Category: News from National

 

That is – – along with snowflakes.  We can pretend they are winter flowers just a bit colder.  And it is a beauty to behold when fresh, sparkling snow covers our lawns and landscapes.  The deep, pure silence gives us time to pause and be grateful for a brief respite.  However, Spring is just around the corner. It’s time to start ordering plants and seeds while planning our gardens and day trips to visit some of our favorite local gardens or discover outstanding gardens presented by the various WN branches for their garden walks.

This month you’ll find this website has been updated. It is a work in progress, but some areas are ready with useful news and information.  Go to the various sections on WNFGA.ORG where you will find specifics about the following:

HOME page

• President’s Greetings

ABOUT US page, ACHIEVEMENTS & AWARDS

• Updated information and hyperlink to application form (nominations due soon)

INTERESTS page, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

• Updated information
• Frysinger International Project Fund

CHARITABLE AFFAIRS

• Updated descriptions and hyperlinks to application forms

ANNUAL MEETING PAGE

• National Meeting 2023

MEMBERS page

• News from National (a new section with current information)
• Directories of officers, chairpersons, directors, division, and branch presidents

Wishing all of you the many joys of Valentine’s Day – hugs, kisses, candy, cards, flowers, romance, enjoying loved ones.

Patty Burnside

WNF&GA President, 2022-24

Greetings Fellow Gardeners and Garden Lovers

Now that the holidays are behind us and we survived the first big blizzard of winter, we return to our normal days.

This includes getting energized for all the wonderful experiences afforded to us through WNG&GA.

There are projects to continue or start; friendships to make or renew; interesting speakers to hear; gardens to plan, remediate, or maintain; volunteer time to schedule on our calendars; meetings to attend; commitments to be made; and joy to be experienced through the myriad WNF&GA opportunities.

My Saginaw Branch has adopted a recruitment slogan from Holly Furlo, one of our branch members: “IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU LIKE TO DO, WE HAVE A PLACE FOR YOU!”

Hats off to 2023. May we all have good health, supportive family, loving friends, and glorious gardens.

Patty Burnside, WNF&GA President 2022-24
pb@chartermi.net or 989-284-3455)

Fellow Gardeners and Garden Lovers

By this time, you’ve probably put your beds to rest for the winter or are well on your way to doing so. Just this past week I put in viburnum bushes, some oak leaf hydrangeas, and planted some hellebores. Living in the woods like I do is beautiful, especially this fall. But it has challenges like blowing away the thick blanket of leaves only to start over the next day and the next and the next. If that is my worst gardening dilemma, then I am truly blessed. As winter approaches, we gardeners can look forward to forcing bulbs, buying holiday poinsettias, and perusing seed catalogs as we plan next year’s gardens.

Speaking of planning, your Executive Committee is planning to boost the membership’s usage of our website. In keeping with my themes of INCLUSION and INVOLVEMENT, we will be sending you a survey to get your input on how you would like to communicate through social media, our website, the National Magazine, and National Meetings.

Equally important is the content you would enjoy. The website’ opening page will be constant with things like our logo, mission statement, and brief history. From there will be links to the basics like a periodic message from the WNF&GA president, directories, archives, bylaws and standing rules, and minutes of the National Meeting. Beyond that, the website will be ever evolving, fluid and dynamic. We could include feature articles, introductions of scholarship winners, your branch announcements of upcoming events, initiatives, gardening tips and tricks, and whatever else on which the membership would like information.

We live in a digital, electronic age and should use our website to our advantage to communicate. Please be sure to complete the survey when it arrives. Your involvement will help guide the Executive Committee to make our website responsive to the wants and needs of the membership.

On another note, please contact me with any questions, concerns, suggestions, etc. I will present your comments to the Executive Committee when we meet on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Then I will publish a response at the start of each month on our website. Once again, this supports my goals of INCLUSION and INVOLVEMENT with you in mind. Until next month when there will be a new message from me on our website, I wish you feelings of gratitude and abundance as Thanksgiving approaches.

Counting my blessings,

Patty Burnside, WNF&GA President, 989-284-3455,
pb@chartermi.net