Help!!!
We had our annual election at the Medicine Hat Horticultural Society last night and some how I became the new newsletter editor! Some suggested they might want to change the newsletter or add some features. I thought maybe I'd ask you all for suggestions. Or maybe some of you have an old newsletter you could email as an example or an experience to share? What do you like about your club's newsletter? I'm a lttle nervous about my new responsibilites. I hope and didn't bite off more than I can chew!
Thanks,
Brenda
Hort Newletters
Brenda I don't do anything with hort newsletters but we do one for the restaurant 4 times a year. If you would like a copy of a couple of those send me your snail mail addy cause we don't put it on our website. Alternately if you have adobe pagemaker on your 'puter I could e-mail you the files.
Thanks jagonjune! I have adobe. I'm mainly kind of looking for ideas like a monthly feature or column. I kind of thought of doing a monthly feature on plant addictions. So many have plant of the month articles or articles on a plant's history. My idea is to go forward instead of back. For example, if I were to do an article on Daylilies, I would discuss why this group of plants has such a dedicated following and where hybridizers are going with it. That formula would work for roses, irises, hostas, poppies, lilies, tomatoes, African Violets and that's where my ideas run out! I would need three more categories to run a feature like that for a ten month year. You are the first person, I have bounced this idea off of. What do you think?
Brenda,
I happen to have a copy of an old Newsletter.
And page 2
And page 3
how about begonias - with all the new rex begonias making their appearances; possibily grasses (although it is a bigger group it certainly is a growing trend) and of course brugmansias (lets get everyone hooked), water lilies for the water gardeners (and other water plants too) Great idea for a feature
Oh and there are new aquilegia all the time too. Gee with a little work we could have 2 years for you in no time.
Perrynguyen - Thanks for sharing your club's newsletter! I particularily liked the idea of having a seedy saturday, and the websites to checkout column. I also found your president's musings quite amusing!
Jangonjune - those are some great ideas! I never thought Begonias or Columbine would have their own following, but I guess any group that has new introductions can have pockets of enthusiasts here and there. Aren't their groups dedicated to geraniums as well?
Oh yes, we have a forum dedicated to Geraniums here on DG.
LOL! Just when I think I've seen it all, something new pops up! It's going to take me all winter to explore this entire website! Thanks Oldflowergirl, I will have to check that out!
How about peony for your monthly feature ? Check out this picture of a Japanese grafted peony.
Very graceful and tidy bush; hardy too!
Oh my, gorgeous peony, Perry!
This is a tree peony perynguyen, no? I love them, and have for years. Please let us know the details on this one. Thank you for the beautiful picture.
Sunrise,
U R right, this is a tree peony. These peonies have sturdy stems that keep the flowers in upright position, through rain and wind. Got some more pictures for you:
And a pink one
And the plant (or, should I call it 'tree' ?)
Brenda,
Check out this link with interesting facts about Peonies, by the Canadian Peony Society.
Good info for your newsletter!
http://www.peony.ca/
According to this site:
- Peonies have been cultivated for more than 2,000 years
- Peonies are hardy to zone 2
- Peonies live for more than 50 years!
Drool...oh sorry....couldn't help myself! Oh those are so gorgeous! I'm going to have to try some of those. I shyed away from peonies this year just cause it's so windy on my bare hill I call home, but those look much more sturdier. Thanks so much for the link. I need to educate myself before I can actually write about them. I didn't know there was a peony society. Cool! You guys are great! By the way Perry, what is the name of the second peony you showed us?
Those are all Japanese Peonies, aka Tree Peonies.
Unfortunately, the name tags are gone.
The yellow one I have is a big bush (1.5 metre high), with dendant flowers.
These Tree-Peonies come in various colors, from white, yellow, purple, red, to different shades of pink. They are expensive, but really worth the money. They are grafted in China or Japan.
Perry, the tree peonies are really beautiful, thanks for posting them. I'll be looking for them in the spring at the nurseries.
Linda in Victoria
Perry, thanks for sharing these photos - I'll definitely be looking for these peonies in the spring as well! Nothing against the floppy peonies we already have, of course....(in case they're listening!) But anything that's that beautiful and doesn't need staking has gotta be a worthwhile addition. They look just great.
Shannon