Online Resources for the Spring Garden

With the “great pause” we are currently experiencing, it is quite possible that you’re spending even more time in the garden this year. Since the Garden Club can’t meet as a group right now, here are a few gardening-related websites you might be interested in:

Cottage Grove Garden Club Facebook page: “Like” us on Facebook and stay virtually connected. https://www.facebook.com/cottagegrovegardenclub/

Gardening with Native Plants and the OregonFlora Project: This 2020 webinar is part of the Advanced Training Webinars for Master Gardeners sponsored by Oregon State University Extension. https://youtu.be/C47VkJt8IrI

Heirloom Roses: How are your roses doing? Heirloom Roses is a family-owned Oregon business specializing in own-root roses. Their website has tons of rose information https://www.heirloomroses.com/

Pollinator Partnership: Pollinator Week is June 22-28 and the Pollinator Partnership has a number of resources about pollinators, including webinars: https://www.pollinator.org/

Svalbarg Seed Vault: Take a short tour inside the Svalbarg Seed Vault https://www.visitnorway.com/media/news-from-norway/take-a-peek-inside-the-seed-vault-thats-designed-to-protect-the-worlds-plant-life/

Territorial Seed: Are you getting your veggie garden planted? Territorial Seed has lot of growing information on their website. https://territorialseed.com/

April Meeting and Presentation Cancelled

The April meeting of Cottage Grove Garden Club has been cancelled.... but gardening has not! Enjoy your plants and garden as we all practice a little social distancing the next couple of weeks.

(And if you need gardening inspiration, check out the GardenTherapy.ca website!).

A Guide to Multifunctional Hedgerows: March 3rd at Garden Club

A hedgerow is a beautiful, functional and biologically diverse component of our landscapes. In both rural and urban environments, these multi-tiered groups of trees, shrubs, ground covers, vines, grasses, flowers and herbs can border fields, waterways, or city lots. Hedgerows can be used to provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife, reduce soil erosion, and create borders and privacy screens.

On Tuesday, March 3, Jude Hobbs will present "A Guide to Multifunctional Hedgerows" at Cottage Grove Garden Club. Jude is an internationally recognized permaculturist with 35 years of experience in the design and teaching fields. Through her business, Agro-Ecology Northwest, her focus is to generate environmentally sound solutions in urban and rural settings. Jude is the author of the OSU Publication, A Guide to Multifunctional Hedgerows in Western Oregon and she co-tends Wilson Creek Gardens, a 7-acre Permaculture demonstration site in Cottage Grove (www.cascadiapermaculture.com).

During this presentation, Jude will share the basics of designing, implementing, and maintaining a multifunctional hedgerow. She will discuss the concepts of soil preparation, plant selection,  irrigation, and ways to lessen maintenance, and will also touch upon budgets, timelines, and the resources needed.

A Guide to Multifunctional Hedgerows with Jude Hobbs will happen on Tuesday, March 3, at Cottage Grove Garden Club. Meeting held at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (enter off the garden on 3rd Street). The Garden Club’s informal business meeting begins at 6PM and Jude's presentation begins at 7PM. Guests and visitors welcome.

The Cottage Grove Garden Club is a local organization with the mission of expanding our interests and building lifelong friendships while bettering our community and the environment through sustainable gardening practices.

What's New at Log House Plants: February 4 at Garden Club

Alice Doyle of Log House Plants.
Photo by Shawn Linehan Photography
www.shawnlinehan.com

Located just east of Cottage Grove, Log House Plants is a wholesale grower of annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, and specialty edibles. Over the past 40 years, Log House Plants has become known for innovation, including introducing grafted vegetables in the United States, such as the Mighty ‘Mato and Ketchup ‘n’ Fries.

On February 4, Alice Doyle, co-­founder of Log House Plants, will join us at Garden Club to introduce this year’s new offerings. We'll get a sampling of some of the nearly 250 new introductions for 2020 as well as Log House's WaterWise Program which features drought-resistant perennials that are perfect for our long, hot summers.

