issue of The South Carolina Gardener is the
first print issue of the 2015-17 term. At last, after a hot
summer, we welcome the cooler days of autumn and
the harvest season!
Special thanks to all of you who attended our first and fabulous Summer
Expo at the SC Farmers’ Market on Saturday, July 11! We especially thank
Co-Chairs Trish Bender and Wayne Deal for making this a fun and informative event! The midterm GCSC Summer Expo will be held on Saturday, July
16, 2016 at the State Farmers Market. Please mark your calendars now!
We are blooming and growing! Three more wonderful organizations have
become GCSC Affiliate Members: Audubon South Carolina, Riverbanks Zoo
and Garden, and the South Carolina Botanical Garden in Clemson! The
South Carolina Native Plant Society became our first Affiliate Member in
April.
Like summer, fall will bring many opportunities and events. Some District
Directors are having Fall Gatherings while others are visiting their District’s
clubs. Our 203 clubs and 16 councils are back in full swing with new and
continuing projects after a summer of preparing for another new club year.
On Saturday, November 14, GCSC is having ‘The Beautiful Santee Delta”
Plantation Tour fundraiser to support GCSC projects and programs. This
will be your only opportunity to see seven plantations in the McClellanville/
Georgetown area. Ticket price includes a pre-tour party on November 13th
hosted by the Georgetown Garden Club and a plantation lunch served on the
grounds of one of the plantations.
Did you know that our GCSC Headquarters is in the Riverbanks Botanical
Garden Building? Did you know that Riverbanks Botanical Garden is
expanding to include a Children’s Garden? The GCSC President’s Project
for this term is the establishment of the GCSC Native Plant Garden in the
Children’s Garden. The fundraiser to support this is “Nickels for Natives.”
Your contributions are needed to make this happen. Our youth are our
future, and we want to provide this special area in the new Children’s Garden
for everyone to enjoy!
Enjoy fall in beautiful South Carolina and remember to plant NICE (Natives
Instead of Common Exotics).
Let’s bloom and grow together!
2|
Yvonne
Contents
FALL 2015 | VOLUME 93 | NO. 3
2
President’s Message
Yvonne Morris
5
Upcoming Events / Bloooming and Growing with New Affiliate Members
5
Greetings!
6
Camper of the Week
7
Blue Skies for Bluebirds
Kathy Woolsey
9
THE HORTICULTURE PATH
Jerry W. Weise
11
YAUPON GARDEN CLUB
Awarded Palmetto Pride Grant
13
Summer Expo
14
Meet the Beebalms
Roots and Shoots
16
The National Garden Clubs
NGC Convention 2015
The Garden Club of South Carolina, Inc.
Mary B. Rivers
Belinda Roy and Jeanette B. Lyon
Trish Bender
Jane Jabbour and Lynne Meffert
18-24 Club Anniversary
80th Anniversary of the Spartanburg CG Council
Yellow Jessamine Celebrates 75 Years
The Sumter Council of Gardens Club Anniversary Celebrations
Bay Blossom Garden Club Celebrate 65th Anniversary
25
GCSC Memorials
27
South Atlantic Regional Special Project 2015-2017
"AWE-some Possibilities"
28
Sea Island Garden Club Event, November 4, 2015
29
GCSC Plantation Tour 2015
The Beautiful Santee Delta
30
EAST SANDHILLS DISTRICT
Chapin Garden Club Publicity
30
The Lancaster Garden Club
National Garden Week
131
Editor's Note
Yvonne Jordan
Cover Photo Provided by Bill Korhely
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 3
Upcoming Events
October 29-November 8 Coastal Carolina Fair Standard Flower Show, Ladson
November 5
Bylaws Committee/Policy and Procedure Committee
Meetings
November 14
Plantation Tour
December 15
State Awards Applications due to State Awards Chair (2nd
VP) & Youth Awards to District Youth Chairman
January 12-13
Landscape Design School, Course 1, Charleston
January 15
District Youth Awards Winners to State Youth Awards
Chair
January 15
Deadline for Spring Issue of SC Gardener
January 28
GCSC Board Meeting, Riverbanks Botanical Building,
Columbia
February 1
Club/Council President’s Report due to District Directors/
State President
Blooming and Growing with
New Affiliate Members
We are blooming and growing with new Affiliate Members! This summer, The
South Carolina Botanical Garden at Clemson, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, and
Audubon South Carolina made application for GCSC Affiliate Membership.
The GCSC Board of Directors approved these applications on September 3rd.
Links to their websites are posted on our GCSC website along with our first Affiliate Member, the South Carolina Native Plant Society.
The Garden Club of South Carolina, Inc. most graciously welcomes each of these
premier state organizations and looks forward to productive partnerships! Watch
for articles and information blasts from these awesome new memberships!
4|
Greetings!
“As the air turns cool and the leaves turn color, change is taking place;
Because everywhere the signs appear of FALL’s approaching face.”
How quickly the summer passed? How we watered to keep our plants alive
and how appreciative we were for a rain shower. Yet, through it all, we knew that
God was in full control and soon the hot, dry season would pass. Knowing that, as
gardeners we tended our plants lovingly just as the Master Gardener tends lovingly
to us each day. And as the roots held the plants in place and absorbed nourishment,
we too gain our strength and nourishment from our loving Heavenly Father. We
are not always aware of what He has planned but we know that it is for our best.
