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Bloomin’ Times -- January 2017 -- 1
Upcoming Activities . . .
Community Projects & Service
2/24 Projects: Flower service at Lyons Juniors
1/18/17 Flower Design in Large Arrangements at Beth S.’s
home
2/22 Floral Designs for GCNJ State Flower Show
Meetings
1/2/17 Board meeting at Barbara M.’s home 1/11 General meeting
at SHCC 1/23 Long Range Planning at Pat W.’s 1/26 Finance meeting
at Betsy C.’s home 1/30 (Feb) Board meeting at Pat B.’s
home
2/8 General meeting at SHCC 2/27 (Mar) Board meeting at Adah
L.’s
home
Workshops
1/13/17 Artistic Crafts/Flower Design: Make a Winter Wreath
1/24 Flower Design: Art in Bloom 1/27 Photography Workshop at
Inge B.’s
home. Prep for State and Club Flower Shows
2/8 Garden B’s: Teacup Birdfeeders at Mountainside Community Rm.
2/14 Begin Great Backyard Bird Count 2/16 Artistic Crafts:
Mechanics Workshp at Mountainside Community Rm. More To Do 2/22
GCNJ State Flower Show Setup at
Edison Expo Center
2/23-26 GCNJ State Flower Show
www.rakeandhoe.org
Member of the Garden Club of NJ and National Garden Clubs,
Inc
Welcome Back!! September’s program prom-
JANUARY 2017
Bloomin ’ T imes
Notes from the December Program. . . .
Members’ Holiday Program
In true Holiday style, members enjoyed an afternoon of good
cheer, fun, and creativity at this year’s Rake & Hoe Holiday
‘workshop’. A wonderful spread of delectables provided by the
Hospitality committee set the tone, which was followed by a
workshop program for the Holidays. Diane G., Anna D. and Inge B.
organized the project for the workshop. Using greens which members
generously provid-
ed, lovely centerpieces were made, each unique and more
beautiful than the next! In keeping with the ‘save-our-pollinators’
initiative (local and state), beeswax candles were incorporated
into each centerpiece as a reminder and lovely addition to our
Holiday tables! It is important to note that the cost (and success)
of this annual program is underwritten by proceeds from the
Sep-tember auction. A big ‘thank you’ to all members who
par-ticipated at the auction, either by donating quality goods or
services, and/or by bidding on the items. In addition to the
December program, the resounding success of this year’s auction
enabled the Club to donate sizable contributions to some worthy
veteran and community organizations, including our new home at
SHCC.
-Inge B.
January Program . . . .
“Art in Bloom”
Art in Bloom is a floral interpretation of a work of art. For
this month’s program, a short slide presentation of recent exhibits
at two art museums will provide an introduction to this art form. A
demonstration will then follow with two club members showing us how
to design a floral arrangement inspired by works of art.
Coming in February . . . .
“Great Gesneriads”
Do you know what a ‘gesneriad’ is? Time to find out more about
this lovely group of plants! Time to learn about their great
diversity and variety, how to care for them, and how they can add
color to your home during the bleakest time of year. Karyn
Cichocki, a certified judge for the African Violet Society of
America, will tell you all you need to know! (Pssst . . . and it’s
not just all about African Violets!)
- Inge B.
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Bloomin’ Times -- January 2017 -- 2
Announcements . . . .
News from the Garden Club of New Jersey
Upcoming Events:
Jan 28, 2017. Dried Flower Workshop at Frelinghuysen with
designer Marge Hul-
strunk. Cost $50. www.arboretumfriends.org
Feb 23-26. State Flower Show (see insert below)
Mar 11-19. Philadelphia Flower Show. Theme: “Holland”
Need more info?
www.gardenclubofnewjersey.com
Orchid Show
Hear ye, all orchid lovers!!! In case you haven't already heard
about this, the 50th Annual North Jersey Orchid Society Show &
Sale is at the Douglass College (Rutgers University) Student Center
in New Bruns-wick January 13-15. Apparently there will also be
workshops on orchid care. The website is www.njorchids.org. Source:
NJ Monthly January 2017.
