Workdays 7/22 & 7/25

On Monday our crew did not need to water. The rains have left all the garden very moist. Betty Marcus spent her time deadheading. Julie Holmes cleared invasives from around the roses, and the Girls for Good filled bird feeders and baths. I spent my time getting material for the Thursday workday, weeding lots of pine and elm seedlings, and replacing some plants in Zane's garden.

We had another productive day on Thursday with 9 volunteers from AmeriCorp helping. As usual, they tackled some big projects, and managed to find time to weed, clean up pine needles, and spread mulch as well.

Sandstone Pad

Rock Pathway

Adding Weed Cloth to Rock Path

"Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."-  James M. Barrie 

The three projects were all pathways: a sandstone pad/path to the new trellis, adding weed cloth to our new corner pathway, and lining the rock mulch path from Switzer to the Rose garden with rocks.

Rebecca Davis helped manage the weed cloth project, Jeanette Sletten reworked our small shade garden along Switzer (she added Knickknick and Coral Bells to the existing vinca and leveled the soil. Betty Marcus spent her time deadheading and taking some of these beautiful photos. Carol Hudenko finished adding perennials to the corner. Whitney Fessler and I weeded some of the many ragweed and bindweed already growing on the corner. Linda Guarino was back and worked on compost. We have another small pile of finished material. Joe Harte worked on tree pruning and removing suckers.

I returned home on Thursday and found my tomato plants essentially done for the season. On 6 plants I had maybe 10 tomatoes left. The storm brought devastating hail to the east side and particularly Mt. Eldon. I had broken solar lights, and a hot tub cover full of holes. Thankfully the new roof made it through. Ah! weather in Flagstaff is always a challenge for gardeners.

"The good rain, like the bad preacher, does not know when to leave off."-  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Blooming:
Shasta Daisy, Julia Child's Rose, Red Monarda, Burgundy Daylily

 

Photos by Betty Marcus

New in the Garden:
Sandstone path to the new trellis
Rock lined mulch path to the Rose Garden from Switzer
Updated corner garden (perennials, weed cloth on path)

Work for the next few weeks:
Watering - inside and outside as needed.  Make sure native bed with new wildflowers is wet, porch plants, new clematis and honeysuckle, corner garden, moon garden trellis, native garden wheelbarrow, and Jobs tears, and shade garden along Switzer
*Weeding as needed. Check rose garden for perennials choking out roses and remove pine seedlings
   With a garden tour coming up pine and elm tree seedlings need to be removed
*Gather rock for a native garden rock garden, and to line the new path from Switzer to the Rose garden
     Once created, fill with soil/compost, and transplant some plants from other areas of the garden
*Circle garden - transplant some blood grass, and weed (Chia?)
Reset bricks under the bench just north of the Faerie Garden
*Finish weed cloth on corner (about 6 feet)
Move mulch to needed parts of the garden
Clean up compost area

Upcoming:
August 9   Peaks Residents Garden Visit 1230pm
August 17  10am-12pm Garden Club Visit
August 25  430pm-7pm Thank You Potluck/Judith Chaddocks

Thanks, Loni

Work Week of 7/15 & 18

We had a fairly quiet week at the garden. No watering was needed other than a few new plantings due to some heavy rain the last week. Betty Marcus worked for me on Monday for a couple of hours. She was alone other than some help from the Girls for Good to feed and water the birds.

On Thursday, Rebecca Davis and Joe Harte worked on two of the rain barrelss. One was moved due to access and drainage and the the other leveled to keep it from tipping over in our heavy rains. Please use these whenever you can so they are not so full. Judith Chaddock worked on the indoor plants using the rain barrel on the back porch. Betty Marcus deadheaded throughout the garden, Lori Tamblingson and Sue Ordway both weeded in a variety of areas of the gardens. I spent my time working on removing spreading plants from around the roses, and beginning to clean the compost area.

The Hopi vegetable bed has recovered from the hail in early July. It contains corn, beans and squash.

