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Winter 2023
Now that the Gardens have been put to bed and our gardeners are enjoying a well-deserved break, our thoughts turn to this special time of year to enjoy family and friends and spread some cheer.

Friends of the Gardens are still busy behind the scenes, however! We've launched a fundraising campaign to help replace our ageing but essential UTV, and we're also urgently searching for volunteers with special skills. Please see the articles below...and Happy Holidays! 
 
 A Time for Giving
Stuck on what to give someone who is a gardener (or enjoys the fruits of gardeners' labours)? How about a membership to the Friends of the Gardens? It's only $25, easy to do, and it’s tax-deductible!

You could also consider making a donation in someone's name, which would make a very thoughtful and enduring gift.

Either way, it's a great way to support the Gardens.
Gift a Membership
 A Special Fundraiser: Our Gator has Lost its Gusto!
 

Our electric Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) known as ‘The Gator’ has reached the end of its service. The Gator is constantly used by our gardeners to maintain the expansive 15 acres of gardens. It transports staff, tools, supplies, and plant material throughout the site. Unfortunately, it has a hefty price tag of about $30,000, and as you may recall, we do not receive any cash funding other than what we raise through plant sales, memberships, and donations. Please consider helping us with this essential purchase!
 
Donate to our Gator Fund
 A Time for Gratitude
During this time of celebration and gift-giving, we would like to take a moment to give thanks to our kind and generous supporters:
• To all who have supported us this year with memberships and donations
• To our monthly donors; we have welcomed a number of new ones in 2023
• To the businesses who have supported us
· To those who supported our plant sales, which provide our main source of funding
• To Agriculture and Agri-food Canada for providing in-kind support throughout the growing season
• To our dedicated gardeners for their hard work and creative problem-solving
• To our volunteers for their commitment and enthusiasm
THANK YOU!
A Gift of Time
If you have some to share, please consider giving some of your time in 2024. Being on a weekly team helps keep the Gardens looking beautiful. The benefits: exercise and fresh air, a chance to meet like-minded people, gardening know-how, and more.

But it's not just about getting your hands dirty (so to speak). You can help with our plant sales or events, communications and marketing, photography, social media, or care for the Fairy Garden. 
How To Volunteer

Are you tech-savvy?

We have an urgent need for a volunteer to work with our new donor management, fundraising and communications platform. Please email us directly for more information.
 
Membership Survey Results
We recently sent a survey to our members to gauge the level of satisfaction, see what we could do better, and learn a little bit more about our members. Many thanks to those who completed it - we received an excellent number of responses. Here are a few highlights:

• Most respondents are active participants in our organization and overall found it to be a positive experience. 
• Many joined to gain a better understanding of plants and gardening and some asked for more education and/or workshops. Many had a strong interest in the social aspect of volunteering. This has given the Board areas to work on to better show appreciation for our volunteers.
• A number of individuals expressed an interest in getting involved; however, no contact information was given. Please email our volunteer coordinator if you are interested in participating - volunteering can take many interesting forms!
 
Winter Wonderland

Have you experienced the Gardens in winter? A visit in the quiet of winter can be a lovely opportunity for a reflective and peaceful walk. The dramatic shapes of leafless trees are revealed, often enhanced by a blanket of snow. Coveys of quail can be seen feeding under the evergreens, and the occasional squirrel will scurry out to check her cache of pine nuts. Coyote tracks may wind through the Xeriscape gardens and, as the photo shows, you never know who may have walked down the path ahead of you. Please note that winter hours are 8:00am to 4:00pm daily.
Plant Care and Advice
Weather, Climate Zones, Plant Hardiness 

More of Waddington's Wisdom 

Winter is the perfect time to plan next year’s garden, and selecting plants is easier when you know which climate zone you are in. John Waddington's informative article on hardiness zones helps explain why a plant that is native to Arizona can thrive in the Okanagan. 

John Waddington is a retired research scientist who worked for the Ministry of Agriculture for 28 years and continues to share his knowledge of Okanagan gardening with the Friends of the Gardens.
Read the Article
Extending the Beauty of Your Poinsettia 

From University of Minnesota Extension

Keeping your Poinsettia looking fresh and beautiful beyond the holiday season is not difficult. Here are a few tips:

• Place your Poinsettia in bright daylight.
• A temperature between 15℃ and 20℃ is ideal. Poinsettias will suffer below 10℃.
• Avoid placing your plant where the temperature fluctuates or may be drying.
• Keep the soil moist; water when the surface feels dry or the pot feels light. Be sure to never allow a Poinsettia to get so dry that it wilts.
Read the Article
 
Best Wishes This Holiday Season
The Board of Directors of the Friends of the Gardens would like to wish everyone a  meaningful holiday season and all the best for the New Year. Stay healthy this winter, and we look forward to seeing you in the Gardens in the spring.
 
Donate Today
Thank you for your continued support.
PO Box 1363, 4200 Hwy 97 South
Summerland BC. V0H 1Z0
friends.summerlandgardens@gmail.com