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If you are interested in gardening in Northwest Arkansas, you have come to the right place.
UPCOMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
April 23, 2025 Club Meeting
Bella Vista Community Church, 75 E. Lancashire Blvd., Social Time 9:30 am - Meeting Starts 10:0 am
Program: Claudia Vilato will share how you can achieve creative gardens within an easy maintenance habitat. She strives to show how to invite the birds and insects back to your home garden in a PowerPoint.
Artistic Design of the month by Tereas Moling.
Horticulture: Tony LiCausi will talk about "Landscaping with Herbs".
May 17, 2025 - Plant Sale at Village Waste Water Co.
May 17, 2025 - Plant Sale at Village Waste Water Co.
May 17th is fast approaching for the clubs annual perennial sale. Our beds are full with a large variety of perennials (sun and shade), trees, shrubs and native plants. You will have lots to choose from - it will be hard to choose!
The sale is from 8am to 1pm. One gallon pots are $7 and all other size pots will be marked accordingly. You can pay with cash, check, credit or debit.
Can’t wait to see you on the 17th! Please feel free to bring us any 1 gallon pots you’ve been collecting.
Joal Miller, Plant Sale Chair
This sale also includes houseplants. Janet Conboy and Lucy Duncan have been potting and nurturing a host of houseplants. Several members have donated some very attractive pots that off great value to our customers.
Be sure to mark your calendars for the sale. Gates will open at 8:00 am and we’ll close at 2:00 pm (or earlier if we run out of plants!!)
Check out some of the plants that will be available at the sale in this Image Carousel.
May 21, 2025 - Spring Trip
May 21, 2025 - Spring Trip
On May 21st, we’ll be enjoying lunch and a field trip to the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks in Fayetteville. Members will drive or carpool to Fayetteville. We will meet at The Mellow Mushroom for lunch at 11:00 am. The restaurant is located at 1460 E. Augustine Lane. From there we will drive to the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks where our tour will begin at 1:00 pm.
You will soon receive notice of a Signup Genius registration for this event. Registrations will close on May 12th. Your $16.00 payment for the garden tour can be made at our April meeting or via a link which will be shared with you. All lunch expenses will be paid individually by those attending. Jamie Hooper will provide more details regarding the event during our April meeting.
June 4, 2025 - Spring Luncheon
June 4, 2025 - Spring Luncheon
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for our Spring Luncheon and year-end meeting on Wednesday, June 4th. It will be located at the Bella Vista Community Church where our meetings are held. During this meeting, we’ll celebrate National Garden Week and install our new officers. Hear more details from Julie O’Keefe at our April meeting.
June 14, 2025 - Garden Walk
June 14, 2025 - Garden Walk
Just a week and a half later we’ll host the BVGC Garden Walk, showcasing six beautiful gardens. That event will be held from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday, June 14th. Judy Jeffrey and Teresa Mohling are serving as committee chairs. The event will have no admission fee this year; however, donations are welcome. Garden hosts include: Julie O’Keefe, Ginny Vance, Judy Warner, Sharon McMahan, Dory Hammeke (Mercy Community Garden) and Colleen Walpert, Robyn Kirkland, and Deidre Cheney (Native Plant Demonstration Garden). More details will soon be available at bellavistagardenclub.com.
MOST RECENT ACTIVITIES
MOST RECENT ACTIVITIES
Veterans Wall of Honor - April 26, 2025
Veterans Wall of Honor - April 26, 2025
Weeds, beware! Cathy Downard and Judy Warner, our fearless club members, were pulling weeds like pros on Saturday at The Veterans Wall of Honor making way for some amazing plants.
Arbor Day Tree Planting - April 25, 2025
Arbor Day Tree Planting - April 25, 2025
The dedication ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, including Mayor John Flynn, City Planner Christopher Hyatt, City Councilmen Larry Wilms, Village Waste Water General Manager Frank Knight and several club members, including President Dory Hammeke.
A Tupelo Black Gum tree was planted at Village Waste Water Company in Bella Vista
Tony LiCausi, Horticulture chair and Dianne Cahoon, Arbor Day chair prepare the hole for planting.
L to R: Janet Conboy, Christopher Hyatt, BV city planner; Larry Wilms, BV City council, Cathy Downard, Pat Meyer, Jamie Hooper, Joal Miller.
L to R Mayor John Flynn, Village Waste Water General Manager Frank Knight, Arbor Day chair Dianne Cahoon and Horticulture chair Tony LiCausi.
Bella Vista Memorial Cemetery Cleanup Day
Bella Vista Memorial Cemetery Cleanup Day
Our club members exhibited extraordinary enthusiasm, weeding and planting at the Bella Vista Memorial Cemetery, uplifting others with their kindness. The butterfly garden around the gazebo is a spectacular achievement.
