CYPRESS CREEK LAKES GARDEN CLUB

January 2012 General Meeting

2012-01-08T13:45:00.003-06:00

Our January Meeting will be held this Monday, Jan. 9 from 7 - 9 PM at the CCL Community Center [by the swimming pool]
Our speaker this month is Richard Stemper from the Houston Succulent Society. He will speak to us about "What's Up With Succulents?". Remember to bring seed packets for "Seeds for Life". We look forward to seeing you!!

December 2011 Yard of the Month

2011-12-22T06:33:00.002-06:00

Congratulations to Jerry and Shauna Ethridge on being selected as the December 2011 Yard of the Month. The Ethridges live at 26043 Jodie Lynn Circle. Your yard looks great -- thanks for your hard work!

December General Meeting

2011-12-10T09:44:00.000-06:00

Our December meeting will be this Monday, Dec. 12 - 7 PM at the CCL Community Center [by the swimming pool]. Spouses/Guests are welcome - we will have our party as well. Our speaker is Sherri Harrah from Plants For All Seasons Nursery, speaking on "Holiday Plants"

We will be collecting items for our Charity Donation - please bring items for CAM. We look forward to seeing you Monday!

November Yard of the Month

2011-11-21T14:13:00.002-06:00

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs Stewart on being selected the November, 2011 Yard of the Month.
The Stewarts live at 11906 Cypress Creek Lakes Drive. Your yard is awesome! Thanks for your hard work!

November meeting

2011-11-20T09:47:00.007-06:00

The November general meeting was held November 14, 2011. Our speaker was John Ferguson from Nature's Way speaking on Mulches & Compost - the 2nd in his series on soil.John told us to "follow natures lead" - The best time is Fall. As the leaves fall, they keep the soil moist and warm, which indicates to us that it is time for us to mulch.
Thanks John, for another interesting talk.

November General Meeting this Monday!

2011-11-11T08:39:00.002-06:00

The November CCL Garden Club Meeting will be this Monday, November 14th at the Community Center (near the pool)from 7:00 - 9:00pm. Our Speaker is John Ferguson of Nature's Way with the 2nd in his series on soil: "Mulches & Compost". We look forward to seeing you Monday!

Texas Gardeners Stay Busy Through Fall

2011-11-07T13:19:00.003-06:00

This article was reprinted from Dave's Garden website (www.davesgarden.com) with permission. Unfortunately, the pictures would not come thru, so please visit http://davesgarden.com to see them.

By Tamara Galbraith (TexasTam)
November 4, 2011
Autumn is finally upon us here in Texas...tree leaves are turning a soft golden color, the nights are getting cooler and finally, finally, we have logged some rain (at least around Dallas.) After the brutal, dry summer experienced across the entire state, fall couldn’t come too soon. Gardeners can now enjoy mild temperatures while tending to a number of chores.

Sadly, one of those chores may include the replacing of plants that were torched by the extended triple digits. The good news is that this is a great time for new planting, especially perennials and shrubs. The temperatures and rainfall allow roots to get a head start on growth before plants go dormant for the winter, which makes for stronger, healthier plants in the spring.
Heuchera, hosta, coneflower, penstemon, Shasta daisy and dianthus are just a few of the perennials that can be planted now. If you're looking to put in more herbaceous plants such as salvia, Russian sage, lavender or agastache, be sure to provide sharp drainage by amending the surrounding soil with gravel or expanded shale. Although they need an adequate amount of water to get established, many woody-stemmed plants don't like a lot of moisture and can perish if they stay too wet over the winter.
However, most shrubs absolutely love being planted in the fall. Their root systems are generally larger and deeper than regular landscape plants so they really benefit from the extra moisture and root development time that autumn provides. Just be sure to dig a deep enough hole to accommodate the entire root ball, and water well. Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens), American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana - shown at left) and Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) are three tough and beautiful native shrubs that should be included in every Texas landscape.
In the southern U.S., planting wildflower seeds is recommended through December. Choose a site that gets full sun and has good drainage. Remove any existing vegetation and lightly cultivate the soil to a depth of one inch. Scatter half of the seeds over the area in one direction then spread the other half in the opposite direction. Walk across the area several times to press the seeds into the soil, and water thoroughly. Many of the seeds will germinate and remain in a small seedling state through the winter.
Thanksgiving weekend is my favorite time for planting spring-flowering bulbs, and it's a good way to work off the extra helpings of stuffing and mashed potatoes I inevitably indulge in. As most experienced Texas gardeners know, Dutch-variety tulips rarely naturalize in the warmer parts of the state, as the bulbs don't get the adequate chilling time needed to get through their second year in the ground. There are two options: plant new Dutch tulips each year or plant a type of tulip that does come back. Sometimes known as "species" tulips, these Mediterranean varieties are shorter and tougher than their Dutch cousins. Popular species tulips include Tulipa clusiana ‘Cynthia' or ‘Lady Jane'. Most daffodils perform well across the state and do tend to return each year. I am also very partial to an unusual, stunning ornamental onion, Allium schubertii (pictured at right) which seems to be hit or miss on coming back each year, depending on how tough the weather is.
As for non-planting-related fall chores, there are several that will fill your time. Clean, stack and store empty plant pots. Clean, lubricate and store your shovels and other tools. Some gardeners prefer to empty and store their rain barrels to prevent freezing and cracking, although I've never had a problem with this here in Dallas, despite an awfully cold winter last year. Set up hoops over beds of tender plants and veggies so when a freeze comes, all you have to do is secure some frost cloth over the area.
Speaking of veggies...one of the most common questions I hear this time of year is what to do with green tomatoes still on the plant when a frost approaches. If you cover the plant, and the predicted freeze is expected to be short-lived and/or somewhat minor, your tomatoes will probably be fine. Your best bet is to pick all the fruit off the plant before the freeze and bring them inside. Believe it or not, some will ripen. Some won't, but there are plenty of great things you can still do with green tomatoes. If left unprotected, other warm-season veggies such as peppers and eggplant will be toast. On the flipside, cabbage and broccoli are incredibly cold-hardy and even like a bit of frost.
In general, you want to have all of your fall planting chores done about a month before your projected first frost date. Texas, being as big as it is, spans eight different Hardiness Zones, ranging from 6a in the northwestern tip of the Panhandle to the steamy 9b southernmost portion near the Mexico border. While Amarillo will generally get a freeze before the end of October (and they have, in fact, recently received several inches of snow), Harlingen rarely sees temperatures below 50°. So...plan accordingly.
On a related note, here's a bit of good gardening news: the Farmer's Almanac is predicting a very mild, very wet winter of 2011-12 for Central and Eastern Texas, with Dallas seeing its first visit from Jack Frost a little later than the usual November 15 date, and Houston residents getting their noses nipped on or about December 20. For the western third of the state, it appears the extreme drought could continue, unfortunately.

The Trimming of the Butterfly Garden

2011-10-23T09:23:00.000-05:00

On Saturday October 15th, Helen Lombardo, Debbie Haluch, Dave Mausolf and Dale Smothers took on the task of trimming up the Butterfly Garden. The vincas, Helen Lombardo and Debbie planted in June 2011 did extremely well despite our summer drought. They were so abundant that the engraved brick walkway was hidden. Helen, with over 40 years in the plant nursery business, has no worries with pulling up and trimming plants. Debbie, it seems, is more of a rescue plant person even when they don't need it. There are a few begonias and vincas in the garden that Helen let me "save". Garden Club member Dave Mausolf and Dale Smothers followed Helen's guidance and we filled five contractor bags with our lush trimmings. The garden should be in full bloom again in 4-6 weeks.

October 2011 General Meeting

2011-10-15T09:05:00.005-05:00

Our October General Meeting was held October 10th at the Community Center. Our speaker was Carol Fraser with the Bear Creek Extension Service, and she spoke on “Help with Trees” Did you know that a tree was planted at the same time as the Declaration of Independence was signed, it is called the Liberty Elm? She also told us that trees should be watered at the "drip" line of the branches, as this is the natural watering system for the tree, not at the trunk of the tree. She also said that 5:am to sunrise is the best time to water. Remember not to leave any broken branches on your trees! Be sure to trim them, however, in a drought, only trim when absolutely necessary.

October General Meeting

2011-10-07T06:48:00.004-05:00

Our next Garden Club meeting will be this Monday, October 10 from 7-9 at the Community Center (by the swimming pool). Our speaker will be Carol Fraser from Bear Creek Extension Service who will speak on "Help with Trees".

Remember to bring your Pathway Brick Order forms!!! (if you need a form they are available on the CCL website, or you can contact any Garden Club member) We will take orders until November!!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Pathway Bricks!!!

2011-09-21T07:01:00.002-05:00

It's that time!! The CCLGC is taking orders for Pathway Bricks. These bricks will be installed at the Butterfly Garden (near the splash pad) as they were last year. Go check them out!! Leave your Legacy! Purchase a Pathway Brick and have it inscribed with anything you would like -- your childrens names, your family name, a rememberance of someone special, a favorite saying/quote.

The bricks are 4x8 and are $50.00 each.

We will be taking orders until November 15th. The order form can be found on the CCL web site, you can contact the garden club at cclgc1@gmail.com, or Sandra Gilbert at 832-220-6496.

September 2011 Yard of the Month

2011-09-20T21:06:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Tony and Sherian Hardin on being selected as the September 2011 Yard of the Month. The Hardins live at 26610 Ridgefield Park Lane. This is the second time that they have been selected. Thanks for your hard work!!

