What can I say? If you unfortunately missed the first Garden Club meeting on Monday, September 17, you missed an extra special event with great company, delicious food, and a fascinating presentation on “Butterflies in Your Garden.”
To open the meeting, our president, Nadine Allen, recognized several new members, introduced our club officers, and then thanked the Hospitality Committee, who always provide food and drink to enjoy while hearing what’s in store for the coming club year. Members were given the new beautifully illustrated Garden Club Directory for bedside reading.
Nadine expressed her ideas and theme for the coming year, as shown on page 2 of the Directory: All the earth is a garden just waiting for our care.
Chris Drees and Sandi Barr, two Master Gardeners (of which there are only about 300 throughout all Orange County), gave an educational and inspiring talk on butterflies. With beautiful color photos, they described some of the 24 common butterfly species that can be seen around Niguel Shores. There are roughly 70 species that occur in all parts of our county.
Selecting several of the better known—the Monarch, Swallowtail, and Sulfur—they spoke on how to attract them to your garden. For these selected species they showed what flowers are required as their food source (nectar), ways to protect the caterpillars and chrysalis (butterfly pupa) from the wind, and ways to provide fluid with a dish of water. I am mentioning only a few of the species they shared
and discussed. The whole presentation was fascinating.
Our next meeting will be a field trip to the Casa Romantica Gardens and Cultural Center in San Clemente
on Monday, October 15. We will enjoy a private docent-guided tour and lunch afterwards catered by Sun-Dried Tomato Café. Members should meet at the Clubhouse parking lot at 10:30 a.m. to arrange rides. The cost of the luncheon is $15.00. A check made out to the Niguel Shores Garden Club can be dropped off at the club file in the office. This will reserve a space for you. No cash please.
For more information on Garden Club membership, please leave your name and phone or email address in the Garden Club file in the office. We are all looking forward to a wonderful year!
—Karl Kuhn
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