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MEMBERSHIP NEWS It is so important to us to keep your club membership contact information up-to-date! Please help us by notifying us of changes in your club details. See page 7 for more information.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Learn more about the theme of our AGM—Growing a Legacy.

02NEWSBITS You’ll find newsbits sprinkled throughout the newsletter!

03PAST PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Reflecting on our fall meeting and looking forward to the spring AGM.

04SCHOLARSHIP Profile of bursary recipient Allie Hendricks.

06OUR APRIL AGM Early details about our upcoming AGM on April 25.

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CLUB SPOTLIGHT Our new 2nd VP shares information about Ikebana and the Vancouver Ikebana Association.

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12-14FLORAL DESIGN NEWS Winners from the floral design show at the fall meeting, plus photo highlights and upcoming courses.

15 CLUB SPOTLIGHT The White Rock & District Garden Club share their experience developing a website.

18 FROST What to do in the garden in frosty weather.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEBY ERIC HEES Hello and Happy New Year!

As we enter a new year and decade, we have the opportunity to reflect on the year that has passed and to chart our course anew—to determine our direction, work, and legacy for the coming year(s).

The theme for the upcoming BC Council of Garden Clubs AGM on Saturday, April 25th, is Growing a Legacy, a theme the council has taken to heart and is endeavouring to define and live.

Growing a Legacy speaks to many areas of our lives, relationships, organizations and communities, and the gifts we will leave as our remembrance of and contribution to the journey we live—our purpose/promise.

The journey begins with taking stock of where we are and have been and what we will add to make the foundation strong and resilient to support that legacy. Like when planting a seed, we ensure the soil, location, and conditions are the best for the seed to grow and thrive.

As the seed of our legacy begins to grow, challenges emerge—the weather, competing plants, invasive species, and foragers looking for their next meal. Sometimes these challenges can be overwhelming and seem insurmountable, as if

our seed is being tested. With support, energy, and unwavering commitment, our seed becomes stronger and more resilient, able to withstand challenges as they arise.

With that support and commitment our seed bears fruit and continues for the future—delivering the legacy we envisioned.

For the past eight months the council has been working on our foundation—the website, The Bulletin, streamlining and documenting procedures, and engaging our membership to define the Vision of the BCCGC.

Please join us at the AGM as we take the next steps together in Growing a Legacy.

ooking back for a moment, we thank all of you who attended our fall meeting. We greatly appreciate the generous donations (see page 5) for our door prize draw and to our vendors (listed on page 17) for supporting our meeting. We are also indebted to the businesses who provided discounts and contributions to our food service (see next page). As our past president Lorna explains on page 4 in her meeting recap, some changes will be made as we begin to plan for the AGM.

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FALL MEETING FOOD DONORS A number of vendors provided complimentary and discounted items to support our fall meeting. We would like to acknowledge these individuals and thank them for their generosity which helped to make our meeting a success. If you have the opportunity, please support these vendors.

MAJOR FOOD DONOR

Tanya McDonell, Store ManagerWillingdon Save-On-Foods4469 KingswayBurnaby, BC

MAJOR DESSERT DONOR

Tony Hartzenberg, PresidentSugarplum Desserts Ltd.Bldg. #5-20381 62nd AvenueLangley, BC

DONATED $50 SAVE-ON-FOODS GIFT CARD

Corey Shkwarok, Assistant Store ManagerWest Maple Ridge Save-On-Foods300-20395 Lougheed Hwy.Maple Ridge, BC

BEST TABLE DECOR PRIZE

Lorna Fraser, Mariani Vineyard

WORKSHOP HANDOUTS If you missed picking up the fall meeting workshop handouts, you can download them from our website: bcgardenclubs.com/resources/links.

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Does your club have a pet project? Big or small I would like to hear about it! Some examples include:

The Fraser Pacific Rose Society members volunteer in their community rose garden, planting, pruning, weeding, and mulching the rose beds adjacent to the Dogwood Pavilion where they hold their meetings and rose show.

South Surrey Garden Club members volunteer at Darts Hill Garden Park and contribute to a scholarship at Kwantlen College in the name of Francesca Darts, one of their founding members.

BC Floral Art Society and Chilliwack Floral Art Club members give floral designs to their local hospice society facilities.

If your club has a pet project or contributes to something in your community, please let me know what it is that you do. Make sure you include your club name and describe what it is that your club does. I would love to hear from you.

