Meeting Thursday at Behner's Funeral Home

We'll be looking at the Spring/Summer/Fall calendar.
I'm going to share about Hellebores, a plant that is gaining in popularity by leaps and bounds!

A reminder about Thursday's noon to 1:00 workshop at the Jefferson County Extension Office. Kim Keller will be presenting information on Butterfly Gardening. Bring your lunch, if you'd like. See the post below this one.

We have on our April schedule to visit Joan S on Saturday, the 16th, where we'll take our first garden "tour" and then make stepping stones. If Sandi is able to make it, she'd like to share some things she's learned and/or picked up at gardening events she's recently visited.

When our weather decides to warm, which may be very soon, we'll get our exercise outdoors! Please note the sidebar of the calendar posted above!

Hope you're able to make it this Thursday! We may have a special guest, as well. Diane R has decided to visit. She seemed to be interested in joining our little group. She's a very nice person - one with whom we'd enjoy meeting, also.

Butterfly Garden Workshop

Kim Keller is leading a Butterfly Gardening workshop
at the Jefferson County Extension Office
Thursday, March 31
from noon - 1:00 P.M.

Bring your lunch, if you like.

Call to reserve a space!
641--472--4166

All-Iowa Horticulture Exposition

Ottumwa, IA - March 25 & 26, 2011

Nancy B and I went both days and sat in on quite a few seminars. While we were there, we saw a number of people from the hometown area - namely GGG members: Aleta, Sandi D, as well as quite a few other great gardeners!

"Welcome!" with beauty to delight both the eyes . . .

. . . and the ears!

Master Gardener Jan.

The doors opened at 9:30 a.m. each morning.
Friday, March 25, 2011
At 10:00 a.m. Nancy and I attended "Growing Veggies and Herbs in Recycled Containers" by Keynote Speaker and Slow Gardening founder, Felder Rushing.
The other choice was "Weather, Crops and Gardens" by Dr. Elwynn Taylor, ISU climatologist.

At 11:30 a.m., Nancy and I attended "The 'It' Garden" by Lisa Orgler, assoc. director of Reiman Gardens.
the other choice was "Biomass Crops for Iowa" by Dr. Emily Heaton, ISU biomass expert.

After a delicious buffet meal, everyone attended the Keynote Presentation: "Slow Gardening" by Felder Rushing*(click his name to see his website), a former Mississippi State Extension horticulture specialist and award-winning author of 15 books.

At 3:00 p.m., Nancy and I attended "Garden Gadgets and Gimmicks for 2011" by Susan Appleget Hurst," *(click her name to see her website) but the other choice was "Floral Arranging" by Dr. Cindy Haynes.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

At 10:00 a.m., everyone attended the Keynote Presentation: "Creating Outdoor Rooms" by Rita Randolph.*(click her name to visit her greenhouse sites)

Lunch break was 11:00 with a special appearance by the ISU Insect Zoo in the Childrens' Garden in the Trade Show Hall.

At 12:00 p.m., Nancy and I attended "Growing Green Roofs in Iowa" by Dr. Jennifer Bousselot.*(click her name to visit web information) The other choice was "Wonderful Wild Mushrooms" by Dave Layton, President of the Prairie States Mushroom Club.

At 1:30 p.m., Nancy and I attended "Planning a Kitchen Garden or Potager" by former Better Homes & Gardens editor, Susan Appleget Hurst. The other choice was "Overlooked Trees and Shrubs" by Bob Hendrickson, affliliated with the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum. (click name to visit website)

The 3:00 p.m. presentations were "Lilies: Bulb to Bloom Basics" by Sue Williams, Iowa lily expert and judge, and "Managing Turf in the Midwest" by Marcus Jones, ISU PhD student and turf expert.

We were unable to attend either of the last sessions, but I'm sure either would have been excellent. You might keep in mind that this is an annual Exposition. If you were unable to attend this year, perhaps you'll be able to attend next year.

Iowa Arboretum display

Congratulate Sandi Dimmitt! She won the door prize Friday! :-)
(A $25 gift certificate to be spent at the Iowa Arboretum gift shop.)

