Volume 139 October 2018

How was your summer? Did you go someplace fun visiting family or friends? Our most exciting summer non-event was Hurricane Florence, which cancelled our week at the NJ shore. We really must be thankful the storm missed us and send good thoughts to those further north who were not as fortunate. I attended the Beaufort Council of Garden Clubs meeting in September. Lot’s of activities being planned, which you will hear more about in the upcoming months.

The annual meeting of the council clubs will be held again on Dataw in February of 2019, hosted by the Palmetto Garden Club.

The annual Garden Club of South Carolina will hold the GCSC Convention in Beaufort in April of 2019.

The council is also planning another Flower Show in May of 2019 at the Tabby Place, Beaufort Inn.

On the calendar for October, 2018 is the Historic Beaufort Foundation Fall Festival of Houses and Gardens. This year Dataw will be creating arrangements for 3 homes on the tour. We are pleased to be assigned homes that have special meaning to Dataw, the BB Sams House on New Street and the Sarah Barnwell Gibbes house on Charles Street. Also assigned to the garden club is Cobblers Cottage on Charles Street.

Plans are well underway for the Homes for the Holidays Tour scheduled here on Dataw, November 17th and 18th. Proceeds from this tour will benefit the St Peters Catholic School.

This year’s tour at Dataw Island will feature 7 private homes and Sam’s Plantation Tabby Ruins, all professionally decorated for the Holidays by local interior designers and talented artists, including Lynn Monday Home & Design, Sweet Bay- Maggie Engstrom, Pier 1 Imports- Barb Farley, Scout Southern Market- Ann Higgins, Kay Summers and The Spirits of Christmas, Macdonald Marketplace, Dataw Garden Club and W.E.D.- Katie V. Huebel.

The Dataw Garden Club will decorate the Cannery and Ruins area in a similar design as last years Luminary Night. Under the direction of Peg Dale and Cindy Hooper we know it will be spectacular.

Volunteers Needed

• Nominating committee for November. This committee will recruit a new slate of officers for the 2019-2020 Garden Club year.

• Blue Star Memorial marker at the foot of the Woods Bridge, Beaufort. This person places a wreath (base wreath form provided) on the marker for Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Christmas.

Please join us for our first fall meeting on October 9th in the Carolina Room. The program should be entertaining and informative and we will follow the program with an optional lunch. Sign up now.

Enjoy the final days of summer and let’s look forward to dragging out those sweaters and scarves. ~Lenda Jablonski

October 9, 2018 Program 10:00 a.m. General Meeting 11:00 a.m. Program 12:00 noon Luncheon Program: The Spirit of Beaufort and its Hidden Secrets Speaker: Evelene Stevenson Evelene Stevenson has been telling stories of the Beaufort area for years. She is a vast repository of knowledge of the area and is an entertaining and charming storyteller. She relates the history of the area with stories, songs and even some prayers. She has a genuine regard for the culture of the Beaufort and St Helena environs and she appreciates and values the Gullah influence. Evelene has agreed to speak to our membership and share her knowledge, enthusiasm and love of our beautiful and historic city. Evelene is the owner of the gift shop and tour center, “The Spirit of Old Beaufort Tours,” and they have been doing tours for over 25 years in Beaufort. Certified guides who are in period costumes share the history and charm of Beaufort through storytelling, dances and songs. Their goal is to bring to life the history of Beaufort and the Lowcountry in an educational and entertaining way – allowing us to step back in the time where pirates and Indians once roamed our shores. Tours can be either by foot or by van/bus. Evelene lives in Beaufort and is the mother of two children and is now a grandmother who they call “Queen Evelene.” She has published a color photo book of Beaufort’s prettiest historic homes with memories of past residents throughout the book. She has produced a DVD of Beaufort’s history and she has an audio CD which features some of the many songs she does while conducting tours.

Weathering Storms Together By

Sandi Fischer

Gardeners know the importance weather plays in affecting our gardens. We are also aware of how extraordinary weather events affect our gardens and our lives. In the wake of another hurricane in our area, I pondered how natural disasters bring anything but destruction. I wondered if there were anything positive coming out of them. For those who are devastated by the loss of life or property, looking for any silver lining seems futile and cannot commensurate for their losses. So, are there any upsides at all?

According to some scientists, natural storms do harm ecosystems, but they can also benefit them by replenishing barrier islands, redistributing the earth’s heat, and bringing rain to drought areas. These are small concessions, but how can humans claim anything beneficial from these terrible events? Storms can elicit our resilience and resourcefulness as we learn to respect the forces of nature. We respond by finding new ways to prepare and protect ourselves from future ones.

To my mind, if there is one overriding plus from any storm, it is how people respond in helping one another. Whether through various organizations, their own vocations or individually—people dismiss the things that divide them and reach out to help those suffering losses. A sense of community prevails, and we appreciate how interdependence is a necessary component to recovery.

