Petal Pushers Garden Club Meeting Minutes, May 27, 2025

submitted by Pam Walker

Meeting Location: The Randall Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe

a door inside Davey’s house

Activity: Touring the Randall Davey Audubon Center in Santa Fe. There were only five of us who went, and we carpooled early from the Garden Center. The temperature was in the 70’s and great for walking around the grounds. We had two tour guides who gave us tours of Davey’s house and the native plants xeriscape gardens. The property is 135 acres managed by the Audubon Society and other people were there for birdwatching. Davey moved there in 1920 to pursue his art and join the art societies of Santa Fe and Taos. After the tours, we picnicked in his lawn at a table under a shade tarp. Lots to look at and a great day.

Business Meeting: no business meeting today

Next Petal Pusher meeting:

June 24 – Scavenger Gardening by Rose Marie Kern

Orchid Guild June Meeting

Sunday, June 8th at 1:30PM at the Albuquerque Garden Center when Bill Thoms will present a program on Bulbophyllum culture via Zoom. (email orchidsinabq@gmail.com for the link)

Biography

Bill Thoms has grown and shown orchids for more than 45 years in the central Florida area. He has more awards for Culture in Bulbophyllums than anyone else in the world (51 so far) – and he and Doris Dukes together have 105 Cultural Awards in 30 different genera. The American Orchid Society has added a new Annual Award for the Bulbophyllums, the Bill Thoms Award. Bill gives talks all over the world on a wide range of topics ranging from his specialty, “Bulbophyllums”, to General Orchid Culture which is a favorite of most new growers. They all are presented in a funny style that helps growers understand how the plants work and they all revolve around the Culture of Orchids. He helps the beginner grower with lots of advice about fixing problems and has a wealth of accumulated information for the more advanced grower, too! No matter whether you have 1000s of orchids, just a few, or only one, Bill will give you tips to make them grow and bloom better. Many people say he is the best speaker they have ever heard. Come and see for yourself. He has a book, Bulbophyllums; the Incomplete Guide, From A to WHY?, which you may purchase from him. His web site (Bulbophyllums.com) has his book, special food and super eBook, which is more than 5 years' worth of videos of their plants, all his articles, fabulous photos and lots more. He and Doris now live near Greenville, South Carolina.

Bulbophyllums on the Sales Table - We will have a very nice selection of healthy mature blooming size plants available

25% Off Orchids

• Sales at the show were somewhat less than we had hoped for.

• Not to worry

• You will benefit.

• Most plants will be in bud/bloom and 25% discount off of marked prices

• Come early for the best selection

Petal Pushers Garden Club Meeting Minutes, April 22, 2025

submitted by Pam Walker

Meeting Location: The Garden Center Grace Barnes room

Activity: Spring Luncheon today!

We had a menu of salads and desserts. Wonderful and filling! So many things to choose from.

Business Meeting:

Our club’s new year starts July 2025, so we will begin planning all our monthly programs. Please let us know what you’d like to do or learn in the coming year. The new yearbook is being created now and will be ready at that time. If you would like a different photo of yourself in the book, please let us know. Also, send in photos of your beautiful flowers and gardens to be included in the yearbooks.

May 12 @ 9:30 will be our next workday in the Garden Center courtyard. Please come for a short while and help deadhead our raised beds, and tend to anything else that needs doing. We will also be planting the two containers in the courtyard. We’ve purchased white geraniums, ivy, and yellow/orange dahlias for these.

We’ve purchased the plants from Arca that we will be selling at the spring plant sale April 25 and 26. The plants will be delivered to the Garden Center early on the 25th so those who purchased some for their own homes may pick them up then. Petal Pushers will also be selling water, chips, and some fairy lights that we made last month. We’ll include one of our PP ad cards in each purchase to introduce the public to our club.

June 8 is the Parade of Gardens - the Garden Council’s next big event. Please sign up on the webpage to volunteer for this event. All volunteers get their entry ticket for $10 instead of $20. It’s a fun, inspiring day.

Next Petal Pusher meeting:

May 27 is our field trip to Santa Fe’s Randall Davey Audubon Center. We will arrange carpooling, so if you need a ride, please let us know. Lunch will be provided. We must be at the Audubon Center before 9:30 a.m.