Remember how dead heading provides more blooms on our plants? So it is with
God because often when we feel “bloomed out”, He slows us down so that we can
rest and then re-bloom. He knows our every need and provides as we accept our
change and growth in order to be better servants in His garden, our world.
May your garden club have a productive year and all of your projects reflect the
love of God as you work to support our president’s theme of “Blooming and
Growing Together” in every area of South Carolina.
Blessings,
Mary B. Rivers, Chaplain
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 5
Camper of the Week
In the picture is Donna Donnelly (1st GCSC VP) and
our Camp Director (Brad Taylor) and our two campers
of the week.
Girl Camper of the Week:
Beth Warnken, North Augusta, SC
Sponsored By
Les Dames Des Fleures Garden Club
Boy Camper of the Week:
Stephen Jackson, Summerville, SC
Sponsored By
Flowertown Garden Club
6|
Blue Skies for Bluebirds
By Kathy Woolsey
Gardeners often say to me “I put up a bluebird house
but don’t have any bluebirds yet. What could be the problem?”
With fast food restaurants its location, location, location, but
with birds its habitat, habitat, habitat. A good bird watcher knows if you want
to find a bird, look for its habitat. A habitat, for those who were not paying
attention in Ms. Morrison’s biology class, is the particular environments in
which an organism naturally lives.
The Eastern Bluebird lives in open habitats with few trees and large expanses of
grass or short vegetation. Good places to look for bluebirds would be pastures,
school yards, athletic fields, cemeteries, golf courses, and large vegetable gardens and farms. Bluebirds, like many birds, eat insects. They will sit on a fence
post, dead limb or utility line looking for insects. Sometimes they catch bugs
on the wing, but they are often seen flying down to the ground and catching one
near the ground. Horse and cow pastures are great places for bluebirds, because
the grazing animals often stir up insects for the bluebirds to eat. Vegetable gardens also attract insects and are a good
place for bluebird nest boxes. My father’s
gardens were surrounded by bird boxes. I remember one summer day when I
was a teenager. I was picking snaps with
my sisters. I suddenly was aware that
the bluebirds were making quite a fuss.
I stood up straight, and my sister asked
“What’s the matter?” “The bluebirds are
in trouble,” I said, as I scanned each box
on the fence line. Then I turned around
(Continued on page 8)
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 7
and saw a pair of bluebirds flying franticly around their house. It was then I saw
what had disturbed the peace for the day – a black snake was crawling up the
fence post. I bolted across the garden, leaping over bean rows and squash plants.
As I came up to the bird box the snake’s head was at the entrance hole. Without
stopping I grabbed the snake’s tail and flung him as far as I could. He sailed
through the air and landed in the blackberry patch. Fortunately for the snake,
it was thornless blackberries. I backed away from the bird box and watched the
bluebird parents return. When I got back to my sister, she had her hand on her
hips and said “What were you thinking? Did you have to toss that snake in the
blackberry patch?”
Bluebirds have three to five broods a year; older siblings will help their parents
raise the young. I have noticed that the parents often move to another box
to start the next brood and then move back to the first box. This might be to
confuse predators or discourage lice. Be sure to clean out the box and remove
the old nest as soon as the baby birds leave the box. They never go back in after
they fledge. Also be sure to clean out the box in the fall, bluebirds will often
roost in boxes during the winter and as many as eight Bluebird will crowd into
a box on a very cold night.
There are other things you can do to encourage bluebirds to come into your
garden. Fresh clean water is important for all birds but make sure your bird
bath is shallow and has a gentle slope to the sides for the small birds. The entire
bluebird family can be seen bathing and drinking together and it’s a beautiful
sight too. Bluebirds have small bills that are great for catching bugs but they are
not very good at cracking seeds, so they do not come to feeders with mixed bird
seed. They will eat live mealworms, shelled cracked sunflower seeds and raisins
soaked in water. To learn more about Bluebirds check-out the North American
Bluebird Society Website http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/.
8|
The Horticulture Path
By Jerry W. Weise, GCSC Horticulture Chairman
For this biennium the GCSC emphasis is on native
plants. This natural world of climates, plants, animals,
insects and other invertebrates coevolved and coexist
today like a giant web which, when tugged in one place,
sends ripples spreading. A dramatic example is the loss of native
milkweeds and the plunge in the population numbers of Monarch butterflies.
Monarch caterpillars depend on the leaves and poisonous sap of milkweed for
food and protection from predators as larvae and adults. Changes in farming
practices and urban sprawl have eliminated or changed the natural habitat
where milkweeds thrived. Home gardeners can help restore some of the natural
balance by seeking out sources and planting milkweeds in sunny gardens,
borders or wildflower ‘meadows’.
Asclepias tuberosa
(Butterfly Weed)
The showiest of the milkweeds native
to the southeast is Butterfly Weed
(Asclepias tuberosa) with its clusters of
bright orange flowers. I have seen this
blooming along roadsides from Charleston
to Greenville so it should thrive in gardens
statewide. Plant catalogues offer the original
orange-flowered version as seeds/plants
and cultivars (guess these are ‘nativars’)
developed for red, yellow and cream tones.