Cheers, Cindy Tataryn1st Vice President, BCCGC

Email: 1vicepresident@bcgardenclubs.com

SHARE YOUR CLUB’S PROJECT

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BCCGC FALL MEETING RECAP BY LORNA FRASER The council’s October 26, 2019, Fall Meeting, Get Rooted, was a tremendous success. The day started with a series of workshops, followed by several speakers on a variety of pertinent and timely topics. Throughout the day, members were invited to look at world-class floral displays and shop from a variety of vendor tables. Door prizes were plentiful and interesting and there were lots of opportunities to mix and mingle with fellow gardening enthusiasts. Thank you to all attendees who rose to the occasion by bringing their own plate settings and table decorations. It was great fun wandering through the meeting hall looking at everyone’s dishes, decorations, and, in some cases, matching colour-coordinated clothing.

BEHIND THE SCENESPlanning and organizing the October meeting was a challenge for the executive. For several years, the cash receipts (including vendor tables) for our meetings held at the Firefighters Banquet Hall have been less than the costs. For example, the April 2019 AGM cost the council 32% more than the cash receipts for the day. Given the council’s other administrative expenses, the amount of this loss (close to $1,800 for the AGM), happening twice a year, is not sustainable.

Previous feedback from some of the council’s members indicated that an increase to the registration fee would be difficult for their clubs to manage. To minimize the increase in the meeting’s registration fee, the executive decided to try to reduce costs by using a different venue and other catering options. Providing more room for floral displays and vendor tables was also a consideration. After looking at various locations, the meeting was moved to the Bonsor Community Centre. The executive planned for and purchased the food and asked members to help out by providing their own table settings. Volunteers were then found for kitchen duties.

The good news is that, financially, the meeting broke even. There was more space for floral displays and vendors and members rallied with wonderful place settings. Prizes were awarded—people had fun! The downside was that some members were disappointed in the food offerings and the executive spent so much time planning what to purchase—negotiating lower prices and gift certificates with providers, buying and picking up the food, and getting it to the hall—that not much other council business was accomplished in the months leading up to the meeting. Over 100 hours of volunteer time was spent in the kitchen alone, prepping, serving, and clearing up food.

MOVING FORWARD—REGISTRATION FEE INCREASEThe executive has decided that the Bonsor Community Centre will be the location for the April 25, 2020, Annual General Meeting. Members will again be asked to provide their own dishes and table settings. Based on your feedback, the registration fee will be raised to $50 and a caterer will be hired for at least a portion of the day. Looking forward to seeing you April 25, 2020, for a day of exploring Growing a Legacy.

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GENERAL MEETING DRAW PRIZESRECORDED BY AUDREY BARNES, NEW WESTMINSTER HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Arcadia Robinson Matted hummingbird photoBC Floral Art Society Succulents and planterBC Fuchsia & Begonia Society Basket with bulbs & bonemealBurnaby Rhododendron & Garden Society Spring bulbsChilliwack Garden Club Basket of seed-starting necessitiesDeep Cove Garden Club Orchid arrangementDevan Greenhouses 2 white blackberry plants, planted containerDunbar Garden Club Transplanting shovelDogwood Garden Club Tulip bulbsFraser Pacific Rose Society Book: Roses for BC

Fraser Valley Orchid Society 2 orchid plantsFriends of Park & Tilford Garden Society Birch suet feederGibsons Garden Club Mint medleyHives for Humanity HoneyHope Garden Club Container of gardening suppliesLangley Garden Club EZ-riser, wicked pruning sawLynn Valley Garden Club Lemon cypress plantMargaret Nakahara Book: Leaf Manipulation for Floral ArtMikey’s Berry Farm Planted container, red currant plant, blueberry plant, produceNew Westminster Horticultural Society Hori Hori knifeNorth Surrey Horticultural Society Ornamental wheelbarrow with garden mumPitt Meadows Garden Club Basket with bulbs & bonemealPoCo Garden Club Flower wagon with plantsRichmond Garden Club Society $10 Phoenix Perennials gift certificateSociety of Horticultural & Floral Design Judges of BC Orchid plantSogetsu Vancouver Branch Cards plus bookSouth Delta Garden Club Pepper plant and tomatoesSouth Surrey Garden Club Melianthus majorSquamish Gardeners Wine-themed basket, giant beeValley Fuchsia & Geranium Club Children’s gardening pack, huge prayer plantVancouver Dahlia Society $25 gift certificate for tuber saleVancouver Ikebana Society Autumn Ikebana arrangementVancouver Master Gardeners Two tickets to spring seminarVancouver Rose Society Rose bush, rose care handbook, membershipWhite Rock & District Garden Club Gloves and bandit weeding tool

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BY KAREN HASSELFELT SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND COMMITTEE

Alexandra (Allie) Hendricks is the 2019/20 BCCGC Bursary recipient at the University of Northern BC, receiving $1,100 towards her studies. Allie is from Kamloops but has lived in Prince George the past four years as she pursues a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a focus on plants.

