THE TACOMA GARDEN CLUB NEWSLETTER, VOLUME 27, ISSUE 8, MAY 2023

General Meeting May 17^th, 2023

Garden Tour at Pt. Defiance Zoo

and Business Meeting via Zoom

9:54 am: Meet at main entrance to Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium

Tour will begin promptly at 10 am!

10 am – 11 am: “The Garden at the Zoo” Tour

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: Zoom Business Meeting – After the tour we ask that you please join the business meeting from your computer, tablet, or phone. We chose to have the business meeting via Zoom as there was not a convenient place to meet at the zoo after the tour. We have important business to present and discuss regarding the TGC bylaws. This information must be presented to the membership in May so we can vote on the changes at our June meeting. We hope whether you attend the tour or not you will log into the Zoom business meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82721021936?pwd=TFRKYjNsdWNzbzZkWEgzSktoNTl5dz09

Meeting ID: 827 2102 1936

Passcode: 174642

Tour Guide: Byron Jones

Horticulturist, Arborist, and Landscape Designer, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium

Bryon Jones has a passion for how plants interconnect with people, animals, and most everything in life. In travels both near and far, Byron seeks to understand the details of what makes specific plants work in their natural habitat and then translate that into growing them successfully in our personal gardens. His never-ending sense of curiosity, coupled with a desire to share information and help others, became a perfect fit for a career in zoological horticulture. Bryan is currently the Horticulturist and Arborist for the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. He has a Masters’s Degree in Environmental Horticulture from the University of Washington and is an ISA certified arborist. His landscape designs have been featured on television, in publications, and many websites. In his spare time, Bryon enjoys time with family and broadening his understanding of whatever group of plants has currently mesmerized him – for now they are cacti and succulents.



Presidents Message May 2023

Tr la it’s May, the lusty month of May

Tr la it’s here, that thrilling time of year

When tons of thoughts of flower shows merrily appear.

It’s mad. It’s fun, a magnificent display.

Driven-by-Design flower show arrives the month of May.

Dear TGC Members,

After a year and a half of planning, the Driven by Design Flower Show is just a few days away. There is still much to do:

• Volunteers are still needed to help at the show. If you have not already been in contact with Susan Doten (253-278-6426) or Kim Smart (253-228-7542), please do so now. There are many opportunities to help with set-up, cleanup, information tables, driving out of town judges, etc. 

• Bring cut specimens from your garden on May 11^th between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm to the show. Read the Show Horticulture Section A. Cut Specimens pages for details, by just clicking the link below.  These are the easiest entries for the show. Just go to your garden and see what is blooming, clip and drop them off at the museum the morning of the show. No pre-registration required. You will need to know the name of your plants. The show will provide display vases.

• Spread the word about the show to your family, friends, and neighbors. This flower show is a gift to our community, and we want to make sure everyone has a chance to enjoy it. 

It’s going to be a magnificent flower show and one we can all be proud of. I am so thankful for all the work the Flower Show Team has put in thus far. Also, thanks to all of you who entered classes and many others who have helped. I look forward to celebrating our success at the Route 66 Party on May 13^th. 

Finally, I do want to encourage you to attend the May General Business Meeting via Zoom whether or not you participate in the morning tour. The information and Zoom links are above. 

Debbie Crawford put together a great team; Karen Seinfeld, Christine Anderson, Neel Parikh and Carla Pelster to review and make recommendations for changes to the TGC By-laws. They have been working very hard over the past year and have had several discussions with the board. The Bylaws are important because they help define who we are as an organization and govern what we can and cannot do. We must present these proposed changes to the membership in May so they can be voted on at our last meeting of the year in June. So please do log into the Zoom General Meeting.

Happy Spring ~Karen

Order your TGC Apron now!

All Volunteers and Members need to wear the aprons when working at the Driven by Design Flower Show.

Delivery will be at the end of the month.

Click here to order

Articles in this Newsletter

Please look for TGC Communications or on the website

to update locations and times for all events

UPCOMING EVENTS

Annual Membership Dues

By Natalie Findlay and Camille Paulsen

DUES are DUE!

