The Azalea Trumpet Winter 2020 - University of Georgia
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The Azalea Trumpet
Winter 2020
A publication of the of The Garden of Georgia, the Deep South Region,
and the National Garden Club
Director’s Message
Marilyn McDonnell
Impressive. There is just no better word to describe the clubs and members of the Azalea District. Club Pres-
idents and their officers are finding new ways every week to keep their members involved in garden club
work even while navigating the waves of this pandemic. Clubs like Sharon-Raytown have established com-
munity gardens to help keep their neighbors healthy. Pine Tree Garden Club has continued to work in small
groups to keep several areas in their community spruced up and looking their best to keep spirits up for eve-
ryone passing by in addition to continuing their work on establishing a bluebird haven in Hartwell by build-
ing and painting bluebird houses to sell. Spade & Trowel Garden Club in Augusta keeps their members in-
volved by continuing to encourage each one to put something in their One-by-One jar each month. Rose &
Dahlia Garden Club in Athens purchased 10 camellia bushes for the new First Lady garden at the State Bo-
tanical Garden and has plans “on hold and ready to roll out” for their work with the Habitat for Humanity
homes landscaping project. Monroe Garden Club members submitted photos of blossoms from their gar-
dens and these were made into a beautiful collage which was shared with members. Carrington Woods Gar-
den Club is one of the clubs opting not to meet for health reasons, but members are still active with garden-
ing activities which include the one member who established a fern garden including a number of native
ferns in the plantings. Azalea Garden Club in Augusta has started planning for a joint venture project with
Pendleton King Park to create an azalea garden in the newly certified arboretum. Gateways Garden Club in
Social Circle has held outdoor meetings this fall including one Star Gazing evening. Ladies’ Garden Club in
Athens went “on- the-road” for their first meeting back this fall, touring the gardens of three club members
who live in nearby Lexington, enjoying a picnic lunch in the park, meeting in a historic church which provid-
ed space for social distancing, then journeying to Goodness Grows to purchase goodies for their own gar-
dens. Pollinator gar- dens have popped up everywhere from the Riverwood Plantation Pollinator Garden in
Evans complete with its own Facebook page to three in Warrenton with a class on the basics of pollinator
gardens to Athens with a new Connect-to-Protect community pollinator garden and others. Clubs all over
the district have used Zoom for virtual meetings, while others have relocated outdoors or to larger meeting
facilities so they could correctly distance. Gardeners are persistent. We will find a way!!
1
Tremendous thanks to all of the clubs who added memberships this fall to help GCG meet our goal of main- taining over 10,000 members by Oct. 31. WE DID IT!! The District was able to utilize funds from our Hono- rarium budget and from the Miscellaneous budget to sponsor each of the eight Georgia Senators, in the Azal- ea District counties, with a Subscribing Membership. And members are still responding beautifully to our challenge to plant as many native azaleas as possible. We are over 300 native azaleas right now! Our bush is really happy. While I do not have a new photo to show you right now, you will get to see one soon in a separate email message. Did you know that different native azaleas bloom at different times through spring and summer? And did you know that many of the na- tives have wonderful fragrances while blooming that enhances any garden area. If you have not yet plant- ed at least one native azalea, I hope you will consider doing so in the next few months while it is a perfect planting time. You will be rewarded with beautiful blossoms, the need for very little ongoing care, and may- be a nice fragrance for your garden! Our Blue Star Marker Restoration project is complete!! Mr. Tom Stelling of Historical Markers Restorations, Inc. refurbished nine markers in the Azalea District. These refurbished markers at in Hartwell, Madison, Un- ion Point, Athens (Statham), Grovetown, Harlem, Wrens, Sandersville, and Tennille. If you are driving near any of these areas, be sure to look around for the markers and see how nice they all look now. We are very grateful for each individual and the clubs who contributed to our special fundraiser to get this project com- pleted during this term. Now more than ever, we recognize the need to show each and every veteran how appreciative we are of their service and the lives given for our freedom. Blue Star Markers is the wonderful way our garden clubs express this gratitude across the country. During the month of January clubs are asked to make contributions to many projects sponsored by The Gar- den Club of Georgia. While we realize those clubs that have not met may not have collected dues yet this year, we do hope you will make arrangements to help with as many contributions as possible. A list can be found elsewhere in this newsletter that helps explain the importance of each project. Any contribution that your club can make will certainly be appreciated. This is also the month when Scholarship funds need to be submitted. We are fortunate in our District to have several clubs who can support a $200 Patron of Scholar- ships and a few able to support a $1000 Named Scholarship. The Azalea District Named Scholarship this year is in honor of past District Director Betty Davis. The Scholarship Committee meets in February to award schol- arships for the coming academic year, so it is important that they know what funds are available by early February. Jane Edmunds, our incoming District Director, is currently working to establish her committee chairmen for the next term, 2021-2023. I sincerely hope that you will say “yes” if she calls on you. Not only will you be helping our District, but you will also find this to be a rewarding experience personally. There are only two Board meetings to attend each year, February and August, and you will have the opportunity to meet fellow gardeners from around our entire District. Most of the chairmanships take very little time and you can earn extra points for your club on the annual report by doing this. Some of our clubs will be asked to host various District meetings during the term. This can be your opportunity to shine and really show off your club, so again, please say yes! Speaking of annual reports, club presidents, these will be coming due again January through February. 2
