Time: 9:30 SOCIAL, 10:30 PROGRAM & MEETING

Topic: Cups of Joy and our Annual Plant Swap

 Location: Lost Corner Preserve, 7300 Brandon Mill Rd NW, Sandy Springs, Ga 30328

More about our meeting:

Each April we love to bring in some of our favorite garden plants to swap with our fellow members. For each plant you bring, you get to take a plant home.

To make the process go smoothly:

• Identify and pot up your plant or plants you want to swap.
• Print the attached plant card or create your own for identification, be sure to state the name of the plant, a brief description, and important care instructions (sun, shade, or part sun/shade). If you have a photo of it in bloom, that would be appreciated too.
• For each plant you enter in the plant swap, you will receive a raffle ticket to win a plant gift (limited to three raffle tickets).
• Please think about plants you want in your own garden, dividing favorite perennials or bringing special plants you have grown from seed. Please no invasive plants.

Please bring a mug/cup, some foliage, snips, and your creativity!

We will provide all of the flowers.

Time: 10:15 AM Hospitality 10:30 AM Meeting

Location: Northside Drive Baptist Church 3100 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA 30305

Speaker: Janet Wells

Topic: “Environment Sandy Springs”

Time: 9:30 SOCIAL, 10:30 PROGRAM & MEETING

Speaker: Jeff DuFresne

Topic: The Past, Present and Future of Fungi

 Location: Lost Corner Preserve, 7300 Brandon Mill Rd NW, Sandy Springs, Ga 30328

More about our speaker:

There are some large mushroom farms in Georgia and many small-scale farmers. An example of the latter is Jeff Dufresne who started growing mushrooms on his property in Milton just two years ago, satisfying a lifelong love of the edible fungi. Jeff grows Shiitake, Oyster and Lion’s Mane varieties, while his wife Josephine enjoys experimenting with mushroom recipes.

Jeff’s 4-acre farm is named “Pax Domus,” or House of Peace. Jeff cultivates mushrooms outdoors on hardwood logs and indoors in plastic bags which provide a more sterile environment and better control of temperature, humidity and light. Jeff, who is president of the Milton Historical Society, is happy to share his knowledge with anyone contemplating growing mushrooms.

Time: 9:30 SOCIAL, 10:30 PROGRAM & MEETING

Speaker: Rob Trawick, Agricultural and Natural Resources Agent

Topic: Proper Pruning in your Backyard Garden

 Location: Lost Corner Preserve, 7300 Brandon Mill Rd NW, Sandy Springs, Ga 30328

Time: 10:00 SOCIAL, 10:30 PROGRAM & MEETING

Topic: Discussion of upcoming events that impact the Dogwood District and Garden Club of Georgia member clubs. All club officers and interested members are invited to attend.

 Location: Lost Corner Preserve, 7300 Brandon Mill Rd NW, Sandy Springs, Ga 30328

Time: 10:15 AM Hospitality 10:30 AM Meeting

Location: Northside Drive Baptist Church 3100 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA 30305

Speaker: Susan Meyers, Monarchs Across Georgia

Topic: “Monarch Butterflies, Threats and Strategies to Help Recovery”

More About our Speaker:

Charles Andrews

Charles Andrews is a native azalea lover who wants to know everything he can about this wonderful group of plants. He is a member of the American Rhododendron Society and the Azalea Society of America, currently serving as president of the Azalea Chapter, ARS. He spends much time looking for and photographing these plants in the wild and has hundreds of native azaleas in his Forsyth County, GA garden. He and his wife, Mardi, are working to give their garden year-round interest. Another goal is low maintenance gardening. His articles have appeared in the Journal American Rhododendron Society; The Azalean, magazine of ASA; Azalea Blooms, newsletter of the Azalea Chapter; and on this web site. He is current writing a book on native azaleas.

Background:

• MSEE Georgia Institute of Technology (electrical engineering)
• U.S. Air Force, 8 years, Air Force Systems Command
• Retired systems analyst, business analyst, project manager

Time: TBA

 Location: Williams Payne House, 6075 Sandy Springs Circle, Sandy Springs, GA 30328

Once again we gathered to decorate the Williams-Payne House in Sandy Springs. Shelly Mulick was our organizer. She and Carrie organized getting the greenery from Oakland Cemetery to supplement what was donated from members gardens. Due to having to move the workday our team was smaller than usual but no less enthusiastic.

Time: 10:15 AM Hospitality 10:30 AM Meeting

Location: Northside Drive Baptist Church 3100 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA 30305

Speaker: John Scarpucci, President North GA Camellia Society

Topic: “Camellias – Getting Them Show Ready”

Time: 9:30 SOCIAL, 10:00 PROGRAM & MEETING

Speaker: Kyoko Nakagami

Topic: Celebrating the New Year in Ikebana Style

 Location: Lost Corner Preserve, 7300 Brandon Mill Rd NW, Sandy Springs, Ga 30328

Kyoko Nakagami began her Ikebana journey in 2015 with no prior knowledge of the practice. Having left Japan as a teenager, she didn’t have the chance to experience or connect fully with Japanese traditions. However, a desire to reconnect with her heritage led to her discovery of the art of Ikebana.

