UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA
BOTANICAL GARDEN NEWSLETTER
Vol. 38 Numbers 1 & 2 | Published by the UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA BOTANICAL GARDEN at BERKELEY | Winter/ Spring 2014
The New World Desert Collection
The hot south-facing exposure and rocky hardscape of the New World Desert provide a dramatic experience in the Garden. Photo by Janet Williams
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stablished early on in the Garden’s history in Strawberry Canyon, the New World Desert (NWD) is an iconic display of arid land plants from North and South America. It really started to take shape in the 1930s with the addition of plants collected during the Garden’s expeditions to the Andes. These expeditions focused on Peru and Chile, with forays into Bolivia. Botanical and personal highlights of these expeditions are documented in Garden Director T. Harper Goodspeed’s book, Plant Hunters of the Andes, published in 1961. The most recent desert expedition was to Baja California in 1986, led by then curator Dr. James Affolter and included Horticulturists Kurt Zadnik and Roger Raiche and current volunteer Fred Dortort. Most of the plants collected in 1986 are in the Arid House, with a few exceptions in the Baja Beds (171A, 171B). Perhaps the showiest of these is Baja fairy duster (Calliandra californica)—it is planted on the bed margin near the road and displays dozens of red stamens when in flower.
Deserts are often defined as areas receiving less than 254 mm (10 in) of rainfall each year. Given that the Garden typically receives over 500 mm (20 in), this collection is a horticultural challenge. The Garden’s heavy clay soil has been greatly amended with expanded shale to improve drainage and reduce the incidence of diseases and pests, especially nematodes. Recent efforts to improve plant health with the application of compost tea and organic top dressing has shown good results, with renewed vigor and more prolific flowering of many cacti. Beneficial nematodes are also employed to keep the harmful ones in check.
Argentine saguaro (Echinopsis terscheckii) typically flowers in May. Photo by James Gaither
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NWD
University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
The crowded columnar stems of Echinopsis lamprochlora (New World Desert) and Euphorbia caerulescens (Southern African Collection) are examples of convergent evolution of form. Photos by Janet Williams
The current low rainfall year provides a strong incentive for choosing drought-tolerant plants for our gardens, and has benefited the New World Desert plantings. There is information on how to choose these kinds of plants for your home garden and for making the most efficient use of water in your home landscape in this issue of the newsletter. Many of the drought-tolerant native
Argentine saguaro (Echinopsis terscheckii) flowers up high on the plant, making them difficult to see. Photo by James Gaither
plants of the American desert southwest and northern Mexico can’t tolerate our environmental conditions, and must be grown in doors. The South American desert species, by comparison, perform much better in our local conditions, and hence are more prominent in the outdoor collection.
The New World Desert displays 348 taxa (337 species) in 485 accessions. The largest species representation is in the cactus genus Echinopsis with 43 taxa in 123 accessions, in the genus Agave with 36 taxa in 85 accessions and in the cactus genus Opuntia with 17 taxa in 28 accessions. Approximately 45% of the current accessions are from the 1930s – 1960s, mostly from Garden expeditions to South America. The high survivorship of these older accessions demonstrate the Garden’s suitability for growing these plants outdoors in Berkeley. Severe freezes in 1972 and 1991 were weathered relatively well by this collection. Even so, some of these accessions are also housed in greenhouses for more controlled care. The Arid House is conveniently adjacent to the New World Desert, where visitors can observe specimens that need warmer and drier conditions than can be found out of doors. While the cacti visually dominate this collection, there is diversity in other plant groups too. Over 30 kinds of terrestrial bromeliads, especially Puya, Deuterocohnia, and Hechtia, are found throughout the collection. Relatives of Agave on display include Beaucarnea, Dasylirion, Furcraea, Manfreda, Nolina and Yucca. These, along with dry-growing ferns, are planted with the cacti to show how desert plant communities can be complex and not just assemblages of cacti. In relation to the other Garden collections, the New World Desert has a high proportion of rare species--56 species in 75 accessions. Succulents, especially cacti, have become rare in habitat for many reasons, but chiefly due to habitat loss and to over-collecting or poaching. The Garden has received many cacti that were illegally imported into the US and therefore confiscated at the border. As a Plant Rescue Center for the US Fish & Wildlife Service, the Garden cares for these confiscated plants in perpetuity.
Winter / Spring 2014
NWD (continued from page 2)
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The placement of the New World Desert on a south-facing slope provides the best growing conditions for these warmth-seeking plants. The Southern African Collection, above the road, also requires these conditions, and is logically placed in juxtaposition to show the concept of convergent evolution (put simply, this is a description of how unrelated plants evolve similar structures in adapting to similar but geographically distant environmental conditions). Our docents regularly point out the similarity of the columnar cacti of the New World Desert to the columnar Euphorbia specimens from southern Africa. Late spring and early summer are the times to see the most flowers in this collection. The tallest columnar cacti usually have white flowers that last just a day each, though there are many in succession. The color range for the cactus flowers is from white to yellow, orange, pink or red. The agaves bloom most typically in summer over a long period of weeks to months, depending on the weather. We hope you will come often to see the changes throughout the Garden. — Holly Forbes Echinopsis hertrichiana is an endangered species restricted to two populations in Peru. Photo by James Gaither
Some of these rare species include iconic specimens, such as the giant cactus Echinopsis terscheckii in Bed 156. The common name is Argentine saguaro or cardón, because of its close resemblance to the giant saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) of the American southwest. The giant saguaro doesn’t succeed outdoors in Berkeley, requiring much hotter and drier conditions than the Argentine saguaro. Both species are bat pollinated. The Argentine saguaro, which has large white flowers in late spring, doesn’t set fruit in the Garden because we don’t have the type of bat that would pollinate it. It is native to northwest Argentina and was planted in 1956 by staff member Myron Kimnach. Mr. Kimnach went on to become the director of the Huntington Botanical Gardens near Pasadena and periodically returned to visit the Garden. He always remarked on the height of this specimen, likely taller than any in habitat due to our more benign conditions. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List includes the cactus Echinopsis hertrichiana as endangered. Only two populations occur its natural range of 20 square kilometers in Peru. One of these populations is in an Inca ruins heavily visited by tourists, who disturb the habitat and collect this species as an ornamental. There are 21 synonyms for this species, just one example of how frequent name changes can be in the cactus family.
