Spring 2010 Parkside
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SPRING 2010 PARKSIDE HERMANN PARK CONSERVANCY NEWSLETTER Endangered Species Media Project Media Species Endangered 1 In the Park Project Blazingstar has brought together hundreds of volunteers who have collectively put over 2,000 hours into 2 this effort. From the Executive Director Staff Conservancy 3 Hermann Park’s Japanese Garden Continues to Awe Park Visitors 4 – 5 Hats in the Park 6 Celebrating Lake Plaza Students from Chavez High School make seed balls, each Priscilla Dickson Priscilla containing the seeds of a particular prairie species, to be scattered around the designated planting sites. in the park Project Blazingstar Brings Native Plants Back To Hermann Park Hermann Park was once located in a coastal Volunteers also rescued plants from undis- prairie rich with grasses up to eight feet in turbed prairie sites around the Houston metro height. As development took its toll, the prairie area. This March, over 200 student volunteers increasingly became scarce in Harris County made over 8,000 seed balls. Seeds included and eventually made the list of endangered Blazingstar, Rattlesnake Master, Indian Blanket, HATS IN THE PARK ecosystems. and Muhly Grass, which will bring rich colors See page 4 and textures to the Park’s natural areas. In 2009, Hermann Park Conservancy joined MISSION forces with a number of organizations to create Last summer, Conservancy volunteers and Project Blazingstar, a comprehensive effort to HPARD staff began preparing the first planting Hermann Park restore prairies in Hermann Park by replacing site, located between the Japanese Garden Conservancy is a non-native plants with native species. Project and McGovern Lake, working diligently citizens’ organization partners include sponsor Waste Management, through April. They cleared invasive plants, as well as Coastal Prairie Partnership, Katy transplanted small trees to other sites in the dedicated to the Prairie Conservancy, Texas Master Naturalist, Park, and mowed overgrown non-native stewardship and Houston Audubon Society, Native Plant grasses. Volunteers and partners then planted improvement of Society of Texas, Endangered Species Media 1,300 rescued plants and thousands of seed Project, Eyes on the Bayou, Houston Zoo, balls on April 17, 2010. Future projects will Hermann Park— Student Conservation Association, Harris be located in Bayou Parkland and at the today and for County Master Gardeners, and Houston Parks corner of Holcombe and Braeswood. generations to and Recreation Department (HPARD). The first Restoration of the prairie ecosystem will create year goal is to plant more than 2,000 rescued come. a better environment for the Park’s wildlife, and cultivated prairie plants in the Park. recover a vibrant and colorful landscape, and Preparation began last summer with the collec- raise awareness about prairie conservation. tion of native annual and perennial wildflower and grass seeds for seed ball production. www.hermannpark.org PARKSIDE / SPRING 2010 DONORS from the executive director from Garden Conservancy Fund Restoring our nearly hundred-year-old Park requires attention $100,000-$249,999 Genevieve L. Duncan to details large and small. At the Hats in the Park luncheon, we Hats in the Park Luncheon (All gifts in honor of Ann Hamilton, honoree, honored a person who has stood by the Conservancy as it has and chairs Jana Arnoldy and Linda Hunsaker) $10,000-$24,999 tackled all levels of Hermann Park’s incredible transformation. Jana and Scotty Arnoldy Ed Cowan Ed Cherie and Jim Flores Ann Hamilton, the 2010 Carol Linn/LINN Energy Bob and Elyse Lanier John P. McGovern Foundation Award recipient, has a Bobbie Nau/Silver Eagle Distributors special knack for not only $5,000-$9,999 caring about the large Denise Bush Bahr/Donna Bruni/ Ellie Francisco/Kim Tutcher capital projects, but the Blanton Family/Scurlock Foundation projects that appear a bit Alice Burguieres/Karen Huff less glamorous. CenterPoint Energy Susie and Sanford Criner Recently retired after an Clayton Erikson/Lynn Swanson 18-year career at Houston Hildebrand Fund Endowment Inc., Ann’s Linda and Barry Hunsaker legacy of ardent support Jackson and Company The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation for improvements in Laurie and Reed Morian Hermann Park can be seen Ann accepts a small tree from Mayor Annise Ann and Don Short Parker. In appreciation of her efforts, a large in many ways. Getting excited Paul G. Somerville/Associated Pipe Line Loblolly Pine tree has been planted in the Park. about the vision for the Jones Contractors, Inc. Reflection Pool when it was not St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System operations to build a solid foundation Phoebe Tudor much more than a muddy basin is for implementing the vision she shared Sheridan Williams one thing, but being passionate with the Conservancy’s founders. It $1,000-$4,999 about the replacement of 55-gallon also provided funding for the master Scott J. Atlas Philanthropic Fund plastic drums with attractive trash Marion Barthelme and Jeff Fort plan for