THE BULLETIN JULY 2020 - BRITISH COLUMBIA COUNCIL OF GARDEN CLUBS - BC Council of Garden Clubs
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THE BULLETIN
BRITISH COLUMBIA COUNCIL OF GARDEN CLUBS
JULY 2020
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
02 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Eric shares several updates from the BCCGC
and invites your input for the fall meeting.
VISION TO ACTION
The Vision to Action Day is
now scheduled for September.
03
04 JAPANESE BEETLE UPDATE
The BC Council of Invasive Species provides an
update on the Japanese beetle eradication plan.
WHAT ARE OTHER CLUBS DOING?
Four of our member clubs provide ideas about how to keep
garden clubs alive while in-person meetings are not possible.
06
09 THE BEST ADVICE MY
GRANDFATHER GAVE ME
A sweet short story with a timely moral.
SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND UPDATE
Messages from several scholarship recipients. 11
12 A VOICE FROM THE PAST
Marie Bensley, the BCCGC president 50 years ago
recently reached out to us to share some memories.
14 AGM 2020 RESULTS
Results from the AGM and links to the AGM reports.
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 1 | JULY 2020
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
BY ERIC HEES reach out to me at president@bcgardenclubs.com
and share stories about those in your gardening
Hello! Be calm. Be kind. Be safe. And garden on!
community who are your Growing Heroes so
Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry offers that we can share them with the wider gardening
these words of support almost daily as we all community.
learn about and pass through the undiscovered
territory of COVID-19. So many things have
BCCGC NEWS
The Council Executive welcomes Ginette
changed, and yet, so many have remained the
Handfield as Treasurer and wants to thank Cindy
same. Love of nature and gardening have seen a
Tataryn (First Vice-President) and Linda Stanley
resurgence as more people are staying home and
Wilson (Communications Coordinator) for
discovering the joys of growing flowers,
continuing in their roles.
vegetables, and other plants.
The Council has also changed our mailing address.
For the first time in my memory, my father, who is
Please send mail to:
85, has planted a garden—albeit a small one—on
his balcony. In his small garden, my father finds, as BC Council of Garden Clubs
many people across BC have found, that PO Box 16106 Lynn Valley
gardening both asks for and teaches those same North Vancouver, BC V7J 3S9
traits of being calm, being kind, and being safe. It is with sadness that we report that Council
Gardeners, through their connection with the Secretary Melanie Rantucci has left the team due
earth and plants, have long known of the benefits to family demands. Melanie was an important
of working in and with nature—benefits for the part of the executive team and her energy and
mind, body, and spirit. Today, more than ever, we contribution will be missed. So, this means our
need the wisdom gardeners have learned. Today Secretary position is open. Please see page 10 for
the soil needing to be worked and the garden information about the current opening.
needing to be tended is not just that below our
FALL MEETING
feet, but the soil of mind and spirit. How we treat
The Council has decided that the fall meeting will
each other, and all life we encounter, is being
be held virtually. Although we would love to
talked about in many places by people of all ages,
catch up in person, the Provincial Health Officer
and many initiatives are underway to act safely,
has stated that groups of 50 or more will not be
calmly, and with kindness.
able to meet until a vaccine, treatments for
Many inspiring stories are featured in the media COVID-19, or community immunity has been
about people who are helping others, planting achieved. Put October 24 in your diary!
seeds for a brighter future for families, their
Please continue to check the
community, and the world. It would be great to
website for updates as we work to
share stories of gardeners and clubs that are
plan the event—something we
supporting individuals, families, groups, and
envision as engaging and inspiring. If
communities during these times and living the
you have any ideas or suggestions,
principles of being calm, kind, and safe. Please
please email me.
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 2 | JULY 2020
for the course has been extended. There
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT UPDATE
haven’t been any shows for the students to
BY CINDY TATARYN judge so far this year, so they have been
BCCGC FIRST VICE PRESIDENT unable to do any observe-judging or co-
SPEAKERS LIST judging. If you have any questions, please drop
As more clubs move to holding online meetings, me an email message
their program committees will be looking for (1vicepresident@bcgardenclubs.com).
speakers who are comfortable and experienced in
making presentations online. If you are able to give a
VISION TO ACTION DAY 2020
PowerPoint (or similar) presentation that would be BY ELIZABETH THERIAULT
of interest to garden club members utilizing an BCCGC SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
online format such as Zoom, please let me know so Last year on February 23rd, 2019, BCCGC
I can pass this information on to the member clubs. members gathered for a Visioning Day and
You can go to our website (bcgardenclubs.com) and spent valuable time in debate and discussion
open the form under the Speakers Directory tab. about a collective vision for the future of the
Fill in your complete information, then under the BCCGC. At the AGM in 2019, further
Speakers Profile section, please specify whether you discussion and membership input was sought.
are able to do a online presentation (indicate which The BCCGC executive has reviewed the
of your presentations can be presented in this notes, work products, and input from the
manner). membership and distilled the first draft of a
strategic plan for the BCCGC’s next five
FLOWER ARRANGING WORKSHOPS
years.
