A Second Chance -- Coyote Garden Tour 2014

Yesterday, July 26, was a glorious day for the Willow Garden Tour.  If you missed it this year,  plan to work it into your schedule for next summer. There are GREAT gardens in Willow, well worth your time and effort to view if you have an appreciation for beauty. It's a great way to get ideas for your landscaping, too, and a nice family outing for all ages.

The opportunity continues today,  July 27, with Les Brake's  Coyote Garden open from 12:00 noon until 5:00. Coyote Garden and Les Brake have been featured nationally in gardening books, magazines and even on HGTV segments! A suggested donation of $7 helps support various gardening projects in the state, including the Georgeson Botanical Garden in Fairbanks and the Willow Garden Club.

Directions:  At Mile 71 of Parks Highway, turn on Willow-Fishhook Rd and drive 7.5 miles. A great Sunday afternoon drive to see a garden showcased year after year because it is so unique and outstanding!

Happy gardening during the remainder of the summer!

Garden Tour Time!

 This is the weekend -- coming up!  

Wllow Garden Club Tour on Saturday, July 26  (10:00-4:00)

22nd Annal Coyote Garden Tour (Les Brake) on Saturday (10:00-5:00) and Sunday (12:00-5:00)

Yes, the big weekend of garden tours is coming up. Club members have had reminders, WACO list members have been notified, and this is a quick posting for others!

Enjoy the experience of viewing some BEAUTIFUL gardens in Willow. Mother Nature has provided a great summer for growing and the gardeners have been working hard to showcase their gardens.  The tour is free.  Maps are available Saturday morning at 9:45 at the Willow Community Center, where some plants will also be available for purchase. Remember to bring your lunch on Saturday! The lunch break at Nancy Lake is planned for 1:00- 2:00, after which the tour resumes.  More details are provided in the handout that you'll receive Saturday morning.  Hope to see you on the tours!

Learn, enjoy, and share your joy of gardening!

Willow Garden Club and Coyote Gardens Tours

The weather forecast for the upcoming weekend is looking good, which is welcome news for those planning to attend the Willow Garden Club Solstice Tea on Saturday, June 21.  Scroll down to view details in the May 22 blog entry.

Yes, the WGC and Coyote Garden Tours are coming up in July.  All the important information is provided here:

Be inspired by what other gardeners are doing in Willow!  You and your gardens will benefit!

  

Clean Up Of Library Gardens

Back row: Brenda and Kathy; Front row: Jean, Cindy, and Vivian

These Willow Garden Club ladies left their own gardens to clean up and prepare the gardens outside the Willow Library. Another work session is scheduled for Saturday, June 1, at 10:00, so if you see a way to come help for a couple hours or less, that would be wonderful.  Please bring your gloves and your community service spirit.  The more hands at work, the sooner the garden will be planted and ready for a wonderful growing season!  Look at those beautiful smiles.  It must be fun!

Questions or comments?  Please send them to willowgardenclub@hotmail.com

THANKS for considering this request for volunteers.  You'll probably learn some good gardening tips in the process, and your help will be greatly appreciated by the Willow community members who enjoy the beauty of these gardens when entering and leaving our Community Center.

Solstice Tea ... Mark Your Calendar ... June 21

YOU are cordially invited to the Willow Garden Club Annual Solstice Tea.  Date:  June 21, 2014. 
Dagmar Hess is hosting the Tea this year.  It will be lots of fun for all!   RSVP is required for this event.  

Mark your calendar and RSVP to reserve your place at the Solstice Tea! 

Self-Watering Bucket Workshop - Report

On a beautiful day in a lakeside setting, Jen Schrage provided fine instructions and a demo to guide us through the process of making self-watering buckets for plants.  After about an hour of drilling holes, cutting holes, putting together parts and pieces, we each had a special, modified, five-gallon bucket to take home.  Good activity -- good conversation -- and a good time thanks to Jen, Frank, and whoever else helped set up and deliver the workshop!

Nancy and Joan drilling holes in their buckets

Following the workshop, a short business meeting was held to address some upcoming events.  Willow Garden Club members receive detailed minutes, via e-mail, of meetings and handouts from presenters, when permission is granted.

Here's what we're looking forward to soon:

•  Solstice Tea  on June 21 at Florence Lake. To help cover expenses for this lovely event,  members will pay $5 and non-members and guests $8.  
•   Willow Garden Tour on July 26.  Folks come from afar to visit showcased gardens in the morning (10:00-11:30) and afternoon (1:00-4:00). From 11:30 - 1:00 gardens will be closed and the group will gather at Nancy Lake to enjoy conversation and whatever lunch they've packed for the day's outing. Maps will be provided at 10:00 at the Community Center. Some plants will be available for purchase.  The Garden Tour is free to all.
•  General Membership Meeting in August.  Date yet to be confirmed for a planning session.  Will be posted here later.
•  Stepping Stone Workshop on August 21  More details will be provided closer to the date.

These events are open to all who are interested.  Membership in the Willow Garden Club is only $10 a year and we welcome new members at any time. The programs provided by the Club are interesting, educational, and helpful in beautifying our community.  Join us!  Please feel free to send any questions you may have to:  willowgardenclub@hotmail.com

The Bucket Ladies  -- 16 in all -- having a good time!

Our photographer and Jen's assistant -- Frank!

Library Garden Clean-Up May 10

 Volunteers are needed for Willow Library clean-up on Saturday.

Reminder to all:

We'll be meeting at 10 AM on Saturday, May 10, for what looks like a down and dirty clean-up of our much-improved Library Garden. I'll be bringing gloves, clippers and loppers. We have quite a few tools in the gardening shed. Leaf rakes and trowels are always handy. Bring yourself + bug dope? We usually work for 2 hours, with amazing results.

We have purchase orders for whatever plants and bushes you'd like to plant in your chosen bed.  See you there.

Vivian Munsen

Reminder: May 15 Workshop

Don't forget to register for the May 15 workshop on making self-watering buckets!  All supplies are included and the details are available on the workshop flyer sent earlier to all WGC members, as well as on those posted around town -- post office, community center, Newmans, school, and elsewhere. If you'd like a flyer sent to you, please leave your email address in the comment field and we'll send one to that account.

Willow weather has been GREAT!  Hope you're enjoying it and not working TOO hard on your gardening quite yet, although I'm sure those of you with greenhouses have been at it awhile.

How does your garden grow?  Would some self-watering buckets be of help?

2014 Schedule of Events

Mark your calendars:  Details about these events are emailed to Willow Garden Club members. To become a member, mail $10 to Kathy Mailer, PO Box 947, Willow, AK 99688.  

March 20  
"Backyard Planting for Beauty and Wildlife: No Moose Need Attend"

April 24
"Secrets to Nutrient-Dense Vegetable Production...Organic Growing Strategies"

May 15                   
Workshop: “Making Self-Watering Plant Buckets for Tasty, Tantalizing Tomatoes” (RSVP)

June 21
Willow Garden Club Solstice Tea 

July 26
Annual WGC Garden Tour/Coyote Garden Tour

August 21
Workshop: “Stepping (stone) Stylishly Into Your Garden” (RSVP) 

September 18
Harvest Dinner and Program –“An Apple a Day...Garlic Is Better! How To Grow It.”

October 16
Presentation “Seasonal Color in the Garden”

November 
No meeting.  Happy Thanksgiving!

December 18

Workshop: “Holiday Florals and Greens” (RSVP)

Happy gardening -- and we hope to see you at WGC upcoming events!

Contact:  Willow Garden Club Communications