New Blooms:
Lots of Shasta daisy, coneflowers, clematis and more roses

Carefree Sunshine Rose

Nelly Moser  Clematis on shed trellis

New in the Garden:
New perennials in the corner garden, and the decorative wheelbarrow in the Native Garden
Check out the beautiful pots in front of the office. They were planted by Carol H. and Leslie.

Work for the next few weeks:
Watering - inside and outside as needed.  Make sure native bed with new wildflowers is wet, porch plants, new clematis and honeysuckle, corner garden, moon garden trellis, native garden wheelbarrow, and Jobs tears.
Weeding as needed. Check rose garden for perennials choking out roses and remove pine seedlings
Plant perennials on corner
*Gather rock for a native garden rock garden, and to line the new path from Switzer to the Rose garden
     Once created, fill with soil/compost, and transplant some plants from other areas of the garden
*Circle garden - transplant some blood grass, and weed.
Reset bricks under the bench just north of the Faerie Garden
Move mulch to needed parts of the garden
Clean up compost area

Upcoming:
July 25    9am-12pm   AmeriCorp help for the Thurs. workday
               Work on sandstone pad for new trellis across from the rose garden, finish weedcloth on
               pathway, add rock to stone pathway
Aug,17  10am-12pm  Flagstaff Garden Club Tour

Thanks, Loni

Workdays week of 7/8 - 7/13

On Monday we had our usual small crew and most of us worked on the corner weed cloth - Mary Natali, Carol Hudenko, Julie Holmes, and myself. Betty Marcus watered a bit but also weeded and deadheaded.
On Thursday, we had a large crew. I was feeling a bit under the weather and I spent most of my time hanging around the back snack area and just finding work for people. Betty Marcus deadhead and watered. Becky Lewis decided it was time to feed the roses again and she got Jeanette Sletten to help her. Jeanette also did some weeding. Carol Lease finished the pvc pipes for the entry fencing, and then started a project to level some bricks under a bench. Rebecca Davis planted some perennials, worked on the corner weed cloth, and helped Joe Harte with the wheelbarrows and rainbarrels. Sue Ordway picked a vase of flowers for the anniversary of Olivia White's passing, and then headed to the corner to help with the weed cloth.

After Carol Hudenko, Whitney Fessler, Sue, and Rebecca finished the weed cloth, Carol and Sue planted a few perennials with the help of Crys Wells. Crys Wells and Judith Chaddock fenced in our tomatoes which are being eaten by rock squirrels and chipmunks. Judith also did her usual watering indoors. Lori Tamblingson weeded throughout the garden.

On Saturday, Warner's Landscape and Nursery held their 11th Annual 10% of Proceeds for Olivia White Gardens. Thanks to Crys Wells, Becky Lewis, Lori Tamblingson, and Diana Watt for hosting our table for the day and special thanks to Warner's staff for making us feel comfortable and a welcome part of their workday.

New in the Garden:
New perennials in the corner garden, and the decorative wheelbarrow in the Native Garden
Check out the beautiful pots in front of the office. They were planted by Carol H. and Leslie.

Work for the next few weeks:
Watering - inside and outside as needed.  Make sure native bed with new wildflowers is wet, porch plants, new clematis and honeysuckle, corner garden, moon garden trellis, native garden wheelbarrow, and Jobs tears.
Weeding as needed. Check rose garden for perennials choking out roses, and weed inferno strips.
*Gather rock for a native garden rock garden, and to line the new path from Switzer to the Rose garden
     Once created, fill with soil/compost, and transplant some plants from other areas of the garden
Cut down 1 more lilac
*Circle garden - transplant some blood grass, and weed.
Reset bricks under the bench just north of the Faerie Garden
Finish resetting rain barrels
Repair wheelbarrel
Move mulch to needed parts of the garden
Clean up compost area

Upcoming:
July 25    9am-12pm   AmeriCorp help for the Thurs. workday
               Work on sandstone pad for new trellis across from the rose garden and finish weedcloth on
               pathway.
Aug,17  10am-12pm  Flagstaff Garden Club Tour

Thanks, Loni

Workdays 7/1 and 7/4

Our Monday workday was a busy one. Julie Holmes, Cyndy Crowley, Carol Hudenko, and Mary Natali all removed weeds on the corner of Switzer and Turquoise. We had a small piece of good weed cloth and put it in part of the new pathway. The weeds are growing furiously in the new path already and we haven't had any rain. Thanks to Julie who wrote a check, next week we will add premium cloth to the rest of the path. Betty Marcus watered all the plants not on irrigation and the vegetables.