Taller Swamp Milkweed (A. incarnata, to 4 feet) has
pinkish-purple summer flowers. As its name suggests
this milkweed likes more moisture. Most milkweeds
grow in full sun with perhaps some shade as tree
shadows lengthen. They grow best in fertile, welldrained, loamy soil. Never try to transplant from the
wild (unless, with permission, trying to save plants
from bulldozers prepping the site for development).
(Continued on page 10)
A. incarnata
(Swamp Milkweed)
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 9
Established milkweed plants have fleshy roots and taproots that break easily and
plants succumb usually from this injury. The milky sap, similar to Euphorbia’s
(Poinsettia) may irritate the skin.
Tallest of all is common milkweed (A. syrica, to 6 feet). These flowers are
greenish-purple and pink and are scented. Common milkweed, a native host
plant for Monarch caterpillars, mixes well with Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium
fistulosum, to 5 feet) whose late summer purplish-pink blooms are a butterfly
magnet.
When planting think ‘banquet’ not ‘snack’. To have healthy populations of
Monarchs well-fed caterpillars are a necessity. The same applies to parsley,
fennel, dill and Queen Anne’s lace, host plants for our state swallowtail butterfly.
Now is the time to plan for next season’s gardens, locate nurseries that sell native
plants or even catch some of the silky white haired seeds as they emerge from
the pods and save for planting in containers in early spring. You may even find
plants in containers on sale now. These can be planted in the garden this fall in
our cooler months to get a jump-start on next spring.
One source: American Meadows - americanmeadows.com/wildflower-seeds.
This is one source to buy plants and wildflower seeds for the southeast. Has
good pictures and info.
10 |
Yaupon Garden Club
Yaupon Garden Club
Awarded Palmetto Pride Grant
By Belinda Roy and Jeanette B. Lyon
T he Yaupon Garden Club (YGC) of North Myrtle Beach,
South Carolina is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a
Community Pride Grant from Palmetto Pride. The Community
Pride Grant is a grant that provides organizations up to $8,000 to develop successful
beautification activities and anti-litter programs at the local level. Palmetto Pride is a
legislative initiative created to fight litter and help beautify South Carolina. Palmetto
Pride is a non-profit, 501(c) 3 organization that is a true public/private partnership
comprised of state agencies, concerned citizens, corporate sponsors, and community
and civic organizations with the stated goal of encouraging “behavioral change” in
citizens about litter.
The Palmetto Pride grant of $2496 provides funding to re-establish the tree canopy over the original
path of Olde King’s Hwy., which traverses the front
of the property near the entrance to Vereen Gardens
just behind the C. B. Berry Center. The King's
Highway was a roughly 1,300-mile (2,100 km)
road laid out from 1650 to 1735 in the American
colonies, built on the order of Charles II of England.
In Colonial Times, Olde King’s Hwy. was used to
transport information and news along the Atlantic
Existing conditions of the pathway.
coast from Boston, MA to Charleston, SC. It was
also used by President George Washington
when he travelled to South Carolina during
his presidency. There are very few portions
of the path that remain undeveloped or
accessible to the public.
The original path of the Olde Kings Hwy.
in Vereen Gardens has been identified and
a split rail fence has been installed along
the border on both sides. Trees purchased
through this grant will be planted on
both sides of the path to form a canopy
along a 300 ft portion of the original Artist's rendition of the setting after completion
road. This planting of the trees will of the project.
be done on South Carolina’s Arbor Day in early December 2015 in cooperation with
the Horry County Department of Parks and Recreation. Garden Clubs in the Coastal
Photos Courtesy of Horry County Planning and Zoning.
Horry County Parks and Recreation to achieve this project.
(Continued on page 12)
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 11
District will be invited to participate as well. The
YGC is working closely with the Horry
County Department of Planning & Zoning, the
Horry County Department of Recreation and
Parks and the county landscape architect to
accomplish this project.
This specific initiative is a new project and is
an extension of the commitment of the YGC to
beautify and clean Vereen Memorial Historical
Gardens in Little River, SC. For 20 years, the
YGC, which counts among its past members
ladies from the Vereen family, has participated
with Horry County in the care and maintenance
of Vereen Gardens. YGC members have enjoyed
Schematic overview of the project.
planting flowers and shrubs as well as collecting
litter, tree debris, and weeds for pick up by Horry County Parks and Recreation. These
activities help to protect, restore and beautify the unique and diverse woodlands and
wetlands that make up this breathtaking, amazing parkland. With 115 acres of forest,
tidal marshes and Intracoastal waterfront, Vereen Gardens has been part of the Horry
County park system for decades. The park is crisscrossed by paths through the forest and
the boardwalk over the salt marsh. Educational signs, provided by the YGS, are posted
which describe the flora and fauna that are found in the park.
The Vereen family that donated this former plantation to Horry County dates back to
the Revolutionary War. To honor its history, and as part of the Horry County Patriot
Trees Program, a dedication was held at the Vereen Memorial Gardens to recognize
11 Civil War soldiers from the Little River area. Eleven trees of historical significance
were selected and on April 25, 2014 YGC members and Vereen family members read the
selected soldiers’ biographies each tree was marked with a QR code providing information about each soldier.
