Spirits were high on March 12 when several members of the Bermuda Run Garden Club met at the Clubhouse to create what co-chair Cindy O’Hagan calls Senior Bouquets.  The full name of the Club’s outreach project is Senior Center Bouquets for Meals on Wheels in Davie County. This is one of the Garden Club’s most heartfelt projects.

 Four times a year members enjoy a bit of coaching from Cindy and her able co-chair PJ Guerra and turn out between 140-170 miniature bouquets for each tray of food delivered the next day to nine Meals on Wheels sites.   Assembly day goes quickly thanks to the co-chairs’ preparation.  Colorful, seasonal fabric squares are laid out with elastic, ribbon, a floral water tube and a customize tray to hold the finished items in a standing position.   Beside each work station are flowers and greenery, this month courtesy of Rodney Spilllman of Shallowford’s Florist in Lewisville.  In honor of St. Patrick’s Day the flowers were pretty lime green carnations and a sprig of fern.  The fabric was green with shamrocks and tied with a little lucky charm. Garden Club members consider themselves the lucky ones to be able to brighten the day for our senior citizens in a small way.

There’s a very good chance you have seen some beautiful May flowers pop up on porches and in the yards of your friends and neighbors.  There’s an even better chance that the flowers are the beautiful geraniums that the Bermuda Run Garden Club members delivered in mid-April.  Those vibrant red, hot pink, salmon, white, and violet beauties never fail to thrill both the club members who sell and deliver and the good folks who purchase them.  It’s estimated that around 600 plants were sold this year.  The income the garden club realizes from the sale goes toward supporting the many charitable causes the club members vote on each year.  If you participated in this effort in any way, thank you!

              One of the garden club’s favorite causes is fighting hunger in Davie County.  On the morning of April 23 club members met at Winmock to create green and white centerpieces to decorate 25 tables for Bermuda Run Cares fundraiser benefitting agencies that combat hunger in the county.  Thanks to Donna Lamonds, Ann Cornwell, Amy Bridges, Beth Wright, Pat Wagner and our own floral design artist Gaye Orsini for making that occasion even more lovely.

              The club’s April meeting was held at the East Club House and featured a very informative and entertaining program on container vegetable gardening by Jimmy Speas.  Using photographs from his own garden he showed how a small but organized area can yield a wide variety of vegetables one might not consider to plan in pots or raised beds, such as cucumbers, beets, tomatoes, onions and snow peas. He proved his point with photos of a 2 pound tomato and 4 pound cabbage and the blue ribbons next to them that he won at the Carolina Classic the fair. Along with tips for planting seeds and assuring that they will sprout he shared his preference for varieties of tomatoes, onions, and eggplant, to name a few.   He even told us about purple carrots!   But if I stopped here, I would fail to credit him with knowing his way around the kitchen.  He and his wife make Christmas Pickles and Amish dill pickles.   Not only was he kind enough to share the recipe, he brought 2 jars and gave them to lucky members as door prizes.   Ever the gardener, he also gave away some seeds to grow Sweeter Yet pickles.

              If Garden Club members decide to take action on his inspiring presentation, look for some vegetables growing in the neighborhood about a month from now.  

Thanks for reading and keep it green!