TGC Members your dues for 2023-2024 are to be paid by

May 1^st. Many thanks to those who promptly went online or sent their checks to pay their dues for the coming year. If you have not already done so your Treasurers would be most grateful if you would pay your dues ASAP. It would be great to have all dues collected by our May 1^st deadline. 

Dues are $175 for active and sustaining members. Active members should remember to include In Lieu of Service for the days missed working at the Northwest Native Plant Garden at a rate of $25 per time missed (active members have the responsibility to work in the garden 3 X per year). 

Your check can be made out to TGC and mailed to: TGC, PO Box 64235, University Place, WA 98466

OR

Go to the TGC website and click on dues to pay by credit card.  An option to pay In Lieu of Service is also included. (A service fee of $7 is added to your dues to pay the credit card fees.)

Questions: Call Natalie Findlay 253-678-9767 or email her at [email protected]

Click here to pay your dues

OR

Mail a check to PO Box 64235, University Place, WA 98464-0235

INTEREST GROUPS

Conservation

By Patricia Fetterly and Carla Pelster

A flood control plan proposed by the Lakewood Public Works Department to address future flooding issues along Clover Creek in the Springwood Park area near McChord Field has raised controversy among citizens who wish the City to utilize the Creek’s natural floodplain as a flood control measure. The City proposes to construct an extensive levy system to channel any flood waters from Clover Creek into a narrow, leveed channel. This would allow more development in the Springwood area which is presently zoned for industrial use.   

According to FEMA mapping, the Springwood area is located within a 100-year flood plain. Because of this, future flooding issues will need to be addressed before further industrial development, specifically more warehouse development, can take place. Further warehouse development would involve more disturbances of the natural landscape and result in removal of more trees and vegetation in addition to channeling the natural flow of Clover Creek.  It would also disrupt low-income housing in the area.

A group of Lakewood residents has formed to oppose the City’s plan. According to the opponents, Springwood should not have been re-zoned for industrial use due to its location in the floodplain.  Adding a new system of levees will be costly, will destroy the natural floodplain areas and is not a good long-term plan. Instead, use of levees should be minimized as they are obtrusive, costly and can fail. 

The citizens’ group proposes a study to determine the cost of purchasing and removing buildings that are close to Clover Creek so that this area can be restored to a natural floodplain. This would allow the slow absorption of any floodwaters which would then be filtered and returned to the ground water to replenish the Creek which has seen low water levels for the past several years. The restored floodplain could become a regional park and be added to Springwood Park. 

National Affairs and Legislation

Patricia Fetterly and Penny Douglas

Hundreds of GCA club members took part in the 40^th National Affairs and Legislative Conference in Washington DC on March 12-15. Participants included many who tuned in for the live-streamed Education Day where we were educated and inspired to become better advocates. The collective voice of GCA was heard all through the halls of Congress advocating for a beautiful and healthy planet.

Pat and Penny, joined by Seattle members Cindy Bostwick and Iris Wagner, shared GCA legislative priorities with staff for Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. In addition, Pat and Penny met virtually with environmental staff members for Representative Kim Schrier. This years’ priorities were carefully chosen surrounding the need to protect habitat as a defense against climate change. This includes protection of native plants consistent with GCA’s goal of recognizing the critical role that native plants play in supporting a healthy environment and protecting wildlife habitat.

The GCA legislative priorities for 2023 include:

AGRICULTURE AND HEALTHY SOIL. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed in late 2022 set aside funds in future agriculture bills to support conservation. This includes funds to provide technical assistance to encourage farmers to adopt practices that improve soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat. The challenge in the 2023-2024 session is to guard against any siphoning off of funding from the Farm Bill for non-conservation priorities and ensure that IRA funds are protected for conservation and climate goals.

RECOVERING AMERICA’S WILDLIFE ACT (RAWA). RAWA provides $1.3 billion annually for 10 years to support wildlife conservation strategies. It prioritizes innovative recovery efforts for endangered and threatened species by protecting and expanding habitat, including protection for native plants. RAWA passed the House and through Senate committees in the last session but failed to make presentation on the Senate floor for a vote. RAWA will be reintroduced in the current session. Its passage is again a crucial legislative priority of GCA as it is projected that one third of all plant and animal life on earth is facing extinction due to climate change and loss of habitat.