If you've heard Alice speak before, you know she is a treasure-trove of information. This program will be an excellent kick-off to the 2020 growing season!

Please join us! Our informational business meeting begins at 6pm, Alice’s presentation begins at 7pm. Tuesday, February 4, at The First Presbyterian Church (corner of Adams and 3rd Streets). Refreshments provided. All guests and visitors welcome.

Just a reminder, while this presentation is open to everyone, it is the beginning of the year so Garden Clubs memberships are due! Come Join the Garden Club and enjoy in the fun (click here to learn the benefits of being a Garden Club member).

Garden Planning: January 2020 Garden Club Meeting

Happy New Year!

It's that exciting time of year for gardeners, with the garden catalogs arriving in the mail, new garden tools ready to be used, and hopes of spring peaking around the corner.... we're dreaming and planning this summer's garden.

New plants! New designs! New goals!

At the Cottage Grove Garden Club, we are also dreaming and planning for the coming year... new board members, new committee heads, new programs, new ideas!

Please join us at Garden Club this coming Tuesday, January 7. We'll start the evening with our regular business meeting and electing new officers.

Afterward, we'll be talking about our gardens and our plans for the upcoming year. This will be a group activity! Please bring garden magazines, books, and some of those garden catalogs you've been getting in the mail to show and share with others. Then, Maggie will lead us in a group circle where we'll talk about garden design and preferences. Come prepared with your questions, and ready to share your experience and knowledge.

Also, please remember to bring your 2020 membership dues.... only $15 per person/ $20 per couple.

The Garden Club's informal business meeting begins at 6 PM and the Garden Planning Circle runs from 7 to 8 PM. All guests and visitors welcome. Light refreshments provided. We meet at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (the corner of 3rd and Adams), Cottage Grove, Oregon, enter off the garden on Adams Street.

Creating Pollinator Habitat in Our Gardens: November Program

Our local pollinators are under stress from habitat loss, pesticides, and the spread of new diseases.  What can we, as gardeners, to do help the bees and pollinators in our environment?

On November 5, at Cottage Grove Garden Club, we will learn how we can create pollinator habitats in our gardens. Together we will watch Never Doubt How a Small, Thoughtful, and Committed Pollinator Habitat Can Change the World which is part of the Oregon Master Gardener Advanced Training series.

This webinar will explore how the damaging effects of habitat loss and fragmentation, pesticide exposure, and diseases can be reversed through the retention or restoration of small bits of natural habitat (our gardens!). We will learn how to create pollinator habitat -- what plants do we need? How do we get things established? Do we need to prepare a place for pollinators to nest? And what about host plants for butterflies? After working through some of the more common challenges with building pollinator habitat, the webinar will conclude by returning to what current science has to say about how our modest activities might link up and contribute to overall urban pollinator health.

This online course is taught by Dr. Andony Melathopoulos, an Assistant Professor who is leading OSU’s efforts to design, implement and evaluate a state-wide pollinator health program. He provides training to pesticide applicators on how to reduce pesticide exposure to pollinating insects, he hosts a weekly podcast on pollinator health (PolliNation) and is currently working to help homeowners and landscapers better understand how to manage pests while minimizing impacts to pollinators.

The Cottage Grove Garden Club is a local organization with the mission of expanding our interests and building lifelong friendships while bettering our community and the environment through sustainable gardening practices.

Creating Pollinator Habitat in Our Gardens will happen on Tuesday, November 5, at Cottage Grove Garden Club. We meet at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (enter off the garden on 3rd Street). The Garden Club’s informal business meeting begins at 6PM and the webinar begins at 7PM. Guests and visitors welcome.

Cover Crops: October 1 at Cottage Grove Garden Club

A cover crop is a crop of plants grown primarily to benefit the soil rather than yield a crop. They are often used in the off-season, after harvesting, and may grow over the winter. Cover crops can help increase your soil fertility and can bring many improvements to the health of your garden.

