Club members may obtain additional details and view photos about the items listed here by contacting the club historian.

2000

Compost Tour: On January 12th, nine members were given a tour of Prince George's County Yard Debris Composting Facility in Upper Marlboro.

Christmas In April Project: Club members Beverly Landymore, Barbara Eberstein and Harold Moline completed pruning at the house of Pat Boos on April 5th.

Adopt-A-Highway Program: Cleanups of Route 197 continued during this year. Many bags of trash were collected. The club purchased four grabbers to facilitate gathering trash from the under brush. The club was obligated to this project through 2001.  On November 12, 2000, the BCGC received a certificate from the Executive Director of Citizens Concerned for a Cleaner County for the club's outstanding achievement and involvement in its litter control, recycling, conservation and cleanup projects in Prince George's County.

Plant Sale: The club's annual plant sale was held on April 29th in front of Bowie High School. Left over perennials were donated to Highbridge Elementary School for their landscaping project around the school grounds. 

Propagation Workshop: Harold Moline conducted a clinic on propagation of plants from cuttings on June 10th at his home.

The officers and committee members as of June 2000 were as follows:
President  Harold Moline   1st V.P. , Programs Jesse Terres
2nd V.P., Membership Evelyn Svaboda   3rd V.P., Plant Exchange  Gloria Kinsley
4th V.P., Public Relations Kent Winterson   Treasurer Pat Dumais
Secretary Beverly M. Landymore   Field Trips  Vacant
Historian Pat Benson   Newsletter Kris Gasteiger & Pat Clunies
 V.P. Special Projects  Kent Winterson   Hospitality Ellen Brous
Sunshine:  Harriet Feldman   Plant Sale  

 

Club Picnic: The club's annual picnic was held on July 1st at Highbridge Park, Bowie, MD. 35--40  people attended and enjoyed perfect weather, great camaraderie and fantastic food -- a great time was had by all. This park was a great location and the suggestion was made to make Highbridge Park the permanent venue for the club's annual picnic. There was privacy, plenty of shade, parking close by and a pleasant breeze through the pavilion which is up on a hill.

 

Membership: At the beginning of October there were 113 members in the club. Dues is still $7.50 per year for an individual and $10.00 for a family membership.

Bowie Beautification Award: On October 4th the BCGC received an award from the chairperson of the Bowie Beautification and Tree Preservation Committee in recognition for supporting the City of Bowie Beautification Awards Program.

Farewell to Saul & Lena Weiss: At the July 25th meeting, the club held a going away party for Saul and Lena Weiss. They had been members of the BCGC for many years. Saul has shared his expertise with many of the members. He has also provided delicious rolls at many a holiday party and picnic. They were moving to Virginia

Holiday Party: The annual holiday party was held on December 8th at the St. Matthews Church in Bowie, MD.

 

Some of the speakers for this year were:

  • 1/25: Meeting canceled due to snowstorm.

  • 2/29: Bill Morgan -- "The Wonderful World of Roses"

  • 3/28: Pat Howar, Chambers Florist -- "Growing and Using Garden Flowers in Arrangements"

  • 4/25: Rich and Betty Dodson -- slide show and narrative about their "walk about" in  Australia and New Zealand.

  • 5/30: Grace Lefever, former teacher, member and Assistant Director of the Brethren Volunteer Service Program -- "Developing and Maintaining Healthy Soil and Natural Nutrition - What You Can Do For Your Body"

  • 6/27: Question & Answer Meeting

  • 7/25: Persis Suddith -- History, background and information about the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Patuxent River Park. She will also present the "BASKET BUNCH". This group weave baskets from native plant materials found in the wild, or found in their own back yards.




  • 8/29: Barry Gilbert, Grounds Superintendent of the Bowie Golf & Country Club -- "Grounds Management". Meeting held at the Bowie Golf & Country Club. 

  • 9/26: Carol Allen, Behnke's Nursery -- "Bulbs and How to Prepare Some Varieties for Indoor Forcing"
  • 10/31: Jesse Terres -- "Mum is the Word"
  • 11/28: Jim Sullivan, an expert in the cultivation of Bonsai -- "The Art of Bonsai"

2001

Adopt-A-Highway Program: Cleanups of Route 197 continued during this year in March, May and September. In March alone, seven members picked up 24 bags of trash along MD Route 197 from Route 450 to Rockledge School. 

