l The Conifersof Lotusland-- 1NMOST PLACE.Son the earth, and certainly at Lotusland, the vegeta­ tion is dominated by angiosperms - the flowering plants that provide us our daily bread and enrich our LOTUSLANDworld with color. While extremely suc­ Nrws LLTIL R cessful, the angio­ sperms are relative Volume3 No.3 & Autumn1994 newcomers, having --':~>cycads, of which Lotusland ica include the coast redwood (Sequoia) However, because our total visitor has a world-famouscollection; Ephedra , and the big tree of the Sierra (Se­ numbers as set by the County of "Mormontea," the sourceof a potent de­ quoiadendron),both members of the Santa Barbarawill remain low, tour congestant;Gnetum. a genus of rainfor­ bald cypress family (Taxodiaceae),and space for members and the public est vines and shrubs; Welwitschia,rep­ the Monterey cypress ( Cupressusmac ­ will be limitednext year. resentedby a singlespecies in the Namib rocarpa)and the incense cedar (Ca ­ Members may call beginning Desert of southwestAfrica and surely a locedrus decurrens),both members of Monday,October 10, 1994,for 1995 contenderfor the titleof "weirdestplant the true cypress familyor Cupressaceae tour reservations. Reservationsfor in the world;" the maidenhair-tree (aren't common names confusing?1). the general public will open a Ginkgo;and the assemblagecollectively However,our North Americanimage of month later. We encourage mem­ termedthe conifers,colloquially referred what a conifer looks like is biased by bers to take advantageof this ben­ to·as "pine trees."The last group is of the fact that two families,the monkey­ efit. Youcan reach the Reservation concernto us in this presentation. puzzle family (Araucariaceae) and the Office Monday through Friday The conifersinclude seven families, podocarp family(Podocarpaceae) have from 9 a.m.until noon at (805)969 - 52 genera, and 600-plus species. Of a dominantlySouthern Hemispheredis­ 9990. Remember,the garden closes these, perhaps the most familiarare the tribution, and many genera in other every year from mid-November true pines (the genus Pirws)and their families are restricted to eastern Asia until mid-February.Tours will be- close relatives,the spruces (Picea)and and/o r the Southern Hemisphere.In­ (_ , gin againon February15, 1995. firs (Ables),all occurring in the family deed, the Santa Barbaraskyline has an Pinaceae.These show up in our gardens unusual appearancefor North America as accent plantsand often dominatethe vegetationin montane areas.Other fa- Conifers-continuedon page2 Mair1House O Rer1ovatior1 Crew

THECONSTRUCTION FIRM of Lurie& Lurie (pictured,left, on front steps) recently completed a six-month renovation of the Main House at Lotusland.The pro­ ject includedseismic safety work, hand­ icapped access projects, and mod­ ifications for increased energy effi­ ciency in heatingand electricaluse.

