This Week In The Garden – vol. 106
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
July 13th 4p-6p – Flowers for Meals on Wheels Clients
Join us for Meals on Wheels flower arranging at the cottage. Please bring flowers from your garden, miscellaneous glass jars that can be used as vases, clippers and a big Smile. Please contact Kathy Sumner with questions and for more information. (kesumner@att.net; text-678.357.8684)
Cottage Garden Care Schedule for May-August
Next Cottage Care Dates are Thursday, July 13, 10A-12P and Wednesday, July 19, 6p-8p.
Members are most welcome to stop by anytime it’s convenient for you. Bring a friend or family member with you to pick up debris and pull a few weeds! If you have any questions, please text Pam Cammarata (770-314-9541).
Cottage Care Days
1st Monday of the month, 4p-6p
2nd Thursday of the month, 10A-12P
3rd Wednesday of the month, 6p-8p
| Day and Time | June | July | Aug |
| 1st Mon 4p-6p | 5th | 3rd | 7th |
| 2nd Thurs 10a-12p | 8th | 13th | 10th |
| 3rd Weds 6p-8p | 21st | 19th | 16th |
Membership update
We have 91 members! A new member orientation will be held before the September meeting. Debbie Boyd will coordinate with the recent new members to pick a date/time. Tentative dates are September 6 or 7. All members are welcome to attend an orientation. Let Debbie know, and she will add you to the list. Debbie will also schedule a potting class in the Fall for new members and other members who would like a refresher. (debbie.boyd@comcast.net)
Peaches is Back (the cottage garden kitty)
Peaches went missing when some work was being done on the main entrance to the Lionheart Theatre. James Barrow kept putting food out and calling for her when he visited each afternoon, and a few times heard a distant cat cry but could not locate the source until one afternoon when he followed the sound to the right front corner of the building. Below a small ventilation grate was an opening in the foundation that had been blocked by a piece of slate and a cinder block. Peachy must have been hiding there when it was covered up. She had been missing for four weeks and was very skinny, but otherwise appeared healthy. James has been doing his best to get her weight back up and she has been very regular about not missing meals, including the morning following the City’s firework display.
Some items to ponder over the Summer
Please consider volunteering for a committee chair or to join a committee. Please contact Kathy Sumner with questions and if you would like more information. (kesumner@att.net; text-678.357.8684)
- Plant Sale chair and committee. Kathy and Debbie will be advising and helping, but a chairperson and committee are greatly needed. The committee will ask members to dig plants from their own gardens in the fall and pot them so they will be well established for the spring sale (for example, Hosta, day lilies) The board members appreciate the feedback from the plant sale survey. Responses will be considered by the committee going forward.
- Awards chair and committee. To gather information for the various awards and help members with the documentation. This will not be so time-consuming if several will help. Our club qualifies for many awards. We must create the documentation and submit it.
- Discovery Garden chair and committee. Kathy Sumner is planting and caring for our plot at Discovery Garden. She would welcome some help. Ask Kathy for more details.
- Garden Workdays Survey. From the responses, we learned that most of the membership is not interested in a recurring commitment to a day and time to work in the garden. Several responded that they are routinely stopping by to weed and clean up debris. Spending time in our garden is a great way to catch up with a fellow member or a friend. The board is researching several ideas for reducing the amount of work to keep our cottage grounds looking good—environmentally friendly weed control (i.e., garden vinegar), availability of high schoolers needing service hours, and paying a contractor.
- Importance of RSVP for meetings. Due to the size of our membership, it’s important to have an accurate headcount for meetings, so we know if we need to use the community center instead of the cottage. Please RSVP by the requested date.
- Stairs on Lawrenceville Street side of the Cottage. The stairs are in dis-repair and in need of maintenance or replacement. Kathy Sumner met with the City of Norcross. Any work will need to be reviewed and approved. Replacement and even repair will be very costly, so the short-term solution is that we will not use them, even for a photo opportunity. We may put planters at the top and bottom to discourage renters and visitors from using the stairs.
- The Financial Audit will be done by Kathy Mallard, who audited our books last year.
Volunteer Opportunity at Atlanta History Center
The Atlanta History Center contacted us about a volunteer opportunity. Their Gardening Department is asking if any of our Garden Club members would have an interest in assisting with the cleanup of the Swan Woods. There is scattered debris on the grounds, and they are looking for 20 volunteers to help with the cleanup of the Woods. The Gardening Department will assist volunteers in removing the debris. Water and gloves will be supplied. They are flexible with scheduling. If any members are interested, please respond to Debbie Boyd (debbie.boyd@comcast.net). Or if you know of another group that may be interested, let Debbie know and she will pass the information to them.
Kids in the Wild Day Camp-Enjoyed by All!
