Quail Valley Garden Club

Arbor Day

 

 We only expected our trees at our Arbor Day Celebration in MacNaughton Park. . .we were pleasantly surprised to see our bench. In part due to QVGC efforts starting with meeting with the Parks Department last summer, we arrived not only to see our total gift of ten trees tied with red ribbons; but also our park bench, which is handsome, sturdy and the new standard for Memorial Benches in Missouri City. With other residents giving Memorial trees and benches, where the park is completed being grated there are now 43 trees and two park benches--it's all treed up and benched to "Grow Better Community." With others, we can make a big difference in our community.

QVGC Arbor Day and Beautification Chair Rose Ann Acosta and City Forester Paul Wierzbicki did a super job on Arbor Day.

Stop at the Half-way house parking lot at Hampton and West Creek Club, and walk onto the trail. Our bench is the first one! Our trees are fittingly scattered throughout the grove of 43 trees.

This was just a great Valentines surprise we couldn't wait to share!

To learn how to give to the Memorial Tree and Bench program for any park or trail in Missouri City, contact City Forester Paul Wierzbicki at 281 403-8645.

Here's a current drawing of how the MacNaughton Park will look when completed.

 

Press any photo to enlarge it. To see more about Quail Valley Garden Club's February Program, of which Arbor Day was a part, press here.

Arbor Day Proclamation, February 9, 2012 by Rose Ann Acosta

WHEREAS,    In 1872, J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of trees, and

WHEREAS,    this holiday, called Arbor Day, was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska, and

WHEREAS,    Arbor day is now observed throughtout the nation and the world, and

WHEREAS,     trees can reduce the erosion of our precious topsoil by wind and water, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen, and provide habitat for wildlife, and

WHEREAS,    trees in our city increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, and beautify the landscape

WHEREAS,    trees where they are planted, are a source of joy and spirutual renewal,

WE, the Quail Valley Garden Club, in celebration of Arbor Day 2012, plant these eight trees in MacNaughton Park to enhance and beautify our community that these trees may gladden the hearts of all park visitors and promote the well being of this and future generations.

 

Final Board Meeting and Celebration

Our final Board Meeting for 2010-2011 took place in Janice Scanlan's home and garden Tuesday, May 10th. . . after reports about our year, we took a breather to relax.

This Board worked very hard this year and its accomplishments include donating Holiday lighting decorations to the Quail Valley Fund after years of paying for storage, development and installation of Holiday Lighting, reducing the risk of Caladium bulb sales by emphasizing pre-orders, transitioning to an activity (revenue based) budget, a successful back yard tour that reached more Quail Valley Neighbors with colorful fliers, and just a terrific year of programs, events and enjoying fellowship.

 

Thank you.! Janice

Backyard Tour and Preview Party

This year we had two events that will be hard to top: bunnies born during the tour and families on bikes. Once again, our tour and preview party was a grand success . . . and much of that is because of the garden owners, our sponsors and volunteers. And the public turned out to enjoy the near perfect weather.

Don't forget our sponsors when you are considering services and products. Thanks to:

Platinum Plus Sponsor:
Lane Pearson of
Prudential Gary Greene Realtors
713 857-4414

Gold Sponsors:
Quail Valley Proud
Janice Scanlan, 281 261-2320
Alamo Landscape Services, 281 686-8645
 
Silver Sponsors:
Ashley Kunco, Prudential Gary Greene Realtors
281 352-6433
Becky Faust, Re-Max Fine Properties
713 828-9007
Curtis, Belt, Brazos Concrete, Inc.
281 748-9121

Bronze Sponsors:
Joann L. Gore, CPA
281 499-6304

In Kind Sponsors:
Roddy Chambless, University Copy Center
Missouri City Office Depot 

 

Our Preview Party held at the Wilson's garden was a great event, and demonstrated why their garden is such a marvelous place for a party.

Unfortunately, Beverly Wilson (left) has her back to the camera, but how captivated Ruth Anderson and Patsy Armbruster are with the event, she and Jackie Walker (right) created and donated to the garden tour!

While a main objective is promoting how gardening enriches lives and various life styles, it's this kind of generousity that allowed us to give a grove of trees to the Edible Arbor Trail on Oyster Creek to benefit central Missouri City.