In her letter of thanks to the BCCGC, Allie described her passion for studying plants and their diseases and how this bursary has supported her career in phytopathology:

During summer 2017, I worked for Dan Sklar on his research on Armillaria root disease and its impact on Douglas fir. From September 2017 to April 2018, I worked in the biology lab at the College of New Caledonia and experimented with growing methods for the Pyramid Garden which is designed to allow people to grow edible plants indoors throughout the year and promote sustainability.

Last summer, Allie worked for the Applied Research and Innovation Centre at CNC working in Forest Health and in May, she volunteered at the David Douglas Botanical Garden Plant Sale assisting with plant advice and billing. Allie goes on to describe her work this year :

This semester, I have the pleasure of being a Teacher's Assistant for the plant biology class at UNBC. I teach one of two lab sections, and guide students in their learning about plant biology. It has been such a wonderful class to teach and I enjoy every moment of it. I hope my enthusiasm for plants inspired some of my students to find love in plants as well.

I am currently working on my undergraduate thesis. My research is on the effects of low-dose glyphosate application on the reproductive morphology of prickly rose. I have found some significant changes in the morphology of the flowers of roses, and I am going to be doing a

Master's thesis in January 2021 (I graduate from my undergrad in December 2020) to further investigate these changes and how they could potentially affect the bio-communication between pollinators and plants. I will be focusing on forest understory plant species around Prince George: Prickly rose, thimbleberry, and fireweed. All these plants are important not only for pollinators, but for other wildlife and people.

Allie is an avid gardener of vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers and her love of the outdoors, working in the field, is evident in the photo accompanying this article.

We wish Allie all the best in continuing her studies and thank all of our donors and club members who have contributed to the BCCGC Scholarship Trust Fund so that BC students such as Allie can pursue important work in horticulture.

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Photo: Alexandra (Allie) Hendricks working in the field.

CLUB CONTACT INFORMATION The BCCGC keeps track of your club membership information in four places. Sometimes our lists are not in sync as we receive new information and update it across our lists. If you see an error, send a quick email to our membership coordinator, Lorna Herchenson, at membership@bcgardenclubs.com.

Who is your club’s contact? The best person is often your treasurer or the person in your organization who pays the BCCGC dues, but it could also be your communications person. Your contact should be someone who can forward information from the BCCGC to the appropriate person in your club in a timely fashion. Here’s where we keep club contact information and its purpose:

1. Membership: the Membership Directory is maintained by the membership committee. The information that you submit each year when renewing your membership is added to our internal master directory.

2. Treasurer: your information is also updated in the treasurer’s Quickbook records so that invoices can be sent automatically and payments tracked.

3. Website: your club information is listed on the BC Council website and should include an email where inquiries about your club can be made. Please regularly check your entry on the bcgardenclubs.com website. If there are any errors for your club entry, please contact Lorna Herchenson at membership@bcgardenclubs.com.

4. Mailchimp: we currently use the Mailchimp service to send out eBulletins to your club contact. These emails usually contain time-sensitive information—it’s important that your contact forwards the eBulletin to the correct person in your club (depending on the nature of the eBulletin).

We also send out emails to a separate list of people who have signed up for The Bulletin newsletter. Anyone can sign up to receive The Bulletin and we appreciate it when you forward it on to other club members. Please see bcgardenclubs.com/resources/newsletter.

Lastly, we send out information to those who have registered for the fall or AGM meetings. These emails are sent through Eventbrite to the person who registered for the meeting. Many clubs send more than one member to the BCCGC meetings. When that is the case, it is important to let us know who your delegate will be (for voting purposes) and if you change who will attend (each attendee receives a name badge, including vendors and speakers).

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Visit a selection of great gardens including rhododendrons and other plants and design-focused sites in Ireland and Scotland. We visit some awesome castles and enjoy these special cultures and people in their spring NHYKLUZ��>L�HYL�HSZV�VɈLYPUN�HU�VW[PVUHS�]PZP[�HM[LY�[OL�THPU�[V\Y�[V�[OL�^VYSK�MHTV\Z�*OLSZLH�.HYKLU�:OV^�PU�London.Details are available at DumontEvents.com including the trip brochure and a detailed day by day itinerary. Deposits must be in by November 15, 2019.

The BCCGC Public Relations Committee is up and running for 2020. If you know of somewhere we could advertise the council and the affiliated clubs, please let us know. This past year we had an information table at Burnaby Blooms in May and an information table at Devon Greenhouses in Abbotsford in October. If your club has brochures we could use to advertise your club, please send them to us or give to a member of the council executive. Email us at membership@bcgardenclubs.com. ~ Lorna Herchenson and Terri Young

PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE

BCCGC EXECUTIVE BOARD POSITIONS OPEN Three voting executive board positions are up for election at the April 2020 AGM. They are first vice-president, treasurer, and communications coordinator positions. The current treasurer will be stepping down and this position will be vacant.