From Tixie Fowler:
FIRST DAY OF OUR FIRST SUMMER NATURE CAMP! Thanks to our Miss Amy and Miss Kassie, “Kids in the Wild” offered nonstop fun and learning all morning, with wiggling worms, storytelling, a scavenger hunt + our little campers painted rocks that will help folks imagine the future of Norcross! And that’s just Day 1 - I was ready for a nap by 1pm Shout out to Gwinnett Soil and Water Conservation District for the grant to buy all these cool learning tools, and Norcross Garden Club for the water bottles, snacks, and use of their cottage to keep us dry this morning! Please check out the Facebook page: Gardens4Growing Community for more pictures.
Save the Dates!
Great Southeast Pollinator Census August 18-19, 2023
June was the official month for planting pollinator plants. If you missed it, no worries! There is plenty of time to add pollinator plants to your containers or gardens. Read “Creating a Pollinator Paradise” on p17 of the Garden Gateways, Summer 2023 edition for some ideas.
The Great Southeast Pollinator Census is a citizen science project created by the University of Georgia. This project is designed for everyone to participate and make a difference for pollinator conservation.
Visit this website for more information. https://ggapc.org/ It includes a short video demonstrating the ease of participating in the count from your own backyard or favorite outdoor space.
NEW: Dogwood District Fall Meeting, Wednesday October 25, Dunwoody Country Club
Norcross Garden Club will be helping with this meeting. More information to follow. Please save the date on your calendar. Volunteers will be needed. All are invited to attend.
NGC Meeting Schedule for September-December
Meetings are on the 2nd Tuesday of the month.
September 12th Evening Meeting
“Company’s Coming-Be a Good Host,” Fall migration of birds presented by Steve Rushing of Rushing Outdoors-https://rushingoutdoors.net/
October 10th Day Meeting
“Farm in the Corners,” Local produce with a Mission presented by Joe Turner, Peachtree Corners. https://www.peachtreefarm.org/
November 14th Day Meeting
“Bees, Trees, and Honey” presented by Katie Hendrickson of Dunwoody Nature Center.
Katie is a Master Gardener, Master Naturalist, Herbalist and Beekeeper. https://dunwoodynature.org/
December 12th Evening Meeting “NGC Holiday Celebration”
Summer Activities in Norcross
Farm Fresh Days-May 10 to Sept 6
Farm Fresh Days are every Wednesday, 4p-7p in Thrasher Park from May 10th through September 6th.
Except when it’s raining! For updates and more information, check out: www.aplacetoimagine.com. The Market also posts updates on the city of Norcross' FB page.
Norcross is busy with summer activities (most are free) and festivals. Movie Mondays, Summer Concert Series, Jazz in the Alley, and more! For updates and more event information go to www.aplacetoimagine.com. This Friday, July 7th Thrasher Park concert: AZ IZZ- Dance band featuring Jazz, Motown, Beach and Top 40 hits. Bring those dancing shoes! 7:30-9:30p. Next Jazz in the Alley, Saturday, July 15, 7:30-9:30p Betty Mauldin Park.
Don’t forget to check out what’s happening at LionHeart Theatre and the Norcross Gallery and Studios. https://lionhearttheatre.org/ The House on Pooh Corner, July13-16. See website for times and ticket information.
The Norcross Gallery and Studios is open Thursday-Saturday 11am-4:00pm to view works and exhibits by local artists. The Artist of the Month reception and exhibit kicks off monthly at 45 South Café. Stop by the Café anytime to view the featured artist’s exhibit. Visit the gallery website for the next Artist of the Month reception. https://norcrossgalleryandstudios.org/
Check out Sustainable Norcross’ Instagram for more information on recycling, conservation, bike laws, and other great tips. https://www.instagram.com/sustainable.norcross/
Visit their table weekly at Farm Fresh Market and learn about hard to recycle items that can be dropped off during the Market.
Skin Alley is now closed to car traffic from 5pm Friday to 7am Monday. This is to facilitate a pedestrian-friendly environment on the weekend. This is the street that runs from Holcomb Bridge to Jones Street, behind the businesses that face South Peachtree St and is where Social Fox is located.
Attached is the July Norcross Newsletter. See the back page for an article about the Ginkgo Tree. Find out why it’s considered an excellent anti-smog tree!
Garden Gateways-Summer 2023
This quarterly publication is sent to all NGC members. It's provided from our annual dues to the Garden Club of Georgia. Each issue features several articles as well as news about other clubs and happenings in the districts. In this issue, check out p15 “Environmentally Yours-Billions to None”; p20 for National Garden Club’s new project for 2023-25-Plant America-Feed America and a list of upcoming educational opportunities. Back page: Information about updated website for Garden Club of Georgia: https://gardenclubofgeorgia.org/ Check it out!
