Concrete Pot Party!

Boy did we have fun with another workshop, making concrete flower pots and containers.  Debby Paige's son, Adam, guided us along the way and provided us with his own secret concrete recipe.   The pots turn out beautiful and are so lightweight!

 

Several new members along with Pat S. are anxious to get started!

Good thing we brought gloves!

Ruth F. is hard at work; she is using her container for succulents!

Vickie is always one to take it to the next level and she first lined her container with a metal mesh to give the container a great textured look.

Ruth W. says This is a Lot of Fun!

Now we let them set.

Here are some pots Adam already had done; very nice and again, you would be amazed how lightweight they are!

Here are ones Adam did, using a basket for a mold; isn't the texture wonderful?

After all that hard work, Freda and Ruth F. treated us to quite the spread!!   Delicious!


Next month we are visiting Lohstroh Family Farms in Mt. Sterling.   Check out their website:  www.lohstrohfamilyfarms.com

Won't you come join us?








 

Fun Leaf Casting Session!

 

Last month, Jane Adkins of a neighboring garden club shared with us making concrete leaves.  

Here she is showing Pat how to put the mixture together.

You first want to mound-up pre-moistened sand to make a big, rounded platform for your leaf to lay on.   Place plastic over the sand mound and then place your leaf upside-down on the mound; how big and high your sand-mound is forms the shape your leaf will take (whether you want it more like a bowl or flat to hang on a wall).    We used big tobacco leaves that Jane grows in your backyard just for projects like these!

Here is a leaf ready for the concrete.   Remove the plastic from the top of the leaf, then place the concrete mixture directly onto the leaf, carefully bringing it to the edges without going over.  Unfortunately I did not get any shots of this part; sorry!

Let the concrete set-up for at least 3-4 days before removing from the leaf.   Then continue to let it cure before sealing or painting in about a week or two.

Here is our finished project:

Very cool!

Next month we are back at Debby Paige's home to work with concrete yet again; only this time Debby and her son Adam are going to show us how to make flower pots using their own special concrete recipe that is very lightweight; can't wait!

Wilma's Lovely Gardens!

Our last meeting had us at Wilma's home for a tour of her beautiful yard and gardens all in a lovely wooded setting.  

(L-R: Pat, Vickie, Freda, Janet)

(L-R: Diana, Pat, Ruth and Rachel)

Beautiful brick walkways wound their way around her home with luscious hostas and coral bells.

Lovely water feature with a small waterfall you could hear in the porch.

Walkout basement area had tiered beds for herbs and perennials.

Our beautiful and gracious host Wilma.

Lots of ooohs and aaaahs over this vintage bike with flower baskets.

Recycled clay tiles used as containers.

Thanks Wilma for the wonderful tour!  Everyone enjoyed it immensely!!



What We've Been Up To:

March had us learning all about this year's gardening challenges from Jeff Turnbull, owner of Darby Creek Nursery & Landscaping. The early spring has everything at least 5 weeks ahead of schedule.

(Yes there was more than one person in attendance!)

In April we enjoyed our annual banquet held this year at Cimi's Bistro in Grove City. It is such a lovely atmosphere; a great time was held by all.

May was a busy month with two fundraisers! First, our annual perennial and plant sale at Clarks Lake annual community sales. And second, our annual fundraiser with Ehmann's Nursery on Lambert Road. Both very successful this year and we can't wait to make next years' fundraisers even more successful.

A few of us also attended the Spring Regional Meeting all about butterflies.

At our June meeting, we enjoyed a presentation by Rae Schrank, a self-taught herbalist, all about herbal remedies and fun, unique tidbits about different herbs. (sorry; no camera that night!)

Our next meeting is at Wilma's home where she's going to open her gardens and home to us for a tour. See you there!

"Winter is for the Birds" Program

This year, it was our club's turn to sponsor the November Open Meeting.   Our theme was "winter is for the birds" and we meant that literally!   Julie Baldwin of Wild Birds Unlimited gave a fantastic program, all about feeding and enjoying the birds throughout the winter.  



What a great turn out!

Pat Sarosi helps get the delicious food ready!

 

Notice the little bird feet markings!   So Cute!!



The ladies were lining up to get in!



Lots of great door prizes were given away!

We also learned several birdfeeder craft projects that could also double as gifts.

The entire evening was enjoyed so much by everyone!   I truly think everyone was psyched to get home and start feeding the birds!

June Gardening Fun

Hi folks!   The Derby Garden Club has been busy, busy with two successful fundraisers in May and some garden clean-up.   At our last meeting, Pat had some very interesting tid-bits for creating a successful environment for butterflies!   Don't we all love butterflies? 

Butterflies need a water source, a flat warm rock, and a sheltered site with trees and shrubs.  They enjoy a wet, sand-filled container and flowers such as aster, black eyed susan, butterfly weed, Joe Pye weed, zinnia and phlox.  Host plants for some butterflies are dill, fennel, parsley, milkweed, mallows and coneflowers.

We've also been busy with some overdue garden clean-up at the Church where we have meetings in their Prayer Garden.   It's such a lovely, peaceful place and we enjoy being able to contribute to it's beauty and upkeep.

 

I am super-excited about our next meeting on Monday, July 11.    We are meeting at a home in Grove City, Ohio for a personal tour of her garden and then to the Gardens at Gantz Farms for our meeting, refreshments and a self-guided tour of their gardens with their new labyrinth garden.    Anyone who is interested in tagging along, please email me at shabbygardencreations@gmail.com.

 

Keep those hands dirty!!