While both the incumbent first vice-president and communications coordinator have agreed to continue in their positions, others interested in the positions are welcome to put their names forward. These positions have a two-year term.  There will also be a scholarship trustee position up for election. This position has a three-year term. Descriptions of all positions are on the website. bcgardenclubs.com/about/exec-board. Additional information can be had by contacting Eric Hees at president@bcgardenclubs.com.

AGM REGISTRATION We will once again use Eventbrite for registration for the BCCGC Annual General Meeting and will publicize the registration website at the end of January. Registration will open at the beginning of February and will be $50 for attendees (including lunch). Registration will be cut off one week before the event—you may register up until the end of the day, April 18, 2020. At the door, registration will be $55.

Vendors will be charged $30 for their table and each vendor wishing to have lunch provided will be asked to pay $25/person. Vendors should contact scholarship@bcgardenclubs.com to secure a table (tables are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis). Floral students

may attend for free but must also pay $25 for lunch. Floral students should contact Cindy at 1vicepresident@bcgardenclubs.com.

TABLE DECOR We’ll ask for those attending the AGM to once again bring their own festive place setting (plate, cutlery, cup). The theme will simply be Spring! Best settings and group table will win prizes.

THE BCCGC ONLINE CALENDAR We invite all BCCGC clubs to add their events to our online calendar. This is a great place to list your event with all of the details including a map of your venue. You’ll find the BC Council Spring AGM and Fall General Meeting listed with links to Eventbrite when registration opens.

Advertisers in The Bulletin may also list a one to two day event online when they purchase an ad in the newsletter, or can pay $30 to list an event. Contact webmaster@bcgardenclubs.com for more information or go to the online submission form at bcgardenclubs.com/event.

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Photo:Best table decorations at the Fall General Meeting.

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VANCOUVER IKEBANA ASSOCIATION WHAT IS IKEBANA? BY ELIZABETH THERIAULT, VANCOUVER IKEBANA ASSOCIATION Editor’s Note: In each issue of The Bulletin, we feature one or two articles about BCCGC member clubs. In this issue, BCCGC 2nd Vice President Elizabeth Theriault writes about Ikebana and her club, the Vancouver Ikebana Association.

Ikebana is the Japanese word for flower arrangement, and is based upon certain principles of art that are recognized the world over. The love of line so characteristic of all Oriental art, rather than the appreciation of form and colour, is perhaps the most salient feature in differentiating Japanese flower arrangement from Western and other kinds of flower arrangements.

Ikebana was introduced to Japan in the 6th century with the arrival of Buddhism. Asymmetrical vertical arrangements, done by monks and priests, were placed on either side of statues of the Buddha. Over time Ikebana was also practiced by lay people, first by members of the nobility, and then by the general population. By the 15th century, it had developed into a true art form and the first Ikebana school, Ikenobo, was established. Ikebana became widespread during the Edo Era (1603–1867), a time of internal peace, political stability, and economic growth in which the middle class flourished under Shogunate rule.

Predominantly in the 20th century, significant changes in styles and philosophies occurred and as result new schools were formed. Today hundreds of schools exist from the very traditional to the very modern, and though similarities in philosophy and technique still exist in each school, distinguishing features and expressions make each school unique. There are four main elements of Ikebana that apply to all schools.

Nature and Humanity: The inspiration, the dedication, and the ongoing practice and study of Ikebana all come about as a direct result of the love and appreciation of nature: all aspects of it, both the perfect and imperfect. In Ikebana, works of art are created as a result of human imagination being stimulated by direct contact and experience with nature. 

A True Art Form: All true art forms and areas of creative expression have rules governing the process; so too, all schools of Ikebana have detailed curricula that students must follow and complete. Line, shape, composition, form, texture, depth, movement, colour and space are only few of the criteria that apply to all art forms, and are also elements that must be mastered by those who practice Ikebana.

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Symbolism: Another key element that is true for all Ikebana schools is the symbolism reflected in the material used. For example, a basic arrangement will consist of three main lines and these can represent heaven, earth, and man in one school and the sun, moon, and earth in another.

Distinguishing Features: There are five different Ikebana schools here in Vancouver, each with its own set of rules and teachings (www.vancouver-ikebana.ca). The Ikenobo school is the first and most traditional, and is recognized for three main types of arrangements: the Rikka, Shoka, and Free Style. Kado Sumi focuses on nature and how to represent it in a fresh and individualistic style. Sangetsu instructs students to arrange flowers naturally, quickly, with joy and in harmony, and “as if you were painting a picture.” The Ohara school became the forerunner of all modern Ikebana with the introduction of a horizontal style, Moribana, that incorporated newly introduced Western flowers. Sogetsu is the most modern of the schools, and is often described as avant-garde. Sogetsu encourages students, through study, to make works of art, while using any type of plant material as the medium, as well as unconventional materials that may inspire the individual.

