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Garden Talk

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"GardenTalk", a regular feature for The Gazette, brings to you the combined experience and expertise of Holly Lake's dedicated gardeners and others. A continuing focus will be subjects of interest to anyone who has ever bought a packet of seeds or dug a hole in the ground for a plant, as well as the dedicated and sharp-eyed observers of nature. "GardenTalk" will not only inform you each issue but solicits your ideas and personal gardening experiences which you may wish to pass on to others. The hope is that "GardenTalk" will enrich us all as well as help make Holly Lake even more beautiful.
GardenTalk
By Lucy Germany


It will be an interesting spring if all or even some of the plans being considered for 2011 by the Holly Gardeners come to fruition. At a recent gathering of the new board consisting of Dianne Adams, president; Elaine Hayes, vice-president/program and Kay Bielak, secretary-treasurer, a tentative list of instructive programs and interesting field trips was shared. When the new Holly Gardeners 2011 season opens in January-the last Tuesday of the month-the organization will gather back in Holly Hall after having met during the fall at the Holly Lake Volunteer Fire Station.
Tentative programs -with more details to be announced in January-include:
· programs on invasive plants
· edible native plants
· identification of native flowering plants
· controlling critters in the home garden
· integration of various types of plants in garden design
· use of "yard art" in landscaping and gardening
· plans for beautification of special areas in Holly Lake Ranch.

Speakers knowledgeable in these areas will be invited to present the programs. Meanwhile, the new board is open to ideas for other programs
of interest and would welcome input.
The new board's enthusiasm for the many opportunities available to people who have an interest in gardening is running high and a number of interesting field trips as well as on-site programs are being considered. The organization plans to focus not only on sites suitable for beautification but also on those offering specific challenges such as Holly Lake's several hiking trails which will be given special attention in order to make them more attractive to those who like to walk and become informed on native vegetation. Several of the trails have tagged trees and plants to facilitate identification.
Also on the agenda for early spring is a picnic meeting and program on the Mineola Nature Preserve located just off Loop 564 just south of Mineola. The preserve offers a wealth of native flowering plants and grasses as well as easy to walk hiking trails for all ages.
Various beautification projects for Holly Lake Ranch are also under consideration by the new Holly Gardeners board as the group feels it is important not only to preserve the community's natural beauty but also to make it readily available to people of all ages.
Stay tuned for updates on Holly Gardeners programs and important announcements. All residents of Holly Lake Ranch are invited to attend the regular monthly gathering of the Holly Gardeners as well as to participate in any of the group's events.