Attracted by the autumn displays of chrysanthemums seen in the yards and flower gardens around town, Jeannine Girton chose these colorful flowers as her program topic for the November Garden Club meeting.
Chrysanthemums, first grown in China, were given this name which in the Chinese language meant “gold flowers.” Now there are over 40 species of chrysanthemums with varying sizes of blooms and colors ranging from white, to yellow, to gold, to bronzes, and various shades of lavender and purples. A little known fact is their usefulness in reducing air pollution. Chrysanthemums can be planted in sunny locations between 18-30 inches apart in either the spring or fall, need deep planting holes to keep the roots from deteriorating from too much water, and need to be separated and transplanted every three years. During the growing season the foliage needs to be trimmed back when just a few inches high and again back to a foot high around the 4th of July to promote an abundance of blossoms. It is recommended that the foliage be left on the plant throughout the winter and then cut back in the spring.
During the business meeting 12 members of the Garden Club began a preliminary discussion about the need to replace or repair the memorial plaques in the Great Bend Cemetery Rose Garden. Alice Young shared a list of options with prices.
Names for Christmas memorials can be purchased up until Dec. 14 by contacting Delores Grose at 792-4466.
Nancy Williams, serving a delicious pumpkin cake, was the hostess for the meeting.
The next Garden Club meeting will be on Dec. 19 at 11 a.m. in the Barton County Extension Meeting Room. The hostess will be Iva Behrens and the program will be given by Nancy Swafford, who promised an off-beat program on peoples who have historically been worshipers of various plants and trees.