Conifers-continued from page1 they produce pollen in vast amounts, light intensitiesthan most angiosperms. because of the spare,upraised branches often dusting their surroundingswith a suiting them to dominate subarctic and of the various cultivated species of noticeable yellow mantle in season. subalpinesituations. Araucaria, otherwise native to South Most conifer seeds have wings and are While ow-gardens are dominated Americaand the southwestPacific. wind-dispersed,but some of these (e.g., by the food and color provided by the The conifersapparently form a nat­ many pines) are commonly dispersed floweringplants, conifers play an im­ ural group that traces its origins back to by birds and rodents. Junipers, yew portant role as backdropsor as accentf ) the great age of coal, some 300 million trees (Taxus) and podocarps have of color or formwithin the garden;t hey years ago. With exceptions,conifers are fleshy seeds that are clearlyanimal dis­ are used in this role to good effect at trees or shrubs with needle-like or persed. Araucaria often has immense Lotusland.They also have a major role scale-like leaves. The leaves are often seeds which are ill-suited to wind dis­ in economics.As a source of both tar arranged in a whorl on a "short shoot," persal.and must have some history of (distilled resin) and mast wood, they with the short shoots arising inter­ animal dispersal to explain its dis­ were a strategic resource in the age of mittently along a "long shoot." The tribution. sail, playinga role not dissimilarto that wood of conifers is generally homo­ While many conifers occur in of oil today. Presently they are the geneous and smoothgrained, leading the mixed forests associated with broad­ mainstay of our timber industry, and group to be referred to as the "soft­ leaved trees, others, particularlyin the thus of housing and they are an im­ woods."In microscopicview, it is dom­ Pinaceae,occur in great masses in cool­ portant source of paper. inated by elongate cells which serve to temperateregimes in the mid and high Those wishing to further examine both conduct fluid and support the tree, latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. the group are referred to the classic A in contrast to the wood of angiosperms Indeed,the Pinaceaeof this area form a Handbook of Coniferae and Gink­ which has two differentcell types, one grand vegetationalunit, the TaigaBiome goaceae,by W Dallimore and A. B. dedicatedto each function.Often con­ (a.k.a.the spruce-moosebiome), which Jackson( 4th ed.), revised by S. G. Harri­ ifer wood is rich in resin which is ex­ has outliers in more southerly areas son (London, E. Arnold, 1966),or the uded when the plant is damaged.The re­ such as the Pine Barrensof New Jersey, morerecent Manual of CultivatedCon­ productive organs are predominantly and the conifer forests in the highlands ifers by G. Krussmann(2nd ed.),edited cone-like, being formed of spiraled of western North America.The success by H. D. Warda (Portland, Oregon, scales embedded among which are the of conifers in these regions has many TimberPress, 1 985). ovules or pollen sacs. However, there explanations, some local. some uni­ -Bruce H. Tiffney are exceptions to this, as many junipers versal. They are often able to tolerate and podocarpshave berry-likeseeds. nutrient-poor or water-logged soils The author is Professorof Paleobotan,._ The conifers are wind-pollinated. that flowering plants cannot. Also, it with the GeologyDept. at UCSBand a Because of the element of chance in­ appears that conifers can photosyn­ member of Lotusland's Bw1ding o volved in this mode of reproduction, thesizeat lower temperaturesand lower GroundsCommittee . 2 Staff•Profile : JOHNLAFLcUR n KeepingLotusland Plants HealthLJ & HappLJ

MADAMEWALSKA personally hired John trigued by the process of eliminating fertilizing and drainage systems to Lafleur as a Lotuslandgardener in 1970 pests from the gardenby the use of pes­ create a healthier plant that naturally practicallysight unseen. She heard he ticides. He began experimentingwith resists insectsand diseases.He also uti­ was a gardener at El Mirador-the fa­ using the least toxic method of con­ lizes a combinationof Saferssoap and/ mous Arrrour family estate bordering trollingpests rather than what was then or oil which kills many pests. including Lotuslandon the north.J ohn said he ex­ considered the status quo method of aphids.but leaves the beneficialinsects pected it to be a "temporaryjob," and spraying plants twice a week with in­ unharmed.Biological control of pests is now, nearly 25 years later. he is still dustrial strengthbug spray. integralto Lotusland'spest management temporarilyhere! John's interestin pest control even­ program.The Eugenia,for instance, has John attributeshis longevityat Lo­ tually led him to the lengthy study of made a remarkablerecovery thanks to tusland to the freedom he was given to IntegratedPest Management, and he re­ tiny wasps which were brought into learn and grow and be challenged by ceived a pesticide applicator's license the garden from nursery plants to elim­ the job. John recallsMadame Walska as from the state of California.Plant pests inate the psyllid which had been caus­ being "very kind and very fond of his at Lotuslandare now controlled under ing severedamage. children." Madame Walska would ask the expert supervisionof IntegratedPest John lives in Goleta with his three that all the gardeners wait outside her ManagerJohn Lafleurand his assistant, children and his wife, Reidun,who is a door each morning for their in­ Corey Welles.Both attend severalsem­ surgery nurse at Cottage Hospital.The structions. She liked to have the staff inars each year in order to maintain family likes to relax in Hawaii where work in groups because it was easier to their proficiency. John can take a break from Lotusland's keep track of them!John was originally Johnuses culturalmethods for con­ pesky problems' put in charge of the roses and ge­ trollingplant-damaging insects and dis­ -Anne Dewey ( raniums and over the years was in- eases such as changing the watering,

Deali11g with Pests

Lotusland's IntegratedPest Manager,John Lafleur.demon­ strates the "bug eat bug"theory of pest control to studentsat Roosevelt ElementarySchool.

