3^rd Garden Planning Minutes

 NHPC office - March 14, 9am-12pm

2^nd hour meet at garden (weather permitting)

Attending:  Loni Shapiro, Megan Woodson, Betty Marcus, Crys Wells, Rebecca Davis, Laura Davis, Lynn Overend, Leslie Stone, Christine Orr, Judith Chaddock, Joe Harte, Linda Guarino, Katarina Karjala

I.             Read TB skin tests

II.            Updates

                1.  New people

Several new volunteers: Lynn Overend, Leslie Stone, Whitney Fessler. Jeanette Sletton and Carol Lease will return.

                2.  MG class – April 3

                     Orientations April 25 or May 4 10am (2 hours) – about 2 hours

                3.  CMGA Award

Several MG from Coconino attended the Sonoran Desert MG Conference. We set up a table for our county and won 1^st place for the best table. This was mostly due to hospice material:  Crys’s poster, Betty’s seed packet, and my 2012 garden book which drew people into the space. We won two garden books for the extension.

                4.  Tree Planting

Loni attended several good workshops. One of them was about planting trees and root pruning. Once we are in the garden I will do a mini inservice on the info during a break.

                5.  Earrings – sales? – new rack for selling

Possible places to sell since we won’t be doing a plant sale:

                Farmers Market (Megan will check with Heather Babbitt)

                CMGA Plant Sale June 2 ($10 for a table)

                Run for Life

                6.  Photos of bench

Loni circulated photos of the coffee table from the storage locker. It is too large for the north area where the sheds are, but on our walk in the garden we found a good space on the FUTS trail. Loni will contact Diana on her return.

                7.  Hodge Podge donation for long time volunteer

Loni reported a change from the donors. They want to add blackberries from the garden of the volunteer.  Several people expressed objections due to non-native material that could be invasive. Loni will check with Tom DeGomez for recommendations (Director of the Extension).

III.           Garden activities for 2013

1.  Regular workdays 2 days a week – Monday & Thursday with 1 Saturday a month if help available. General garden upkeep (weeding, watering, planting, dead heading, compost, etc.).

2.  Orientation for new gardeners (April 25, May 4) 10am. Megan will start with NHPC/HIPAA                                                      orientation. Loni will finish with garden orientation (total about 2 hours).

3. Landscaping projects for 2013 - Corner Garden, new area around the sheds, north front bed along Switzer Canyon (Penstemon/Pollinator garden), sandstone pathway from sidewalk along Switzer to Rose Garden, Native Garden area.

4.  Update vegetable, herbs, and fruit garden areas

5.  Continue planting and create signs for the Michael Moore Native Medicinal Garden. Install drip.                                          

Laura will add info to the grease board for this garden. She will do some mini reviews for people interested in working there on what to weed/water.

6.  Level all rain barrels

7.  Move standing raised bed and rain barrel

Several questions about why it needs to be moved. Loni will clarify with Diana. Barrel will have to be raised to be functional on the ground.

8.  Replant gazebo area as needed after re-staining

            9.  Continue other fundraising activities with material on hand (note cards, jewelry, bricks, Warner’s).

                     Earring samples from Linda.

          10. Educational information updates (will be available for review)

                Update general garden info sheet (Loni Shapiro) - done

                Update donor list through 2012 (Loni Shapiro) - done

                Revise map of garden to include new gardens & Switzer Canyon Beds (Linda Guarino)

                Complete yearly book for house on garden activities for 2012 and begin 2013 (Loni                                                                           Shapiro) – done

All books brought except donor (described contents) for show and tell.

                Revise Wish List Book (all gardeners contribute to this) – temporary done

Linda added a Craftsman 2 7/8 in. Handi-Cut for the irrigation equipment

                11.  No Native Plant Society contest for 2013

                12. No plant sale or County Fair entries

                13.  Added to the list – all 3 mailboxes need to be cemented

                14.  Several large branches of elm in FG down. This tree has become a hazard and may need to be removed.

                15.  Mt. Ash on Switzer is dead and needs to be removed. Loni will talk with Native Plant & Seed about replacement.

                16. Many broken outside solar lights, metal bracing, and lavender dug up – probably plow- near the pathway from the parking lot to rose garden. Most of stakes in front mangled and people continue to drive into this garden bed. Any ideas appreciated!

IV.          Plans for possible group help

                A.            Possible groups to schedule as needed or requested – Megan – Brandon – Loni

                                Earth Day/Make a Difference Day?

                                1.  Girls for Good

                                2.  Grand Canyon Youth - Loni

                                3.  High Schools – Coconino/Flag High/NPA

                                4.  NAU – Honors Class

                                5.  AmeriCorp/CREC - Loni

                                6.  Others as requested

Loni will contact Americorp and Grand Canyon Youth. We will need additional crews for weeding in the spring. Megan will help us find some (some past people listed above). Coco High usually does a spring volunteer day in May. Megan will check. We may do a Earth Day clean-up advertised in the calendar in the newspaper – April 20.

V.            Garden planning for 2013 (meet at about 10am at garden– weather permitting) – all welcome

                This will be about concepts for landscaping– further meetings to finalize specific plantings for Corner, Shed, and front garden.

                                1.            Corner redo

Discussed removing large juniper (Joe maybe) and replacing it with a Utah Serviceberry (red fall color), leave the other juniper and add some drought tolerant plants(lavender, sulfer buckwheat, Rocky Mountain Penstemon.) Rock Garden just south of the rocks behind the sign (horehound. Showy oregano.). Kay may help with this when she arrives.

We need to recreate the pathway from Turquoise to the sidewalk on Switzer.  This may be an Eagle Scout project or CREC. A special meeting is needed for more planning. Loni will contact Karen and try to schedule.

                                2.            Shed area planning

Leslie Stone’s son will do a screen for an Eagle Scout Project. Loni to contact Diana on return to run idea by her, then set up a meeting with the Eagle Scout.               

                                3.            Sandstone pathway from sidewalk to Rose Garden area

Placement on the south side of the arbor bench – hose stand needs to be moved. This may be AmeriCorp or another Eagle Scout.

                                4.            Hodge Podge Hummingbird Garden area

This needs to be revisited with the Hodge Podge crew after Loni talks with Tom DeGomez.

                                5.            New cement bench placement

Loni to meet with Diana when she returns to talk about placement.