Cactus Naming We are using The Cactus Family by Ted Anderson, Timber Press, 2001, for our cactus names. There are a lot of dissenting opinions about what is related to what in the cactus family and what they should be called. By using a single reference we are able to refer questions to it for synonyms. The Garden’s new data base, Collection Space, launched in April 2013, will retrieve current names even when synonyms are used in a search window.
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University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
DIRECTOR’S COLUMN
While the drought concerns us, it has not prevented us from continuing to care for our precious wards: the plants from around the world. We are doing our best to preserve water in this time of drought. In fact, I’m excited to announce that the long Photo by Muinat Kemi Amin awaited, and desperately needed, upgrade to the Garden irrigation system is now well underway. The first phase of the project which was focused on the upper slopes of the
Center’s Ornduff Room. The deplorable condition of the roof has long prevented us from fully utilizing the facility. I recall some both desperate and embarrassing moments when attendees at key programs had to continually move to avoid the drips and we often suffered damage to our winter exhibits like Fiber & Dye. A rush was put on replacing the roof, which ironically was not tested for months because of the lack of rain this winter; fortunately, it worked when it finally rained. One of the most visible ongoing projects, which started in December, involved the acquisition of a spectacular Julia
Designed by Julia Morgan in 1911, Girton Hall is being reassembled in the Garden and scheduled for completion in late summer.
From left: Damaged irrigation pipe; new irrigation pipe installation. Photo by Paul Licht
Asian Collection (above the main road) have now been completed and are in use. This project was certainly not without some inconvenience to both our operation and visitors, especially when the main road was torn up to install new main lines, but it was well worth the it. Funds for the second phase of the work, which will extend further into the water-dependent Asian Collection, is currently in the bidding phase and will hopefully start this summer. Another project related to the expected rainy seasons was the replacement of the continually leaking roof of the Conference
Photo by Paul Licht
Morgan building from campus. The translocation of the building, about the size of our Conference Center, which was cut into four large sections for the trip up Centennial Drive, was an adventure in itself. The subsequent ongoing work to put it back together has been fascinating and distracting as well as also rather disruptive to activities in the front of the Garden. The work site has been closed, causing detours into the California Area and to the Conference Center. You will be able to enjoy this new adventure if you come for the Spring Plant Sale in April; the building site will be readied for this event. Please note that the traditional times of the last Friday night (member preview and reception) and Saturday of April has been moved The Ornduff Room has a new roof. to Saturday night and Photo by Paul Licht Sunday because of
Winter / Spring 2014
DIRECTOR’S COLUMN
conflicts with other activities in the area. You will no doubt be hearing SPRING PLANT a lot more about this project but SALE 2014 New Dates & Times! I’m including an image to highlight --progress to date; by the time of MEMBERS’ SALE the plant sale, the deck should be Saturday, April 26 4 pm - 7 pm in place. -- The 5th annual Botanical Plants PUBLIC SALE Illustrated exhibit in January Sunday, April 27 9 am - 2 pm February was once again a great success. This show has obviously been gaining momentum, and next year promises to be even more spectacular. The ‘local’ exhibition will be combined with a unique exhibit from the National Botanical Illustrator’s Society entitled Following in the Bartrams’ Footsteps. Both exhibits planned for
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Four of the over 700 museums offering free reciprocal admission with a Family Plus membership. Clockwise from top left: Oakland Museum of California, UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, de Young Museum and Museum of the African Diaspora.
We are now part of the national museum consortiums (NARM & ROAM), and a Family Plus membership will entitle you to free reciprocal admission to most of the major botanical gardens in the country as well as over 700 museums.
Plants Illustrated exhibition.
Photo by Paul Licht
the new Julia Morgan facility. The availability of this the historical Julia Morgan building, combined with our eastern Eastern North American Collection (which is unique on the West Coast), were important in the decision to make this the Garden the only West Coast showing of Following in the Bartrams’ Footsteps.
One of the 44 artworks featured in the Following in the Bartrams’ Footsteps exhibition - Franklinia alatamaha, Franklinia, Watercolor. Illustration by Karen Kluglein
Finally, I want to call your attention to our newest membership category, Family Plus, which has proven to be the fastest growing segment of our membership program.
A featured botanical illustration from the Plants Illustrated 2014 exhibition Fig (Ficus carica) ‘Brown Turkey’. Illustration by Barbara Ward
I hope to see you all at the upcoming Spring Plant Sale at the end of April. — Paul Licht
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EDUCATION
Green Stuff Summer Camp 25 Years
It was the summer of 1989 that the Garden first offered a weeklong plant science camp for children - one week for five to seven year olds, and one week for eight to eleven year olds. With its success, the following year it was officially named “Green Stuff” and thus began a Garden tradition with now almost 100 children participating each summer. In fact, we now have 2nd generation campers! Of course some activities have changed over the years. The 90’s sing-along “Rainforest Rap” is no longer in the song repertoire, but there are Banana Slug String Band songs; worksheets have been replaced with “scientific journaling” and art; and there are now many more “make it” projects. But the heart of the summer program has remained the same – guiding children to discover the wonder and importance of plants through garden explorations and careful observations – all the while having outdoor fun amidst the beauty of the Botanical Garden.
University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
return to their parents with a new area of the Garden discovered, a new concept learned, and something they have made to take home each day. By the end of the week, Green Stuff campers have developed an understanding of the importance of plants in the world and in their own lives.