Since then, Kyoko has immersed herself in studying at the Ichiyo School of Ikebana. Her passion for this art grew under the guidance of her master, who nurtured her skills and understanding. At the beginning of 2024, Kyoko had the honor of inheriting our Ikebana community in Atlanta, along with another individual, after her master’s retirement, ensuring that its spirit and teachings continue to flourish.

Outside of Ikebana, Kyoko is a wife, a mom of two wonderful daughters, and a proud dog mom to Echo and Fin. Her professional background is in art and design, and she weaves them into her Ikebana creations. Through her classes and workshops, she guides others in discovering the serenity and creativity that Ikebana offers, helping them create meaningful connections between nature and art.

Kyoko Nakagami’s Instagram is @kyoco_ikebana

What is ikebana in floral design?

Ikebana is the centuries-old Japanese art of arranging flowers. The practice, which roughly translates to “making flowers come alive,” uses carefully selected blossoms, greenery and other flora to convey a specific feeling or emotion to an observer – just as a painting or sculpture might.

Time: 9:30 REGISTRATION & HOSPITALITY, 10:30 PROGRAM & BUSINESS MEETING

Featured Speaker: Felicity Davis Landscape Architect Manager – GDOT (This is one speaker you don’t want to miss. She is fantastic!!! )

 Location: Hunter Park Ballroom 8830 Gurley Road Douglasville, GA 30134

Time: October 3, 2024 – 9:30 SOCIAL, 10:30 PROGRAM & MEETING

Speaker: Sara Henderson

Topic: Under Used Bulbs

 Location: Lost Corner Preserve, 7300 Brandon Mill Rd NW, Sandy Springs, Ga 30328 

More about our speaker:

Read about Sara’s time at Oakland Cemetery

Photos from our October meeting. Sara gave us great tips on under used bulbs that do will in our area. Plus tips on where to order these bulbs to receive in time to plant for a beautiful spring garden.

Time: 10:15 AM Hospitality 10:30 AM Meeting

Location: Northside Drive Baptist Church 3100 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA 30305

Speaker: David Brown, Hills and Dales Estates

Topic: “Feasible Holiday Florals that Dazzle”

Time: 9:30 SOCIAL, 10:30 PROGRAM & MEETING

Topic: Jack Misiura, Chairman of the Sandy Springs Conservancy will discuss his organization.

 Location: Lost Corner Preserve, 7300 Brandon Mill Rd NW, Sandy Springs, Ga 30328

More about our speaker:

Executive Profile: Jack Misiura is a champion for trails in Sandy Springs

By Douglas Sams – Editor-in-chief, Atlanta Business Chronicle

Sep 6, 2019

As board chairman of the Sandy Springs Conservancy, Jack Misiura will play an important role in long-term plans for Sandy Springs to build a 17-mile network of trails and greenways across the city.

Time: 10:00 SOCIAL, 10:30 PROGRAM & MEETING

Topic: Discussion of upcoming events that impact the Dogwood District and Garden Club of Georgia member clubs. All club officers and interested members are invited to attend.

 Location: Lost Corner Preserve, 7300 Brandon Mill Rd NW, Sandy Springs, Ga 30328

We enjoyed our plant swap this year. Since everyone is so busy making Cups of Joy and swapping plants, we do not have many photos. But we do have photos of our delivery to Northside Hospital Maternity for mothers on long term bed rest before giving birth.

The Dogwood District Annual Luncheon was held on October25, 2023 at the beautiful Dunwoody Country Club. The Sandy Springs garden club was well represented at the annual meeting. Our club was again recognized as a Club of Excellence. Good job ladies. And our own Chris Adams, former Dogwood District Director, was awarded the Dogwood District Women of the Year trophy.

We had a lovely meeting on October 5th at the Bluestone Building. Speaker Donna Whitesel Topic: Cool Season Flowers Beyond Pansies

After moving 11 times, Donna has gardened in just about all of the planting zones in the US. including Georgia, New York, Michigan, Tennessee and beyond. She experienced the heartbreak of leaving a perennial garden so lovingly planted or packing the moving van just before the hollyhocks bloomed. But along the way, she gathered knowledge and experience to take to the next place. Of course, the next place had a whole new set of requirements for gardening!

Donna has completed the master gardener program, first in Florida, then Nebraska, and finally in Fulton County GA. She was collecting Master Gardener certificates, it seemed. Recently, she was president of North Fulton Master Gardeners after being a member for 8 years.

Currently, Donna is interested in incorporating native plants into garden designs to promote biodiversity in our yards and neighborhoods. A recent trip to Scotland to tour gardens was especially inspiring. Always learning, Donna is excited to see what’s next. 🌼