Our GCG President, Barbara Bourque, has made some slight revisions this year due to COVID re- strictions throughout the state, so be sure to use the new form which is posted on the GCG website under the “Forms” section. Here is a quick link: http://gardenclub.uga.edu/pdfs/ presidentsreport.pdf. After reading the re- Grand Gardeners – this is a special category of club that can be granted upon request by GCG. We only have one club in the District that is an official Grand Gardeners club, so most of you will not be marking that desig- In answering questions 5 and 6, if any one member of your club attended any of the meetings/schools not- ed, they represented your club and you can take credit here. For question 10 concerning your best programs, please do send the name and contact information for your best speakers so they can be added to our ongoing list of possible speakers. This is a helpful tool for those moving into offices who will be responsible for programs for the coming term. Question 11 talks about various projects. When responding to this, remember that our One-by-One, our Blue Star Restorations, and our planting of native azaleas are all District projects that can be counted here. Number 16 is similar. The District projects reflect the DSGC Region’s Unified Project on Native Plants and NGC’s Plant America, so if you participated in the District Projects, you can certainly take credit here. Also, the DSGC Regions’ Unified Project reflects Youth Involvement, so if you sponsored a Youth Club, you can defi- nitely take credit here, but you can also take credit if you sponsored ANY gardening related activity that in- volved Youth. For number 38, each of the clubs who paid a portion for the restoration costs for your club’s Blue Star mark- er can take credit here. There is a special section for any activities that your club/members did this year due to COVID. This is a place where you can take credit for anything you did outside any of your normal activities. You will notice that only 25 points are needed to earn a GCG Certificate of Excellence for 2020 due to COVID restrictions statewide, so please take the time to go through the report carefully and solicit information from your members where needed to have an accurate report of what your club accomplished this year. As I write this message we are moving into seasons of thankfulness, peace, hope, joy, and love. We start this season with expressing our thanks to all the ones who have toiled through the past few months, helping us to stay as healthy as possible, showing thanks to our family and friends who have remained close during the challenges we have faced, and demonstrating our thankfulness by reaching out to others who are struggling in so many ways, giving them a few kind words to help brighten their day. Then we have peace, hope, joy and love coming close behind. These are our wishes, not just for ourselves, but for others, too. These are the characteristics that will pull us all together from the corners of our divide. They are the characteristics that we, as gardeners, feel each time we put a new seed or plant in the soil, each time we see a new sprout coming up, and each time we harvest, whether it be flowers or food. Wishing for each of you the love of family, the peace of this special season, the joy of your garden club friendships, and the hope that 2021 brings us a new world of understanding, cooperation, and content- ment. 3
4
Irene Alexander Robinson Smith
August 23, 1940—June 20, 2020
While living in her beloved historic home Dixie Manor, her passion for historic preser-
vation and gardening flourished. She was the President of the Newton County Histori-
cal Society, Covington Garden Club, Athens Ladies Garden Club, and &Friends of State
Botanical Gardens of Georgia. Irene chaired multiple Garden of The World Ball events
for the Athens Botanical Garden the chairman of the 2004 Historic House and Gar-
den Pi grimage and was a District and State Board member of The Garden Club of
Georgia. She became a Master Gardener and served on the Board of Advisors for the
State Botanical Gardens.
Charlotte Poe - November 1, 2020
Rubye Cox Pittman—August 8, 1933—May 27, 2020
Rubye was a long-time member of First United Methodist Church. She was past presi-
dent of the King Sunday School Class, an active member of the United Methodist
Women and the Norris/Hicks Circle and served as a district officer for her UMW Unit.
She was an active member of the Carrington Woods Garden Club and was a committee
chair for many years.
If your Club should lose a member to death, please notify Mary Byrd, Chaplain, at maryb328@att.net.
5
All were members of Pinetree Garden Club, Hartwell
Linda Marsh 6/18/19
Nita Brown 3/16/20 - charter member, age 91
Margie Ammons 4/4/20 - former member, age 99
6
a On Our M
“In every gardener, there is a child who believes in the seed fair .”
Town and Country Garden Club, Sandersville
Her beautiful name is Anne Smith, & even though I call her a Charter
Member of the Town & Country Garden Club, Sandersville, Ga., she's
quick to point out that she got into the Club a few months later, saying
"I wasn't actually a Charter Member", but I say close enough.
Anne joined our club in December, l958 & did not miss a meeting
(unless too ill to attend) until her husband, Otis, was diagnosed with
bone marrow cancer a few years ago. She's been his constant compan-
ion & caregiver since then. We keep her informed about the club
through mailed copies of the minutes & phone calls. Anne stays in-
formed & is always willing to do her part even though she can't attend
meetings & other events. Most recently, she made crafts for the Holi-
day Bazaar & delivered them early in the morning so that they could be
sold for the club.
I believe that there's no one out there who epitomizes the most dedi-
cated lady in garden club than Anne Smith, my hero & my dear friend.
Submitted by Charolette Thompson, Town & Country GC , Sandersville
Pine Needle Garden Club, Lincolnton, Ga
Marilyn McDonnell, Azalea District Director with Georgia
Garden Clubs is shown presenting the LIFETIME
ACHIEVMENT AWARD to Mrs. PEGGY GLOVER (on right).
Peggy was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award for
her dedication and years of work for the Garden Clubs of
Georgia. She was nominated for this award by fellow mem-
bers of Garden Arts Garden Club of Augusta. Peggy is also a
member of Pine Needle Club of Lincolnton, Georgia.
7
Rose & Dahlia Garden Club
Connie McMillan has been an active member of
Rose and Dahlia Garden Club since 2016. Cur-
rently, Connie is the Yearbook Chairman and the
Correspondence Secretary for our garden
club. Connie handles both positions with great
success. She updates the yearbook regularly and
send out beautiful email notices to our Club for up-
coming meetings. In addition, Connie keeps
members informed of Club news, GCG news,
Azalea District news and shares information from
The State Botanical Garden of GA. Connie also
mails personal notes to members.
