Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Perennial Plant Society of Middle Tennessee

Tonight is the monthly Perennial Plant Society of Middle Tennessee meeting. It will be held at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and starts at 7 pm, with a social hour beginning at 6:30 pm. This month's meeting promises to be the best we've had in a long time. Allen Bush, owner of Holbrook Farm and Nursery in Fletcher, North Carolina will be the featured speaker. Some of the plants Holbrook Nursery have introduced you all too include 'Palace Purple' heuchera, lamium 'White Nancy', and stokesia 'Klaus Jellito'. The title of Mr. Bush's program is "Louisville to Lijian, Hither and Yon". It will include fun perennials Mr. Bush is currently working on in his garden.

The above picture shows four gardening partners on their way to last month's meeting. They include me (on the left), Gerianne, Diane, and Debbie. We are all in the same garden club and had a great deal of fun on girls night out in Nashville at Cheekwood last month. Unfortunately I will not be able to join my friends for this month's meeting.
The above picture is of a few special folks involved with the Perennial Plant Society and also with Nashville State Community College (NSCC). The tall guy on the left is Jim, the head of the Horticulture program at NSCC (I am currently enrolled in this program), the lady in the orange sweater is Carol, (a student at NSCC and classmate of mine), and the lady on the right is Lillian. Lillian is the current President of the Perennial Plant Society of Middle Tennessee. The event this evening was the award of a scholarship to Carol. Great job Carol and congratulations on your scholarship!

Hope you all come out to the meeting tonight and learn some new things going on in the plant world. This society is a real boon to gardeners in middle Tennessee and such fun!

in the garden....

31 comments:

  1. Hi Tina ~ I think it's so great that you belong to a garden club. It brings to mind a different time.

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  2. Tina,

    I am sorry you won't make the meeting...I know you love going. It does sound like a good program.. If it were earlier in the season they might have plants to give away in a drawing!

    I probably won't go either... I have clients till 6pm
    and that makes it tough to get ready and go!

    Take care! Get well.

    Gail

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  3. How fun to be in a group like this. I wish there was a garden club in my area...but I have all these wonderful garden blogging friends, so I am not complaining! :)

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  4. Reminds me of the quilting bees (we have a few of those left) We must have garden clubs, and a red hat society!

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  5. I was just thinking about how much one can learn by belonging to a club like that. Sounds wonderful!

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  6. It's great when gardeners can get together, especially an organized group.

    I live in "nowhere land" -- in northern Chatham where the other residents of the county consider us to live in Chapel Hill. However, we don't live within Chapel Hill, so those folks see me as a Chatham Co resident! LOL

    Cameron

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  7. Hi All, Just a quick minute as I am running out. Garden clubs oftentimes have different reps, but I tell you they are great places to meet others with like minds and to make friends. Most garden clubs are changing big time in order keep members as well. This is important because without members, no clubs. The PPS is a great asset. I learn so much and simply adore me time there. School has to take precedence tonight:( Oh well, thanks for dropping by all as I know this is not the most interesting topic for non locals. ttyl

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  8. Hi Tina, so fun to be member of a group like that and Cheekwood is a fantastic place too. Sorry you cannot attend but I must say that Holbrook is a place that I used to order lots of plants from long ago. They always had great prices and selections.
    Frances

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  9. What fun to be part of a group like this, Tina! I've always enjoyed gardening seminars or workshops, but I'm not part of a group that meets regularly. Are you working on a degree in Horticulture?

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  10. Hi Tina, how fun to belong to a garden club! I've been thinking about checking our local garden club. I suspect it might be a little too hoity-toity for me, but I won't know unless I try.

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  11. Does the PPST accept out-of-state memberships?

    What a great picture of the gals! That one on the left, seems I've seen her around here. ;~)

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  12. Frances, I would so love to go as this is big time. And you actually ordered stuff from it too? How cool.

    Rose, Yes and no on the Horticulture degree. I already have a few degrees, now I just attend to learn more, though most we are taught in the gardening classes I kind of already know since it is all basic. But still I attend. I will probably get a certificate and not the degree, since I do not need the degree classes. There are lots of nice folks who have a love for learning and plants in the program and we have all kind of gotten to know one another. A wide variety of people too. My GI Bill pays for me to attend so it is my 'job' if you will. At least until it runs out, which will be in a few years. Thanks for asking.

    Linda, That is the exact impression of garden clubs! Hoity toity and all set on manners and all. I can tell you there is not one bit of hoity toity in me, just a love for gardens and plants. This is the place for me. All accept me no problem and we have a great deal of fun visiting gardens, talking of gardens and sharing plants. Some of my best passalongs came from garden club members. Plus, garden clubs have HAD to change or go the way of the dinosaurs. A newer and I think younger set is attracted to them for the love of learning and gardening, not so much the manners and society stuff at all. If I can be in one (I mean I am retired Army-total blue collar)anyone can,at least give it a try.

    TC, They would love ALL folks $20 membership fee. The address is on their website (which I should've put in there. Darn! You get a monthly reminder and a quarterly newsletter telling you about what is going on. The meetings are a benefit you would want to live close by, but it is totally up to you. Yup, you might recognize me, gray hair and all:)

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  13. Tina, this sounds like such a great group to be involved with. I suppose there are groups around here, but haven't really looked. Maybe Rose and I can find one and 'garden' that way this winter.

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  14. Years ago I think the garden clubs were kinda hoity toity, but like you say, Tina, I think that has changed. I know when I attended a meeting of yours with you, I did not get that feeling. Nana was in a garden club for years and there sure was nothing hoity toity about her or her friends in it. I do think a lotta times a lotta the members are very financially secure but that probably has to do with the fact that if you have time to join and make that commitment, your kiddos are grown or nearly grown and if you have worked hard all your life and put some money aside for the later years than being financially secure just happens. Also garden folks just seem to be pretty good people.

