On March 5, 2016 our Woodland Restoration Project received the ‘Protecting Tomorrow Today’ Award from the Ontario Parks Association at their meeting in Burlington, Ontario.  Two of our members, Marguerite and Roseann, who have been involved with the Woodland for many years made the trip to Burlington to receive this award. ​

Our March General Meeting saw Diane Spalding create several designs on the theme ‘Spring is Around the Corner’.  Sandy Levin was our speaker at our Horticultural Meeting and he gave a very interesting presentation about the ‘Natural Areas in and around London’.
On March 24, we had Ursula Eley present a workshop on Kinetic Designs – Mobiles, Stamobiles and Stabiles which we enjoyed very much.  

We have been busy with booths at two events in April.  The first was at the ‘Go Wild Grow Wild’ event put on by the Canada Carolinian Coalition on April 2.  We gave away 75 Red Oak trees and 30 White Spruce seedlings.  
From April 15 to April 17 we are at the London Home and Garden Show.  Sixteen of our members entered the London Horticultural Society’s Flower Show at this event with all seven classes being won by a Garden Club member.  
Nine Garden Club members are presently taking part in Course 11 which is being taught by two of our members, Jeanne Anne and Lynne.  
We enjoyed hosting the GCO General Meeting on April 4 even though the weather prevented some GCO members from attending.  We had a very enjoyable day with Mary Dann of Springhill Flowers giving us a wonderful demonstration with the theme ‘Enchanted Forest’.  We are looking forward to the GCO AGM on June 6 where 10 of our members will receive their judges’ qualifications.
Respectfully submitted,
Sandra Wilson, President

On February 24 our Horticulture section had two of our members, Lynne and Irina, demonstrating how to force bulbs and branches.  They brought in some spectacular forced branches and bulbs as shown in the photos below.

On March 5, seven of our members represented our Club at our table at Seedy Saturday which is an event that is growing in popularity as the interest in gardening grows.  On Saturday, April 2, more of our members will be representing our Club at the Carolinian Canada Coalition ‘Go Wild Grow Wild’ event.  We will have a table at this event and will be handing out potted oak seedlings. 
We are looking forward to hosting the GCO Meeting on April 4.  See you there.
Respectfully submitted,
Sandy Wilson, President.

Our next workshop will be held on February 16th with the title ‘Stands and Structures – An Aid to Interpretation’ which will again be presented by two of our members.  ​

Respectfully submitted,
Sandra Wilson

​Our Studio Mondays also started again on January 11th and we are working on various projects for items to sell at our Boutique next November.  We had 37 members come for the morning even though the temperatures were quite cold.
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On January 19th we will be having a workshop titled ‘Still Life Design’ which will be taught by two of our members.

Respectfully submitted,
Sandra Wilson

In September the Horticulture section of the Club begins its task of creating accessories for the urn inserts and various other products for sale.  Our Herb section also begins their preparations of dried herbs and collecting jams, jellies and vinegars as well as cat nip creations.

October is the month for the preparation of apple roses which we add to approximately 100 boxwood arrangements in various containers and in 40 tea cups.   November begins the collection of greenery for the urn inserts and members are able to cut the supplies that we need from two farms as well as our own gardens.  Osage oranges, dogwood, etc. are also collected

We set up for the Boutique on Thursday evening and Friday morning and then we are ready for Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. when the doors open and the line-up of many eager buyers enter.  We have a tea room which is kept very busy serving snacks and lunches.  By the time 1:30 p.m. comes, we have very little left over.

We also prepare for decorating Eldon House, London’s oldest home, in the Victorian manner.  This will be done on November 24th and I will have pictures in my December update.  We also decorate Ronald McDonald House and Women’s Community Houses.

In December we will have our Christmas workshop which is open to the public to come and make a table centre piece.  See our poster for this under Events on the website.

Submitted by Sandy Wilson, President, Garden Club of London

Foliage Designs by Janice                           Designs by Jeanne Anne 

Our Woodland Garden

The Woodland Garden that the Garden Club of London has had since 1992 is located just off Wonderland Road near Springbank Drive.  It is situated on each side of a public pathway called the Maurice Chapman Walkway which is well used by walkers, runners, and cyclists.  The new area that we have been given can now be worked on as the steps down into it have been repaired.  This is the area where our Land Enhancement Project will be created by adding various types of sculptures, etc. and we are in the process of forming a committee to look after this project.  The Woodland Conveners, Sheila Aston and Ingrid Waldie, co-ordinate the buying and planting of native species and the clearing of areas in the woodland.  The Woodland Committee work in the woodland each Wednesday morning spring, summer and fall and wear T-shirts that designate Garden Club members.  Many people stop by and talk to our members as they work in the main area of the woodland or in their own plots.

Submitted by Sandy Wilson, President, Garden Club of London

One of the projects that the Garden Club undertakes is the planting of several urns that the City of London places around the Civic Garden Complex and Springbank Park.  These urns were planted by Janice Maciver and Susan Galizia.  

Our Woodland Garden is one of our largest projects.  We won the Carolinian Canada Group Award for our work in this garden as we keep introducing more native species to the area and labelling plants and trees with their common and botanical names.  
The City of London has given us a new area across the walkway from the Woodland Garden that we will be working on in the future.  Several of our members have taken on a plot of the Garden as their personal area to work in.  

In the October update, I will attach some photographs of both of these areas as space is limited in this article. 

Submitted by Sandy Wilson, President, Garden Club of London