Carroll Garden Club began our official club membership meetings in September at the Union Bridge Community Center. It was a pleasure to see all the faces of our friends, including those we had missed at our garden tour gatherings over the summer months. Our hostesses were Barb Childs and Diane Brown. There was a beautiful centerpiece composed of fall tones of rust orange dahlias, purple and white butterfly bush and floss-flower. As usual, the tea luncheon was delectable.
Our new 2018-2019 Yearbooks were passed out so that we could see what interesting programs lay ahead and who had changes to their address. We were so pleased to welcome Carmen back after her long convalescence! We were also sad to lose one of our “energizer bunny” members, Larkin, who has moved to a distant part of Frederick County. We’ll miss her! Our Vice President, Jackie, is also in process of moving to the Left Coast: Oregon. Changes! We again welcomed new member Vicki Myers to our club and a guest of Diane’s who may join us as well.
Our September program was member driven. We were all asked to say some words about our summer 2018 gardening experiences. Oh boy, were there lots of sad stories about ruined plants, fungus and drowned gardens from all the rain! However, some like our Julia had a great year with early tomatoes and lots of filet string beans. Others brought in some favorites to show: Nan had brought Angelonia in blue/purple tones which she most admires and Joan showed off her gorgeous orange Clivia which I believe started with a piece from another member’s established plant.
Last, President Brenda Powell has gotten into collecting and raising monarch caterpillars on milkweed, marking and releasing them. She showed her cage with hanging chrysalises and a hatchling butterfly. She’s doing her part for citizen science!
