Bella Vista Garden Club

WELCOME 

If you are interested in gardening in Northwest Arkansas, you have come to the right place.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Spring Plant Sale

April 20th is coming up fast for our tomato, coleus and zinnia sale. Please mark your calendars. It will be at:

 8am to 1pm at the Village Waste Water facility. 


Full details will be posted in April.

1 gallon pots will be $7 each or 3 pots for $20.

Larger pots will be $15 to $50. 

Here are a few new pictures to show you what we’ll have for sale.

The Next Meeting of the BVGC will be April 24, 2024

at the Bella Vista Community Church

75 E Lancashire Blvd, Bella Vista, AR 72714

Social time 9:30 am and the Meeting at 10 am 


Program: BVGC member of Chef, Sue Santori, will host an interactive discussion on "Cooking with Herbs from Your Garden."


Artistic Design of the Month


Horticulture: You've just built a new house in Bella Vista and they clear-cut your lot.  Tony LiCausi will answer questions on "What are the Top Ten Tree/Shrub Choices to Consider for Northwest Arkansas."


Visitors are Always Welcome to Attend the Meetings

Arbor Day Celebration will be April 26, 2024

TREE PLANTING CEREMONY PLANNED FOR ARBOR DAY

The City of Bella Vista will wrap up its month-long celebration of trees on Arbor Day with an official ceremony honoring our uniquely forested city landscape and preservation efforts of those who work to maintain it.

Join us at 12 p.m. Friday, April 26 at the Bluebird Trailhead off Riordan Road for a tree planting ceremony.

Mayor John Flynn will read an Arbor Day proclamation and then members of the Bella Vista Garden Club and Bella Vista Tree Advisory Board will assist in planting a Sugar Maple tree, which has been graciously donated by the Bella Vista Garden Club.

Following the ceremony, grab an official City of Bella Vista Arbor Day 2024 sticker, which can be presented at Java Dude’s coffee shop inside Phat Tire Bike Shop near the trailhead for 20 percent off a purchase.

The winning design from this year’s sticker contest was chosen by the Bella Vista Tree Board. This year’s sticker was designed by Cooper Elementary fourth grader Lindsey Scheele.

The city recognizes the efforts of those volunteers who help maintain the natural beauty of our landscape by protecting native tree species and promoting the importance of an extensive tree canopy in the area. These efforts allow the city to be named annually a Tree City USA.

Spring Trip

Our Spring Field Trip and Club Meeting will be May 15, 2024.  We will be visiting the Philbrook Museum of Art and Gardens in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  We will be car pooling for this event.  More information will be shared at the April meeting.

 


MOST RECENT ACTIVITIES

Changes to the Bella Vista Gardening TV Program

Have you heard?  BVGC (Bella Vista Garden Club) and BCMG (Benton County Master Gardeners) are teaming up and will host some timely new gardening topics in 2024. The Gardening Show is produced monthly on Bella Vista Community TV and provides viewers with helpful tips and advice for maintaining their gardens. In January, Joanne York (BCMG) and Dory Hammeke will tell us about each organization and what to look forward to in the coming year. Topics like what to do for orchids (to repot or not), how to get ready for spring planting, making pots for May Day, where and when to find the best plant sales, and info on roses you don’t have to spray. And there is more! Meet us in the garden and let us help you know how to deal with dry and hot weather.  In the fall, learn about pumpkins and the Benton County Fair, birds in the garden, how to clean up for fall, and what to plant at that time.

All shows can be found on youtube.com/@BellaVistaCommTV.  Please subscribe to the channel while you’re there so you don’t miss a show.  It helps the TV station as well. And some great news! The show is streaming on Roku! The Gardening Show is recorded on the 1st Saturday of each month for most of the year except for January, May, July, and October.  Those months are recorded on the 5th Wednesday instead. Shows are available for viewing on the same day. If you haven’t seen The Gardening Show, remember that all programs can be viewed at any time on YouTube or with the links on this website at BVGC on BVCTV.

Latest TV PROGRAM

The Garden Show with Host Dory Hammeke on Apr 8, 2024 featured gardening in April and May Day Pots and Plant Sales"  Guests Include: John Dyas - Clay Studio Administrator and Louise Wilson - Garden Therapy Chair, BVGC.


Cemetery Workday - April 4, 2024

The Bella Vista Cemetery Committee joins in the beautification effort by helping with planting and maintaining flower beds in the Bella Vista Memorial Garden Cemetery. This time a lot of raking was needed.  The photos show some of the workers.

Garden Therapy at Concordia in Bella Vista on 4/9/24  

Some of the Ladies making and modeling their beautiful hats.

These lovely ladies are 100 and 101 years young.  Everyone had so much fun decorating hats with artificial flowers and ribbons. 

Garden Therapy

at Brookfield Assisted Living

on February 20, 2924

The residents enjoyed making Pine Cones dipped in peanut butter and bird seed to hang outside for the birds. 