- Pat W.
Queen Victoria
On Sunday 1/15/2017, Masterpiece Theater on PBS will begin
airing an 8-part dramatic series entitled "Victoria" in the same
time slots occupied by Downton Abbey. It will cover the life of
Queen Victoria from teenager to the Queen of England and is likely
to feature scenes, costumes and life-style of the Victorian era. It
appears to be an ex-cellent way for members to get insight and
ideas relating to the Victorian era as we prepare for our upcoming
"Victorian Spring” Flower Show. For more information, click on
website below.
- submitted by Jeanie & Rich P.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/programs/series/victoria-s1/
Friend & Member Updates Longtime member Eileen P. has moved
to Warren, NJ and invites folks to visit, call, or drop a note. Her
new contact information is:
Eileen Perley 57 Mount Bethel Road Apartment 216 Warren, NJ
07059 Phone: 732-667-5255
Past member Sally K. is recovering from major back surgery.
Please keep her in your thoughts & prayers. Her contact
information is:
Sally Kerins (pictured on left, with Anna D) 116 Pearl St.
Westfield, NJ 07090 Phone: 908-317-2801 [pls. do not call until
next week]
Have info to share? Pls. contact the Bloomin’ Times staff
Inge Bossert, Co-Editor Joe DaRold, Co-Editor Rich Pelikan,
Photographer & Reporting Editor Jeanie Pelikan, Photographer
& Reporter-at-Large
- Thank You -
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Bloomin’ Times -- January 2017 -- 3
Flower Show News . . . .
Updates
Time to start rolling on the flower show! Please look for the
committee signup sheets at the meeting on Wednesday or feel free to
call our chairs directly if you have questions. We especially need
sign-ups in two categories: Horticulture Commit-tee, which will
consist of set up, classification, and placement on THURSDAY, and
for Docent shifts on FRIDAY. For those who can't help with the
Thursday setup, volunteers will be needed to distribute posters,
set up the library etc. Please con-tact our Publicity chair, Paula
L.
We’re also looking for signups for entries in Design and
Artistic Crafts. We have tons of great designers in our
member-ship, as evident from our competitions. If you are
uncomfortable with floral design and are very novice, try your hand
at artistic crafts. Or attend the workshop this month presented by
Helen P. to get some tips. Our designers are very happy to
help!
Expect to receive a friendly phone call if you haven’t signed
up. We rely on the combined talents of all of our members, so let’s
make this a team effort!
Thank you to these newest Chairs who signed up: Maryann Petruski
– Chair of Name Tags Liz Dwyer - Chair of Tickets Jeannie Pelikan -
Chair for the Judges Luncheon. The draft schedule with more
information is available on the website, www.rakeandhoe.org. If you
have yet to sign up to help in the Show, the following committee
chairs will be delighted to have your help: Barbara Mullin - Design
entries Clare MInick/Barbara Spellmeyer - Horticulture and
Edwardian cases Beth Siano - Staging Nancy Smith - Artistic Craft
entries Paula Long - Publicity Beth Hanscom - Clerks Richard
Pelikan – Docents (shifts 1-3 pm; 3-5 pm; and 5-7 pm)
Thank you! More information to come! Don’t hesitate to ask
questions, we are all here to help and support!
Diana
Show-Related Workshops Workshop Reminders The Workshop for
Wardian Cases/ Terrariums, and Cloches will be on January 17, at 10
am at the Mountainside Commu-nity Room (in the same building as the
police department). This is not listed in the yearbook. All
participants will receive (or have received) an information sheet
that details what to bring. There is no charge for the workshop.
Questions? Contact Clare or Barb S.
The Mechanics Workshop for Botanical Artistic Crafts is
scheduled for Feb 16 at 1 pm at the same venues (Mountnsde Comm
Rm). Linda P. is conducting the workshop on the use of dried plant
materials for botanical jewelry and designs. This is the workshop
for you if you’re thinking about signing up for one of the Artistic
Crafts slots at our upcoming Flower Show. Questions? Contact Linda.
