The Home of Mary Huntz

HOSTESSES: Gregg Irby, Liz Irby, Linda Beth Loughlin and Laura Irby Smith

CALL TO ORDER: Mary Huntz
Mary called the meeting to order at 10:51 and thanked the hostesses. She announced that due to the weather, our pruning lesson might take place inside.

JANUARY MINUTES: Mary Huntz
Mary reminded the members to read the minutes on the Mimosa website and asked if there was a motion to approve the minutes from the January meeting. The motion was seconded and approved.

DUES: Mary Huntz
Mary announced that Sarah McElroy reported that most of the membership has paid dues with only a few remaining. Sarah has reached out to those who haven’t yet paid.

QUARRY GARDEN: Parker Tekin
Parker reported the following updates on the Quarry Garden/History Center:

Over the past month, Sarah and the Quarry Garden team have done some drainage work in the Quarry to try to alleviate the flooding issue, at least temporarily.

They have also mulched all the trails with new oak mulch and it looks amazing and really sets off the garden beds.

Rosemary Bathurst, who is the horticulturist for the Quarry Garden, recently attended the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance meeting. She is our representative to that group, though Curator Valerie Van Sweden and Sarah will also be working with them.

The Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance is an innovative network of public gardens, government agencies, and environmental organizations committed to preserving Georgia’s endangered flora. Formed in 1995, GPCA initiates and coordinates efforts to protect natural habitats and endangered species through biodiversity management and public education. From rigorous scientific research to hands-on stewardship projects with elementary schools, the combined resources, expertise and outreach strategies of GPCA members provide powerful tools for plant conservation in Georgia.

This will help elevate The History Center’s status as an institution that practices native plant conservation through its on-site gardens like the Quarry, and the off-site assistance in monitoring endangered flora.

This month Sarah placed an order with McMahan’s nursery in Clermont, which will be closing its doors. She snapped up all the native hydrangeas, amongst others, which will be added to the Quarry landscape. This list detailing the purchase Sarah made is available by contacting Parker.

AMARYLLIS PROJECT: Leslie Morgan
Leslie thanked the participants of this year’s project and reminded the participants to take a photo of their success or failure and email to her. Prizes will be awarded in April. She thanked the new members for helping deliver the kits.

GARDEN PARTY: Jennifer Euart
The Garden Party is set for Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at the home of Rae Knox. The party will have a May Day theme and Soiree will be catering. A sign-up sheet was passed around to volunteer to help with the party. Tickets to the party will be available for purchase at the March meeting so members should bring their checkbooks. Jennifer and Emily are also looking for some big-ticket items to add to the raffle, possibly a destination or outing package. Anyone with any leads on possible items should contact Jennifer or Emily.

PROGRAMS: Jinny Keough
Jinny announced that the next meeting would be on March 22nd at Blair Mann’s lovely home. Sarah Price from Bellwether Landscape Architects will present the latest ideas in garden design. She reminded members to check the Mimosa web site for any changes or added information for future programs.

HOSTESS CHART: Mary Huntz
In Marianne Craft’s absence, Mary reminded members who have not done so to sign up for 2016-2017 dates.

WEBSITE: Mary Huntz
Mary asked the members if everyone is using the new website and if anyone is having any issues logging on. Jinny Keough reminded everyone when googling “mimosa garden club” to be sure to click on the new website and not the old one. The new site is the one with the real Mimosa flower. Margaret Glenn reminded those who have not had a headshot taken and added to the site to either upload a photo of themselves, email a photo to her to be uploaded, or be prepared to have a photo taken at the next meeting. Guerry Redmond will bring her camera to the March and April meetings.

OLD BUSINESS: Mary Huntz
The Special Membership Committee has met and is working to come up with a strategy to address spaces for new members in Mimosa.  They will give us a report with their recommendations at the March meeting.  Then we’ll vote on any By Laws changes at the May meeting.  If you have a comment about this issue please contact one of the members of that committee.  Their names are in the January minutes on the website.

Mary announced that a spreadsheet showing which meetings each of us has attended this year was by the front door and that September is incomplete.  She asked members who attended the September meeting at the Atlanta Botanical Garden to please indicate that under the September meeting column.  Sharena Hall reminded members to remember to sign in on the attendance sheet at each meeting as we are now keeping track of attendance.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Mary Huntz
We received a nice thank you note from the Southeastern Horticultural Society thanking us for our $100 honorarium donation from last September.

A big congratulations to Lindsey Sones as her garden will be on the Druid Hills Tour of Homes & Gardens April 22-24. There is a link to purchase tickets on the Mimosa website.

We received notice from Tee Davis that George Sherrill, husband of past Mimosa member and president, Claire Sherrill, passed away the end of January.

GUEST SPEAKER: Mary Huntz
Mary introduced horticulturist Terry May, an expert on “How to Prune”. Following Terry’s presentation, there was a lot of interest in his services.  Terry would be glad to provide more information about his consulting services and to answer any questions about your landscape.  Please email him at hortinc@att.net. Or call at 404-794-5451.   An example of a consult would be a 1-2 hour walk-through of your landscape to discuss design and plant selection ideas, proper pruning methods, and maintenance and pest issues.  He’s also an expert at garden problem solving.

Respectfully submitted,
Sharena Hall