Page 178 - South Mississippi Living - March, 2019

THEFINALSAY JEANETTE
LINDSEY
President, Gulf Coast Council of Garden Clubs
photo courtesy of Jeanette Lindsey
Is gardening fun in South Mississippi? Oh yes, except in August!
I lived in Virginia for 20 years where I could plunk anything in the ground and it would grow. After a year
of fabulous peonies on the side of my house, I decided
to grow tomatoes. I did not have enough sun in the
back yard, so I put two or three small tomato plants
in my landscaped front garden, never imagining the consequences. The tomatoes leapt out of the ground
and overtook the garden area, vines wrapping around
the porch and reaching to the eaves of the house. The tomatoes were overwhelming and delicious. However, the ‘overwhelming’ part got the attention of the Home Owners Association –— in Virginia they’re tough. They demanded the demise of my tomatoes immediately because they had become an eyesore to the community. I had to cut them down before they were through yielding fruit. Can you believe it?
Gardening in Mississippi is a different experience. I first joined the garden club to get advice for saving my azaleas after Hurricane Katrina had left them gasping for life. Katrina had changed the soil condition. Indigenous plants to South Mississippi such as azaleas, camellias and hydrangeas will grow well when you use correct soil conditions, appropriate fertilizer, and plant on the right side of the house. Plant hardiness zones are vital; we are zone 9a. It’s truly a college level learning experience. Mississippi State University Extension Service offers classes in horticulture and they will also test your soil content. There is also you-tube.
March 27-30 will be the Gulf Coast Council of Garden Clubs 67th Spring Pilgrimage. The Spring Pilgrimage presents an opportunity to tour beautiful homes with luscious landscapes and various historic and interesting sites along the Coast. Brochures will be available at Welcome Centers from Gautier to Pass Christian.
We host the National Garden Clubs 90th Annual Convention at the Beau Rivage April 29–May 2. The new National Garden Clubs President is from Mississippi and will be installed at the convention. Speakers of horticulture renown — Norman Winter, Jeanne C. Jones, Carol Reese, James DelPrince, Bob Brzuszek, Margaret Gratz, and Cory Gallo — will be presenting. Ladies and gentlemen from all over the world will attend.
With all that said, the Garden Clubs of America and Gulf Coast Council of Garden Clubs would like to extend an invitation to the novice gardeners to join their local garden clubs. We need this new generation to inspire us to remember why we joined and stir up our gardening juices. How do you challenge someone with gel nails
and a Dillard’s wardrobe to get their hands dirty? With garden gloves and shorts. Come on, build yourself a green house and begin learning everything you can about gardening. It really is relaxing, a stress reliever and fun!
178 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • March 2019
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