What Parents and Campers Say About Green Stuff
Feedback from parents is overwhelming praise of “Green Stuff” for providing their children with a beautiful and caring environment, but more than that, they are amazed by how much their children learn in one short week - and want to share. Campers become not only “budding botanists” but budding docents, showing their family members all they know about plants in the Garden. Through their discoveries, children create a strong personal connection to the Garden during camp. One child said, “I feel more at home here than any place on earth.” A parent offers, “All of this beauty is also a fabulous science education? Well, it’s almost too good to be true. Heartfelt thanks!” — Christine Manoux
A Day at Green Stuff Camp
Each day of camp has its own theme, which can change from year to year. Last year, for instance, Monday was “What is a Plant? Basic Botany”, Tuesday “Plant Adaptations”, Wednesday “Garden Animals”; Thursday “Gardening & Edible Plants”; and Friday “California Natives & People Using Plants”. A fun activity in the Entrance Plaza greets the campers as they arrive in the morning, and then all proceed to the Conference Center (camp home-base) for an introduction to the day’s theme. After a healthy snack, the group heads out on their first tour adventure of the day, sometimes led by Garden docents. A Ponds & Creeks tour has children dipping for water creatures on Animal Day, and a tour of the plants in the three glasshouse collections reveals amazing diversity on Plant Adaptation day. After the walk, campers return to the Conference Center to capture what they learned in their journals before lunch, which is enjoyed in a different location each day. The Redwood Grove is a perfect cool spot for lunch on a hot day, and the Oak Knoll provides bird watching opportunities. Ecology games or story time can be a part of the afternoon break. Then it’s time for some hands-on science, special hunts, arts and crafts, or gardening in the Crops of the World Garden. Flowers are looked at under microscopes; plants are used to make natural dyes; and campers try to tell the difference between apple mint and chocolate mint in a blind-folded test. The day ends with group reflection and sharing time on what they liked, learned and saw, “and don’t forget to water your growing seedling.” The children
Dipping for water critters during a Green Stuff Camp animal themed day. Photo by Christine Manoux
PROGRAMS & EVENTS For more information and to register please visit www.botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu or call 510-643-2755
Unselt Birding Breakfast
Saturday, May 3 | 8 am – 11 am Free
Butterfly Walk
Fourth Tuesday of Each Month (April – October) 3 pm – 4 pm Free with Garden Admission
BOTANICAL ART Roses with Catherine Watters
Thursday, May 8 | 10 am – 4 pm $90 / $85 members Roses have been a favorite subject of Botanical Artists for centuries. Come learn from Catherine Watters techniques and tips for capturing this beloved flower.
Mother’s Day Tea
Sunday, May 11 | 10 am – 12 pm $65 / $55 members
Start a new springtime tradition with mom! This succulent garden workshop is designed to nurture her creative spirit. Enjoy a traditional cream tea in our beautiful Garden setting in celebration of mom’s special day. Following your splendid tea you’ll get your hands dirty! With a few choice plants, a touch of inspiration and a cute container, you can create an elegant and easy-to-care-for garden.
MEMBERS WALK South America
Tuesday, May 13 | 1 pm – 2:30 pm Free; members only; registration required Join Horticulturist Peter Klement for a tour of the lovely South American collection.
UNSELT LECTURE Ginkgo: The Tree That Time Forgot, with Peter Crane Wednesday, May 14 | 1 pm – 3 pm Free with Garden Admission
Perhaps the world’s most distinctive tree, ginkgo has remained stubbornly unchanged for more than 200 million years. A living link to the age of dinosaurs, ginkgo is beloved for the elegance of its leaves, prized for its edible nuts, and revered for its longevity. In Ginkgo: The Tree That Time Forgot, published by Yale University Press, renowned botanist Peter Crane explores the history of the ginkgo from its mysterious origin through its proliferation, drastic decline, and ultimate resurgence. Crane also highlights the cultural and social significance of the ginkgo: its medicinal and nutritional uses; its power as a source of artistic and religious inspiration; and its importance as one of the world’s most popular street trees. Afternoon tea and refreshments will be served. Peter Crane is currently the Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. Dean of the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and Professor of Botany at Yale University. His previous distinctions and honors include being the Director of The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. In 2004 he was knighted in the U.K. for his services to horticulture and conservation.
Homesick: Common Diseases of Plants Grown Away from their Native Habitats
Saturday, May 17 | 10 am – 12 pm $20 / $15 members Join our resident Plant Pathologist of the Garden’s Sick Plant Clinic and instructor at numerous local colleges, Ann Northrup, for an important and informative presentation on common plant diseases.
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University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
PROGRAMS & EVENTS For more information and to register please visit www.botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu or call 510-643-2755 A Walk Through the Garden of Old Roses Saturday, May 17 | 1 pm – 3 pm $20 / $15 members
Family Programs Green
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May
June
Herb Crafts
Saturday, May 10 10 am – 11:30 am $25/$20 members; $10 adult chaperones p
Cam Green Stuff
Bug Day
Sunday, June 15 10 am – 4 pm Free w/ Garden Admission Green
The Garden of Old Roses is a special collection in the Garden. Enjoy a unique opportunity to tour it with Garden Horticulturist and Rosarian Peter Klement. You’ll learn fascinating tales of roses paired with rich horticultural knowledge and ethnobotanical stories. Don’t miss this once a year chance!
MEMBERS’ WALK Carnivorous Plants
Tuesday, June 10 | 1 pm – 2:30 pm Free | Members only | Registration required Join Horticulturist Corina Rieder for a fascinating and fun tour of the Garden’s carnivorous plant collection.
July
Walk-Up Activities Thursday, July 3 11 am – 3 pm
Free
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August
Gardening 101 for Little Green Thumbs
Saturday, August 9 10 am – 11:30 am $15/$10 members
September
Botany On Your Plate Saturday, September 13 10 am – 12 pm
$20/$15 members BOTANICAL ART Summer Flowers with Catherine Watters
Thursday, August 21 | 10 am – 4 pm $90, $85 members Summer is a wonderful time to illustrate flowers all around us. Join our resident Botanical Art instructor Catherine Watters for this course.