April 23, 2025 Club Meeting
April 23, 2025 Club Meeting
Claudia Vilato
Claudia Vilato
The Speaker shared a PowerPoint on how you can achieve creative gardens within an easily maintained habitat. She strives to invite the birds and the insects back to our gardens.
Some Miscellaneous photos of the speaker, raffle, and various committee chairs and other members.
Fun raffle items provided by Judy Jeffrey and Juli O'Keefe, chairs of the Ways and Means Committee.
The Artistic Design of the month was created by Teresa Mohling. It featured a Tablescape that appeared in a flower show.
Tony LiCausi spoke on Landscaping with Herbs.
Refreshments.
BVGC April 12th Plant Sale
BVGC April 12th Plant Sale
A customer, Patti Blakeley, put the following comment on the BVGC Facebook: "I would like to thank the Bella Vista Garden Club for all the time and energy they put into planning, organizing, and executing another great plant sale! I bought coleus, zinnias, and new varieties of tomato plants to try. You all get me excited to get started with my spring planting! Thanks again!"
From the plant sale Chairman, Joal Miller: "We had an awesome plant sale on Saturday." 1,350+ plants sold.
Club President, Dory Hammeke, reports: If you attended the first of our spring plant sales last Saturday, you already know that it was a huge success! The doors opened at 8:00 am. By 9:30, we had already sold 2/3 of all the plants. By 11:30, we were down to about a dozen tomato plants! So we closed up shop and locked the gates. Joal Miller put a post out regarding the few remaining tomatoes and they were gone by 9:00 am the next morning.
April 8, 2025 Concordia Garden Therapy
April 8, 2025 Concordia Garden Therapy
April 15, 2025 Brookfield Assisted Living
April 15, 2025 Brookfield Assisted Living
Each of the attendees was able to create a beautiful floral arrangement composed of silk flowers for their residence. The residents love the projects Louise and Deidre offer, and they enjoy visiting with our club volunteers just as much.
March 28, 2025 Work Day at the Bella Vista Memorial Cemetery
March 28, 2025 Work Day at the Bella Vista Memorial Cemetery
Members of the BVGC did Cemetery cleanup on March 28, 2025 at the BV Memorial Cemetery. Somehow, they made the work fun.
The workers...Pictured left to right:
Top row: Kate Ivie, Cathy Downard.
Middle row: Jan Grim, Marilyn Russell, Charlotte Thayer.
Bottom row: Mary Doyle, Debbie Reeves, Patti Brierly, Beth Walker.
Not shown: Dory Hammeke.
BV Garden Club Sponsored Bird Poster Contest at Creekside Middle School in Bentonville School District
BV Garden Club Sponsored Bird Poster Contest at Creekside Middle School in Bentonville School District
Students learned about the Killdeer and the First place winners included: Madelyn Queen, Ariana Sharma, Krisshaa Nagabalaji and Kyna Rastogi. They will advance to the state contest. (Click Here to learn more)
The Bella Vista Garden Club recently sponsored a bird poster contest for students at Creekside Middle School in the Bentonville School District. This contest was conducted under guidelines provided by the Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs. Bella Vista Garden Club chairwoman Cay Miller worked with Creekside Middle School art teacher Kristie Calohan in providing all the information students needed to participate in the contest.
The contest was open to students in grades 4-8 across the state. Students chose from a variety of media including watercolor, crayon, pencil, markers or pen and ink. The killdeer was the subject of the 2024 contest.
Chairwoman Miller was excited to hear of the bird selection, since a killdeer recently built a nest in the garden club’s native plant demonstration garden. As part of the contest, students learned about the chosen bird’s features and habitat. They learned the killdeer is a shorebird that is typically found in pastures, fields and muddy flats. It is usually 10 inches long and has a brown back with a white belly. The bird has two black breast bands. In flight it shows a black and white wing pattern with a brown tail.
Fellow garden club members Teddie Lohmeier and Cheryl Johannsen helped Miller judge the artwork from more than a dozen students. First place winners included: Madelyn Queen, Ariana Sharma, Krisshaa Nagabalaji and Kyna Rastogi. They will advance to the state contest.
Judging criteria included originality, accurate depiction of the bird and overall artwork and effectiveness of the entry. State winners will be announced in April.
Latest TV Program
Latest TV Program
(Click above to view the show)
The Garden Show with host Joanne York, President of Benton County Master Gardeners
"Buy Your Plants Here"
Highlighting the Bella Vista Garden Club and Master Gardeners
Plant Sales
With Guests: Janet Conboy - Member of the BVGC
and Jan Hodges - Member of the Master Gardeners
Christmas Lunche on December 4, 2024
Christmas Lunche on December 4, 2024
The annual BVGC Christmas Luncheon was held on Wednesday December 4th at the Tavola Trattoria in downtown Bentonville. The Bentonville High School Choir performed again for our enjoyment.