We had a special visit today from John and Jill White who were visiting from Texas with their children Jack and Phoebe. They are Olivia White's family and visit each year. Today they spent some time looking at all the new features in the garden, sampling some of the sensory pots, doing the scavenger hunt, and personally thanking many of the volunteer gardeners. Visiting with them is always inspiring to the gardeners.

On Thursday, yes the 4th of July, we had a crew of 4 in the garden. Linda Guarino spent her time adding irrigation lines to the perennial bed, the tea garden, and a few new shrubs. Betty Marcus and I spent our entire day sweeping and cleaning up debris. On Tuesday, there was a major hail storm in the canyon and on Thursday we still had piles of hail remaining. The vegetables and sensory pots were devastated with hail damage as well as many other plants. I am adding a photos of some areas.

Front door area two days after the hail

Crys Wells came and replanted some of the lettuce and spinach. Hopefully the weather will cool off a bit with the rain. We also had a dad of one of the Girls for Good, who filled feeders and cleaned out very messy bird baths.

New Blooms:
Many daylilies, lavendar, roses (Shropshire Ladd), some of our shasta daisy and ox-eyed daisy, and coreopsis. Several shrubs are blooming or ready to burst - Mt. Spray, Little Leaf Mock Orange, the Twin-flower Snowberry, and the Apache Plume.

Hollyhock with Mt. Spray shrub as a backdrop

Several years ago we purchased a Texas Red Yucca for the garden for Ginny Kadel. It is blooming in it's 4th season.

Texas Red Yucca

New in the Garden:
Beginning of weed cloth on the new pathway.

Work for the next few weeks:
Watering - inside and outside as needed (little needed due to rain). Make sure native bed with new wildflowers is wet, porch plants, and new clematis.
Weeding - north Switzer bed, circle garden, corner bed, Wood's rose under apple tree
*Add some plants to the corner bed
*Gather rock for a native garden rock garden, and to line the new path from Switzer to the Rose garden
     Once created, fill with soil/compost, and transplant some plants from other areas of the garden
Cut down 1 more lilac
*Circle garden - transplant some blood grass, clean up whiplash daisies, weed
Reset bricks under the bench just north of the Faerie Garden
Upcoming - 2nd feed for the roses

Upcoming:
July 13    9am-5pm     Warner's 10% of Proceeds Day
July 25    9am-12pm   AmeriCorp help for the Thurs. workday
Aug,17 10am-12pm  Flagstaff Garden Club Tour

Workweek 6/24 & 6/27

On Monday with 4 volunteers in the garden we got many tasks done. Betty Marcus watered all the areas not on irrigation. Julie Holmes, Carol Hudenko and I worked on the corner in some nice cool weather. Betty actually got cold during the break and sat in the sun. The 3 of us weeded and cleared pine needles from the corner garden. We actually ended up with 10 bags of pine needles and probably will have 10 more on Thursday. The pine needles haven't been cleared from there in a couple of years. Once the worst is cleared we will put the rock back in place on the corner, and plant/transplant some perennials there.

I have talked with Jean Hockman about doing a Saturday garden tour this summer. We will be doing it on Saturday, August 17th at 10am. Anyone who wants to help do tours and just host is welcome.  In the meantime we still have work to do to get some of the new areas up to par for a tour. I will talk with Judith Chaddock about some options for a potluck at her home and beautiful garden sometime in August. Since it is my last year, I thought we would do it in August while some of the out of town people are still here. We may do a 2nd potluck in September and invite the HodgePodge crew. They wanted to be part of my last season, and several of the crew there help us frequently - picking up new purchases, and hauling off our bags when we have too many, and finding garden materials for us.