Deadline Reminder You must grow a plant for 90 days in order for it
to be eligible for a horticultural entry in a flower show. For our
April 28th show, you have until January 29th to purchase a plant
such as flowering ones (orchids, begonias, African Violets, or
others; and foliage plants (ivy, ferns and other non-flowering
plants. You may, of course, enter plants that you already have.
Notice in the flower show schedule that horticulture does not
include a section for cacti and succulents, so these can’t be
entered. However, you may use cacti and succulents in a combination
planting because the schedule does not specify the types of plants
for this. Questions? Contact Clare or Barb S.
“A Victorian Spring”
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Bloomin’ Times -- January 2017 -- 4
More Club News. . . .
Happy 50th, Bobbie!!
What a milestone and reason to celebrate! 50 Years a member of
Rake & Hoe! Bobbie joined the Rake & Hoe Garden Club in
1967, or 15 years after a group of Westfield wom-en had formed a
fledgling garden club. By the time Bobbie joined, the Rake &
Hoe was a vibrant club very involved with community activities. The
news clips here show Bobbie hosting numerous gatherings at her
lovely home. Also, she served as Chair of the Birds Committee.
A recent conversation with her sheds a new light on our Club’s
past . . . There were many fundraisers, such as House Tours (then
all day, with morning and evening sessions); also craft fairs at
the Masonic Temple (now long gone!), where members sold their
handmade items, e.g. hand-crafted rose blooms from tin can lids
(ouch!); pine cone wreaths, all wired (no hot glue!). These all
supported Club activities that in turn supported community projects
(sound familiar?!). Another interesting tidbit, being Birds’ Chair
was not merely an adminis-trative role. It required sufficient
garage space to store large bags of birdseed. The seed was then
weighed out into smaller bags for sale to members. A popular
fundraiser similar to today’s ‘Ways & Means’.
History lesson aside, today we know Bobbie as a good friend and
woman of grace with a wonderful sense of design and fashion,
clearly demonstrated in her stunning floral arrange-ments. Bobbie
continues to enrich our Club and we look forward to many more
anniver-saries to share! God Bless! -Inge B.
Editors’ Note We offer a bouquet of appreciation to our
long-time R&H mem-bers who are celebrating their quintennial
(5-year) membership anniversaries in 2017. Join us in thanking
those who have contrib-uted so much to the Rake & Hoe Garden
Club. Next month we will recognize our 25+ year members. - Joe D.
and Inge B.
hear ye! hear ye!
Nominees for the upcoming 2017 Club Election are:
Vice President, Jeanne Marie Ryan Rec.ording Secretary, Holly
Schlobohm Corresponding Secretary, Joan Barna The Club election
will be held at the February meeting.
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Bloomin’ Times -- January 2017 -- 5
Committee News . . . .
Juniors . . .
The Juniors' December meeting focused on the GCNJ flower show.
Clare M. discussed the pho-tography classes they could enter and
offered tips on the care of their houseplants to have them in top
condition for horticulture entries. Then they went to work on their
kaleidoscope and bird mask artistic crafts. These were big projects
to be completed at the upcoming January meeting.
-Beth S.
Garden B’s . . . Birdfeeder Workshop. Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017 at
10am, Mtsde. Comm. Rm. We will be making tea cup bird feeders.
Please start looking for and saving teacups with matching saucers.
Consignment and thrift stores are good places to look. We would
like everyone to make 2 of these, one for themselves and one to
donate to the Spring Flower Show boutique. Sign ups will be at the
January meeting. -Tracy C.
Photography . . .
Photo Workshop. The Photography Committee will be having a
workshop on Friday, Jan 27th at Inge B's house at 1pm. We will be
working on for-matting and cropping photos for the State Photo
Exhibition. Each participant can bring a couple of pictures on a
data stick and we will be able to put them up on the large TV
screen. This has been a popular workshop over the years. Sign ups
will be opened to committee members first. We have a limit of 10
participants. Interested sign up by clipboard or email Margot.
Flower Show Entries. Interested in entering photographs in the
NJ State Flower Show in February? The clock is ticking. Time to
select what you would like to enter. All entrants need to register
by February 1st to the consultant, Sue Berdahl, 732-741-2593;
[email protected].