She is greatly appreciated for her willingness to
participate in garden club activities and pro-
jects. We are grateful for all she does for Rose
and Dahlia Garden Club.
Connie is pictured here helping to decorate Bear
Hollow Zoo for the Christmas holidays.
Gray Garden Club
Mary Musselman is a cornerstone of the GGC. As a
member since 2003, she has held Offices, is Chair-
man of the Outreach, Veterans Day, Garden Week in
Georgia and National Garden Week Committees, as
well as chairing our annual Day Lily Display in June.
She is also very active in the Jones County communi-
ty, a member of DAR, tends the Round Oak, GA
Memory Garden and if that isn't enough, is a substi-
tute teacher!
Mary is loved by each and every member of the club
and we do not know what we'd do without
her! Thank you Mary.
8
9
Chairman Reports Barbara Robinson, Chairman: Community Wildlife Project: Creating “A Winter Wonderland” for our non-game wildlife is a great way to approach the changes occurring in our landscapes. The leaves have changed colors, most having dropped by now, the berries and seeds of fall have dwindled as the frosty nights and cooler days become dominate. There is no better time than now to fill the bird feeders full of seeds, or place a heating coil in the bird bath and make those tasty peanut butter treats and suet for all of your feathered friends. Be creative…. smear some rendered fat or peanut mix on a tree trunk or on pine cones hung from a branch and watch to see who comes to dine. In many areas humming birds stay over the winter and benefit from our hummingbird nectar feeders. Just be sure to keep the feeders clean and use new nectar when signs of spoilage occur. Frigid temperatures call for nesting boxes. Bird and bat boxes, stone piles, and turned down pots can serve as housing. In addition to food, water and housing we should provide cover for safety from enemies. You probably already have a good supply of evergreen shrubs and trees that provide cover. Some unexpected additions to add could be a “brush pile”, or firewood stacked in a crisscross pattern, rock piles and un mowed strips of lawn can also serve as good cover areas. WOW, do any of these elements appear in your landscape? Just think you may be “sitting” on a landscape that can be certified as a CWP: “WINTER WILDLIFE WONDERLAND”. Visit GCG for the application form and additional information. Remember, Certification activities are a great way to involve your family and loved ones in protecting our non-game wildlife. Hope you have fun being a good steward of our natural resources. That’s all for now from B Robinson, out in Jones County, Gray, GA 10
Cindy Hatchett, Scrapbook Chairman
It is time to begin documenting the many worthwhile projects and accomplishments
of your garden club. Now is the ideal time for your members to tackle scrapbook
com- position. The deadline for both digital and traditional scrapbooks is February
1st. Please refer to the criteria beginning on page 27 of the Awards Handbook.
Your scrapbook is easier to judge if you follow the sequence in the rubric.
I encourage you to secure the pages in your scrapbook. This can be problemat-
ic if using a three-ring binder. Also please include the award application form
found on page 16 of the GCG Awards Handbook.
I am looking forward to helping judge your scrapbooks. Please let me know if you
have any questions.
Native Plants -- Judy Kirkland
In late October and November, I was still watching butterflies and caterpillars in my garden.
Fritillary, Zebra, and Sulfurs remained after the Swallowtails had disappeared. The native
plants were beginning to rest for the winter, and the spring ephemerals would not be arriving
until February or March. My goal is to have plants blooming all year. So what can I do now? I
can plant here in Georgia because the ground is not frozen. Perennial roots keep maturing even
if the tops die back. I can also explore the many native plants online and start planning what
plants to add to attract more pollinators all year.
Let; me share five of my favorites that bloomed in the fall and several websites to encourage
you to learn about more natives. Because most of the big box stores t carry the natives that
attract pollinators, you may not be familiar with plants called rattlesnake master, turtlehead,
monkeyface, and Turk cap, You may google the plant names to see pictures or follow some
links I provide below..
11I had never grown Agastache rugosa Giant Hyssop until I started my plant nursery three years
ago. This is a bee magnet. My agastache blue blossoms turned to brown seeds attracting the
birds, especially goldfinch. Another blue Agastache's is Agastache foeniculum, (Blue, Lavender, or
Anise Hyssop), and there are other colors. Agastache rupestris (Licorice Mint Hyssop is one of its
common names) has smoky orange flowers held by lavender calyxes, smells like licorice and
mint, and is native to Arizona and New Mexico. According to Michael Ortiz in October 2014 a
"new Arizona series features three hybrid varieties (Sun, Sunset and Sandstone) derived from
species native to North America that are well adapted to the mountainous and arid climates of
the Western United States. Agastache is an essential specimen for any pollinator-friendly garden
since it is attracts bees, butter- flies and hummingbirds." (https://gpnmag.com/article/crop-
culture-report-agastache-arizona-series). Another plant that is a real bee-drawer is aster. I have
Georgia aster, calico aster (Aster latiflorus
in Black'), Aster oblongifolius New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae),
and a white aster (Eurybia divaricate?) that grows everywhere in my yard. Oops, aster is now offi-
cially Symphyotrichum, but "aster" is so much easier to type and say. Aster is one of the fall-
blooming plants that kept the bees buzzing and was still blooming for me in late October.
