Sue McCutcheon
Thank you, thank you to the Kare Bears for their most generous gift of $1,000. The Garden Club will surely put that to excellent use in their beautification of SunBird and all will enjoy the final project.
Our last meeting until fall took place at the Veterans Oasis Park. It is a beautiful nature preserve that is so very close to SunBird at the northeast corner of Lindsay and Chandler Heights. If you haven’t been there drop in and stroll around the park and pavilion. The Garden Club had the honor of hosting Mrs. Cathy Rymer, a certified arborist for the City of Chandler. Mrs. Rymer provided a most interesting video presentation on sprucing up our landscapes. She stressed water conservation, not just because of the current drought we are in, but also for the health of the plants, to prevent disease, salt build up, and watering at the drip line, where the leaves stop. Desert plants don’t need nearly as much water as we think. Prioritize what your needs are for your yard, having areas for play, rest, water and foliage. A backyard focal point is a key to pulling the yard together. Colors and curves soften the edges of the yard. Pruning was another topic that was covered. Be sure to take out some branches from the inside of a bush when cutting back so that the plant can breathe. Mrs. Rymer also gave us a list of appropriate trees, shrubs, cactus, succulents and flowers. You may find the Garden Club using some of these recommended plants.
The Garden Club has been working on Hole No. 15 on the golf course. As of now the work is on hold, but will resume in November.
A Boy Scout has elected to achieve his Eagle Scout Badge at SunBird and began Saturday, April 11, cleaning up the stoned area on Augusta. He and his team will add some plants and a few boulders.
The Garden Club wishes you many beautiful vistas as you travel this summer and a safe return.