The flower arranging workshops will resume when
the meeting spaces reopen and it is safe to do so. We had hoped to invite the membership to
Social distancing requirements will be followed and review this draft and to participate in the
each person will be given their own table to work next steps of developing the Vision, Mission,
at. I’ll contact the people who have signed up for and Goals & Objectives for 2020-2025 in
these workshops to confirm dates and times. early March of this year. However, the
COVID-19 pandemic sidelined those face-to-
If you would like to sign up for a future flower
face plans!
arranging workshop please let me know. I’ll organize
more workshops in the future when I have enough The good news is we are now planning a
interested people. Follow this link to sign up https:// virtual Vision to Action Day during the week
tinyurl.com/yd5dezyx. of September 6-12th, 2020. This event is
open to anyone who belongs to a BC garden
HORTICULTURAL JUDGES COURSE
club, allotment or community garden, and/or
The horticultural judges course is underway. I’ve had
is a member of BCCGC. Please stay tuned:
to adjust the delivery of the course due to the
we will be circulating more information and
COVID-19 pandemic, and other adjustments
documents for review in the next couple of
will be made to the course as required.
months. We very much look forward to your
FLORAL DESIGN JUDGES COURSE input and participation in this exciting
Due to COVID-19, the deadline to visioning activity.
fulfill the practicum requirements
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 3 | JULY 2020
JAPANESE BEETLE IN VANCOUVER 2020
CONTRIBUTED BY THE
INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL OF BC
Following the third treatment season in Vancouver, spread or new introductions of the beetle. Each
the Japanese beetle eradication program is trap houses a floral lure and a sex pheromone
progressing towards the goal of zero beetles. The to attract the insect. Management efforts
U P DAT E
Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) became include the establishment of a regulated area
established in eastern North America in 1916 and (RA) in Vancouver where seasonal movement
was detected in downtown Vancouver’s False Creek restrictions for plants and soil are enforced, and
area in July 2017. The eradication effort began in where the treatment of public and private
2018 and has continued with strong collaboration property is taking place.
between multiple agencies, including the BC The CFIA’s 2019 surveillance program
Ministry of Agriculture, the Canadian Food recorded an 86% reduction in Japanese beetle
Inspection Agency (CFIA), the City of Vancouver, captures from the previous year. This large
the BC Landscape and Nursery Association, and decrease may be attributed to several factors,
the Invasive Species Council of BC. The Japanese including earlier treatment application and
beetle can deliver potentially devastating impacts to optimized treatment efficiency in 2018.
BC’s horticulture and agricultural industries, with
adult beetles feeding on over 300 plant species, An integral part of the eradication program
such as roses, fruits, and vegetables, while the larvae is public cooperation. By July, the adult
feed heavily on the roots of grasses and turf. beetles will be emerging as we begin to see
consistent temperatures over 21o C.
Movement restrictions for soil and plant
material are in effect in a large part of
Vancouver and although moving vegetables
and fresh fruits is not restricted, there are
some best practices for gardeners to avoid
accidental spread. For instance, adult beetles
are excellent hitchhikers, and they can lodge
themselves in the crevices of flowers such as
roses, or even corn husks. If you see suspect
adult Japanese beetles, capture them, take
high-resolution photographs, and email them
to CFIA along with your location and
contact info (cfia.wstjb-sj.acia@canada.ca) or
using CFIA's online reporting form. You may
Photo by David Cappaert, Bugwood.org
also report suspect Japanese beetles using
To monitor the progress of the eradication the Report-Invasives App, available for
program, the CFIA has traps set throughout iPhone and Android.
southern British Columbia that are observed for CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 4 | JULY 2020
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 ISCBC Japanese Beetle Resources
https://bcinvasives.ca/invasive-species/identify/
So what should I do with my green waste?
