High Point Garden Club Minutes, 1932-1939 (7 of 13)

The High Point Garden Club met at the home of Mrs. A.S. Parker Dec the 3rd at 10 o'clock, with the president Mrs. Carter Dalton presiding.

The Sec. called the roll to which 21 members responded. The trea's. report showed a balance of $4.37.

It was moved and seconded that members pay their dues, after which the treas. was instructed to pay $7.50 to the Council for the year books, and to also pay the state dues. An appeal for the milk fund for undernourished children was tabled for the present.

The club was asked to furnish winter boquets for the public library during the holidays, the president to appoint a committee for this purpose. Members were asked to send roses for the Junior High School fence to the planting committee.

Mrs. J. D. Cox presented our guest speaker, Mrs. A. W. Plyler of the Greensboro Garden Club, who in an informal intimate manner took us on a delightful tour through some of the old world's most famous parks and gardens. Opening her talk with an appreciation of the garden club movement as expressed by Dr. Few. She gave a vivid discription of the Tier Gardens in Germany, in which country reforestation is the most complete of any place on earth. Peteroff in Russia, with its ourstanding beauty in contrast to the squallid life of the people, also their visit to Mrs. Ruth Bryan Owen at the Danish Embassy. We realized early in her talk that Mrs. Plyler had not only gotten a great deal out of her travels but has the gift of sharing with others. We deeply appreciated her coming to us.

Mrs. Andrews read an interesting article "Fragments From a Chinese Flower Diary.

We were pleased to have Mrs. W. E. Blair of the Greensboro Garden Club and Mrs. C. M. Hauser as visitors.

The Club adjourned to meet Jan 7th with the president.

Mrs. Carter Dalton, Pres. Ethel Tomlinson Sec.

Mrs. Carter Dalton, president, was hostess to the Jan. meeting of the High Point Garden Club at her home on Johnson St., and presided over the business session.

Minutes of the last meeting were read and approved, also the minutes from the Council meeting were read. The treasurer reported a balance of $10.78 in the treasury. Mrs. Taylor reported the work of planting roses on the Junior High fence had been completed.

The secretary read an invitation also the program of the Garden School to be held in Chapel Hill Feb. 18th to the 20th. There will be outstanding speakers and teachers present.

Mrs. J. C. Hill read the garden reminders for the month, also a timely article from Mr. Walter Campbell on the evils of tree butchery which is so prevalent in this section at this time of the year.

The guest speaker for the morning was Mrs. Fred F. Bahnson of the Twin-City Club, Winston-Salem, who gave an interesting comprehensive talk on Hemerocallis, which means "Beauty for a Day". She stated that iris fans as a rule are Hemerocallis fans also, due no doubt to the shortage of good yellow iris to blend with the purples and lavenders. The night blooming varieties may be had as well as the day blooming ones. Mrs. Bahnson's talk was based on her years of experience as a collector of Hemerocallis which she says is free from disease or insects and will grow in any soil that will grow weeds. Hottest sun makes no difference, in fact almost any condition except dense shade or wet marshy places will bring good results. They are easily divided, can be planted any time. Clumps can be divided in the spring producing other varieties. There are 15 distinct species of Hemerocallis but 13 of them practical for the home gardener. Blooming period may be arranged for four months. The later they bloom the longer the stem. The yellow species are listed in the catalogs as flava, and the orange varieties as fulva. Mrs. Ellen Shipman, a landscape architect of note, has only flava which is our lemon lily and Thunbergi, which is the same thing blooming one month later, to carry out her pastel schemes. A new race bearing pink and red flowers is now available for the more ambitious gardener seeking for new things. If you wish to specialize in Hemerocallis have at least 25 varieties. Plant them in every dark corner.

The club appreciated Mrs. Bahnson's talk and I was glad to see two members, perhaps there were more, taking notes of so much valuable information.

Twenty-three members and two visitors, Mesdames A. W. Plyler and W. E. Blair of Greensboro were present.

Mrs. Carter Dalton, Pres. Ethel Tomlinson Sec.

Farr's Nursery, Weiser Park, Pa. Over the Garden Wall, 60 N. Main, West Hartford, Conn. Mrs. Thomas Nesmith, Fairmont Iris Gardens, Lowell, Mass. New (Sunny West, Golden West)

The High Point Garden Club met Feb. 11th with Mrs. J. C. Hill. Mrs. Dalton, the president, was in the chair. In spite of the inclement weather 15 members responded to roll call.

