by Mary Ann Hindes, Master Gardener and Workshop Chair Gwinnett Master Gardener Jessica Miller offered her design expertise to show 17 Gwinnett Master Gardeners how to create wreaths using both artificial and living materials. Each participant fashioned a 14-inch wreath using artificial pine twigs, a bird’s nest, two brilliantly colored birds, and burlap ribbon. Jessica also demonstrated working with a grapevine wreath form to create a dried flower wreath and a basket wreath. Everyone was fascinated by the oasis table wreath demonstration; floral foam is attached to a plastic tray for long-lasting live centerpieces and the tray/saucer protects your table. We all went home with a charming wreath and many ideas for future projects. I’ll be rooting ivy for my live wreath this afternoon! This was the final workshop for 2013. In the past year our association has hosted two advanced master gardener trainings: Woody Landscape Plant Identification and…
Hypertufa Workshop – September 10, 2013
Gwinnett Master Gardeners are always learning new skills, and thanks to Workshop Host Carole Teja we now know how to master hypertufa. To follow our earlier birdhouse workshop, it was natural to add a birdbath to the garden for our fine-feathered friends. After selecting our favorite Colocasia leaves from Carole’s garden, we got busy mixing a formula of Portland concrete, peat moss, vermiculite, and water. We mixed the concoction in wheelbarrows until it was the perfect consistency. Then it was time to get down and dirty forming our water feature using the Colocasia leaf as our mold. We had to determine how deep we wanted the shape to hold water, then we patted it into shape, carved our signature on the bottom to identify it as our own, and covered it with plastic. What fun that was . . . more fun than making our childhood mud pies! Since we…
President’s Report – 2013
Our 20th year as an organization has been a busy, productive, and rewarding year as we worked to fulfill our mission to serve as stewards of the environment, and provide education that promotes beautiful gardens and a healthy lifestyle. We began the year with changes to the UGA volunteer requirements. As always, change is challenging and creates controversy. It was a trying time because we are all so passionate about what we do for the community and what is best for our organization. We worked through the issues and came to compromises that created a win-win situation. As a result, the spirit of our organization and our relationship with the Extension Office is even stronger today. Our organization’s mission is achieved through the commitment of our volunteers. You came forward this year, as in the past, and provided leadership, service, and many, many hours of your time. You were there…