invasive-insects-fungi/japanese-beetle
Within the regulated area, the City of Vancouver
is operating a Temporary Transfer Station (TTS) CFIA Survey Results and Movement Restrictions
https://www.inspection.gc.ca/plant-health/plant-
at 301 West 1st Ave, open from June 15th to pests-invasive-species/insects/japanese-beetle/eng/
October 16th to coincide with the flight period 1328048149161/1328048244390
of the Japanese beetle. During this time, City of Vancouver Resources
residents who live within the regulated area—or www.vancouver.ca/japanesebeetle
landscapers working within it—can take plant
material that does not fit in the municipal green
bin to be disposed of. For a full list of what
should/should not be taken to the TTS, please
see the CFIA’s list of regulated and exempted
materials. Green waste collected from the TTS
and from municipal green bins in the regulated
area is incinerated at the waste-to-energy facility
in Burnaby. Chafer beetle larvae Photo by Dan Toulgoet
For more Japanese beetle information and to
WHAT ABOUT THE CHAFER BEETLE?
find links to program partners please visit our
If you’ve seen some insects flying around your deck
website at bcinvasives.ca/jb. To stay up-to-date
lights during the past couple of weeks, they might
with the latest Japanese beetle information,
have been European chafer beetles. Adult chafer
please sign up for our Japanese beetle e-
beetles emerge from the soil in June and mate in
newsletter.
swarms at dusk. In July, females can lay up to 30 eggs
You can also contact the 2020 ISCBC Japanese in the soil. The eggs hatch in about two weeks and
beetle ambassadors: the small grubs begin to feed on the grass roots.
Marley Lightfoot Infested turf will become wilted or dead and easy to
jbambassador1@bcinvasives.ca pull back, revealing the feeding larvae. Damage is
Diane Watson typically seen in the fall to early spring when the
jbambassador2@bcinvasives.ca grubs are full-grown. Much of the lawn damage
comes from raccoons and crows who dig the lawn
Host Plants: See page 13.
up looking for grubs to eat.
July is the time to treat your grass with beneficial
nematodes or BTG (Bacillus thuringiensis). An
example of a useful product is Grub B Gon MAX
(available from Canadian Tire among other retailers).
The City of Richmond has a great informational
webpage about chafer beetles—identification, life
cycle, treatment plans, and more. Visit their website
for more information (https://tinyurl.com/y7nr8az6).
Japanese beetle Photo by Ryan Hodnett
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 5 | JULY 2020
WHAT ARE OTHER CLUBS DOING?
Due to COVID-19, social distancing regulations were posted on the website and each entry was
issued by the Provincial Health Officer early this scored, which will count towards the end-of-year
spring, meant that most garden clubs would not awards. The response was excellent with double
be able to gather for regular meetings. For many the entries that would often come in at the
clubs, all meetings, excursions, plant sales, flower monthly meetings. In fact, one member even
and garden shows, and other activities were commented that she was happy to be able to
cancelled. The BCCGC cancelled its in-person participate in the showbench again as it had
AGM and began to conduct business utilizing a become too onerous for her to lug her entries
variety of technologies such as Zoom, Microsoft into the meeting in recent years.
Teams, and SurveyMonkey. We asked clubs what The next initiative was to put together a virtual
innovative ideas they were using to replace in- garden tour. Again, club members were
person activities and received some great encouraged to email pictures of the spring
responses. These ideas may help other clubs re- gardens and eight gardens were included in the
connect with their members and move forward “tour.” Links to both events were put on the
while in-person meetings are not possible. home page so that members who were not
familiar with navigating around the website could
SOUTH BURNABY GARDEN CLUB
easily look at the galleries.
BETTY GIRARD
And after missing our April meeting, we went
SECRETARY, SBGC
ahead with an online meeting using Zoom in May.
Just as many garden clubs were ramping up with
If members did not have a computer, they could
their meetings, showbenches, and plant sales, they
join the meeting by telephone—which is an
were blindsided by COVID-19. Many clubs
option that can be set up in Zoom. Twenty
struggle with waning membership and limited
members met, and once a couple of the
resources already without facing yet another
attendees worked a few bugs out, we happily
challenge.
visited and shared for almost two hours. We
In addition, many people, particularly seniors and usually have a speaker, but we decided not to do
those living alone, look to their local garden club so for the first meeting. It looks like our June
as an important way of connecting with others meeting will be through Zoom as well, and we
who have common interests. Many garden clubs are exploring options of having a virtual speaker
have put activities on hold, but South Burnaby as well as the usual agenda.