Crimson Clover

On October 1st, Christina Bixel with the OSU Extension Master Gardeners will join the Cottage Grove Garden Club to talk about cover crops. In this program, Christina will discuss how a small investment in a cover crop can bring a myriad of benefits to your soil. She will also discuss the best varieties to grow, when to sow them, and different methods to incorporate these amazing “green manure” crops into your garden planning schedule. Come join us and get a whole new perspective on cover crops!

Christina has been an OSU Extension Master Gardener since 2012, with a specialty in plant diagnostics and additional training in composting. She is the past president of the Lane County Master Gardeners Association and provides lectures throughout the county on a wide range of topics.

The Cottage Grove Garden Club is a local organization with the mission of expanding our interests and building lifelong friendships while bettering our community and the environment through sustainable gardening practices.

Christina will present Cover Crops Tuesday October 1, at Cottage Grove Garden Club, meeting at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (enter off the garden on 3rd Street). The Garden Club’s informal business meeting begins at 6PM and the presentation begins at 7PM. Guests and visitors welcome.

Gardeners and Climate Change

When gardeners maximize carbon storage without making too much global-warming pollution in the process, we slow the pace of climate change. Here are some ideas:

Protect your soil and keep it healthy 

• Cover exposed ground to decrease water use, curb erosion, and protect soil microbes. Try using mulch, leaving plants after they’ve died back, growing ground covers, strategically allowing weeds, or planting winter vegetables.
• Read instructions on fertilizers. Improper use can damage beneficial soil.

Plant trees 

• Trees can absorb/store as much as a ton of atmospheric carbon pollution.
• Shade trees planted near a home can reduce energy used for summer cooling.

Grow your own food 

• Try inter-planting veggies in the ornamental garden, planting fruit trees, or growing food in containers.

Compost 

• Composting reduces waste going to landfills, increases soil quality, and improves nutrition levels in the foods you grow.

Reduce or eliminate use of synthetic chemicals 

• Synthetic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers kill beneficial organisms in the soil. Gardening chemical-free also reduces your costs.

Reduce the use of gas-powered garden tools 

• Use human-power more often (for example, use a rake not a leaf blower).
• Reduce or eliminate the need for gas-powered tools (for example, remove your grass lawn altogether).

Be a curious, informed gardener 

• We can all learn more. Talk with other gardeners, experiment, pay attention to changes in the garden, be curious.
• Join Cottage Grove Garden Club, where we often talk about these topics.


The Cottage Grove Garden Club meets the first Tuesday of the month, from 6-8 pm, in the Friendship Hall at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (the corner of 3rd and Adams), Cottage Grove, Oregon.

References

Fine Gardening: https://www.finegardening.com/article/gardening-in-a-changing-climate

Victory Gardens: https://www.greenamerica.org/climate-victory-gardening-101

Cornell: http://climatechange.cornell.edu/gardening/

EPA: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-04/documents/greenscaping_-_the_easy_way_to_a_greener_healthier_yard.pdf

NWF: https://www.nwf.org/Our-Work/Environmental-Threats/Climate-Change/Greenhouse-Gases/Gardening-for-Climate-Change

Gardening Forum and Succulent Exchange: Tuesday Sept 3

We all have questions about gardening, whether we are new to gardening or have been gardening for decades we all have questions. We all, also, have answers and experiences to share.

Back by popular demand, on Tuesday September 3, Cottage Grove Garden Club will be hosting a Gardening Forum. After a summer of gardening, you probably have some questions on your mind, so bring them to garden club as well as your ideas, experiences, and answers, because at this round-table discussion we will be answering each-others gardening questions.

We'll also be hosting an informal succulent exchange, if you've got succulents or cacti to share, please bring them down to garden club, making sure to note if they are indoor or outdoor plants, as well as any other characteristics.

