Southern California Horticultural Society Where passionate gardeners meet to share knowledge and learn from each other.

socalhort.org NEWSLETTER May 2018 OUR NEXT MEETING SCHS WELCOMES SHARING SECRETS IN THIS ISSUE Thursday, May 10 NEW MEMBERS The SCHS Sharing Secrets question for May is: May Program Details and Friendship Auditorium Several new gardening SCHS Announcements ...... 1 What horticultural topics 3201 Riverside Drive friends joined us last month - would you like to hear about April Program Recap Los Angeles, CA 90027 Afrodita Fuentes from future speakers or as and Sharing Secrets ...... 2 d program presentations? Danielle & Michael Romero Horticultural Happenings . . . . . 3 Socializing: 7:00 pm Andrew Siskind Respond by Monday, May 14 Upcoming Programs and Meeting begins: 7:30 pm Online at socalhort.org OR send SCHS Contact info...... 4 www.socalhort.org e-mail to [email protected] BULBS: SCHS FROM THE OLD WORLD TO YOUR GARDEN ANNOUNCEMENTS The month of May brings us with a concentrated focus on two REFRESHMENTS at MEETING popular local speaker and succulent Mediterranean-climate regions: the Eric and Ann Brooks, the member expert, Tom Glavich, a long-time Mediterranean basin itself, and the volunteers who have been setting up grower of bulbs Cape Province of South Africa. A few the coffee and refreshment table for and succulents. He bulbs from slightly outside these areas our monthly meetings, will not be is currently serving that are suitable for local gardens will attendance in May. If anyone can step as vice president also be mentioned. in for this meeting, please contact Steve of the Southern Glavich’s pictures are almost all Gerischer at [email protected] or California Daylily species, most in cultivation, but some (323) 257-3629 to coordinate picking and Bulb Society in habitat. As a grower, he will provide up the Brooks’ coffee supplies. It will (SCHAS) and is helpful hints on only be for this one evening and there is no cost involved... Thank you! also a co-chair of speaker. by provided Photos useful potting the Inter-City Cactus and Succulent mixes, as well as Show, held the second week in August touching on the GARDEN POTTERY RAFFLE at the Los Angeles Arboretum. Glavich cultivation and SCHS’ unofficial estate sale shopper, is also a member of the Board of propagation of Joan Citron, has amassed another Directors of the Cactus and Succulent these bulbs in our Ferraria divaricata intriguing collection of garden pottery which will be raffled off in May, piece Society of America (CSSA) and the Southern California environment. by piece. (Perfect to use with your new author of the Beginner’s Guide to Glavich recommends Bulbs by John plant purchases from the evening...) Gasteria, Haworthia, Agave and other E. Bryan, and Color Encyclopedia Succulent Monocots, which includes of Cape Bulbs by John Manning, 2018 HOTY BANQUET several genera of bulbous plants. Peter Goldblatt and Dee Snijmans, The SCHS is please to announce that Many pictures of the bulbs that will be as reading for those interested in John Schoustra is the honoree who discussed this evening can be seen on learning more on this topic. has been selected to receive the 2018 his website: Skyviewsucculents.com. After his presentation, Glavich will Horticulturist of the Year award. Details The presentation will consistanswer questions and offer selected for the September HOTY Banquet will of pictures and a talk on some old plants for sale. With plenty of interesting be appearing soon in upcoming issues of world bulbs that are known to do selections to learn about and possibly the newsletter and online so you can mark well in Southern California gardens, take home, don’t miss this program! your calendars for this annual event! u APRIL TOUR & PROGRAM RECAP • SHARING SECRETS The SCHS April meeting took From there, he walked us through a in full flower. place at the Huntington Library, Art part of the Cactus Garden that had many S t e v e Collections, and Botanical Gardens, more succulents in full flower, including Gerischer and consisted of a private tour of the 10- various aloes, Crassulaceae, and cacti, rounded out metz acre Desert Garden led by John Trager, pausing to take questions under a large the evening’s Curator of the Desert Garden and Desert Caesalpinia cacalaco. Trager concluded program Collections at the Huntington, followed the tour with some growing tips the with slides by a panel discussion on succulents with Huntington uses for different conditions featuring Laurel Woodley and Steve Gerischer in (i.e.: adding a mixture of compost and well-placed the Brody Botanical Center. silica to new planting beds or using succulents

Guests gathered at the main crushed lava rock as an amendment in designed Stein Sabine Photo: entrance to the Huntington, and were in flat areas to aid with drainage), and landscapes as well as in their native led down to the California Garden then took the group to the Brody Center habitat, to serve as inspirations for for the start of Trager’s walk and talk. for the panel presentation by two local home gardens. Gerischer is the current He mentioned that some of the aloes designers and succulent experts, Laurel president of the SCHS and owner of planted in-ground in the gardens began Woodley and Steve Gerischer. Larkspur Garden Design. He has an as test subjects in pots in the California Woodley, a past SCHS Horticuturist extensive knowledge of succulents and Garden, like Aloe striata. of the Year recipient, is a retired biology their myriad uses, which he shared Following the path near the Orbit professor from Los Angeles Harbor in his presentation. He discussed Pavilion, he pointed out Ethiopian aloes, College, who has been involved in the need to plan garden spacing for Mangave ‘Macho Mocha’, Agave titanota Southern California horticulture since eventual plant growth as well as for and a ‘Blue Glow’ agave that was in full the mid-1960s, and was past director and plant replacements; shared thoughts on bloom. Additionally, he spoke about president of the Cactus and Succulent using containers, such as hypertufa, to dealing with aloe mites, and suggested Society of America, where she currently showcase specimens; and offered design the best treatment is to trim off infested serves as advisor. She shared slides from suggestions for mixing different varieties leaves and burn them, saving any clean her personal collection of gardens she in one location to avoid having sections off-sets for future planting. considers to be examples of good design, of the garden look like “plant ghettos.” which integrate other elements with Additionally, Gerischer shared design plants to create a harmonious landscape. tips for combining plants with other

