In lieu of April’s meeting Vice President Katherine Plenger organized a wonderful itinerary to visit four members’ gardens. We hope you will be inspired by their efforts to create beauty and enhance the environment.
We started at Kathy Kern’s in Grogan’s Point to see her fabulous collection of irises. We marveled at the many unusual plants and whimsical art throughout the grounds, and enjoyed strolling the backyard paths that lead to a private forest.
We continued to Jarka Smekalova’s garden in Grogan’s Forest. Her home is at the end of a cul-de-sac overlooking the greenbelt. The focal point of the front yard is the majestic palm tree surrounded by flowers in a raised bed. Jarka lost the jasmine covering the back yard fence during the February freezes and has replaced it with the most “real” looking greenery panels.
Next we went to Bitsey Crismon’s in Cochran Crossing where we recognized the beautiful gazebo from the 2021-22 member directory. The challenge in Bitsey’s garden is too much shade. We liked the children’s play areas, garden art, and handmade wooden benches. Bitsey is planning a workshop during the summer to teach us how to make the pot cluster.
The tour ended with Sharon Podolski’s garden. Here the focus is on sustainable practices (compost bin, rainwater tank, pollinator plants) and home grown vegetables and herbs. Lots of cute decorations too, and the center of attention is the Podolski family mileage marker.
Sharon graciously hosted the potluck luncheon and we all agreed we want to do this again!
Special thanks to:
Katherine for setting up the tour
Kathy, Jarka, Bitsey, and Sharon for inviting us to their gardens
Joe Podolski for roasting the pig
All the participants who brought salads, side dishes, desserts and refreshments
Betty for the beautiful table decorations and the mimosas
Sally, Elisabeth, Cherie, Diane & Viviane for sharing their pictures
And, much appreciation to the car pool drivers.
PS – it looks like Sharon is already getting ready for another plant sale…
The Woodlands Garden Club 