WELCOME TO BITTERSWEET GARDEN CLUB

Jefferson City, Missouri

Growing Flowers and Friendships

2022 Programs and Activities

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The 2022 yearbooks were distributed at the December meeting. You can also access the listing of meetings, programs, activities, and committees by clicking the image at the left or clicking this link.
See also the​ "Calendar Tab" above and the "Upcoming Events" column on the right.

Thank you to our
​2022 Garden Tour Homeowners!

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Interested in connecting with gardening friends?
​Contact Us to learn more about Bittersweet Garden Club.

Upcoming Events
Guests are welcome to visit a monthly meeting,
but other activities are member-only functions
​unless otherwise specified.
​

Dueling Pianos at Canterbury Hills Winery

Friday, July 15
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     Join us for a fun-filled evening of piano music, wine, friends, and food at Canterbury Hills Winery. Dueling Pianos is an interactive performance where sliding dollar bills onto the piano is how audience members request to hear a favorite song or request to stop a song that's already in progress.
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July Bittersweet Meeting

​Thursday, July 21
​Location: Center for Soy Innovation
                    734 S Country Club Drive
Social: 6:00 PM · Meeting: 6:30 PM
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​Program: “Healing Salves from the Garden”
Presenter:  Dori McClelland
Dori McClelland, a new Bittersweet member, is a self-trained herbalist who is passionate about finding ways of healing ourselves with plants and herbs. She sells her homemade products at the Lincoln Farmer’s Market in Jefferson City. Dori will discuss the process of developing and producing these healing salves.
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Inspirational Minute: Gail Cummins

Host: Rosie Chruma
Co-Hosts: Shelley Chruma, Jeanette de la Torre, Rita Esterly, Cathy Hall, Jacki Johnson, Millie Jones, Chris Krautmann, Donna Lynch, Dori McClelland, Kristi Rhoads, Linda Samson, Niki Schulte, Jan Schwaller, Donna Weiss, Claire West

Art 101 and West Main Pizza

Sunday, August 14
     Possible repeat activity on Aug 21​
Meet at West Main Pizza at 12:30 p.m.
Art 101 Workshop at 2:00 p.m.

Spend a hot August afternoon indoors. We’ll begin with lunch at West Main Pizza followed by a fused glass demonstration by artist Andy Cleeton at Art 101. With Andy’s guidance, we’ll each get to make our own fused glass plant stake.
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August Bittersweet Meeting

​Thursday, August 18
​Location: Center for Soy Innovation
                    734 S Country Club Drive
Social: 6:00 PM, Program: 6:30 p.m.

​​Program: “The Dahlias of Rudy Lane Flower Farm”
Presenter:  Megan Rudroff
By day Megan Rudroff is a Soils Conservationist with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, but in the early hours of dawn she operates Rudy Lane Flower Farm where she specializes in peonies and dahlias, but grows dozens of different annuals as well. She will take us on a journey of dahlia farming…from planting tubers in the spring, through harvesting blooms in the summer and on to digging them all up after the first fall frost. AND, since August is prime time for dahlias, she will be bringing in buckets of blooms representing the near 30 varieties ( over 600 plants) she grows!
​Inspirational Minute: Kris Leach

Host: Gail Cummins
Co-Hosts: Mari-Anne Antweiler, Karen Basel, Cassandra Bates, Barbara Brennaman, Marla Clark, Jane Davis, Sherry Fitzpatrick, Kris Leech, Naydene Quisling, Marcia Reed, Sonya Ross, Linda Samson, Jan Schwaller, Susan Stork, Marge Talken

September Bittersweet Meeting

​Thursday, September 15
​Location: Center for Soy Innovation
                    734 S Country Club Drive
Social: 6:00 PM, Program: 6:30 p.m.