3 Horticultural Happenings 0 With MIKc IVcN Lotusland GroundsSuper intendent

LOTUSLANDGARDENER Corey Welles is pictured at right with one of the three Aloe dichotomafrom the nur­ sery which have been planted in the aloe garden behind the shell pond near the A. ramosissimaand other A. di­ chotoma. Raised planting areas were prepared for these new plantingsin or­ der to provide good drainage and the best possiblecultural conditions.

A COLLECTION of Pritchardia palms from the Lotuslandnursery has AABGA TOUR (Below):Curator Virginia Hayes points out plants of interestto been planted in a prepared area ad­ visitorsfrom the 1994American Association of BotanicalGardens and Arboreta jacent to the fern garden and the Ash­ conferenceheld June 15-18 in Pasadena.Participants came from botanicalgardens ley Road entry drive. Species include P. worldwideto networkand share common conc erns.A pre-conferencetour visited hillebrandi1;P. kaalae, and P. valstera.In SantaBarbara's "Horticultural Mecca ·· which includedvisits to SantaBarbara Bo­ tanicGarden, Alice KeckPark Memorial Gardens , San MarcosGrowers , and Sea­ u addition, three Trachycarpustakil were sideBanana Gardens , culminatingwith a tourand dinnerat Lotusland. planted as a group in the samearea.

RENOVATIONof another section of the cactus garden was completed. All organic matter in the twenty-year-old soil mix had decomposed,resulting in a very poor growing medium with a low water infiltrationrate. Areas are being renewed section by section in order to keep the logisticsof the operationman­ ageable.Plants and landscape rocks are removed and a sand/gravel mineral amendment is incorporatedbefore re­ planting and relandscaping.

- EXTENSIVETREE WORK in the cycadgarden has been completed.In or­ der to allow more light into the garden and to provide space and improve cul­ tural conditions for existing and future plantings,many trees (mostlyvolunteer Acaciaspecies) have been trimmedand/ or removed. An extensivecleanup of the eucalyptus forest adjacent to the epi­ phyllurngardenhas been completed.

