Evergreen Garden Club Minutes
November 14, 2023
Members present for the meeting at Gail Jacobs’ studio and home were: Connie Anderson, Jean Barquin, Cherry Bourque, Carol Cramer, Winkie Crigler, Jane Dana, Amy Dewey, Doris Dixon, Fossy Fenwick, Helen Garrett, Mary Francis Koltes, Diana Luka-Hopson, Sally Marshall, Dolly McKenna, Colet Mitchell, Donna Roberts, Anne Snodgrass, Ellen Thrasher, Susan Vanderver, Rosa Wallach, and Winkie’s guest, Anne Cottingham, who is a prospective member.
Before the program, President Winkie Crigler had a short business meeting. She thanked Dolly McKenna, Ellen Thrasher, and Donna Roberts for providing refreshments. The minutes from the October meeting (with the correction of adding Kathryn Baker to the list of those present) were approved.
In the absence of Treasurer Susie Taylor, Winkie presented the Treasurer’s Report, giving both a budget and dues update. The budget, which was emailed to all members along with the meeting agenda and was circulated at the meeting, shows that the club should have at least $4,500 to give away in grants. Members voted to approve the budget. As of October 31, the club has $10,793.33 in its account. Only 7 members, 5 active and 2 associate, have not paid dues. Members should get their dues in the mail before December 1st to avoid the $25 late fee. Winkie said she would accept checks on behalf of Susie for both dues and the $20 due for the November meeting.
Donna Roberts, Second Vice-President, asked for members to provide hospitality at the meetings on Tuesday, February 20, and Tuesday, March 19, and circulated a sign-up sheet.
Winkie presented Mary Jane Glass’s report on the volunteer workday at Tregaron. Mary Jane Glass, Sara Maner, and Susie Taylor worked last Tuesday at Tregaron under the area captain for Evergreen's area, Kathy Sykes. Members worked at the top of "our" stairs removing invasive plants, including ivy, privet, and others. It was a glorious fall day, and the task was not arduous. Tregaron director Lynn Parseghian gave volunteers a tour of a recently reworked area, and they passed a giant beech, one of the trees felled in the intense July storm. Lynn was excited about a bridge over the nearby creek that the conservancy has rebuilt. It replaces one from the original plan by Ellen Biddle Shipman, and workers used the original stones and carefully matched the mortar in an existing bridge.
Winkie asked for volunteers to assist Jane Dana in posting items on the website and keeping it current, and she circulated a sign-up sheet.
Winkie gave an update on NCAGC events, reminding everyone that any Evergreen member is welcome to attend any NCAGC event.
Winkie attended the NCAGC District I meeting at the National Arboretum and afterwards a tour of the Gotelli Conifer Collection led by Joe Meny, the curator of the collection. Barb Kiker, the President of the NCAGC, gave brief remarks in which she praised garden clubs as grassroots agents of change in the area of climate. She told those present that they were all
The dawn redwoods (metasequoia glyptostroboides) at the Arboretum are supposed to be particularly spectacular (the light through them is said to be amazing) during the period November 10-14 each year. A small parking area for the conifer collection is right next (just across the road) to the stand of dawn redwoods.
When Winkie attended the NCAGC meeting at the Arboretum on October 3, the NCAGC recognized all of the garden clubs with “big” anniversaries (including Evergreen’s 70th) with a certificate, which she circulated. Art Chadwick, from Chadwick & Son Orchids (they have created cattleyas for the First Ladies for over 100 years) made an interesting presentation and offered beautiful orchids for sale.
Winkie, Susie Taylor, Catherine Farrell, and Dolly McKenna attended the NCAGC “Morning of Design” hosted by District II. It was quite interesting, with good ideas for holiday arrangements.
District I’s next meeting will be on Friday, April 19, 2024, at the Cheverly Community Center and will include a horticultural specialty show. This show offers an easy way to “dip your toe” into a flower show. All that is needed is to clip something beautiful from your yard, put it in a green bottle (wine bottles are fine), and label it with its Latin and common names.