Wow! On Thursday we had another busy day in the garden. Most of the volunteers who came (many early to avoid the heat) worked on the corner. Sue Ordway, Rebecca Davis, Judith Chaddock, Leslie Stone, Carol Hudenko, Becky Lewis, Jane Reukema, Joe Harte, Whitney Fessler, and myself all spent part of their time working on cleaning up the corner. We also have a new volunteer - Cyndy Crowley . Weeds, sprayed on duff, and pine needles were removed and bagged. Rock was placed over the corner area and Joe trimmed dead branches off the pine trees. The corner is almost unrecognizable with its new pathway.

Cleaned-up corner on Turquoise and Switzer Canyon

Betty Marcus and Marilyn VanWaggoner watered those beds not on irrigation and new plantings, and Judith watered indoors. Becky Lewis dug up a rose to root that was growing in the middle of a lavender. Carol Lease worked on the arbor entry. She put in 12 inch pvc pipe to place the fences in so that irrigation will not be effected when they are removed in the winter.

PVC at bottom of fencing to use as a guide for placing.

Whitney found time to wash all our pots and put them away. Judith provided the snack today and brought fruit bars which really hit the spot as the temperatures climbed. Dave and Murphy were out with several residents checking out the new blooms and work in the garden. Hattie Braun stopped by to see our progress with the roses.

"No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, no culture comparable to that of the garden ... But though an old man, I am but a young gardener."
-  Thomas Jefferson, Garden Book, 1811 

New Blooms:
Many daylilies, lavendar, roses (including Ketchup/Mustard), some of our shasta daisy and ox-eyed daisy, and coreopsis. Several shrubs are blooming or ready to burst - Mt. Spray, Little Leaf Mock Orange, the Twin-flower Snowberry, and the Apache Plume

Little Leaf Mock Orange

Daylilies

New in the Garden:
A revamped corner on Turquoise and Switzer
Honeysuckle vines on the new trellises

Work for the next few weeks:
Watering - inside and outside as needed (new plants - or beds not on irrigation)
Weeding - north Switzer bed
*Add some plants to the corner bed
*Irrigation - continue adding areas not on the system
*Gather rock for a native garden rock garden, and to line the new path from Switzer to the Rose garden
     Once created, fill with soil/compost, and transplant some plants from other areas of the garden
Cut down 1 more lilac
Transplant some blood grass
Reset bricks under the bench just north of the Faerie Garden
Upcoming - 2nd feed for the roses

Upcoming:
July 13    9am-5pm     Warner's 10% of Proceeds Day
July 25    9am-12pm   AmeriCorp help for the Thurs. workday
August 17 10am-12pm  Flagstaff Garden Club Tour

Workdays 6/17 - 6/20

On Monday we had a crew of 4 and 2 others volunteers feeding the birds from the Girls for Good. Betty Marcus watered indoors and outdoors. Julie Holmes planted our new whiskey barrel in the native garden with some perennials.  She also resanded the back patio again. One of these days it really needs to be cemented for safety and less work. Carol Hudenko planted some replacement succulents in the Faerie Garden. Someone has been eating the succulents probably trying to get some moisture.  After planting Carol added some hot pepper spray. Maybe that will keep the critters away. She also put in time removing woods rose from the south beds, one of our bi-annual chores. I spent my time planting a few additions to the sensory pots and tending the tomatoes. They needed longer stakes as they are growing. On Monday evening the Stones came and finished the trellises. The bench that Diana Watt refinished was placed there and red runner beans will be planted later this week. It already looks wonderful! The trellises match our previous trellis and repeat the lattice seen throughout the garden.

Many new flowers are blooming or about to bloom (daylilies, roses, bellflower, etc). The season is very early this year. By the time the monsoons arrive many of the perennial wildflowers will be done. I am looking for a topic for a July in-service. Is there anything that people want to know more about? or that one of our new gardeners wants to share?