October
Foods of the Americas Family Day Sunday, October 5 10 am – 3 pm Free w/ Garden Admission
November Animals of the Garden
Saturday, November 8
SUMMER CONCERTS 2014
Every Thursday, June - August | 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Our yearly music festival is back! Stay tuned for a detailed list of performers. No matter what the music, the experience is magical--listening to live music by local artists under the towering redwoods. Bring a picnic dinner and the whole family! Special Concert: BASTILLE BENEFIT | Thursday, July 10. Visit website for details including prices and band information.
10 am – 11:30 am $15/$12 members
New programs are constantly added. Please check our website for the most detailed information and to register.
December
Handmade for the Holidays
Saturday, December 13 10 am – 2 pm $20/$18 members
http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu
Winter / Spring 2014
VOLUNTEER
Docent Training 2013- 2014
Congratulations to the 2014 docent training class graduates! This enthusiastic group impressed all staff members and presenters that came across them with their dedication, growing knowledge of the Garden, and quick thinking. The UC Botanical Garden’s newest docents have diverse backgrounds in science, teaching, and communications and all bring impressive skills to the table. This docent training class ran from August 26 to March 31 and met once a week. Trainees received instruction from the Garden’s accomplished education, curatorial, and horticulture staff, experienced Garden docents, and experts from UC Berkeley and the East Bay Regional Parks. Veteran docents served as mentors to guide trainees throughout the process, gave valuable feedback during practice presentations, and helped these new docents find projects that they are enthusiastic about within the Garden volunteer community. We look forward to working with our new docents to further the Garden’s educational mission! — Grace Pegan Weltner
DOCENT TRAINING GRADUATES Susana Conde Patti Barni Andrew Brosnan Lynn Gates Amy Hansen Lynn Horowitz Katie Korzun Sarah MacLean Debrenia Madison Michele McGrady Caren Meghreblian Marybeth Rice Mardi Sicular-Mertens Linda Simon Barbara Stueart Bhuma Subramaniam Marilena Tamburello James Tepperman
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Drop-in Discovery Days!
Save the Date for the UC Botanical Garden’s Upcoming Drop-in Discovery Days! Learn from Garden docents and expert guests from the local science community.
BUG DISCOVERY DAY A Celebration of Crawly Creatures & Winged Wonders Father’s Day | Sunday, June 15
Photo by Melanie Hofmann
HERB GARDEN DISCOVERY DAY A Festival of All Things Herbal Sunday, July 27
Docents exploring the New World Desert during a docent training session. Photo by Grace Pegan Weltner
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University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
DRY GARDENING & IRRIGATION
New Era DroughtAdapted Gardening
With concern swirling over the current California drought, we thought it a good time for a refresher on key techniques for the thoughtful water-wise gardener. What follows is a brief description of experience and observations in the Garden and beyond. When starting to plan for a new garden, or for ongoing work in an existing garden, I think of a few critical issues that are worth consideration. These would fall into about four top-tier categories:
those new plants in the ground. Take advantage of rain to get your plants well-rooted and better able to take on the upcoming dry season. There are some plants that if put out at the right time can survive here on climatic rainfall. The exception to this rule are plants that are frost tender – these are better off planted after frost in the spring.
Plant Selection
One of the first considerations for new plants should be the region in which you are gardening and the region from which your [new] plants are from. Here one might think first of the myriad of succulents now available in staggering abundance – great choice! One might also have the thought of using our own California natives, keeping in mind that even here provenance is an important consideration. The broadest pallet of regionally appropriate plants come from the Mediterranean climates around the world, including of course California, and many choices from other arid and semiarid regions around the world, especially Mexico. Some of the growers that provide plants for local nurseries have excellent web pages for reference. Exercise restraint, there is SO much out there, and it is very easy to have an overly busy, maintenance-heavy garden.
Soil Preparation
Often in residential settings we are starting out with suboptimal soils. Keeping this rather simple, I feel the general idea is to get that soil flocculated! This means improving the tilth/structure and the organic matter content. Additions of commercial or homemade compost make a good start, keeping in mind that in clay soils the addition of some rocky grit is also beneficial, particularly for the many plants that prefer decent drainage. Adding to existing soil is more realistic than wholesale replacement, and in most cases, even the most dreadful clay can be rehabilitated over time. A healthy soil with sufficient organic matter and microbial activity is going to hold more water and nutrients, and support healthier, more adaptable (read drought stressed) plant growth in general. Keeping some kind of mulch on the soil is also a good idea.
Battery powered hose bib timer.
Photo by Anthony Garza
Irrigation Methods
I refer to specific types and strategies of irrigation in “Efficient Irrigation for the Home Landscape,” but let’s go with the following as a general approach: first, take advantage of planting in the cool, rainy season. Provide supplemental irrigation to still-establishing plants as spring warms into summer, keeping an eye to getting your plants through fall as you taper off domestic water in hopes of natural. Some experts think that starting off plants on a “lean” water regimen will physiologically predispose them to be more
Seasonal Timing
Here I refer to planting schedule, the rainy season being optimal. Late fall is often the wisest time to plant, but given the variability of our dry season, use your best judgment about when to put all
Smart controllers have weather condition sensors to automatically adjust how much water is delivered to your plantings. Photo by Anthony Garza
Winter / Spring 2014
DRY GARDEN & IRRIGATION
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efficient; no surface evaporation, no atomized losses to the wind, and no surface runoff. Applications would include areas with little or infrequent cultivating, digging, or plant rotations. The exception to this rule would be in sites where you might leave the tubing visible on the surface and be able to work around it or pull it out of the way while doing your work.
Solar-powered valve.
Photo by Anthony Garza
adaptable to environmental stresses. Another key strategy to consider is referred to as “hydro-zoning”, which in a quick distillation means planting in concentric rings of incrementally reduced water as one moves out away from the house. Automated irrigation systems can be used wisely, but often are not. If your system is not set-up to account for variations in climatic rainfall (retrofitting for this is possible), be mindful about making handson adjustments to prevent overwatering – there is no substitute for regular observation.
