Garden Club learns About Camellias
What a glorious sunny day it was when the Hammond Garden Club held their meeting this month at the Oak Knoll Country Club. And the weather being what it was must have been an indication of the wonderful speaker Mr. John Grimm would be we were having that day. He came to us from his “Camellia Heaven” farm in Bush, LA and resides in our lovely city of Hammond.
Mr. Grimm, or Jack as many call him, came with a wonderful Power Point video all about his cherished camellias and expounded on the 5000 bushes that grace the grounds of his farm. To listen to him speak about the huge amount and different varieties of camellias he has you would think he was talking about children because you can just hear the love he has for them in his voice.
Being the Master Gardener that he is, we learned the proper way and place to plant them, how to water, fertilize and care for them. The dos and don’ts of grafting, how to lay a branch down and let it root from an established bush.
He brought some samples of blooms from a very few of the wonderful bushes on the farm in colors from white to pink to scarlet and all of the shades in between. There are singles and doubles, some so full of petals that they look like peonies!
When we were full of his prized treasure of information and wanted to go right out to the nearest nursery and get at least three or four bushes ourselves, he took questions from the members and we loudly applauded his very informative talk.
President Sue Parrill then asked Chaplain Mary Thornhill to lead us in prayer before lunch and we remained standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Mary Monteleone’s staff at OKCC began bringing out the lunches that we had previously each ordered and placed them on our long white tableclothed tables upon which were arrangements of beautiful white magnolias. We are always so pleased with the great meals and beauty at OKCC.
After lunch Sue asked for the usual reports from Secretary Karen Granier, Treasurer Phyllis diBenedetto and there were none from Link Award or Garden of the Month.
Sue then called on Glenda Nelson who reported that Keep Hammond Beautiful in conjunction with sponsors for “The Great American Cleanup-Love The Boot”, are the Tangipahoa Chamber of Commerce, the City of Hammond, the State of LA and the Council of District #1 will be meeting at the Chamber of Commerce at 400 N.W. Railroad Avenue on April 23 from 8 to 10 AM for cleanup of the area. As always gloves, pickup up sticks and bags will be provided. She also said there is a cleanup this Saturday 3/19 SLU Fire Station #3 from 10 AM to 12 Noon. AND…..there will be a Hazardous Waste Pickup at Zemurray Park on May 7. With all these cleanups and pickups we should have the cleanest city ever!!!
Brenda Daussat, Chairperson for the Scholarship Committee has said that the forms have been given to the professors at SLU and asked if anyone of the HGC members knew of a student that would qualify for the scholarship to please give her the information so it can be presented to the professors and the committee members.
Sue then called on Pat Graves to report on the Northshore Arts In Bloom that will take place April 1 & 2. Pat said that everything was going great and they need some HGC members to sign up to work on those days. Many signed in on the lists provided.
Lastly we were reminded of our Road Trip to Biloxi/Ocean Springs for lunch and to a nursery. If you are going meet at Dillard’s for 9:30 AM and let the phone committee know when you are called if you will be attending.
This has been a busy monthly meeting and so I will close with the Hammond Garden Club is a proud member of District VI, Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc. and the Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. doing our best to unify and beautify our homes, gardens, our city and our nation every day to the best of our ability. God bless the city of Hammond and God bless America.
by Linda Broussard
She is a member of the Hammond Garden Club
Mr. Grimm, or Jack as many call him, came with a wonderful Power Point video all about his cherished camellias and expounded on the 5000 bushes that grace the grounds of his farm. To listen to him speak about the huge amount and different varieties of camellias he has you would think he was talking about children because you can just hear the love he has for them in his voice.
Being the Master Gardener that he is, we learned the proper way and place to plant them, how to water, fertilize and care for them. The dos and don’ts of grafting, how to lay a branch down and let it root from an established bush.
He brought some samples of blooms from a very few of the wonderful bushes on the farm in colors from white to pink to scarlet and all of the shades in between. There are singles and doubles, some so full of petals that they look like peonies!
When we were full of his prized treasure of information and wanted to go right out to the nearest nursery and get at least three or four bushes ourselves, he took questions from the members and we loudly applauded his very informative talk.
President Sue Parrill then asked Chaplain Mary Thornhill to lead us in prayer before lunch and we remained standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Mary Monteleone’s staff at OKCC began bringing out the lunches that we had previously each ordered and placed them on our long white tableclothed tables upon which were arrangements of beautiful white magnolias. We are always so pleased with the great meals and beauty at OKCC.
After lunch Sue asked for the usual reports from Secretary Karen Granier, Treasurer Phyllis diBenedetto and there were none from Link Award or Garden of the Month.
Sue then called on Glenda Nelson who reported that Keep Hammond Beautiful in conjunction with sponsors for “The Great American Cleanup-Love The Boot”, are the Tangipahoa Chamber of Commerce, the City of Hammond, the State of LA and the Council of District #1 will be meeting at the Chamber of Commerce at 400 N.W. Railroad Avenue on April 23 from 8 to 10 AM for cleanup of the area. As always gloves, pickup up sticks and bags will be provided. She also said there is a cleanup this Saturday 3/19 SLU Fire Station #3 from 10 AM to 12 Noon. AND…..there will be a Hazardous Waste Pickup at Zemurray Park on May 7. With all these cleanups and pickups we should have the cleanest city ever!!!
Brenda Daussat, Chairperson for the Scholarship Committee has said that the forms have been given to the professors at SLU and asked if anyone of the HGC members knew of a student that would qualify for the scholarship to please give her the information so it can be presented to the professors and the committee members.
Sue then called on Pat Graves to report on the Northshore Arts In Bloom that will take place April 1 & 2. Pat said that everything was going great and they need some HGC members to sign up to work on those days. Many signed in on the lists provided.
Lastly we were reminded of our Road Trip to Biloxi/Ocean Springs for lunch and to a nursery. If you are going meet at Dillard’s for 9:30 AM and let the phone committee know when you are called if you will be attending.
This has been a busy monthly meeting and so I will close with the Hammond Garden Club is a proud member of District VI, Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc. and the Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. doing our best to unify and beautify our homes, gardens, our city and our nation every day to the best of our ability. God bless the city of Hammond and God bless America.
by Linda Broussard
She is a member of the Hammond Garden Club