September 12, 2011 General Meeting

2011-09-18T20:09:00.007-05:00

The first meeting of the 2011-2012 CCLGC was held Monday, September 12th at the Community Center. Our speaker was Carol Bright of Bright Landscaping Design, Inc. She spoke on "Possibilities in the Landscape". Carol reminded us that a little can go a long way -- you don't need to do the entire yard at one time, a little at a time always works,and you can work slowly to get exactly what you want -- maybe a water feature, a pathway, a pergola or other items. Carol told us that we need to remember that the plants exposure to the sun and the amount of watering are extremely important factors to a plants performance -- Be aware of where you plant and how much sun gets to those plants.

Some of the plants that they have seen that are holding up in the extreme heat and drought are:
Aspanagus Fern, Foxtail Fern, Katie Ruellia, Cora Vinca, Hamellias, Esperanza, Pomegranites, Giant Liriope, Potato Vine, Confederate Jasmine, Yucca, Angelonia, Lantana, Cuban Gold Duranta, Oleander, Palms, Hollies, Vitex, Texas Purple Sage, Fountain Grasses, Live Oaks, Holly Trees, Magnolias, Evergreen Wisteria, Plumbago.

These have done up until August: Crapes, Roses, White Wing Caladiums and Dwarf Penta.

Problematic: Monkey Grass, Mini Monkey Grass, Gingers, Encore Azaleas.

1st Meeting of the 2011-2012 GC Year!

2011-09-08T08:55:00.004-05:00

CYPRESS CREEK LAKES GARDEN CLUB MEETING
The first meeting for the 2011-2012 year will be held this Monday, September 12th at 7:00pm at the New Community Center (by the pool). Our Speaker is Carol Bright of Bright Landscape Design.

Dues will remain the same this year: $30 single/$50 family [Membership Application on the CCL website or you can get one at the meeting].Bring a friend or neighbor to join the Club!!!

Our theme is Learning and Growing Together

2011-2011 Planning Meeting

2011-08-14T16:33:00.008-05:00

The planning meeting for the 2011-2011 CCLGC year was held Monday August 8th. Sandra Gilbert, Marcia Mausolf, Kathy Booth, Mike Owens, Jennifer Buchert, Helen Lombardo, Debbie Haluch and Patti Foucha attended. It is going to be a great year --there were many great ideas presented. It was also confirmed that all of our meetings will be held at the new CCL community center. We look forward to seeing everyone on September 12th for our first meeting of the GC year!!

Drought and Drought Stress on South Texas Landscape Plants

2011-07-15T12:58:00.001-05:00

Drought and Drought Stress on South Texas Landscape Plants
By: David Rodriguez

In nature, water is usually the most limiting factor for plant growth. This is also the case in home or commercial landscapes. If plants do not receive adequate rainfall or irrigation, the resulting drought stress can reduce growth more than all other environmental stresses combined.

Drought can be defined as the absence of rainfall or supplemental irrigation for a period of time sufficient to deplete soil moisture and injure plants. Drought stress results when water loss from the plant exceeds the ability of the plant's roots to absorb water and when the plant's water content is reduced enough to interfere with normal plant processes. In South Texas, plants may frequently encounter drought stress. Rainfall is very seasonal and periodic drought occurs. During drought, local governments may place restrictions on landscape irrigation in order to conserve water, and landscape plants may become subject to drought stress. The use of drought tolerant plants in the landscape can reduce the likelihood of plant injury due to drought stress.

How Does Drought Stress Affect Plants?
A plant responds to a lack of water by halting growth and reducing photosynthesis and other plant processes in order to reduce water use. As water loss progresses, leaves of some species may appear to change color -- usually to blue-green. Foliage begins to wilt and, if the plant is not irrigated, leaves will fall off and the plant will eventually die.

How Long Before Drought Stress Develops?
The time required for drought injury to occur depends on the water-holding capacity of the soil, environmental conditions, stage of plant growth, and plant species. Plants growing in sandy soils with low water-holding capacity are more susceptible to drought stress than plants growing in clay soils. A limited root system will accelerate the rate at which drought stress develops. A root system may be limited by the presence of competing root systems, by site conditions such as compacted soils, or by container size (if growing in a container). A plant with a large mass of leaves in relation to the root system is prone to drought stress because the leaves may lose water faster than the roots can supply it. Newly installed plants and poorly established plants may be especially susceptible to drought stress because of the limited root system or the large mass of stems and leaves in comparison to roots. Always look at a container plants root system before planting. Loosening or cutting the root system at initial planting stage will aide in establishment.

How Does Environment Affect Drought Stress?
Aside from the moisture content of the soil, environmental conditions of high light intensity, high temperature, low relative humidity and high wind speed will significantly increase plant water loss. The prior environment of a plant also can influence the development of drought stress. A plant that has been drought stressed previously and has recovered may become more drought resistant. Also, a plant that was well-watered prior to drought will usually survive drought better than a continuously drought-stressed plant.

What Changes Can Be Made to Reduce Effects of Drought in the Landscape?
The landscape environment can be modified to reduce or prevent drought stress by irrigation, mulching, and providing shade. Reducing the overall water requirements of the landscape is best achieved by initially designing the landscapes for water conservation, including efficient irrigation systems, proper watering and the use of drought tolerant plants where appropriate.

What are the Characteristics of Drought Tolerant Plants?
Some species have an inherent tolerance of drought because they have evolved in arid areas, regions with frequent drought, or regions with soils of low water-holding capacity. Some species have anatomical or physiological characteristics that allow them to withstand drought or to acclimate to drought. All plants have a waxy coating on their leaves called "cuticle," but some species have developed exceptionally thick cuticles that reduce the amount of water lost by evaporation from the leaf surface. Leaf hairs, which reduce air movement at the leaf surface, are another means of reducing evaporation from the leaf. Since the amount of surface area exposed to the atmosphere affects evaporation, leaf size and thickness are other adaptations, with thicker leaves and smaller leaves being more resistant to water loss. Some species have evolved large surface root systems to quickly absorb rainfall, while other species grow deep root systems to tap deep water tables. Some plants avoid drought by dropping their leaves during droughts and quickly regrowing new leaves when environmental conditions improve.

Lists of Drought Tolerant Plants
The plants listed tolerate drought stress better than most landscape plants. Although these plants are considered drought tolerant, new plantings will require regular irrigation for 6 weeks to 6 months or more before they become established well enough to be effectively drought tolerant. Trees larger than two inches caliper will take longer to establish.

Plants are listed by common and scientific names (alphabetized by scientific name) and are divided into categories such as trees, shrubs, groundcovers and vines. Those marked with **** are considered to be Deer Resistant. Also, trees not so marked are vulnerable until they reach a size sufficient to withstand the rubbing of the buck deer.

COMMON NAME/SCIENTIFIC NAME

Drought Tolerant Trees
Cedar Cedrus spp.
Texas Redbud Cercis canadensis 'Texensis'
Citrus Citrus spp.
Loquat Eriobotrya japonica
Yaupon Holly Ilex vomitoria
Crape myrtle Lagerstroemia indica,
Wax myrtle Myrica cerifera
Japanese black pine Pinus thunbergiana
Shumard oak Quercus shumardii
Live oak Quercus virginiana
Mountain Laurel Sophora secundiflora
Bald Cypress Taxodium distichum
Jujube Ziziphus spp.

Drought Tolerant Shrubs

Glossy abelia Abelia x grandiflora
Century plant **** Agave americana
Aloe Aloe
Japanese barberry Berberis thunbergii
Butterfly bush Buddleia spp.
Cactus **** Some Species Cactaceae family
Bottlebrush Callistemon spp.
Dwarf natal plum **** Carissa grandiflora 'Prostrata'
Pampas grass **** Cortaderia selloana
Cotoneaster Cotoneaster spp.
Pineapple guava Feijoa sellowiana
Fig Ficus carica
Kumquat Fortunella japonica
African daisy Gamolepis chrysanthemoides
St. John's-wort Hypericum spp.
Yaupon, yaupon holly **** Ilex vomitoria
Juniper **** Juniperus spp.
Lantana **** Lantana spp.
English lavender Lavandula angustifolia
Texas sage **** Leucophyllum frutescens
Wax myrtle Myrica cerifera
Oleander **** Nerium oleander
Prickly pear **** Opuntia ficus-indica
Pittosporum Pittosporum spp.
Plumbago **** Plumbago auriculata
Pomegranate **** Punica granatum
Pyracantha Pyracantha spp.
Indian hawthorn Raphiolepis spp.
Rose Rosa spp.
Rosemary **** Rosemarinus officinalis
Texas Mountain Laurel **** Sophora spp.
Spiraea Spiraea spp.
Yellowbells, Gold Star Esperanza
Cup of Gold (Cupea de Oro) Tecoma stans
Blueberry, Sparkleberry Vaccinium spp.
Viburnum **** Viburnum spp.
Chaste tree,
'Texas Lilac' Vitex**** Vitex agnus-castus
Yucca **** Yucca spp.

Drought Tolerant Groundcovers
Bermudagrass **** Cynodon dactylon
Daylily Hemerocallis spp.
St. John's-wort Hypericum spp.
Morning glory Ipomoea spp.
Juniper **** Juniperus spp.
Lantana **** Lantana spp.
Liriope Liriope spp.
Rosemary **** Rosemarinus officinalis
Purple heart Setcreasea pallida
Cape honeysuckle Tecomaria capensis
Asiatic jasmine Trachelospermum asiaticum
Society garlic **** Tulbaghia violacea
Zoysiagrass **** Zoysia spp.