Netafim tubing
Photo by Anthony Garza
Above-ground micro irrigation:
Efficient Irrigation for the Home Landscape
There are efficient, simple and effective ways to irrigate the typical home garden. There have been some fairly recent improvements in certain types of irrigation, some of them now in current use at the Garden.
Below-ground irrigation:
The familiar example here would be drip emitters run off of black poly-tubing, and the classic “soaker hose”. Newer technology includes various sizes of drip tubing with laser-cut perforations set directly into the tube, at various intervals delivering varying amounts of water. Newer still is an upgraded product called Netafim, originally designed as a subsurface irrigation method for new turf. All of these would fall into a category I would call uber-
Micro-emitter
Photo by Anthony Garza
These systems, sometimes referred to as “soft systems” utilize flexible black polyethylene tubing that deliver water to small “micro-spray” or “micro-jet” type heads, often on spike-type risers. Spray head type, pattern, and volume vary, but most are flowadjustable at the head. This type of irrigation is often preferred over drip primarily because the performance can be readily observed. Because the lines are laid in shallow trenches or just under mulch,
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DRY GARDEN & IRRIGATION
University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
repairs and modifications are fairly simple. These are very efficient systems and very adaptable to change if one decides to add, subtract or make changes to the garden. We use this type of irrigation in our Waterwise Entry Garden, running automatically via a weather station connected “smart controller.”
New-gen spray heads:
Here at the Garden we do use some larger spray heads to throw water long distances and penetrate dense vegetation in certain collections. We are in the process of converting from impact type heads to “rotator” type heads. These currently include three types of spray heads made by Hunter; MP Rotators (multi-stream), PGP, and PGJ heads (single stream). See pictures. MP Rotators have become very popular as a one-to-one replacement for typical turf or shrub spray heads. MPR’s deliver water more efficiently and are more adjustable than older style spray heads. They are more expensive, but savings should be realized in water savings over time. MPR’s come in sizes that can throw approximately 10, 20, and 30 ft. so they can be used to irrigate a typical home garden, even ones of larger proportion. PGP and PGJ are rotation, single stream heads and are best suited to large-scale landscapes and turf.
An example of a impact sprinkler head. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Hunter PGP Rotator
Photo courtesy of Hunter
Establishment water:
In situations where no irrigation water is available, the best option is what is known as “timed-release” water packs. We have used a product called DriWater. These are commonly used on sites where remote revegetation work is being done, but homeowners can easily take advantage of the technology. Most types consist of a gel-like material packaged in a casing, reminiscent of culinary sausage. Formulations of the gel vary, but offer a small amount of slowly released water for up to 3 months. If plants are put in the ground during the fall or winter, the time-release can be added in the spring to provide supplemental water in order to better establish the plant for the coming dry season. We have also utilized the gel tubes (available in hard tube casing with a cap) to water large potted plants.
Hunter PGJ head
Photo by Anthony Garza
DriWater “timed-release” water packs.
Hunter MP Rotator
Photo by Anthony Garza
Photo courtesy of DriWater
— Anthony Garza
Winter / Spring 2014
RESEARCH & CONSERVATION
The Garden’s research mission is borne out in part by providing plant materials for research projects. UCB graduate student Shi-Li Hsiung, of Dr. Cindy Looy’s lab (Department of Integrative Biology), continues to collect pollen to create a pollen reference collection of woody California
Shown here (just right of center) is a Baker’s larkspur (Delphinium bakeri) seedling, recorded in March, from the January 2014 sowing. Only cotyledons appear for the first year, true leaves develop at age two. Photo by Holly Forbes
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Aextoxicum were collected in a natural area in the city of Valdivia and sent to the Garden in 1973 by staff of the Universidad Austral de Chile. Many of our conservation species are included in the national collection of the Center for Plant Conservation and require a very long-term commitment. Baker’s larkspur (Delphinium bakeri) has been actively worked on since 2000, though our late director Dr. Robert Ornduff was monitoring the lone wild population long before then. This year we are monitoring the results of a direct seeding of the lone wild site done in January 2014. There are currently only four plants of flowering size on the site, and we hope to dramatically increase that number in the near future. The drought re-directed efforts of the Garden and our partners away from field introductions in 2014. This has meant growing out twice as many large flowered fiddleneck (Amsinckia grandiflora) plants for seed production than planned. Seeds of the fiddleneck will be harvested and cleaned this summer, then stored for use this fall and in the future for direct sowing in the field. Our partners are attempting to create more self-sustaining populations. There is currently only one population in the wild. Curator Holly Forbes was recently asked to serve on the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s Recovery Implementation Team for this species.
native plants. She is also making a herbarium voucher sheet of each sampled plant. She has made 67 collections to date and her project will continue through 2014. Drs. Adam Black and Jason Smith of the University of Florida at Gainesville requested and received cuttings of several species in the laurel family (Lauraceae). They are studying resistance to the devastating non-native laurel wilt disease that is currently found in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Louisiana. Laurel wilt is a deadly disease of redbay (Persea borbonia) and other tree species in the laurel family (which includes avocado). The disease is caused by a fungus (Raffaelea lauricola) that is introduced into host trees by a non-native insect, the redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus). Dr. Ning Zhang of the Smithsonian Institution’s Botany Large-flowered fiddleneck (Amsinckia grandiflora) is taking up much of the Garden nursery space. The two-gallon cans Department received leaves of a for each plant allow us to grow large plants for seed production. Photo by Holly Forbes Chilean shrub, Aextoxicum punctatum. He is studying evolutionary relationships in the small plant We are growing on plants of Tiburon paintbrush group Berberidopsidales (the monotypic Aextoxicaceae (Castilleja affinis ssp. neglecta) for many more months than family of Chile, and the Berberidopsidaceae family with planned. The Tiburon paintbrush will be out-planted southeast two genera, one each in Chile and in Australia). Seeds of the of San Jose this fall in an attempt to increase its numbers in the wild.