To register, you’ll need to select which class you wish to
enter. (see list below) You are allowed 4 photos in all, but only
one per class. Send Sue an email with your name, address, email
address, phone optional, and garden club if you belong to one and
the class you are entering. All photos must be matted on white
board, 11 x 14”. Inge has the matts for sale. Entries are to be
placed on Wednesday, February 22, 2017, 9:30 am to 5pm . All
photographs must be removed on Sunday, not before 5 -5:30 pm.
Photography Rules 1. Classes are open to all photographers
regardless of skill level 2. Judging is according to guidelines
from HB p 234 (Fall TNG). Copies avail-
able from consultant. 3. All photos must be pre-registered with
consultant in advance by February
1, 2017. Consultant will fill out entry cards and place entries.
Committee has the right to subdivide entries. Consultant may reject
entries that do not conform to schedule. Committee reserves the
right to determine if photograph does not fit the entered
class.
4. Exhibitors may enter a total of four (4) photographs, only
one (1) entry per class.
5. Exhibitor may not enter the same photograph in more than one
(1) class. 6. Photographs previously entered in the GCNJ show are
not permitted. 7. All photographs must be matted using a white mat,
11” by 14” only. Com-
mittee will provide clear acetate sleeve and hanging device. Do
not mount photos on foam core board.
8. All photographs must be labeled on the back with exhibitor
name, address, phone, email and name of Garden Club.
CLASSES: Class 22 “Macro” Close up image of a flower, leaf, or
other plant material. Class 23 “Mirror image” An image
incorporating a reflection. Class 24 “Shoreline” A place where
water meets the land. Class 25 “Horizon” A place where the sky
touches the earth. Class 26 “Pollinators in Action” Close up of
butterflies, bees and all other
pollinators. Class 27 “Backyard Animals” Includes birds and
animals that live locally. Class 28 “Kaleidoscope” A photograph
using abstract creative photography techniques.
-Margot P.
Publicity . . .
Get Ready for "A Victorian Spring” Rake & Hoe will be
decorating the large display case at the Westfield Library for the
month of April with our Victorian Spring Flower Show theme. I know
there are Victorian items you have that we would love to borrow;
fans, tea cups, etc. Please call me with any items you feel would
be appropriate to show off what we are all about. In particular, I
would like to highlight the commu-nity service efforts of Community
Projects; Horti-culture; Community gardens; Juniors; and certain-ly
the pollinator project. So please send any photos, actual items
created by your committee throughout the year (junior projects,
mobile meals flower arrangement; any awards or ribbons that will
show off the commu-nity what Rake & Hoe truly represents to the
community. Call me with any questions or items to loan for the
display. A lovely arrangement for the top of the case would be
wonderful (artificial for a practical point of view) Thanks, Paula
L.
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Bloomin’ Times -- January 2017 -- 6
“. . . of the Month” by Joe D.
January’s Flower of the Month
SNOWDROP (Galanthus nivalis) For a sign that spring is on its
way, look no further than the snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis), one of
two birth flowers for the month of January. Gala is Greek for
“milk”, anthos is Greek for "flower”, and nivalis is Latin for
"snow-like". Snowdrops are one of the few flowers that come in only
one color – white. Alt-hough classified as spring bulb plants,
snowdrops may not even wait for the snow to melt before emerg-ing
from their winter sleep. Snowdrops prefer shade in a moist,
well-drained soil and will multiply in drifts in favorable
conditions.
It is an interesting contradiction that many poisonous plants
are also used medicinally in small doses. The snowdrop is one of
them. The plant is poisonous to humans, dogs, and cats, but
Galanthamine, an alkaloid found in the flower, is currently
approved for the treatment of Alzheimer’s in several countries. It
is being tested in treating diseases of the nervous system and is
being studied for its effectiveness in treating HIV. In the U.S. it
is an approved natural herbal extract.
There are several legends about how the flower came to be.
