Thursday, October 20, 2011

October Program on "Passalong Plants"

     On Thursday, October 13th at 1:00 p.m., The Monroeville Garden Club met at St. John's Episcopal Church in Monroeville.  Mrs. Barbara Hundley, Master Gardener from Jackson, Alabama, presented a program on "passalong plants" or plants that are passed from one gardener to another.  In fact, that's about the only way to get these plants because you can seldom buy them at garden centers.  Typically, these are hardy plants that perform well year after year with little or no care.
     Mrs. Hundley gave a power point presentation featuring her yard which she and her husband have been developing since 1974.  Among the "passalong plants" in her yard were flowers that had been given to her years ago by her mother-in-law, the late Mrs. Blanche Hundley of Monroeville.
     In addition to plants, Mrs. Hundley has re-cycled a number of things to provide structural interest in her yard.  She had a syrup kettle that is now a fountain; a wind turbine used as a planter, a stand from a broken bird bath which now holds a gazing ball to name just a few of them.
     Gardeners are always interested in collecting new plants and Mrs. Hundley suggested items to have on hand in your car in case you find someone who has cuttings or seeds to share.  Helpful tools which can be carried in a ziplock bag include a large spoon for digging, clippers for cutting, paper towels to wet and wrap around cuttings, 3 x 5 cards and a sharpie for identifying items.  She pointed out that with seeds in particular, you will most likely forget what you have collected if you don't identify them.
     Following the program, members participated in a plant swap and social time.
Mrs. Barbara Hundley
Recycled syrup kettle which is now a fountain.  The wall behind the fountain is made from bricks rescued from a demolition site.



Some of the plants that were brought to exchange.


Lucy Calloway, LeNette Knapp, and Evelyn Bond examine a plant brought to exchange.

Evelyn Bond as she waits on her turn to choose a plant.

     Sarah Bradley and Carolyn McMillian with their plants.

As part of the "passalong" exchange, each member received a package of larkspur seeds.
Once established, these plants will re-seed.
One of the hypertufa pots made at the September meeting.

Work Days Around the Square

      Charlotte and others from garden club worked on the Katherine Lee Rose Garden on Thursday, February 15th .  They worked so hard that n...