This Thursday, we had another big crew in the garden, including a scout troop to build a path from Turquoise to Switzer Canyon sidewalk. The scouts were led by Kolbe Bendel, Eagle Scout. They cleared a 3 foot path, and lined it with rock found in the canyon, and added rock mulch donated by the Landscape Connection. They finished early, and spread the remaining mulch for another pathway from the sidewalk to the rose garden. The crew was large and worked several hours in the heat before enjoying some donated pizza. This is the 3rd Eagle Scout project in the garden. They have all added beauty, convenience for residents and families, while not spending money from our garden budget or taking time away from volunteers gardening. Thank you to Flagstaff's Boy Scouts.

Kolbe Bendel and his work crew - family and Scout Troop 7129

"Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."-  James M. Barrie 

As I mentioned earlier we had many of our regular gardeners also working in the garden (10). Rebecca Davis did many tasks in her 4 hours in the garden - planting, cleaning the gazebo floor area, weeding, and cutting down some lilacs that are not thriving. Mary Natali, a new master gardener, spent her time deadheading and removing spreading plants from under rose bushes. Linda Guarino spent her time adding irrigation lines to new plants and some areas not on irrigation.  She also turned all the compost, and there is fresh material on the tarp. Jane Reukema worked on spreading mulch in the east gardens with Sue Ordway. Sue also did some deadheading and Jane watered new plantings on Sunday. Lori Tamblingson weeded the south inferno and helped Rebecca with the gazebo and lilac. Betty Marcus and Marilynn Van Waggoner watered beds not on irrigation and new plantings. Marilynn also harvested our 1st lettuce crop for the house and some volunteers. Joe Harte continued to work on our trees. Dave and Murphy brought out several residents for long walks. Two of the "Girls for Good' came and fed and provided water for the birds.

New in the garden:
New trellises - one blocks the view of the parking lot from the Rose garden and the other is on the side of the sheds ready for a climber.
Native garden whiskey barrel and Talavera pot with native plants
2 new rock mulch paths - corner of Turquoise and Switzer Canyon, and from the sidewalk to the Rose garden
Red runner beans and clematis on side of shed

New blooms in the garden:
New roses (many blooming), Missouri Evening Primrose, valarian (Moon Garden), bell flower, daylily

Missouri Evening Primrose

Bellflower

"The 'Amen!' of Nature is always a flower." 
-  Oliver Wendell Holmes 

Work for the next few weeks:
*Weeding - the corner ambrosia, north Switzer Canyon bed
Once weeded move rock back onto the corner area
Watering - inside and outside as needed (new plants - or beds not on irrigation)
Plant leftover annuals
*Gather rock for a native garden rock garden, and to line the new path from Switzer to the Rose garden
Fix fencing
Reset bricks under the bench just north of the Faerie Garden
Wash pots

Upcoming:
July 13    9am-5pm     Warner's 10% of Proceeds Day
July 25    9am-12pm   AmeriCorp help for the Thurs. workday

Thanks,
Loni

Workweek from 6/10/-6/15

On Monday, Nancy and Bruce Palmer began creating a sandstone pad for the new bench in the north Native Garden. They used all the leftover sandstone that Diana Watt had donated last year. They will return on Thursday to finish it. Betty Marcus came and watered all areas not on the drip system. Julie Holmes worked on removing bell flower from many of the rose garden roses. I spent my time watering and putting in a few new plants. Dave and Murphy were out in the garden with many residents. We picked our first strawberries and shared them with residents.