Please join us, as we gather for our first meeting after the summer break.

Garden Club's informal business meeting begins at 6 PM and the succulent exchange will happen during the refreshment break, before the Gardening Forum at 8 PM.

All guests and visitors welcome. Light refreshments provided. We meet at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (the corner of 3rd and Adams), Cottage Grove, Oregon, enter off the garden on Adams Street.

Keeping Your Garden Healthy: June 4 at Cottage Grove Garden Club

For gardeners, spring brings the excitement of preparing for another season of fresh vegetables and beautiful flowers. With the warming of the soil and longer daylight hours, seeds and bulbs sprout and trees bud into bloom. Gardeners around Cottage Grove envision an abundant harvest as we shop, till, and plant.

Soon we will be easing into summer, and our goal will shift to keeping our gardens healthy and sustainable. We want the maximum yield possible from the fruits of our labors -- large and vigorous vegetables to fill our tummies and bright flowers to gaze upon.

On Tuesday, June 4, Cottage Grove Garden Club will welcome Christina Bixel, who will talk about ways to keep our gardens healthy. Christina will discuss small daily, weekly, and monthly tasks that will maintain optimum yield and help gardeners achieve success, growing both flowers and vegetables.

Christina has been an OSU Extension Master Gardener since 2012, with a specialty in plant diagnostics and additional training in composting. She is the past president of the Lane County Master Gardeners Association and provides lectures throughout the county on a wide range of topics.

The Cottage Grove Garden Club is a local organization with the mission of expanding our interests and building lifelong friendships while bettering our community and the environment through sustainable gardening practices.

Christina will present Keeping Your Garden Healthy Tuesday June 4, at Cottage Grove Garden Club, meeting at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (enter off the garden on 3rd Street). The Garden Club’s informal business meeting begins at 6PM and the presentation begins at 7PM. Guests and visitors welcome.

Firewise Gardening: May 7th Program

The Willamette Valley is known for its abundant rainfall and lush landscapes, but summer heat and the abundance of fuels can leave the valley just as vulnerable to wildfire as any other fire-prone area of the state. Especially this year, with the damage caused by the snow storm and heavy April rains.

Gardeners in Cottage Grove can decrease the potential for damage to their home and property by incorporating Firewise USA principles. These principles include maintaining a 30’ flammable-free area around the home and using fire-resistant plants in the landscaping. Fire-resistant plants are those with moist, supple leaves and low resin content. They are slow to ignite, slowing or stopping the spread of a fire. Fire-resistant, however, does not mean fireproof. All plants have the potential to burn if they are neglected.

On Tuesday, May 7, Cottage Grove Garden Club welcomes Kristin Babbs from Keep Oregon Green to talk about Firewise Gardening. Keep Oregon Green is a statewide association that has been educating the public on fire prevention for the past 75 years. This presentation will highlight the Firewise USA program, the need for defensible space, and the use of fire-resistant plants that thrive in the Willamette Valley’s weather conditions.

Kristin Babbs is the President and CEO of the Keep Oregon Green Association, where she develops partnerships and coordinates activities to help Oregon’s residents and tourists become aware and knowledgeable of their role and responsibility in the prevention of wildfires.

Ms. Babbs will talk about Firrewise Gardening to the Cottage Grove Garden Club on Tuesday May 7, at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (enter off the garden on 3rd Street). The Garden Club’s informal business meeting begins at 6p.m. and Ms. Babbs’ presentation begins at 7p.m. Guests and visitors welcome.

Benefits of being a Garden Club Member

Garden Club members gathering for a private tour of Log House Plants, June 2018

Did you know Cottage Grove Garden Club is about more than just monthly meetings and presentations?

Every year, CG Garden Club members enjoy a number of members-only activities, including

• garden tours
• nursery tours
• private planting parties
• potlucks and other social events
• civic projects within the community

Membership is only $15 per person, $20 a family. Come to our next meeting and join!