Garden Club members put their heads together
Many members have commented on how much
to come up with ways to stay connected.
they appreciated being able to stay connected
Our newsletter editor committed to producing with the South Burnaby Garden Club, many being
an extended version of the monthly publication seniors who are living alone. If you would like to
and included a community bulletin board. We browse our virtual showbench or tour our
have an excellent website, and we decided to use gardens please go to southburnabygardenclub.ca.
it as a platform to share. Our monthly showbench Happy gardening and hopefully we can all get
went virtual, with club members staging their together in person soon to share our common
entries at home and taking a picture. The pictures interests.
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 6 | JULY 2020
garden. Members loved seeing each other so
SOUTH SURREY GARDEN CLUB
much that we immediately prioritized open
LINDA STANLEY WILSON gardens for the rest of the summer and early fall.
PRESIDENT, SSGC
We developed a COVID safety plan that includes
Due to COVID-19 our 260-member club had to
a sanitizing station and check-in upon entry,
quickly cancel speakers, excursions, and, most
directional arrows to eliminate paths crossing, and
painfully, our annual plant sale.
reminders to visitors to maintain a two-metre
Our executive quickly got busy re-imagining what distance from each other. We have scheduled
the rest of our year could look like and how we one to two open gardens each week and are
could stay connected with our members. We planning a self-guided tour at Darts Hill Garden.
switched to online meetings via Zoom for our
It’s not the same as being together for our
committee and general meetings and have now
meetings, but we are trying to marry newer
held two successful large meetings (60-100
technologies with our traditional garden visits to
participants) for our membership. SSGC member
bring a sense of the camaraderie that we enjoy in
Gwen Odermatt, supported by her fabulous
the South Surrey Garden Club.
husband Paul, presented a slideshow featuring a
stunning array of flowers and spoke about why We have a new Virtual Visits series on Facebook
one might consider her selections. It’s so helpful (www.facebook.com/southsurreygardenclub),
to see plantings that thrive in our local area and continue to publish our newsy newsletter, provide
hear from an expert. Members were invited to regular club email updates, and have a phone tree
type in questions in the chat box of Zoom and to call on our members who do not use
Gwen answered these questions at the end of technology. Our Sunshine committee is still active,
the presentation. We next had Egan Davis from as is our Darts Hill Weeders group.
the UBC Botanical Garden who spoke about Our next endeavour is our Fun & Funky Foto
succession planting. Egan has been giving quite a Flower Show to take the place of our annual
few talks via Zoom and was very comfortable Flower and Garden Show. Members will have the
with the technology, and presented our club with opportunity to bring in their specimens on one of
an interesting and thought-provoking talk. three occasions for a professional photo shoot
Like many other clubs, we spent quite a bit of and then members will vote for their favourites! If
time in early spring propagating plants for sale to successful, we will likely plan another creative
the public, which typically brings in a large portion event for the fall to showcase members’ autumn
of our income to support speakers. We cancelled garden treasures.
our second propagation date, but we still had We are also planning a series of workshops—
hundreds of plants to sell or take care of for a some in person and some online—so that more
year or more. We decided that we could have a members will have the opportunity to participate
plant sale for our members over a two-day and to view the videos at a convenient time.
period and had visitors register for time blocks so Lastly, we are following the lead of the BCCGC
that no more than four people attended at one and holding our AGM virtually using Survey
time. It was held at the Odermatt Petals and Monkey for voting. We invite other clubs to
Butterflies Nursery, with the bonus of being able contact us for help and support in planning similar
to shop both our club plants and Gwen’s unique events and activities (ssgcpresident@gmail.com)!
plants and take a self-guided tour around her
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 7 | JULY 2020
been able to share links to their blogs, videos,
POWELL RIVER GARDEN CLUB
podcasts, and websites. We also share viewing
CHRISTINE, SUE, AND JOYCE suggestions from our members and post
COMMUNICATION TEAM, PRGC members' garden-related items for sale or
Our club president asked our Communication giveaway. Because our annual May plant sale was
Team to send in a summary of what we are doing cancelled, we sent out a message with several
to keep in touch with members. We hope that suggestions on what to do with plants that were
there are some useful ideas. destined for the sale (with safe distancing in
~Christine, Sue, and Joyce mind).