Drought Tolerant Vines
Crossvine Bignonia capreolata
Bougainvillea Bougainvillea spp.
Trumpet creeper Campsis spp.
Creeping fig **** Ficus pumila
Carolina yellow jasmine**** Gelsemium sempervirens
Morning Glory Ipomoea spp.
Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Cape honeysuckle Tecomaria capensis
Confederate jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides
Grape Vitis spp.

Remember, Learn and Have Fun!

David Rodriguez is the County Extension Agent-Horticulture for Bexar County. He represents Texas Cooperative Extension with the Texas A&M University System For any landscape or gardening information, call the Bexar County Master Gardeners AHotline@ at (210) 467-6575, email questions to mg-bexar@tamu.edu, or visit our County Extension website at http:bexar-tx.tamu.edu

Crepe Myrtle Tips

2011-06-22T10:14:00.000-05:00

The crepe myrtles are among the most satisfactory of plants for the South: showy summer flowers, attractive bark, and (in many cases) brilliant fall color make them year-round garden performers. Long, cool autumns yield the best leaf display; sudden frosts following warm, humid fall weather often freeze leaves while they're still green, ruining the show.

Most crepe myrtles in gardens are selections of L. indica or hybrids of that species with L. fauriei. The latter species has attracted much notice for its hardiness and exceptionally showy bark. Queen's crepe myrtle, L. speciosa, grows only in the Tropical South.

All crepe myrtles bloom on new wood and should be pruned in winter or early spring. On large shrubs and trees, remove basal suckers, twiggy growth, crossing branches, and branches growing toward the center of the plant. Also gradually remove side branches up to a height of 4-5 ft.; this exposes the handsome bark of the trunks. During the growing season, clip off spent flowers to promote a second, lighter bloom. Also prune dwarf forms periodically throughout the growing season, removing spent blossoms and thinning out small, twiggy growth.

Crepe myrtles are not usually browsed by deer.

Types of Crepe Myrtle Trees
Japanese Crepe Myrtle. L. fauriei. Native to Japan. Tree to 20-30 ft. tall and wide, with erect habit and outward-arching branches. Light green leaves to 4 in. long and 2 in. wide turn yellow in fall. Especially handsome bark: the smooth gray outer bark flakes away to reveal glossy cinnamon brown bark beneath. Small white flowers are borne in 2- to
4-in.-long clusters in early summer; often blooms again in late summer. Resistant to mildew and best known as a parent of hardy, mildew-resistant hybrids with L. indica, though it is handsome in its own right. 'Fantasy', with even showier bark than the species, has a vase form narrow below, spreading above. 'Kiowa' has outstanding cinnamon-colored bark.

Crepe Myrtle. L. indica. The premier summer-flowering tree of the South. Tolerates heat, humidity, drought; does well in most soils as long as they are well drained. May be frozen to the ground in severe winters in the Upper South, but will resprout. Gardeners there should plant cold-hardy selections such as 'Acoma', 'Centennial Spirit', and 'Hopi'. Variable in size (some forms are dwarf shrubs, others large shrubs or small trees) and habit (spreading or upright). Dark green leaves are 1-2 1/2 in. long and somewhat narrower, usually tinted red when new; they often turn brilliant orange or red in fall. Crinkled, crepe-papery, 1- to 1 1/2-in.-wide flowers in white or shades of pink, red, or purple are carried in dense clusters.

Trained as a tree, it develops an attractive trunk and branch pattern. Smooth gray or light brown bark peels off to reveal smooth, pinkish inner bark; winter trunk and branches seem polished.

Mildew can be a problem. Spray with triforine (Funginex) before plants bloom, or grow mildew-resistant hybrids of L. indica and L. fauriei. Almost all selections with names of Native American tribes, such as 'Hopi', 'Miami', and 'Zuni', are mildew resistant.

Queen's Crepe Myrtle. L. speciosa. Zones TS; 12-9. Tree to 25-30 ft. tall, 15-25 ft. wide. The showiest and most tender of the crepe myrtles, displaying huge clusters of white, pink, lavender, or purple flowers in June and July. Individual blossoms reach 3 in. across. Large leaves (8-12 in. long, 4 in. wide) turn red in fall. Smooth, mottled, exfoliating bark. Rank grower; annual pruning in winter is especially important to control size and form.

Crepe Myrtle Pruning Tips
Don't chop your large crepe myrtles down to ugly stubs each spring just because your neighbors do. This ruins the natural form and encourages the growth of spindly, whiplike branches that are too weak to hold up the flowers. To reduce a crepe myrtle's height, use hand pruners or loppers to shorten the topmost branches by 2-3 ft. in late winter, always cutting back to a side branch or bud. For branches more than 2 in. thick, always cut back to the crotch or trunk. Don't leave big, ugly stubs.

Thanks to Houston Plants & Garden World for the info! www.houstonplantsandgardenworld.com

Butterfly Garden Pathway Bricks have been installed!

2011-06-09T08:45:00.007-05:00

Our Community Butterfly garden is looking awesome with the addition of the new pathway bricks! The bricks were recently installed, and set in concrete to ensure their placement. If you purchased a brick, (THANK YOU!!), go by the garden and see your brick! If you were unable to order this time, go check out the garden and see what the bricks look like -- start thinking of what you want your legacy to be. The Garden Club will begin taking orders again in the Fall. Watch the blog and community website for information.

Yard Tour

2011-06-04T08:35:00.000-05:00

The CCLGC 2nd Yard Tour was held on May 21st. The tour started at the community butterfly garden and moved thru the yards of Sandra and Kenneth Gilbert and Marcia and Dave Mausolf. Lunch was at Black Horse Country Club. Thanks to Cathy Oland for once again organizing this event, and thanks to those who allowed us to visit their yards!

May 2011 Yard of the Month

2011-05-14T07:21:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Chris and Toni Yargo - our May 2011 Yard of the Month winners! They live at 12111 Cypress Creek Lakes Dr. You have a wonderful yard -- thanks for your hard work!

May 2011 Meeting

2011-05-14T06:57:00.010-05:00

The final meeting of the 2010-2011 Garden Club years was held on May 9th. Bonnie and Richard Segura were very gracious in allowing an impromptu tour of their beautiful rose gardens before our meeting began. Thank you so much!!

This meeting was "bitter sweet" for Debbie and I. We are turning over the lead of the club to our newly elected President Sandra Gilbert and Secretary/Treasurer Marcia Mausolf. Debbie and I have had a wonderful two years, have enjoyed watching the club grow, and making many new friends along the way. We are looking forward to the new direction that Sandra and Marcia will lead us in.

Sandra gave us an outlook for the next 2 years, and introduced a few of the leads for our committees:
Programs: Kathy Booth
Yard of the Month: Mike Owens and Bonnie Segura
Tours: Cathy Oland
Social Media: Patti Foucha

Final Meeting of the 2010-2011 Garden Club Year

2011-05-06T07:01:00.003-05:00

Our final meeting of the 2010-2011 Garden Club year will be this Monday, May 9th. At this meeting we will review our final projects for the year and install our new officers for the term of 2011-2013. The meeting will be held at 26310 Ridgefield Park Ln, We look forward to seeing you there!

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-21T07:09:00.000-05:00

A special thanks to Helen Lombardo, Sandra Gilbert and Bonnie Segura for setting up a table, handling the raffle and getting new interest generated in our club. The winners were of the raffle were CCL residents:Sherry Freeman and Vicki
Burgess.

Butterfly Garden has been replanted!

2011-04-19T06:42:00.007-05:00

As many of you know, the 2 freezes we had this winter knocked out the butterfly garden -- some of the plants did come back, but others didn't make it. The garden was replenished this past Wednesday, April 13.
Special thanks to Helen Lombardo for all of her efforts in the selection and placement of plants, and organizing the planting itself. You are very much appreciated Helen!! Also big thanks to all of the garden club members who came out to help plant -- we couldn't do it without you!! The area closest to the center will be completed after our bricks are installed in a few weeks. Watch the blog for more information on when they will be installed.

April 2011 Yard of the Month

2011-04-15T06:33:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Johnny and Brenda Rodriguez on being selected as the April 2011 Yard of the Month. The Rogriguez's live at 26343 Morning Cypress Ln. Your yard is great, and we appreciate the effort you put into keeping it up!

What's your favorite plant?

2011-04-15T06:20:00.000-05:00

Our April meeting was held on April 11th and our speakers were our very own members. We each spoke about our favorite plants and brought the plant, a piece of the plant or a picture. We shared ideas on where the plant grows best, and why we liked that particular plant. Some of the plants shared were Bird of Paradise, "five finger" fern, Hot Lips Salvia, and Gardenias.

April General Meeting

2011-04-08T07:52:00.002-05:00

Our April general meeting will be held this Monday, April 11th at 26907 Canyon Walk Ln. This month our own members are the speakers. Each member will talk about their favorite plant and will bring either a picture or the actual plant for everyone to see. It's a great learning session to help diversify our knowledge and yards. We look forward to seeing you Monday!!

Have Ants??

2011-04-06T07:01:00.001-05:00

Organic way of getting rid of ants: try putting grits on the mound without disturbing the ants. They will eat the grits which will expand causing them to die. This process does take several days to work. Fire ants have several entrances to their mound, so be sure to cover the entire mound!

March 2011 Yard of the Month

2011-03-23T12:45:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Miles and Pam Gilbert on being selected as the March 2011 Yard of the Month. The Gilberts live 11410 Cypress Creek Lakes Dr.
They have an awesome yard -- drive by and check it out! Thanks for keeping our community beautiful!

