Friday, June 28, 2013

MGC in the Mandarin Newsline

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The Mandarin Garden Club is featured in the Mandarin Newsline's July 2013 issue!  If you're not a Mandarin resident or do not get the Mandarin Newsline in your mailbox, check out the digital edition here.

Picture source:  Mandarin Newsline July 2013 issue

Monday, June 24, 2013

Live Oak Circle - Summer Garden Pictures

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While the Mandarin Garden Club is on summer hiatus to keep everyone in the gardening spirit, some of the Live Oak circle members are submitting their garden pictures and/or gardens that inspires them to Gretchen M.  All Circles are welcome to send their pictures to Gretchen via e-mail.  Pictures will be posted on the blog throughout the summer.

This post was provided by Susan W.
Hi Gretchen, 

Here are some pictures from my yard to share with the Live Oak Circle.  Good Gardening, Susan.

1.  Caladiums & ferns grow great under the shade of my giant live oak tree.  For years & years I included impatiens with the caladiums & ferns, but now they won’t grow because of the impatiens downy mildew epidemic.  I keep the invasive fern in control because it is planted in an old rusted out fire pit.  I’ts elevated just enough to keep the fern from spreading.

2.  Hydrangea, swamp hibiscus & white shrimp plant all growing under the live oak tree.  All of these were given to me by garden club members or I got them at our plant swaps.

3.  Mary C. from the Cherokee Rose Circle gave me a small rooted cutting of this outstanding red salvia a couple years ago.  It is about 5 feet tall now & never falls over.  It blooms from spring until we get freezing temperatures.  That area is also planted with black & blue salvia & pineapple sage, but the big red salvia towers over the other sage/salvias.  I have it planted so that I can see it from my kitchen sink window.  It makes doing the dishes much more pleasant when I often get to watch hummingbirds & butterflies on that big red salvia.


Good Gardening,
Susan

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Live Oak Circle - Summer Garden Pictures

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While the Mandarin Garden Club is on summer hiatus to keep everyone in the gardening spirit, some of the Live Oak circle members are submitting their garden pictures and/or gardens that inspires them to Gretchen M.  All Circles are welcome to send their pictures to Gretchen via e-mail.  Pictures will be posted on the blog throughout the summer.

This post was provided by Susan W.
Hi Gretchen,

Love the idea of sharing our garden pictures with our Live Oak Circle friends.  These pictures were taken in the Potager Garden at the Garden Club.  Becky B. & I tend this charming kitchen garden that provides vegetables, fruits, herbs & cutting flowers all together from one small space. Becky & I are standing behind the outstanding Alachua Red Rose, a.k.a Red Cascade.  Babies from this rose are usually available at the MGC Spring Plant Sale & Garden Festival.  I look forward to seeing pictures from other Live Oak members’ gardens.

Good Gardening, 

Susan W.
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Friday, June 7, 2013

Organic Vegetable Gardening

PictureLearn to grow delicious, nutrient-rich organic herbs and vegetables in your own backyard. Discover how to build, layer and create healthy soil without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Step-by-step techniques for planting and harvesting take the guesswork from getting the most from your garden. Month-by-month planning calendars keep your vegetables producing year round. Whether you are new to gardening or a seasoned gardener, expand your horticultural knowledge in organic fertilization and pest management and pick up the tricks and tips for creating a robust garden that thrives rather than just survives.

Call (904) 620-4200 or e-mail unfce@unf.edu for more info on this course.

Date:  Thursdays, June 27 through July 18, three sessions

Time:  6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Location:  Adam W. Herbert University Center

Cost:  $79
Event information provided by Gretchen.  Photo source:  organic.about.com

Live Oak Circle - Summer Garden Pictures

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While the Mandarin Garden Club is on summer hiatus to keep everyone in the gardening spirit, some of the Live Oak circle members are submitting their garden pictures and/or gardens that inspires them to Gretchen M.  All Circles are welcome to send their pictures to Gretchen via e-mail.  Pictures will be posted on the blog throughout the summer.

This post was provided by Lisa D.
From Lisa D.

My backyard is quite small and very shaded by large trees.  Through the years we learned, the expensive way, that we could not grow grass there, soooo after making our own concrete stepping stones with a mold, I planted miniature mondo grass to replace sod.  It has taken beautifully.  The orchid my husband gave me years ago for an anniversary has only bloomed  a few flowers a few times.  This year I was so excited to get 6 pairs of blooms!  Love my little frog pics.  They lived in the drip pan for months.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Live Oak Circle - Summer Garden Pictures

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While the Mandarin Garden Club is on summer hiatus to keep everyone in the gardening spirit, some of the Live Oak circle members are submitting their garden pictures and/or gardens that inspires them to Gretchen M.  All Circles are welcome to send their pictures to Gretchen via e-mail.  Pictures will be posted on the blog throughout the summer.

This post was provided by Gretchen M.
From Gretchen M.

I've attached a couple of pictures from one of the flower gardens in my front yard.  Gaurda (Whirling Butterflies) is the focus of two of the shots (top).  The garden itself is a mixture of a lot of plants including pentas, bulbine, salvias, and daylilies.