Meetings take place on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 10:00 am; arrive by 9:30 am to enjoy some socializing before meeting start. We meet at Vienna Presbyterian Church on the lower level. But, the Coronavirus has affected the way the Five Hills Garden Club will hold its meetings this year.
An internet meeting application such as Zoom will be used to hold virtual meetings for both the Board and General meetings until such time as in-person meetings are safe. The internet link, meeting ID and passcode will be emailed to members the day before the meeting. If a member does not receive information by 7:00pm the night before the meeting, contact Shelia Creswell by cell phone text or email.
Even when in-person meetings become feasible, serving food and beverages may still not be safe. Five Hills members will be kept informed via email as to the location of meetings and availability of beverages and food.
From Farmer’s Market
To Your Table
Jonathan Bardzik, DC-based cook, author, and story teller, will share his joy in the kitchen through easy, seasonal, farm and garden-fresh recipes – for us to enjoy and share with special people in our lives.
Calendar:
Sept. 18 District III Fall Meeting
Sept 20-23 Flower Show School Course 4
Sept. 25 NCAGC State Fall Meeting
Growing Your Own Groceries
Nursery growers offer insights into how to successfully grow your own groceries in ways that do not break your back or your bank and can be an esthetic addition to your yard. Niraj Ray, founder of Cultivate the City, demonstrates how to use food scraps to jumpstart your garden and
offers tips for propagating successfully. Ray also describes how Cultivate the City is nurturing urban gardening with its programs to address food needs and healthy eating in our wider community.
Calendar:
Oct. 13 – 14 Landscape Design School Course 1
Oct. 27 Green Spring Garden Field Trip
Designing Gardens as Habitats that Protect Life
Marisa Scalera, the landscape architect at the Smithsonian Gardens, speaks to the importance of plants in our lives highlighted in a Smithsonian-wide exhibition on protecting habitats. The presentation emphasizes the interconnectedness and fragility of our natural world and our role in caring for it.
Holiday Greens Workshop
Five Hills annual tradition of wreath making – bringing the Christmas spirit to the Town of Vienna. Look in the November newsletter and sign up to create a wreath. Information about supply pick up is there too.
Trees: Virginia Department of Forestry
Trees can shelter us from the trauma of stress if we step up as stewards to protect and use our natural resources wisely. Jim McGlone, Urban Forest Conservationist with the Virginia Department of Forestry, will speak about his office’s work to nurture our forests today and for generations to come. He will distinguish native, nonnative, and invasive species and what can be done to promote a healthy natural environment for flora and fauna. Jim’s territory spans Northern Virginia and includes advising homeowners on how they too can contribute to this effort and how Virginia’s initiatives can help.
Looking at the Garden Holistically
Gardener, artist, and columnist Karen Rexrode takes a look at holistic ways to garden with tips that help the gardener and the environment function on a higher level of wholesomeness. Topics she will cover include new concepts in planting styles, using plants as green mulch, and exploring German and Japanese examples of permaculture
Flower Show Prep
Five Hills judges will go over our flower show schedule to be held Virtually on our April meeting date. We will review the schedule, give you tips and answer any questions you may have in horticulture or design.
Calendar:
Mar. 19 District III Spring Meeting
March 19-21 NCAGC State Flower Show
Mar. 28 - 30 Flower Show School Course 3
It’s Showtime!
Our delayed Flower Show, A Virtual Flower Show is to be held in lieu of our regular meeting. We need your participation to make this a success!
Calendar:
Apr. 27 NCAGC Biennial Installation
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Bring plants to share, and get new ones, as a part of our annual plant exchange. This favorite event is a chance to enhance your garden and knowledge of gardening. Please bring your labeled plants to include: Your Name (so we know who it came from), Plant’s Name, Plant’s Colors, Plant’s requirements of Sun, Part-Sun, Part Shade, Shade, Plant’s details if Deer Resistant, Heat Tolerant, Perennial, Spring to Frost, etc.
Location: We will meet in the home of Anne Nelson who has once again generously offered her home to host this general meeting and plant exchange.
Calendar:
May 17 - 20 NGC Convention
May 25 Ladew Topiary Garden Field Trip
Going into Summer with a Refresh
As we approach the summer season when it is too hot outside for folks and flora, Ronnie Levay will walk us through how to create refreshing floral designs with a grocery store mixed bouquet, leaves and twigs on hand, and a simple vase. Ronnie will demonstrate how to harden off store bought flowers so that they last longer and assemble what you already have available to make a centerpiece for the summer.
Calendar :
June 18 District III Presidents’ Coffee
Reliving the Moment through Nature Photography
Our own Brigitte Hartke walks us through the techniques she uses to capture nature in its sublime and myriad forms. She shares Five Hills photographs she has taken over the years, of garden club field trips and other events, and explains how she makes the best of the photographic moment. Quick to point out that she is not a professional photographer, she has found that often the most important thing in taking a good photograph is the care put into its composition.
Horticulture: Share a plant you have kept indoors for over a year. On a card include the name and care instructions.
Design: Create an arrangement using primarily grasses.
Hostesses: Chair – Carol Bolan
Maurine Thomas, Nancy Walker
Floral Arrangement: Rosemarie Jaksetic
Board Meeting: September 14, 10 AM
Hostess: Joy Salpini Co-Hostess: Andy Bothwell
September 17, 2019
Birdsong Pleasure Garden; the Story of Its Creation
Lesley Mack, the co-owner of an amazing three-acre private garden, “Birdsong Pleasure Garden”, will guide us through her garden, sharing practical advice on everything gardening. Check out Trip Advisor, Luray VA to read about the garden and see its 5.0 rating!