    Your hair looks very good but then again you always did have very nice hair and it seems to me that redheads always seem to have the prettiest color of gray hair when it changes to gray.

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  15. Nice post Tina. How could a group of people be hoity toity if they garden? Unless they just go to see whose wearing what or driving what.
    I hope you get to feeling better real soon.

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  16. Looks like a lot of fun and a great learning time. We belonged to many clubs while in Germany but have not joined anything since relocating to GA. Maybe one day...

    Busy day today and tonight we go to a Country concert! I must get my boots dusted off…Yee Haw...

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  17. Looks like tonite's topics could be quite interesting. Hope someone takes notes for you! :)

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  18. I will have to look up their website. Sounds like an interesting group with at least one distinguished member I'm acquainted with. Sure am glad she's not the hoity-toity type. Thanks for sharing this info. Skeeter, do you two-step?

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  19. That does sound interesting! The 'Palace Purple' Heucheras are great plants I'm glad he introduced them.

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  20. Beckie, I bet there are lots of garden clubs around your area. If not, you and Rose could start your own easy! Of course you are in the Garden Blogger Club; which is a great club all on its own. Started by Walk2Write.

    Mom, All nice folks in my club for sure. Hardworking ladies and kind. I enjoy it so much and remember you had a ball last year. I can never look at Faye without remembering her embarrassment about seeing Chicago AND seeing your reaction to it all. My hair and I have come to a truce, it is what it is. I was surprised it is just like David's.

    Lola, Good point! I think the idea of garden clubs comes from Aunt Bea and the Andy Griffith show? Maybe? Not sure, before my time, but I am told this is a common perception of them. Many have changed now. We are a way more liberal society, no hoity toity allowed.

    Skeeter, Yee haw indeed! You have a blast-okay?

    Racquel, I don't think any of my friends are going:( Next year I will schedule my classes on a different night so I can go each month-yahoo! I've learned so much! They probably have something like this in your area-try the botanical gardens. There are over 200 members in this organization, all have a common love of plants. A good thing.

    Walk2Write, It is great fun! No rules at all for the PPS. Ours in the garden club are somewhat relaxed. Yes, laid back and a love for gardening-the best kind right? I can see Skeeter throwing down with some two stepping. Something I have never done, though hubby does or did. Do you?

    Dave, Allen Bush was also on the Volunteer Gardener this week. He must be a neat guy to be so busy introducing great plants. I am betting there will be great door prized there tonight. Sigh, again I have to miss it. ttyl

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  21. Your garden club sounds fabulous. I wish we had something similar organized nearby but we don't. I have only belonged to a garden club one time and helped found that one. We had so much fun getting together, I really missed it when I moved. When you love something like gardening, learning is very enjoyable isn't it?

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  22. Yes Kathleen, And the more folks you can learn from, the better the experience because you learn from others perspectives, not just from a book.

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  23. How fun to see a photo of you, Tina! You look enough alike and comfortable enough with one another to be related. Supposedly we have a garden club in Nyack that I have yet to hook up with. Sounds like a good time.

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  24. Lola, come on Aunt Bea and Andy were around long after you and I were around but garden clubs were around before you and I!!

    Yes Tina, Faye was very funny. She is quite the lady!!

    I tell you, that is the way redheads turn gray. I can only dream of such pretty gray hair.

    Skeeter, being the person you are, I know you will have a great time but just don't be like Frances and get on the table!!

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  25. I wish I could find a garden club too, but I haven't looked around too much. I guess I should get a move on instead of just talking about it.

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  26. JGH, Do I look like you imagined? It is sometimes a big shock seeing and hearing folks when you've only spoken online. Do look up your local garden club. I am betting they are begging for new members.

    Mom, My hair and I have finally drawn a truce, but when folks see me after a long time they are literally shocked. Faye is a lady indeed. We have garden club night on Thursday, she'll be there and I'll tell her you said hi. Everyone should be there as we are all looking forward to a really good meeting at Nancy's house where her husband is doing a workshop on Christmas decorations. I may post on them. A really special thing he'll make and no one will ever guess what.

    Cinj, Yes! Do make some contacts in your new community and find that garden club. I know you have tons of friends but a few more would not hurt. They can keep you sane in rough times. I know first hand:) Let us know how it goes and stop talking about it, in the words of Nike, Just Do It:)

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  27. Jean, I use to watch The Andy Griffith show all the time. I really enjoyed it. I never paid any attention to Aunt Bea's doings where her garden club was concerned. My attention was that it was a small town with small town problems which are not unusual at all. I had much rather live in a small town. At least 1 person might know you.
    Garden Clubs were going on way back in Victorian days. I think garden clubs are great & if they had one around here I might join. I could learn from them. I love to talk to people that have the same interest as I---gardening, plants, whether veggies or flowers.

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  28. Walk2Write, With enough margaritas, I can dance any dance :-)

    Jean, dont worry, there was no train music, so no Frances table top dancing... tee hee... Wonder if she will see this? lol

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  29. Skeeter, when I was younger (much younger) margaritas were forsaken in favor of shots (shots, mind you!) of tequila. Maybe that explains some of the recent mottling (liver spots). Now, I'm ready to forsake the tequila in favor of flu/pneumonia shots!

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  30. Olivia Haris, Thanks for dropping by. Glad you like the post. I do not allow Internet marketing on this blog though, so I am sorry I will have to delete your comment due to the link and no profile.

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  31. Walk2write, I went to the doctor yesterday and she said I need to drink Red Wine! Now that is my kind of doctor! tee hee...
    Oh, and she did not say not to Drink Margaritas... :)

    Flu shots, you are too funny…

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