The Powell River Garden Club has three avenues Our Facebook page continues to post and share
of communication to our members in normal garden-related information such as the local
times: our blog, Facebook, and our newsletter. invasive plant species drop-off site and online
With meetings cancelled, our Communication learning opportunities. In addition, members are
Team came up with new ways of keeping up the posting if they have extra vegetable starts or
connection with our members. looking for identification of plants in their yards.
The blog is replacing the social aspect of our powellrivergardenclubblog.blogspot.com
meetings. We decided to go from biweekly to
www.facebook.com/Powell-River-Garden-
weekly posts to promote a sense of connection.
Club-410077229025018
The Program and Garden Visit Teams stepped up
to provide content for the blog. From SOUTH DELTA GARDEN CLUB
Programming came the idea of garden memoirs ANGELIKA HEDLEY
from our members, which we ran as a series. The PRESIDENT, SDGC
Garden Visit Team is now organizing virtual The South Delta Garden Club’s (SDGC)
garden tours to replace the real tours we would newsletter, News In Bloom, continues to be
be enjoying and posting on the blog. There is a published monthly (except Aug. and Dec.) but in
significant increase in members willing to provide an altered format. Because we have no meeting,
content. One member is documenting her garden some of the regular features have been cancelled
as changes occur and even wrote a poem for us; (i.e. the raffle, speaker report, tours, and
another shared her journey from building site to announcements). NIB now contains:
garden. With 188 members, the blog is getting
about 100 views per post, an increase of about Show and Share (unjudged and open
20%. parlor show) is now members' emailed
photographs of what is in bloom in their
We still send out our monthly newsletter with gardens.
email messages in between. The newsletter has
become more of a gardening news hub where Coming Events: lists local nurseries’
we highlight the various garden-related activities requirements for purchase.
going on around town and provide links to Members Ask: questions and replies about
articles in the local media—many of them current garden concerns—this is
featuring club members. Our planned May and particularly timely for newer gardeners.
June presenters have kept in touch and we've CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 8 | JULY 2020
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
THE BEST ADVICE MY
In My Garden and To Do Monthly:
continues unchanged.
GRANDFATHER GAVE ME
The SDGC added a separate and second club BY JEFF CLARK
email mid-month. Our Speakers Committee is SUBMITTED BY RUBY MILLER
ably liaising with the May and June speakers to I only have one memory of my grandfather.
send their presentations with illustrations in a
He was a poor Kansas farmer. And, while I was
PDF. Added to this email and postal mailing will
born in a hospital just three miles down the dirt
be the Treasurer's report and club
road from his house, and spent the first two
announcements—much as at a physical meeting.
weeks of my life in a homemade bassinet in his
This replaces the monthly third Tuesday of each
kitchen, I didn’t meet him until I was seven years
month meeting.
old.
The SDGC is exploring how to reach out to the
My family moved to California when I was just
South Delta (Ladner and Tsawwassen)
two weeks old. It would be seven years before
community now that our popular meetings with
we returned to Kansas to visit my father’s parents.
speakers are cancelled. Over 120 people, both
It was the only time I saw them.
members and general public (for a $5 fee) attend
monthly meetings on the third Tuesday of each “What do you want to do when you grow up?”
month (except July, August, and December). Grandpa asked me.
Beginning at the end of April, we have a rotating It was a hot August night—just before sunset. We
online guest spot featuring a different plant. were sitting on Grandpa’s front porch. He was
The SDGC Executive Council meets on the teaching me how to play gin rummy. And, I kept
second Tuesday monthly. Our first COVID-19 getting distracted by the lightning bugs that were
meeting was conducted through a series of emails flickering off and on in the bushes just in front of
with responses and questions. Our very capable the house.
and impressive secretary was able to write a “I want to be rich,” I said. “I want to have a big car
coherent and under-two-page set of minutes. and a big house, and a pool and a horse and…”
The SDGC has 184 members, ranging over seven I forget the rest… It was a big list. But, I
decades in age and gardening experience, and remember my grandfather just sitting there
gardening in a wide variety of ways. We are patiently, listening to me as I rattled off all the
curious and eager to learn from other clubs how things a seven-year-old could ever possibly want
they handle executive and general meetings, or desire for the rest of his life.
tours, and other club activities (e.g. summer
Grandpa smiled. “Those are all good things,” he
social) going forward into the fall.
