District Meeting – October 16, 2012 – Henderson

Durham Council of Garden Clubs link

The Chapel Hill Spring Garden Tour – April 14-15 - To celebrate the unique diversity of gardens in greater Chapel Hill,    the Chapel Hill Spring Garden Tour will feature both the breadth and depth of nine remarkable gardens. Ranging from hidden bungalow gardens to majestic landscapes, spacious rural wooded gardens to urban design, the tour will showcase the “miracles  of spring” in both elegant and whimsical presentations.  More information at the Chapel Hill Spring Garden Tour website.

 

Town and Country Garden Club, Durham
First grade teacher Lynette Damon, E. K. Powe Elementary School,  applied for, and received, a  $1,000.00 Windows of Opportunity grant from North Carolina Beautiful made possible by a donation from Town & Country Garden Club.  The grant is intended to revitalize a space at the school known as the Peace Garden and make it a permanent part of the grounds.   It’s a 1,000 foot area, and includes a level garden plot, as well as a composting station and a rainwater cistern.  The monies will support construction of the infrastructure for The Peace Garden and create a permanent outdoor classroom for children, teachers and families for many years to come.

      

 

 

Daylily Garden Club, Durham,  donated $250 to the Watts Street Baptist Church Stanley Mission Center for the purpose of placing two evergreen planters at the entrance to the house.  The house is used by the Host Homes Program to provide a home-like housing situation for patients and their families who are receiving long-term treatments at Duke University Medical Center.  The house has recently undergone extensive renovations and Daylily GC was glad to give the home an extra welcoming touch!

 

 Hope Valley Night of Lights

                        Hope Valley Garden Club, Durham, NC – Neighborhood Luminary Project

Hope Valley Garden Club, Durham NC          December 11, 2011          Margaret Jones, President

In the past year Hope Valley Garden Club (HVGC) wanted to increase neighborhood beautification and general good will.  The discussion came about to create a luminary program.

HVGC quickly realized that with a neighborhood of over 900 homes help was needed to execute the program.  HVGC approached the Hope Valley Neighborhood Association to help create awareness about the event and help facilitate the sale of the luminary kits.  In an effort  for the event to truly be a community event we also enlisted the help of Town & Country Garden Club, another neighborhood garden club.  Hope Valley Garden Club (HVGC) initiated, created and executed the event with the help of these other organizations.

HVGC created a flyer that was used in an neighborhood association email as well as a mailing that sold over 7,780 luminaries!   All who participated lit their luminaries at 5 pm that evening in an effort of community good will.  Neighbors walked the neighborhood streets and enjoyed the scenery and their community.

All of the Hope Valley Garden Club members participated in the event by purchasing, packing and distributing the luminaries.  Proceeds from the Night of Lights went to Habitat for Humanity.

Garden Makers Garden Club, Durham, NC                                                          Stacy Hagerty President

Homestead Heights Garden Club,  Durham NC                Laurie Renard President

Homestead Heights has been decorating the McCown-Mangum House for many years.  All decorations are in the 1800’s style.  The crocheted snow crystals were made by a member, as well as the tree skirt.

Tree decorated by Homestead Heights Garden Club at the McCown- Mangum House in Durham, NC.

Heritage Garden Club    -    Poinsettia Project to brighten and decorate the Durham VA Hospital Chapel       Marcia Loudon, President

  

Heritage GC has done this for 3 years.  Poinsettias are pre-sold and the Chapel, which is open 24/7, is decorated Nov 29.  Each plant has a name tag in honor or memory of a veteran listing their name, service and in some cases the war in which they fought.  There is also a poster listing the names hung in the hallway near the chapel.  Heritage members maintain the plants every other day for the month of December.  Prayers of thanks for the veterans service to our country are said regularly by both Heritage members watering and the chaplain staff.

Briggs Avenue Community Garden Project - The Briggs Avenue Community Garden is located on South Briggs Avenue in Durham. It is a program developed by the NC Cooperative Extension Service – Durham County on land donated to NC State University through the NC Agricultural Foundation. The Community Garden is currently a quarter acre in size and there are plans to double its size over the next year. The community garden is a part of the first phase in the Briggs Avenue Garden Master Plan. The total property encompasses 45 acres, with future plans for walking trails, a home demonstration garden, children’s garden, and an outdoor education center.

  Gift to Briggs Avenue Community Garden received by Michelle Wallace, Durham Co. Ext. Agent, from Durham Council of Garden Clubs Co-Presidents, Marty Warburton and Jean Gurtner, &  Jennifer Corser, Treasurer.

                                Heritage Garden Club gives gift for Briggs Avenue Community Garden Project.

The Durham Council of Garden Clubs has donated $2000 to the Briggs Avenue project.  Several of the garden clubs within the council are also working to support the community gardens.  Daylily Garden Club donated $600.  Forest Hills GC – plants, mulch and labor.  Grove Park GC –  maintenance and sweat equity.  Heritage Garden Club – $1000 and labor.  Hope Valley GC & Town and Country GC donated $6000.  Several other clubs have talks, gifts or work days planned for this year.