by Gwen Collins —–
On Thursday, February 9, 2019 members of Chipley Garden Club spent the morning with seventy 4th graders making dish gardens. The club provided all the materials – gravel, charcoal, soil, plants, a creepy crawler or two, ground cover, helping hands, and, of course, lots of succulents.
Youth Project Chair Linda Pigott went over how to make a dish garden with each class as they arrived in the “construction zone”. After the review, the children were directed to tables and got to work making their own dish gardens which will be entered in the 2019 Washington County 4-H Youth Fair at the end of February.
“We’re a little late with our projects this year due to Hurricane Michael and the weather, in general,” stated Linda Pigott. “Before the youth fair, we will be joining the 5th graders to make dried and live floral arrangements which will also be entered in the youth fair. Our members enjoy this as much as the children do!”
On the previous day the regular monthly club meeting was held at the Washington County Public Library. President Debbie Mitchell covered several items including purchases for Falling Waters State Park, FFGC Hurricane Grant Application, a theme for the 2019-20 club year, and local upcoming seminars.
In other business, Butterfly/Bird Chair Ri McGlamery reported on the butterfly garden at Falling Waters State Park and the upcoming Great Backyard Bird County on February 15-18.
Yard of the Month Chair Lillian Pittman reported the February award went to Cheryl McCall at 1261 5th Street.
Wildflower Chair Glenda Wilson presented False Hawks Head, aka Crepis japonica, an invasive non-native plant that looks like a dandelion.
Matthew Orwat, UF-IFAS Extension Agent, also presented a program entitled “Prepare Your Landscape with Hurricane Resistant Trees.” He pointed out the best trees have strong wood, grow slowly, have good branching, open crowns and deep, dense root systems, but that nothing is “hurricane proof”.
Chipley Garden Club meets the first Wednesday of each month at 11AM and welcomes visitors and new members at any time.
The next meeting will be March 6th at the Washington County Public Library. If you need additional information, please contact President Debbie Mitchell at 638-0536.