said, “and I’ll bet you'll have everything. But…”
SDGC website: www.southdeltagardenclub.ca CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 9 | JULY 2020CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 My father kept a small garden in the backyard of
Then he went on to tell me stories about what it the house I grew up in. Mom would complain that
was like trying to raise a family during the depths he spent so much time in the garden when he
of the Great Depression (my father was the could just buy all the vegetables he needed at the
youngest of seven children). local store. Dad would ignore her, politely. And,
he’d wink at me as I took the hoe and tilled the
I don’t remember the details of the stories very
soil where we’d plant his garden every spring.
well. But, I do remember the intensity on
Grandpa’s face as he talked about the tough My dad had a good job. He worked hard. He
times he and Grandma went through. could easily afford to just buy whatever food we
needed at the grocery store. But, he insisted on
“No matter how much money you have,”
planting his garden every spring. He certainly
Grandpa said, “you can’t feed your family if there’s
could have spent his afternoons, evenings, and
no food to buy.”
weekends relaxing inside the house, on the couch,
“Go ahead and get rich,” he continued. “But or in front of the television. But, he took far more
before you do that, learn how to grow a tomato.” enjoyment in hanging out in his garden.
His advice hit home the other day as I noticed all He took a lot of pride in knowing he could grow
of the empty shelves at the local grocery store. a tomato if he had to do so.
That’s not something my generation has ever
I’m thinking that now is
experienced—at least, not to a large degree.
probably a good time to pass
We trade our stocks, flip our houses, post that skill along to my sons.
content all over the internet, and do any number
of things to earn that weekly paycheque and BCCGC SECRETARY POSITION
increase the cash in our savings accounts. We’ve Our Council Secretary, Melanie Rantucci, has had
always trusted that somehow, some way, all of the to resign due to family obligations. We are now
things that we need to survive will be available at seeking someone to complete Melanie’s term,
the time we need them—and we can just which ends in the spring of 2021. The job
exchange some of our cash in order to meet description for the Secretary position can be
whatever needs we have. found on our website at bcgardenclubs.com/
But that may not be true anymore. Maybe this is about/exec-board/secretary-terms-of-reference.
a temporary hiccup. Maybe everything will be The Secretary is responsible for taking the
back to normal in a few weeks, or a few months. minutes at the Executive meetings, which take
But maybe that’s what folks thought in1929, too. I place monthly. Due to COVID-19, the meetings
don’t know. I wasn’t there. have taken place via Zoom. Holding online
meetings has been very advantageous because
But I remember my grandfather’s face as he told
members no longer need to include travel time
me his stories. I remember how he went from
before and after the meetings. The Secretary
being playful and light-hearted to being intensely
position could be taken on by any member of a
serious. And, his message lives deeply engraved in
BCCGC club throughout the province as we will
my brain.
continue to meet via Zoom in the future.
My grandfather died penniless. But his family
never went hungry.
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 10 | JULY 2020I decided to end my career as a furniture
STF UPDATE
maker after ten years in the industry. I loved
BY BRENDA WOOSNAM the creativity my work allowed me but the
CHAIR, SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND wasteful nature of wood fabrication and the
We are looking for a third trustee to join our hard- sometime toxic culture in a woodworking shop
working but very rewarding committee. Without a did not align with my beliefs. I was unhappy
doubt the most interesting aspects of being a
SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND
and needed a change. I thought horticulture
Scholarship Fund Trustee are the connections made might be a perfect fit. I would be able to
with member clubs and with the students who express my creativity through landscape design
benefit from the awards made by the BC Council of and plant selection. I could give back to the
Garden Clubs. Perhaps the following will inspire environment instead of always taking. So I quit
someone in the BCCGC community to join our my job and applied to the UBC horticulture
committee. program. It ended up being a transformative
Over the few years that I have been on the and life altering experience. The instructors
committee I have had the opportunity to “meet” were inspiring and the work was deeply
many of the students that have received scholarships satisfying. Upon graduation I found work at
and bursaries from the BC Council of Garden Clubs. VanDusen Botanical Garden and I have loved
Those meetings, whether by letter, email, or every day of work since. Spending my days in
telephone call, have enabled me to gain an that beautiful garden doing work I love with
impression of what the award has meant to these people who have become like family has made
individuals. me happier than I ever thought possible.