Salvia, both reds and blues, were also blooming and drawing attention from the
butterflies, and hummingbirds. I have had the red Salvia Splendens (research tells me this
variety is native to Brazil) and for years, but now I have added Salvia farinacea or
Mealycup Sage which is native to Texas and Mexico in several blue varieties:
Another blue salvia is Salvia azurea or Pitcher Sage. According
to Backyard it is native to the Southeastern US and
blooms in summer to fall, sometimes late fall. . . It has narrow lance-shaped leaves up to 3-4″
long, coming off a somewhat spindly stem that can droop under the weight of the flowers,
causing some folks to recommend cutting the stems at about half-height in the spring to pro-
mote more bushiness and less altitude. It can be propagated from seed, splitting the root ball,
and from stem cuttings, but please t take plants from the wild to do this. just not that
common out there. Collect the seeds, instead, or buy some from a local native seed seller.
(http://nadiasyard.com/our-native-plants/blue-sage-salvia-azurea).
aboareous var drummundii or cap was also still blooming, and I watched the
last of the hummingbirds seeking its nectar. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower site describes it:
spreading shrub, often as broad as high, grows 2-3 ft., sometimes reaching 9 ft. Bright-red,
pendant, hibiscus-like flowers never fully open, their petals overlapping to form a loose tube
with the staminal column protruding, said to resemble a Turkish turban, hence its most common
name, Turks Cap. Especially useful in shady situations.".( https://www.wildflower.org/plants/
result.php? idplant=MAARD)
We often see the "weed" Solidago or goldenrod growing along roadsides, but it is becoming an
pollinator gardens. A search of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Center Plants
Database lists 180 records of varieties of goldenrod found in Georgia. A few of the common
names for these plants are showy, bushy, zigzag, woody, slender, prairie, stiff, white, white, gray,
early, wrinkled, wreath, and more. Species like Solidago caesia will take more shade than some
of the others.
12There is so much information available now about native plants, or maybe I am just locating it be
- cause of my interest in gardening for pollinators. If you have an interest in learning more, start
at the UGA extension office website. There you will find four highly recommended bulletins:
Native Plants for Georgia Part I: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines, (https://extension.uga.edu/
publications/detail.html?number=B987&title=Native%20Plants%20for%20Georgia%20Part%20I:%
20Trees,%20Shrubs%20and%20Woody%20Vines
Native Plants for Georgia Part II: Ferns ( https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?
number=B987-3&title=Native%20Plants%20for%20Georgia%20Part%20III:%20Wildflowers)
Native Plants for Georgia Part III: Wildflowers (https://extension.uga.edu/publications/
detail.html?
number=B987-3&title=Native%20Plants%20for%20Georgia%20Part%20III:%20Wildflowers)
Native Plants for Georgia Part IV: Grasses and Sedges (https://extension.uga.edu/publications/
detail.html?number=B987-4&title=Native%20Plants%20for%20Georgia%20Part%20IV:%
20Grasses%20and%20Sedges)
You can also google Native Plants of Georgia and find more sites.
Walter Reeves gives a list of native plants (https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/native-
plants- for-georgia/) on his website which includes the UGA ones above plus Native Plants of
North Georgia: a photo guide for Plant Enthusiasts. This one is arranged by bloom time to help
you as you walk the woods or strive to plant multi-seasons for pollinators (https://
secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/ publications/files/pdf/B%201339_3.PDF).
Another good one is at( http://www.ecoterralandscape.com/html/Plantlists.htm#A) and is a list
of alternative native plants to use for common landscape plants. Reeves also has links to the
Georgia Native Plant Society (https://gnps.org/) and our UGA State Botanical Garden (https://
botgarden.uga.edu/)
A 0onthly Guide to Georgia Native Plants http://georgianatives.net/ shows photographs taken
during different months to help you identify plants.
If you do not yet have enough information, follow some of the links at The US Wildflowers.com
site to find zillions more sites. Or contact
me. I discuss natives.
13News from Our Clubs
I'd like to share this photo of a small part of the Nancy Hart Garden Club field
trip we took to Chattooga Belle Farms in Long Creek, SC just out of Seneca,
SC. It's a lovely place to go for a wonderful meal, shopping apples and lots of
goodies in their store, plus beautiful views of the North Carolina mountains.
We had a beautiful day to share with each other and get out in the fresh air.
We are located in Hartwell, GA but have not had any meetings this year since
the shutdown. I am hopeful that come January we'll be able to start back up
adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines.
14Ladies Garden Club, Athens
"Linger in Lexington"- a big hit with Ladies' Garden Club!
As with all garden clubs who struggled with planning their new club year, the board of La-
Garden Club (LGC), Athens debated the best approach. Since all bets were (are) off as
to when the pandemic will leave us, in the end, the board devised a slate of meetings and
events that could be easily accomplished in person OR via Zoom. Since chances were good
that October would still allow us to be outdoors, LGC opted to go that route to begin our
year, and the Club was graciously hosted by our Lexington ladies- Rebecca Wood, Kathrine
Clark & Evelyn Reece, in this charming town just 20 miles east of Athens. As all had hoped, it
was a lovely fall day, and LGC members eagerly gathered in Lexington to join this long-
anticipated outing. It did not disappoint! We absorbed the charm and tales of this small
Southern town as we wandered its streets and park; exclaimed over the beauty and history
of the gardens of our LGC members in the settings outside their lovely homes; relished the
delicious BBQ lunch at the Manse in Meson Park catered by G- Brand BBQ of Crawford; con-
ducted our meeting in historic Beth-Salem Church; and savored being together for the first
time in many months. We concluded our day with a visit to Goodness Grows garden center,
where many ladies selected choice plants to add to their home gardens. A big thanks to our Lexington la-
dies for hosting this wonderful day!