The YGC looks forward to implementing this beautification project and to working with
sister garden clubs to make it a reality in December 2015.
12 |
Summer Expo
By Trish Bender, 3rd Vice President
The GCSC SUMMER EXPO held Saturday, July 11, 2015
at the State Farmers’ Market in West Columbia set our new
term off with a bang! Two hundred and fifty-seven garden club
members from all over our state attended the all day trade show
event which featured key note speaker, Dr. Jeff Beacham of the
SC Native Plant Society. The event was divided into two segments;
a morning general assembly and an afternoon of trade show activities. The morning
general assembly introduced President Morris’ Native Plant Awareness Project with a
brief preview of GCSC State programs and projects for the new term. Essential awards
information and application instructions were given by 2nd VP & Awards Chair, Karen
Prewitt. A presentation of the new Leadership Guide was presented by Karen Oliver
and given to each club. Presentations of National and State Awards were presented by
our State President, Yvonne Morris. A lunch followed, provided by our sponsors. The
afternoon session opened for members to visit the thirty-one information booths,
purchase plants and garden related items from twelve vendors, compete in the garden
club trivia challenge, and win some of the $960.00 in raffle prizes. The cost for each
attendee was zero but the benefits were estimated at over $200.00.
To insure that we fulfilled our mission of helping clubs “Be the best they could be”
each attendee received a prefilled EXPO bag of information from our sponsors, an
officer’s leadership guide, flyers from each GCSC state chairmanship program and project,
a list of available speakers, opportunity for one-on-one Q&A with each chairman and the
opportunity to network with other clubs around the state. The original budget for the
event was $2770.00 with a starting balance of $700.00 and plans to cover the remaining $2070.00 balance with vendor fees, sponsorships and raffle ticket sales. The actual
expenses totaled $3602.66, including $2210.00 of in-kind donations. Total income
including in-kind donations was $4265.00, leaving a profit of $662.34. Plans are already
in the works for our 2016 SUMMER EXPO to be held again at the State Farmers’ Market,
Saturday, July 16, 2016.
Suggestions are under
consideration to provide
more time for chairman
booth visits, District
Director mini-meetings
and workshops, as well
as an improved floor
plan for traffic flow.
Columbia Farmers Market
Building
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 13
Meet the Beebalms
Roots and Shoots
By Jane Jabbour and Lynn Meffert
Meet
the Beebalms.
The family
(Lamiaceae) of which they are members
includes many familiar culinary herbs, but the genus Monarda is special, containing
a trio of beauties that are guaranteed to bring to the garden abundant color as well
as lively activity: Horsemint, Wild Bergamot, and Scarlet Bee Balm. True enough,
they’re all Monardas (Beebalms) but they deserve separate spotlights for their varied
and interesting personalities.
Monarda punctata, also known as Horsemint, apparently
has nothing to do with horses. Like most of its mint
cousins, it has a characteristically square stem and
opposite, aromatic leaves. Lavender to pinkish bracts
with spotted or dotted yellowish flowers create an
unusual effect, suitable for a wildflower garden. Native
Americans appreciated Horsemint’s effectiveness as
a treatment for colds, and it has historically been a
medicinal herb with many many uses. If you’d like to
make a delicious tea, be sure to make it weak. It contains
thymol, an effective external antiseptic, but—careful-too much of a good thing can be deadly.
Monarda punctata grows freely alongside roadways in South Carolina and can reach
three feet in height. It prefers sandy soil and is tolerant of salt spray. Nice clumps
have been sighted on Seabrook Island in a sunny, partly wooded vacant lot with
sandy soil. Count on Horsemint to attract honeybees as well as native bees and
hummingbirds.
Wild Bergamot, Monarda fistulosa, is the second of the Beebalm trio, with lovely
pink-to-lavender blossoms that look like little mopheads. The plant spreads readily
and reseeds freely. This one is reputed to be a convincing substitute for the
commercial bergamot oil derived from a citrus source. Wild Bergamot oil is
(Continued on page 15)
14 |
similarly antiseptic and astringent. Like Horsemint, it is very attractive to a wide variety of bees,
and it is a magnet for numerous butterfly and
moth species as well, including some specialists
that choose only Monardas as larval hosts. This
hardy perennial is available and is commonly
used in gardens that feature natives of the
Southeast region.
Perhaps the best-known of the Beebalm trio is
Monarda didyma. Clumps of bright red pom
poms are perched atop a 3 to 4-foot stem. The
many common names for our three Beebalms
are overlapping and maddingly confusing, but this one seems to be the one most
frequently called simply Beebalm or Scarlet Beebalm.
The Oswego Indians
perfected a tea from dried leaves of M. didyma and the plant is sometimes referred
to as Oswego Tea. Early colonial settlers were said to substitute Oswego Tea for the
tea imported from England after their supplies were cut off following the famous
Boston Tea Party event.
Again, its medicinal uses have been and still are varied, owing to the presence of
thymol, commonly found today in most mouthwash formulations. Some historical
records indicate that some early colonists steamed the plant and inhaled the
aromatic vapors to unblock sinuses.
