Workday 5/27/10

Well it sure felt like spring had arrived today. The plants are growing quickly even with the dry weather, because of so much moisture this winter. The potatoes and and radish leaves are beginning to peek out, and the produce from the CSA seems happy even though it has been cold.

The first to arrive today was Vicki Goodwin. She watered all the back gardens and managed to get in some weeding in front of the house. David Hockman did his usual hole digging for a Mock Orange, McCormick Rose, and a couple of small plants. He also dug up a crushed Russian sage that met it's demise in the winter when a plow dumped a driveway bumper on it. We were all happy to see Laura Davis return from Tucson. She spent the day planning for the new garden, and planting a few hardy perennials. Julie Holmes and Judith Chaddock worked on the inferno strip - weeding and adding a few new perennials. Cynthia Katte made sure the birds had food and water and continued to deadhead the tulips and daffodils. Marcia Lamkin planted our annual red runner beans on the birdhouse trellis and worked in the Faerie Garden. Marilyn VanWagner watered the front gardens. I spent my time planting some summer bulbs, and getting pots ready for the last of the tomatoes, peppers, and basil.

Blooming:
White Tulips and in the Moon Garden
Pansies in the Tea Garden
Blue Flax in the Inferno Strip
Irises, purple alliums, alyssums, and blue flax throughout the gardens.

Planted:
Red Hot Pokers, a variety of Penstemon, and grasses in the Inferno Strip

Plans for next week include setting the timers on the drips, a few more repairs, planting some annual pots, and planting the last of the perennials from High County Gardens. We need to begin moving extra plants into pots for a garden sale in June - Red Hot Pokers, lambs ear, yarrow, and germander. If the weather continues we also need to fully uncover mulch from the roses.

For the month of June there will be many opportunities to help in the garden. We will do our usual Thursdays from 8am-12pm and since I will be in the garden on Tues/Thurs from 1pm-330pm with a group of Upward Bound students, you are welcome to join in and help teach/supervise seniors from thoughout Arizona. Their projects will include: watering, weeding, planting, providing food and water for the bids, and staining a couple of benches. On Thursday June 3rd we will also have a group from 8am-12pm from CREC. They will be helping to create a new Native Medicinal garden (weeding, moving plants, and rock work). If you want to join us, wear a hat, sunscreen, and closed toed shoes. Park either on Turquoise just past Switzer Canyon Drive, or at the 1st Congregational Church. Tools, water, and snacks are provided.

To own a bit of ground, to scratch it with a hoe, to plant seeds, and watch the renewal of life- this is the commonest delight of the race, the most satisfactory thing a mand can do. ----Charles Dudley Warner 1870

Thanks,
Loni Shapiro

Workday 5/20/10

On a beautiful, sunny day in the garden, our regular gardeners came and helped get the garden up and running for 2010. Al Katte got our water feature going, posted a information board for residents and visitors, moved a large rock that got moved by the snowplows and fixed our Wildlife Habitat sign. Linda Guarino returned from her vacation and repaired all the leaks in our drip system. Vicki Goodwin watered and weeded our front beds. Nancy Palmer finished mounting the birdhouses, added the last of the hard scape to the Faerie Garden and filled the bird feeders and baths. Cynthia Katte planted some donated iris and deadheaded the daffodils. I spent my time planting tomatoes and other vegetables, watering the houseplants and some recent plantings.

We had several visitors to the garden. Dave Hill and Zane brought out many residents to enjoy the garden. The local coordinator of Upward Bound came to see the garden and learn firsthand what her volunteers might be doing in the garden in June. We will have their help in June for two afternoons each week..

New Donations:
McCormick Rose from Nancy Palmer in honor of her parents
Bearded Iris - donor unknown

New Plantings:
Tomatoes - Yellow Pear, Big Beef
Seeds
Radishes - French Breakfast
Beets - Gourmet Blend
Bush Beans - Contender
Spinach - Bloomsdale
Carrot Baby - Little Finger
Corn - Spring Treat
Lettuce - Valentine, Gourmet Baby Greens, Farmers Market Blend, Q's Special Medley, Red Sails

New Blooms:
Choke Cherry Tree

New Features in the Garden:
Lasagna Vegetable Bed
Informational Sign for residents and visitors

Our next workday will be May 27th from 8am-12pm. You are welcome to join us for any or all of that time. Plans for the day include: watering those beds not on drip, continuing clean up of cinders/pine needles, filling bird feeders and baths, planting 2 roses - 2 shrubs - and some hardy perennials and red runner beans, set timers for the drip system, and clean up of the greenhouse. We need to sort through what might be used for a Plant & Garden Sale in June. The following week we will be looking at thining some lambs ear/yarrow for the plant sale. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me at maxmaddy@infomagic.net.