March 2011 Meeting

2011-03-17T06:38:00.003-05:00

Our March general meeting was this past Monday. Thanks to Billie Fontana, Harris County Master Gardner, for the very interesting presentation on Hummingbirds! Did you know that most hummingbirds measure 7.5-13cm (3-5")? The smallest hummingbird is the bee Hummingbird at 5cm. Depending on the species of hummingbird, they flap their wings an average of 12-90 times PER SECOND, and they can fly backwards!!! The average life span is 3-5 years.
Do you have a hummingbird feeder? The common mixture is 1 cup white granulated sugar to 4 cups water. Boil the water, add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Enjoy the hummingbirds in your yards!!

THANK YOU!

2011-03-15T06:38:00.004-05:00

THANKS to all of our friends and neighbors who purchased pathway bricks. The response was huge! Debbie and I also want to thank all of the members who helped by passing out flyers and talking to their neighbors about the Club and the bricks. Watch the blog for further information on when the bricks will be installed.

March 2011 General Meeting

2011-03-11T07:54:00.003-06:00

Our March general meeting will be held this Monday, March 14. Billie Fontana, Harris County Master Gardener, will be speaking about hummingbirds and plants that will attract them. The meeting will be held at 26615 Ridgefield Park Ln. We look forward to seeing you there!

2011-2013 Officers Elected

2011-03-02T07:23:00.004-06:00

Congratulations to Sandra Gilbert, President-Elect and Marcia Mausolf, Secretary/Treasurer Elect for the Garden Club years 2011 thru 2013. We are looking forward to your leadership and the upcoming years of the CCLGC!

It's time to Prune!

2011-02-25T07:05:00.001-06:00

Fruit Trees

This is a good time to prune, as long as it is not done right before a heavy freeze. Best time to prune apples.

Peach and nectarine trees can be pruned heavily, removing half of last year's growth to produce new shoots for next year's crop.

Trees and Shrubs

Most ornamental trees can be pruned in late February, except maple, birch and walnut.

Prune summer flowering trees and shrubs now. Select relatively warm days in late February or early March where the weather is predicted to not be very cold for a few days.

Enjoy this time to observe and view the bare look of your garden for ideas as what to add or eliminate. Start exercising--you know those backs and knees will be getting a work out in the next few months. Relax and enjoy the peacefulness and quiet of the winter garden to reflect on the season to come

Thanks Houston Plant and Garden World for the info!!

February 2010 Yard of the Month

2011-02-25T06:54:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to Doug and Susan Portman for being selected as the February, 2010 Yard of the Month! The Portman's live at 26319 Morning Cypress Ln. You have a fabulous yard! Thanks for your hard work!

February 2011 meeting

2011-02-20T07:04:00.000-06:00

Our February meeting was held on Valentines day. Our speaker was Carol Fraser, Harris County Master Gardener. She gave a presentation on Roses -- most appropriate being that it is Valentines day! There are many varities of Roses, including many that are called "cemetery roses" because they can survive with little or no care. They have grown in the older cemeteries for years, and continue to thrive. She also reminded us that it is time to prune your roses. Cut back the thick stems and that will help the bush become fuller. Thanks Carol for the great information!

February General Meeting

2011-02-11T13:22:00.003-06:00

Our February General Meeting will be held this Monday, February 14, 2011 at 11418 Coalfield Ln from 7-9pm. Our topic this month is roses. Our speaker is Harris County Master Gardener Carol Fraser. She will present beautiful "earth friendly" rose varieties recommended by Harris County Extension Service and provide a publication about rose culture. We will discuss "cemetery roses" (hint: they are not the ones you may have killed).

Remember Feb 14th is day to prune your roses.
Please bring your brick order forms.

Leave your Legacy! Purchase an engraved Pathway Brick!

2011-01-15T17:14:00.004-06:00

The CCLGC is working on the next phase of our Community Butterfly Garden. We will be paving the outline of the garden with Engraved Pathway Bricks. You can purchase your brick from any Garden Club Member, contact us at cclgc1@gmail.com and we will e mail you the order form, or get the order form on the community website. The brick can be inscribed with just about anything you want to say! Inscribe your name, use it as a memorial to a loved one, or honor your children or grandchildren with their own brick!

January 2011 Yard of the Month

2011-01-15T17:02:00.003-06:00

Congratulations to Paul and Karen Morrisette for being selected as the January 2011 Yard of the Month.

The Morrisette's live at 11014 Jade Stone Creek. Keeping a beautiful yard in the winter months is certainly a challenge! Thanks for your hard work!

January General Meeting

2011-01-15T16:53:00.005-06:00

Our January 2011 meeting was held this past Monday. Kyle Franklin, Supervisor for IMS Landscaping was our speaker. IMS Landscaping is the landscapers for our neighborhood. Kyle gave us lots of information on how and why certain flowers and shrubs are chosen for our neighborhood. He also explained to us why it seems that sometimes when the flowers seem to be at their best, they are taken up. Wanna know? Ask a Garden Club member! Thanks Kyle, we appreciate what you do to make our neighborhood appealing to othere!

January 2011 meeting this Monday!

2011-01-06T13:51:00.002-06:00

Our January, 2011 meeting will be Monday, January 10 7-9pm at Kathy Booth's house- 26907 Canyon Walk Ln. Our speaker will be Kyle Franklin, Supervisor for IMS Landscaping. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting!

December 2010 Yard of the Month

2010-12-14T16:50:00.002-06:00

Congratulations to Roland and Diane McDougal for being selected as the December 2010 Yard of the Month! The McDougals live at 26211 Pleasant Knoll Ln. Thanks for helping keep our neighborhood beautiful!

Christmas Party!

2010-12-14T16:45:00.003-06:00

Thanks to Billie and Boots Fontana for once again hosting our Christmas party. We had a great homecooked Mexican meal, and wonderful deserts! We had lots of fun with the "dirty Santa" gift swap. The metal dog was quite a hit!! Thanks to all of our Members and their guests for a wonderful evening.

Christmas Party is tonight!

2010-12-13T10:38:00.001-06:00

The CCLGC Christmas Party is tonight at Billie Fontanas house - 26123 Timberstone Ct. We will be doing a “dirty Santa” gift if you would like to participate, please bring a wrapped gift. We look forward to seeing you there!

Annual Tour of Brookwood

2010-12-05T17:52:00.000-06:00

Twelve Garden Club members with family and friends toured Brookwood Community’s Holiday and Open House on December 4, 2010. Brookwood has expanded their retail facilities since our tour in 2009. We found many holiday treasures including new plants for our gardens. It was a festive and fun tour filled with holiday laughter. We had a great lunch after at Saltgrass in Katy.

How to care for your farm grown fresh Christmas Tree

2010-12-05T08:28:00.002-06:00

When a Christmas tree is cut, over half of its weight is water. With proper care, you can maintain the quality of your displayed trees. Below are a number of tips relating to the care of displayed trees:

* Displaying trees in water in a traditional reservoir type stand is the most effective way of maintaining their freshness and minimizing needle loss problems.
* Make a fresh cut to remove about a 1/2-inch thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk before putting the tree in the stand. Make the cut perpendicular to the stem axis. Don't cut the trunk at an angle, or into a v-shape, which makes it far more difficult to hold the tree in the stand and also reduces the amount of water available to the tree.
* Once home, place the tree in water as soon as possible. Most species can go 6 to 8 hours after cutting the trunk and still take up water. Don't bruise the cut surface or get it dirty.
* If needed, trees can be temporarily stored for several days in a cool location. Place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket that is kept full of water.
* To display the trees indoors, use a stand with an adequate water holding capacity for the tree. As a general rule, stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter. Devices are available that help maintain a constant water level in the stand.
* Use a stand that fits your tree. Avoid whittling the sides of the trunk down to fit a stand. The outer layers of wood are the most efficient in taking up water and should not be removed.
* Keep displayed trees away from sources of heat (fireplaces, heaters, heat vents, direct sunlight). Lowering the room temperature will slow the drying process, resulting in less water consumption each day.
* The temperature of the water used to fill the stand is not important and does not affect water uptake.
* Check the stand daily to make sure that the level of water does not go below the base of the tree. With many stands, there can still be water in the stand even though the base of the tree is no longer submerged in water.
* Drilling a hole in the base of the trunk does not improve water uptake.
* Use of lights that produce low heat, such as miniature lights, will reduce drying of the tree.
* Always inspect light sets prior to placing them on the tree. If worn, replace with a new set.
* Do not overload electrical circuits.
* Always turn off the tree lights when leaving the house or when going to bed.
* Monitor the tree for freshness. After Christmas or if the tree is dry, remove it from the house.
* Go to www.realchristmastrees.org and type in your ZIP code to find a recycling program near you.
* Never burn any part of a Christmas tree in a wood stove or fireplace.

Thanks once again to Houston Plants & Garden World for providing this information!

Caring for your Poinsettia

2010-11-30T06:54:00.001-06:00

Holiday Poinsettia Plant Care
Poinsettia care begins with proper light, water, and temperature conditions. During the holidays, while in full bloom, they typically enjoy semi-cool, humid locations in bright, indirect light with plenty of moisture. Poinsettia plants should be watered thoroughly; taking care not to drown them by ensuring adequate drainage is available. Likewise, avoid letting them sit in water-filled saucers, which can lead to root rot. Adding plants nearby can help increase humidity levels in dry rooms, as will humidifiers.

Once flower bracts have fallen, you have the option of discarding the plant or keeping it an additional year. For those choosing to continue with poinsettia care, decrease regular watering to allow the plant to dry out some. However, don't let it dry out completely. Also, relocate the poinsettia plant to a cool, dark area until spring or around April.

