Overheard at the Garden Gate April 2021
SLGC
Directory Change
Bonnie and Steve Lau have moved! Please change their address in your Directory to 3885-2 Lander Road, Orange Village, OH 44022.
GCA News from Lynn Shiverick, Zone X Program Rep
An Invitation from the GC of Michigan
The GC of Michigan is generously inviting all Zone X GCA members to an exciting virtual program at the Detroit Institute of Art. Internationally-known floral artist, author, and teacher Gregor Lersch will be presenting the Elizabeth Sites Kuhlman Lecture on April 26th. This exceptional event will be presented free of charge - what a welcome spring treat for Zone X GCA members! Please go to the following link for additional information and to register: Friends of Art & Flowers 21st Elizabeth Sites Kuhlman Lecture
More GCA News
Also - breaking news from GCA: The newest video offering of "IT'S YOURS - GCA PROGRAMS ON DEMAND" was released yesterday and it is terrific! "Painting with Flowers" is a GCA exclusive video offering that will take you on an amazing floral design journey accompanied by the passionate joy and creative spirit of designer, photographer, painter, and writer Christin Gaell. I have watched this awesome 30 minute video and highly recommend it. You can find it under "Videos and Publications" on the GCA Home page or on the Program Committee page under Virtual Program Resources, but here is a direct link: "Painting with Flowers" with Christin Geall.
The Root of It
From Suzy Hartford: Summit County Master Gardener program publishes a very informative newsletter each month. Click here to read the latest issue. To subscribe to the newsletter, click here.
Ohio Native Plant Month Signs
From Jane Ellison: Buy A Yard Sign for Your Native Plant Habitat! — Ohio Native Plant Month. Click here for information.
Portman, Hirono Introduce Resolution Designating April 2021 as
National Native Plant Month
Click here to read the article.
Caring for Plants Improves Your Health
By Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen, MDs
The U.K.'s Royal Horticultural Society once conducted an experiment on how talking to plants affected their growth.
Charles Darwin's great-granddaughter — one of 10 plant-talkers who were recorded and then played to a tomato plant — saw her veggie grow 2 inches more than the plants who were listening to a male voice. The other female plant-talkers saw 1 inch more growth than the men's plants did. But even the guys saw more plant growth than tomatoes left in silence.
Now it turns out that talking to plants is good for you too. A new study published in the journal Urban Forestry and Urban Greening found that study participants who had no houseplants experienced "negative emotions" more frequently than folks with indoor greenery. And the more plants an indoor gardener had, the bigger the positive mood boost.
Another study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology says "active interaction with indoor plants" can de-stress you and lower diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) measurably. That's because caring for any living thing evokes calm, provides a sense of purpose, exercises brainpower, and entertains you.
So set up a garden with herbs, microgreens, tomatoes, and ramps (garlic greens). Experiment with flowering begonias or narcissus bulbs, exotic croton plants, and easy-care ferns. And don't forget to rub plants' leaves as you talk to them. According to a study in BMC Plant Biology, that touch of kindness may make them less susceptible to disease, while it increases your sense of connection to them.
Garden Walk 2021
Neighborhoods returning from 2020 are Detroit Shoreway, Little Italy, West Park, Fairfax, Old Brooklyn and Broadway Slavic Village. After taking a year off, Collinwood is back and Glenville is participating for the first time since 2014. This year, Clifton-Baltic will be joining for the first time ever. Many thanks to the dedicated volunteer Garden Finders in each of the neighborhoods who make their neighborhood's participation possible.