​​Program: “What are Bees Doing in Your Garden”
Presenter:  Dan Bernskoetter
Dan Bernskoetter is a Master Naturalist and volunteer Naturalist for the Missouri Department of Conservation at the Runge Conservation Nature Center, where he leads monthly hikes in state parks and conservation areas. He is also an award-winning photographer, whose work has appeared in publications such as Outdoor Life, Three Gun Magazine, and Missouri Conservation Federation Magazine. Dan began keeping bees in 2000 and has several varieties of bees. Using a slide presentation, Dan will explain bee behavior.
​Inspirational Minute: Lee Bunch

Host: Pat Roberts
Co-Hosts: Lee Bunch, Rosie Chruma, Shelley Chruma, Rita Esterly, Cathy Hall, Brenda Hancock, Thalia Irvin, Millie Jones, Kathy Kolb, Chris Krautmann, Nelly McKay, Kristi Rhoads, Grace Tipton, Sue Tipton, Donna Weiss

Chicago and Mackinac Island

Monday-Sunday, September 5-11
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     Motor coach trip to magical Mackinac Island, Michigan, with tentative plans for stops along the way at the Chicago Botanic Garden; Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan; and Ball Horticultural Co. in Chicago. We’ll stay at the historic Grand Hotel, the jewel of Mackinac Island, that beckons you to a bygone era of old-world hospitality and charm. Staying at the Grand Hotel is truly a grand experience in itself where no two rooms are alike. The Grand is surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful gardens and fabulous views overlooking the Straits of Mackinac, where you can rock your cares away on the world’s longest porch or bicycle around the island. You’ll fall asleep to the sound of the clip clop of horses’ hoofs on the street, because no cars are allowed on Mackinac Island. The grand bonus is that they don’t allow tipping at the Grand Hotel. ​See Flyer for Details
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October in St. Louis

Friday & Saturday, October 14 & 15

    Join us for fall color viewing in St. Louis. We'll travel by bus to Forest Park where a guide will join us and provide a history of St. Louis's finest attractions. The tour will include the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica, which is adornéd in 83,000 square feet of mosaic tiles, one of the largest such collections in the world.
    We’ll have lunch at Favazza's on The Hill and then on to Bellefontaine Cemetery for a driving and walking tour with an arborist. The buildings, mausoleums, and larger monuments at Bellefontaine feature influences from Classic Revival, Romanesque, Gothic and Egyptian Revival, and even some forms of modern architecture. 
    We'll visit Bowood Farms Garden Center in the heart of St. Louis. Bowood has many unique plants, pots and accessories to satisfy your heart’s desire. We’ll end the day at the Drury Inn at Union Station in time for dinner and relaxation. 
    After breakfast and checkout Saturday morning we’ll head to MoBot where we’ll be one of the first groups to enjoy the park’s newly revamped tram ride, taking in all the fall colors the park has to offer. We’ll also enjoy a take out lunch from the park’s newly refurbished cafe.
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October Bittersweet Meeting

​Thursday, October 20
​Location: Center for Soy Innovation
                    734 S Country Club Drive
Social: 6:00 PM, Program: 6:30 p.m.

​​Program: “Make Your Own Fun or Functional Garden Art”
Presenter:  Jane Davis
Jane Davis is an artist, an Emeritus Advanced Master Gardener and has been a Bittersweet Garden Club member since 2010. She will provide various examples of easy-to-make garden art.
Food Bank Collection—Members are asked to bring non-perishable items to be donated to the Samaritan Center Food Bank. Cash or checks made payable to the Samaritan Center will also be accepted.
November Auction Items Collection—All items for the November auction should be brought to the October meeting, bagged or boxed, and identified by donor.
Inspirational Minute: Jeanne Schwaller
Host: Linda Block
Co-Hosts: Marilyn Curtit, Sandy Hiatte, Jacqueline Huhman, Jacki Johnson, Millie Jones, Kathy Laur, Kris Leech, Linda Oligschlaeger, Rosella Reinkemeyer, Niki Schulte, Jeanne Schwaller, Jenelle Schwieterman, Evie Starr, Marge Talken, Alan Wheat

Bittersweet Garden Club - Jefferson City, Missouri