Scarlet Beebalm will spread quickly and in fact needs to be controlled a bit. It prefers
well-drained soil and full sun, and it will reward the gardener with a spectacular
show of color in the summer months.
Perennial plants with sturdy character,
beautiful colors, aromatic leaves and a host
of medicinal uses: what could be better?
Oh, and these three beauties are all carefree
native plants with a sterling reputation for
attracting butterflies, honeybees, bumblebees and hummingbirds. Now that you’ve
met the beebalms, consider choosing one
or more to add life to your garden.
--Jane Jabbour
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 15
The National Garden Clubs
NGC Convention 2015
The Garden Club of South Carolina, Inc.
The National Garden Clubs' 86th Annual Convention was
held May 12-18, 2015, in Louisville, Kentucky. This was an
installation year, with a change in the administration during
the convention and inducting a new group of State Presidents. President Linda Nelson was honored for her exceptional service to the organization and President-Elect Sandy
Robinson was installed for the term 2015-2017.
GCSC was well represented by President Yvonne Morris, 1st
Vice President Donna Donnelly, 2nd Vice-President Karen
Prewitt, Becky Crowe, Sammy Martin, Mary Ann Kirby, and Pat Abercromie, Past
of SC JUDGES
Former GCSC Presidents Pat Abercromie, Marsha Alexan- President
CLUB, is Hostess for
der, Sarah Ann Parler (SAR Director) and Emily Stephens.
Installation Banquet!
GCSC won several awards during this convention
and these were presented during the “Summer
Expo” celebration
Mary Ann Powell Kirby
GCSC Design Coordinator
2015-2017
“Three Generations of Designers”: Granddaughter 16 Christina Relich, Mary Ann
Powell Kirby and Daughter Autumne Kirby
Relich from “Down to Earth Garden Club”
in Lexington , Ky. work on the head table.
Photos are courtesy of Bill Korhely and Mary Ann Kirby
16 |
(Continued on page 17)
National Garden Club President Sandy Robinson 2015-2017 from London, Ky. with
Mary Ann Powell Kirby and Becky Crow, Chairmen of the SC Judges Club Table
Designs for May 17, 2015 National Convention, Louisville, Ky.
Sandy Robinson, NGC President, at
the Opening Business Session!
GCSC PRESIDENT Yvonne Morris, Past
GCSC President and SAR Director Emily
Stephens, President Sammy Martin of
SC JUDGES CLUB, and Mary Ann
Kirby at the NGC National Installation
Ceremony, May 17, 2015.
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 17
80th Anniversary of the Spartanburg CG Council
(Credits for Photos: Jimmy Trout, Nan Breon and Mary Ann Powell Kirby)
The Spartanburg Garden Club Council celebrated The 80th Anniversary on
August 4, 2015 at the Home of President Lanie Trout 2015-2017 and Mr. Jimmy
Trout in Spartanburg with a Special "Ladies Tea." Lanie Trout's theme is: "Harmony
in the Garden".
Spartanburg Garden Club Council was founded January 29, 1935 by Mrs. E. M.
Gwathmey whose husband was President of Converse College. Mrs. Gwathmey was
Spartanburg Garden Club Council's First President in 1935-1937.
The Seven Clubs present in at Converse College initial meeting represented the
First Council and they met with Mrs. Gwathmey in the Converse Dining Hall and
immediately there came a urgent request for assistance in planting after serious
hurricane damage occurred in the Spartanburg and Spartanburg County area.
Spartanburg's First Standard Flower Show: Sponsored by the Council was held April
26-27 1935. The First Garden Pilgrimage was Sponsored by Spartanburg Garden
Club Council in 1935.
Special Guests invited to this August 4th - 80th Celebration were: The GCSC President Yvonne Morris, First Vice-President Donna Donnelly, Protocol Chairman Becky
Crow, Parlimentarian Pat Abercromie and EPD Peggy Little. SAR director Sarah
Ann Parler was also sent an Invitation as was The NGC President Sandy Robinson.
(1) This Ladies Tea also began the 80th
(1)
Celebration of the Founding of Spartanburg Garden Club Council!
The New
2015-2017 Executive Board attended along
with all the Chairmen of this Spartanburg
Garden Club Council and Past Presidents.
GCSC President Yvonne Morris spoke
about her "Nichols for Natives" project
to raise $5000.00 and spoke about the
emphasis on planting native plants.
Spartanburg Garden Club Council presented a check to President Morris for her
"Nickels for Natives" project and also gave each invited special guest an engraved
(Continued on page 19)
18 |
tray with embossed Palmetto
Tree to remember the 80th
Anniversary and Ladies Tea
Sponsored by Spartanburg
Garden Club Council.
(2) OFFICERS AND CHAIRMEN attending were: Nancy
Odom-3rd VP, Elaine Wade
(2)
2nd VP and GCSC as NGC
Calendar Chairman, Mary Ann Kirby 1st VP and GCSC as Design Coordinator
and SAR Wildflower/Roadsides, Flower Show Advisor, Jimmy Trout, Lanie Trout
President of Spartanburg Garden Club Council, Gail Robinson President of Fannie
Louise Holcomb Garden Club, Jenny Stidham Blue Star Memorial Chairman,
Dianne Gossett Chaplain and Membership, Janet Adams Parliamentarian and Fundraiser Chairman, Denie Crowder Treasurer, seated Nancy Gibson Historian, Nan
Breon Publicity, Beth Waddell Secretary, Kathy Medlock Assistant Treasurer and
Joyce Mabry Corresponding Secretary.