There are a number of annual Ikebana displays, festivals, workshops, and shows held throughout the year in the Lower Mainland. You may visit the Vancouver Ikebana Association (VIA) website (www.vancouver-ikebana.ca) and the Sogetsu Vancouver Branch website (www.sogetsuvancouver.com) for a list of all events and activities, as well as information on Ikebana classes. The 2020 Annual VIA Spring Show will be held at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown on May 23–24, 2020. Please come join us for Vancouver’s largest exhibition of Japanese flower arranging. There will be displays and demonstrations by various Ikebana schools. IK

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OCTOBER FLORAL DESIGN SHOW BY CINDY TATARYN, BCCGC 1ST VICE PRESIDENT At our Fall General Meeting we had a Floral Design Show. There were 21 entries for us to enjoy. I would like to congratulate the following people and pass along the results of this judged show, which was open to all BCCGC club members. Some examples from the show can be seen on the next page.

Congratulations to all the participants and to Sandra Froese who won Best in Show with her entry in Class 10 Form and Space! I encourage all floral artists to participate in future shows; these displays are enjoyed by everyone.

I would also like to congratulate the Floral Design Judging Course graduates who have completed their course requirements and received their Floral Design Judges Certificate: Marlene Tambre, Joyce Wihnan, Malgosia Zapala, Sandra Froese, and Ann Peters.

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Class 1 Frills and Spills 1st Bev Sass, White Rock & District Garden Club OPEN

Class 3 Jewel in the Crown 1st Heather Bee, BC Floral Art Society2nd Susan Sheremeta, BC Floral Art Society3rd Malgosia Zapala, BC Floral Art Society

Class 4 London Bridge 1st Cindy Tataryn, Chilliwack Floral Art ClubClass 5 Double Decker 1st Malgosia Zapala, BC Floral Art Society

2nd Sandra Froese, Chilliwack Flora Art Club3rd Victoria Brookes, Chilliwack Floral Art Club

Class 6 Aspects 1st Sandra Froese, Chilliwack Floral Art ClubClass 7 Suspension 1st Ann Peters, BC Floral Art Society

2nd Heather Bee, BC Floral Art SocietyClass 8 A Little Luxury 1st Ann Peters, BC Floral Art Society

2nd Heather Bee, BC Floral Art SocietyClass 9 Landmark 1st Inge Wilson, Chilliwack Floral Art Club

2nd Victoria Brookes, Chilliwack Floral Art ClubClass 10 Form and Space 1st Sandra Froese, Chilliwack Floral Art Club

2nd Rhonda Malyuk, BC Floral Art Club

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FLORAL DESIGN NEWS

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FLOWER ARRANGING COURSES Please pass this information on to your fellow club members. The BC Council of Garden Clubs is sponsoring a series of flower arranging courses for hobby gardeners. You can use plant material from your garden or purchased plant material. This is a great way to brighten up your home with your own creations!

Level 1: Introduction to Traditional Designs

This is a basic course for beginners and consists of six hands-on workshops. The participants learn the basics of what types of plant material to use and how to use it, and what types of containers and other equipment to use. Participants will learn how to make six traditional designs and will receive a certificate upon completion of the course.

Level 2: Introduction to Contemporary Designs This course also consists of six hands-on workshops, where participants learn how to make modern designs. They also learn the basics in elements and principles of flower arranging. Participants must have Level 1: Introduction to

Traditional Designs before they can take level 2. They will receive a certificate upon completion of the course.

Level 3: Contemporary Designs This course also consists of six hands-on

workshops, and is for people who have taken Level 1 and Level 2 and want to learn more modern designs. They will receive a certificate upon completion of the course.

Level 4: Intermediate Contemporary Designs This course is a more advanced course for people who have taken Levels 1, 2, and 3. It consists of six hands-on workshops that cover more advanced designs and techniques. Participants will receive a certificate upon completion of the course.

HORTICULTURE JUDGES COURSE Please pass this information on to your fellow club members. The next Horticulture Judges Course will be starting in the spring. The judging course consists of several classes to cover theory and practice judging different types of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. The students will then observe a qualified horticulture judge at five public shows in order to learn from them, then co-judge with a qualified horticulture judge at five public shows to get additional practical experi-ence in judging. The student judges are also required to enter ten exhibits in public shows and win three first place ribbons.