4 SYMBOLISM• OF THr LOTUS

THEAQUATIC LOTUS has been a timeless How stainlessit risesfrom its slimy bed.How modestly it reposeson the dear pool-an ( source of inspirationto the peoples of emblemof purity and truth.Symmetrically perfect, its subtleperfume is waftedfar and Egypt,lndia and Asia, who saw in this wide, while there it rests in spotlessstate, something to be regardedreverently from a plant's yearlyemergence from the water distance,and not to beprofaned by familiarapproach. to seek the light of the sun a symbol of Chon Tun, 11thcentury AD. Chinesepoet spiritual growth. Rising from the life­ giving waters of the Nile, the blue lotus (actuallythe water lily Nymphaeacae­ ru.lea)was a symbolof creation,life, im­ mortalityand resurrectionto the ancient Egyptians.They venerated the flower for its strong, sweet scent, which they believedto be life-giving. Variousdei ­ ties were associatedwith the flower,and it was connectedwith funerealand sac­ rificialrites. The sun god Re, concealed in a lotus, raised himself from the pri­ mordial waters. Nefertum, the per­ sonifiedgod of the lotus and of fragrant unguents,was representedin templeart as a man with a lotus-flowerhead -dress. The sacred lndian lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)which grows out of the mud­ died waters but sits unsulliedatop them and daily opens to the rays of the sun, ( has long been an honored emblem in India and Asia, indicatingspiritual tran ­ scendence, beauty and purity. Because The "jewelin the lotus''atop a lanternin Lotusland'sJapanese Garden. it opens in the morning and closes at night, the lotus was a metaphor for the Hindu devotees meditated on a enlightenment can flower in an un­ sun. 1nHinduism, it was a symbol of the chosen deity by envisioninghim seated satisfactoryworld . In the Pure Landsect universe coming out of the primeval on the lotus of the herut,which is the of Buddhism,which originated in 8th waters and manifestingitself in its glory center of life itself.This idea was ex­ century A.O. China, the Buddha of -demonstrating the idea of the one be­ ternalized in artistic representations of BoundlessLight was imaginedto reign coming many as the lotus petals main­ deities seated upon a lotus throne. In in a Western Paradise above a lotus tained the shape of the bud even after Yogathe padmasana,or lotus postme, is pond in which the souls of the faithful they had opened up and fallen.A thou­ a particular sitting position adopted as departed were constantly being reborn sand-petaledlotus (symbolizingthe "to­ most suitable for religious meditation. out of the lotus buds floating on the tality of all revelations")rose from the The lotus is used to describe seven waters before him. The "ExcellentLo­ navel (representing the center of the chakras-or centers of consciousness­ tos-Flower"(Pad-ma bZlng-po) was an universe) of the "Preserver" Vishnu. which are envisioned as energy points emblem of original purity for Tibetan Seated upon the opened flower was along the spine which open up and Buddhists who saw it as one of Eight Brahma,the "Creator." "flower"as the yogi progresseson his Auspicious Symbols - altar bronzes Reclining,splayed fertility goddess­ journey towardenlightenment. which commemorated the gifts offered es, whose necks and heads were re­ The imageof this triumphantflow­ by celestial beings to Buddha after his placed by lotus blossoms, combined in er rising in its growth from the mud of a attainmentof enlightenment. a single metaphor the ideas of both pond to rest in sunlightis suggestiveof Madame Walska chose the name birth and rebirth. Found in India from the Buddhist's quest to surmount the Lotusland for her gardens that others ( the first century A.O., these voluptuous darkness of illusion and break into the might see reflected in her creation the women embodiedthe generativepower light of perfect understandingwhen he persistenceof the lotus in its victorious of nature and were reputed to cause shall become a fragranceto purify the ascent. trees to bloomby their mere touch. fetid vapor of this world-showing that -Janet M Eastman 5 "Women of Beautw andCharm" MADAME WALsKAopened a perfume business at 2 Rue de la Paix in Paris in 1927.When she wa~about to expandthe businessto Americaand Canada,an in­ terview by a UnitedPress news paper re­ porter commented about her latest ven­ ture saying, "There are a lot of things interviewers desire to know about this fascinatingwoman who has two con­ tinents sittingat the edge of their chairs wondering what she woulddo next." When askedabo ut bringingher line of perfumes and cosmeticsto America, Madame Walska was quoted as re­ marking, " ...w hy shouldn't I? There are twenty-three million women in this country, and they have developed the same aesthetictastes as their French sis­ ters.After all, perfume is simply applied aestheticism, and is it not a sound ap­ proacht o a problemso important to eve­ ry woman-th e maintenance of her charmand allurefor men?" ( Les Parfumsde Ganna Walska of­ } fered five unique varieties, "GAR­ case with "Ganna Walska"inscribed in to that type of modern women who are DENIA- exceptionallyswee t and fra­ goldon the silklining. dynamicbut feminine, womenw ho work grant... truly an aroma of fascination The 1927 interview with Madame hard but remain charming,women who befittingthe modem maiden;POIS DE Walska closedwith this comment: "Be­ withal retain their sense of perspective SENTEUR-exotic and mildly alluring causeof her beauty,her intellect,her tre­ and theirgood senseof humor." Sweet Pea... creating an atmosphere of mendousvitality, Ganna Walska belongs -AnneDewey true enchantment for madameand mad­ emoiselle; DIVORC:ONS-heavy and daring... decidedly expressive,revealing the soul of the truly sophisticated;POUR CRUISINGFOR C ONIFERS LE SPORT-spicy and capricious, it Class Opent o Members OnlLJ,Oc tober 20 & 22, 1994 lends to gayety and frolic... choice of the vagabond lovers of sport; BLUERIB ­ BON-light and refreshing ... favorite of Join UCSBPaleobotanis t BruceTiffney and LotuslandDirector Steven Tim­ the smartset.. .truly characteristicof the brook for an introductionto those green things that even many gardeners culturedsociety debutante." commonlydism iss as "pine trees."An illustratedlecture by Prof.Tiffney will Unfortunately,the businessfailed in introduceyou to the history and biology of this group, together with its di­ the early months of the depression. versity and biogeographic distribution. The talk will be followed by a walk There remain no samplesof the actual in the gardenwith Ors. Tiffney and Timbrookto view some of the different perfume,but recently a wonderfuldona ­ taxa of conifers and to allow you to examinesome of their distinctive fea­ tion was made to the Foundation. Ma­ tures firsthand. Classes will be held Thursday, October 20, and Saturday, dame Walska's niece, Hania Tallmadge, October 22, from 1:30to 4:00p.m., for membersonly. Admissioni s $6.00. To gave Lotuslandone of the originalgo ld reserve space please fill in the coupon at right and return it with your pay­ perfumeatomizers which has her aunt's ment.Classes are limitedto 25 memberseach day. Reservationswill be made signature etched on the glass bottom in the order coup0ns are received. (picturedabove). It camein a pink leather 6 FRlt:NDSOF LOTUSLAND We welcomenew memberswho joined in May,June, July 1994

