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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" Robin Williams

Yes indeed! The beauty of a California spring is almost intoxicating--the glorious green hills embellished with wildflowers, acres of blooming orchards and our own gardens filled with colorful and fragrant delights. This is the season that stirs our souls with its beauty. As the words in an old hymn proclaim "and to my listening ears all nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres."

This is the time of year for walks in our area parks such as Briones or Mt. Diablo, Morgan Territory, even Pt. Reyes Seashore--so many opportunities to immerse yourself in the wonders of nature. Are you familiar with the term biophilia? It is a love for all living things and was described by Pulitzer Prise winner E.O. Wilson who stated that humans have a predisposition to be close to nature--have pets, household plants and gardens. This intrinsic need arose from our biological evolution and thousands of years as hunter-gatherers. Now I understand why I am happiest and most content outside — my very psyche is tied to nature, wildlife and cyclical seasons.

Vita Sackville-West once wrote, "April, the angel of the months, the young love of the year, ancient and still so young." April in California is indeed an incredibly beautiful month. The ancient Greeks dedicated the month to the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite. The most celebrated spring holiday which often falls in April, is Easter, (though not this year!) There are other special April days, perhaps unfamiliar to you, which you may find interesting.

We probably all remember childhood pranks on April Fool's Day, but are you acquainted with Daffodil Sunday, the first Sunday in April? It was celebrated in Victorian England, a day for people to dress in their finest, promenade in parks and share the beauty of their gardens by taking bouquets of daffodils to housebound friends, or those in hospital. Perhaps you have a special friend, someone who has touched your life in some way, and would like to acknowledge that person. Why not make them a spring posy from your garden?

William Shakespeare, one of the world's greatest poets and playwrights, was born in April 1664 and died in April 1616. He was very knowledgeable about plants and familiar with the symbolic language of flowers. He referred to over 80 different flowers and herbs in his works. Celebrate Shakespeare by making a Tussie Mussie, a small herb and flower bouquet which conveys a special meaning. Give to a friend or decorate your table with one.

If you'd like to learn to make a tussie-mussie, or roses from ribbon, come to the April 18th President's Potpourri event--reservations are necessary. And don't miss the April 14th general meeting when you will have the chance to hear Robin Parer and to buy some of her wonderful scented geraniums--such beautiful and useful plants! (Note the April and May programs have been switched.)

"Every spring is the only spring--a perpetual astonishment." Ellis Peters

DAGC offers many opportunities to celebrate spring first with our April program, a tour to a peony garden, a hydrangea workshop and the PPP event.

Enjoy!

Rebecca President

www.dagc.us Newsletter of the Danville-Alamo Garden Club April 2016

The Flower Pot Volume XLII Issue 8

Inside this Issue:

Page 1 President’s Message Page 2 Program, Lunch Bunch, Tours Page 3 President’s Potpourri, Workshops for April & May Page 4 Social, Bookworms, Treasurers note, Birthdays Page 5 Sponsors and Nursery news Page 6 Community Outreach and Sunset Garden Page 7 Horticulture, Master Gardeners, Editor’s note Page 8 Proposed By-law change, Historian’s request Page 9 Nominations for 2016-2017 Page 10 Calendar

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PROGRAM

AMAZING GERANIUMS

Our speaker for April is an Australian born horticulturist who lectures frequently to garden

groups and societies throughout the United States. She has been featured in Garden Design

Magazine, Horticulture Magazine, Martha Stewart Living Magazine, Sunset Magazine, The New

York Times and House and Garden.

Robin Parer has owned and operated Geraniaceae Nursery in Marin County for the past thirty

two years and has collected and propagated over 500 geranium species, selected color forms

and hybrids. She also has a large collection of erodium species, scented leaf pelargonium, angel

and pansy face pelargonium, heirloom Regals, and rare species from South Africa. Traveling

widely, Robin has collected both in the field and from nurseries in the U.K., Europe, South

America, Southern Africa and Australia. As a regular participant in the San Francisco Flower and

Garden Show, she has won Best of Show several times. She has also received an Annual Award

from the California Horticultural Society for Outstanding and Meritorious Contributions to

Horticulture in California.

Robin has just finished writing The Plant Lover's Guide to Hardy Geraniums for Timber Press,

which was published this spring and will be for sale at the meeting.

If you have been to the Gamble House Garden Tour, you have probably met Robin and

purchased her beautiful plants. Lucky us to have her presenting to our club. She will talk about

the diversity of the geranium family, how to use them in the garden, and how to cultivate them.

Robin will bring plants to sell.