The students have two years to complete the course requirements in order to qualify to receive their Horticultural Judges Certificate.

In order to book the appropriate size venue, I need to know how many people are interested in taking the course. Please contact me by January 31, 2020, with your name and contact information to register your interest in taking this course.

To register for these courses (flower arranging or the horticultural judges course) please contact me at 604-585-6786 ctataryn@telus.net, or 1vicepresident@bcgardenclubs.com.

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WHITE ROCK & DISTRICT GARDEN CLUB LAUNCHES ONTO THE WWW BY MELANIE RANTUCCI The members of the White Rock & District Garden Club (WRDGC) celebrated the 70th Anniversary of their club a few years ago, but they don’t like to think of themselves as old and set in their ways. As a relatively small club of 80 members, they manage to communicate fairly well through email, an emailed monthly newsletter, and of course word of mouth at their monthly meetings. But some of the members—who regularly used the internet to keep in touch and learn new things—felt their garden club should move into a new era in communications and develop a website.

To start with, the response of members was, why bother? They were managing fine without it. And what about security and privacy? It all seemed too worrisome. However, the members somewhat reluctantly agreed to let some interested keeners form a social media working group to explore what would be involved in such a project.

It was a very slow start. The group met several times, starting in October 2017, and hammered out the reasons why the club should have a website:

• The WRDGC are the only club in the BC Council of Garden Clubs without some social media presence;

• The WRDGC wanted to showcase their club to the public;• The WRDGC wanted to encourage new and younger members to join; and• The WRDGC wanted to provide better communications with their members.

The committee then considered what might be involved:

• Select a domain name—whiterockgardenclub.ca was available (but why about .com or .org?);• Write a Request for Proposals and send it to potential web designers;• Select a website platform (hopefully free);• Look at design—including possibly updating the WRDGC logo;• Designate a member or group of members to be web hosts;• Obtain approval from the club executive, then members, to spend the money required (~$2,000).

This all was presented to the executive, who were less than enthusiastic—particularly when they saw the possible dollar figure. However, the working group was given the go-ahead to develop a proposal. This took longer than the group had expected, mostly because they had no idea what they were doing! They researched what other garden clubs had done to develop websites, searched the internet for website platforms, spoke with various people who could possibly take on the project for the WRDGC, and even considered trying one of the online sites with automated tools for building websites.CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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Eventually, with the help of a new, more knowledgeable club member, the committee approached a local company and they offered to build the website for a special local community group rate. They impressed the group so much that they gave up all thought of doing it themselves and urged the executive to approve the budget and move ahead with a web designer.

A timeline was developed and a template developed of all the things that should be on the website. Luckily our club had fairly recently digitized a great number of archival documents and it was fairly straightforward to put together the written submissions for various sections on the website. Then photos were selected from the club archives and current events for added colour and interest on the website.

A number of decisions along the way were challenging. One involved how to address members’ privacy concerns. It was decided that a section could be added to the membership form stating that members may exempt themselves when photos are being taken if they would prefer not to be featured in photos on the website. It was also decided that there would be a “members only” section for the newsletter and agreed there would not be a list of members anywhere on the website.

Another issue to be resolved was refreshing the club logo. Some members were very attached to the logo that had been used for many years, but it needed to be digitized for the website and some members wanted it to look a little more modern. A contest was held to select one of six logos the web designer designed for the club, and a compromise was had by agreeing that the old “logo” would now be the club’s “crest” and the new design would be the “logo” on the website.

The club will have an ongoing Social Media Working Group to vet what goes on the website and communicate with the web designer, who will continue to keep things up to date on a monthly basis. There will also be an Instagram account where members will be encouraged to contribute photos of current activities—hopefully there will be no shortage of contributors.

The committee has had a lot of enthusiastic feedback as they have taken their first steps forward with this new technology and they are proud of the results. Although the site is not yet live as of this writing, it is expected to be up very soon in the new year. Have a look at the site at www.whiterockgardenclub.ca.

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CLUB SPOTLIGHTCLUB SPOTLIGHT