Pictured: The group at Kathrine s home; blooms in Rebecca s garden; members Vick Bohe-
Thackwell and Celia Brown Fowler; Beth-Salem Church.
15Rose and Dahlia Garden Club 16
Pine Needle Garden Club, Lincolnton
The pine Needle Garden Club of Lincolnton met at the Lincolnton Welcome Center, 19 October 2020.
Sherry Grooms, presented an excellent and interesting program on Kokedama
(moss ball). The word Koke is moss and Dama is ball in Japanese.
Joyce Belk, the pine Needle Garden Club
of Lincolnton Horticulturist, described the
flow- er of the month as physostegia
(common name is Obedient plant) at our
19 October meeting. It has square stems
and blooms lovely purple, pink, or white
flowers. It gets its name from the fact that
the blooms will
stay in place if the leaves or bloom are
moved in a different position. Humming-
birds and bees like to visit this plant. The
tree of the month is the Maple Tree.
Seated left to right: Peggy Glover, Mel
Talbert, and Diane Reese.
Norma McKinney, pine Needle Garden Club of Lincolnton,
received the Georgia Garden Club pull Tab Award Certifi-
cate at our 19 October 2020 meeting. Norma has collect-
ed and turned in the largest number of pull tabs for the
Ronald McDonald House for the past few years. pictured
left to right: Lillie Turner, Joyce Belk, and Norma McKin-
ney.
17For the first time in this Editor's history, the Trumpet took a
Road Trip to Town & Country Garden Club's Bazaar
in Sandersville, A great group of lovely (even in masks)
hard working Ladies!
Milledgeville & Carrington
Woods Garden Clubs
In recent months a group of volunteers formed
by the Milledgeville & Carrington Woods Garden
Clubs, the Oconee Master Gardeners and the
Milledgeville Town Committee of the Colonial
Dames has been working to remove unwanted
vegetation through- out Memory Hill Cemetery.
This on- going community project not only ben-
efits the cemetery, but is therapeutic for those
who volunteer. Many hands make light work!
18At the Pine Needle , Lincolnton Garden Club’s meeting in October 2020, Marilyn McDonnel, Azalea District Director, and Betty Davis, Augusta Council President of Garden Clubs attended to present awards. Peggy Glover was given the Florence Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award from the Azalea Dis- trict. It's only given every 2 years. The recipient has to have been a garden club member for at least 20 years and have made significant contributions to garden club work, holding vari- ous positions at the club, district, and/or state levels. Peggy also received a Blue Star Pin and a Gold Star Pin for her dedication to the Blue and Gold Star Marker program. Congratulations Peggy. 19
Gray Garden
Gray Garden Club has man-
aged to stay safe and busy
this fall.
In October we made poppies
and fixed "Goodie Bags" for
Veterans Appreciation Day,
November 14,
2020, potted 150 daylilies
and helped with weeding
in the
Round Oak, GA Memory Gar-
den.
November activities (so far)
have been planting another
150 daylilies and participated
in the Jones County Veter-
ans Appreciation Day.
20Gateways Garden Club
Gateways Garden Club Enjoys an Evening under the
During the pandemic, Gateways Garden Club of Social Circle has found creative ways to contin-
ue meeting and fulfilling the garden club mission, complete with social distancing and masks. In
May, the club had a drive-by plant sale, and throughout the summer, they worked on beautification
pro- jects in a local park. Outdoor meetings have also kept members engaged and connected.
These have included a daytime meeting at a member's pollinator garden and an October evening
meeting under the stars, where members enjoyed a beautiful sunset, hot cocoa, apple cider,
smores, and a visit from a local astronomer. The Gateways Garden Club has been committed to
staying in touch during the pandemic and finding ways to focus on nature's blessings.
21Town & Country Garden Club, Sandersville
Even though we were taking on the unknown with regard to our attendance & Covid,
the Town & Country Garden Club, Sandersville, Ga. carried on with our annual Holiday
Bazaar. We felt like we were totally safe & that our customers would be safe too. Sure
enough, we all stayed apart & protected with all safety measures in place, & we had a
very productive day with good attendance. Our thanks to all the good Gray Garden
Club ladies who came to support us on Nov. 7, it meant a lot to us.
22Spade & Trowel - Augusta Luncheons
with COVID 19
Do you realize that when you get a group of ladies to-
gether and say one…two… three.. “SMILE” while wear-
ing masks, the results are a bit disappointing. S & T
members have worked around COVID restrictions but
not without a lot of effort, many emails and the assis-
tance of the event planner at the Augusta Country Club.
We held two meetings completely outside while it was
warm and the November meeting was theater style,
with masks inside and then lunch outside. As we have
many members with pre-existing conditions, tables
were also set special for them and masks were required
with no lunch served. We had three great speakers. Our
September speaker was an organic blueberry grower
from Waynesboro and he explained about his five -
generation farm-family and organic methods. OOPS, our
October speaker was quarantined the day before our
meeting and a local Master Gardener stepped up to help
talk about fall horticulture projects. Then in November,
Jenny Frey, S & T Past President did a talk on her Aquaponics / Youth Internship project. Of course the children couldn’t
help because school was closed. She shared some great slides of collecting tiny fish, ordering ladybugs, and organic
spray for mites. We recommend you sign her up for one of your next year’s speakers. Lots of laughs and problem solv-
ing ideas. Our winter meetings will present a bigger challenge, but we are doing our best to keep everyone healthy.
Wishing you a Happy and Healthy Holiday season.
Spade & Trowel – Augusta Fall Community Service
Report
Well COVID 19 certainly has had an impact on our garden projects.
