Garden Club holds September meeting
The Du Quoin Garden Club of District VII Garden Clubs of Illinois held its Sept. 26 meeting at BJ's Garden Inn.
President Jean Bullock welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked Heide Fiorino for the small bouquets at each table. Roll call was taken with 19 members answering, "Do you have saffron growing in your garden?"
The August minutes were read and approved. The treasurer's report was given and approved.
A program booklet committee was formed with Mary Jane Field as chair, along with Sherry Gravot, Dixie Travelstead, and Jean Bullock.
The ways and means chairman for 2018-2019 is Pam Swallers with Heide Fiorino, Julie Wilson, and Connie Galloway.
Betty Eastman announced that the history committee met, went through scrapbooks and jotted down important activities that happened that year. She would like suggestions on how to celebrate the 60th year of the club.
Pink bows will be placed in the community beds to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pink ribbons were passed out to make the bows.
Julie Wilson sent a card to Charlene Bigham.
Bullock has written a grant application for the Blue Star Memorial, and an award application for the Butterfly Garden. She's working on award applications for youth project, garden therapy, civic beautification, horticulture and club achievement.
The trip to Brenda Tripp's zinnia garden in Anna was very informative. She explained how to harvest and save zinnia seeds. The members were amazed at the number, variety and height of zinnias that were in the garden.
New business: "What would you like to do for the December/Christmas meeting?" Members were asked to think about this and come with suggestions at the October meeting.
Verna Bastien gave a horticulture minute on hummingbird feeders. Jane Barwick also gave a horticulture minute on hedge apples (Osage Orange fruit). She said if you put a hedge apple in the basement or garage, it would keep the spiders and critters out. She then passed out hedge apples to the members.
The next meeting will be at 6 p.m. Oct. 24 at Linda Searby's Cabin. Members will meet at Keyes City Park at 5:45 p.m. to carpool.
The meeting was closed with the Benediction.
Sharon Dollus gave a most interesting program on invasive, endangered, and threatened species. She highlighted 10 invasive species of southern Illinois: amur honeysuckle, autumn olive, Chinese yam, crown vetch, garlic mustard, kudzu, Johnson grass, multiflora rose, musk thistle, and tree of life.
Members ordered drinks and desserts provided by BJ's.</group><group id="4A13F4C6-CD76-44BC-9654-22E3CC856410" type="seoLabels"><seoLabels>