BREAK FREE PLASTICS ACT. Supports the reduction of plastic waste by making producers of plastic products fiscally responsible for collecting, managing and recycling these products after consumer use. Due to industry pressures, it appears unlikely that the Break Free of Plastics Act will receive necessary bipartisan support this session. GCA priorities concerning the reduction of plastics focused this year in large part on the danger to health posed by exposure to high levels of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs). These chemicals are present in everyday products including non-stick cookware, firefighting foam, weather-resistant clothing, and stain-resistant carpeting and present a danger to health. At the close of the conference delegates were informed that the Biden administration has proposed new regulations that will set strict limits on the levels PFAs allowed in drinking water.

OCEANS. A series of bills including the Blue Globe Act, Blue Carbon for Our Planet Act, Reinvesting in Shoreline Act aim to protect coastal blue carbon ecosystems, tidal marshes and other tidal, freshwater or saltwater wetlands which sequester and store carbon. Delegates were fortunate to hear an address from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) who is one of the co-sponsors of RISEE.

SAVE OUR SEQUOIAS ACT. In large part due to the extreme wildfires of the last several summers the future of the ancient sequoias is in jeopardy. The California giant sequoias are presently the oldest living things on earth and are the hardest working natural sequesters of carbon in the plant world. However, their future is in jeopardy due to global warming which has produced hotter weather and longer fire seasons. This legislation has bi-partisan support from the California delegation and provides funds to protect and regenerate California’s sequoia groves.



NATIVE PLANTS. GCA has long recognized that native plants are critical to successful ecosystems. GCA has launched a nationwide initiative to promote native plants by formally establishing a Native Plant Month in all fifty states. In support of these principles GCA supports renewal of Senate Resolution 570 to make April 2023 National Native Plant Month for the third year in a row and to establish a native plant month at the federal level.

As so many of our speakers noted, advocacy has never been more important. Climate change is here; biodiversity is crashing, with scientists now projecting that unless habitat loss is addressed and reversed one third of all animal and plant species face extinction in this century. Many of our speakers pointed to GCA’s one-hundred-year history of speaking up for the environment. This history continues and has never been more important. 



Horticulture

By Amy Brown

Weeds, Weeds, Weeds

After spending the last couple days hand weeding our Fountain Gardens, it struck me that the usual cast of characters has shown up to play, and that you all might like to know what to look out for. These are annual plants that disperse large amounts of seed and are fairly easy to eradicate above ground growth with a little bit of effort. Easy to pull, it's best to get them before they set seed, and start another several generations of weed work in your gardens.

Disclaimer: I'm well aware that some of these so-called weeds are beneficial or medicinal in some way, shape or form to different groups of people. The way that we use the word 'weed' is to indicate a plant that is in the wrong spot. No matter how valuable a plant is, if it's in a bad spot, it's not good for that environment.

Photos taken at Laughing Goat Botanical Gardens by Amy Brown

Cardamine hirsuta, also known as hairy bittercress. An annual or biennial plant in the Brassicaceae family.

A lot of people call this one Shot Weed, for its ability to fling, sort of violently, its seed heads as soon as you barely touch it. You obviously want to get to weeding these before that happens, or you'll find yourself doing it again. And again. And again.

This one is also considered an edible salad green, but I find them to be so small, you'd be forever picking them just to make a salad. Plus, most edible greens tend to be so bitter once they start flowering it's not worth eating. You do you. I'm weeding out the Shot Weed.

Geranium molle, or Dove's foot Geranium Crane's bill Geranium. A lot of common names for this one, but very recognizable for rosette growth, with lobed leaves on longer stems. These are small plants, but once gone to seed will quickly take over your garden. Eradicate.

Grip the plant around the center basal rosette from underneath and pull out. If you grab from the stem to lift, you will just pull the stems and the plant will grow more.

Lamium purpureum, also known as red dead-nettle, purple dead-nettle, or purple archangel, is in the mint family. A lot of people like to forage for this as an edible backyard green. Go right ahead. Just make sure you get the roots out

COMMITTEE CHAIR REPORTS

Northwest Native Plant Garden News

By Penny Douglas

April 2023

Please join us in the garden for volunteer workdays on May 8 and 22. After our chilly April, we’re looking forward to better weather and a resplendent May in the garden!