Our Alzheimer’s pots were replanted with items not requiring much
water as the staff is working from home. As soon as they get back to
work, we will shower them with blooming plants.
Our efforts at The Lydia Project, services for women battling cancer,
were a bit easier to work around because of the irrigation. We removed summer annuals and planted 4 pots and the
fountain area with winter annuals. We did some weeding and pruning around the fountain area.
23Spade & Trowel - Augusta
Covid 19 impacted our Holiday decorating
and gift giving so we have worked around it
with each of our projects. We usually deco-
rate a tree at the Ronald McDonald House
and fill stockings with candy. This year, only
families and staff are allowed in the center. A
staff person suggested that we provide
Christmas gift bags with a note inside and
RMH would provide goodies fill them. At our
November meeting, bags were collected and
later delivered to the House. We hope all of
the families enjoy the gifts and our best
wishes during this difficult time.
Similarly, our gift collection normally held at our December luncheon had to be put aside. The staff
at The Hope House which provides services to single mothers and their children requested that we
forego the presents this year. They too are being very careful around their residents. Our members
were asked to donate funds so that the staff could purchase needed clothes, items and gifts for the
children in residence at this time. A staff member will be present at our December luncheon to re-
ceive over $600 to assist in spreading joy this unusual holiday season.
Our biggest project is the decorating of the Boyhood Home of Woodrow Wilson. Unfortunately, no
candlelight tours will be held this year, but Historic Augusta is providing daytime tours for small
groups. Greens were delivered by members on the 30th and sprayed with anti-wilt solution by two
members. On December 1st twelve members arrived ready to decorate, again in a downsized man-
ner. We decorated 8 mantles and fireboxes, created three arrangements, hung 6 wreaths, and
hung artificial greens with bows on the outside of two buildings. This is always a fun project and we
are glad that Historic Augusta invites us back each year. If you are in town, call Historic Augusta in
advance, if you would like to learn about Woodrow Wilson and this home where he spent his boy-
hood years.
24Our Star Marker Restoration project IS
COMPLETE
BEFORE AFTER
MADISON
GROVETOWN
PATRIOT’S PARK
HARLEM
25Our Star Marker Restoration project IS
COMPLETE
BEFORE AFTER
SANDERSVILLE
HARTWELL
UNION
POINT
26Our Star Marker Restoration project IS
COMPLETE
BEFORE AFTER
TENNILLE
WRENS
ATHENS
(STATHAM)
27Announcements
Congratulations to the newly elected Azalea District Officers for the
-2023
District Director: Jane Edmunds (Warrenton Garden Club, Warren-
ton)
Co-Director: Betty Davis (Pine Needle Garden Club and After Six Garden
Club, Augusta
Recording Secretary: Ina Hopkins (Rose &Dahlia Garden Club, Ath-
ens) Treasurer: Linda Harris (Pine Needle Garden Club, Hartwell)
Assistant Treasurer: Gloria Crews (Watkinsville Garden Club, Watkins-
ville)
The Cherokee Garden Library located in The Atlanta History Center has some wonderful and informative offerings
coming up at the Library.
Tuesday, February 2, 2021, Douglas Tallamy presents: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in your Yard
Book
signing and reception to follow. For reservations contact: atlantahistorycenter.com/lectures
On April 19, 2021, Five Seasons: The Gardens of piet Oudolf: An Immersive Documentary By Thomas piper
Location: McElreath Hall/Atlanta History Center
If anyone has old postcards pertaining to gardening or places of interest that you would like to donate to the
Library, please contact Staci Catron at Cherokee Garden Library.
28Kitty Barker’s Chicken Salad Recipe
Courtesy of the Garden Club Elberton
1 Cooked or rotisserie chicken from the gro-
cery store.— shred the meat.
Add the following ingredients to your taste:
(she cooks without a recipe and just adds
ingredients until it looks, feels and tastes
right).
Chopped Celery Cranberries
Chopped Nuts
Mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper
29Raffle Tickets on Sale NOW!
The Azalea District is sponsoring a raffle from November 2020 until March 2021. Pro-
ceeds from ticket sales will provide the foundation for the FY22 District budget sup-
porting Scholarships, The State Botanical Garden and the Children’s Garden, projects for
Garden Therapy, Habitat for Humanity, and State Parks, and other areas. YOUR partici-
pation will make this possible.
Only 1000 tickets are available, so your chances of winning are very high! See your Club
President to purchase tickets or contact the District Director, Marilyn McDonnell, at azal-
eadistrictdirector@gmail.com to have tickets sent directly to you. The drawing is planned
for the District meeting at the GCG State Convention in April.
Prizes
1st Place—$ 400
2nd Place—$ 200
3rd Place—$ 100
Ticket Sales
$5.00 each
OR
5 tickets for $20
30WATER PROTECTION
Look carefully at the map at the left
It shows the entirety of the Chattahoochee/
li t watershed basin, along with its flow as
the Apalachicola through Florida's panhandle
and then into the Gulf of Mexico.
Also of relevance is that just to the right of
the map is the Atlantic Ocean that provides
Georgia with 100 miles of coastline. Moreo-
ver, of relevance is that part of Alabama to
the left of the map which is bordered by the
Gulf of Mexico. Florida as a long peninsula
has the advantage of
being bordered in large part by salt water. All
the waters do contribute to the histories and
economics of the three states.
PLEASE READ THE POSITION PAPER.
IT OUTLINES CONCEPTS AND THAT GGG WANTS TO HAP-
PEN THROUGH THE MAGIC OF THE PROCESS.
