Nandina and a Happy New Year to You From the Gulf Hills Garden Club!

We at the Gulf Hills Garden Club would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a wonderful and prosperous New Year.To end this old year I would like to show you an image of a Nandina in my garden.  I took this image this morning. Nandina, also known by the names heavenly bamboo or sacred bamboo.  It is a plant that is not in the bamboo family.  It is a member of the family Berberidaceae. Native to eastern Asia from the Himalayas to Japan.  It is the only member of the monotypic genus Nandina.

I Just love this plant!  This time of year along the Gulf Coast the pinkish to red leaves offers a touch of much needed color to our coastal gardens. I can go on and on about this plant!  It is so easy to have in your garden, low maintenance and happy in most soils, this plant does well in sun or light shade!  In some areas it is considered to be highly invasive, but I have not found it to be so here. Check it out and decide for yourself.

For more information please check out:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandina

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/newsletters/hortupdate/hortupdate_archives/2002/jan02/art11jan.html

The Gulf Hills Garden Club and the Gulf Hills Home Owner's Civic Association have joined together this year to resume the judging of the Outdoor Christmas Decorations in our neighborhood.  There were many, many beautiful home decorations.  It made our job very difficult but on the other hand lots of fun to see the spectacular efforts our neighbors.  We invite you to take a mini "road trip" through Gulf Hills to see these winners and all the other lights and decorations.  Merry Christmas
HOME DECORATION WINNERS

Traditional Winner            13900 El Camino Real      Honorable Mention   6503 Little Church

Outdoor Lights Winner     13904 West El Bonito    Honorable Mention  13720 Mesa
     
Religious Winner               6824 Cordo

Front Door Winner             13613 Paraiso  

Mail Box Winner                1305 Paso

Gulf Hills Garden Club December Silent Auction, Luncheon, Christmas Tree Lighting

The Gulf Hills Garden Club held its Annual December Silent Auction and luncheon.  Our hostess Molly and her crew, Michael, Doris, Tem and Brenda provided a sit down meal of roast pork, wild rice and a warm pear salad. There were petite fours and crème puffs for dessert.  The goal for the auction was met and surpassed by $300.00.  Proceeds will be used to maintain the Memorial Garden.

The Annual Christmas Tree Lighting was enjoyed by the club members and many neighbors.  Sue and her garden committee decorated the trees with the help of Lee Vance, who can climb any tree, and Bob Manley, who provided lovely handmade lighted orb decorations.   Molly and Margaret provided the Christmas Cheer and table decorations.  Other club members provided tasty cookies and holiday treats.   It was nice to meet so many of our new neighbors that joined in the festivities.  The lights received an overwhelming round of “oohs and ahs” of approval from the group.  If anyone would like to donate lights or decorations, please contact a club member.
The Gulf Hills Garden Club wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas and much happiness in the New Year.

Gulf Hills Garden Club's November 20 Barbecue Meeting and a Happy Thanksgiving.

Our meeting Nov. 20 was a glowing success.  Marge and John Albrycht joined us and it was nice to see them.  We honored John as  a Senior Man of the Garden.  I think the guys really enjoyed themselves.  A big thank you to Brenda and Lee Vance and their outstanding committee!  The food was delicious, of course, but Lee and Bob out did themselves with their bar bq and fried fish...  And a very special thank you to Doris for the use of the Harper Manor.

 

We discussed the Tree Lighting that will take place Dec. 13 at the Memorial Garden at 4:00 pm.  MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!!

 

The December 18 Club meeting will be at 1:00 pm.  Please remember to RSVP with the name of your guest that you are bringing.  Remember this is our silent auction and it would be nice to have others attend this meeting.

 

At the meeting we decided to partner with the home owners association to judge the Christmas decorations.  The judging will be for 5 categories.  We will have to judge Dec. 18 - 21.  We will be giving a plant for the winner of each category paid for by the Home Owners Association.  Listed below are the categories.  We will do the judging in groups of 3 per group.  Feel free to sign up for more than one category.  I need to hear from you ASAP. 

Categories:  Traditional, Religious, Out door Lighting, Mail Box and Front Door.

 

Thanks,  

Dickie.

President of the Gulf Hills, Garden Club

 

Gulf Hills Garden Club Members Participates in Southern Elegance Tablescapes Benefit in Biloxi,MS

Gulf Hills Garden Club members, Jeanette Lindsey, Tem Shields and Julie Hebert were participants in this years 2014 Southern Elegance Tablescapes Benefit held at the Ohr O'Keefe Museum of Art. Located at 386 Beach Blvd. in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Held on Sunday, November 16, It benefits the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra.

This years event was themed "Art F'Ohr the Table" and show cased elegantly set tables by various Gulf Coast designers and garden clubs.

There was live chamber music, a silent auction, and refreshments.

Our club members designed  the  Tablescape  in the two images here that were taken during the event and give just a slight glimpse of the many splendidly presented table layouts on display.

It's Daylily Time for the Gulf Hills Garden Club in Ocean Springs, MS!

Gulf Hills Garden Club member, Sue Manley and the Memorial Garden Committee have been working ever so hard getting the Triangle on the hill above the Memorial Garden on Shore Drive in Gulf Hills ready for planting.

Lots of clean up was involved, to include, Trimming the Azaleas, weeding, placing under mulch plastic down, mulching with a heavy layer of oak leaves, and getting the new beds ready for the planting.

The Daylilies having been chosen, purchased and are ready to be planted in the triangle. 

 

Sue even got the kind people at the volunteer fire department to supply needed water in preparation for the plants.  

The planting will occur on November 9.  

We need as many club members as can make it to the planting area to respond and help with the daylily planting!

A Happy Halloween From the Gulf Hills Garden Club

The members of the Gulf Hills Garden Club wishes everyone a great Halloween!

 

The spooky tableau in the image above was crafted by one of our club members and their handy spouse.

It sure looks as if some one was really in the spirit of the season, because this is a truly ghoulish, gruesome, garden grotesquery that makes many of us gardeners squirm at the thoughts of fall and the winter months ahead.