The Garden Club meet's at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (the corner of 3rd and Adams), Cottage Grove, Oregon, enter off the garden on Adams Street. The first Tuesday of the month (Sept - June) from 6pm to 8pm.

Cottage Grove Garden Club members touring the Japanese Garden in Portland

Indoor Succulents and Cacti: April 2 Presentation with Marcia Peeters

Walk into any store lately and you will likely to see a small display of succulents and cacti growing in tiny 2-inch pots; nurseries and specialty shops will have even more. The variety of whimsical shapes and sizes, can make selecting just one a delightful challenge.

Because of their tiny sizes and minimal needs, succulents and cacti are attractive to a wide variety of gardeners, from “newbies” who want to try growing for the first time to experienced gardeners who are looking for new ways to add plants to their homes.

But once you’ve purchased a tiny treasure, what is the best way to keep it healthy? How fast will it grow and for how long? To answer these questions and more, Marcia Peeters from Pierce Street Gardens in Eugene will be joining Cottage Grove Garden Club on Tuesday, April 2 to talk about getting the best out of indoor succulents and cacti.

Marcia will discuss the differences between cacti and succulents, and the basics for growing healthy plants year-round including heat and light requirements, and how much to water and when. She’ll also explain how to choose the best pots, what type of soil to use, and best practices for combining several plants in a single pot.

Marcia will also bring a variety of succulents and cacti that can be purchased after her talk.

Please join us. The Garden Club's informal business meeting begins at 6 PM and Marcia's presentation runs from 7 to 8 PM. All guests and visitors welcome. Light refreshments provided. We meet at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (the corner of 3rd and Adams), Cottage Grove, Oregon, enter off the garden on Adams Street.

Also, mark your calendars for these upcoming programs:
May 7, 2019: Firewise Gardening with Keep Oregon Green
June 4, 2019: Keeping your Garden Healthy with Christina Bixel
July 2, 2019: Summer Social/ Garden Hop
August 6, 2019: Summer Potluck

(Photos on this page courtesy of Pierce Street Gardens.)

Let's Talk About Hummingbirds: March 5 Presentation

Hummingbirds are often considered the jewels of the sky, and many gardeners delight in their brilliant colors and amazing antics in flight. Gardeners in the southern Willamette Valley have likely experienced both the Rufus and the Anna’s hummingbirds, the most common in the region. But did you know, besides being a delight to watch, hummingbirds are pollinators that also eat small bugs like aphids and gnats?

On Tuesday, March 5, the Cottage Grove Garden Club will host Barbara Linnett. In her presentation, Let’s Talk About Hummingbirds, Barbara will focus on general information about hummingbirds including demographics, local migrations, breeding behaviors, and fun facts. She will also discuss appropriate diet and how to create a natural environment to attract these pollinators to the garden.

Please join the Cottage Grove Garden Club on Tuesday, March 5 as we learn all about hummingbirds. We’ll share experiences and problem-solve concerns about these beautiful and very important pollinators that inhabit our gardens and yards.

Our speaker, Barbara Linnett, is a retired registered nurse who spent 8 years volunteering at the Wildlife Center of the North Coast in Astoria. Now she is retired from the Wildlife Center as well, but she assists in the rehabilitation of hummingbirds, and she has had several birds to care for over the last 3 years. In addition, she has focused on providing her own hummingbird refuge by creating a mostly native hummingbird garden, feeding nectar throughout the year, and keeping a warming station during very cold weather. Currently, Barbara speaks to groups about hummingbirds with the hopes that more families will offer assistance to these very special birds.

The Garden Club's informal business meeting begins at 6 PM and Barbara's presentation runs from 7 to 8 PM. All guests and visitors welcome. Light refreshments provided. We meet at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (the corner of 3rd and Adams), Cottage Grove, Oregon, enter off the garden on Adams Street.