BRAVA Donation: In March, a check for $2500 was donated to the BRAVA Landscaping Fund.

Memorial Bench: A bench to honor the late Joyce Pelletier was dedicated and installed on April 14th at Acorn Hill Park. 


Plant Sale: The annual plant sale was held on April 28th in the front of the Bowie High School. There were thousands of plants, flowers, vegetables, trees, bushes and tubers on display. The community supported the sale with vigor and the club realized a profit of $5332.20, which was presented to BRAVA representatives at the July meeting. 

 

Christmas in April: D. J. Campbell, Mary Nelson and Al Lozar showed up at this year's CIA home (Shearon & Syvlianne Jackson) on May 2nd and did their magic. They transplanted existing bulbs, spread mulch and planted some azaleas.

The Bowie-Crofton Garden Club Memorial Award: The annual contribution to the fund was increased to $1000 for the year 2001. As of May 2001, the following people have benefited form the scholarship: Gregory Brambon, Tammy Michaels, Iris Mars and Kevin Hall.

Annual Picnic: The picnic was held on June 9th at Highbridge Park in Bowie, MD. The new officers were installed at the picnic.

 

The officers and committee members as of June 2001 were as follows:
President  Phyllis LaBorwit   1st V.P. , Programs Jesse Terres
2nd V.P., Membership Evelyn Svaboda   3rd V.P., Plant Exchange/Door Prizes  Gloria Kinsley
4th V.P., Public Relations Susan Piatt   Treasurer Pat Dumais
Secretary Beverly M. Landymore   Field Trips  Harold Moline
Historian Pat Benson   Newsletter Kris Gasteiger & Pat Clunies
 V.P. Special Projects  Kent Winterson   Hospitality Ellen Brous
Sunshine:  Harriet Feldman   Plant Sale Pat Clunies & Beverly Landymore

 

Open Garden Tours: On July 28 and 29th the following members opened their gardens for public tours: Kris Gasteiger, Phyllis LaBorwit, Margaret Huddleston, Gloria Kinsley, Kent Winterson, Barbara Perkins, Harold Moline, Susan and Glen Piatt, Hans Hirschman. Shown on the left is Margaret Huddleston, and on the right is Kris Gasteiger.

Passing of Donna Hayward and Bob Smith: Robert Ellis Smith died on August 26th. He was 83 and the husband of Jessie Smith, long-time BCGC member. Donna's death on September 7, 2001 was a shock to the club. Donna had been battling ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) for a few years and fought a valiant battle to the very end. Donna was a master gardener and an 8-year member of the BCGC. The club made a donation to the ALS Foundation in Donna's memory. Donna's gardening books were offered for sale at the March, 2002 meeting.

Cleanup at the Bowie Library:Members of the BCGC noticed that the potted plants in the parking lot of the Bowie Library needed attention, so on September 27th several members got together to help refurbish the plants.

Cider and cookies are usually served after the October meetings.

Membership: In November the membership total was 144. Dues was raised to $10 for an individual and $12 for a family membership effective June 2001.

Holiday Party: The annual club holiday party was held on December 16th at St. Matthews Methodist Church on route 450, Bowie, MD.

The speakers for 2001 were:

  • 1/30: Harold Moline -- "Practical Landscape Design"

  • 2/27: David Farr -- "Mushrooms"

  • 3/27: Frederick M. Bowen -- "Ornamental Grasses"

  • 4/24: Monica Powell, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Heritage Division --  "The Wild Acres Program"

  • 5/29: Barry Sperling, Azalea Society of Northern Virginia -- "Essential Gardening Tools: A Rake, A Shovel & A Computer"

  • 7/31: Jesse Terres --Question and Answer meeting

  • 8/28: John Eldridge -- "History of Brookside Gardens"

  • 9/25: Dr. Alan Fusonie -- "Our Horticultural Past: Sea Captains, Naturalists, and Nurserymen"

  • 10/30: JesseTerres, award-winning grower of mums and a judge at chrysanthemum shows -- "Chrysanthemums"

  • 11/27: Dr. Diane Taber, Chiropractor -- "Preventing Injury When Gardening"