June 11, 2011: The annual Presidents' Meeting was held at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, a national park devoted to water lilies and lotus and containing the last remaining tidal marsh in the District of Columbia. The meeting was held in the classroom at the visitors' center. After a brief meeting most of the participants took a tour of the park guided by Park Ranger Kathleen Bucco. [Click on photos for larger views.]
Eastland Gardens Flower Club provided this bouquet for the continental breakfast buffet:
District I Director David Healy presided:
Julie Harrison, president of Mount Airy Clay Breakers Garden Club, gave the nomination committee report; this hydrangea arrangement was provided by Christine Hambach:
NCAGC President Vickie Godwin announced her President's Project--five new rain gardens at the U.S. National Arboretum, and promoted her 2012 fundraising trip to France; NCAGC 2d Vice President Evalee Ciuca reported on her plans as NCAGC Awards Chairman:
In one of her last acts as NCAGC awards chairman, NCAGC 1st Vice President Babs McClendon (left) presented three National Garden Club awards to Betsy Reid, president of Fergie's Gardeners:
National awards were also received by New Carrollton Garden Club and Woodmoor Garden Club. Babs also discussed her new efforts as the NCAGC membership chairman.Lorraine Leonard discussed volunteer opportunities at Arbor House Gift Shop at the U.S. National Arboretum (left) and Mary Beth Cecil discussed Arbor House trunk shows at garden club meetings:
Each club president reported on the community project(s) of his/her club. From left: Sherrell Goggin, Burtonsville Garden Club; Michael Giese, Cheverly Garden Club; Vira Sisolak, Capitol Hill Garden Club:
Elise Gillette, vice president of The Gardeners of the Junior League of Washington, D.C.; Christine Hambach, Goddard Garden Club; Charmane Truesdell, Montpelier Garden Club:
Mary Bartman, New Carrollton Garden Club; Lydia Barbour, Tanta-Cove Garden Club; and Connie Dalpra, Woodbury Garden Club:
Turtles eat water lily roots except for the native white water lilies; and lotus overwhelm their water lily cousins:
The native hardy white lily and the Helen Fowler pink lily developed by the founder, Walter B. Shaw:
The lotus will be in full bloom come July:
Dragonflies:
Bee on pickerel weed (left); beetles on the native Rosa carolina:
Moth (left); frog on lily pad:
Purple loosestrife:
A buttonbush:
The Kenilworth Marsh contains potential foodstuffs for a global warmed world:
Bucco relates the tale of the lodge (right) of the lazy beaver:
--photos by Bill Dean