October 15
Vertical Gardening Made Easy
Kathy Jentz, a frequent contributor to “The Washington Gardner”, a highly regarded publication and web site, will share her secrets of vertical gardening. Kathy will detail the benefits of vertical
gardening and inspire us to create our own vertical gardens.
November 19
Just in Time For Thanksgiving
Our very own Betty Ann Galway will lead us in a “Members’ Floral Design Workshop”. Betty Ann will share her expertise in floral arranging, and how to prepare and preserve pumpkins in home arrangements. You will need a small hollowed out pumpkin (opening less than 6 inches) and a ½ block of oasis – flowers will be provided. Feel free to bring greens and dried materials.
December 3
Holiday Greens Workshop
Join your garden friends at the Five Hills annual tradition of wreath making – bringing the Christmas spirit to the Town of Vienna. Come ready to work and create with fresh greenery. You will need to bring gloves, clippers and fresh garden greens. All other supplies are furnished by the club.
Horticulture: Remember to bring your donation of fresh greens (no berries or holly please!).
January 21, 2020
Unique and Spontaneous
Floral Designs Jeanne Ha, co-founder of DC Metro Flower Design School and co-owner of Park Florist, one of the oldest florists in the DC area, will demonstrate her amazing skills and creativity. Jeanne will daze and amaze us with her love and knack for flower arranging. A silent auction of her designs will follow.
February 18, 2020
The Soulful Gardner
Heather Zindash will show us how gardening brings people, plants and horticulture together to enhance our overall health and well-being. Learn to view our gardens as therapeutic, restorative and meditative – places to relax and connect to ourselves and the rest of the world.
September 18, 2018
Gardening on the Verge Kirk Brown, is a high energy and entertaining garden speaker. He is best known for his impersonation of John Bartram. But he has a new topic, “Gardening on the Verge,” that he is excited to present. It’s about gardens and changing life-styles.
Horticulture: Bring in a specimen from your garden in a proportional green bottle. Label it correctly. Suggestions include Mums, Asters.
Design Theme: Back to School. Designers Choice
October 16, 2018
Winterizing your Garden Sharon Stickell, a landscape specialist from Merrifield Garden Center, will share her gardening expertise, developing a winter checklist to ensure that our gardens produce colorful flowers in the spring.
Horticulture: Autumn Leaves Make an arrangement using autumn leaves.
November 20, 2018
Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and other Backyard Wildlife David Mizejewski, a naturalist and television host with the National Wildlife Federation, will talk about creating beautiful natural spaces to enjoy and share with birds, bees, and butterflies. He will detail the process to have our gardens recognized as official “Certified Habitats”. http://naturalist.nwf.org
Horticulture: Tick Tock Change Your Clock! Make an arrangement using branches with berries.
December 4, 2018
Holiday Greens Workshop
This is a long-standing tradition of Five Hills Garden Club. Every year since 1955 we have made and donated wreaths and sprays to local churches and public buildings in the Town of Vienna. It will put you in the Holiday Spirit! Come ready to work and create with fresh greenery. You will need to bring gloves and clippers. All other supplies are furnished by the club.
Horticulture: Remember to bring your donation of fresh greens (no berries or holly please!).
January 15, 2019
Climate Change Affecting Nature and Our Gardens
Sara Via, a professor and climate change specialist for UMD, will tell us about the effects of climate change and how they significantly impact gardens and home landscapes. We’ll learn strategies for adapting to change and improving our chances for gardening success. https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/earth-friendly/climate-change-and-gardening
Horticulture: Let it Snow! Make an arrangement using Snowdrops.
February 19, 2019
Gardening Tools
Members will bring in their favorite tools to share. A vendor will be invited to highlight the market’s latest and greatest “high tech” tools.
Horticulture: Windowsill Art Bring in a ‘Windowsill Art’ arrangement.
March 19, 2019
Garden to Vase
Watch and learn, from your own “Five Hills Five”, how to create and appreciate easy in-home
designs right from your garden.
Horticulture: Wearing of the Green Make a green corsage and wear it home.
April 23, 2019
In the Garden with Joe and his Azaleas
Joseph Klimavicz, a well-known azalea expert and boundless energy gardener, will explain the “Klimavicz Hybridizing Project”, his search for the perfect plant. After his presentation, Joe will open his garden to members, an opportunity not to be missed. http://www.nv-asa.org Click on “Legacy Project”
Horticulture: Earth Day! Bring in a deer resistant plant.
May 21
Plant Exchange
A perennial club favorite! We get together every year at a member’s home to share the bounty of our own gardens. We love exchanging and bringing home new plants from our seasoned and green garden club friends. Please bring your labeled plants to include: Your Name (so we know who it came from), Plant’s Name, Plant’s Colors, Plant’s requirements of Sun, Part-Sun, Part Shade, Shade, Plant’s details if Deer Resistant, Heat Tolerant, Perennial, Spring to Frost, etc.
Anne Nelson has once again generously offered her home to host this general meeting and plant exchange.
Horticulture: Plants To Remember You By Bring plants from you garden to exchange with club members. They will be happy reminders of our friendships.
June 18
End of Year Meeting
Barbara Tozzi has generously offered to host our June general meeting in her beautiful garden and around the pool.
Horticulture: June Wedding Make a wedding bouquet.
Vienna Presbyterian Church, 124 Park St NE, Vienna, Virginia 22180, United States
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