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DEVELOPMENT
UC BOTANICAL GARDEN ADVISORY BOARD The Advisory Board welcomes it newest member Katherine Greenberg.
University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
ADVISORY BOARD Tim Gregory (Chair) Dr. Robert Arathoon James W. Bruner, Jr. Julia Burke Dr. Beth Burnside Ramona Davis Dr. Lewis J. Feldman Robert Ferber Katherine Greenberg Pamela Grossman Jon Hartung Curtis R. Hoffman Suanne Inman Daniel W. Johnson Ken Kuchman Jim Landau Warwick May Judith Moorad Norman Pease
Photo courtesy of www.katherinegreenberg.com
Katherine Greenberg is a garden designer and author with a special interest in the native plants of California. A fifthgeneration Californian, Katherine was born in Monterey County and currently lives in Lafayette. Katherine has designed a number of gardens in the Bay Area and a private garden in Jerusalem. Her Lafayette garden has been featured in a number of publications, and it was selected for a Garden Design Green Award in 2010. She has also taught classes at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden, the UC Botanical Garden, and Merritt College, and her articles have appeared in Pacific Horticulture and The Mediterranean Garden journal. Her book, Growing California Native Plants, 2nd edition, was published by the University of California Press in 2012 and can be purchased in the Garden Shop. The founding president of the Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden (1996-2000), Katherine is also past president of the Mediterranean Garden Society (2000-2004) and the Pacific Horticulture Society (2006-2008). She was chair of the Pacific Horticulture Society’s tour committee (2001-2011), and she has led tours to Spain, Morocco, Portugal, Sicily, Greece, Croatia, and Cuba.
Cynthia Plambeck Mary Porter Ann Reynolds Pat Rudebusch John Scharffenberger Jill Wilson
MEMBERSHIP
The Garden
3400 reaches an all time high with nearly
active
memberships!
Winter / Spring 2014
DEVELOPMENT
Maximize Your Membership
The improved Family Plus level is a great way to leverage your membership dollar! As always, members at this level receive unlimited Garden admission for up to four adults and four children. What’s even better: our brand new reciprocal benefits, offering FREE admission for two adults to over 1,000 museums and gardens nationwide! Local offerings include such prestigious museums as San Francisco’s de Young and the Oakland Art Museum.
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Bricks:
Celebrate, honor and remember with an inscribed brick in the Garden’s Tribute Plaza. To give you an idea of the diversity of design options, below are the Garden’s most recent additions to the Tribute Plaza. Bricks of varying sizes can be purchased for $500 or $1000.
One Family Plus member commented that her membership “more than pays for itself.” She recently saved $44 in admission to the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. Another Family Plus member visited the Oakland Art Museum for free and even had her parking validated, saving a total of $35 in just one visit. For those who take advantage of the reciprocal benefits, it’s easy to earn your money back - and then some! At an annual rate of just $125, Family Plus offers a fantastic value, allowing members to support the Garden while making every dollar count.
BENCHES, BRICKS & TREES
Honor a loved one, commemorate a special event and support the Garden!
Tribute gifts are a special way to honor cherished friends and families and to commemorate those special occasions that represent important milestones throughout our lives. The Garden has many unique and meaningful ways to mark the important moments in our lives and support the Garden with a fully taxdeductible gift.
Benches:
Beyond the scientific and educational value of its plant collections, the Garden serves as an oasis of peace and serenity. It is an opportunity for visitors to escape the frantic pace of contemporary life and seek the serenity only a setting like the UC Botanical Garden affords. Tribute benches placed throughout the Garden’s 34 acres provide a confortable spot upon which visitors can rest, relax and rejuvenate both body and soul. The placement of the bench determines the investment cost of $15,000 to $20,000.
Trees:
Help preserve and maintain the Garden’s priceless collection by adopting a tree. Your adoption will fund an interpretive panel for your tree, enabling the Garden to share its history of conservation with thousands of Garden visitors each year. You will receive a personal dedication on the panel and the satisfaction of making a significant contribution to both environmental education and conservation. Tree adoptions start at $7500, are fully tax deductible and may be applied towards University class gifts and giving societies. UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA
BOTANICAL GARDEN at BERKELEY
Magnolia sharpii
UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA
BOTANICAL GARDEN at BERKELEY
Glyptostrobus pensilis Chinese Swamp Cypress
This is a critically endangered species, believed to be extinct in the wild in southeastern China, though it is widely planted in wet places. It persists (although it is not setting seeds) in two nature preserves in Vietnam and was discovered in 2011 surviving in one location in Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
Collected by Dr. Bruce Bartholomew, Garden Curator, and Dr. Dennis Breedlove of the California Academy of Sciences, in 1981, Magnolia sharpii was at the time thought to be restricted to one population in a high mountain valley of Chiapas, Mexico. It flowered for the first time in the Garden in 1989. More recent field work has located only five populations in evergreen cloud forests of the central highlands of Chiapas. Forest fragmentation and habitat changes are limiting conditions for many understory trees such as M. sharpii.
The seed from which this 1970 accession was grown was collected by Mr. D.C. Shen from 300 year old trees in Kowloon, Hong Kong and distributed by the US Department of Agriculture. This is an evergreen species with lovely white flowers that appear in May. The glossy green leaves are reminiscent of those of the southern magnolia (M. grandiflora). This specimen is dedicated to . . .
Glyptostrobus was widely distributed throughout North America during the Tertiary. It is a semi-deciduous species in the redwood family (Taxodiaceae). Though similar to bald cypress (Taxodium), Glyptostrobus differs in having pear-shaped, long-stalked cones, obovate scales, and small-winged seeds. This specimen is dedicated to the memory of Jack D. Shen. Gifted by his family and friends.
For more information or assistance with a tribute gift please contact the Garden’s Development Office at 510-643-2937.