On April 10, a stalwart group braved continuous rain and 45-degree temperatures: Thanks to Carol Murai, Vicky Shanaman, Vicky Czaplewski, Cindy Niemi, Debbie Crawford, Karen Lattuca, Brenda Kodama, Carla Pelster, and K.C. Bacon. Extra thanks to Carol and Cindy, who not only worked but provided snacks! Our soggy workday focused on cutting back roses at one end of the meadow and iris at the entrance.

On April 24, the sun came out unexpectedly, we warmed up and repotted grass seedlings to be placed in the parking strip in the fall, continued cleaning up the iris, and weeded the bed with the garden sign. Thanks to Carol Murai, Carla Pelster, Vicky Shanaman, Vicky Czaplewski, Neel Parikh, K.C. Bacon, and Kristine McLean. Many thanks to Pat Fetterly for the snacks!



Photos by Penny Douglas

Left to right: Kathy Lattuca, Cindy Niemi, Brenda Kodama, and Vicky Czaplewski cutting back roses

Left to right: Carla Pelster, Carol Murai, and Vicky Shanaman

Neel Parikh and Kristin Hemmelgarn with Kathy Lattuca, Sandra Colwell, Vicky Czaplewski, and Carol Murai in the background

K.C. Bacon and Vicky Shanaman on new demonstration garden benches.



Visiting Gardens

By Neel Parihk

Santa Barbara here we come! SAVE THE DATE May 19-22, 2024

We have begun the planning for a 2024 visit to Santa Barbara. The tour will include Lotusland, Casa del Herrero, the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden, The Santa Barbara Mission, a day at a Santa Ynez Valley vineyard and many private gardens. We have reserved a block of rooms at Hotel Milo on the waterfront. So, mark your calendars for May 19-22, 2024. The tour will begin the morning of the 19^th and end the late afternoon of the 22^nd. Significant others are invited. The group will be limited to 20 participants. 

Registration and details will be announced this summer.

Vashon Journey: The Stumpery and Froggsong

On Friday June 23^rd, we will be visiting two gardens on Vashon. We will catch the 10am Ferry and Drive first to Pat and Walt Riehl’s stumpery, the largest in the country. Over 10 years ago the Riehls began the work of transforming 1,200 square feet of scrub alder woods into an enchanted forest. Inspired by Prince Charles’ stumpery at Highgrove, The Riehls’ stumpery pays homage to this wild romanticism by amping up the dense, mossy nature of a rain forest and creating a quintessentially Northwest woodland garden with quite the dramatic twist.

The Riehls bought their Vashon property in 2006. Ridding their woods of nettles and thistles was the first step toward a stumpery. Pat planted Japanese maples on the fringes and big-leafed rhododendrons along the path leading down into the woods. It’s only when you pass through a tunnel lined with tree stumps and enter the shadows of the garden that you get the full impact. Here are hefty stumps waving their roots in the air.

The stumps were rescued from Vashon construction sites and carefully placed to form the contours of the shady garden. Paths wind through, around and between the reclining giants. Woodland plants like epimedium, hosta and a variety of specialty ferns grow between roots and along the edges of the paths.Tree ferns (Dicksonia Antarctica, D. squarrosa and D. fibrosa) are the garden’s pampered glory, growing up to form a lacy understory beneath the taller trees. Pat, who died two years ago, tended and enhanced the garden. Her husband, Walt, will be giving us a tour of the garden.

LUNCH - For those who are willing to stay, we will lunch on the island.

After lunch we will visit Froggsong Gardens. A six-acre estate garden, available as a wedding or party venue, the gardens are a blend of formal and informal design. A roundel garden, parterre garden, stone ruin, rose garden, and a knot garden support a variety of cottage garden perennials. The "Queen's Garden" with arches of repeating hornbeams and a new Sunken Garden are the latest additions. The garden has been featured in Sunset, Fine Gardening, Better Homes and Gardens, and recently a book Private Gardens of the Pacific Northwest by Brian Coleman. The visit will end at approximately 3pm. This garden is close to the ferry landing. 