Wow! a fabulous workday on Thursday. We had about 16 people working in the garden and other visitors who came to hear Dorothy Lamm talk about and identify weeds from their gardens. Linda Guarino arrived early and got Rebecca Davis to help her check irrigation emitters in many of the gardens. She also turned on the front 1/2 circle irrigation for just 15 minutes and there seemed to be no major leaks. After that she began adding emitters to some of our new plantings throughout the garden. If you see anything missing let Linda know for next Thursdays workday. Rebecca also managed to plant 2 shrubs and joined the weeding party north of the house. They (Dorothy Lamm, Chela and Peggy Scurlock, and Sue Ordway) removed Dalmation Toadflax, jointed goat grass, cheat grass, and squirrel tail grass abundant on the property just adjacent to ours. Nancy and Bruce Palmer toiled for some time in the heat and finished the sandstone pad for the bench in the Native Garden. Betty Marcus came early and watered many of the beds not on irrigation. Marilyn VanWaggoner helped water the north front of the house. Becky Lewis continued her work on roses. Some needed an additional Neem oil treatement, and some needed plants cleared from under them. Leslie Stone planted a Rugosa Rose. She actually had to dig 2 holes as the first one had a huge rock at the bottom. She also moved the stone bench that had become lost under the 1st tree we planted in the garden in 2004 (a blue spruce). Crys Wells moved a cluster of allium that was in the area where the new trellises will be put in on Saturday and Monday. Jane Reukema cleaned out our greenhouse, now that all hard scape has been put in the garden. Joe Harte trimmed a few tree branches and suckers. One of the "Girls for Good" came and filled bird feeders and cleaned and filled bird baths. Yvonne Chavez our new volunteer coordinator and Carol Lease came to hear the weed talk. One of the caregivers came out and cut lettuce for lunch for the residents. As usual Dave and Murphy joined us with several residents in the garden.

"To resist the frigidity of old age, one must combine the body, the mind, and the heart.  And to keep these in parallel vigor one must exercise, study, and love." 
-   Alan Bleasdale

Joe Harte found an interesting bug on our walnut tree. It was later identified as most likely a spittle bug. It can be washed off branches and should not harm the tree. It can deform branches if left on. Check out this site for a photo. http://bugguide.net/node/view/403690

On Saturday, we had a large crew of scouts in the garden. I counted at least 15 and there were probably more, from the ages of 4 on up. Carson Stone, an Eagle scout and his family, Boy Scout troop, and friends came to begin putting up some trellises in the garden. One is to block the view of the parking lot from the garden and the other along side the shed for climbing plants. As you can see this is a nice place to sit and view the Rose Garden and gazebo. The bench that Diana refinished is now part of the area. The crew dug holes for the posts with and auger and by hand, cemented in the bases, and then found time to help gather rocks to line a trail for the corner. That project will be done next week by another Eagle scout. The day had the feel of an old fashioned barn raising, with all working hard but enjoying themselves. The trellises were raised on Monday evening - come check them out.

Carson Stone - his family and friend.

New in the garden:
Sandstone pad in the Native Garden created by the Palmers, and a whiskey barrel pot with natives
More sandstone for a walkway between the Rose Garden and Switzer sidewalk donated by Diana Watt
3 new shrubs (Rugosa Rose, Apache Plume, and Elderberry)
A clean greenhouse - yeah! Thanks to Jane Reukema
New rose off the patio - Yellow Sunsprite - family donation

New blooms in the garden:
Peony, more iris, more clematis, ox-eyed daisy, day lily, the Purple Robina tree, and New Mexican locust
"The 'Amen!' of Nature is always a flower." 
-  Oliver Wendell Holmes 

   
Photos by Betty Marcus

Ready to pick this week:
Spinach, lettuce, mustard, and some kale

Work for the next few weeks:
Weeding - bed south of gazebo, including removing woods rose, the corner ambrosia, and bell flower incroaching on roses
Watering - inside and outside as needed
Plant up leftover annuals and perennials
Continue creating a new area in the native garden including gathering rock for a rock garden, and planting some pots.
Clean gazebo area (seedlings in bricks, bird droppings, etc.)
Adjust fencing at garden entrance
Reset bricks under the bench just north of the Faerie Garden
Resand the north patio
Wash pots

Upcoming:
June 15   9am-12pm    Monthly Saturday Workday
                                   Scout Trellis Project
June 20   9am - till       Scout Pathway Project
July 13    9am-5pm     Warner's 10% of Proceeds Day
July 25    9am-12pm   AmeriCorp help for the Thurs. workday

Thanks for all the help this week.

Loni