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Attention Bridge Players!

Wanted : Experienced Couples for Contract Bridge

Enjoy an evening of bridge, cocktails and a few laughs.

Call Ann 941 627-2621

Gardening helps maintain joint flexibility, helps prevent osteoporosis and BURNS CALORIES. More recently, studies have found that gardening can ward off depression, slow dementia and speed healing. In fact,  according to a University of North Carolina study, gardeners  spend 17% less on health care services than non-gardeners. Plus, as any gardener knows, gardening has huge stress reduction and mental health benefits. Entire programs of “horticultural therapy” have cropped up in the past few years.

Here are some tips for happy gardening,

STRETCH your muscles before you begin and every 10 minutes during your time in the garden. You’ll be glad you did later!

VARY YOUR CHORES. Pruning for forearm, shoulder and upper back muscles. Tilling and raking for lower back, waist and legs.

BROAD MOTIONS not short quick motions when raking or tilling or hoeing.

NO SITTING ON HEELS when weeding or such.

DRINKING WATER at your side always.

WALKING around your landscape when done will lower your heart rate and refresh you.

BURN THESE CALORIES EVERY 30 MINUTES’:

Planting shrubs and trees: Women 135 Men 177
Trimming and Pruning: Women 135 Men 177
Weeding and Deadheading: Women 138 Men 181
Raking: Women 120 Men 157
Snow Shoveling: No wait, we live in Florida, all we shovel is sunshine.
Mulching: Women 256 Men 334

Now knowing all this, you will enjoy your labor of love, your landscape, even more. Remember, here in Florida we garden all 365 days of the year.

Ilona Neuman
Research by Fran Hendershot

DEEP CREEK ELKS CLUB
1133 CAPRICORN BLVD.

Again, we will have a wide a variety of COLD HARDY & Florida friendly, shrubs, trees and flowering plants for your landscape. Plants and shrubs will be supplied by Powell’s Nursery.

COMPASS ROSE will return with a new collection of potter and ornamental pieces for your landscape.

BLUE PAGODA will also have their beautiful collection of orchids.

Come join us and let us help you with your landscape. Rain Date will be Sunday, April 3rd.

You cannot find a more appropriate phrase to describe gardening in Florida. Florida gardening is a learning experience every time we step out into our landscaped yards. That’s why we are so lucky to have the Charlotte County Master Gardeners 2012 Landscape Gardening Series. After their presentation, they always have a Q & A session that can be helpful to you. There are three sessions left in the program for 2012.

2012 topics include:

• February 3rd—Flowering Trees and Shrubs with Stephen Brown, Lee County Extension Director/Hort. Agent
• February 10th—Poisonous Plants, Donna Worthley, Charlotte County Master Gardener
• February 17th—Turf 101, Ralph Mitchell, Charlotte County Extension Director/Hort. Agent

There are sessions each Friday from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Each session is $5 and can be paid at the door. Try to attend these very informative sessions. We all can use a refresher course now and then. I will keep you posted for their Spring events. They will also be in the newspapers.

Your Deep Creek Garden Club is always here to help you with your landscape problems and questions. Recently I received a phone call from a resident who must be passionate about African Violets. She asked if the DCGC knew of a club or some sort of organization that focused mainly on African Violets; much like the Orchid Society of Punta Gorda. Through checking with the other members of the club and just asking around I could not find what she was looking for. If you know of an organization or club or if you yourself have a passion for African Violets please let me know and I will let her know. This resident must have beautiful specimens; large and small. She is very proud of them and should be, they are not easy to raise.

Let’s hope our Florida winter weather continues to be this nice. Happy Gardening