It is clear that for many students the move into a If there remains any doubt that gardening can
horticultural life is a second career where they are change your life, please read the following letter
choosing to do what makes them happy. Julia from a recent scholarship recipient at Thompson
Lorimer worked at a craft gallery using colours, Rivers University.
textures, and forms to plan exhibits. Her love for Dear members of B.C.C.G.C.,
designing space found a new canvas and greater I was blown away when I received notice that I
scope in the field of landscape architecture, which was a recipient of your generous award! I can't
she studied at UBC. She wrote . . . tell you how much this means to me and how
I believe that well-designed public green spaces are grateful I am.
vital to nurture and connect our communities… I recently immigrated to Canada from China
Looking ahead, I hope that…I might have a role where I worked as a police officer in C.S.I.,
advocating for the landscape within our urban which involved dealing with a lot of death. I
environment. settled in Kamloops and attended the TRU
I recently reconnected with John McMartin, the open house and was attracted to their
beneficiary in 2018 of the first BCCGC scholarship Horticulture Program because of a lifelong
granted to the Horticulture Training Program interest in plants and growing. In addition to my
situated at the UBC Botanical Garden. I asked John interest in horticulture, I also saw it as a way to
about his job change and here is his response. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 11 | JULY 2020CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
focus on creating new life and growth instead of
death. This has been very therapeutic.
To study in a second language has been very
challenging and your recognition of my work and
achievement is very encouraging and inspires me to
continue my studies in horticulture. Needless to say,
the funds you awarded me will be of assistance to
me in continuing my studies in horticulture.
Once again I can't thank you enough for your
support.
Sincerely yours,
Yulin Duan
We hope that BCCGC members will be as gratified
as our committee is to know that your donations to
the Scholarship Fund are supporting these young
people and others as they move forward in their
clarity many of the pivotal moments in the
new careers, contributing to the greening of our
development of the BC Council. She passed
communities.
over files, memorabilia, old copies of The Bulletin,
A VOICE FROM
etc., although with some reluctance, as she had
been the guardian of these items for all these
THE PAST many years.
Mrs. Bensley and her husband regaled Lorna and
BY BRENDA WOOSNAM I with many stories over lunch about her
CHAIR, SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND exploits and achievements whilst president from
Just around the time of the BCCGC fall meeting, in 1969 to 1971. It was a very prolific time for the
October of 2019, the executive members received Council, and this was surely due to her amazing
an email from Marie Bensley asking if we would be energy and persistence. Under her leadership
interested in some keepsakes, since she was the BCCGC newsletter The Bulletin began, a
preparing to sell her North Vancouver home after judging manual was published, floral art judging
54 years of residence. Hmmm, who was Marie classes were instigated, and the Scholarship Trust
Bensley and what were these keepsakes? We were Fund was initiated. Whew! If you have done the
intrigued and ready to investigate. math, you’ll realize she must have been a
relatively young president (thirty-five years old,
As it turned out, Mrs. Bensley had been the
in fact) and that may account for all that energy
president of the BC Council of Garden Clubs 50, yes
and drive.
50, years ago and still had in her safe-keeping many
documents and materials pertaining to that period. Please check out the next issue of The Bulletin
Lorna Herchenson and I paid a visit to her in for more about Marie Bensley’s term as
December. Mrs. Bensley remembered with great president of BCCGC.
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 12 | JULY 2020legumes) Populus (poplar)
Japanese Echinacea (coneflower) Prunus (plum, peach)
Beetle Hemerocallis (daylily) Quercus (oak)
Hostplants Heuchera (alumroot, coral Ribes (gooseberry,
bells) currants, etc.)
Listed by Genera Hibiscus Rheum (rhubarb)
Bold = most affected Humulus (hop) Rhododendron
Hydrangea Rosa (rose)
Abelmoschus (mallow) Ilex (holly) Rubus (raspberry,
Acer (maple) Impatiens blackberry, etc.)
Aesculus (horse chestnut) Ipomoea (morning glory) Salix (willows)
Alcea (hollyhocks) Iris Sambucus (elder)
Aronia (chokeberries) Juglans (walnut) Sassafras
Asimina (pawpaw) Lagerstroemia (crape Solanum (nightshades
myrtle) including potato, tomato,
Asparagus
and eggplant)
Aster Liatris (blazing star)
Spinacia (spinach)
Betula (birch) Ligustrum (privet)
Syringa (lilac)
Buddleja (shrubs) Malus (apple, crabapple)
Thuja (arborvitae)
Calluna (heathers) Malva (mallow)
Tilia (basswood, linden,
Caladium (elephant ear) Mentha (mint) lime)
Canna (canna lily) Myrica (bayberry, Toxicodendron (poison
candleberry, ect.) oak, poison ivy, sumac)
Cannabis sativa
Ocimum (basil) Ulmus (elm)
Chaenomeles (shrubs)
Oenothera (evening
Castanea (sweet Vaccinium (blueberry)
primrose)
chestnut) Viburnum (wild raisin,
Parthenocissus (Virginia
Cirsium (thistle) nannyberry, blackhaw,
creeper)
etc.)