Beverly's bunny collection in the garden was a perfect follow up to the live bunnies born at the Thompson's, and we enjoyed fabulous food and drink. Overall Beverly and Jackie created an event that was a terrific package and fun for all. 

You can't miss how people are enjoying the company and hospitality of the event. Below, neighbor and April Yard of the Month recipient Lulu De La Mora (left) visit with well-know Quail Valley Master Gardeners Arvada Simcoe and Joyce Smith.

With shrimp, sides, and delectible cupcakes, the Easter themed garden was a delight.

Below Nancy Lindsay, garden owner Pete Thompson, and Johnny Walker share a story.

 

 

 

President and Backyard Tour Chair Janice Scanlan, 2010 garden owner Diane Peyton, and Platinum Sponsor Lane Pearson enjoy the swing in the garden.

 

 Donna Hogan, Tour Captain for the Lopez's Garden on Wingedfoot and Oak Leaf garden owner Barbara Thompson show the enjoyment of the party.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hostess and Villa garden owner Beverly Wilson (left) stayed so busy it was hard to catch a photo of her but here she is next to Gretchen Cockrell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruth Anderson  (left photo above) with Silver Tour Sponsor Becky Faust.

 

The Preview and Party were just a fun day of talk, laughter and anitipation for the tour itself. Please click the following link to enjoy  Tour Day Photos. Beauty, ideas and fun  . . .

Snowfest Parade 2010

Thanks to chair Sharon Wright, Gretchen Cockerill, Judy Belt and her family, Jackie Walker, Arvada Simcoe and all the garden club members who contributed. Please re-visit for more photos!

Attracting Birds to your backyard

We owe a real debt of gratitude to Margaret Sloan for her dedication to Quail Valley and for cataloging and photographing the many birds --give or take 120 -- that live year round or visit Quail Valley during the year.

She introduced us and provided forms for Project Feeder Watch, which is a way to keep up with birds visiting your garden as well as other resources about birds complete with some great hand outs. As Margaret told us, birds need food, water, and shelter that works with their habits and dietary needs. For example, hummingbirds come for red or orange flowers, but eventually they learn that the yellow, pink and other colored flowers work as well.

Food and shelter

A key factor is food and shelter variety. Margaret even plants Goldenrod because the birds like it so well. Remember, it's not a weed if you put it there. A variety of plants will also provide shelter and food as well as insects for birds that don't come to feeders.

Some birds come to feeders, others do not . . .besides insects they may like fruit such as the Loquat below or various berries like Mulberries. This Loquat tree was full of flowers that will make fruit winter to spring. The thick foliage is also good shelter. Many birds avoid bird houses, where Purple Martins "expect them."

A simple twig and brush pile is another good form of shelter. Margaret has one in the garden and another outside her garden on the creek.

Chile piquant is another "fruit" that birds like. While some humans like it spiciness, Margaret leaves hers for the birds.

Water and a bird bath -- Margaret has a simple hose system hanging from a tree over the bird bath. She has a twig on the hose for those birds that prefer to hold onto a branch to drink rather than go to a bird bath. It makes the drip beautiful and natural-looking, while it keeps the bird bath water fresher. Can you guess where it is in the picture below? The bird bath is behind the ginger, which even the hummingbirds like now. The forked looking twig conceals the hose.

 Birds need a rock to stand on in the bird bath and like them with ponds or water falls as well. They will also stand in shallow bog plants in ponds. And butterflies and birds like many of the same plants. We had a butterfly "drying" who emerged and flew while we were visiting and enjoying the delicious muffins and goodies Margaret so graciously provided.

We all just relaxed, visited and sat and watched the birds and butterflies. It was such a nice meeting.

If you would like to know more about specific habits of birds that visit Quail Valley and more about how to bring each one to your garden, we post one species or types of species each month when they are prevalent in the area. We are celebrating our one year anniversary. For specifics, visit Birds of Fort Bend by pressing this link.

To enjoy just pictures of the wide variety of birds that live in Quail Valley, view Margaret's full photo album, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

To honor Margaret's work, the Quail Valley Garden Club intends that one of our Arbor Day trees this year is a Mulberry, which provides a wonderful source of food for migrating birds, in particular, the Baltimore Oriole.