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The Development of Lotusland's Horticulture Program LOTUSLAND NEWSLETTER FOR MEMBERS VOLUME 23 NO. 3 SUMMER 2014 The Development of Lotusland’s Horticulture Program OR “HOW WE GOT FROM THERE TO HERE” BY MICHAEL IVEN ADAME GANNA WALSKA created Lotusland with dramatic dis- M plays featuring collections of exotic plants such as bromeliads, cacti, cycads, ferns and succulents. These often eclectic designs were developed by Madame and added to the existing estate garden with significant contributions from numerous designers. No doubt some were notable horticulturists (SB City Superintendent of Parks Ralph Stevens, Lockwood DeForest, Bill Paylen), but most worked as designers. Lotusland was primarily a residence and the residential landscape mainte- nance crew had varying degrees of experience and professional expertise, based on their own practical knowledge, self-motivation and initiative. There was no training program to provide information about the new and often SANTA BARBARASANTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY exotic plants that would eventually Ralph T. Stevens (son of the original owner), horticulturist and landscape architect at Lotusland from define Lotusland. A grounds foreman 1946 to 1955. (a welder by trade and plant hobbyist) provided oversight of the day-to-day IN THIS ISSUE operations. Gardeners were assigned an area of responsibility and that’s where The Development of Lotusland’s 1 Cycad Summit 11 they spent most of their time. Horticulture Program In Memoriam: Loren Whitelock 11 Trusted local companies undertook Director’s Letter 3 1930–May 27, 2014 bigger projects like tree trimming, plant moving and garden construction. Ozzie LotusFest! 4 Volunteer Profile: Craig Morgan 12 Da Ros, Bruce Van Dyke, Griffin Tree Collections News 4 An Educator for Life and Landscape, to name a few, worked Specimen Cactus and Plumeria Lotusland Graduates 27 Docents 12 on numerous projects and consulted The Galapagos Islands— 5 with Madame on work in the garden. Thank You to Our Corporate 12 A Natural Laboratory Many became her trusted advisors. Garden Steward, Garden Stewards Influences on grounds maintenance The Lotus Society 6 and Garden Guardians practices were numerous and, under Horticultural Happenings 7 Hutton Wilkinson Delights 13 these circumstances, a routine conven- Building Sustainable Gardens at a Sold-out Lotusland Event tional approach to grounds care was the easiest program to manage. Scheduled Members’ Family Day 8 Dawnridge: Spectacular 13 applications of herbicides, pesticides We Live in a Desert, Let’s Be Water Wise! Beverly Hills Design Showcase and chemical fertilizers were the norm. Exceptional Plants: 10 Volunteer Opportunities 13 Charles Glass, grounds manager from Lotusland Auction and Sale at Lotusland 1971 to 1983, designed and supervised Summer Twilight Tour 10 the installation of the cycad garden Help Make Lotusland’s 13 Continued on page 2 New Planters at the Garden Shop 10 Wishes Come True 2 The LOTUSLAND NEWSLETTER FOR MEMBERS is published by Ganna Walska Lotusland 695 Ashley Road Santa Barbara, California 93108 805.969.3767 • www.lotusland.org BOARD OF TRUSTEES Larry Durham, President Connie Pearcy, First Vice-President Crystal Wyatt, Second Vice-President Ian M. Fisher, Secretary William M. Daugherty, Treasurer Marc Appleton Daniel Bifano Andrew Chou Belle Hahn Cohn Geoffrey Crane Isabelle Greene SANTA BARBARASANTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY BILL DEWEY Mason Farrell Lockwood de Forest was a landscape architect at Bill Paylen worked at Lotusland starting in 1968. Dawn Lafitte Lotusland in the 1940s. His work included cactus He designed the original fern garden and its Debby Longo and euphorbias in front of the house. renovation and extension. Suzanne Mathews Eileen Rasmussen Susanne Tobey Continued from page 1 January 1987. Staff attended local work- Leland Walmsley beginning in 1975. Charlie recognized shops and national seminars looking for Peggy Wiley the importance of plant curation and his information wherever we could find typewritten notes formed the basis for it, discussing ways to adapt new agri- Lifetime Honorary Trustees cultural practices to our own situation. Merryl Brown Lotusland’s plant record database still in Robert J. Emmons use. He implemented some horticultural We installed fertilizer injection pumps Arthur R. Gaudi improvement projects, pulling gardeners on our automatic irrigation systems Kisa Heyer out of their assigned areas to work on to micro-dose feedings over time and Anne Jones special projects. Charlie created raised started a small-scale composting pro- Michael Towbes beds in the cactus and aloe gardens to gram. The crew performed new, albeit Carol L. Valentine improve drainage and prescribed some conventional, methods prescribed to Gwen Stauffer, M.S. targeted feeding programs, but his focus correct obvious deficiencies. Ironically, Executive Director remained on design. we had crewmembers growing organic Anne Dewey, CFRE After Ganna Walska passed away in vegetables in their home gardens, but Director of Development 1984, it was clear that the gardens and working at a site regularly exposed to