According to one, Eve was distraught after God cast her out of the
Garden of Eden. God sent forth continuous snow, and the earth was
cold and barren. As Eve sat weeping, an angel appeared to comfort
her. The angel caught a snowflake and breathed upon it. The
snowflake fluttered to the earth and gave birth to the snow-drop.
This delicate bloom came to symbolize hope and rebirth.
Name Behind the Plant THE PLANT: Hosta sieboldiana ‘elegans’
THE MAN: Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold (1796-1866) was a
German physician and botanist. He achieved prominence through his
studies of Japanese flora and fauna and the introduction of Western
medicine in Japan. He started a medical school in Nagasak. He was
the father of the first female Japanese doctor, Kusumoto Ine, who
became court physician to the Empress.
Von Siebold brought Hosta and the Hydrangea otaksa, until then
exotic plants, to Europe. Most of the species that provide our
modern plants were introduced from Japan to Europe by von Siebold.
Unlike many of the common Hosta cultivars available today that are
infertile, the Hosta which bears his name, Hosta sieboldiana
‘elegans’, is a true species that produces fertile seeds. It is a
striking specimen with large blue-green leaves of substance, with
towering white flower spikes when in bloom.
Von Siebold was also able to smuggle out seeds of Japanese tea
plants to a botanical garden in Batavia. Until then, Japan had
strictly guarded the trade in tea plants. This single act led to
the development of the tea culture in Java. Unfortunately, von
Siebold also introduced Japanese knotweed, which has become a
highly invasive weed in Europe and North America.
INDISPENSABLE PLANTS The founder of Plant Amnesty, Cass
Turnbull, describes these ten “indispensable plants” as “easy-care,
no-nonsense.” Here is her list that R&H members might want to
consider while dreaming of their spring gardens. If anyone has had
success with one of these, please tell us about it and we will
publish your comments in a future issue. Hardy cyclamen (C.
hederifolium). “Marbled leaves and pretty pink autumn flowers.”
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis). “These bulbs give lots of joy and
almost no annoyance.” Tree peonies. (Paeonia lutea var. ludlowii).
“Handsome foliage and huge, dreamy flowers.” Daphne odora
‘Marginata.’ “Nothing beats the smell of Daphne odora in the early
spring, absolutely nothing!” Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Mariesii
Perfecta.’ “Blue lacecaps are favorites because they’re tough, take
to transplanting and
bloom in summer. Rhododendron ‘Blaney’s Blue.’ “The new
generation of blue-blooming azalea or rhody are healthier and
longer-lived
than the older kinds.” Helleborus orientalis. “Love the cream,
freckled and dusky purple flowers. Their supreme virtue is
blooming
in winter.” Smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria). “A tall, deciduous
tree-shrub with beautiful big purple, green or golden leaves.”
Sword fern (Polystichum munitum). “One of the very few plants
that’ll live under a conifer.” Camellia sasanqua ‘Autumn Sun.’ “The
flowers of this variety don’t shatter, fall off and look ugly like
the Camellia japonicas.”
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Bloomin’ Times -- January 2017 -- 7
More “. . . of the Month” & Features
A carry-over from December’s Cookie Season. . . . from Tracy C’s
extensive gourmet cookie repertoire - simply sublime!!!
Spoon Cookies
Ingredients:
1 c. butter, cold unsalted cut into cubes ¾ c. sugar 2 tsp
vanilla 2 c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/8 tsp salt 1/3
c. fruit preserves (or choc. ganache) powdered sugar
Directions:
Melt butter in heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring
occasionally until butter turns golden with caramel brown flecks
(there will be 2 foaming cycles before this occurs).
Place pan into cold water to quickly cool. Add sugar and vanilla
to the resolidified butter. Whisk flour, soda and salt in separate
bowl, then add to the butter mixture. Wrap dough and let rest at a
cool room temperature for 1-2 hrs.
Preheat oven to 325o F. Form the cookies by pressing dough into
a large teaspoon and smoothing top, and then place (flat side down)
on a parchment lined sheet and bake 8-15 min until golden
brown.
After cookies have cooled, join the flat sides of 2 cookies with
a small amount of jam (or ganache). Dust with powdered sugar.