Fertilizing Poinsettia Plants
Fertilizing poinsettia plants is never recommended while they're still in bloom. Fertilize poinsettias only if keeping them after the holiday season. Apply fertilizer every two weeks or once monthly using a complete houseplant fertilizer. Provided the poinsettia plant is given the proper environmental conditions, it should begin to regrow within weeks.

Poinsettia Care After the Holidays
In spring, return the plant to a sunny area and water well. Cut back all canes (branches) to about six inches from the pot's rim. It may also be a good idea to repot the poinsettia using the same type of soil. While poinsettias can be kept indoors throughout summer, many people choose to move them outdoors in a sunny, but protected, area of the flower garden by sinking the pot into the ground. Either way is fine.

After new growth has reached between six to ten inches, pinch out the tips to encourage branching. This can be done once a month until the middle of August. Once nights become longer in fall, bring the poinsettia indoors.

From about September through November light becomes crucial in poinsettia plant care. In order to encourage blooming, poinsettia plants require long periods of darkness at night (about 12 hours). Therefore, move the poinsettia to a location where it will not receive any nighttime light or cover it with a box. Allow plenty of light during the day so the plant can absorb enough energy for flowering. Warmer days (65-70 degrees F.) and cooler nights (55-60 degrees F.) are also recommended. Provide semi-cool, humid locations in bright, indirect light with plenty of moisture once blooming occurs.

Poinsettia Plant Leaves Are Falling Off
It's important to pinpoint the possible cause in the event that your poinsettia plant leaves are falling off, as in some cases, this can be easily fixed. Environmental factors, such as warm, dry conditions, are most often the reason for leaf drop. Stress can also be a factor. Keep the plant in a cool, draft-free area and provide plenty of water. If all else fails, the plant may need to be discarded.

Now that you know how do you take care of poinsettias you can keep these lovely plants year round. With proper poinsettia plant care, they will give you many years of beauty.

Thanks to Houston Plants & Garden World for this information.

November General Meeting

2010-11-13T06:44:00.000-06:00

In our November meeting we learned about water gardens. Anita Nelson, of Nelson Water Gardens was our speaker. She showed us how almost anything can be used as a water feature -- small or large. There are many ways to add interest to your garden or yard. Did you know that you do not have to dig to have a stream in your yard?? Check out their website: Nelsonwatergardens.com. Thanks Anita for all the valuable information and the tote bags!

November 2010 Yard of the Month

2010-11-13T06:42:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to Dale and Theresa Stasney for being selected as our November 2010 Yard of the Month. The Stasneys live at 27219 Windy Grove Ln.

November General Meeting

2010-11-05T06:28:00.002-05:00

Our November General Meeting is this Monday, November 8, 2010 at 26811 Cascade Woods Ln from 7-9pm. Our speaker this month is Anita Nelson from Nelson Water Gardens and her topic is Putting Pizzazz in your Garden. We look forward to seeing you there!

Upcoming Events

2010-10-24T21:26:00.002-05:00

We have two outings planned before for the end of this year. They are coming up soon and will be here before you know it. If you are interested in either of these trips please contact Cathy Oland at 281.758.1340. We will be carpooling and I will be happy to coordinate our transportation.

The first trip is to The Antique Rose Emporium in Brenham www.antiqueroseemporium.com/events on Friday, Nov 5, 2010 for the Fall Festival of Roses. We will leave at 10:00 am. We will stop for lunch.

The next tour is Christmas at The Brookwood Community in Brookshire , TX on Saturday, December, 4, 2010. Those who attended this event last year loved the experience and felt it was well worth another excursion. I am sure you will enjoy it. We will leave at 10:00 am and have lunch there if possible or somewhere else on the way home. http://www.brookwoodcommunity.org/ for more information.

2010-10-15T20:56:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to our October, 2010 Yard of the Month winners! Herby and Catherine Berryhill live at 27119 Kelsey Woods Ct. Thanks for your hard work!!

October General Meeting - Companion Gardening

2010-10-15T20:00:00.001-05:00

We had a wonderful meeting this month. We talked about Companion Gardening. Did you know that Cucumbers like to be planted with beans, corn, english peas, sunflowers and radish? Make sure you don't plant them around Irish Potatoes and Aromatic Herbs though!! Tomatoes like to be near Nasturtium, Marigold, Asparagus, Carrots, Parsley and Cucumber, but definitely not near Irish Potatoes, Fennel and Cabbage. Join us next month -- you never know what you will learn.

October General Meeting

2010-10-09T10:27:00.000-05:00

The October General Meeting is this Monday, October 11 from 7-9 at 26930 Rockwood Park Ln. This month's presentation is on companion plant gardening. We look forward to seeing everyone at the meeting!

LONG FLOWERING PERENNIAL FLOWERS

2010-09-28T08:08:00.001-05:00

Perennial flowers are among some of the favorite plants gardeners enjoy because they come back every year and put on a colorful show.

Their beauty and longevity make up for the work many of them require such as pruning, staking, deadheading and dividing. But some perennial flowers make up for the work we put into them by having extra long bloom times or having repeat flowering times all season long.

Their large blocks of color are show stoppers. So here are some perennials to consider for your garden if you enjoy perennials that flower for long periods of time:

1. Centranthus (Red Valerian)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 3 to 4 months
Good Varieties: Centranthus ruber 'Albus'

2. Coreopsis (Tickseed)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 3 or more months
Good Varieties: Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb', C.v. 'Golden Showers', C. grandiflora 'Early Sunrise'

3. Corydalis lutea (Fumewort)
USDA Zones 4 - 9
Bloom Span: 4 months
Good Varieties: C. lutea is the best one

4. Dianthus (Pinks)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 2 or more months
Good Varieties: Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Bath's Pink', D. g. 'Cheddar Pink', D. deltoids (Maiden Pink)

5. Echinacea purpurea (Coneflower)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 2 to 3 months
Good Varieties: Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus", E.p. 'Fragrant Angel', E. "Art's Pride'

6. Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
USDA Zones 2 - 9
Bloom Span: 3 to 4 months
Good Varieties: Gaillardia x grandiflora, Gaillardia 'Goblin' (dwarf), G. 'Burgundy', G. 'Monarch'

7. Nepeta (Catmint)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 2 to 3 months
Good Varieties: Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant', Nepeta x faassenii 'Dropmore' (Sterile and doesn't need deadheading)

8. Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan)
USDA Zones: 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 3 months
Good Varieties: Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm'

9. Scabiosa (Pin Cushion Flower)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 3 or more months
Good Varieties: Scabiosa caucasica 'Butterfly Blue', S. c. 'Pink Mist'

10. Sedum (Stonecrop)
USDA Zones 3- 9
Bloom Span: 2 to 3 months
Good Varieties: Sedum 'Autumn Joy', S. 'Bertram Anderson', S. Madrona, S. 'Brilliant'

11. Veronica spicata (Spike Speedwell)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 3 to 4 months
Good Varieties: Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'

Thanks to Houston Plants and Garden World for this information!

September 2010 Yard of the Month

2010-09-18T21:14:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Mr. Yun-L:Chang, our September Yard of the Month Winner! His fabulous yard is at 26306 Ridgefield Park Lane. Check it out! Thanks for helping our community look great.

September 13, 2010 - General Meeting

2010-09-18T14:14:00.006-05:00

We had a great meeting to this past Monday to start our 2010-2011 Garden Club year. Thanks to Dr. Mike Owens for his informative talk on How Much Water and When. Did you know you should only water your lawn for 6 minutes, then wait 30 minutes and water again?

September General Meeting

2010-09-10T07:29:00.002-05:00

The first meeting of the 2010-2011 Garden Club year will be this Monday, September 13 from 7-9 at 26818 Rockwood Park Ln. Our speaker will be Mike Owens speaking on How Much Water and When. We look forward to seeing everyone at the meeting and welcoming our new friends and neighbors!

Hydrangeas: When do I prune them? Why didn't they flower?

2010-08-27T10:15:00.000-05:00

Hydrangeas can be divided into two categories. Those that bloom on the current year’s growth, and those that bloom on old wood, (last year’s growth).

The Hydrangeas that bloom on old wood are from the macrophylla family. These include Nikko Blue, Endless Summer and many other pinks and blues. When I say they bloom on old wood I mean that they are busy right now setting flower buds for next summer. So next year when they take off growing in the spring, the flower shoots will actually emerge from the older wood, the wood that was produced this year.

The hydrangeas that bloom on new wood are typically the white hydrangeas like Annabelle and Paniculata Grandiflora (PG). They put on new growth in the spring and then later in the summer the flower buds are actually produced right at the end of that new growth. That’s why the Annabelle and PG are such prolific bloomers. They set flower buds and almost immediately those buds produce big, beautiful, abundant flowers. Almost nothing can go wrong with their blooming sequence.

But with the Blue and Pink Hydrangeas (macrophyllas) all kinds of things can go wrong with the flower buds. Since the flower buds are produced in August and September they have to make it through the harsh winter before they can bloom. The flower buds can be damaged by extreme cold.

Pruning? You should prune macrophylla hydrangeas right after they bloom, before they have a chance to start making new flower buds. Annabelle and PG hydrangea and other hydrangeas that flower on new wood can be pruned during the late fall, winter or early spring. Once they start growing in the spring, do not do any pruning until after they bloom.

One of the most popular new varieties on the market is “Endless Summer Hydrangea” and it is known to bloom more than once in a season. It’s in the macrophylla family and sets flower buds on old wood, but it is also known to set more buds and produce flowers during the growing season. It should still be treated as a hydrangea that blooms on old wood.