FALL MEETING VENDORSAS COMPILED BY BRENDA WOOSNAM, SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND COMMITTEEHoneybee Centre www.honeybeecentre.comThe Honeybee Centre is a country store, gift shop, visitor's centre, commercial honey farm, and Beestro restaurant. We offer a wide variety of premium quality natural specialty honeys, and an array of natural honeybee products that promote health & wellness. Honeybee Centre's beekeeping operations are focused on pollination of fruit crops, and the production of several varieties of specialty honeys. Our beekeeping operations are based out of our facility in Surrey, BC, where we pollinate crops for local growers.  Plastic Oceans Foundation plasticoceans.caPlastic Oceans Foundation Canada is a registered charity working on direct action with eliminating plastic pollution in our waterways. It engages with school and community education, workshops, shoreline clean-ups, and supporting local processing applications of waste plastic. The Plastic Oceans Foundation sells bamboo cutlery sets, collapsible travel cups, produce bags, and cloth shopping bags.Beauty by Arcadia beautybyarcadia.comArcadia’s Natural Cosmeceutical Products are all plant based and use high-quality essential oils, all registered with Health Canada. Arcadia started her cosmetic line with her exfoliating mask in 2004 and followed with a moisturizer that heals burned skin. Arcadia added therapeutic massage oil in 2016 and mosquito repellent in 2018.Spectrum Gardening tinyurl.com/yx3z6uz2Theo sold yellow cedar raised garden beds and planters. Additionally there were blueberry bushes for sale.Caroline Baasch www.carolinebaaschart.caCaroline gardens with her paints and canvases! Flowers and colour are her fertilizer ; the freedom to be expressive and free her sunshine. She loves painting huge expressive florals, which she sells as smaller prints, greetings cards, drinks coasters, and canvas bags.Mr. Kelpman jim@kelpman.comJim has been selling his very popular organic liquid kelp fertilizer at the BCCGC meetings for many years.Baroness Ashley Hats baronessashleyhats@shaw.ca Darren sells hats—-lots of hats.Jennifer’s Jiffies facebook.com/jennifersjiffiesJennifer sells dried soup mixes as well as chili, rice pilaf, grain salad, and baking mixes. She has been selling at the council meetings for years but will be retiring her Jennifer’s Jiffies business in the new year.Therapeutic Touch bctherapeutictouch.comHaving any stress, pain, headaches, or sleeplessness? Or just want some relaxation? BCTTNS practitioners Jean and Sandy use the relaxing benefits of Therapeutic Touch by providing low cost sessions of $5 and $10. Therapeutic Touch, a registered trademark, is a natural helping healing science-based energy modality administered with compassion and kindness. Julie’s Fashions jirosez@dccnet.comJulie’s Fashions are well-known to attendees at BCCGC meetings.My Father’s Garden       myfathersgarden@telus.netJanice processes and preserves jams and jellies, chutneys, pickles and relish, fresh and dried herbs, vinegars, and dried flowers. Everything is grown in her father’s garden in Burnaby or is locally sourced.Lee Valley Tools leevalley.comTrudy and Dawn displayed a variety of products Lee Valley carries with the themes: essential tools for every gardener and ergonomic garden tools. Lee Valley is a family-owned business that has been serving users of woodworking and gardening tools since 1978. We pride ourselves in designing and supplying fine quality tools for everyday living.Food Eco District, Victoria get-fed.com Holly Dumbarton was one of our workshop presenters and is the project manager of the Victoria Food Eco District (FED), described as “building a downtown district that celebrates food & sustainability.” She shared information regarding this innovative initiative and provided a display of resources pertaining to urban agriculture.

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FACTS ABOUT FROST BY RON SISSONS A frost is usually imminent if the temperature at sundown is 4°C (40°F) or lower, the sky is clear, and the wind is absent. Under these conditions heat is rapidly lost from the soil surface, and, the air becomes cooler and therefore cannot hold as much moisture. The excess water condenses as dew, which turns into a coating of frost crystals when the temperature drops to 10°CF (32°F).

If the temperature falls below freezing when there is an absence of dew, the water inside plants will freeze. Evidence of a “black frost” will be apparent on plants susceptible to frost damage when the temperature rises above the freezing point again.

Clouds form an insulating blanket that lessens the heat loss from the earth and makes frost unlikely. Wind, by preventing the separation of air into warm and cold layers, can also be a threat of an impending frost.

Cold air is heavier than warm air and will drain down a slope to form frost pockets at lower levels. A slope also has a bearing on the amount of frost damage experienced by plants. A slope facing south is subjected to higher average temperatures during the day than a slope facing north. Consequently plants on the north-facing slope tend to be more hardened.

Two degrees of frost may do more harm following several weeks of fairly warm weather than six degrees of frost following several weeks in which the temperature has been just above freezing every night.

Hardy plants prepare themselves for the winter months. In the case of many herbaceous plants, the top growth dies down during

the winter, and of course deciduous trees and shrubs shed their leaves.

If frost comes before the preparations are completed, injury may result. However, the most damaging frosts are those in spring when sap is flowing, buds bursting, and blooms opening.

Most gardeners think of young plants as tender and mature plants as tough; but this is somewhat misleading when considering resistance to frost. Sugar and other substances dissolved in the cell sap of plant tissues act like antifreeze in a car : they lower the freezing point of the cell sap. The cell sap in different parts of the plant differs in the amount of sugar it contains. In general the young leaves around a growing point contain much more sugar than do the older leaves. For this reason a very young plant may come through a freezing spell unscathed when older plants of the same variety may be damaged.