Table Centerpiece
Lunch - Pasta Dishes
Some of the Attendees
Bentonville High School Choir
Daffodil Planting at BV Fire Training Facility & Welcome Sign on November 19, 2024
Daffodil Planting at BV Fire Training Facility & Welcome Sign on November 19, 2024
On November 19th, Bella Vista Garden Club members took advantage of the perfect planting conditions of sun following rain. They planted over 500 Daffodil bulbs at the Bella Vista Fire Training Facility and the Bella Vista Welcome sign on Hiway 71.
We will anticipate the results of their efforts when we enjoy the brilliant blooms next spring.
Card and Games Party on October 20, 2024
Card and Games Party on October 20, 2024
Thank you to all who came to our Card/Game party. Our Committee of workers put on a great event. The food was excellent. We had a great turnout and everyone enjoyed themselves plus funds were raised for Scholarships and other Club projects.
Thank you to all who came to our Card/Game party. Our Committee of workers put on a great event. The food was excellent. We had a great turnout and everyone enjoyed themselves plus funds were raised for Scholarships and other Club projects.
Crystal Bridges Garden Memories Tour on October 13, 2024
Crystal Bridges Garden Memories Tour on October 13, 2024
Members of the BVGC spent a few hours at the Crystal Bridges Museum enjoying the Garden Memories tour. The display features stories from several of our members. These stories are posted on placards along the trails both north and south of the museum. You can walk along the trails and read about garden memories shared by members of our club as well as the Bentonville Garden Club and the Garden Club of Rogers.
Garden memories are often connected to parents, grandparents, and dear friends. Sometimes it’s a particular plant, or color, or scent that reminds us of those who influenced our love of gardening. It was heart-warming to see visitors of all ages walking or biking through the trails and enjoying the stories. Thanks to all who submitted stories and thanks also to Mary Doyle, Marilyn Russell and Jamie Hooper for sharing information about our club with prospective members.
L to R: Dory Hammeke, Mary Doyle, Marily Russell, and Jamie Hooper
Story about how her Mother gardened right up to her death at 89.
Story about how her grandmother introduced her to the scent of roses.
Arkansas Federation of Gargen Clubs Northwest District Meeting
Arkansas Federation of Gargen Clubs Northwest District Meeting
October 1, 2024
President Dory Hammeke presented our garden club's achievements at the AFGC NW District meeting in Conway, Arkansas, summarizing an impressive year. Congratulations are in order for our garden club members.
Geri Hoerner was nominated and elected as the 2025-2027 NW District Director and Beth Kastl was nominated and elected as the NW District Secretary/ Treasurer for 2025-2027. Margaret Foster (not attending) was appointed to the NW District Finance Commitee.
Left to Right: Dory Hammeke, Ginny Vance, Beth Kastl and Geri Hoerner (current NW District Secretary/Treasurer).
The Bella Vista Yard of the Month will Resume in the Spring
The Bella Vista Yard of the Month will Resume in the Spring
Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs Mid-Year Board Meeting August 12 - 13, 2024
Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs Mid-Year Board Meeting August 12 - 13, 2024
Five BVGC members attended the Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs Mid-Year Board Meeting in Star City, Arkansas, on August 12th and 13th. We met a great group of gardeners from all over the state. Star City did an amazing job hosting our group. Bella Vista was awarded four Certificates of Appreciation from the National Garden Clubs, Inc. Congrats BVGC!
Left to Right, Margaret Foster, Jamie Hooper, Beth Kastl, Ginny Vance and Geri Hoerner.
On Right, Melissa Deen, AFGC Awards Chairman, and Jamie Hooper.
Bella Vista Garden Club Gives Generously to Area Organizations
Bella Vista Garden Club Gives Generously to Area Organizations
The Bella Vista Garden Club recently made donations totaling $5,000 to several organizations within the community. Recipients included the Courtesy Van, Historical Museum, Community Television, Animal Shelter, Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Bella Vista Computer Club, Crystal Bridges and True Colors Farm by Respectability.
According to Club President, Dory Hammeke, the Garden Club has been giving back to the community for most of its 52 years. Whether it has been through beautification projects around the city, scholarships for students studying horticulture or supporting organizations that provide vital services for Bella Vista residents, the Garden Club has always been proud to show its support
for Northwest Arkansas. The donations are made possible due to the success of two important club fundraisers including Spring Plant Sales and a Card Party in the Fall.
