I won’t try to report in detail on the activities for the weeks I was on the east coast (3 weeks from 5/13 - 6/3), only to say the Tuesday crew was as diligent as always in providing value to the garden in the tasks they undertook. This was mostly weeding and surveying the garden for trouble spots. Members of the crew active during those weeks included John Allday, Beverly Kemmerling, Janet Wall, Nancy Taylor Walker, and Monica Barton. Toward the end of that period, a new volunteer, Daryl Stutley participated. I was kept up-to-date by several of the team. A few of their images follow:
Monica recorded John, Janet and Nancy near the old Garden Entrance. Note the bush anemone behind the sign.
Monica also captured herself, Nancy, Beverly, Janet and John tiptoeing through the matilija poppies.
Perhaps the most dramatic event that happened was the alert that the recent delivery of mulch to the garden was “on fire!” Frankly, I thought that such a thing was impossible and that all it was was steam from the pile heating up and water vapor escaping. Bill Dobner set me straight yesterday recounting how actual flames were seen on a pile of chips across from the KAG some years ago that had to be put out by the fire department. The fire department was called in this instance and doused the pile with water. Beverly captured Monica spreading the pile with steam (smoke?) rising:
Which leads us to June 6th. Nancy, John, Monica, Daryl, Bill and I were on site. Bill managed the compost operation while the rest of us moved to the S. African section and weeded. Nancy took the following:
Monica and Daryl,
John, and
Yours truly.
At about 10am, I peeled off and met 6 volunteers (Donna Pachorek, John Martinez, Mary Ellen Wong, Tom Horan, Bob Sage and Debby Doolittle) from the Conejo Cactus & Succulent Society (CCSS) to work in the Desert Garden. We took a major bite out of the accumulation of leaves and debris from the area under the eucalyptus where the path goes from the north “road” southwest toward the picnic tables. CCSS has committed to a monthly volunteer day to support the Desert Garden and its development.
Don’t miss the dramatic drifts of matilija poppies (see above) along the lower service road, behind the service area parking spaces, at the top of the hill and along the fence behind the native section.
Enjoy the garden! KMM
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