So . . . with all of that said, if your hydrangea did not bloom then the flower buds might have gotten pruned off, or more likely the flower buds were damaged over the winter.

Hydrangeas like more water than most plants, and at least a smidgen of shade helps them stay healthy and happy.

I hope this helps you understand the world of Hydrangeas. For even more information on hydrangeas and how to care for these beautiful plants, go to http://freeplants.com/hydrangeas.htm

We're almost ready!!

2010-08-14T10:12:00.004-05:00

Keep the date open! Our first meeting of the 2010-2011 year will be Monday, September 13, 7-9pm. Check back for more information! We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Planning Committee for 2010-2011 CCLGC Year

2010-08-08T17:24:00.007-05:00

The planning for the upcoming Cypress Creek Lake Garden Club is under way! We held a planning meeting on Tuesday, August 3. Debbie Haluch, Patti Foucha, Helen Lombardo, Billie Fontana, Cathy Oland and Jennifer Buchert are hard at work getting plans ready for our next year. We look forward to seeing everyone in September. Keep watching the blog and our Facebook page for more information on the September meeting!

Back Yard Tour - July 12, 2010

2010-07-15T16:38:00.011-05:00

CCLGC hosted a back yard tour on June 12^th. The tour began at our new butterfly garden and encompassed 4 neighbors back yards. Helen Lombardo, Sandra Gilbert, Cathy Oland, Herb Berryhill, Marcia and Dave Mausolf and Debbie Haluch spent the morning gathering tips and new ideas and enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Pavilion at Blackhorse Golf Club. Visit our Facebook page to see more pictures!

Summer Outing Planned - June 12, 2010

2010-06-02T14:59:00.002-05:00

Tour CCLGC Members gardens and Lunch at Blackhorse Country Club
Saturday, June 12th
starting at CCLGC new Community Butterfly Garden (by the splash pad)
10 AM

Garden Club Members and Guests are welcome!!

Details of homes to follow

Please RSVP as we will need a count to make reservations for lunch

Call Cathy 281-758-1340 or 713-876-6473 after June 6th

Come see the CCLGC in Action this Saturday!

2010-05-21T11:22:00.001-05:00

Come check out the CCLGC at work this Saturday, May 22, 2010. The Garden Club will be planting and mulching the Community Butterfly Garden located by the Splash Pad Recreation Center . Many of you saw the garden design work done last weekend. We loved your support and comments! Come see the newest addition to our community -- a Giant Butterfly!!

Final Meeting of the 2009-2010 Garden Club Year

2010-05-17T08:31:00.001-05:00

Our final meeting of the 2009-2010 Garden Club year was held Monday May 10th. We had a great turnout and made the final plans and preparations for our Community Butterfly Garden. Thanks to Debbie for working so hard to make this project happen – it’s be a full year of planning, fundraising , and more planning. We reviewed our year, and took suggestions for next year. We look forward to seeing all of our members thru the summer with a few of the events we will schedule. Have a great summer!!
Patti

Congratulations to our May 2010 Yard of the Month winners!

2010-05-15T11:19:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to our May, 2010 Yard of the Month winners! Jerry, Shauna, Zack and Zoe Ethridge have done a wonderful job on their yard! The Ethridges live at 26043 Jodie Lynn Circle – pass by and check it out! Thanks for helping keep our community beautiful

May General Meeting - This Monday

2010-05-07T14:41:00.000-05:00

Our May general meeting will be held this Monday, May 10 at 11402 Lake Louise Ct. This is the last meeting of the 2009-2010 Garden Club Year. We will be finalizing the plans for our Butterfly Garden. We look forward to seeing you there.

2010-04-27T07:30:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to Richard and Bonnie Segura for being selected as the April, 2010 Yard of the Month. The Seguras live at 26310 Ridgefield Park Ln.

For the first time every, a member of our Garden Club was selected! Congratulations!!! We love your yard!!!

April 2010 General Meeting

2010-04-25T07:36:00.005-05:00

Our April meeting was a special meeting for the CCLGC. Our speakers were our own members. Each of us talked about our favorite plant, telling about the plant, and why it is our favorite. Here are our favorites!!

Mike Owens
Equisetum commonly called horse tail because it grows in tall thin strands is the only genus of this group of plants that reproduce by spores not seeds. Common to the wet clay soils of Cypress it grows easily to about four feet tall. The cell walls are of silica so the stems are rough to the touch. Equisetum is a living fossil that has existed for over a hundred million years. The stems spread by rhizomes or underground stems and can be invasive. It is best grown in pots or contained areas. There are no leaves but the green stems are hollow and easy to cut. Use them in arrangements and children enjoy breaking it apart. The local Indians used the coarse texture of the stems to polish wood and scour dishes. Equisetum are often used to analyze gold concentrations in an area due to their voracious ability to take up the metal when it is in a solution.

Patti Foucha
Night Blooming Cerus
This is the ugliest plant you will ever love! If it had not been given to me, I never would have experienced the true beauty of this plant, because I certainly would not have bought it. It is a member of the cactus family. It prefers filtered light, and LOVES to be ignored. Yep, that’s’ what I said, a plant that doesn’t want much attention at all. It even prefers to be root bound! The blossom is unbelievable. Each flower only opens once, and that is at nighttime. The scent, along with the beauty of the flower, is magnificent. When the plant is ready to bloom, a bud will appear along the edge of a leaf. The day of the blooming, the bud will begin to open around 9 or 10pm and should be fully opened by midnight. By morning, the flower will have closed up. It has been said that you could cut the flower and put it in your refrigerator and it will stay a bit longer.

Sandra Gilbert:
*PURSLANE/annual, full sun, height 6”, spread 12”
“This favorite sun loving annual creates a vibrant carpet of clear yellow, pink, rose, orange or bi-color blooms all summer long. The succulent foliage is low and spreading with free flowing, vigorous blooms that thrive in intense heat and dry conditions. They are perfect for planting in mass in rock gardens, annual beds, borders, hanging baskets, or spilling over the sides of containers. “
*VERBENA [HOMESTEAD PURPLE]/perennial, full sun, height 6-8”, spread 12-18”
“Beautiful purple flower clusters on spreading plants in summer.” This variety survived last summer [heat and drought] and winter [freeze]. Attractive to bees, butterflies and birds [hummers].
*MEXICAN FLAME VINE/ perennial vine, full sun, height 8-10’
Beautiful red-orange flowers on lush evergreen vine. Easy to propagate. High heat tolerance, low water requirements, seldom bothered by pests. Attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds [hummers].
*FRAGRANT DELIGHT HELIOTROPE/ annual herb, sun or part sun, height 15-18”
Clusters of sweet vanilla-scented vibrant purple flowers. Attractive to butterflies and hummers.

Bonnie Segura
Brought Roses. A hybrid tea rose called Veterans Honor, a climber named Don Juan and miniatures Rainbow End and Texas.

Wendy Hrncir
Oregano. This survived the freeze! It propagates itself slowly, has a sweet little flower. You can cook with it fresh or dried. If you step on it or hit it with the weed eater, it comes right back, and it offers a nice fragrance. Oregano can be cut back and shaped – it won’t hurt it at all.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!

2010-04-12T07:45:00.000-05:00

The CCL Garden Club would like to THANK everyone in our community who supported our recent fundraising activities by purchasing flats of plants and attending our “Garden Treasures” sale. The proceeds will be used towards our Community Butterfly Garden, scheduled to be completed in May of this year, as well as other future projects.

Garden Treasures and Plant Sale

2010-04-11T13:16:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Billie Fontana, Bonnie Segura, Cathy Oland, Laura Bockoven, Helen Lombardo, Mike Owens, Nicole Alverez, Norma Chiaramonte, Patti Foucha, Debbie Haluch, Sandra Gilbert and Wendy Hrncir who donated items and came out to support the club at our Garden Treasurers and Plant Sale this past Saturday. Special thanks to Billie Fontana for having the sale at her home again this year. We also would like to thank all of our neighbors and friends who stopped by to purchase treasures and plants and make donations to our future projects! The sale was a great success.

Garden Treasures Sale - This Saturday!

2010-04-08T06:45:00.000-05:00

CCLGC is holding their Treasures in the garden sale. Replanting is occurring in Cypress Creek Lakes subdivision. Support the Cypress Creek Lakes Garden Club rejuvenation projects by visiting your gardening neighbors and purchasing secret garden treasures and plants, Saturday, April 10th during the garage sale. You can find us at 26123 Timberstone Ct between 7-2pm

Teaching Girl Scout Troop 16041 about Butterflies

2010-04-03T10:38:00.013-05:00

Debbie Haluch, Patti Foucha and Norma Chiaramonte met with Girl Scout Troop 16041 at their April 1, 2010 meeting to hear what they have learned about Butterflies and to give them more information about butterflies and what to put in your garden to attract them.

We also did a craft of making paper flowers and attaching a butterfly to each flower. The girls, and their leader, Melanie Jackson, were awesome.
We had so much fun with them! Thanks, Troop 16041 for inviting us! We look forward to seeing you in May when we plant our Butterfly Garden!!

CCL Community Easter Egg Hunt

2010-04-03T10:06:00.008-05:00

The CCLGC had set up a table at the splash pad in the area that will be our Butterfly Garden with material and information on the Garden Club Thank you to Debbie Haluch, Helen Lombardo, Sandra Gilbert, Norma Chiaramonte and Patti Foucha for talking to those participating in the successful Egg hunt.