Photo by Marion Brenner
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DEVELOPMENT
University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
Planter Appeal
Project cost: $3000. Please contact the Garden’s Director of Development at nlindberg@berkeley.edu or call 510-643-2937.
We are pleased to offer all current UC Botanical Garden Members and Cal Affiliates a 10% discount on purchases at The Urban Farmer Store, the helpful source for all your landscape lighting, water feature, and irrigation needs. Simply show your membership card at the time of purchase.
The Urban Farmer StoreÂŽ Efficient Irrigation & Lighting for the Landscape
urbanfarmerstore.com MILL VALLEY 653 East Blithedale 94941 (415) 380-3840
SAN FRANCISCO 2833 Vicente St. 94116 (415) 661-2204
Corner 40th Ave in the Sunset
Next door to Sloat Garden Center
RICHMOND ANNEX 2121 San Joaquin St. 94804 (510) 524-1604 Exit Central Ave off I-80 & I-580
Jeff Jarvis | jeff@thevarietal.com Jessica Tomei jessica@thevarietal.com
jarvistomei.com
SPRING PLANT SALE 2014 PLATINUM
Catering in and around 2680 Bancroft Way Berkeley, CA 94704 510-549-1000 bancroftcatering.com
Photos by Paul Licht
SPRING PLANT SALE 2014 PLATINUM SPONSOR
World class, significant wines to be enjoyed with family and friends - now and forever.
Berkeley
SPRING PLANT SALE 2014 PLATINUM SPONSOR
The Garden is searching for a donor(s) willing to underwrite the purchase of two concrete planters to house these wonderful Dypsis ambositrae palms. Not only will the new planters provide a more hospitable environment in which these lovely specimens can grow and thrive, they will provide a more pleasing aesthetic to the conference center patio effectively extending useful terrace space. This would be a wonderful way to memorialize someone special in your life.
Summer / Fall 2013
GARDEN NOTES
Horticulturist Corina Rieder joined the Garden staff in the Spring of 2013 and maintains the Tropical House and Orchid Fern & Carnivorous Plant House Collections. She has a Nursery Management Certificate from Merritt College, a Bachelor of Arts in German Language & Literature from San Francisco State University and attended the sculpture program at the Kunstgewerbeschüle in Corina Rieder Photo by Holly Forbes Basel, Switzerland. Some of the horticultural positions Corina has held include Gardener for the San Francisco Unified School District, Nursery Specialist at the S.F. Conservatory of Flowers, Production Assistant at Annie’s Annuals, and even some years here at the Garden as a Volunteer Propagator. Horticulturist Brandi Eide joined the staff in August 2013. After graduating from The Evergreen State College with a focus in chemistry, she worked for 8 years at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ as the propagator, conservation collections manager and collections manager of Agavaceae, Aloaceae and NonCactus Succulents. Prior to that, she managed a hardware store and Brandi Eide Photo by Holly Forbes nursery in Washington state. Her love of plants and the environment has led her down a rewarding path working at botanical gardens alongside passionate individuals and has enabled her to teach and share her appreciation of nature while enjoying the outdoors each day.
Jonathan Goodrich Photo by Holly Forbes
Associate Director for Visitor Experience Jonathan Goodrich joined the staff in September 2013. He was most recently Associate Head of Education for the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology at UCB for 7 years. There he oversaw the public face of the museum, which included the store, tours, docents and volunteers, social media, as well as the educational offerings. Prior to that, he worked as an archaeologist
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for ten years specializing in California. He has a master’s degree in museum studies from John F. Kennedy University, and a BA in anthropology from UCB. Jonathan enjoys understanding more about the natural world, working with the public, and invites suggestions on ways to improve the visitor experience overall at the Garden.
Copiapoa haseltoniana is one of thousands of accessions inventoried in the Arid House this winter. Photo by Holly Forbes
Assistant Curator Barbara Keller, with assistance from Horticulturists Bryan Gim and Basil Medeiros and several volunteers, completed an inventory of the Arid House collection. Every pot was reviewed for current taxonomy, resulting in hundreds of new labels throughout the collection. The Garden hosted a workshop for the western region of the Sentinel Plant Network (SPN) in February. A joint program of the American Public Gardens Association and the National Plant Diagnostic Network of the US Department of Agriculture, the SPN trains garden professionals to become first detectors of new and exotic pests in the field. Over 30 people attended the workshop, representing public gardens from Alaska to southern California. The first phase of the replacement of the Garden’s antiquated and inefficient irrigation system was recently completed. With support from the UCB Capital Renewal Committee, the irrigation system in a portion of the Asian Area was replaced, a new main irrigation line running through the Garden was partially replaced, and an automated irrigation controller was installed. A multi-year project, the campus has already committed funds to continue replacing the irrigation system in the rest of the Asian Area. The new system will greatly increase the efficiency of our water use, while saving valuable staff time for direct work in the plant collection.
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THE GARDEN SHOP
University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
The UCBG Mug Collection
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T
he Garden Shop offers members and visitors the opportunity to support the Garden – and go home with a plant, a meaningful gift or memento of the visit – at the same time. Profits from Shop purchases are tilled back into the Garden to allow for the continuation of the Garden mission. And the cycle continues… Emphasizing products from local vendors, the Shop, in turn supports the community at large. From the plants that are propagated on-site to the local honey, teas, jewelry, and other gift items purchased to sell - where possible, local vendors are the source for the items featured in the Shop. The UCBG Garden Mug Collection showcases the collaboration between local artistic talent and the Garden. Manufactured in the USA, each mug comes with a special card insert describing the characteristics of the featured species and its relationship to the Garden. Using botanical and faunal illustrations from local artists to adorn this special proprietary collection, the UCBG Garden Mugs make practical, beautiful gifts and mementoes!