Patty Dobbin—Program Chair

APRIL TOUR

Wednesday, April 20th is our docent lead tour at the CharMarron Peony Gardens in San Jose - 5335 Sierra Rd. San Jose.

Meet 9am at the Creekside Church across from the Alamo Women’s Clubhouse to carpool. These gardens have received rave reviews, so don't miss out!

Lunch at noon in the Swan Court in the Embassy Suites Hotel, Milpitas. 901 Calaveras Blvd. Milpitas, (just off the freeway.)

Sign-ups or questions contact Charlotte Graham

Charlotte Graham — Tours Chair

Lunch Bunch The Lunch Bunch ladies enjoyed delicious entrées at Esin. After much discussion, it was decided that we should go to Forbes Mill in April. Thank you to Rebecca for bringing a lovely arrangement of lilac and David Austen roses for the table. Call or email Joyce Michalczyk if you would like to go to lunch after the meeting.

BOOK YOUR PLACE FOR THE JUNE TOUR NOW!

MAY 1ST IS THE REGISTERING DEADLINE FOR THE JUNE 2ND PETALUMA BUS TOUR. THE COST IS $22 per person. PLEASE MAKE YOUR (NON-REFUNDABLE) CHECKS PAYABLE TO DAGC AND SEND TO CHARLOTTE GRAHAM BEFORE THE DEADLINE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE TOUR.

THE LUNCH LOCATION WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER. WE HAVE VISITED AND WE HAVE LOVED THE SITES ON OUR LIST. DON'T MISS OUT!

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APRIL PRESIDENT'S POTPOURRI April is a glorious month in California--gardens are bursting with blooms! It's the perfect time of year to use the garden's floral bounty in a variety of decorative ways. For just a few ideas, come to April PPP at my home on Tuesday, April 19 at 10:30 AM and learn to crystallize fresh flowers to use as edible floral decorations. Also, learn to make a tussie-mussie---a delightful herb and flower posy.

Email me by April 12 if you would like to attend: Rebecca

RSVP to Rebecca

APRIL WORKSHOP

Succulents Surprise — Thursday April 28th 10a.m. - 12 p.m.

It is an opportunity to create something amazing with succulents, and have a bunch of fun. Dustin from our own Sloat's Garden Center will walk us through how to make something very special with succulents.

The beauty of the succulents is they are perfect for our California summers. You can bring your own container or purchase one along with a wide variety of succulents. It will be held at Sloat's Garden Center at 828 Diablo Road in Danville. Refreshments will be served. We are limited to only 20 ladies, so the first twenty ladies to send me their checks get the seats. The cost is $25 which you will receive $20 credit towards the purchase of your succulents for the day of our workshop. Please make your non-refundable checks payable to DAGC and drop off or mail to Judy Allen, by 4/6. Any Questions: Please contact Judy

Sue Naas and Judy Allen — Workshop Chairs

MAY WORKSHOP May 26th (Thursday) 10 a.m. – 12:00p.m.

Learn how to dry these beautiful giant flowers.

Bring a 10" container or smaller to make a fresh Hydrangeas arrangement. This workshop will be held at Sue Naas’s home in Danville, and you will enjoy plenty of heavenly refreshments. The cost is $25 and reservations must be given or mailed Judy Allen, before MAY 4th. Please send Judy an email or call when you have mailed your non-refundable check payable to DAGC.

Questions: Please contact Judy

Judy Allen & Sue Naas Workshop Chairs

Picture by Lynn Leavitt—Flowering Quince

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From the Social VP’s Many thanks again to our reliable team who arrived bright and early to help set up at the March meeting and cleared up at the end.

Thanks to those of you who signed up at the last meeting to bring some food for everyone to share at the April and May meetings. If you weren't there or the sign up sheet bypassed you, do email one of us as we could still use a few more savory and sweet goodies at the May meeting!

We ask for something to cater 10-12 people.

Linda and Ellen

Social VP’s. A note from our Treasurer

Last chance to send me your ideas Dear DAGC members ~

At the end of each year, DAGC makes donations to local non-profit groups

who are involved in garden related projects.

The Board would love to have you send us any ideas you may have ~

possibly you know of a school wanting to start a vegetable garden, or a

park needing some additional funding for one of their projects, etc.

Please send an email with your ideas to the treasurer, Penny Adams, at

pnjadams@pacbell.net.

The Board will review the requests and vote on them at their meeting in

early April. The whole club will then vote on the suggestions at the May

meeting.

We really appreciate your input! Penny Adams—Treasurer

Birthday wishes to our Springtime Ladies…….

