The lilacs are blooming in Descanso Gardens in La Canada-Flintridge CA. Lilacs need a cool season to generate their blooms in the spring. The cultivars in southern California have been adapted to this climate. The beauty of these delicate blooms is compounded by their varieties of color in lilac lavender, deep purple, pink, and white. The scent of lilacs generates so many responses from visitors. One woman inhaling deeply, declared, “this is my childhood, I grew up with these all around my house.” Another remembers a Grandmother’s house and smiles wistfully at the memory.
Contemplating Trees
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is now. – Chinese Proverb
Arbor Day in the U.S is celebrated on the last Friday in April. In Arizona, we have many good times to plant trees scattered throughout the year so this date is a bit arbitrary in our region. Still it is a significant day to contemplate trees. The Arbor Day Foundation’s mission is to encourage us to Plant, Nurture and Celebrate Trees.
Presentation to RECOM
Speaker–Linda Larson at March 16 meeting
Linda Larson, a lifelong lover of flowers, remembers the daffodils lining the small stone path to her grandmother’s door. She grew up on a farm in central Indiana and not only pulled weeds out of the Peonies each summer, but the nightshade out of her father’s soybean fields.
Southwest Morning Wake-up Call
I am a happy mockingbird,
mockingbird, mockingbird.
My song is strong at 3 am,
so strong, so strong.
Why are you in your bed?
your bed, your bed.
Gardeners Change the World
A Small Garden
The Anthropologist Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world.” Substitute “committed gardeners” in this thought and the results DO change our world in immeasurable ways. Master Gardener Park in Port Townsend, WA demonstrates the power of passionate committed gardeners. The city’s smallest park, a small triangular shaped patch of earth bordered on all sides by intersecting streets, is now a beautiful garden.
Desert Botanical Gardens
February arrived with winds and freezing temperatures. A low temperature in my garden of 23 degrees! Out of state relatives also arrived fleeing even more severe weather of ice storms and below zero temperatures in Indiana. Even as the weather seemed unseasonably cold to us locals the sunshine and mid day temperatures here found my brother and sister-in-law wanting to be outside. In particular they wanted to visit the DBG to get a chance to see desert plants. As a first time visitor to the garden nearly everything was new, including the idea that palo verde trees had naturally green trunks and that a garden would try to protect tender plants with yards and yards of frost cloth.
Our view of nature
A Sense of Place
When our neighborhood was new a family relocating from Virginia moved in next door and quickly put in lawn for their entire landscape. Another family relocated from MN and installed a pool and planted pine trees all around it. Longtime desert gardeners cringe at these home garden stories. Today a strong campaign for regionally appropriate plants fills the garden news. Advocates raise a chorus of voices that sing, “If we live in a desert it is only common sense that we live with desert plants.” Einstein said, “common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age 18.” Our common experience of “place” isn’t so common.
Desert Walk
The sun came out and the temperatures were in the 60’s. We explored the 5.5 acres of the xeriscape demonstration garden at the corner of McDonald & Hayden road in Scottsdale. The value of a demonstration garden to create a greater understanding of the sense of place is so important. Years ago when our neighborhood was new a family relocating from Virginia moved into the neighborhood. With the new home landscaping had to be planned and established. Shocked at the desert heat and needles on the cactus the family planted all grass on their property. Another family moved in from Minnesota and planted three pine trees along side their swimming pool.Adjusting one’s awareness of the geography of a totally different region is a series of discoveries. Demonstration gardens provide an opportunity to experience a place living in the climate, soil and plant life.
It also provides a lovely healing walk out of doors in a beautiful place. Bird songs, water splashing, dogs taking their owners for a walk all part of the features of a garden full of life.
Garden Gates
Enter Into The New
As the new year stretches out before us fresh and full of possibilities many of us pause to mark the transition with resolutions, lucky foods and personal traditions. These actions help frame our expectation of what the new year will bring. We approach the new year nearly holding our breath in anticipation of what will come.
A Gift of Gardens
A Perfect Gift!
If the December holiday crush finds you making long lists while drinking Tension Tamer tea you need to lay down that clenched pen and go outside for a walk through your garden. While you are outside shaking off today’s holiday and economic anxieties you may realize giving the revitalizing gift of time in nature would be perfect for everyone on your list! It is so hard to find a perfect gift, is it one that fits beautifully, or doesn’t need batteries, technical support and upgraded software? How wonderful to find a gift that can grow more dear over time and may be enjoyed again and again throughout the year. So how would one give a gift of nature? May I suggest a membership in the American Horticultural Society. This affordable gift will give your favorite people garden admission to over 240 public gardens, arboretums & conservatories throughout North America.