Also, mark your calendars for these upcoming programs:
April 2, 2019: Indoor Succulents & Cacti with Marcia Peeters of Pierce Street Gardens
May 7, 2019: Firewise Gardening with Keep Oregon Green
June 4, 2019: Keeping your Garden Healthy with Christina Bixel
July 2, 2019: Summer Social/ Garden Hop

Rainwater Harvesting in the Pacific Northwest: February 5

Cottage Grove Garden Club is excited to start 2019! We have a number of great presentations lined up for the year, at least one field trip, and several social events.

Photo ©jrweymouth Flickr cc

We start on Tuesday, February 5 with Abel Kloster speaking on Rainwater Harvesting in the Pacific Northwest. Abel's presentation will focus on making the best use of rainwater as it runs off of our roofs and flows through the landscape. Special emphasis will be placed on:

• Mitigating runoff impacts to waterways and treatment systems through bio-swales and other urban filtration systems. 
• Disconnecting rainwater downspouts and designing rain gardens. 
• Designing rainwater catchment systems for drinking water and irrigation purposes. 
• Ponds for urban and rural properties. 

Our speaker, Abel Kloster, is the co-director of Resilience Permaculture Design; a design and implementation company focusing on restoration, water harvesting, and agroforestry for farm, forest, and urban environments.

Please join us. Our informal business meeting begins at 6 PM and Abel's talk on Rain Harvesting will run start at 7 PM. All guests and visitors welcome. Light refreshments provided. We meet at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (the corner of 3rd and Adams), Cottage Grove, Oregon, enter off the garden on Adams Street.

Also, mark your calendars for these upcoming programs:
March 5, 2019: Let's Talk Hummingbirds with Barbara Linnett
April 2, 2019: Indoor Succulents & Cacti with Marcia Peeters of Pierce Street Gardens
May 7, 2019: Firewise Gardening with Keep Oregon Green
June 4, 2019: Keeping your Garden Healthy with Christina Bixel
July 2, 2019: Summer Social/ Garden Hop

January 8 Organizational Meeting

The New Year is here! Gardeners everywhere are checking their mailboxes for garden catalogs, curling up with garden books, dreaming, and planning next year's garden. The same is true for Cottage Grove Garden Club.

On Tuesday January 8, the Garden Club will be gathering for an organizational meeting. We'll be electing officers, forming committees, and talking about programs and field trips.

Like our gardens, there are already some exciting things in place... we have some programs lined up, and field trips we've been dreaming about. Join your gardening friends to lend a hand and share your ideas.

Please note the change of dates, we are meeting Tuesday, JANUARY 8, from 6-8pm at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (the corner of 3rd and Adams).

Please bring your ideas, your enthusiasm, and your dues for 2019.

Gardening Forum: November 6

We all have questions about gardening, whether we are new to gardening or have been gardening for decades we all have questions. We all, also, have answers and experiences to share.

By popular demand, on Tuesday November 6, Cottage Grove Garden Club will be hosting a Gardening Forum. Bring your questions and bring your answers and experiences, because at this round-table discussion we will be answering each-others gardening questions.

This gardening forum is perfect for people new to gardening or new to the Cottage Grove area. It is also perfect for seasoned gardeners who have more specific questions.

Please join us. Our informal business meeting begins at 6 PM and the Gardening Forum runs from 7 to 8 PM. All guests and visitors welcome. Light refreshments provided. We meet at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street (the corner of 3rd and Adams), Cottage Grove, Oregon, enter off the garden on Adams Street.

Our Native Bees: October Presentation

Pollination is necessary for most plants to reproduce, and pollinators—including bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, wasps, flies, and others—are happy to do the job.

When talking about pollinators, people often think about honey bees, however honey bees are not native to Oregon and their populations are in decline. Oregon is home, though, to over 500 native bees some of which are better pollinators than the European honey bee. As gardeners, we can support our native bees and encourage them to pollinate our plants by adjusting our gardening habits.