PAST PRESIDENTS of Spartanburg Garden Club Council attending the 80th
TEA were Fredericka Wilson (1983-1985), Beth Waddell (2011-2013), Janet Adams
(2009-2011), Nancy Odom (1999-2001), Elaine Wade (2003-2005) and Mary Ann
Kirby (1997-1999).
(3) First Vice President and GCSC Design Coordinator and SAR Wildflowers/Roadsides Chairman,
Mary Ann Powell Kirby created the Special Tea
Design dedicated to our Founding Mothers and
to President Lanie Trout. Other Judges designing
were Nancy Odom and Elaine Wade.
(4)
(4) Spartanburg Garden
Club Council PresidentLanie
Trout
welcomes
GCSC President Yvonne
Morris.
(3)
(Continued on page 20)
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 19
(5) Upsy Daisy Officers: Sisters-President Jane Zollinger and
Treasurer Elaine Brockman help to set up the food for the
"Ladies Tea".
(5)
(6) PRESIDENTS of
Spartanburg
Garden
Club Council: Bonnie
Bird - Reidville Gar(6)
den Club, Gail Robinson - Fannie Louise
Holcomb, Kathy Medlock - Fairforest Garden Club. President Lanie Trout, Jane
Zollinger - Upsy Daisy Garden Club, Vicki Thomason - Cema Chreitzberg, Nancy
Odom - Merry Tillers, Helen Goforth - Vice-President Indepth Study Club, (Mary
Dell Scott - Represented Garden Ellas Garden Club and Janet Adams represented Ivy
League).
(7) Beth Waddell Secretary of Spartanburg Garden Club Council Plays
for the 80th Celebration and Adds
to the "Harmony in the Garden"
80th Anniversary Celebration!
(7)
Submitted by Mary Ann Powell Kirby, SC Master Flower Show Judge and Master
Landscape Critic.
20 |
Yellow Jessamine Celebrates 75 Years
The Yellow Jessamine Garden Club of Dillon celebrated 75 years as a
federated Garden Club with an anniversary celebration on Sunday, May 17 at
3:00 in the afternoon at the City of Dillon Wellness Center. Several area Garden
Clubs attended: The Glove and Trowel Garden Club of Dillon, Dillon Garden Club
and The Women's Club of Lake View. We were also honored to have two past
presidents in attendance; Mrs. Ethel Taylor and Mrs. Regina Moody Bazen.
At the registration table, Frances Tyler (Assistant Treasurer), Mary Ricks
(Vice-President), Mildred Mishue (President), and Earline Moody (Membership)
handed out welcome gifts. As the guests entered, they were greeted and
encouraged to take advantage of our appetizers and refreshments. The
refreshments were beautifully decorated with a huge array of appetizers and
finger foods made by the Yellow Jessamine members. The lovely floral
arrangement of yellow roses and other assorted flowers garnished the table
where the 75th celebration cake as placed, to commemorate this occasion. As
the guest mingled, they were asked to glance at the memory table. This table
consisted of pictures, articles and clippings of previous members and events of
the Yellow Jessamine Garden Club as well as current projects we are working on
today. Everyone had a wonderful time as they reminisced and caught up with
garden club friends! Special thanks to all the members, guests and the staff of
The City of Dillon Wellness Center who made this event possible.
(Continued on page 22)
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 21
The Yellow Jessamine Garden Club is a member of The National Garden Clubs,
Inc., South Atlantic Region of National Council, The Garden Club of South
Carolina, Inc., and Coastal District of The Garden Club of South Carolina.
22 |
The Sumter Council of Gardens Club
Anniversary Celebrations
On Sunday, June 13, 2015, The Council of Garden Clubs of Sumter celebrated two
significant events: the 65th Anniversary of The Council of Garden Clubs of Sumter
and the 50th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Alice Boyle Garden Center. State
and District officers and friends, local dignitaries and friends and Council and local
club members were invited to an afternoon tea to commemorate these milestones.
In April, 1949, the Sumter Garden Club merged with other garden clubs to form
The Council of Garden Clubs of Sumter. With the expanded scope of a federated
Council, it became increasingly difficult to find locations large enough to accommodate flower shows and educational programs.
A solution came in May, 1961, when, with the help of a generous donation by Mr.
Edwin Boyle in memory of his wife Alice, land was purchased for the site of a garden
center. The Alice Boyle Garden Center was dedicated on November 22, 1965, and
since that time has been the home of The Council of Garden Clubs of Sumter, Azalea
Garden Club, Bland Garden Club, and Poinsett Garden Club.
The Alice Boyle Garden Center was beautifully decorated for the event with gloriosa
lilies and greenery. Guests enjoyed cake and punch, viewing photos and newspaper
clippings from Council’s archives, remembering old friends and looking to the
future of Garden Clubs with optimism.
State and District officers and
friends, local dignitaries and
friends and Council and local
Club members were invited to
an afternoon tea to commemorate these milestones.