Position Paper 2003:
GCG Commits to the Protection of Water as a Public
Resource
Reviewed 2016
The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. supports scholarly ,
reviewed scientific research as the basis for the formulation of responsi-
ble
public policy and legislation, and appropriate funding in order to ensure
qualified results.
31The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. maintains that the surface and ground waters of [the State of]
Georgia should continue to be a public resource, subject to reasonable use by others, but protect-
ed for the common good; and should be managed in a sustainable manner by the state in order to
protect ecosystems and to meet both human and economic needs.
GCG recognizes that all life is dependent upon clean water, and we support the original objective
of the 1972 Clean Water Act to "restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological in-
tegrity of the nation's waters." We maintain that a "watershed-based" approach is the best way
to achieve this goal.
Despite outstanding progress since 1972, many waters in Georgia do not meet the minimum
standards for drinking, fishing, and swimming. Contamination from industry,
and households grows faster than our ability to set and force The
of excess nutrients and toxic substances pollutes our rivers, lakes coastal waters. The loss of
critical wetlands as well as nonpoint source pollution from stormwater off, have increased the
pollution and sediment load in our waters. Fresh water resources are also a problem in Georgia.
Water quantity is by droughts, subsidies, diversion of water for agriculture.
In order to protect our water resources, to promote water and reuse,
and to prevent pollution, the Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. supports the following
goals:
1. Reduction of water pollution by:
• Reauthorization of a strengthened Clean Water Act
• Reduction of point source pollution from industry and sewage treatment plants
• Reduction of nonpoint source pollution from stormwater runoff
• Reduction of airborne pollutants which degrade water quality
• Enforcement of strict water quality standards and pollution permits
• Increased funding for public education and clean water programs
2. The protection of our ecosystems by:
and of our watersheds
Protection of ground and surface waters
and of our wetlands
Public education about natural resources protection
• Incentives for greenspace acquisition, to encourage riparian restora-
tion and preservation
• of statewide policy to increase protection of coastal wa-
ters and our oceans
© 2020 by the Garden Club of Georgia, Inc
3233
Linda Doiron
The Hokey Gardner
Simply Monarchs
Each September and October in Georgia, monarch butterflies can be seen as they undertake their
annual and longest insect migration in the world. The good news for Georgians- the path of migra-
tion comes straight through our state. They travel from as far as breeding areas in Canada to sites
in the high-altitude mountains of Mexico, an astounding journey up to 3,000 miles.
But over the past few decades, the number of monarchs has dramatically declined due to a loss of
host plants, destruction of habitat and increased pesticide use. Monarchs feed and breed in Geor-
gia on both sides of the migration, in the spring and the return trip in the fall.
In order to help protect their environment, one must first understand the life cycle of the monarch.
Butterflies do not tend their offspring, rather the female deposits an egg on a milkweed plant. A fe-
male monarch lays from 100 to 300 eggs during her life. The egg hatches in about four days.
Progressing from egg to adult takes about a month. Larvae (caterpillars) consume a lot of milk-
weed and grow quickly. They will need to shed their skin up to five times before they pupate. Mon-
arch larvae transform into pupa also known as chrysalis. In as few as five days, the monarch can
develop from a pupa to an adult. The monarch’s wings are folded in the chrysalis, and are pumped
open using fluid from the abdomen. Upon expansion, the wings are pumped slowly until they are
dry.
Monarchs live 2-5 weeks before reproducing and laying eggs for the next generation. They have
up to four generations each summer, each one traveling a little further north than the last. The last
generation of the year migrates south to Mexico where they overwinter. Some of the migratory
generation can live as long as nine months with the enormous task of traveling between 2,000-
3,000 miles weighing less than one gram!
34But how do monarchs make it to Mexico without a map? Scientists think they have cracked the
code of the compass monarchs use to determine the southwest direction they should fly each fall.
They essentially use two pieces of information-the time of day and the sun’s position on the hori-
zon- to find the southerly direction. They use their eyes to monitor the sun’s position in the sky, and
their antennae control an internal clock that maintains a daily pattern for them to know the time of
day.
One of the most interesting and magnificent views of the monarch butterflies is while they cluster in
colonies together to stay warm. Ten of thousands can be seen on a single tree. The Mexican Oya-
mel tree is a particular favorite, and the protection of the Oyamel Forests is very important to the
survival of the monarch butterflies. The Mexican government created the Monarch Butterfly Bio-
sphere Reserve in 1986 for the purpose of conservation of the Oyamel Forests. However, accord-
ing to Journey North, the Oyamel forest ecosystem in now Mexico’s most endangered forest with
only 2% of the original forest still intact.
But what can I, as one Georgia gardener, do to help the monarchs?
1. Plant native milkweed, the only host plant that supports the monarch: A loss of milk-
weed is the most likely cause for a steep decline in the monarch butterfly population in the last
few decades. Milkweed was once plentiful in farm fields, when much of it disappeared due to
herbicide use. If we want to bring the monarch back, then we need to plant milkweed.
Four species of milkweeds grow in nearly every region of Georgia including whorled milkweed
(asclepias verticillata), clasping milkweed (asclepias amplexicaulis), butterfly weed
(asclepias tuberosa) and red-winged milkweed (asclepias variegate). The Georgia Native
Plant Initiative and the Georgia Milkweed Initiative represent a network of Georgia grow-
ers, nurseries, conservationists and plant scientists that are committed to producing and
selling native milkweed plants and their seeds in an ethical way.
What not to plant: According to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, two types of milkweed
should be avoided:
Tropical or Scarlet Milkweed (Ascelepias curassavica) - may cause the monarch to
overwinter.
