Evergreen Garden Club Minutes
November 15, 2022
Members present for the meeting at Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church were: Connie Anderson, Jean Barquin, Jane Dana, Jane DeCell, Lynn Keith, Dolly McKenna, Colet Mitchell, Donna Roberts, Pam Selden, Sharon Stoliaroff, Susie Taylor, Ellen Thrasher, Susan Vanderver, Rosa Wallach, Xenia Wilkinson, and guest Mary Gail Wolf.
Jane DeCell introduced Ami Wilber, Floral and Event Décor Designer at Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens who led members (and a guest) in a flower-arranging workshop. Participants provided their own containers. Ami described her approach to flower arranging while demonstrating how to create a centerpiece. Here are some of her precepts:
· She loves using containers that are footed compotes because they allow material to drape naturally over the rim.
· Start the arrangement with greens, adding enough to account for approximately 70% of the arrangement. Flowers that take up the most amount of space go in first after the greens.
· Triangulate the large flowers from one another and place at different heights.
· Never put flowers straight up and down, always at an angle.
· As the flowers fade you can replace them with fruit or vegetables such as pomegranates and artichokes.
· Leave a few leaves on roses as some leaves are necessary for the blossom to get oxygen, or the blossom will fade quickly. Make sure, however, that no leaves of any floral material are in the water.
After Ami’s demonstration, members created their own arrangements, and it was interesting to see a wide variety of arrangements, all using the same materials.
Following Ami’s workshop, President Jane Dana began a short business meeting by thanking Ami, Jane DeCell for planning and setting up the program, Susan Vanderver for arranging the space at the church, and Sharon Stoliaroff and Ellen Thrasher for providing yummy refreshments. She then invited Susan Vanderver to introduce her guest, Mary Gail Wolf. She announced that this November meeting will be the last in 2022. The next meeting is January 17, 2023, when several members will virtually present recent projects in their own gardens. The program still needs a Zoom moderator. Jane asked for volunteers.
Xenia Wilkinson reported that there are two new members, Sara Maner and Julia Bellinger. EGC now has a full complement. Their contact information, also in the directory, is:
· Sara Maner
4849 Quebec Street NW
Washington, DC 20016
H 202-363-2663, C 202-360-3294
· Julia Bellinger
4125 Woodbine Street
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
C 301-651-5212
Jane reminded everyone to that dues are now late and to get them to Winkie Crigler as soon as possible.
Jane and a few others participated in a Zoom meeting organized by NCAGC on building or improving a club website. She was heartened to learn that EGC’s website covered all the basics. She will update the minutes, add photos, and link our website to NCAGC’s.
Ellen Thrasher announced that we need volunteers to host the February meeting and in general to help with refreshments. Please contact her if you can help with either.
Lynn Keith described a unique opportunity to for EGC members to visit Eyre Hall on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. She has a friend who could coordinate arrangements for a tour of both the gardens and the plantation house. The house is privately owned and not generally open to the public. Eyre Hall is an approximately 4½ hour drive away and would probably require an overnight away. April and May are the best times to visit as the gardens are noted for daffodils and peonies. Jane thanked Lynn and agreed to gauge interest in attendance and planning.
The Meadowlark tour is April 18, 2023. The annual meeting and luncheon are May 16, 2023.
The meeting ended at 12 noon.
Respectfully submitted,
Susie Taylor on behalf of
Mary Jane Glass, recording secretary