This month we send special birthday wishes to:

Penny Adams, Betty Barnet, Patricia Cassell,

Beth Chiorini, Win Cronin, Tena Gallagher,

Suzy Gonsalves-Peck,

Charlotte Graham,

Jan Hersh, Kathryn Hodson,

Jan Harlow, Lynn Leavitt,

Paula McKee, Linda O’Hara,

Karlene Paufler,

Helen Pearlstein, Beth

Smith and Bobbie Stewart

Wishing you all a wonderful Birthday

and a year of

happiness and laughter.

BOOKWORMS A good time was had by all at our March meeting of Bookworms. We discussed 'Tangled Vines', tasted a 2007 port generously donated by Peggy Stevens along with chocolates from Danville Chocolates. All participants would recommend the book for its California wine history and human nature intrigue. Best of all, we shared our favorite wine finds from the Livermore Valley and Sonoma. I followed up on a tip from Tena Gallagher to shop at the Livermore Costco which has its own wine steward!

Page Krause and Jan Anderson

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This month at Ruth Bancroft

2016 Ruth Bancroft Garden — Spring Fling

1552 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek

Friday to Sunday, April 15-17, 2016

Garden open 10-4pm & Plant Sales 10-3 pm This year's Ruth Bancroft Garden's Spring Fling is a Plant Sale and more. The Bay Area's best selection of new release and hard to find succulents and drought tolerant plants will be available.

Receive expert advice on great plants for your location. Tips and tricks to planting a stunning garden to look great all year long with less irrigation than a lawn will be given.

A Talavera Pottery trunk show (see picture) will be featured all weekend. Unique garden related gifts including books, garden inspired plant pillows, and a selection of garden art by local artists will also be available.

Docent led tours at 11 am and 1pm each day.

Free admission to the garden Saturday and Sunday.

Jenny Offringa

Ruth Bancroft Garden Representative

Check out Regan's Nursery for new roses for 2016.

Sultry Sangria - burgundy tones

Smokin Hot- white and Crimson. Spicy fragrance.

Cutie Pie - miniature multi color coral to chartreuse with dark plonk

edges.

Rainbow Happy Trails and Sunshine Happy Trails - spreading, low grow-

ing groundcover roses. Vibrant.

You can view these roses on Regan's website.

regannursery.com Janice Fassiotto

DID YOU KNOW…..

Many of our Sponsors give gifts for our meetings but may no longer give discounts for being a DAGC member . However, the following are nurseries that offer rewards programs:

Ace— Please show your membership card when purchasing plants at a discount

Armstrong—also offers 10% off to Seniors on Wednesdays

Sloat— Offers a points reward program.

Members should inquire at the nursery about each program and sign up.

FROM OUR SPONSOR REPRESENTATIVES

Our Sponsors Ace Hardware

3211 Danville Blvd., Alamo, CA,94507

(925) 837-2420

Annie’s Annuals & Perennials

740 Market Ave., Richmond, CA 94801

510-215-3301 or 888-266-4370

Armstrong Garden Center

7360 San Ramon Road, Dublin, CA 94568

925-551-0231

Lucky Garden Dublin Hydroponics

7071 Village Pkwy, Dublin, CA 94568

(925) 828-4769

Orchard Nursery

4010 Mt. Diablo Blvd.,

Lafayette, CA 94549

(925) 284-4474.

Regan Nursery

4268 Decoto Road, Fremont, CA 94555

510-797-3222

Ruth Bancroft Garden

1552 Bancroft Road,

Walnut Creek, CA 94598

925-944-9352

Sloat Garden Center

828 Diablo Road, Danville, CA 94526

925-743-0288

800 Camino Ramon, Danville CA 94526

925-837-9144

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Wednesday, April 27, 9am-1pm - GARDENING AT TAO HOUSE

We will be helping them with a few garden tasks such as perennial planting, weeding, and light pruning. Please bring your own garden gloves, weeding tools, trowel, and any hand pruning tools you like to use. Also bring water and a bagged

lunch. We can picnic at the pool patio before returning to our cars.

Meet at 9am at the Railroad museum parking lot (205 Railroad Avenue, Danville) and we will drive up together in one or two vehicles to the house.

To volunteer, please sign up with Nancy Norland via email or look for the signup

sheet at the April meeting.

Saturday, April 30, 8am-1pm - DANVILLE LEND A HAND DAY 2016

I would like to mention an opportunity that I will not be organizing for the club, but would like to recommend if you are looking for some way to help our community on your own.

The Town of Danville and community volunteers are helping Danville Seniors with their spring garden clean up.