On Tuesday, October 2, Cottage Grove Garden Club welcomes Jimmie Rundall to learn about Oregon's native bees.

Jimmie's presentation will include general descriptions of the 560 species of pollinator bees in Oregon as identified by Oregon State University. Jimmie will also talk about the differences between bees and wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets.

Image from the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture
https://flic.kr/p/XbQ22p

Included in the presentation will be a short video to show what actually happens when a flower is being pollinated. And we'll learn the characteristics of honey bees, mason bees, and bumble bees which make them especially suited to pollinate different flowers.

Finally, Jimmie's presentation will close with suggestions on how gardeners can help save our native pollinators.

Our presenter, Jimmie Rundall grew up on a 40 acre fruit farm in eastern Oregon near La Grande, and graduated from OSU with a degree in structural engineering. After retiring in 1998, Jimmie took the Master Gardeners class and now teaches pruning and grafting, and supervises a fruit orchard with 115 fruit trees at the Grassroots Garden in Eugene.

Garden Club meets at the First Presbyterian Church (on the corner of 3rd and Adams). Our business meeting begins at 6pm, Jimmie's presentation begins at 7pm. All guests and visitors invited! Refreshments provided.

What's Your Sign? Garden Art Project

Free Weeds! Pull Your Own!

Gardeners know all the dirt

never enough thyme

bless my bloomers

Trespassers Will Be Composted!

time began in a garden

Come Gather in Our Garden

I don't remember planting this!

This is my happy place.

Whether it is funny, insightful, serious, or tongue-in-cheek, come join Cottage Grove Garden Club on Tuesday September 4 as we express ourselves creating signs for our gardens!

First, at 6:00 pm we'll be getting back into the grove of our regular monthly meetings, then at 7:00 pm resident-artist Peggy Severns will help us create garden signs to proudly display in our own gardens.

Are you more of a gardener than artist? Do not fear! Peggy will come equipped with all the supplies we'll need, including wood for painting on, stencils, paints and paintbrushes. You only need to bring your creativity and imagination.

A few things to note: although Peggy says the acrylic paint we'll be using dries quickly, be prepared to take home a sign that is still slightly wet. Also, due to time constraints, we will not be able to apply top-coats to our signs, so if you are wanting to expose yours to the elements, plan on applying a varnish later.

Please join us.

A couple of the signs hanging from the eves of Peggy's porch.

Garden Club meets at the First Presbyterian Church (on the corner of 3rd and Adams). Our business meeting begins at 6pm and our sign creation begins at 7pm. All guests and visitors invited! Refreshments provided.

Constructing and Caring for Container Water Gardens: June 5 program

Water hyacinths in a small water garden.

A small water garden on a patio or deck provides a focal point and a sense of tranquility. And the best part -- it can’t be overwatered! Plus, water gardens do not need weeding and with the right balance of plants and water they are relatively maintenance free.

On Tuesday, June 5, the Cottage Grove Garden Club welcomes Faye Forhan, who will talk about Constructing and Caring for Container Water Gardens. Faye is the past president of the Oregon Koi and Water Garden Society, the owner of two koi ponds and several water gardens, and a member of the Garden Club. Faye will demonstrate how to construct and care for a free-standing, pot-sized water garden, including how to pick the right container, how to select a pump, and the types of plants that work in our climate. Faye will also discuss potting material, dealing with mosquitoes, and water garden ornaments.

This program will be good for people interested in water gardening but who don't know where to start, or those who already have a water garden and are looking for tips and tricks. Plus, the Garden Club will be raffling off the water garden that Faye creates as well as other water-garden goodies.

Garden Club meets at the First Presbyterian Church (on the corner of 3rd and Adams). Our business meeting begins at 6pm and Faye's presentation will begin at 7pm. All guests and visitors invited!

Please join us for our last formal presentation before the summer break.