Meeting of the BVGC on March 27, 2024

Program: Ryan Neal, Benton County Extension Agent is also the owner of Neal Family Farm.  He presented a program called "Blueberries, Blackberries and Honey - Oh My."


His Farm is a "pick it yourself" place.  His berries don't require bending over to pick them.


Many committee chairmen gave reports.

Daffodils at Crystal Bridges

This just in from Garden Club President, Dory Hammeke: We just received this message from John Henkels from Crystal Bridges.  He wanted our club members to see how the Spring bulbs they helped to plant are looking.  Several club members, Bob and Teresa Poulseen, and Steve Brusso helped with the planting. Hope I'm not missing any other volunteers.  This work was done last fall and the flowers look lovely, don't they?  Crystal Bridges is planning to plant more next year.

BVGC Honors Sue Mank

Geri Hoerner (left in photograph) attended the Garden Club of Rogers meeting in December where the Bella Vista Garden Club honored Sue Mank with a Penny Pines Certificate. 

Geri also gave them our pop tabs to include in their collection which will benefit the local Ronald Mc Donald house. 

Daffodil Bulb Planting

at the Public Safety Building in Bella Vista on 11/29/23


Bella Vista Garden Club members planted bulbs using power drills with auger attachments.  

Daffodil Bulb Sale was a Success

Allen's Food Mart

60 Sugar Creek Ctr.,  Bella Vista AR 72714

Saturday November 18th - over 1,000 bulbs sold.

Daffodil Mix for the South

and 'Bella Vista' Daffodils

The Garden Club Members

Ready to Sell the Beautiful Bulbs

Beautiful Day to Sell

'Bella Vista' Daffodils

 Crystal Bridges Bulb Planting held 11/11/2023 

Thanks to Steve Brusso, Bob and Teresa Poulseen for assisting with planting 'Bella Vista' Daffodils on the grounds at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.  The CB gardens will provide another beautiful spot for enjoying the colorful flowers next Spring.   

BVGC Card & Games Party

Thank you to all the workers who made the Card Party a success.  This charity fundraising event was held on Friday, October 27, 2023 from 11:00am to 4pm at St. Bernard of Claivaux Catholic Church, 1 St. Bernard Lane, Bella Vista.  

The lunch, raffles, and games were enjoyed by all.   

If you would like to be added to the email list to receive advance notification of the party and when registration opens next year, send an email indicating your interest to bvgccardparty@gmail.com.

Table setup, kitchen workers, raffle baskets and items and donor poster.

The party

The Bella Vista Yard of the Month Program will Return in the Spring

The Bella Vista Garden Club promotes and rewards exemplary yard care in Bella Vista and recognizes neighbors who demonstrate above-average efforts in maintaining their property, which contributes to the overall appearance of the community at large.


All homes and businesses in Bella Vista are eligible. Nominations are for the front and side yards jointly. One yard is chosen each month by members of BVGC who select the yard that best exemplifies uniqueness, beauty and curb appeal.  Nominate a yard today via email: portillo.jb@gmail.com. Please provide the address and the homeowners name if known.  All nominations will be in the running for future recognition.

September 28th, 2023 Bella Vista Memorial Garden Cemetery Work Day

Sixteen volunteers came out on a beautiful Fall morning to clean up the cemetery’s garden beds for winter.  Cemetery committee co-chairs are Mary Doyle and Patti Brierly. 

1. Pictured L to R: Nanette Prewitt , Pat Meyer, Kathy Pannell

2. L to R:  Deidre Cheney, Janet Conboy, Marilyn Russell, Jeanie Talbott.  

3. Pictured L to R: Bottom row, Beth Ward and Debbie Reeves.  Middle row, Dagmar Roeder, Jan Grim, Rosalie Mikelson, Patti Brierly, Penny Bossert, and Mary Doyle.  Back row Steve Brusso.

City Codes Relative to Landscaping in Bella Vista

Taylor Robertson is a Senior Planner in Community Development Services for Bella Vista. She has been reviewing city codes relative to landscaping within city limits. Taylor has initiated code modifications to ensure the planting of trees in new home construction when lots are cleared for the building of new homes. 


She is also working to ensure that city codes do not prevent the planting of native plants in residential landscaping.  Recently, Taylor met with Marilyn Russell and Lou Jasper in the BVGC native plant bed to see how native plants can be beautifully incorporated into residential landscapes—especially when paired with annuals to provide continuing color as natives complete their bloom cycle.

Garden Club Feature on KNWA

Dory Hammeke and Jamie Townsend Hooper  had the privilege of being guests on the KNWA “Summer Road Tour” segment which featured Bella Vista. We had the opportunity to share what the Bella Vista Garden Club was all about. We were interviewed by the lovely Anna Darling and met Dan Skoff, the Chief Meteorologist and Josh Rugger, Weather Forecaster!  

Veterans Wall of Honor

This just in from Steve Brusso  (click the arrow)

With the main parking area closed for “construction”, there isn’t much pedestrian activity at the Wall of Honor but I want to share a few pics of our beds.  That last 4” of rain has resulted in a pretty good growth spurt for our plants.  Dory has been kind to mention our beds in our August news letter. It is appropriate for me to mention others that have made significant contributions to this endeavor.