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 23
Bay Blossom Garden Club Celebrate 65th Anniversary
The Bay Blossom Garden Club hosted area garden clubs and friends at a drop-
in on June 14th. Over 60 attendees participated in celebrating the club’s 65th
anniversary. Founding member, Mrs. Beneva Ouzts, who at 92 is still an active
member of the club was in attendance.
The club was founded on June 8, 1950 by ladies who thought it was important to
promote fellowship through their love of flowers, horticulture and community
service.
This 19-member club is a member of the National Council of State Garden
Clubs, Inc., The Garden Club of South Carolina, Inc., the Atlantic Region, West
Sandhills District and the Garden Club Council of Greater Columbia.
Bay Blossom strives to promote, through educational programs and community
involvement, the understanding of the benefits flowers and horticulture
contribute to our lives and how much the respect for our environment enhances
all our lives and our planet.
Left to right: Nancy Coombs, Alice Tubley, Beneva Ouzts, Carol Vaughn, Camille
Walling, Shelley Rhodes, Eleanor Grainger, Cherry Wall, Doris Kahn, Celia Bane,
Gloria Douglass, Ann Gell Hammiter, and Patsy Brown.
24 |
GCSC Memorials
Joyce Robinson Sanders, (Mrs. Braxton Bragg Sanders III)
died on May 27, 2015. Joyce was a native of Rocky Mount,
North Carolina before marrying and moving to Bennettsville, SC
to raise her family with her loving husband. She was a faithful,
active member of Thomas Memorial Baptist Church and former
President of Garden Gate Garden Club and Bennettsville African Violet Society.
She served the Garden Club of South Carolina Board for twenty years as East
Sandhills District Director, State Treasurer, State Chaplain, 3rd Vice President, 2nd
Vice President, 1st Vice President and the Twenty-sixth President of The Garden
Club of South Carolina during the 54th and 55th Conventions. She was a Nationally
Accredited Master Flower Show Judge and served as President of the Florence
Area Judges Club. During Joyce’s tenure as President of the Garden Club of South
Carolina her signature achievements included the creation and adoption of both the
official GCSC flag and the hand-painted seal that are still in use today. To reflect her
love of trees and her ever mindful commitment to environmental stewardship, an
energy-legislation conference was held January 1984 and the Unified South Atlantic
Region’s Plant a Legacy Project sponsored donations of 23,000 trees to non-garden
club individuals. Forty Acre Rock Fund raising project was completed. The Youth
Conservation Camp was renamed Camp Wildwood. A hummingbird project in
2011 added feeders throughout South Carolina backyard landscapes. Bartram Trail
Markers were placed in Charleston and Myrtle Beach. A memorial service for our
third President, Claudia Lea Phelps was held in the Memorial Gardens in Columbia.
Joyce also requested the South Carolina Legislature to proclaim Butterfly Awareness
Week in April. At this time there were 445 clubs and 10,124 members in The Garden
Club of South Carolina. Our deepest sympathy is extended to her son Braxton, two
grandsons and her two great-granddaughters.
Diana Haimerl, (Mrs. Ronald Haimerl) died on May 26, 2015.
She was a native of Pennsylvania who lived an active life of quiet
service with her husband of 55 years in Dillon, South Carolina.
Diana was a member of the Dogwood Garden Club of Latta since
2001 and served two terms as president. She served the Garden
Club of South Carolina Board in many capacities including Coastal District
Co-Director and Director, State Nominating Committee Member and Chairman of
(Continued on page 26)
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 25
GCSC Logo sales from 2011 – 2015. She and husband Ron faithfully attended every
GCSC meeting without fail, despite her significant health. Our deepest sympathy is
extended to her husband Ronald Haimerl, her four children, five grandchildren, four
step-grandchildren, and her two sisters.
Virginia Rainey, (Mrs. Theron Rainey) died on July 10, 2015.
She was a native of Anderson, South Carolina, and was a
member of Boulevard Baptist Church and served for many years
with the Girl Scouts. She was a member and former president
of the Electric City Garden Club and the Anderson Council. She
served the Garden Club of South Carolina Board of Directors in many capacities
including West Piedmont District Director, Clemson Education Day Chairman,
Flower Show Chairman, Flower Show Schools Chairman and Artistic Design
Chairman and was a Nationally Accredited Master Flower Show Judge and
Nationally Accredited Design Instructor. She was a member in good standing of
both the Atelier Design Study Group and Creative Flower Arrangers of the Americas.
She served for many years on the Board of the Nationally Accredited Judges Club of
South Carolina. Virginia was often called upon to judge, chair and consult on flower
shows around the South Atlantic Region and was even asked to judge a flower show
in Peru. Our deepest sympathy is extended to her husband of 57 years, her two
children, eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and sister.
Ann Key Payne, (Mrs. Gordon Payne) died on July 25, 2015. She
was born in Montgomery, AL and grew up in Charleston, SC. She
married and raised a family in Mount Pleasant. Throughout her
adult years, Ann enjoyed travel, participating in multiple Garden
Clubs, and was a flower show judge for many years. She served
as President of The Garden Club of Charleston and served on the vestry at St. Philips
Church. Our deepest sympathy is extended to her husband, three children, five
grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
26 |
South Atlantic Regional Special Project 2015-2017
"AWE-some Possibilities"
We, as SAR gardeners, stand in AWE of what we have inherited and must pass on to
future generations. Our director, Sarah Ann Parler, has announced her theme, “Inspire
Conservation through Education” and is using this as the basis of her regional project.
