Whitehall Garden Club News: April

Spring has sprung if you can use the WGC Brunch buffet table as an indicator. Diane Ward and Mary Baughn set a table to rival any spring garden! Tangerines were transformed into blossoms, hard-boiled eggs made to look like daisies, hand-held fruit-filled pies that melted in deliciousness, and everyone's favorite potato dish with a fresh zucchini and pineapple mix. Refreshing and thoroughly enjoyed! Thank you, Diane and Mary... a great way to greet the day.

The business meeting was held as a reminder that the Arbor Day celebration is coming up April 26 from 12 PM-3 PM. Although Arbor Day is on a Friday, all school students are invited to come and participate in many of the great activities prepared by the WGC and community members. This event will be held at the Community Center from 12 PM-3 PM. The Silver Tower cleanup is on April 23, coinciding with the Earth Day cleanup for Whitehall. All hands on deck!

The guest speaker for the WGC meeting this month was Tom Harrington, who gave us an invaluable presentation about "water." Tom gave us many interesting facts, information, and details about the complexities of water and water rights in Montana. Did you know that the state of Montana owns the waters within the state on behalf of its citizens and that citizens do not own the water but can possess a legal right to use the water? Water rights include many elements like source, purpose, point of diversion, flow rate, etc. With the purchase of property, you have to file for transfer of the water right(s), and to put in a well, you must have an exempt well water right. Tom stressed the importance of protecting our aquifers and the controversy that exists with the building that is surging across areas of Montana.

There are plans to protect the Jefferson River and keep its water at a certain level. New plans discussed included converting the Piedmont wetlands back to their original ecosystem. Tom briefly discussed how chemicals affect the water with irrigation overflow. The FWP samples water, but we were reminded that the area of the Boulder Batholiths and surrounding ground is full of minerals, affecting the quality of the water we drink. Testing your water, if you use well water, is an important part of home maintenance, with Tom reminding us that water testing kits are available at the MSU Extension office, right here in town, for free! Thank you, Tom, for informing us about the all-important natural resource......water.

Our next presenter was member Karen Nielsen, who discussed the simplicity and beauty of our many native flowers, one of her favorites being the Elegant Clarkia, named after the explorer "Elegant." Just kidding! This delicate, frilly-bloomed flower was named after Clark of the famed Lewis and Clark expedition. The Clarkia is heat tolerant and deer resistant, attracts butterflies and bees, and can be directly sown on top of the soil with no cover on rocky ground. Karen also discussed the use of "rock barrels" to enhance your garden areas. If (wink wink) you have any rocks around your place, you can use a 55-gallon steel drum or smaller with a sturdy wire fence around the drum, fill that space with rocks, fill the barrels with planting materials, and create a unique planter for your yards. Thank you to Karen for such great ideas and information.