At the club’s next meeting on September 25th two students studying horticulture at the University of Arkansas will each be awarded $5,000 Dorothy Wallace Scholarships.
Bob Pierce, treasurer for the Courtesy Van recieves check from Dory Hammeke.
Xyta Lucas and Dale Phillips of the Historical Museum recieve check from Dory Hammeke
Spring Luncheon on June 5, 2024
Spring Luncheon on June 5, 2024
Bella Vista Garden Club's Spring Luncheon Meeting and Officers Installation done by Judy Jeffrey was held at the Peel Mansion in Bentonville on Wednesday June 5, 2024. The Spring Luncheon is always one of the highlights of the year. The garden could be toured and the meal was catered by Mike Hudgins of Papa Mike's fame.
Many awards were presented and 2 members were inducted into the Circle of Roses - Cathie Whittenberger and Judy Shannon. A video of activities and accomplishment from the last year was shown.
Perennial Sale on June 1, 2024 was a Huge Success
Perennial Sale on June 1, 2024 was a Huge Success
We are thrilled to announce that our Plant Sale was a huge success, with an impressive turnout of customers. We extend our gratitude to each and every one of you who took the time to visit us. Our team of 28 dedicated members worked tirelessly to ensure that your needs were met and we are grateful for their hard work and commitment. See you all next year !!
Beautification Committee Cleanup at Bella Vista Sign May 12, 2024
Beautification Committee Cleanup at Bella Vista Sign May 12, 2024
A picture from May 12, 2024 cleaning up around the Bella Vista sign on Hwy 71. Pictured L to R are Sue Santori, Virginia Halman, Cathy Downard and Jeanie Talbott. Not pictured was Dory Hammeke.
Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs
Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs
and South Central Region
and South Central Region
2024 Annual Conventions
2024 Annual Conventions
April 22 - 25, 2024
April 22 - 25, 2024
Photo of NW district members in attendance at the April AFGC and SCR Conventions in Little Rock. Pictured L to R: Lynette Riley, Sherrie Eoff, and Ronna Smith, Garden Club of Rogers; Beth Kastl, Geri Hoerner, Ginny Vance, Bella Vista Garden Club; DeLinda Mace, Bentonville Garden Club; and Dory Hammeke, our President.
Arbor Day Celebration on Monday, April 29, 2024
The City of Bella Vista wrapped up its month-long celebration of trees with an official ceremony honoring our uniquely forested city landscape and preservation efforts of those who work to maintain it.
A tree planting ceremoney took place at 12 p.m. Monday, April 29th at the Bluebird Trailhead off Riordan Road.
Mayor John Flynn read an Arbor Day proclamation and then members of the Bella Vista Garden Club and Bella Vista Tree Advisory Board assisted in planting a Sugar Maple tree, which was graciously donated by the Bella Vista Garden Club.
Following the ceremony, the official City of Bella Vista Arbor Day 2024 stickers were available. They 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.
GARDENING TIPS
GARDENING TIPS
It’s a good idea to include native plants in your landscape.
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. 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:
Big Bluestem
Black-eyed Susan
Blue Flag Iris
Blue Vervain
Butterfly Weed
Common Milkweed
Compass Plant
Great Blue Lobelia
Indian Grass
Ironweed
Joe Pye Weed
Coreopsis
Lavender
Hyssop
New England
Aster
Obedient Plant
Prairie Blazing Star
Prairie Smoke
Purple Coneflower
Purple Prairie Clover
Rattlesnake Master
Rose Mallow Goldenrod
Native plants for USDA zone 6 that thrive in partial sun include:
Bergamot
Blue-eyed Grass
Calico Aster
Anemone
Cardinal Flower
Cinnamon Fern
Columbine Goat’s
Beard Solomon’s Seal
Jack in the Pulpit
Lavender Hyssop
Marsh Marigold
Spiderwort
Prairie Dropseed
Royal Fern
Sweet Flag
Virginia Bluebell
Wild Geranium
Turtlehead
Woodland Sunflower
Shade dwellers native to USDA zone 6 include:
Bellwort
Christmas Fern
Cinnamon Fern
Columbine
Meadow Rue
Foamflower
Goat’s Beard
Jack in the Pulpit
Trillium
Marsh Marigold
Mayapple Royal
Fern
Solomon’s Seal
Turk’s Cap
Lily Wild Geranium.
Looking for native trees? Look into:
Black Walnut
Bur Oak
Butternut Common Hackberry
Ironwood
Northern Pin Oak
Northern Red Oak
Quaking Aspen
River Birch
Serviceberry
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
LINKS OF INTEREST
New Links
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 CoxArtistic Touches by Cathy Wayson
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