Live Oak Circle - Summer Garden Pictures

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.

Live Oak Circle - Summer Garden Pictures

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. 

Live Oak Circle - Hypertufa Demo

For the last meeting of the 2012-2013 season, Live Oak members got the chance to make hypertufa containers courtesy of new Live Oak member, Stephanie S. (pictured).  

Hypertufa is an anthropic rock made from various aggregates bonded together by Portland cement.  Originally invented for use in alpine gardens, hypertufas can withstand harsh winters as low as −30 °C (−22 °F).  Hypertufas are popular as garden ornaments (pots/planters or various shapes) and are lightweight compared to terracotta or traditional concrete planters.

Live Oak members used small- to medium-sized plastic containers and lined with plastic drop cloths to create their hypertufa.  Hypertufa can be shaped and molded into anything.  Judy, Circle Co-Chair, brought her hypertufa mushroom (pictured) as an example.  Everyone had a great time!  The recipe is listed below if you want to make your own hypertufa.

Interested in participating in events like this?  Come join the Mandarin Garden Club!  For more information, check out our Membership page.

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Hypertufa Recipe

Materials: 7 parts Peat Moss 5 parts Portland Cement 4 parts Vermiculite 3 parts Perlite 6 parts Water

Equipment: Dust mask Rubber gloves Mixing tub Measuring cups Molds Inexpensive plastic drop cloth

Technique:
Measure, then mix dry ingredients thoroughly.  Make sure to wear a dust mask  and wear gloves during this part of process.  Add water and mix thoroughly again.  Consistency should be something like brownie mix.  Cake mix consistency is too runny; bread dough too stiff.

After mixing, do not add large amounts of water.  It may inhibit the cement from setting.

Line your mold with the plastic drop cloth.  After molding the hypertufa, leave it molded for 24 hours (longer in cold/cloudy weather or for large molds).  Gently work to remove the hypertufa from the mold.

After removing from the mold, your piece will be soft.  Don't handle it a lot, rather place it a quiet spot and you will see it start to harden and cure.  It is not completely cured for 90 days but you may plant in it after a week or so.  You will need to drill a drain hole with a masonry bit before or after drying.

Note:  After molding your hypertufa, you may "drill" a hole using a pencil while it is still soft and has not harden or set.

Club Rentals

Mandarin Garden Club - Located at 2892 Loretto Road

The Rental Coordinator for the Club is Suzanne. Please contact Suzanne at 904-268-1192 for Club availability and additional information.

The Club is the perfect location for your next event whether it's a wedding, party or a neighborhood meeting. A charming historic exterior and updated and well maintained interior; the kitchen features 2 full size electric ranges with 2 large ovens, and an empty refrigerator all for your use. The main hall has concrete floors, perfect for dancing. The hall is about 2300 square feet and will accommodate 150 people. There are 25 six (6) foot rectangular tables and 110 folding chairs included with the rental.

Many outdoor weddings have been held in our beautiful gardens. Come check us out. Our gardens are maintained by some of the Master Gardeners of Duval County.

The Mandarin Garden Club provides a wonderful setting for weddings and other special occasions, celebrations and meetings. Rentals are available for either the day (8:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. the next day), or for the entire weekend (Friday 8:30 a.m. till close-out on Monday 8:30 a.m.) Costs vary depending on the day of the week. Seasonal/holiday rates may apply.

We take great pride in this historic building and gardens. It is a unique setting for any event, and we expect our renters to honor our property with great care during their use.

For more information, please go to Rental.

Trash to Treasure Sale on October 5, 2013

Trash to Treasure (source:  www.jacksonville.com)

We would love to have you at our Annual Trash to Treasure Sale scheduled for Saturday, October 5, 2013. Join us for FREE coffee and purchase some of our homemade goodies made by our members. The sale is from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

"Someone Else's Trash Can Be Your Treasure"

Clothing Sale on March 1, 2014

Clothing Sale (Source:  www.jacksonville.com)

We hope you plan to join us at this $1.00 CLOTHING SALE on Saturday, March 1, 2014. Update your work clothes or casual wear for a GREAT price. Also, visit our Boutique for special low-priced designer style clothing. Our event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

If you would like to purge your closets, we accept DONATIONS of gently used clothing, purses & briefcases, hats, scarves & shoes for women, children & men. Drop off you donations February 24, 2014 through February 28, 2014. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.; Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Friday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Donations are not accepted on the day of the sale.

Come and shop at our $1.00 CLOTHING SALE on Saturday, March 1, 2014. There's something for everyone: casual, dressy, formal, business suits, workout clothing, plus sizes & much more. We also feature a Boutique with bottom-barrel prices. The entire clubhouse will be completely filled with a wide selection of super great bargains, some still with tags. Share this sale information with a friend or neighbor. Everyone loves a great bargain!

Annual Plant Sale on Saturday, April 27, 2013

Come find your favorite plant or something new for your garden. Master Gardeners available for all your gardening questions. Join us from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We will have lots of garden related items available, as well. FREE coffee to go with your purchase from lots of handmade goodies made by our talented members. Join us on Saturday, April 27, 2013.