Garden Activities: March 18, 2025

“The calla lilies are in bloom again.” Sorry I couldn’t resist quoting this line from Katherine Hepburn in Stage Door. We have a nice clump in full bloom at the down hill end of the upper S. African garden.

In addition to the calla lilies being in bloom, it was yet another special day where we introduced a new volunteer to the Tuesday Crew. Irem (pronounced like Iran with a "short “i” and an “ah”-sounding ”e') Bayrak Dingle joined the group. To help orient her to the garden, we took a leisurely walk around the garden checking on the 30-some plants we installed 2 weeks ago and pointing out the different Mediterranean climate theme gardens. Below is Irem:

She joined Beverly Kemmerling, Dale Harshberger, Katie Shank, Daryl Stutley, Nancy Taylor Walker, Ann Wriigjt, and me doing general cleanup after a week of off-again on-again rain. Bill Dobner was on site managing the compost.

Weeds are already taking their battle positions in the garden and we already found a stand of thistle (some waist high) at the first 4-corners. In removing those, we noticed a stand of little white flowers none of us had noticed before. Right behind where Beverly and Dale are weeding:

Turns out it is three-cornered garlic (Allium triquetrum), and it is well-placed just behind a stand of society garlic:

Of course there is always something of interest in the Desert Garden. A silver torch cactus (Cleistocactus strausii):

And here I am taking its picture… Me flanked by Nancy and Ann:

Finally, in the S. African section the forest lilies are in bloom again:

Veltheimia bracteate was donated by Beverly Brune from her garden.

Enjoy the garden!    KMM