Factors that weaken plants, such as pests, diseases, or injury from spray materials, make them more susceptible to frost damage. Newly planted specimens are more subject to harm from freezing than established plants.

Young plants or those with weak roots may be lifted completely out of the ground by alternating frosts and thaws exerting a heaving action on the soil. A well-drained light soil or a soil rich in humus is less likely to heave than a clay soil. Beds and borders of heavy soil should be examined as the ground thaws. Slightly lifted plants may be refirmed with hand or foot but those severely displaced are best replanted.

Mulching the ground will lessen the loss of heat by radiation from the soil surface and will serve to protect the plants from frost. Shrubs liable toCONTINUED ON PAGE 19

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suffer frost damage could have pruning delayed until the danger from severe frost has passed. Thus, the material which would have been pruned away will serve as a cushion of protection against serious frost injury to the main framework of the shrub.

Plants to be wintered in a cold frame may need the extra protection of mats placed over the glass during frost nights. Sheets of newspaper placed over the plants in an unheated greenhouse or in a living room window will keep plants safe except during severe frost. Plants in beds and borders may be covered by inverted flowerpots or boxes.

Tender bedding plants are best kept growing under protection, in pots large enough to carry them over until a safe date, rather than planted out despite the threat of freezing temperatures. There is consider-able merit in having all tender perennial plants growing in containers so they may be readily moved under shelter should a frost come.

Commercial fruit growers can ward off frost by using heaters to create a warm blanket of air and by using wind machines. The home gardener is limited in what they can do to protect fruit blossoms. Trees trained on walls may be protected by several thicknesses of netting hung from above and supported away from the blossoms.

It is sound practice to provide a heavy winter mulch around fruit blossoms by preventing the soil temperature from rising as soon as it normally would. This is especially prudent on light soils.

Of the environmental factors concerned with frost damage, none has so great an influence as water, yet this is used the least in fighting frost. To illustrate the influence of water, if you were to mix a pound of water having a temperature of 20°C (68°F) with a pound of soil registering 0°C (32°F), the temperature of the mixture would not be halfway between the two extremes, that is 10°C (50°F).

Because the specific heat of water is about five times that of soil, the temperature of the mixture would be approximately 16°C (62°F). For this reason a large area of water slows down the falling temperature of the surrounding air. This explains why coastal areas are less prone to damaging frost than inland areas.

A mixture of water and ice always maintains a temperature of 0°C (32°F). While there is any unfrozen water present, the temperature cannot go below this point. On a cold night when there is a considerable quantity of water standing in the area, the temperature near the surface of the ground will fall to the freezing point and then remain at that point until all the water is frozen.

If you turn sprinklers on as a frost protection, it is important to keep them on as long as the temperature of the surrounding area is below 0°C (32°F) to ensure that there will be unfrozen water present. Since the volume of water is not so important as its continued application, a fine mist is as effective as large droplets.

Water is an effective aid when tender plants have suffered a supposedly damaging frost. If you can shade the plants from the sun before its rays strike them and follow up by repeatedly spraying cold water to slow the thawing out, there is a chance of saving them.

Reprinted (with minor revisions) with permission from the Flower and Garden Magazine, May 1969, and The Taffeta Bow Times, April 2004.

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NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTIONS We would love to feature your club in the newsletter. You are invited to submit an article at any time (please include photos). Photos should be high resolution and you should include the name of the photographer if possible. Articles should be in the range of 300–500 words. If you have an idea for a longer piece, connect with the newsletter editor in advance to discuss your idea.

Articles are due on the 15th of the month preceding publication. If they are submitted after that date, they will be held for the next issue. The next due date is March 15th for the April 1st issue. Submissions/inquiries: newsletter@bcgardenclubs.com

NEWSLETTER ADVERTISEMENTS BCCGC member groups and outside vendors wishing to advertise events in our newsletter are invited to submit an ad electronically.

Advertising Rate

¼ page 3½ x 4¼ $30.00½ page 7 x 4 ¾ $55.00Full page 7 x 9 ½ $100.00

Camera-ready artwork (300 dpi jpg or pdf) due March 1st. Send artwork to newsletter@bcgardenclubs.com.

Linda Stanley Wilson, Editor Pam Robertson, Copy Editor

Eric HeesLorna Fraser

Cindy TatarynElizabeth Theriault

Melanie RantucciRuby Miller

Brenda WoosnamLinda Stanley Wilson

Lorna Herchenson

www.bcgardenclubs.com

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| Past President

| 1st Vice President

| 2nd Vice President

| Secretary

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