Valley Women’s Club Spring Bulb Fundraiser
Boy, do I hope it’s sunny when you read this! I heard recently that the showery cool weather might go on to July. And on the other hand, any day summer’s heat may descend upon us, and we’ll all blink and wrinkle in the sudden unaccustomed heat and brightness. My two shivering tomato plants are shrinking dailly, wondering what part of the planet they landed on. Brrrr! On the other hand, the vivacious little lettuces and the sweet peas are preening themselves and looking lush and elegant. Something for everyone, I guess.
Looking back to March or so when torrential rains were our daily diet, and yet gardeners were feeling the spring planting urge rise in our bloodstream, I heard people bemoaning the fact that they couldn’t get our and dig and plant. I felt pretty smug myself, sunce I did all my digging last November, when the sun was still streaming gently down and the soil was a perfect texture. I planted what seemed like a gluttonous amount of bulbs. I had a one time only bargain on as many as I could buy and I indulged myself thoroughly. All possible containers and beds were crammed with daffodils, tulips, narcissus and lilies. So all through our dreary “spring”, I’ve had successions of vibrant bloom that began in late January and my buttery little Sun Disc narcissus are just finishing up now in mid-May. Fresh bouquets filled the house with new colors and fragrances every week. The lilies are still to come, flaunting their glorious flared petals, heavy brocade texture and sultry intense perfume. And I still haven’t dug any new beds!
So I was delighted to hear Roberta McPherson’s idea to have a spring bulb fundraiser. Raise money for the Valley Women’s Club, beautify the valley and bring the sunny cheer of spring bulbs into more homes and gardens? Brilliant! We’ve included a brochure and order form for you, describing the different kinds of bulbs available, a flier with important information about dates and phone numbers, and an envelope to send in your money and your order. The VWC earns half the money and shipping is free (normally at least a $3.00 charge) – so the bulbs are a great deal. They’ll all bloom for seveal years or longer, and the company guarantees them too, so you can be sure of their quality. The deadline is August 1 to get money and orders to Roberta (details on the flyer). Bulbs will be delivered in October in plenty of time to plant them for best spring bloom. We’ll let you know when to pick them up from the Blind Pilot in Boulder Creek. Roberta McPherson is the contact person for the bulb sale; her phone number is 338-0815. Call her if you have any questions.
This fundraiser is fat-free, contains no sugar or preservatives and is an investment in the very near future! Plant a pot of tulips with your children for a wonderful fall project – what could be more magic than planting a drab little onion-y thing, watching green shoots peep up, stretch, unfurl and then explode into fantastic scarlet and golden and purple flared goblets? If you are troubled by gophers, daffodils are a long-lived perennial bulb that the pesky rodents won’t touch. Charming little grape hyacinths can handle some shade and multiply readily. Buy some for yourself at least, and we’d love you to entice anyone else you know. Buy several bags, keep them in the fridge and plant them up for living Christmas gifts. If each of us just buys one package, the club will earn $1000 for activities and projects. If your friends and relations buy some too, the better for us all. Go ahead, indulge yourself – it’s a good thing!