I missed the opportunity for Many other photos - in the trade show and beyond.

Photos of metal sculptures, whimsical sculpture, house plants and perennials, nurserymen and women, etc., etc.

I purchased a wren house and Nancy, a bluebird house.

I purchased a "Guard Snail" and Nancy "a Swinging Frog!"

But there were Two Cute Posies that were hard to resist!
:-)

We had a fun time. It might tide us over until we can really get out and get dirty! :-)

See you Thursday night at Behner's Funeral Home. Five-fifteen or so, 'round the back! What do you know about Hellebores? I'm going to give you a passel of information!

Upcoming Activity Reminders and/or Additional Details

2011 Iowa Flower, Lawn & Garden Show,
Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines, IA.

Click on the photo at left to access the Show's website for information.
Clicking on this link (these words) will give you access to a discount ticket of $1.00 off the admission price ($6.95 adults, $5.95 seniors, kids under 12 are free, and free parking). One ticket per person.

Click on the tab "Show Info" for hour-by-hour details.
Friday, March 18 - 1:00 - 8:00 P.M., Saturday, March 19 - 10:00 A.M. - 8:00 P.M., and Sunday, March 20 - 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

Sandi Dimmitt is driving to Des Moines Saturday. Would you like to go along? Please give her a call!!! (Wish I could go!)



All Iowa Horticulture Expo comes to Bridgeview Center in Ottumwa, Iowa

Friday, March 25 and Saturday, March 26.

Please click on the photo at left for all the details.





Joan Salts' Home - Saturday, April 16th. I'm asking Joan to leave a comment at the end of
this post to tell us what time we should arrive!***

We are going to make concrete stepping stones for our gardens. We will each plan to make one. If we have enough materials, we might be able to make two. Aleta is going to purchase the concrete mix. Both Aleta and I have letter stamps (I have number stamps).

You should bring one or two cheap clear plastic pot saucers (available at Wal-Mart). You pick the size. You may also bring decorative stones, tile pieces, marbles, etc. for decoration.



I've just noticed that the dates given online by Stam Greenhouse for their Bonsaii workshop are incorrect. I will get in touch to see what the true dates are.

I've volunteered to drive. Aleta is interested in attending, too. Would you like to go? If so, please add a note at the end of this post. ***







*** To add a comment at the end of this post, click on "___ comments," type your message AND NAME in the comment box, click the "account box" to scroll down to "anonymous" and then click on "post comment." That's it!! :-)

Welcome to the Gabby Garden Gals' Blogsite!

We are a diverse group of gardeners that love to get together.
We often visit each others' gardens during the Summer.

I'm sorry I don't have photos of at least two of our members' gardens right now.

KD's garden

CK's garden

BSt's garden

JS's garden

NB's garden - a move to a new home... lots to do.

KB's garden

SD's garden (well... we WERE outdoors until a sudden rainstorm!)

KH's garden

CS's garden

SG's garden

Adieu! Farewell!
Come back again...
there are more posts to follow!

Activities In the Planning

March 18-20, 2011 - Iowa Flower, Lawn and Garden Show, Iowa State Fairgrounds-Varied Industry Building. This looks Great! Click on this link for more information and for a discounted pass! Sandi Dimmit is driving up for the show on Saturday. If you'd like to go with her, Please Contact Her ASAP! (I'm unable to go, much to my dismay, as we'll be out of town).

March 25-26, 2011 - All Iowa Horticulture Exposition III, Ottumwa Bridgeview Center - Hours 11:00 - 4:00 P.M. $25 at the door. Click here to see the PDF activity schedule.


Bonsai Class - Oskaloosa - April 24

Eleanor S - Saturday, May 7

Joan S - Saturday, May 21 - 10:00 a.m.

Aleta M - Friday, June 17

Eileen P - Friday, June 24

Fairfield Art Association's Garden Tour - June

Kathy T - A Friday or Saturday in July - I'll plan a trip somewhere... the Tree House in Marshalltown?



Anyone want to volunteer to let us view your gardens OR plan a trip somewhere?