Abbeville Garden Club holds first meeting of 2023

Abbeville Garden Club members held their regular monthly meeting on Monday, January 16, 2023 at the Vermilion Parish LSU Ag Center. Beth Albertelly served as hostess of the event, with Jeanell Duhon and Joyce Thibodeaux serving as co-hostesses.
Horticulturist Richard Hebert, owner and proprietor of Hebert’s Garden Center in New Iberia, was the January Program Speaker. Hebert shared his knowledge and expertise concerning “Issues with Cold Weather for Plants in Our Landscape”.
Topics concerning plants in our landscapes discussed included: When to Protect Our Plants, How to Protect Our Plants, What Plants to Protect, What to Do After a Freeze and the Long-Term Effects of Cold Weather for Our Plants. Hebert stressed the importance of having a plan of protection before winter approaches, knowing what you need for protecting your plants during a freeze, which plants to protect and what to do after a freeze.
President Susan Wilhelm delivered her President’s Report then called for reports from officers and various committee chairmen.
Club members went on to discuss upcoming activities in their business meeting. Plans for upcoming Arbor Day activities and Keep Abbeville Beautiful activities for the coming year were discussed, including the Louisiana Garden Club Federation District III Cleanest City Contest in March, and Keep Louisiana Beautiful “Love the Boot Week” April 17 – 23, 2023. The Abbeville Garden Club plans to work with Keep Abbeville Beautiful and The Vermilion Reach Group in the quest for a litter-free environment.
The Flower Show Spotlight was presented by Accredited LGCF Flower Show Judge Susan Wilhelm. The focus of her presentation was Arboreal specimens, branches of large trees or shrubs which may require a height of up to 30 inches to show the beauty of their mature form.
Wilhelm demonstrated proper grooming and staging techniques for arboreal specimen exhibits. She also displayed a variety of plant materials which can be collected from one’s own yard to be used in Horticulture Exhibits for LGCF Flower Shows. Wilhelm is a member of LGCF Southwest Judges Council and President of Abbeville Garden Club.
Horticulture Hints were provided by Horticulture Chairman and Master Gardener Denise Files. These hints focused on plants that have met the challenge of diverse South Louisiana growing conditions. Examples of these include the reliable, hardy, carefree bulbs Paperwhite narcissus (Narcissus tazetta) and the native plant Gulf Coast Pentstemon. This coastal native is great for butterflies, bees, and birds and survived the 2022 December freeze.
Files also focused on the advantages of living in South Louisiana where a variety of vegetables can be planted in January and February, such as: beets, lettuce, radish, rutabaga, and turnips from seed; broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, Swiss chard, and shallots with transplants; and Irish potatoes from pieces.
Abbeville Garden Club is a member of National Garden Clubs, Inc., Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc., and Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc., District III. Within this organization, members can attend NGC Schools which provide an opportunity for attendees to increase their knowledge of the environment, expand interest in gardening, embrace creativity in floral design, and beautify homes and communities using landscape design principles.
The next AGC monthly meeting will be held at the LSU Ag Center on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023 at 5 p.m. For more information on joining the Abbeville Garden Club, please visit the Abbeville Garden Club Facebook Page.