Our drawing prize winners were:
o Keith Uyeda- Easter lily (donated by Debbie)
o Kathleen Linton – silk flower arrangement (donated by Helen)
o Ruth Westra- butterfly craft stamps (donated by Norma)
o Carrie Villarreal- container water bulbs (donated by Debbie)

Easter Egg Hunt Drawing Winners!!

2010-04-03T07:15:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the winners of our drawings at the Community Easter Egg Hunt.
o Keith Uyeda- Easter lily (donated by Debbie)
o Kathleen Linton – silk flower arrangement (donated by Helen)
o Ruth Westra- butterfly craft stamps (donated by Norma)
o Carrie Villarreal- container water bulbs (donated by Debbie)
Thank you to Helen Lombardo, Sandra Gilbert, Norma Chiaramonte, Debbie Haluch and Patti Foucha for talking to those participating in the successful Egg hunt.

March General Meeting

2010-04-01T17:11:00.003-05:00

Our March meeting was held Monday, March 8, 2010. John Ferguson of Nature's Way Resources was our speaker.

John Ferguson is the founder and owner of Nature's Way Resources, a Houston based composting and recycling company that specializes in high quality compost, mulch, and soil mixes. He has won many awards in horticulture and environmental issues. His personal garden has been featured in several gardening books, "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine and his business has been recognized in the Wall Street Journal for the quality and value of the products.

John talked to the garden club about the Soil Food Web

This presentation covers the latest innovations in modern soil science, horticulture and landscaping

It was a non-technical introductory presentation illustrating why we need to change. It works better than older conventional chemical rescue methods and lowers maintenance costs. Additionally this makes our lawns and gardens safe for children and pets.

March, 2010 Yard of the Month

2010-03-20T07:13:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Cheng and Sunny Lin for being selected the March, 2010 Yard of the Month. The Lins live at 26302 Ridgefield Park Ln. Their yard is awesome!!

Reminder - Order your Plant Vouchers!!

2010-03-01T10:52:00.001-06:00

Now is the time to have your roses trimmed. Hold on for two or so more weeks before planting new plants.

Reminder: Cypress Creek Lakes Garden Club is currently raising funds for upcoming projects, including our community butterfly garden. We are selling vouchers for flats of plants provided by Buds and Blossoms. Please contact us at cclgc1@gmail.com to reserve your plants now! Annuals: $16, Perennials: $19. Flats of 18 plants, 4” pots. We will bring you the voucher and you (or your landscaper) can pick up your plants any time before June 1! Thanks for your support!

When to Start Seeds for a Vegetable Garden

2010-02-25T07:48:00.000-06:00

When to Start Seeds for a Vegetable Garden

As winter begins to wind down, gardeners anxiously await the
arrival of spring and the gardening season. Even though winter
may still have a few tricks up its sleeve, vegetable gardeners
can begin to prepare for the gardening season and get a head
start on spring by starting some crops early indoors.

But if seeds are started indoors too soon, the little plants
may outgrow their indoor growing space and become too leggy.
If they're planted too late, the seedlings will not be large
enough for transplanting in the garden when planting time
comes round. For the best results and the least amount of
frustration, it's important to know the right time to plant
seeds.

Broccoli and cabbage can be started early indoors or direct
seeded. The proper time for planting seeds for broccoli or
cabbage indoors would be four to six weeks before
transplanting to the garden.

The timing for planting cauliflower seeds is similar to the
timing for broccoli. Sow the seeds in flats starting in
early March. For successive crops, continue sowing seeds
through June, and plant out the seedlings 4-5 weeks after
sowing the seeds.

Cucumbers can be started early indoors or direct seeded in
the garden. For an earlier crop, sow cucumber seeds indoors
4-5 weeks before they can be planted outdoors.

Melon plants grow best in warm weather. Melon seeds can be
sown indoors one month before they can be transplanted into
the garden. Handle seedlings carefully as they do not like
to have their roots disturbed.

Onions are often grown from tiny bulbs called sets, but
onions can also be grown from seed. Plant onion seeds
indoors in flats 6-8 weeks before they seedlings are to be
planted out. Or plant onion seeds directly in the garden as
soon as the soil can be worked. For more details on growing
onions, go to http://freeplants.com/growing-onions.htm

Peppers grow rather slowly and in most climates the plants
should be started indoors. Sow pepper seeds indoors eight
weeks before planting out the little seedlings, and do not
plant them outdoors until the soil has warmed and summer
weather has settled in.

Pumpkins and winter squash are vigorous plants that grow well
when the seeds are planted directly in the garden. If you
have a short growing season, you may start pumpkin winter
squash seeds indoors no more than 3-4 weeks before planting
out the seedlings.

Tomato plants cannot handle cool temperatures or frost, so
the seedlings must not be planted outdoors until all danger
of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to at least 70
degrees. Sow tomato seeds indoors 5-6 weeks before the
seedlings can be planted out.

For more details about starting vegetable seeds, including
spacing for the plants in the garden, go to
http://freeplants.com/garden-seeds.html

Get your garden ready!!

2010-02-14T16:15:00.001-06:00

DID THE FREEZE KNOCK OUT YOUR GARDEN?
DO YOU JUST WANT TO PUT IN SOME COLOR?
CYPRESS CREEK LAKES GARDEN CLUB
CAN HELP!

March is the time for bedding plants to give your garden
that spot of color

Reserve your plants now!
Top quality plants are provided by Buds and Blossoms
Flats of Annuals $16.00
Flats of Perennials $19.00
(a flat has 18 plants in 4" pots!! That’s a great deal!)

To purchase your plant voucher, please contact the Garden Club
cclgc1@gmail.com

When you receive your voucher, you (or your landscaper)
can pick up your flats at ANY TIME from:

BUDS AND BLOSSOMS
14120 CYPRESS N. HOUSTON
CYPRESS, TX 77420
(North of 290 on Cypress North Houston
Between Telge and Huffmeister)

February General Meeting

2010-02-14T16:09:00.003-06:00

Our February General meeting was held on February 8th. Our speaker,Loretta Coussirat gave a wonderful presentation, including a fantastic slide show and movie, teaching us about design, selection and ways to prepare our yards for a freeze as well as how to fix our yards after a freeze. The best way to cover your plants for an freeze is to use a freeze blanket. They allow the sunlight in, yet keep your plants warm. They are available at most of the local stores. She also told us that any plant that is a native plant to the area will come back after a freeze. Our zone is 8B, so we should keep that in mind when purchasing plants. This zone designation indicates the temperatures that the plant can survive in.

February General Meeting

2010-02-08T09:19:00.001-06:00

Reminder: The CCLGC February General Meeting is Today - Monday, Feb 8 at 7pm at 26615Ridgefield Park Ln.. Our speaker this month is Loretta Coussirat. Lorettas presentation will include landscape design techniques, plant selection, and repairing our yards after the big freeze.
We look forward to seeing everyone there!

January 2010 Yard of the Month

2010-01-12T12:50:00.002-06:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Tony and Sherian Hardin on being selected as the January, 2010Yard of the Month! The Hardins live at 26610 Ridgefield Park Ln. Thanks for keeping your yard looking great!!

January General Meeting

2010-01-12T07:02:00.006-06:00

Our January General Meeting was held Monday, January 11, 2010. Our speaker was Anna Perry, Master Gardner, designer and planter for the Ault School Butterfly Garden.

Anna was very gracious in sharing her valuable information on Butterfly Gardens! She shared her plans, fundraising activities, and volunteer information to help get us on the right track with our planned CCL Community Butterfly Garden. This will be a big project, but we know with the support of the Garden Club and our CCL Community, it will be beautiful. We are also involving Girl Scout troops from our community in the activities of the Butterfly Garden.

A reminder to everyone that the Community Garage Sale will be in March. The Garden Club will, once again, have a sale to help raise funds for the Butterfly Garden. If you have any garden items (tools, plants, pots, or anything garden related) that you would like to donate to the Garden Club for the sale, please contact either Debbie or Patti at cclgc1@gmail.com.

Be sure to check out our FACEBOOK page, become our fan, and see more pictures!
If you would like more information on the CCLGC, please contact us at cclgc1@gmail.com

January General Meeting

2010-01-10T11:38:00.001-06:00

The January General Meeting will be held this Monday, January 11, 2010 at 26818 Rockwood Park Ln.. Our speaker is Anna Perry, Master Gardener, designer and planter for the Ault School Butterfly Garden. We look forward to seeing you there!

December 2009 Yard of the Month Winner

2009-12-22T07:25:00.002-06:00

Congratulations to Brad and Diana Hall for being selected the December, 2009 Yard of the Month. The Halls live at 26111 Silverbluff Court. Their yard even survived the freeze we had!! Check it out!! Thanks to the Halls for helping our neighborhood look good!!

Day trip to The Brookwood Community

2009-12-09T07:08:00.012-06:00

We had a great day trip to The Brookwood Community in Brookshire this past Saturday (12/5/09). The gift shop was overstocked with beautiful gifts and Christmas decorations, many made by the residents of Brookwood. It was a difficult choice on what to purchase! The greenhouse at Brookwood is awesome. The plants are really beautiful. In addition to their regular plant selection, they had Poinsettas in many sizes and 3 varities! After our visit to the store and greenhouse, we had an enjoyable lunch at their Cafe. (www.brookwoodcommunity.org)

There you have it --
a beautiful day, spent with good friends, enjoying browsing and shopping, topped off with a great lunch!

Check out our Facebook page to see more pictures.

November Yard of the Month

2009-11-17T10:32:00.004-06:00

CONGRATULATIONS to David and Jeanne Wyatt on being selected as the November, 2009 Yard of the Month! The Wyatts live at 11307 Carson Field Ln. Take a drive past their house -- it's great! Thanks for your hard work!!