Thanks,
Loni Shapiro

Workday 5/13/10

On Thursday, with a chill in the air in the morning, several volunteers came to work in the gardens. Judith Chaddock and Colleen Copeland-Larrabe finished pruning the roses and adding their initial feedings. David Hockman dug several holes to plant new shrubs and vines. Nancy Palmer came and finished mounting bird houses on the trellis. Joe Harte returned for the season and pruned several trees and shrubs, while cleaning up debris in the canyon below the garden. Julie Holmes filled bird feeders and helped Vicki Goodwin weed and clean up the south Switzer Canyon beds.

Most of the daffodils and tulips are gone after the hard frost last week, but other shrubs and plants continue to grow each week.

Our first Saturday workday was held without anyone attending. The Saturday workdays were scheduled for those unable to work on weekdays, but if there is no interest they will not occur. Future Saturday workdays will be with RSVP required by the Friday before. They are the 3rd Saturday of each month through September. Contact Loni Shapiro by e-mail or phone - maxmaddy@infomagic.net or 928-522-8635.

New plantings:
Arnold Red Tartian Honeyshuckle shrubs (2), Hops
Native Garden - Rocky Mountain Columbine, Creeping Barberry
Moon Garden - Dusty Miller, Evergreen Candytuft, Mt. Atlas Daisy
Rock Garden - Creeping Basket of Gold Alyssum
Butterfly/Hummingbird Garden - Pincushion Penstemon, Blue Glow Globe Thistle, Sunset Hyssop
Sensory Pots - Pineapple Sage, Curley Parsley
Perennial Bed - 3 Poppies - 'Royal Wedding', 'Brilliant', 'Victoria Louise'
A variety of vegetables - broccoli, cauliflower
Greens - lettuce, choi, mustard greens, spinach

New blooms:
Crabapple trees, Apple trees
Faerie Garden - Prairie Smoke
Cement Patio area - European Pasque Flower

On our regular workday, Thursday, May 20, from 8am-12pm we will be weeding, watering, cleaning and deadheading the Switzer Canyon beds, doing drip repairs, and planting a few hardy perennials. We still have some hardscape to be placed in the garden and will need to fill bird feeders and clean baths. Come join us for any or all of that time. Parking is available on Turquoise or at the First Cogregational Church. Those new to the garden should arrive by 830am for orientation.

Workday 5/6/2010

On Wednesday, Norvel Owens came by the garden with his bobcat, and helped us move a rock pile that has been sitting at the corner of Swizer and Turquoise for more than a year. Rocks were added as a backdrop to the large sign on the corner and to line the beds that are between the corner and the house. This will be the location for a new "Native Medicinal Garden" to honor Michael Moore. Some of the smaller rocks were piled near the sign to create a shady rock garden. Norvel made short work of a really big job. Many of the rocks were not only large but very heavy. Watch our progress as we work to improve these gardens (more natives and more drought tolerant).




On our regular Thursday workday we continued to clean up the gardens and began to prune our roses. There was more damage than usual with the heavy snows. David Hockman did his usual hole digging and planted a new tree. Hattie Braun came to give instructions on pruning to some master gardener trainees and those new to rose pruning. Vicki Goowin and Marilyn VanWagner found time to water much of the garden, while Hattie, Colleen Copeland-Larrabee, and Judith Chaddock pruned. I spent my time getting ready for a Saturday "Container Gardening" class in the garden. Nancy Palmer spent her time getting the birdhouses up on the trellis. Leslie Pennick came late and worked on the compost pile.

On Saturday, after spending a couple of hours in the classroom, attendees came to Olivia White and planted tomatoes, a shade basket, stacking herbs, and a wine barrel full of natives. The class of 8 made short work of their assignments and then planted a pot to take home.

Next week in the garden on Thursday, we will be finishing rose pruning, checking the drip system, watering the front gardens, and beginning clean-up of the south beds. We have a couple of shrubs to plant in front of the house and some hardscape to bring out. Joanie Abbott's crew turned on the water for us so the timers need to be set.