Hermann Park, which has cans throughout the Park is perhaps Karen and John Bradshaw – In honor of guided our restoration efforts. The another. But Ann has been enthusiastic Ann and Don Short and Y. Ping Sun foundation significantly funded the about all aspects of our work, caring and David Leebron Heart of the Park restoration, which Lois Chiles deeply about creating a positive, included the Jones Reflection Pool, Franci Crane memorable user experience. Susie Cunningham and was again a major presence when Priscilla Dickson Priscilla Brenda and John H. Duncan, Sr. the Conservancy took on the Lake Jenny and Jim Elkins Plaza project, completed last year. Maureen Goddard – In honor of The Jones Greenway in the Plaza, Sydney Goddard which resembles a winding bayou Sandy Godfrey Terry Hershey swale with a walking trail, replaced a Starlett Hollingsworth dirt ditch surrounded by concrete in Margaret Larkin the large parking lot used by visitors Ann Lents to the Houston Zoo and Lake Plaza. Penny Requa Loyd Ann was as eager as anyone to pull up Catherine Clark Mosbacher the concrete and create something Katharine Newman Evelyn Nolen greener, healthier, and more attractive Petrello Family Foundation in its place. Isla Reckling Carolyn Robertson A tip of the hat to Ann for her inspiring Courtney Sarofim Ann Hamilton, Hats in the Park dedication to quality of life issues and Kathy and Ed Segner honoree, and Doreen Stoller parks in Houston. Hermann Park is Ellen and Steve Susman certainly the better for it. Jennifer Wilson $500-$999 Ann has been supportive of the See you in the Park! Clair and Tom Amonett Conservancy’s mission since its Shirley Bainter beginning when the Park was in a Jay Baker state of serious disrepair. Houston Gina Bhatia – In honor of Drake, Endowment helped fund our staff and Doreen Stoller Mia, and Morgan Bhatia 2 DONORS HERMANN PARK CONSERVANCY Carole Bilger Deana Blackburn Rosanna Blalock Hermann Park’s Japanese Garden Jane Bonham Polly Bowden Continues to Awe Park Visitors Marsha Braniff Staff Conservancy by Photos Pat Breen Catherine Brock Engraved boulders Mr. Iwasaki welcome visitors prunes a crape Valerie Carter to the improved myrtle in the Liz Howard Crowell Japanese Garden. Japanese style. Sylvie Crum Hilda Curran Veronica Curran Mary D’Andrea/Gulf Coast Cancer & Diagnostic Center Isabel David Nancy Dinerstein Sara Dodd-Spickelmier Gabriela Dror Sue Edelman Patti Everett Mary Ann and Larry Faulkner Deborah Ginsburg Carol Herder Kay Holmes Merle Hunsaker Barbara Hurwitz During the last two weeks of February, when boulders to the left of the entrance. Rick Kammerer and Tim Cagle Susan Keeton the cold weather in Houston seemed like Once inside, visitors appreciate new stone Gaye Lovett Kelsey it was never going to let up, Hermann Park paths, stepping stones, bamboo fencing, Caroline Kenney Conservancy was honored to host a visit appropriate plant material, and a wisteria Colleen Kotts from our Japanese Garden horticulture team trellis overlooking the koi pond, all of which Margaret Kripke from Japan. Over the last three years, the have changed the face of the Garden from Harriet Latimer Cornelia Long team, led by esteemed landscape architect an Americanized version of a Japanese Marley Lott Terunobu Nakai and honored landscape gar- Garden to the real thing. Cora Sue Mach dener Hiroshi Iwasaki, has focused on shrub Over the course of their latest visit, Mr. Nakai Anne C. Mendelsohn pruning techniques in the Japanese style, Denise and Bill Monteleone and Mr. Iwasaki held Park staff training sessions construction of the teahouse tea garden, and H. Joe Nelson III in the techniques of Japanese Black Pine the installation of hardscapes throughout the Barb Noel and Sharon Noel trimming and shaping, illustrated Japanese Garden and at the welcoming entry. Mauri Oliver/Vicki Rizzo crape myrtle pruning, and located sites for Pam Ott Tina Pyne 40 new trees. Due to the exceptionally cold Martha Snyder weather, the team was treated to a spectacular Dian Stai flowering of ornamental trees throughout the Cassie B. Stinson Garden. Cherry trees planted last season at Doreen Stoller – In memory of their direction exploded with pink blooms, the Erin Gregory Neale Mary Jane Wakefield specimen Japanese apricot tree (Prunus mume Martha S. Walton ‘Kobai’) displayed its dark coral pink petals, the Isabel B. Wilson Mexican plums flaunted their showy white Susan Wolcott aromatic flowers, and the Redbuds stole the Sallie Smith Wright Mr. Nakai (left) and Mr. Iwasaki (far right) teach Japanese Black Pine trimming technique show with their hot pink-purple display. $100-$499 to Park staff and volunteers. Lilly Andress The annual Japan Festival, held the weekend Madeleine Appel of April 10 and 11, 2010, attracted visitors from Kathleen Barndt throughout the Houston region. Displays of Karol Barnhart Previously nondescript, the entrance to martial arts, Japanese music and dance, and Sandy Barrett the Garden on the west edge of the Jones vendors selling Japanese fare and merchandise Kate Criner Bellin Reflection Pool has been made prominent Susie Bender by large granite boulders.