November General Meeting

2009-11-13T09:02:00.005-06:00

Our November General Meeting was held November 9, 2009. Our speaker was freelance florist Elaine O'Connor. She taught us how to make silk arrangements. We all made our own, and they were ALL fantastic!
I am sure that everyone will proudly display their arrangement during the holidays. Our November Yard of the Month winner was announced and presented with their award and garden stone. Thanks David and Jeanne Wyatt for all of your hard work! Be sure to visit our Facebook page for more pictures!

November General Meeting

2009-11-06T08:59:00.000-06:00

Our November General Meeting is this coming Monday, November 9, 2009 from 7-9pm at 26811 Cascade Woods Ln. Our speaker this month is Freelance Florist Elaine O'Connor who will speak on flower types and make a fall arrangement. Hope to see you there!

We are looking for a Boy/Girl Scout troop to Mentor!

2009-11-06T08:56:00.001-06:00

We are available for a Scout troop (Daisy, Girl Scout, Cub Scout, Boy Scout, etc) that is seeking a mentor for gardening. We can assist your troop with merit badges that require gardening, planting, etc. We would like to include them in the planning and working of our community butterfly garden. Please contact us at our cclgc1@gmail.com if you are a troop leader/scoutmaster, or know of a troop that may be interested.

How To Read a Seed Catalog

2009-11-03T13:20:00.001-06:00

HOW TO READ A SEED CATALOG

Long before the first daffodils of the year come into bloom, seed catalogs are delivered to our mailboxes to herald the arrival of Spring. A good seed catalog contains so much information, it can sometimes be overwhelming for a novice gardener to decide which seeds to buy for their garden. Today I’ll explain how to interpret catalog descriptions for vegetable, herb and flower seeds.

Let’s start with vegetable and herb seed descriptions, since they’re fairly straightforward. A typical catalog listing for these seeds will look something like this description for lettuce seeds:

“Black Seeded Simpson (45 Day) Crisp, tender and sweet. Heat resistant. Pkt. $1.25”

In this description, “Black Seeded Simpson” is the name of the lettuce variety. “45 Day” refers to the average length of time from when the seeds germinate until the plant matures and is ready to harvest. Keep in mind that this number should be used only as an estimation. The actual maturity time will vary slightly with your particular growing conditions and the weather. This number is a rough guide and should be used mostly as a comparison with other varieties and when planning when to plant successive crops.

That’s pretty simple, right? But catalog descriptions aren’t that cut and dried for every vegetable.

Take sweet corn, for instance. The catalog description may indicate the length you can expect each ear to be at maturity, and even how many rows of kernels to expect on each ear. But you may also see some odd letters after the names of the corn varieties offered in some catalogs. EH, se, sh2, su…it’s like a secret code. Actually, these letters tell you a little about the flavor you can expect long before you ever bite into the first sweet, tender ear.

First of all, when you see any of these designations after the variety name, you’ll know you’re looking at a hybrid corn variety. These hybrids have been developed for certain desirable characteristics, such as flavor, tenderness, or durability for shipping.

An “su” hybrid is a normal sugary hybrid. They tend to be creamy and sweet, but they don’t store well. An “su” hybrid should be eaten within a couple of days of harvest. This would be a good choice for a home garden, but a poor choice for a commercial corn grower. They tend to not cross pollinate with the neighbor’s corn.

An “se” variety is a sugary enhanced hybrid. These varieties have a smooth, butter texture, very tender kernels and a longer harvest period. Sugary enhanced hybrids also tend to not cross pollinate readily, and need not be isolated from your neighbor’s corn.

Supersweet hybrid corn is designated as “sh2”. These varieties have a gene that enhances their sweetness and produces firm, crisp and juicy kernels. The texture is not as creamy as “se” or “su” varieties, but supersweet varieties do hold their flavor for up to ten days after harvest, making them a good choice for commercial growers. Supersweet corn will cross pollinate readily with other corn varieties, resulting in starchy kernels, so it’s best to plant supersweet varieties at least 25 feet from other corn in your garden.

Now let’s talk about flower seeds.

Flowering plants are categorized as either Annuals, Biennials or Perennials. Annuals will complete their entire life cycle in one growing season. Their seeds are planted in the spring, the plant grows rather quickly and blooms that same season. Marigolds and sunflowers are examples of flowering annuals.

A biennial plant will spend its first growing season establishing itself and storing energy. But it’s not until the following growing season that a biennial will bloom. Foxgloves and hollyhocks are biennials.

Perennials are plants that will continue to grow year after year without being replanted. They typically go dormant over winter and grow back from their roots the following spring. Astilbe, hostas and daylilies are examples of perennials.

Before choosing seeds from a catalog, you’ll need to know which growing zone you live in. Growing zones, also known as hardiness zones, are based on the average minimum temperatures for each zone. A growing zone map is included in every good garden catalog, making it quite easy to identify your garden’s hardiness zone. Growing zones with higher numbers are in warmer climates, while growing zones with lower numbers are in the north.

For all perennials, biennials, trees and shrubs, catalogs will indicate the range of zones in which the plants will perform consistently. For instance, Blue Fountains delphinium is listed as hardy in zones 3-7. This plant would not be likely to survive a long, cold winter in zone 2, nor would it tend to grow well in the heat of zones 8 or 9.

For best results and the most satisfaction from your gardening efforts, always choose seeds for plants that are hardy to the growing zone you live in. Buy seeds from a reputable company and avoid discounted seeds left over from the previous year. Most seed companies print planting instructions for each seed variety right on the back of the seed packet. By following these instructions carefully and choosing your seeds wisely, you’ll be well on your way to having a terrific garden.

By Kathy Anderson
Kathy Anderson has been an avid gardener for many years and has grown tomatoes by the acre, along with many other vegetables, flowers and landscape plants. Kathy recommends http://www.freeplants.com as a great place to learn more about gardening. Article provided by http://gardening-articles.com. If you use this article the above two links must be active.

October General Meeting Update

2009-10-19T08:44:00.001-05:00

Our October meeting was held October 12. We awarded the CCLGC Yard of the Month for October to Billie and Joyce Danner (see post below). Debbie Haluch and Billie Fontana presented them with their certificate and a beautiful garden stone.

Our speaker this month was Dr. Mike Owens, who spoke on Trees and Shrubs. Mike gave a great presentation complete with props! He tested our knowledge of trees, and told us which trees would work best in our area. Everyone learned new and valuable information on planting and maintaining trees and shrubs including what will crack your foundation if planted too close to the house.

Remember to check out our Facebook page to see our pictures!

October, 2009 Yard of the Month Recipient

2009-10-17T18:12:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Billie and Joyce Danner and their son Josh on being selected as the October, 2009 CCLGC Yard of the Month! Keep up the great work! The Danners live at 10818 Lake Raven Court. Pass by and see their fabulous yard!

October General Meeting

2009-10-09T10:28:00.003-05:00

Join us for our October General Meeting this coming Monday, October 12, 2009 at 26930 Rockwood Park Ln from 7-9pm. Our speaker this month will be Dr. Mike Owens. He will talk on Trees and Shrubs. We look forward to seeing you there!

September General Meeting

2009-10-08T06:17:00.004-05:00

Our September General Meeting was held on September 14th. We were happy to welcome several new members, as well as welcoming back our returning members. This will be an exciting year for us as we work towards growing our club, friendships and ideas. We are still looking for volunteers to lead some of our special projects teams. Please think about where your talents are and put them to good use with CCLGC!

Our speaker for this meeting was Robine Dengle. She gave a very informative presentation on container gardening. We all learned a lot from her, and appreciate the special plants that she left for each of us.

We presented our first ever Yard of the Month award to the Reid family. If you haven't seen their yard, you should go check it out!

Remember to check the blog and facebook often to keep up with what's happening with CCLGC.

Our next meeting is Monday, October 12, 2009.

Hope to see you there!

Patti

September Yard of the Month Receipient

2009-09-28T06:27:00.004-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Charlene and Paul Reid, and their daughters Ariel and Alexa for being selected as the first Cypress Creek Lakes Garden Club Yard of the Month.

The Reids live at 27003 Rockwood Park Lane and have a FABULOUS yard! CONGRATULATIONS! Thanks for making Cypress Creek Lakes a more beautiful place to live.

September General Meeting

2009-09-10T07:20:00.001-05:00

Please join us for the first meeting of the 2009-2010 Cypress Creek Lakes Garden Club. The meeting will be held this coming Monday, September 14 from 7-9pm at 26818 Rockwood Park Ln. Our speaker for this meeting will be Master Gardener Robine Dengel. She will be speaking on Container Gardening: How to mix your soil, what plants work well and edible plants to grow close to your house. We will also be announcing our first Yard of the Month recipient. Please join us as we learn something new, share ideas, and get an outlook for the year to come.
We are looking forward to seeing all of you!
CCLGC – Where Neighbors Grow Together

We've Been Canvasing the Neighborhood...

2009-09-07T17:52:00.003-05:00

We have been walking the community giving out information about the Cypress Creek Lakes Garden Club for the last couple of months. It has been great meeting our neighbors and getting others excited about the Garden Club and our plans for the next 2 years. We look forward to seeing all of our previous members, and our new found friends and neighbors at our meeting next week!

Patti and Debbie

WE ARE NOW ON FACEBOOK!!

2009-08-09T09:46:00.004-05:00

Come become our fan on FACEBOOK! Click on the Facebook badge on the right of the blog. We post all of our pictures there, and would love to have your comments and shared information!

Hope that we are all "FRIENDS" real soon!

Patti