Chastain Park Conservancy/Farm
HOSTESSES: Deborah Childers, Hallie Crawford, Beth Nix, and Lindsey Sones
CALL TO ORDER: Mary Huntz
Mary welcomed everyone and thanked the hostesses. The April minutes were not approved because they have not been posted.
QUARRY GARDEN REPORT: Parker Tekin
From Sarah at the AHC: We just spent 3 hours, all of us, pulling out porcelain berry vines and English ivy from the top of the Quarry Garden rim, with ropes tying us to the railing in case anyone fell in! We cleared the area because we are building the oakleaf hydrangea collection around the QG perimeter. We will be planting two cultivars of oakleaf hydrangea up here in this particular location – ‘Ruby Slippers’ (which has great pink flowers) and ‘Pee Wee’ (a dwarf form). Since this type of hydrangea loves living on the walls of the quarry naturally, we figure it will be the best place to plant a full collection of them. We’d like to have several of every kind of oakleaf hydrangea available.
The ones we have were purchased through a grant from the American Hydrangea Society which has generously provided $5,000 towards purchasing hydrangeas of all types for the creation of a hydrangea trail throughout the whole campus. Oakleaf (H. quercifolia) and smooth hydrangea (H. arborescens) cultivars will be planted in the Quarry Garden, while the more typical mophead and lacecap type from Asia will go in the Rhododendron Garden and Sims Asian Garden.
A couple weeks ago we hosted the Olmstead Plein Air Invitational, with 35 internationally-acclaimed artists on our campus painting the gardens. Several went down to the Quarry Garden to paint. I saw one artist painting the purple redbud tree, and another painting the large waterfall. We hope to do this event every year. The paintings are all sold at a ticketed event at the Druid Hills Country Club on the Saturday following the week-long painting event, then posted online for later sales. It was so much fun, we opened the AHC for free the day they were painting here and had many new visitors who were bowled over by the beautiful gardens they did not know existed right here in Buckhead.
We had a cocktail party in the Quarry Garden on Friday last week – it was an auction item that was won by 4 ladies who bid on the opportunity at our Back on the Farm event we host every fall to fund-raise for the animal collections. I gave a talk about the founding of the Quarry Garden, Mimosa’s ongoing involvement and the rare plants like the Franklinia that were planted 30-40 years ago and are very impressive now. Most everyone had not been there before and were amazed how beautiful the garden is, asking how we maintain it, how we select plants, many more questions. I was delighted there was so much interest.
MIMOSA GARDEN PARTY REPORT: Jennifer Euart
Jennifer thanked Rae and John Knox for hosting the party. She also thanked her committee who worked very hard on the party. The party raised a record of $29,129.72. The goal of the party/fundraiser was $28,000.00.
Here is a link to photos of the party taken by Mimosa Member Margaret Glenn: GARDEN PARTY 2016
HOSTESS CHART: Marianne Craft
The hostess chart is full for 2016-2017. If you need to change your date to host, please contact Jinny Keough.
AMARYLLIS PROJECT: Lindsey Sones
Marianne Craft won 1st prize for the Amaryllis project.
THE SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: Emily Jordan and Margaret Warren
Our Bylaws state that after presentation of a change in the Bylaws, we have two months for everyone to review the recommended change.
The Bylaw to be changed is moving sustainer status from 30 years to 25 to allow new membership spaces. This still keeps the membership number at 115.
The recommendation was approved.
33 Ayes
1 Nay
Mary Huntz handed the gavel over to Margaret Warren as the new Mimosa President. Margaret thanked Mary for her remarkable service and gave her a gift from the membership.
INTRODUCTION OF THE SPEAKERS: Jinny Keough
Rosa McHugh- Chastain Park Conservancy- Rosa spoke about the role of the conservancy in the past and what’s to come.
Rosie Davidson- Master Gardener of the farm, spoke of the farm’s role and gave a fabulous tour of the garden.
Respectfully submitted,
Rae Knox