It certainly does take a village.  Fall planting is planned for early October…I’m looking forward to this.

AFGC Meeting

The Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs held their mid-year meeting recently at Fairfield Bay, Arkansas.  Six members of the Bella Vista Garden Club were among the more than 80 garden club members from across the state in attendance.  The theme of the meeting was “Stepping Back in Time”.  Representing both BVGC and Floralia were Linda Neymeyer, Geri Hoerner, Beth Kastl, and Mary Doyle.  These Floralia members, along with Ginny Vance and Dory Hammeke of the Bella Vista Garden Club, assisted the Northwest District in hosting the event at the Fairfield Bay Conference Center.  Floralia members helped Ann York, Chairman of the Mid-Year meeting, by providing beautiful table decorations and floral arrangements in keeping with the retro theme. 

 

During the meeting, the Bella Vista Garden Club received the following awards:

L to R Attendees -- Mary Doyle, Dory Hammeke, Beth Kastl, Linda Neymeyer, and in the front row L to R - Ginny Vance, and Geri Hoerner, 


Dory Hammeke received other awards for the Club.

R  Geri Hoerner -- received an award for Digital Media Presentation (The TV Show).


Linda Neymeyer receiving first place award for weeping hemlock horticulture submission in the petite flower show

Beautification Committee

Sue Santori, Beautification committee chair, and her committee worked at the Bella Vista sign on July 19, 2023.  

Helpers included Virginia Halman, Cathy Downard, Deidre Cheney, Eric Johnson, Dory Hammeke, and Dave.

Big Perennial Sale

was a huge success.


We had a wonderful weather and a great turnout of customers.  Thank you to everyone who came out and supported the club and thanks to all the members who worked so hard to make this sale great.  Check out some photos of the sale by Sue Santori  in the Image Carousel.


If you need to add to your landscape, don’t miss our sales.  Plant sales are our major source of fundraising which translates to our U of A Horticulture Scholarships as well as the local Charitable Donations the BVGC makes every year.  


Be sure to watch for our sales on this website and Facebook.  

The National Garden Club's Path of Success 

Roughly 1/4 mile long, the Path of Success will be a walking path located on the grounds of NGC's headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri and will link to the Missouri Botanical Gardens, spreading more awareness of NGC than ever before. This project will also serve as an educational platform, showing the rich history and mission of NGC.

Linked below is a form for regions, districts, clubs, affiliates and individuals to purchase a paver to be installed in the NGC Path of Success.

A second form to donate to this project is also linked below.

We thank you for your participation in this exciting new project!

GARDENING TIPS

It’s a good idea to include native plants in your landscape. 

Native plants are already acclimated to conditions in your area and, therefore, require much less maintenance, plus they feed and shelter local wildlife, birds, and butterflies. Not every plant native to the United States is native to a particular zone. Take zone 6, for instance. What hardy native plants are suited for USDA zone 6? Read on to find out about zone 6 native plants. Growing Hardy Native Plants for Zone 6 The selection of zone 6 native plants is quite diverse, with everything from bushes and trees to annuals and perennials. Incorporating a variety of these into your garden fosters the ecosystem and local wildlife and creates biodiversity in the landscape.

The selection of zone 6 native plants is quite diverse, with everything from bushes and trees to annuals and perennials. Incorporating a variety of these into your garden fosters the ecosystem and local wildlife and creates biodiversity in the landscape Since these native plants have spent centuries adapting to local conditions, they require less water, fertilizer, spraying, or mulching than those that are not indigenous to the area. They have, over time, become accustomed to many diseases as well.

This is a partial listing of plants suited for USDA zone 6. Your local extension office will also be able to assist you in choosing those that are suited for your landscape. Before you purchase plants, be sure to ascertain light exposure, soil type, the size of the mature plant, and the purpose of the plant for a selected site. The following lists are sectioned off into sun lovers, partial sun, and shade lovers.

Sun worshippers include: 

Native plants for USDA zone 6 that thrive in partial sun include: 

Shade dwellers native to USDA zone 6 include: 

Looking for native trees? Look into: 

Read more at Gardening Know How: Zone 6 Native Plants – Growing Native Plants In USDA Zone 6

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/gardening-by-zone/zone-6/zone-6-native-plants.htm

LINKS OF INTEREST

New Links

New Link:  National Garden Bureau - This site has a multitude of gardening information and you can sign up for their Newsletter.

New Link: How to Grow your own Butterfly Garden  - This page has a step by step guide to build a butterfly garden.  The site was suggested by a student in an alternative learning program.

New Link: Toxic Pesticides - This page on the ConsumerNotice.org site has a lot of information on toxic pesticides outlining the different types and how to protect yourself from their negative effects.

"A garden is a love song, a duet between a human being and Mother Nature."

Jeff Cox
Artistic Touches by Cathy Wayson

Garden Therapy

Brought Lots of Smiles!