You can find out more about this event and how to register through this URL: http://tinyurl.com/hqkgwty

Nancy Norland—Community Outreach Chair

And here we are, at the Food Bank! We got busy on our visit and managed to sort and pack 1500 lbs of food, as well as having some fun! Our thanks to Nancy Norland for arranging the trip, and Well Done Ladies.

Project Produce:

137 pounds (yes, 137!) of produce

were collected for the Contra Costa Food

bank at the March meeting and delivered

by Helen Miller.

Kudos to all who brought items that day.

FYI……...Sunset Magazine

Saturday, May 14, 2016 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Sonoma, CA

For those of you who would like a weekend outing, here ’s an idea

from one of our members!

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HORTICULTURE

Climate change is happening. This January and February were the hottest on record all over the world. You probably noticed

that we had warm winter months for this time of year. By some estimates I have read we are at the 2 degree Fahrenheit

above normal this year. If we get any higher climatologists fear that there is no turning back.

The warmer winter months meant that there was very little frost. My low temperatures this year consisted of only a few days

and hit only 24 F. Historically since living in this house for nearly twenty nine years, I used to see 18 regularly. Although this

killed off any tropical plants that I planted in the ground, it also killed the yellow jacket nests handily, as well as killed off

many other pests. I imagine that we are going to see more pests in the coming years, especially since the change is probably

affecting the beneficial insects.

How does this change our gardening practices? Well let’s start with tomatoes. It used to be the frost date for Danville was

March 15th. The soil was a little chilly still, and if you talked to old timers in the valley they would tell you not to plant until

May 5. I remember a frost on May 5 several many years ago. Haven’t seen that in quite some time now.

Last year I planted tomatoes by mid-April. I realized I was a little late in getting them into the ground and so they came on a

little late. We have not had frost in March at all so you can probably plant your tomatoes today, if you haven’t already done

so. One advantage in doing so is that your soil is pretty wet as a result of the fabulous rain we had in March. This also might

be your chance to plant some dryland tomatoes.

It used to be that farmers in this valley planted tomatoes without irrigation. They planted when soils were still wet, and the

varieties they used would grow without water. I have tried this method of growing tomatoes, and I admit that I had

tomatoes. They were smaller than usual, but the flavor was intense. I found so far that only Early Girls were really able to

take on these growing conditions. It would be interesting to try other tomatoes.

We need to be prepared to be flexible in our gardening practices. All the old rules are probably going to change

dramatically. Weather will be erratic, and water… well who knows.

Kristin Yanker-Hansen —Horticultural Chair

Master Gardener Hotline 9 am – 12 noon M-Th

Telephone: 925-646-6586

Email: ccmg@ucanr.edu

Website:http://ccmg.ucanr.edu

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CoCoMasterGardeners

Contra Costa Master Gardeners

University of California Cooperative Extension

75 Santa Barbara Rd., Second Floor

Pleasant Hill, CA 94532-4215

Dear Members, Our Calendar is so full this month! Please check websites of the Master Gardeners of CCC, and Orchard Nurseries, Sloat Nurseries, and Armstrong Nurseries for further information on new classes for this

month.

If you should have an article of interest for the Newsletter, please email it to me by the 3rd Thursday of the month, Many thanks, Sharon Townsend, Newsletter Editor

Check out the new Calscape.com site from the California Native Plant Society 344 native plants suitable for the garden, nicely categorized and with horticultural information

The Great Tomato Plant Sale

Dozens of varieties of heirloom tomato plants; peppers & eggplants too! UC Master Gardener-recommended varieties, tested across the County. Many varieties from our own seed stock & not available elsewhere. All plants $3.00 each, cash or check only. All your questions answered (free!) by UC Master Gardeners. April 2, 2016, 10 am – 3 pm, April 9, 2016, 10 am – 2pm, Walnut Creek April 9, 2016, 10 am – 3 pm, Richmond April 16, 2016, 10 am – 3 pm, Antioch

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Proposed Change to Bylaw

At the Board Meeting in January of 2016, Article III, Membership, was discussed by the Board.

This section of the By-Laws is to encourage attendance and active participation of our Membership. The Board is aware of some members who have paid their dues yet do not attend the meetings or participate in club activities. We also have a waiting list of potentially active members. The Co- Parliamentarians were commissioned to explore a viable solution to this problem and present it to the Board. The following was submitted and approved by the Board. The Membership will be asked to vote on this at the April General Meeting.

Jan Hamby & Sheila Truschke

FROM OUR HISTORIAN... Ladies the end of our Garden Club year is coming soon and we are putting together our final slide show.

If you have any pictures of workshops, tours, or garden club events, would you mind sending me a copy please. We want to have lots of members represented along with lots of memories.