If you want to join us just for the afternoon for just Froggsong Gardens



Click here to register for Froggsong only

Froggsong Gardens

Pat and Walt Riehl's Stumpery

Froggsong Gardens

Froggsong Gardens

PAST EVENT REPORTS

Elisabeth C. Miller Garden Tour

By Camille Paulsen

On the morning of April 20, sixteen members of the Tacoma Garden Club visited the Elizabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, a 5-acre wonderland in the Highlands, a historic Olmsted-designed neighborhood in North Seattle. The garden is the historical legacy of renowned horticulturalist Elizabeth “Betty” Miller and showcases both native Western North American flora, as well as exotic plants from Asia and around the world.

We were given a delightful tour of the garden by Richie Steffen, the Miller Garden’s long time director and the head of Great Plant Picks, an educational awards program dedicated to selecting outstanding plants for maritime Pacific Northwest gardens. Richie told us the history of the garden and regaled us with stories of the playful plant rivalry between Betty Miller and Eulalie Wagner of Lakewold Gardens, both of whom were actively involved in the Garden Club of America.

Highlights of the garden tour included a display of troughs planted with conifers, succulents and alpine plants, spring ephemerals in the woodland garden, a peek at Puget Sound from the viewing platform and a walk through the plant propagation area. Despite the chilly temperatures, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the tour and came away inspired by the many horticultural treasures throughout the garden. We were grateful that it didn’t rain and that we didn’t get hit in the head by a huge, spiky Pinus sabiniana “ghost pine” cone!

Following the garden tour, we enjoyed a delicious lunch and many pots of chai tea at the Saffron Grill before heading home. Many thanks to the staff and volunteers at the Miller Garden for such a fun, educational and memorable outing.

Early blooming Rhody.

Photo by Amy Brown

Vista from the house garden.

Photo by Amy Brown

Toughs and bowls on the patio.

Photo by Amy Brown

Lynette enjoying the "Ghost" cone.

Photo by Camille Paulsen

Richie Steffen guiding us through the garden.

Photo by Debi Schmid

TGC members on the garden tour. Photo by Debi Schmid

In Memory of Anne Jesse

It is with sadness that we report that Anne Jesse, a member of The Tacoma Garden Club since 2010 and the sister of member Mary Young passed away on April 18^th.  There are fond memories of the holiday tea that was held jointly at their beautiful homes on Gravelly Lake and flower arranging in Anne’s kitchen for a TGC event at the Tacoma Golf and Country Club. Our sympathy is with her sister Mary and all of Anne’s family.

I’m excited to share that 86 scholars were approved at the GCA Scholarship committee meeting last month (March). A total of $402,500 was awarded. Look for the annual report detailing the scholars and their projects in The Bulletin Summer issue. 

Click here to get a copy of the report.

2023 University Place Garden Tour

May 20 and 21

It’s UP Garden Tour time! Mark your calendars for May 20 and 21, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 4pm.

This is the 13^th year of the showcasing of local gardens for your entertainment and enlightenment by the UP Historical Society.

This year’s tour features five gardens and the Curran House, where the Historical Society has made great strides in creating a history museum for the community area. Plan to visit the Curran House and the Orchard as part of your day. Tour tickets are $25 each, but early bird tickets are $20 until May1.

For tickets please open the attached order form or download and print the 2023 Order Form from our website. https://www.uphistoricalsociety.org/garden-tour

Send completed form and check to:

University Place Historical Society

P. O. Box 65887

University Place, W 98464

Tickets are also available at Willow Tree Gardens and Interiors and Mimi’s Tea House in University Place; Chirp & Co. and Gardensphere in the Proctor District of Tacoma; and Rosedale Garden’s in Gig Harbor. 

Gig Harbor Garden Tour

June 24 and 25

Join us for the 2023 Gig Harbor Garden tour on the weekend of June 24 (11 – 4) and June 25 (10 – 30.) Proceeds support improving literacy in the Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula areas.

Tickets may be purchased at local area outlets or online at http://www.gigharborgardentour.com

Want to contribute to the Potting Shed? Send articles and photos to [email protected].

The Tacoma Garden Club www.tacomagardenclub.org

A member of the Garden Club of America

May 2023