San Saba Garden Club (SSGC) members and guests gathered at the historic Mill Pond Park Clubhouse for their regular meeting on Tuesday, October 4th. Marjean Alexander had arranged for John Thomas, founder and owner of Fredericksburg Wildseed Farms, to present a special program on growing wildflowers in residential gardens. Wildseed Farms is a wonderland of nature’s bounty that includes not only wildflowers but also butterfly gardens, walking trails, vineyards and wine tasting rooms, and a gift shop that is second to none. With over a thousand acres devoted to growing wildflowers in sev-eral Texas locations, Wildseed Farms is the largest wildflower grower in the nation.
Thomas is a world-renowned horticulturist and developer of several varieties of Texas bluebonnets, including the only red bluebonnet in the world—the Texas Maroon (“Aggie Red”) bluebonnet. Though bluebonnets may be his favorites, Thomas’s interest extends to developing and adapting varieties of wildflowers that can be grown and enjoyed around the world.
His expert advice on adding wildflowers to Central Texas yards was invaluable to Garden Club members, who learned when to cast seed (October), what medium to use for best germinating results (lightly scraped soil or crushed granite works great), how deep to plant (no more than 3 times the seed’s diameter), and why waiting for rain is a better practice than hand watering. Thomas further explained that bluebonnet seeds are extremely tolerant of both drought and cold weather. He proved himself a master communicator as he responded knowledgeably and enthusiastically to numerous questions from the audience. At the conclusion of his talk, Thomas provided packets of wildflower seeds as door prizes.
Refreshments were served prior to the main program.
October’s hostesses Lisa Foil (chair), Cindy Sloan, Donna McKinney, and Marti Free had prepared a lovely fall-themed buffet with Autumn Cupcakes, a nutmeg-laced cheese ball served with green and red apple slices, toasted pecans, and dark chocolates. Beverages included citrus water and coffee.
Several immediate projects were discussed at the October meeting: fall maintenance at the Middle School nature garden and the San Saba Nursing Home keyhole garden, participation in the next KSSB cleanup day, and painting the shutters on the Mill Pond Clubhouse.
The club also voted to continue sponsoring a fall decorating contest for San Saba, with separate entry categories for residences and businesses. Those interested in participating should have their displays ready for judging no later than November 7th, with winners announced approximately one week later. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category will be delicious home-baked goods provided by members of the Garden Club.
The November meeting will be a field trip to Homestead Craft Village in Waco where members will observe artisans at work and learn about timehonored skills such as organic gardening, cheese making, weaving, basket making, and blacksmithery. The outing will include optional lunch at Café Homestead, which partners with local sources to prepare and serve delicious all-natural meals.
San Saba Garden Club is a civic-minded, environmentally conscientious organization with a focus on beautifying residences, communities, and our town through gardening. It has been in continuous existence for over 85 years and welcomes new members who share its creed to “make this a more beautiful place to live” by actively promoting “trees and grass instead of ash heaps and tin cans. Flowers instead of weeds.”