Thank you, Kayrene Braden - Historian

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THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE

The Nominating Committee is proud to present the following people who have volunteered to serve on the DAGC Board for the year 2016-2017. Thank you for your help and agreeing to serve on the Board.

Jan Hamby, Kayrene Braden and Sheila Truschke

Board of Directors 2016-2017 Nominees

Executive Board

President Rebecca Byrom

Program Vice President Patty Dobbin

Membership Vice President Lynn Hoaglin & Page Krause

Social Vice President Linda Scotting

Recording Secretary Louise Wiggins

Corresponding Secretary Sheila Truschke

Treasurer Penny Adams

Appointed Positions

Club Advisor Sharon Williams

Parliamentarian Jan Hamby

Elected Positions

Historian Carolyn Bonny

Horticulture Kristin Yanker Hansen

Newsletter Sharon Townsend

Sponsor Reps Jenny Offringa, Joann Nelson & Joan Hines

Tours Rhonda Raphel, Cynthia Todd

Web Site Admin. Nancy Norland

Workshops Judy Lauper, Sandi Stamates and Holly Sauer

Appointed Club Support Positions

Artistic Arranger Rose Towery

E-Mail coordinator Roseann Krane

Inspiration Ellen Frost

Penny Pines Tena Gallagher

Plant Exchange Angie Anastasion & Jan Anderson

Community Outreach Charlotte Graham

Lunch Bunch and New Member Rep Joyce Michalczyk

Bookworms Jan Anderson & Darlene Guzman

Special Committee Chairs

Audit Committee Grace Ayers

Directory Sharon Townsend

Winter Event Susan Polk

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Dates & Times Events Details

Tuesdays 9.00 am – noon

Plant Sale Markham Arboretum

Great prices on all containers, 4” to gallon-size. Rain can cancel. Call if weather is questionable.

Every Saturday & Sunday

Ruth Bancroft Garden "Walk-In" tour at 11 am. Plant sales everyday.

April 2, 10am-3pm April 9, 10am-2pm

The Great Tomato Sale Contra Costa Master Gardeners

See detail in Newsletter 2405 Shadelands Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94598 (corner of North Wiget Lane & Shadelands Drive)

April 7, Thursday 9:30 am

DAGC Board Meeting

Home of Rebecca Byrom

April 9, Saturday 8 am—12:00pm

Heather Farms Plant Sale Held in the parking lot

April 9, Saturday 10-11:30am

Markham Arboretum Gardening with Succulents This FREE talk occurs during our plant sale

April 14, Thurs 9:15am

DAGC General Meeting Alamo Women’s Club

Social time and General Meeting. “Amazing Geraniums” by Robin Parer, Geraniaceae Nursery, Marin.

April 14, Thurs Following meeting

DAGC Lunch Bunch Join fellow members at Forbes Mill in Danville. Please contact Joyce Michalczyk if you are interested.

April 16, Saturday, 10am-noon

Markham Arboretum Irrigation Workshop Members $25 / non-members $35 - Register

April 15-17,

Friday to Sunday

2016 Ruth Bancroft Garden — Spring Fling

1552 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek Garden open 10-4pm & Plant Sales 10-3 pm

April 19, Tuesday Time 10:30am

DAGC President’s Potpourri Tussie-mussies and crystallized flowers in the making! Email Rebecca Byrom by April 12 to sign up.

April 20, Wednesday Meet 9am

DAGC Tour: CharMarron Peony Gardens

Join us to enjoy this Docent lead tour on San Jose. Contact Charlotte Graham for details

April 27, Wednesday 9am-1pm

DAGC Community Outreach Gardening at TAO House

Volunteer to help this Community Outreach Event Contact Nancy Norland to sign up. Meet at 9am at the Danville Railroad museum parking lot to car pool.

April 28th, Thursday 10am-12 noon

DAGC Workshop: Succulents Surprise

To be held at Sloat's Garden Center at 828 Diablo Road in Danville. Cost $25 with $20 credit for materials. Contact Judy Allen by April 6th to sign up.

April 30, Saturday 8am-1pm

Danville Lend A Hand Day

The Town of Danville and community volunteers are helping Danville Seniors with their spring garden clean up. For information & sign-up go to: http://tinyurl.com/hqkgwty

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The Flower Pot

Sharon Townsend ~ Editor Danville–Alamo Garden Club P.O. Box 920 Danville, CA 94526

Please support our sponsors! Remember, our commercial sponsors donate the

door prizes, and/or offer discounts, and they

support us with speakers for our general meetings.

Please support them!

Janice Fassiotto, Lynn Hoaglin, Jenny Offringa

Sponsor Reps