Work at the Ranch continues!
On Thursday, Feb. 27th five club members joined Jane Villa-Lobos for a work session at Whispering Meadows Ranch. The club began this community project last year by planting several gardens, including the entrance gate and garden, a sensory garden in the play area and adding colorful plants along one of the horse trails.
The club is committed to helping this family-owned non-profit dedicated to enriching the lives of those with disabilities and special needs through recreational, educational, and equine-assisted programs.
The first work session of the year began by removing the plants in the sensory garden and converting it to a succulent and ground cover garden as it is too shady for herbs. Now it contains flapjack kalanchoe, ajuga, red dragon flower (Huernia), aloe and mother-in-law tongue. Wax begonias will be planted to add color next week.
The front entrance beds on John Anderson Highway were bordered with wooden beams. Beach dune daisies and bleeding heart vine were added to the existing aloes. Two copper colored Aechmea blanchettiana bromeliads were planted in front of the entrance columns which make quite the statement!
The first garden you see as you enter is in dappled sun but the oyster plants, crotons, multi-colored ti plants, and ferns have survived the munching by herds of deer which live on the property. Deer repellant stakes border the garden and seem to work. Members are learning what to plant where and what plants are deer resistant, or at least what these deer don’t like.
The riding trail to the play area was refreshed with several types of bromeliads, aztec grass, wandering jew, arboricola schefflera, mother-in-law tongue, Philippine violet, and walking iris.
There are many more areas which need work, so if anyone is interested in helping please contact Jane Villa-Lobos or Janet Correia. The next work morning will be Thursday, March 5.
Article by Jane Villa-Lobos
Photos by Jane Villa-Lobos
Our instructor was our very own Director, Linda Hensler, along with Kathleen Terlizzo and our President Sue Bara who provided some examples of each design.
John and Elizabeth Caruso of Eric Drive have been recognized as March 2020 Garden Selection of the Month by The Garden Club at Palm Coast.
Our visit included several presentations and guided tours in the park. First stop was at the plant sale pavilion where Elayne Byrd, a volunteer at the park and a member of our Garden Club, gave an excellent overview of the history of the park.
On our way to the next presentation we saw a group of volunteers in action. They were pruning the Crepe Myrtles. They gave us a spontaneous demonstration of the proper method to prune this species. “Pruning instead of Crepe Murder”. Twigs are cut off at the point where they have the thickness of a pencil. The tips and any side branches smaller than that are removed. This gives the tree a more natural look than the amputated trunks one sees around Florida.
Next we stopped at the Rose Garden where Park Ranger Joe Woodbury talked about the history of the Rose Garden. He explained the difference between various types of roses as well as their care, water, fertilizer, deadheading and pruning.
Then we went on a walking tour around the gardens, which contain multiple ponds with crystal clear water fed by springs. There are many interesting plants, such as large groups of Ginger plants.
The gardens contain many ancient Live Oaks. In addition to ferns growing on their limbs, one even has a Prickly Pear Cactus growing on a branch.
The propagated plants are sold at the Park’s monthly plant sale held every second Saturday of the month between 10am and 2pm.
Our final stop was at the picnic area where we consumed our lunch and had our business meeting.
