Diana Gould called the meeting of the Landscape Committee to order at 9:39 a.m. at the Chimney Hill office, Wilmington, VT.  The following attended:  Jane Cary, Bev Chambers, Carlotta Gladding, Mary Ann Holthaus, and Pam Massey.

Minutes:  The Committee approved the Minutes of the meeting of May 30, 2009.

CURRENT BUSINESS

1)      Directional kiosks:  Committee members are urged to look at the three signs targeted for planting this summer and e-mail suggestions to Diana.  Carlotta recommends shrubs and perennials, rather than annuals, due to watering considerations.  Diana will work with Maintenance staff to have the raised beds constructed soon.   Committee members may be asked to pitch in to plant the initial three kiosks.

2)      Bench at the intersection of Haystack and CH Roads:  An attractive, stylish bench was ordered and has arrived.  On Monday 6/22, Maintenance will install the cement blocks on which to secure the bench.  Spirea, lilac, and burning bush will be planted near the bench.

3)      Snowshoe demo/expo:  Jane has locked in our preferred date, Sunday, December 27, 2009, with Bob Dion, snowshoe manufacturer of Readsboro!  Save the date!  Publicity will be strategized by end of summer.

4)      Chimney Hill Garden Tour, August 8, 2009: 

a)      The gardens of Ahnell/Clark, Cary, Gould/Massey, Heberlein, Holthaus, Stump, and possibly, Gladding, will be on display;

b)      Owners will be available to walk guests around and talk about their garden challenges and triumphs;

c)      Rosalie and Jean will manage the Plant Exchange at the Clubhouse;

d)     We will plan food and beverages at the next meeting;

e)      Publicity also needs to be discussed.

5)      The new format for the Committee’s web page was introduced.  A critical advisory  concerning the Adelges tsugae, the hemlock woolly adelgid, should be added to the webpage soon.  (See info on the website of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources at www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/woollyadelgid/index.aspx, for example.)  This destructive pest has made its way into our area.

6)      We hope to schedule nature walks and/or hikes on our CH trails for holiday weekends in the summer and fall and seek volunteers to lead them.  Mary Ann recommends especially the newly completed trail off Haystack Road.  Trail maps and signage need to be improved.

1)      The shrubs surrounding the Chimney Hill sign on Haystack Road going uphill approaching the tennis courts are overgrown and need to be pruned.  (In fact, Carlotta pruned the offending shrubs on her own on Saturday afternoon.  They look much better and the sign is now visible.  Thank you, Carlotta!)  We wonder whether or not pruning these shrubs is Janet Boyd’s responsibility.  The contract will be reviewed and Diana will discuss this with Janet.

2)      The shrubs to be planted by the new bench can be recycled from other areas.  The help of Maintenance staff will be needed.

3)      Plants are dying in the window boxes at the CH office due to lack of watering.  This should be brought to Janet’s attention.  Next year, moisture absorbing soil amendments should be added to the window boxes to help prevent this.  Brighter-colored flowers, rather than the current white ones, are recommended for the boxes next year.

NEXT MEETING DATE:  Saturday, July 11, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. at the CHOA office.

ADJOURNMENT: 10:35 a.m.