The minutes of last meeting, also the council meeting minutes were read. Announcement was made of the expected visit of the state president, Mrs. Totten, in March. A letter from Mrs. Holding, state chairman of Garden Pilgrimages was read. She urged the members to full out questionnaires for their gardens and send them to her early as possible.

Attention was again called to the school on design and arrangement at Chapel Hill Feb 18-20th. Also to the Garden Pilgrimages in Vicksburg and Natchez, Miss. March 27th to Apr. 3rd.

An appeal was made for a donation to the school children's lunch fund. This matter was tabled until the March mtg. with the reccommendation that a contribution be made at that time if necessary.

Mesdames F. R. Taylor, S. C. Clark and H. M. Armentrout were appointed by the chair to serve on the nominating committee. A slate for the next year's officers to be presented at the March mtg. The president called our attention to the matter of attendance and urged a greater effort on the part of the members to be "among those present". The treasurer's report showed a balance of $13.78.

Mrs. Moffitt gave the reminders for the month. Feb. is the pruning month for all fall blooming shrubs. She told us that lilacs, rhododendrons and dogwoods should not be pruned - remove the dead wood only. Bermuda grass is recommended for the hot season. Mrs. J. D. Cox announced the program;

Mrs. D. R. Parker read from an article prepared by the late E. H. Wilson on dogwoods. He was most enthusiastic in his praise of our own native dogwoods, Cornus Florida - stating that they are the envy and despair of our European cousins. The dogwoods are divided into 5 groups and range from the 80 ft. trees found in northern U.S. and Canada to the little dwarf fellows suitable for rock gardens. Mrs. King added a note of interest in telling of Mr. J. VanLindley's drafting the wood of a double dogwood onto the single to increase this scarce variety.

Mrs. Dalton read parts of a paper on "Roses" prepared by Mrs. Frank Dalton, who lived so intimately with this queen of flowers, and whose charming personality many of us remember as being "Mighty Like a Rose". The paper has valuable cultural advice and may be refered to by rose growing members. The meeting adjourned to meet first Tuesday in March.

Mrs. Carter Dalton, Pres. Ethel Tomlinson Rec. Sec.

The High Point Garden Club met on March 3rd at 10 o'clock in the home of Mrs. J. E. Kirkman. The president, Mrs. Dalton presided. Twenty one members responded to roll call. The Sec. read the minutes of the Feb. mtg, which were approved as read. Mrs. Dalton gave a verbal report of the High Point Council of Garden Clubs announcing the coming of Mrs. Totten the President of the Garden Club of North Carolina on March 13th. Mrs. Totten will give an illustrated lecture showing slides of N. C. gardens - the lecture to be followed by a luncheon at the Emerywood Country Club. An invitation was read from the Mid-Week Garden Club to a lecture on Flowers in Botany Prints by Mr. Chas. Ferrell.

It was moved and seconded that it is not necessary for the club to respond to the appeal for the milk fund at this time.

Mrs. F. R. Taylor, Chm. of the Nominating Committee, presented the following slate for the 36-37 officers;

Pres. Mrs. Carter Dalton V. Pres. Mrs. J. D. Cox Rec. Sec. Mrs. J. C. Hill Treas. Mrs. W. C. Idol Cor. Sec. Mrs. C. E. Siceloff.

The slate was unanimously elected with thanks to the committee. Each member was asked to bring a written suggestion for next years program. Our president made an appeal for willing, individual service, also regular attendance, from the members. Mrs. Taylor suggested that Mrs. Levi Hayworth be asked to become a member, filling the place of her mother, Mrs. E. T. Harmon, whose loss by death is sincerely regretted by the club. This we voted to do. Altho' not the custom to send flowers at the time of bereavement in the homes of the members,

flowers were sent at the time of Mrs. Harmon's passing - Our first charter member to be taken.

Mrs. A. E. Tate gave the garden reminders for the month, calling attention to the red spider lurking under the violet and hollyhock leaves, also to the rolling of the lawn at this time.

Mrs. Armentrout gave a comprehensive talk on "Garden Pests and How to Fight Them". It was gratifying to see many members taking notes for future reference. She said, "The gardener must have a wakeful eye and a strong arm. Be accurate and thorough. In spraying or dusting plants apply to both upper and lower side of the foliage.

Mrs. S. H. Tomlinson made a few remarks on "The Art of Staking". The key note - Take it in time and use common sense.

The Club adjourned to meet at the call of the committee on arrangements for an outing in April.

Mrs. Carter Dalton, Pres. Ethel Tomlinson Sec.