Working in a gentle spring rain, Chelsea Area Garden Club members pot ornamental grasses for the club’s May 14 plant sale in downtown Chelsea, across from the Chelsea District Library. Perennials, ferns, hostas, wildflowers and herbs from local gardens also will be for sale.

]]> http://chelseagardenclub.com/2011/04/pre-plant-sale-digpotting-session/feed/ http://chelseagardenclub.com/2011/04/2012-chelsea-area-garden-club-seeks-sites-for-garden-club-walk/ http://chelseagardenclub.com/2011/04/2012-chelsea-area-garden-club-seeks-sites-for-garden-club-walk/#comments Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:06:11 +0000 kay.heller http://chelseagardenclub.com/?p=159  

CHELSEA, Mich.—The Chelsea Area Garden Club is seeking nominations of gardens for the club’s 2012 garden walk, which will be held in June or July, depending on when the selected gardens are in full bloom.

Garden Walk Committee Chair Trinh Pifer said the walk, which is held every other year, traditionally features 8 to 10 gardens in the greater Chelsea area. The club looks for variety and diverse habitats.   Individuals are encouraged to nominate their own gardens or the gardens of friends and neighbors.

May 31, 2011, is the deadline for nominations.  Garden Walk Committee members will visit the nominated gardens in June and July.  Nominations should include the nominator’s name and contact information (e-mail address or phone number), the address of the garden site nominated, the owner’s name and contact information if different than that of the nominator, and a brief description of the garden.  Send nominations to CAGCevents1@hotmail.com or to the Garden Mill, 110 S. Main Street, Chelsea, MI 48118-1266.

Last July’s walk featuring summer perennials attracted nearly 500 people.  It included two urban gardens in Chelsea, several gardens in the North Lake area and a two-acre garden on Joslin Lake.

“We have so many splendid gardens in the Chelsea area.  This is an opportunity for gardeners to show their gardens at their peak.  Two or more Chelsea Area Garden Club members staff each site during the walk.  It is like a huge community party, delightful for guests and fun for the gardeners who spend so many hours planning and nurturing their gardens,” Pifer said.

The 2012 walk will be the garden club’s fourth.  Proceeds from the walk and the club’s plant sale, which will be held 8:30 a.m.-noon May 14 at 222 S. Main Street, the old Palmer Family Ford-Mercury dealership, support civic beautification, Master and Junior Gardening scholarships, and grants for community projects.

To learn more about the Chelsea Area Garden Club, which meets at noon the second Monday of the month at Chelsea First United Methodist Church, visit http://chelseagardenclub.com/

By Charlene Harris

The Chelsea Area Garden Club announces that a limited number of small grants of $500 or less are available to individuals or non-profit organizations for horticultural purposes that reflect the objectives of the Garden Club.

Funds will be given for projects that benefit the local community, stimulate the love of gardening, promote environmentally responsible horticultural practices, and/or encourage all forms of conservation through education and demonstration.

In 2009 and 2010 the Chelsea Area Garden Club (CAGC) supported a number of horticultural projects in the Chelsea area. On October 11, 2010 some of the grant recipients attended the CAGC monthly meeting and reported on their grant projects.

Among those receiving grants in 2010 was the Chelsea Senior Center, for an Intergenerational Garden at the Rainbow Child Development Center.  Two senior volunteers and 14 preschool children participated in the project. They began by planting tomatoes, peppers, peas, and other vegetables and flowers in two existing raised beds at the Rainbow Center.   Over the summer the seniors and children met weekly to weed and read about gardening. Each child had the responsibility of caring for their own particular plants.

The Chelsea Schools received help from Girl Scouts and their parents who weeded and mulched the entry area school beds.  This undertaking involved the three elementary schools: North Creek, Pierce Lake and South Meadows. Teams of girls and their parents weeded, planted flowers and mulched the beds. Watering duties continued through the summer and were assigned to specific groups of girls and parents.  The plants and mulch were purchased locally.

The Waterloo Farm Museum and Dewey School received help from an Eagle Scout project.  On-site staff assisted with moving large boulders into position to create raised bed areas around new signs for both locations. The beds were filled with soil, planted with shrubs and flowers, and then mulched.   Plants were supplied by a local landscaper who provided the plant plan.  The Museum staff will maintain the newly planted areas.

The St. Joseph Catholic Church in Dexter created a Community “Giving Garden” which focused on organic gardening techniques recommended by Food Gatherers.  The program “Plant a Row for the Hungry” helps to feed the hungry in Washtenaw County. The church established a core group in 2007 and began the planning phase with the help of local master gardeners and other volunteers.  A 25 ft by 50 ft area on the grounds of St. Joseph’s property was selected and fenced, and a well was located nearby. Organically produced seeds, soil amendments and techniques were used to avoid harmful products entering the food.  The “Giving Garden” provides both food for the hungry and an educational opportunity to learn about organic gardening methods.  Over 800 pounds of food was produced and donated to Faith in Action to distribute in the community.

In 2009 the Garden of Serenity at the Chelsea Community Hospital received a grant to install a new trellis. The garden recently celebrated its tenth anniversary.  The garden provides a serene place for staff, patients and visitors to enjoy.  During the summer several tables provide a restful place in the courtyard to enjoy a lunch. In spring three large round planters are filled with annuals and provide patients an opportunity for “Horticultural Therapy” during their stay.  It is a stress reducing island of green.

Silver Maples planted a modern day Victory Garden in 2009 with the help of a CAGC grant. The veggies and flowers were planted in raised beds. Residents participated in all phases of the garden including planting, maintenance and harvesting.  The garden symbolized a “victory” over processed foods and long distance veggies, and the movement towards healthy living.  The garden flourished and produced fresh produce and cut flowers in addition to exercise, mental and physical stimulation and social interaction for the residents. The tomatoes and the basil were big hits with the Silver Maples Chef who utilized them in salads.

Information and applications are available at the Chelsea Area Garden Club website www.chelseagardenclub.com or by contacting Mary Randolph at 734 475-9748 or CAGCgrants@hotmail.com.  Application receipt deadline is March 19, 2011.