Twigs from my garden

Allow me to step back a week in time to share with you my Earth Day 2008. I cannot think of a better way to celebrate the day than exactly as I did. My day began early at the regional spring meeting of Ohio Association of Garden Clubs from Allen, Auglaize, Hancock, Hardin, and Van Wert counties, and was also attended by state president Babs Sabick and third vice president Mary Lee Minor. The morning speaker was Tom Shisler from Wahkeena Nature Preserve near Lancaster, who presented the “Wonderful World of Wahkeena,” beautiful pictures of the wildflowers that grow there and entertaining us with his unique brand of humor.In the afternoon, a plant auction highlighted the sale of wildflowers. Digging plants or gathering seeds from public parks or preserves is illegal, but these donated plants were from club members’ own properties. It was fun to watch as small containers and baskets of trout lilies and spring beauties, so common to our woodlands and even growing wild in lawns not bombarded by chemicals, were sold at auction for $5 and on up! Wild ginger, Dutchman’s breeches, Virginia waterleaf, Solomon’s seal, Virginia bluebells, and many other native plants, all sold at premium prices. Someone — either as a joke or as a test — had marked a four-inch pot of garlic mustard as wild violet and placed it surreptitiously on the sale table. However, the invasive plant was quickly discovered and destroyed. By the end of the auction, regional members had raised more than $1,100 to donate to the nature preserve funded by the Ohio Historical Society and OAGC clubs.After the meeting, I hurried home to change into jeans and then traveled to meet with Arthur Matson, who owns 83 acres of woods east of Ada. He had invited me to take a tour to enjoy the sight of literally thousands of profusely blooming daffodils he has planted in the woodland behind his home.From there, I headed further east to the Kritzler farm. As I drove back a long lane leading to a farm pond and picnic area, Patty ran toward my car saying excitedly, “Hurry! You’ll be able to see the tree frogs mating!” Within a few minutes, other members and guests of the Hardin County Herb Society had arrived and young and old surrounded the shallow edges of the pond. We watched in amazement as the frogs mated among the tangled matrix of thousands of gelatinous strings, which protected millions of fertilized eggs. In mid-April, depending on the temperature, the male frogs trill loudly calling the females to mate. Once the cycle of life is complete, the frogs return to live in the nearby trees.Eventually our group of about two dozen followed Rita Thelen, senior naturalist of Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Parks District, as she led us to find and identify spring wildflowers in the woods. Thelen fascinated us with plant lore, even offering us tastes of a few edible bulbs.By evening’s end — and after eating my fill of roasted hot dogs and toasted marshmallows — I returned toward Lima, enjoying the remains of a glorious pink sunset amid remnants of dark feathery clouds as I headed west. What a perfect way to celebrate Earth Day!Events• From 9 a.m. to dark Thursday, the Dooryard Garden Club, Branch of the Ohio Division of the Woman’s National Farm and Garden Association Inc., is holding its annual plant sale at the home of Tom and Karen Zimmerman, 841 E. Third St., Ottawa. A variety of perennials, herbs, houseplants, fairy garden items, wind chimes, and miscellaneous garden treasures will be available. Proceeds help fund college scholarships for area girls and a variety of community projects. For details, contact Dooryard’s president Julia Siefker at 419-538-6739.• On Saturday, Columbus Grove Garden Club will hold a plant and bake sale beginning at 9 a.m. in front of the Union Bank.• Also on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to noon, the Master Gardeners of Hardin County will hold a plant sale at the Hardin County Fairgrounds in Kenton. Contact Joyce Hinkle at 937-464-5975 for additional details.• On May 12, beginning at 9:30 a.m., a traditional design study workshop will be held at the Gardeners of Lima stone house at the east end of Faurot Park in Lima. The Ohio Association of Garden Club regional workshop, led by certified judge Juanita Wilkins will feature Hogarth curve and crescent designs. Anyone interested in learning traditional flower design is encouraged to attend. For details on what to bring to the workshop, contact Wilkins at 419-738-3345 or jmw421@woh.rr.com.Master Gardener Tip of the WeekBoth naturalists Rita Thelen and Tom Shisler spoke about the once-held belief that if a plant part looks like some part of the human anatomy, it must contain curative properties for that body part. For example, the spring flower commonly called cut-leaved toothwort was used to relieve toothaches because the roots resemble teeth.