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) - not native to Georgia and may “escape” the
garden.
2. Plant nectar-producing plants that provide food for the adult butterflies:
Adult monarchs are dependent on nectar plants as a food source especially to support breeding
and migration. Below are a few suggestions for your garden:
Aster (Symphyotrichum)
Beach blanket-flower (Gaillardia pulchella)
Spotted beebalm (Monarda punctate)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Blazingstar (Liatris)
35Blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)
Boneset/Thoroughwort (Eupatorium)
Smooth oxeye Heliopsis (helianthoides)
Goldenrod (Solidago)
Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium)
Narrowleaf sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius)
Thistle (Cirsium altissimum)
White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)
3. Reduce or eliminate herbicide and insecticides:
Reduce as much as possible your use of insecticides and herbicides to encourage the growth of
milkweed. Herbicides used in agricultural landscapes cause the monarchs to travel greater dis-
tances and use more energy to find places to lay their eggs. It is believed that the longer flights
cause butterflies to lay fewer eggs, or sometimes die before ever having the chance to reproduce.
Try removing pests by spraying them with water or use gloves to remove by hand if the pests are
few. For mosquito control, use cedar oil or citronella oil on outdoor furnished areas to discourage
them. If you do choose to use chemicals, look for a friendlier alternative such as neem oil or insec-
ticidal soaps.
4. Join a citizen science project:
Citizen science projects mobilize individuals to collect, share and act on issues they care about.
The information produced by these efforts support the collection of data, and ultimately helps peo-
ple hold governments and companies accountable, while also educating participants. Hence the
citizen scientist becomes an important tool for bringing back a healthy monarch population.
Journey North- https://journeynorth.org/
Report your sightings each fall and spring as the monarchs travel to and from Mexico.
Track migration on real-time migration maps and follow migration news.
Project Monarch Health- https://www.monarchparasites.org/
A citizen science project based at the University of Georgia’s Odum School of Ecology
tracks the spread of disease in monarch butterflies.
Monarch Joint Venture- https://monarchjointventure.org/
Brings together partners from across the United States to conserve the monarch migra-
tion.
Monarch Watch- https://monarchwatch.org/
A network of students, teachers, volunteers and researchers dedicated to the study of
the monarch butterfly.
Monarch Larva Monitoring Project- https://www.citizenscience.gov/monitor-monarchs/#
Volunteers help scientists better understand how and why monarch populations are
changing by tracking the health of monarchs.
Monarchs Across Georgia- https://www.eealliance.org/monarchs-across-ga
works together with teachers, students, families, communities, businesses and others to
study monarchs and restore butterfly habitat across the state.
36State Botanical Garden of Georgia- https://botgarden.uga.edu/
will host a virtual pollinator symposium on October 3rd and 4th, 2020 that features Project
Monarch Health.
The Great Georgia Pollinator Census-https://ggapc.org/
Coordinated by the University of Georgia extension office, the census every August is
designed for Georgia citizens of all ages to gather and report data on pollinator insect
populations including butterflies. The project also seeks to improve awareness and
foster pollinator habitats. Next year they will sponsor Milkweed Week with experts
giving advice on the challenges of growing milkweed in your Georgia Garden. Join
their Facebook group.
If you have a curious nature, there is plenty more to learn about monarchs and other butterflies
with a visit to these gardens, but check first with them about their hours due to possible changes
because of Covid 19:
Amicalola Falls State Park – 418 Amicalola Falls State Park Rd, Dawsonville, GA 30534-See
part of the monarch’s journey back north and even camp to make a whole weekend about it.
Callaway Gardens - 17800 US Hwy 27, Pine Mountain, GA 31822- Butterfly Center in Pine
Mountain hosts a tagging event during the fall in order to continue to research the efforts of
the migratory process.
Chattahoochee Nature Center -9135 Willeo Rd, Roswell, GA 30075- Dedicates a whole week-
end to the monarch butterfly with a festival that celebrates the beautiful creature.
Dunwoody Nature Center- 5343 Roberts Dr., Dunwoody, GA 30338- hosts a day of butterfly-
centric, family-friendly fun. It is recommended that you purchase tickets ahead of time.
Savannah-Ogeechee Canal Museum and Nature Center-681 Fort Argyle Rd, Savannah, GA
31419-the butterfly garden was restored in 2007.
Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden-Freedom Park Trail, Atlanta, GA 30307-plenty of
space to run and play within its 210 acres managed by its surrounding community.
37Christmas Thanksgiving Easter 38
Azalea District Calendar 2020 – 2021
February 2, 2021 Azalea District Executive Board Meeting GCG Headquarters, Athens
February 28, 2021 DEADLINE FOR SPRING AZALEA TRUMPET ncrd537@hotmail.com
February 16, 2021 Azalea District Board Meeting Union Point
March 24, 2021 South Georgia Native Plant Symposium Tifton
March 30, 2021 Blue Star/Gold Star Marker Dedication Watkinsville
April 13—15, 2021 GCG State Convention (Rainwater Conference Center) Valdosta
April 18—24, 2021 Garden Week in Georgia
May 1, 2021 Historic Landscape Preservation Grant Fundraiser Red Bud District
May 7, 2021 Roslyn Carter Butterfly Trail Spring Symposium Plains
May 31, 2021 DEADLINE FOR SUMMER AZALEA TRUMPET ncrd537@hotmail.com
June 7—15, 2021 National Garden Week
June 14, 2021 Blue Star Marker Dedication Social Circle
Deep South Garden Clubs and NGC Conventions have been cancelled for 2021
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