LtVtL I Alan and JaneMagree JosephB. Koepfli Clyde and Wanda McAdams LauraNanna Mrs. EldonH. Abbey MaryannMcCarthy Debbi Pearson Mr. and Mrs. Arnold E.Bellowe AlexanderH. Meisel Mr. and Mrs.John E. Roche Jaye Carman Gail and Gary Milliken Mr. and Mrs. C. William Schlosser SusanL. Cochran JannD. Moeller Sali and FredSilverman Mary PotterCompton Dickand PhyllisNielsen JaneMacauley Spratt RobertCoolidge SusanA. Oppenheimer BertramD. Thomas Kathyand BillCouturie JuneP. Ostrander C. RandallUmland Sunny and MichaelCrandell Timothyand PamelaRodgers Barbaraand Arthur Weiss Ann P.Darlington Dorothy Cullen Shaner JulieAnne Del Rivo PattiW. Shavelson LtVtL Ill Anita Dominocielo-Ho Dan Stuart JoanFollis AliceJean Tr iggs Marion S. Anderson Beth Geiger Ms.Jo M. Wagner Mrs. RobertCarpenter Lindaand FrankGranat SumikoWarden Mrs.Joseph R. Osherenko David E. Gray CaroleWasserman FrankT. Pierce John Grower MargieWilliams JimSwift SherylLynne Hand LauraLee Woods BonnieHennessey LtVEL II Robert S. Woodward RamintaJautokas WilloughbyC. Johnson Wanda Allison Lt\ltl IV Art and PatriceKinberg Virginiaand HarrisonBeardsley MargoPaige Klin e Mr.Terry M. Bible Mary Clyde Barbey Gloria Kolesar Mrs.Elsie M . Chmiel David and Dana Kovach Ms. Mary T. Dorra HONORARVME,IBtR KathleenE. La Fetra Arminand Marie Ehrhardt JenniferMacMillan IngeGatz-Gilbar HaniaTallmadge

------GarmaWalsRa Lotuslaf\d • Registratiof\IDrm · Cruisingfor Conifers- October20 & 22

Check one, _ __ Thursday,October 20, 1:30-4:00 p.m. ___ Saturday,October 22, l:30- 4:00 p.m. ___ Numberattending, $6.00 per person $__ _

Mail to Ganna Walska lotusland,Attn: MembersEvents, 695 Ashley Rd., SantaBai'bara, CA 931o8

PAYMENTMETHOD MemberNam e______

D Check Enclosed(payable to Ganna WalskaLotusland) Address ______D VISA D Mastercard ExpirationDate __ _

Card Number ------Phone------Signature ------7 · THE l.oTUSLAND NEWSl.ETlU.. is publishedby Ganna W alskaLotusland Foundation 'J 695 AshleyRoad SantaBarbara, California 93108 (805)969-3767

Boardof Trustees: Mrs.Edward R. Valentine. President Mrs. ElizabethW. Dake Mr. Arthur R.Gaudi Mrs.Robert M. Jones Mr. MichaelTowbes

Dr. StevenTimbrook, Director Anne Dewey.Assistant to the Director VirginiaHayes. Curator Mikelven. Grounds Superintendent

Anne Dewey,Editor New Rose Pla11ti11gs i11Gard e11 JanetEastman, Editorial Assistant JudithSutcliffe, Design MADAME WAI.SKA'srose garden was replanted this spring with several varietiesof Printedby J & S Graphix roses including the white-floweredIceberg seen in the foreground.This work as well as reconstruction of the balustradeat the head of the rose garden was made possible through the generosity of Mary Ann TysonGreen.

( )

Non-Profit ( .. Organization U.S.Postage ' PAID ~1 Santa Barbara . CaliforniaPermit No.163 ' J --·-: Ga1111a\ValsRa Lotusla11d1Du11dation 695 Ashley Road Montecito,CA 93108

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