On May 15th, from 9am - 12pm we will have our first Saturday workday. The weeds are multiplying, and we will continue to deadhead all areas of the garden. Work will focus on the beds on Switzer Canyon for clean-up. We will begin creating new beds in those south gardens in June. Native medicinal plants will be added to the Michael Moore garden.

New in the garden:
Lasagna bed for veggies (variety of kale), potatoes and lettuce planted, two tomatoes planted and covered with frost cloth, stacking herb pot.

New blooms:
Pasque flowers, Guinea-Hen Flower (fritillaria)


We are not sure where this bulb came from. I looked through our old lists of planted bulbs and it is not something that was purchased. We order many bulbs in the fall and it may have come with some other small bulbs by mistake. It is beautiful!

Newly planted:
Native Garden - Limber Pine
Native Garden Pot - Alpine Strawberry, Yarrow (red & white (Greek), Shenandoah Switch Grass, 'Blue Lips' Penstemon, Blue Avena Grass, Tickseed, Wine Cup
Tomatoes - Juliet, Green Zebra
Herbs - Sage, Rosemary, Oregano, Parsley, Dill, Chocolate Mint, Thyme, Lemon Balm, Basil
Shade Basket - Coleus and Sweet Potato Vine

Workday 5/4/10

Beautiful container from Santa Fe Nursery

Last week I did my yearly crawl through the nurseries in Santa Fe. I started at Santa Fe Greenhouses(High Country Gardens) where I found many drought tolerant/cold hardy plants. Next was Plants of the Southwest, where they have an abundant selection of native trees/shubs and many unusual herbs. Last of all was Agua Fria Nursery that has so many plants it boggles the mind, but I was looking at vegetables. They have more than 20 tomatoes and more than 25 chilies and peppers. It is always fun for me to explore these nurseries, so I spend a whole day and way to much money.

Yesterday, we had a large crew of seniors (12 and a leader) from Coconino High School who came for their annual senior project. Julie Holmes, Crys Wells, Marcia Lamkin and me helped direct the clean-up work. In about 3.5 hours they managed to move a pallet of bricks, collect rocks for the bottom of a large raised bed, raked and bagged pine needles, filled bird feeders, sanded and stained our raised beds, brought out much of our stored hardscape, and weeded a nasty area on the corner of Turquoise and Switzer Canyon. Next time you drive by you will notice the difference. It is beginning to look like a garden again. With our limited crew it would take us weeks to get the work done that they accomplished in one morning. Thank you for a job well done.


Coconino High School crew

On Thursday, May 6, we will have our weekly workday. Plans include: pruning roses, planting some seed and transplants from the seedling CSA, weeding a small area in front of the house, planting some shrubs, repairs and mounting some signs, and watering.

On Saturday, May 7, I am doing my annual "Container Gardening" class for CCC. This year we will be planting some pots in the hospice garden.

Come join us for any part of the day on Thursday. Hattie Braun will be directing rose pruning beginning at 9am. Marion Lopez our regular rose expert is ill and we wish her a speedy recovery.

DO NOT PARK AT THE HOUSE! PARK ON THE EAST SIDE OF TURQUOISE OR AT THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

Workday 4/29/2010

On Thursday between snowflakes, Judith Chaddock, Julie Holmes and me mangaged to get some work done in the hospice garden. We spent most of our time dead heading - Moon, Tea, and Rock Gardens along with most of the East back gardens. About 10:30am we spoted more than 15 deer just north of the garden (males, females, and youngsters). We thought they might not be seen this year with the new YMCA, but they are here frequently and in large numbers. As much fun as it was to see them we have many tulips chewed off at the top. Lets hope they find new digs when the roses begin to bloom.



Next week we will have two workdays. On Tuesday 5/3, Coconino High School will be doing their annual give back to the community workday. We plan to weed, move some pavers, water, sand raised beds and do general clean-up. On Thursday we will have our regular workday. Marion Lopez will join us to help direct rose pruning for those who want to learn. We have more than 40 rose bushes. We will also be putting out our hard scape that was stored for the winter, and continuing general clean-up.

Come join us for either of those workdays. Tues - 830am-1230pm and Thurs. 8am-12pm.
Questions: contact Loni Shapiro maxmaddy@infomagic.net.

Donations:
Olsen Grain has agreed to help us feed the birds for another season.
Linda Guarino has donated $100 towards 3 new shrubs for the garden.

Loni Shapiro