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1. Chilean Bellflower | Lapageria rosea
Chilean bellflower or copihue (Lapageria rosea), is an evergreen, twining vine that thrives in the Bay Area. Its three to four inch flowers, borne from summer to early winter, possess a distinctive thick waxy cuticle, and hang like bells from the upper leaf axils. It can be trained to climb up a tree, arbor or pillar, or espaliered on a garden wall. While the sole species of this genus is a saturated rose red, Lapageria range in color from white, cream, blush and pinks to the speckled picotees. Illustration by Catherine M. Watters
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2. California Poppy | Eschscholzia californica
California poppy was proclaimed the official state flower of California in 1903. It is an annual or a deep-rooted perennial found naturally in western North America from Washington State to Baja Sur, Mexico. The usually deep orange flowers attract a variety of pollinators. Poppy displays are seen in abundance in the Garden, and throughout much of California, from March to May. Illustration by Catherine M. Watters
3. California Quail | Callipepla californica
A year-round Garden resident and breeding bird, the California Quail is most often seen in the Mediterranean and adjacent collection areas in the Garden. This ground-dwelling bird travels in flocks called coveys, and often runs for cover when startled, rather than taking flight. It’s distributed widely in chaparral and open woodland habitats along west coast from Baja California to British Columbia. Its distinctive three note call is an iconic element of the California landscape. Illustration by Dana Gardner
4. California Wild Rose | Rosa californica
California wild rose is a shrub native to western North America, where it occurs at elevations up to 1800 m (6,000 ft). It grows primarily in moist sites, especially on stream banks. Plants can be up to 2.5 m (8 ft) tall, with pink flowers blooming from May to October. Brilliant red rose hips remain on the plant after blooming and provide a source of food for wildlife. Illustration by Maria Cecilia Freeman
Visit The Garden Shop or call 510-642-3812 for more information.
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Winter / Spring 2014
PLAN YOUR VISIT TO THE GARDEN Check for the latest news and events on our web site: http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu Join a tour: Free without reservation every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 pm. Join a docent near The Garden Shop for an hour or so and learn about special plants. Bring a group for a tour: Contact our Tour Coordinator at 510-643-7265 or gracew@berkeley.edu before the 15th of the month prior to your tour date. Various kinds of tours are described in our tour brochure and on our web site: http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu TOURS > ADULT TOURS Pack a lunch: Enjoy your lunch on one of the many Garden benches or tables located throughout the Garden. Bring a camera or binoculars to see the dozens of birds that call the Garden home, even if only briefly. Take a class or workshop, meet fellow enthusiasts. Attend the plant sales, everyday and on special occasions, next up Spring Plant Sale (Note: New times and dates!): Members’ Sale | Saturday, April 26 | 4 pm - 7 pm Public Sale | Sunday, April 27 | 9 am - 2 pm If you haven’t already, become a member and enjoy free admission all year.
GARDEN STAFF
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Dr. Paul Licht, Director
ADMINISTRATION Muinat Kemi Amin, Marketing & Design Manager Nadean Lindberg, Development Director Emily Dennis, Visitor Services Coordinator Jonathan Goodrich, Associate Director, Visitor Experience Deepa Natarajan, Program Coordinator Grace Weltner, Volunteer & Tours Coordinator Margaret Richardson, Rental Coordinator Nancy Rosenlund, Shop Manager
COLLECTIONS and HORTICULTURE Dr. Christopher Carmichael, Associate Director of Collections & Horticulture Holly Forbes, Curator Barbara Keller, Assistant Curator Anthony Garza, Supervisor of Horticulture & Grounds Ben Anderson, Horticulturist Ken Bates, Horticulturist Colin Baxter, Horticulturist Brandi Eide, Horticulturist Bryan Gim, Horticulturist & Volunteer Propagation Program Coordinator Peter Klement, Horticulturist Susan Malisch, Propagator Basil Medeiros, Horticulturist Meghan Ray, Horticulturist Corina Rieder, Horticulturist Eric Schulz, Horticulturist Elaine Sedlack, Horticulturist Rick Boyer, Building & Grounds Maintenance Thomas Bridgman, Facilities Maintenance EDUCATION Christine Manoux, Education Program Manager
FACULTY ADVISORY COMMITTEE Dr. David Ackerly, Integrative Biology Dr. Tom Carlson, Integrative Biology Dr. Lewis Feldman, Chair, Plant and Microbial Biology Dr. Bruce Baldwin, Integrative Biology Dr. Todd Dawson, Integrative Biology Dr. Chelsea Specht, Plant and Microbial Biology Dr. John Taylor, Plant and Microbial Biology RESEARCH ASSOCIATES Dr. Tim Gregory, Stemcentrics Dr. Chelsea Specht, Plant & Microbial Biology UC BOTANICAL GARDEN ADVISORY BOARD Tim Gregory (Chair) Dr. Robert Arathoon James W. Bruner, Jr. Julia Burke Dr. Beth Burnside Ramona Davis Dr. Lewis J. Feldman Robert Ferber Katherine Greenberg Pamela Grossman Jon Hartung Curtis R. Hoffman Suanne Inman Daniel W. Johnson Ken Kuchman Jim Landau Warwick May Judith Moorad Norman Pease Cynthia Plambeck Mary Porter Ann Reynolds Pat Rudebusch John Scharffenberger Jill Wilson NEWSLETTER Holly Forbes, Editor Muinat Kemi Amin, Graphic Design
Garden contact information is available on our website. Call 510-643-2755 for more information. E-mail: garden@berkeley.edu Web: http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu The Newsletter is published by the University of California Botanical Garden with support from memberships. ©UC Regents 2014. Articles may be reprinted with credit to the authors and the UC Botanical Garden.
GARDEN HOURS: The Garden is open from 9 am - 5 pm year round. Closed first Tuesday of each month. University of California, Berkeley Botanical Garden 200 Centennial Drive Berkeley, CA 94720-5045
Address Service Requested
Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID University of California, Berkeley
Public Tours are offered at 1:30 pm each Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Call (510) 643-2755
NOTE: New Spring Plant Sale Dates & Times
Photo by Melanie Hofmann
NOTE: New Spring Plant Sale Dates & Times