Note: These cookies are very rich and get even better with age,
so make them 2-3 weeks ahead and store in airtight container!
- Inge B.
Do you have a photo of something unusual or spectacular in your
garden? Wildlife, plants, et al. We hope to run a monthly photo in
the BT newsletter, and we hope you will participate. Include a
brief description, including where the photo was shot, and e
“Reincarnating” Plants
The good news for environmentalists is that scientists are
moving us away from a dependency on petroleum products. A new
em-phasis on plant-based products is helping protect animals,
espe-cially endangered species. New technology is also finding ways
to recycle tons and tons of food waste. Flax, cotton, and hemp
plants have long been spun into fibers and fabrics for many years,
but I had no idea that the history of all three goes back into
pre-historic times. Thirty years ago I saw a museum exhibit which
featured a Hawaiian wedding dress made from pineapple fronds. A
recent news story about pineapples being transformed into
faux-leather brought back that memory, so I put on my bamboo socks
to visit the library and investigate.
PINEAPPLE LEATHER. Carmen Hijosa, a Spanish leather goods
designer, has developed an alternative for animal-based leather
after coming across a Filipino garment made with the fi-bers of
pineapple leaves. The shirt is similar in texture and design to the
Mexican Guayabera. Using those same fibers, she has now developed a
“pineapple leather” called Piñatex to manufacture handbags, boots
and shoes. Her company works with Filipino plantation farmers to
extract the fibers from pineapple leaves, which would normally be
left on the floor to rot after the fruit is harvested. Then, the
fibers are fused together, similar to felt, and turned into a
non-woven fabric. The production of Piñatex does not harm animals
or pineapples!
MORE FRUIT LEATHER. Food waste is a very serious issue.
Composting the food waste into a valuable soil amendment is one way
to deal with it, and feeding livestock with it is another.
Stu-dents at the Willem de Kooning Academie in the Netherlands were
upset to learn that 7,700 lbs of unsold fruits and vegetables were
being thrown away on an average day at the city's largest outdoor
market. Vendors would illegally dump the spoiled or unsold food or
had to pay to dispose of them. The Fruit Leather Rotterdam project
has now developed a process to turn the food waste into "fruit
leather," a new material that can be made into handbags, shoes, and
furniture fabrics. They are currently testing their fruit-leather
for strength and durability. I often note that the peels of citrus
fruits and avocadoes feel like plant leathers, so who knows what’s
next? Will we see faux-alligator shoes and belts made from
avocadoes? For more information on this newest technolo-gy and
trend, visit ‘Fruitleather Rotterdam’ at http://fruitleather.nl . .
. And if the idea of wearing plant-based fabrics appeals to you,
you might want to explore this website for “Nature’s Fabrics,” a
company in Edinboro, PA. Www.naturesfabrics.com specializes in
organic and vegetable-based fabrics. An internet search may reveal
other similar companies. However, be aware that not all products
touted as plant-based fit the bill. Pls see next column...
-Joe D.
SOUND-ALIKE PRODUCTS. Shoppers Beware! You might be fooled.
Although “Vegetarian Shoes” are not animal products, neither are
they plant products as the ads suggest. “Vegetarian Shoes” is a
company in Brighton that has discov-ered how to turn microfibers
into a breathable material with the same properties as leather.
This is promising, in that it spares animals, but microfiber is
made from petrochemicals, which are not a renewable resource and
are not biodegrada-ble.
On the other hand, “vegetable-tanned shoes” are being sold in
major department stores as vegetable products, yet they are made
from animals. Vegetable tanning is a process that uses vegetable
enzymes instead of petroleum chemicals to soften animal leather. By
avoiding the use of petrochemicals, it is a more environmentally
friendly process but it is not a vegetable product.
- Joe D.
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Bloomin’ Times -- January 2017 -- 8
If you’re wondering why so few photos in the newsletter this
month, look no further . . . ‘Pelikan Pix’ were having fun in
Aruba!
The Rake & Hoe Photo Gallery. . . . . January 2017
December General Meeting (photos by Margot P. )
