Sunday, January 26, 2014

Showing and Sharing the Wonderful World of Proteaceae

This week I had the privilege to show and share a little of my passion for Proteaceae with over 200 members of the Village Garden Club of La Jolla.  The focus of their January meeting was Horticulture and Dr. Peter Sacks, MD, a dear friend & former owner of Zorro Protea Farm, and I were invited to do a presentation on "The Wonderful World o f Proteaceae".



The Village Garden Club was founded in 1974 by a small group of women with fresh ideas and lots of enthusiasm.  Now,39 years later they have a strong membership of 425, each contributing and sharing their own unique talents.  Their club is one of the most dynamic in the Palomar District in California, providing an outstanding schedule of programs, field trips, workshops and other activities throughout the year.



Our presentation began with Dr. Sacks discussing the history of Proteaceae from the days of Gondwanaland to its introduction to California soil in the early 70's.  He also talked about the unique and interesting variations between the South African and Australian genera, as well as the differences between a protea cultivar and a hybrid.



As the California Protea Farmer, my presentation covered the growing aspects of Proteaceae from the soil requirements, to watering, fertilizing and pruning as well as how they can be incorporated into home gardens or planted in pots.  I also shared pictures of protea arrangements, bouquets and of course a wreath!


The podium was graced with an amazing display of our morning's protea harvest.



A protea wreath was predominantly displayed on stage and was later auctioned off to the highest bidder to raise funds for the Garden Club's community projects.



Dozens of gorgeous protea bouquets and plants were on hand for the members to enjoy and take home.





This event was all about Showing & Sharing the Joy of Horticulture and our Passion for growing Proteaceae.



Many thanks to Gleneva Belice, the Village Garden Club of La Jolla's 1st Vice President, for making Proteaceae the club's passion for the month!

The Village Garden Club of La Jolla's theme for 2013-2014:

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant".

No comments:

Post a Comment