District I is planning a bus trip to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden on Friday, September 20, 2024, which will serve as the D1 September 2024 meeting. Voted America's #4 public garden by USA Today, Lewis Ginter is located in Henrico County, just outside Richmond. Google Maps indicates it is a two- to three-hour trip from Cheverly Methodist Church, the location that has served in the past as the starting point for D1 trips. There is a café on premises for an easy lunch. There is also talk of visiting the Chadwick & Sons orchid greenhouses while in Richmond. Winkie suggested that we consider using this trip as our September meeting next year.
Doris Dixon then introduced our speaker, Gail Jacobs. Gail has lectured extensively and her exquisite arrangements have been displayed at Washington embassies, museums, the Vice President’s residence, the National Building Museum, annual house and garden tours, and gala receptions and events. The link to her website is: www.flowercraftbygail.com.
Gail said that she had been a teacher but had always loved flowers. She took a series of classes on flower design with Mrs. Augustus Grayer and then started doing arrangements for others. Her first professional job was for the Mondales. After she wrote an article in a newsletter, she was asked to teach a class. From there, she started selling containers with Flower Craft. That has evolved over a period of 40 years. All elements – line, form, color, texture – must be in sync and fit into the environment. A slide presentation showed some of her arrangements, including “welcome arrangements” for the front entrance or front hall.
Using a lazy Susan so members could see all sides of the arrangements, Gail demonstrated her skills with several fall arrangements. She demonstrated the use of bittersweet branches, kousa dogwood leaves, dried cattail leaves, dried artichokes (which could also be sprayed gold), pods, gourds (which will dry naturally if spread out on newspaper in a dry place) and added carrots, radishes, and other vegetables. She also used vegetables as edible centerpieces and containers, including artichokes and gourds. She used popcorn roses and hypericum from her garden. She makes all flower purchases at Potomac Wholesale and recommended going in person. For a beautiful low arrangement, with spreading branches, she used lacecap hydrangea, astilbe, West Virginia red spruce (velvety green), Free Spirit roses, star of Bethlehem (whose flowers will live in water for several days), and pompom thistles (to add a bit of whimsy; can be hung upside down to dry).
Gail shared numerous ideas and techniques for arrangements and for preserving items. She recommended using candles of different heights for a tablescape and showed how to use a candle adapter with an oasis. To preserve leaves, she sprays them with Design Master. (Hairspray can also be used.) To dry large oakleaf hydrangea leaves in fall colors, she puts them in a book with a paper towel. She uses a Design Master spray on hydrangeas. She demonstrated how to wire grapes and cranberries to use in arrangements, singly or bunched together. In one arrangement, she used cranberries in the water to anchor the stems. She demonstrated using a pumpkin as a container, making a pinhole with a twist by scissors. She then completed the arrangement by putting a nandina branch in one pumpkin and a lily stem in another. The moisture in the pumpkin keeps the flower or branch alive; the life of the arrangement can be lengthened by putting it in the fridge. She also made a small arrangement using a hollowed-out artichoke. Wet paper towels can be used to secure a frog that holds water. Gail generally uses oasis in her larger arrangements, but notes that frogs, chicken wire, and a blossom crown (similar to chicken wire and sold in her shop) were also useful.
After the presentation, members went upstairs to see the beautiful arrangements in Gail’s home, including a tablescape and mantel arrangement. After the end of the tour, Gail invited members to wander her gorgeous, expansive garden and to purchase containers, silk flowers, and accessories in her shop. Evergreen members may make appointments to visit Gail’s studio and purchase items; to set up an appointment, email Gail at GailJacobs@me.com. You may also sign up to receive invitations to her open studio days and garden days using this link: http://www.flowercraftbygail.com/calendar.html
Members thanked Gail for her presentation and then oohed and aahed as they wandered through her shop and gardens.
Respectfully submitted,
Jane Dana on behalf of
Mary Jane Glass, Recording Secretary
