What a pleasant shock to have my lawn maintenance man tell me the other day that rain water is good for the plants. I didn't think he was aware of how really rejuvenating rain is. Everything is growing so well for me now, from a Hawaiian wedding vine found at Mounts last Rare Plant Auction, to the Begonia odorata purchased last month.
After a rocky start, due to having to squeeze ourselves into an auditorium filled with the detritus of a 4-H program, Johanna Kitson gave us a great program on choosing begonias for our landscape and accompanied it with an instruction sheet that will certainly go in my permanent file. Palm Beach County Extension people, responsible for the auditorium unpleasantness, have apologized to Johanna and the Begonia Society and we look forward to no more double bookings of our meeting space.
As all of us who are Master Gardeners know, we've lost one of our members to the West Coast, where she will find a lot of begonia societies. Christine Rainbolt, Palm Beach County's Master Gardener Extension Agent, set out for California immediately after the MG graduation lunch. In recognition for her support, the Begonia Society gave Christine a going-away present of $100. From her new home in Fresno, Christine set us a thank-you, saying our gift will go a long way towards her new landscape and "there's a shady spot perfect for some begonias."
We've lost our good friend and former Treasurer, Abe Hirschberger, who is now with his dear Flo, whom we lost earlier this year. On June 27, Abe and Flo's family held a personal ceremony in Mounts Garden, planting a fragrant Hong Kong Orchid tree and installing a commemorative bench. We'll truly miss Abe and Flo. The Begonia Society has donated $100 in their memory to the Garden and $100 to the Lord's Place, where Abe was on the Board of Directors.
It's summer and that means our annual Picnic and Auction on July 14. Pretty up your auction plants, dust off garden-y items, maybe even whip up a plate of sweeties for the Auction and shop for your pot luck supper donation. We now have four desserts, three salads, one main course, and one vegetable dish promised at the June meeting, plus our Society-supplied beverage. The “ticket of admission” to this "it's such fun" event, is a potluck dish and our members always come up with delicious contributions. We are sure to have a well-fed, plant-happy time. This event is a perfect time to introduce your friends to our Society too.
Treats for the Refreshment Table in June were made by Ed Whalen (Oh, my! Lemon Cookies!), Linda DiSanti, and Suellen Solodar. Arlo Prior handed out free agave plants. Doris Happel, back only a few hours from a European river cruise, donated the badge blant and brought in the raffle plants. Thank you all.
Emails about our 2009 National Convention are zipping back and forth this summer. It was a treat to have Dale Sena from the Tampa Bay chapter at the June meeting; that branch will be in charge of the Hospitality Room at the convention. We're all looking forward tour big show!
And I'm looking forward to seeing all of you at the July Picnic and Auction.
Donnie Brown, Co-President
Monday, July 14. Annual Picnic and members' auction. Please arrive any time after 5 p.m. to help set up the tables for food, plants and dining. Bring a dish to share for the potluck supper. Bring begonias and other plants for the members' silent auction. An auction form is included with this newsletter. Make duplicates if you need more. There will be paper copies available at the meeting. You may donate your auction item entirely to the club, or check off the box to keep 80% for yourself and 20% for the club. (Click here to get the form. Don't forget to cut them in half.)
Abe Hirshberger (June 7, 2008)
Early in June, after a long and valiant attempt to recover from a stroke, the Begonia Society of the Palm Beaches lost a dear and valued friend when Abe joined his beloved wife, Flo, who went two months earlier.
Abe and Flo knew and enjoyed knowing everyone in several plant societies, and were always right up front at every meeting until Flo's health worsened. Flo would be in the Auditorium kitchen, helping cut up cake and making little sandwiches. Abe would be greeting all the ladies with a kiss.
In 2003, the Friends of Mounts Botanical Garden chose Abe as one of their Volunteers of the Year and honored him at their 22nd Annual Meeting:
How Abe loved the Master Gardner program and being a Master Gardner! I was honored to be one of the people who suggested that he become one.
Abe also served as Vice President of the Evening Herb Society. After years of volunteering at the Lord's Place and Café Joshua in West Palm Beach, and convincing many of us to volunteer there, too, Abe joined the Board of Directors.
He and Flo always lived in a condo in Century Village, were avid collectors of both herb and begonia plants and loved the plant society raffles. Retirees from Brooklyn, NY, Abe had owned a restaurant.
Their family (Abe's older sister, his cousin and her husband, his nephew and his wife) are presenting Mounts Botanical Garden, in Abe and Flo's name a cast stone bamboo motif bench and a Hong Kong orchid tree that Abe and Flo both loved. At their request, Abe and Flo's ashes have been placed under the new tree in a private family ceremony. Condolences may be sent to Abe's cousin "Chi-Chi", Mrs. Janice Frank, 470 Wellington J, West Palm Beach, FL 33417.
I have tried many times to bring begonias and other plants from Florida away with me for the summer, with very limited success. Maybe it is because it is invariably much cooler here, maybe they are too stressed by the three day car trip, but they definitely do not flourish. I miss my begonias so much here in the northern Catskill mountains, I decided to see what begonias were available in nurseries up here. Luckily we have a very good nursery about 10 miles away. The owner is famous for her wonderful baskets of perennials and annuals, and her super color sense. So I headed to Kern's Nursery in Jewett NY, and here is what I found.
Pat Kern had taken many of these and created fabulous baskets ($65-$145) by mixing one or two begonia types (especially tuberous and variegated canes) with various annuals, especially sweet potato vine in both its green and maroon varieties. Gorgeous!
So I bought a lot of stuff and will be trying to create gorgeous baskets. Too bad when I try to bring plants from here south they do not seem to make the trip very successfully either.
I miss you all. Be good and keep growing those begonias.
Nancy Cohen