The September meeting of Pulaski Garden Club was called to order with 20 members present all reciting our opening Garden prayer.
Roll call asking, “what are you exhibiting at the Fair?” was taken and the minutes were read by Connie Simmons, Secretary and Treasurer, Kay Beck gave her report.
Connie McGrew did the arrangement for the meeting titled “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies”. Carol Wheeler gave a program on edible flowers.
Connie did a table setting of daisies that can be eaten along with hairy asters and a sign saying, “Please eat the Daisies”.
Carol says some flowers can be eaten and they are nutritious and tasty. Like she said to sauté daylily buds, there are many cookbooks on this process and Carol even brought cookies with lavender baked in, they were a good shortbread cookie, and the flower was not a strong taste.
Restaurants do use flowers to enhance a meal not just crown a plate. If cooking with flowers, pick in the morning put between paper towels.
With Viola or Pansies you can eat the whole flower, but like Hollyhocks just use the petals, cutting off the white tip as it is bitter.
You can put flowers into ice cubes or punch, lavender into lemonade, just a little. Garnish soups & salads with chives. Remember if growing edible flowers, use no chemicals.
Our new business is handing out our new year program book and thanking the Programming committee Cathy Sharp, JoAnn Beucler, Joyce Mocherman and Carol Wheeler. It looks really good and everyone is checking how we will be helping for this new year.
This meeting interested member can enter a photo contest “World of Wonder – Nature in Focus”. Categories are: My Garden – Landscape or closeup of a member’s garden. Garden Structures – i.e. fences, gates, statues, pergolas, etc. in a garden setting. Water, water, Everywhere – Natural or man-made water features, Critters in the Garden – pets or other creatures in the garden. Portable Magic – Container Garden. There are several rules and the photos will be voted on at the October 2023 Garden Club meeting.
And discussion on how to show specimens or a single flower, depending on what is listed for the show.
We have 102 listing for these flowers. Things like: Spray form – do not leave foliage in water, Spike form – flowers are all attached to one stem, round form – 1 flower at top of stalk with foliage, disbudded. Dahlia – remove buds, remove damaged leaves and do not trim leaves and have leaves in portion to bloom, cannot overwater a Glad, and do not use bullnoses.
Reporting on members going to Exhibitors & Judges school, Rozetta Luke learning about Daylilies and Gourds was all very interesting, neat design ideas, and appreciates to be learning with hands on and not reading out of a book.
And thanks to our Community Service team, Carol Wheeler, Barb Deetz, Rozetta Luke, Connie McGrew, Joyce Mocherman, and JoAnn Beucler for helping with the Fairgrounds flowerbeds cleanup.
Refreshments were served by Kay Beck and Peggy Miller and enjoyed by all.
The next meeting will be October 3rd at Pulaski U.M.Church at 6:30 p.m., the public is invited and the main topic will be Natural Dyes with Drew Kleinhen and Pressed Flowers by Lydia Kleinhen and a silent plant auction.