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"Not till June can the grass be said to be waving in the fields. When the frogs dream, and the grass waves, and the buttercups toss their heads, and the heat disposes to bathe in the ponds and streams, then is summer begun." Henry David Thoreau The Garden Club meeting is LIVE in the Main Clubhouse Ballroom on Wed., July 8 from 10 am to 12 pm. Masks are required and we are limited to 125 people. All avid gardeners, both men and women, are welcome — we can't wait to see everyone. And now for some gardening fun. While researching gardens, which often involves speaking with gardening experts, much to my surprise, I discovered some fun and surprising things about our gardens; I was reminded there are many secrets hiding amongst the petals, leaves, and dirt. Gardening is hardly a straightforward development, goodness knows it does entail some skills, dedication, and more than a little luck to grow flowers and veggies. But while certain realities about gardens can be bewildering and at times overwhelming, some are simply fun, silly or even mind boggling. And since I love anything to do with gardening, I thought it would be fun to share a few of these random tidbits like: Sunflowers… did you know that a sunflower is not just one flower? Both the fuzzy brown center and the classic yellow petals are actually 1,000-2000 individual flowers, held together on a single stalk. Microorganisms… there are more microorganisms in one teaspoon of soil than there are people on earth. It's aliiiiive! Ok, that fact might make you itchy, but microbes are important for keeping your soil full of nutrients. Sound… plants actually do respond to sound. Talking to plants is a well-known old wives' tale; studies show vibration (like music, or the sound of your voice) can affect plant growth. Butterflies might be more attracted to your weeds than your flowers (for example, milkweed (asclepias) are the main sustenance for Monarch caterpillars). Colorful blooms aren't the chief reason these insects love your garden — it's more about the fragrance and nectar. Baking soda can help you grow sweeter tomatoes. A regular sprinkling into your plant's soil can help reduce acidity. Orchids… The right orchid combination can smell like your favorite dessert. Did you know that the vanilla bean comes from an orchid varietal? An oncidum hyrbrid called Sharry Baby smells like chocolate, the cymbidium golden elf smells lemony, and phalaenopsis violacea has a cinnamon scent. Hydrangeas… you can change a hydrangea's color by altering the pH level of the soil. A more alkaline soil will result in pinker blooms, while more acidity will produce blue blooms. For membership info., contact Sherry Case at (951) 533-3584 or Linda Powers at (951) 769-3101. For fruit harvesting, contact Judy Garthwaite at (951) 797-3130. For general information, contact Pam Mikkelsen at (951) 797-3080. Happy gardening. ~ Raelene Kretchman Garden Club 38 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | JUNE 2021 |