facilities needed substantial attention toxic products. Diane Figueroa, CPA Director of Finance simply as a matter of preservation, and Lotusland had the mindset to make the possibility of public visitation needed changes and an Integrated Pest Manage- Bob Craig to be considered. At that time, more crew ment program (I.P.M.), an environmen- Director of Marketing projects were organized to tame over- tally sensitive approach using methods Virginia Hayes, M.A. grown areas, provide ground support with the least possible hazards, was Curator of the Living Collection for a newly hired certified tree trimmer initiated. As public visitations began in Michael Iven and lower the hedges to a manageable 1993, applications were scheduled for Director of Grounds and Facilities height throughout the property. non-tour days. Many new strategies Dorothy Shaner The crew was organized into teams were being explored and personal con- Director of Public Programs that worked together one day a week on nections were made with the County of Steven Timbrook, Ph.D. special projects, integrating members Santa Barbara Agricultural Department’s Director Emeritus of the grounds staff and replacing the entomologist and plant pathologist. A segregation of previous years. Some local farm supply company helped us Printed by Jano Graphics gardeners resigned, and new staff mem- set up an irrigation injection system to Lindse Davis, Design bers were hired based on their grounds deliver N-phuric (urea/sulphuric acid) maintenance experience. Although there through irrigation lines to lower soil pH was never a horticultural mandate, the in selected areas. We began purchasing Mission Statement grounds crew began preparing for public beneficial insects to help control pests We preserve and enhance the unique visitation at the same time, responding and started planting cover crops to historic estate of Madame Ganna Walska, care for and improve its collections, and to deteriorating plant health. At this attract more beneficial insects. We develop its conservation and horticulture time, we began to do some soil testing. discussed oak trees, palms and soils programs, so they educate us, inspire us, Lotusland’s affiliation with the with University of California Extension and advance our understanding and American Association of Botanic Gardens Farm Advisors. The appearance of some appreciation of the importance of plants and Arboreta (now called the American plants improved for short periods of in our lives and in the life of the planet. Public Gardens Association) began in time, but it would never last. Overall, 3 The cassette tapes from the transformational UCLA conference that helped form Lotusland’s horticulture program. orchards, tree ecology, compost/humus and beneficial organisms. The timing was perfect for us—we were primed John Lafleur started his Lotusland career in 1970 Charles Glass walks down the main drive with for this information. and eventually served as the plant health care Ganna Walska in the mid 1970s. We took pages and pages of notes manager until he retired in 2006. and bought 24 cassette tapes of the the toxicity of our inputs was decreas- UCLA presentations. Most importantly, we would tell the crew, “That’s it. No ing, but plant health was not improving we began to establish relationships more chemical pesticides, herbicides or to our satisfaction. Plant health care with people who had information we fertilizers.” So that’s what we did. We was changing, but not really improving could use to improve Lotusland’s horti- made a commitment to encourage, not and we knew it. cultural program. Those relationships battle against, natural processes, and In 1997 two of us attended a continue to this day and have helped us plant health at Lotusland just keeps Sustainable Tree Care Conference at develop a very successful plant health getting better. UCLA. The conference was billed as care program that is dynamic and It took awhile, maybe 40 years, but “An Intensive Course in Soil Fertility, responsive to changing conditions. Lotusland finally has a broad range of Tree Health and Insect/Disease Resis- On the way back to Santa Barbara horticultural resources and advisors tance.” Presentations over three days from the conference at UCLA, John that, you could say, compliment the included talks on mycorrhizae, agronomy Lafleur, Corey Welles’ predecessor, and many designers that helped Madame and soil fertility, foliar nutrition, organic I decided that on the following Monday Walska create this fantastic garden. Director’s Letter S THE DROUGHT continues, many supplies to irrigate. Even so, Lotusland of you are asking how the plant has a long record of self-imposed water Acollections of Lotusland are faring rationing. It is a precious and sometimes and how we are managing the gardens scarce resource in the Mediterranean with the water restrictions. The good climate in which we live, so we want to news is that Lotusland is in fine shape maximize our water supply and protect because the intelligent use of water is a the community aquifer. We closely critical aspect of our sustainable garden- monitor the condition of our well and ing model.
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