Busy month for Garden Club

By PUBLICITY OFFICER

Narrabri Garden Club’s monthly meeting was held at the Scout Hall in Wukawa Street on Wednesday, May 10.

As usual Lyn Tuckey and her team provided a delicious morning tea.

Our vice president Wendy McNair, who is head steward of the horticultural section at the Narrabri Show spoke about the recent show, saying that everyone was delighted with the new pavilion, and especially the rose display.

The roses held up beautifully all through the weekend with a record number of entries and she thanked everyone who entered, and those who helped out over the weekend.

Wendy has a passion for Chrysanthemums and had a selection on hand to show us the different varieties.

Disbudding of decorative chrysanthemums, which involves taking off all the side buds as they appear over a number of weeks during the growth period will leave you with a single, larger, very healthy large bloom to exhibit.

She also gave us many tips for successfully showing cut flowers at competitions, such as using clear jars with no advertising signage, with no foliage below the water line.

Suitable jars are always available at the show for your use.

The judge, in many cases, needs to see the number of cuts, which is only possible with a clear vase.

Entries not meeting these criteria can be disqualified from judging, which is very disappointing for the entrant.

Wendy encouraged helpers to come forward to assist at the show during the busy periods prior to judging.

It is very rewarding when we can stand back and see (and smell) the beautiful display, and hear the positive comments from the public.

Garden Club vice president Wendy McNair gave a report on the horticulltural pavilion at the recent Narrabri Show.

The flower competition this month was won by Joan Burrell with a beautiful Hibiscus, and runner-up was Sue Waugh with a Bearded Iris.

A working bee was organised to plant up our plot at the recently established Narrabri community wellness garden.

Members arrived with tools at the ready, and planted an olive tree and a selection of aromatic plants, herbs, strawberries, vegetables and companion plants, creating a productive and sensory garden that can be enjoyed by all members of the community.

The club’s next project is organising an open garden day on the October long weekend.

Great spring weather and beautiful local gardens will make a very enjoyable day out, somewhere to take your visitors.

If you think you would like to show your garden, we would be happy to hear from you.

We stress that this will be open gardens only, not a competition.

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, June 14.

This month we are very pleased to be invited to KHH Nursery T House, where Kim will provide us with a delicious Devonshire morning tea, at a cost of $15, and we will tour the garden and nursery (see classified advertisement to RSVP for catering purposes).

As always, visitors are most welcome.

Don’t forget to bring your flower for our bloom competition.