Storms are a given, whether they come by nature or through other circumstances. Someone has said, “Storms draw something out of us that calm seas don’t.” While we can never replace the loss of life disasters bring, we can join hands and hearts to help one another by weathering storms together.

SAVE THE DATE Dataw’s 2018 Luminary Night “A Festival of Music and Lights” Monday, December 3, 2018

FALL PLANT SALE Thank you to all that ordered from our fall list! The pre-ordered plants will be available for pickup on Friday October 26th at the Gazebo from 9-11. There will be extra plants available for sale that day as well. Barbara Dittmer & Lenda Jablonski Plant Sale Chairpersons HOLIDAY PLANT SALE The holidays are right around the corner! Look for the holiday plant sale flyer to come out via email on October 15th. The orders will be due on October 29th and the pickup day is November 30th at the Community Center. Barbara Dittmer & Lenda Jablonski

BIRDS IN PARADISE October promises to be an interesting month for birding on Dataw. Summer residents are still present and many species will be migrating along our coast on their way to Central America. There is also a raptor migration underway. Hawks, Eagles and Falcons are likely to be seen in and around Dataw. George Cartledge reports that our nesting Eagles on Longfield Drive have returned. Spoonbills have been seen at least twice during September. Additionally, in October, our wintering Hooded Mergansers and Buffleheads will begin to make their appearance. The weather in October is usually milder so get out and enjoy the birding show. Leslie Holbrook

LUMINARY SALES TO BEGIN THIS MONTH

This year’s luminary night event will take place on Monday, December 3rd. The theme is “The Festival of Lights and Music” and coincides this year with Chanukah. Historically, residents like to display luminaries in their yards, along the street or drive, or even in flowerbeds on this same night. Don’t end up at the last minute empty handed when it comes to your supplies. The time to check out your “stash” is NOW, so you can order what you need: candles, bags or wooden blocks to hold your candle instead of a plastic cup with sand.

Sales will begin on Wednesday, October 10th and end on Monday, October 29th. Judy McAuley will once again be collecting order forms. All the information you’ll need to order and where to return your form will be on the form itself. Remember to make a copy of your order form so you’ll know what to pick up when the orders are complete.

Pick up date for luminary supplies will be Friday, November 30th at the Community Center. If you cannot pick up your order, please arrange for a friend or neighbor to do it for you.

Watch your email for the flyer with the order form attached!

Horticulture Report Living With Nature Voles, moles, whatever those little critters are, everyone will agree they wreak havoc in our lawns and gardens at Dataw. Let’s begin with a brief comparison… How are they similar? Both are small (generally between 4 to 8 inches), have small eyes and small or no ears, and are active throughout the year. Both species can cause considerable damage to garden plants and bulbs, girdle tree bark, and create tunnels that can ruin turf and ground covers. But there are characteristics that differentiate the pests. Two species of voles, sometimes called field mice, occupy South Carolina, meadow voles and pine voles. They primarily forge on plantings. In the fall they may store seeds, tubers, bulbs and rhizomes, and in the winter they primarily eat bark. Only occasionally will they eat snails and insects. On the other hand, moles consume a diet consisting largely of insects and worms, consuming 70-100% of their body weight each day. They generally devour plant material only when other alternatives are unavailable. Moles prefer shaded, moist soil, which accounts for their presence in our nicely shaded, well irrigated yards. Mole activity can increase in the fall, and it seems to have increased for some of us as the ground has been disturbed with the cart path renovation. While some of us may experience occasional damage to plant growth, tunneling and the associated root damage and loosening of soil tends to be one of the biggest complaints on our island. For this reason, smart gardening practices combined with an ounce of prevention can go a long way toward minimizing the aggravation and damage these furry critters can cause. While habitat modification can provide mixed results, owners can establish which practices produce the best result from them. Consider removing or modifying bird feeders to reduce spillage. Eliminate ground cover and keep lawn neatly mowed. Evaluate mulch materials. Voles can be attracted to both natural and synthetic mulches, so consider coarse stone or large chunk, not shredded, pine bark. Frightening devices, such as battery operated, noise making devices, are ineffective. Other control options may include: Voles Mouse traps (snap, box and multiple catch) are effective. Use wire cages to protect trees and ornamental plants. Registered repellents include capsaicin and thiram. Most toxicants are for restricted use only. Moles Trapping (spring loaded or spike style) is the most successful control method Safety precautions should be closely followed. Weigh the benefit of either living with or chemically managing insects (including grubs) and worms. Use of soil insecticides may not be effective for reducing damage in all instances. Registered repellents such as MoleMed and gopher purge are generally ineffective. Toxicant bait products such as Kaput and Talpirid/Tomcat may be effective and are general use pesticides. How to manage voles/moles is owner-specific and is dependent on the type of preferred landscape. In all instances, ensure any products used are environmentally friendly and in compliance with South Carolina regulations. Owners cannot be complacent and must be diligent in their efforts when managing voles/moles is the goal.