Cosmos
Phaseolus (bean, wild Vitis (grape)
Dahlia bean)
Weigelia (flowering
Daucus (carrot) Phlox spp.
shrubs)
Dendranthema Physocarpus (ninebark)
Wisteria
(chrysanthemum)
Pistacia (pistachio)
Zea (corn)
Digitalis (foxgloves)
Platanus (plane)
Zinnia
Dolichos (African
Polygonum (knotweed)
June 12th, 2020 1
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 13 | JULY 2020VIRTUAL AGM VOTING RESULTS
When the decision was made to cancel the April 25th in-person AGM, it was done with deep regrets at
not being able to see club members—everyone enjoys connecting and spending the day talking together,
learning, and catching up. We greatly missed this personal interaction. The executive decided to hold a
virtual AGM. To facilitate voting, an AGM package was put together and made available to clubs via our
website (available here: https://bcgardenclubs.com/virtual-agm-materials/). Delegates from each member
club (that was paid in full at the time of the April AGM) were then invited to vote via SurveyMonkey.
78 delegates (45% of the member clubs in good standing) cast votes on the two motions and most
answered the additional questions provided. Here are the results.
Yes No Abstain
Motion to approve the Executive Reporting Package,
2019 AGM minutes, and 2020 Budget. 75 0 3
Motion to change Article 3 of PART TWO of
the Scholarship Trust Fund. 77 0 1
Were you planning to send a delegate to the
April 25th, 2020, in-person AGM? 37 40 N/A
Is receiving the Executive Reporting Package in advance
of the scheduled AGM and registering your votes through 70 5 N/A
an online survey something you’d like to see continued?
The council’s executive thanks delegates for their active participation in our first Virtual AGM vote. We
are in record territory for the number of voting delegates. One of the wonderful aspects of the Virtual
AGM was that we had a number of delegates from the Interior, Gulf Islands, and Vancouver Island join in
to cast their votes. We have recommended that other clubs who are not able to hold an in-person
Annual General Meeting consider using SurveyMonkey (or similar) for matters that require a vote.
Suspension of meeting rules are allowed through the BC government’s Ministerial Order No. M116.
THE BULLETIN | PAGE 14 | JULY 2020NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTIONS
NEWSLETTER INFO
We would love to feature your club in the newsletter. You are
invited to submit an article at any time (please include photos).
Photos should be high resolution and you should include the name
of the photographer if possible. Articles should be in the range of
300–500 words. If you have an idea for a longer piece, connect with
the newsletter editor in advance to discuss your idea.
Articles are due on the 15th of the month preceding publication.
If they are submitted after that date, they will be held for the
next issue. The next due date is September 15th for the October 1st
issue. Submissions/inquiries: newsletter@bcgardenclubs.com.
NEWSLETTER ADVERTISEMENTS
BCCGC member groups and outside vendors wishing to advertise
events in our newsletter are invited to submit an ad electronically.
Advertising Rate
¼ page 3½ x 4¼ $30.00
½ page 7x4¾ $55.00
Full page 7 x 9 ½ $100.00
Camera-ready artwork (300 dpi jpg or pdf) and payment
due September 15th. Contact us about how to eTransfer
your payment! Send artwork to newsletter@bcgardenclubs.com
Linda Stanley Wilson, Editor
Pam Robertson, Copy Editor
BRITISH COLUMBIA COUNCIL OF GARDEN CLUBS
Eric Hees | President
Lorna Fraser | Past President
Cindy Tataryn | First Vice President
Elizabeth Theriault | Second Vice President
Vacant | Secretary
Ginette Handfield | Treasurer
Brenda Woosnam | Scholarship Trust Fund Chair
Linda Stanley Wilson | Communication Coordinator
Lorna Herchenson | Membership
www.bcgardenclubs.com | www.facebook.com/bcgardenclubs
BC Council of Garden Clubs • PO Box 16106 Lynn Valley • North Vancouver, BC • V7J 3S9You can also read
