Weeder Minutes  May 9, 2017

Meeting, Flower Show and Speaker

 Hilltop House, Berwyn, PA.

   

President Jackie Burke called the meeting to order at 10:50 a.m.      She thanked meeting chairs Julie DeVuono and Sally Wood, hostesses Michelle Bolton, Karen Doyle, Daryle Hanlon and Tessa Hooper and welcomed our newest member, Chris Cacioppo. The April minutes were approved with corrections regarding the Photography Show as follows: “judges subdivided the three classes into six classes” and “First place went to Nancy Evans”. (Not Nancy Holmes)

Treasurers report- Nancy Evans. Dues received for this year had not been deposited (as of date of meeting). Checking account through end of April, early May stood at $3502.23; Vanguard account $31.741.96. She stressed that dues for this coming year be submitted to her by June 1.

It has been determined that our donations to various organizations need to be evaluated. We have given  $5000  in the past to our Conservation causes. Executive and Finance committee will look at the money from the Christmas sale, Vanguard interest, and our administrative expenses and determine how much money and to whom we can allot contributions this year.

 Prior donations have been:

Lower Merion Conservancy: $250:address loss of open space, historic architecture, improves environment through education, research and green infrastructure projects.

Wissahickon Watershed Assoc: $500; protects land, water and life in the watershed since 1957.

Stroud Water Research: $250: advances knowledge and stewardship of fresh water through global research, education and restoration.

PHS : $250

Jenkins Arboretum: $250.

Williston Conservation Trust: $250; concerned with preservation of Williston countryside, education about land conservation.

Schuykill Valley Center: $250.environmental education programs, protecting and restoring the trust and rehabilitating and releasing injured or orphaned animals.

Awbury Arboretum: $250

Friends of the Wissahickon: $500; restoration, maintenance and education of the Wissahickon park.

Bartram’s Garden: $500

Student Conservation Association $1000. Mission is to build the next generation of conservation leaders.

Delaware River Keeper: $500; maintenance, protection of the Delaware River:

Heritage Farm: $250; goal is to create a sustainable, community based food system by growing and providing fresh produce and offering hands-on education and life skills to the families they serve.

 

 

 

GCA Annual Meeting: Our representatives, Jackie Burke and Patricia Doolittle attended the meeting in Baltimore, and along with Marilyn Sprague, were delighted to witness the presentation of the GCA Achievement Award to member Amy Frietag, whom they had nominated. The winner of the Founder’s Fund was “The Bee Healthy Garden” and the Freeman Medal plant of the year is Magnolia ashei or Ashe Magnolia.

Jackie thanked Karen Doyle and Lorraine Wallace for writing “Workshop Wonders” about the succulent workshop given by Lorraine for the GCA website. To find: Log into your homepage, (password “compost” if you have not already created a password of your own), then type Program Committee in search bar; scroll down to News: Workshop Wonders- The Weeders.

Marilyn Sprague encouraged our presence at the Magnolia Tribute Garden Party to take place on Thursday, May 11 honoring the anniversary of its founding.  She also pointed out that this year’s Weeder Annual Meeting on June 13 is to take place as a bus trip to Grounds for Sculpture.

Scholarship: Regina Thomas and Sonya Driscoll have visited several urban farms to evaluate possible scholarship candidates.

Gazebo Garden: Cheryl Cheston asked that any members who might want to help in the garden sign up so that she might notify them via email regarding workdays.

GCA Website personal profiles:  Daryl Hanlon brought up the fact that each Weeder can personalize and update their Profile page on the GCA Website. 

Horticulture: Alice Doering, always encouraging us to propagate, offered seedlings of Gomphocarpus physocarpus, cheekily known as “Hairy Balls” and “Family Jewels” and on another level, Caladium bulbs, which she suggested be planted in potting mix either individually or together in a pot. Perhaps in June there will be a semi-hardwood cutting workshop.

Strafford Station: Alice also brought us up to date on the saga of dealing with Septa. The powers that be of that auspicious group has determined that a bike shelter be constructed on the south side of the station and hopefully, as a result of emails and phone calls made by her and members of neighborhood groups, an accommodation can be made which will benefit the landscape.

Weeder business having been concluded, Nancy Evans introduced our speaker, Bill Evans, who suggested ways, illustrated with slides, in which we can better photograph our gardens with cell phones, as well as cameras. Some pointers: The photographer is drawing with light, showing depth and texture. Soft light occurring in dappled shade, in early or late in the day, would show subtle shadows; hard or strong light, occurring with mid-day sun, would show sharp differences in texture, surfaces. Light should help to point to what one wants to emphasize. Figure out from which direction the light is coming so to see where the shadows appear, showing the depth, shape and texture of the subject. He suggested one-make shots of the same subject from different angles, close up, from low to ground. Follow the rule of thirds: breaking the width and length of rectangular shot into thirds; place the subject to one side rather than in the center and in the upper or lower quadrant. See if you can convey a mood or atmosphere in the picture.

Respectfully recorded,

Polly Garnett, Assistant recording secretary