One challenge for the 2015-2017 administration is participation in the SAR special
project. This project is doable by clubs and councils of any size in the diversified
locations of our five-state region. Her desire is that everyone accepts responsibility to
develop and implement educational projects which will focus on the conservation and
preservation of our Air, Water and Earth (soil) resources. Choose your area of interest or
combined interests of two or perhaps all three. Does that not put you in AWE of project
possibilities?
Awards for our SAR Special Project will honor clubs, councils and a state whose
project focus is on Air, Water and Earth (soil). The entry should be submitted using the
National Garden Club application form and is limited to three pages, including narrative
presentation and photographic documentation. Awards will be given both years.
Scale of Points:
Narrative Presentation (scope)
Involvement of Members (%)
Photographic Documentation and Layout
45 points
25 points
30 points
Club Awards:
$50 and certificate
Under 30 members
30-59 members
60 and over members
Donor--Sarah Ann Parler
Council Awards: $50 and certificate
8 and under clubs
9 or more clubs
Donor—Sarah Ann Parler
State Award:
$50 and certificate
Donor—Sarah Ann Parler
To the state with the highest number of
SAR special projects award applications received
Deadline to Regional SAR Special Projects Chairman: January 11, 2016
Mary Rivers, SAR Special Projects Chairman
11481 Voorhees Road
Denmark, SC 29042
803-793-4914
e-mail: [email protected]
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 27
28 |
GCSC PLANTATION TOUR 2015
“The Beautiful Santee Delta”
Come and experience the rich history and scenic beauty of
the Santee Delta in the McClellanville/Georgetown area.
Price: $75.00 all inclusive
Dates:
November 13, 2015 Preview Party 5 - 7 pm
November 14, 2015 Plantation Tour 10 am - 3 pm
Includes Low Country Barbeque Lunch
Registration Forms and Flyer are found on the GCSC website.
www.gardenclubofsc.org
For further information email Rue Lucas at [email protected]
or Terry Ritchen at [email protected]
Suggested accomodations in the Georgetown, SC area.
Baymont Inn
Hampton Inn
Carolinian Motel
Quality Inn
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 29
Chapin Garden Club Publicity, East Sandhills District
Chapin Garden Club names
Edwin Chin as an honorary
member of the club for his
outstanding service and volunteer efforts to the club and the
Chapin community.
Karen
McConnell, CGC President
presents Ed Chin with a
shovel in honor of the occasion.
Chapin Garden Club member
Cindy Chin (2nd from right)
selected to serve as a judge for at
the 36th Annual Chapin Labor
Day Parade. The parade is the
signature event for the town
and draws more than 30,000
people to the small town for the
Labor Day festivities.
The Lancaster Garden Club celebrated National Garden Week by touring Moore
Farm Botanical Garden in Lake City.
30 |
The South Carolina
GARDENER
The Official Publication of The Garden Club of South Carolina, Inc.
GCSC | FALL 2015 | VOL. 93 NO. 3
Editor’s
Note
It is nice to see the weather begin to
change and Fall begin to emerge. The
air has begun to get a little cooler and
for those of you in the upcountry, the
leaves are just beginning to change!
The beginning of October has brought
us all some very challenging weather!
My family sat on James Island and
watched 18” of rain fall over a period
of two days. For some of you, this has
been a very trying time and our hearts
and prayers are with you and your
families!
As garden club members,
we all are part of a very large family of
fellow gardeners, and we all care and
support each other.
The SC Gardener is a way of communicating between all of us and keeping us
informed about what has been going on
around the State with all of you. So, if
your club is getting ready to celebrate
an anniversary or a special occasion,
please write an article and take pictures
and send them to me to share with
The South Carolina Gardener is the
official publication of the Garden Club of
South Carolina, Inc., published quarterly
and funded in part by membership
dues. The South Carolina Gardener has
made every effort to insure listings and
information are accurate and assumes
no liability for errors or omissions.
For advertising information and editorial
inquiries, contact Yvonne Jordan at
[email protected].
© 2015. All rights reserved. No portion
of this magazine may be reprinted
without the express, written consent of
the publisher.
Submission Deadlines:
Winter 2015..........October 15
Spring 2016..........January 15
Summer 2016.......April 15
Fall 2016...............July 15
Send materials for publication to:
Yvonne Jordan, Editor
[email protected]
Photos should be a high resolution and
sent as a separate jpeg, tiff or related file.
Printed by Midlands Printing, Inc., Camden, SC
everyone else around the State!
Sincerely,
Yvonne Jordan
The South Carolina Gardener | Fall 2015 | 31
32 |
A Non-Profit Organization
Member of South Atlantic Region & National Garden Clubs, Inc.
Garden Club of South Carolina, Inc.
P. O. Box 2848
Summerville, SC 29484-2848
The Official Publication of The Garden Club of South Carolina, Inc.
GARDENER
The South Carolina
PAID
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PERMIT #706
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