metz She shared pictures of the Patrick elements, such as including containers Anderson estate in Fallbrook, where with groups of in-ground plants the yellow color of his house is used (Judge Hall Garden in Pasadena), or as a unifying background for a variety incorporating personal items among the of plants in colored pots selected for plants (Woollcott/McCarthy Garden in their compatibility with the house. To the Hollywood Hills), to create unique create additional interest, plants are focal points.

Photo: Sabine Stein Sabine Photo: chosen based on varying shapes, sizes He concluded his talk by citing some Walking down the main road and heights. Sculpture, a pond and of his favorites, such as Agave attenuata surrounding the Cactus Garden, Trager the repetition of orange and turquoise ‘Boutin Blue,’ and also suggested South continued pointing out plants of interest, accents throughout the garden also tie Coast Botanic Garden, the Cactus and like Kalanchoe luciae and a blooming Agave various areas together visually. Succulent Society of America’s website marmorata. This brought the group to a Other slides Woodley showed (cssainc.org), Desert Creations and the large installation of Echinocactus grusonii, included Sherman Gardens in Cactus Ranch nurseries in the San Fernando or golden barrels, artfully interspersed Corona del Mar which uses miniature Valley, plus speciality garden club sales as with a variety of “old man” cactus. First sempervirens to maximum effect, and some resources for home gardeners to find brought from Mexico and planted at the shots of some favorite plants such as the the more unusual specimens they might Huntington in 1908, the golden barrels are Agave lophantha ‘Tricolor,’ Euphorbia want to try in their own gardens. now endangered in the wild. ‘Snowflake’ and a beautiful Aloe castanea d Sabine Steinmetz Members submitted a variety of in the near future. Check online and in SHARING SECRETS alternate meeting places, which the the newsletter for updates, or speak to SCHS board will be researching for one of the board members. RESPONSES feasibility (room capacity, cost, location, We are always happy to receive Do you know of any venues we could use for our monthly meetings? We etc.) in the coming months. member participation in our ongoing are considering rotating locations to We thank you for your many efforts to improve the SCHS experience improve accessibility to more members. thoughtful suggestions and hope we for everyone, and encourage you to keep d will be able to implement some of them contributing... Thank you! v MAY HORTICULTURAL HAPPENINGS

Please contact location(s) to confirm and grow sub-tropical fruits using greywater from sinks, a fungus and an alga living in a symbiotic partnership. Join listed events, and for a full schedule. showers, and washing machines. Learn about common and lichenologist Kerry Knudsen, who established the lichen popular systems, design considerations, costs, regulations, collection at the UC Riverside Herbarium., as he shares tales Events are free with admission health and safety, soaps and products, and how to choose of his collecting expeditions in search of these fascinating life unless otherwise indicated. a system that is a good match for your home and landscape. forms. Plant sale follows the talk. d Thursday, 5/24, 4:30-5:30pm. Brody Botanical Center Locations______are listed by Zip Code. Auditorium. Botany Bay Series: Plant Science for DESCANSO GARDENS Gardeners and Citizen Scientists with Jim Folsom, the NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF L.A. 1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada 91011 Telleen/Jorgensen Director of the Botanical Gardens. 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles 90007 818.949.7980 descansogardens.org Explore the plant world through discussion and hands-on lab time in this monthly series. 213.763.3466 nhm.org Saturday, 5/19, 8-10:30am. Community Service d 2nd Saturdays through July. Meet at North Ticket Day. Help with hands-on care in the Rose Garden. Booth for Saturday Strolls in the Nature Gardens Instruction will be provided and work supervised THEODORE PAYNE FOUNDATION with Carol Bornstein, director of the NHMLA Nature by Descanso horticulture staff. All experience levels 10459 Tuxford St., Sun Valley 91352 Gardens. Talk about which plants are tough, which welcome, ages 16 or older. Wear comfortable clothing, are fussy, how much to water, and what plants will closed-toe shoes and bring gardening gloves, water 818.768.1802 theodorepayne.org attract butterflies, birds, and other wildlife to your and a hat. Limited space. RSVP required. Please email Saturday, May 12 10am-12pm. FREE! BirdLA Day Event: home garden. [email protected] by Wednesday, May Backyard Birding with Native Plants Workshop with Steve d 16. Additional instructions will be sent with a form to Gerischer, owner of Larkspur Landscape Design and president sign in order to participate. of the Southern California Horticultural Society. Learn how J PAUL GETTY MUSEUM - GETTY CENTER d to attract and support birds in your own backyard, including which native plants provide food, shelter, and nesting sites . 1200 Getty Center Dr., Los Angeles 90049 CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY (CNPS) 310-440-7300 www.getty.edu/museum Saturday, May 12 12-2pm. BirdLA Day Event: Bird Origami San Gabriel Mtns Chapter / Eaton Canyon Center Folding Workshop presented by www.pincelbox.com. Drop in Daily, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm, 1750 No. Altadena Dr., Pasadena 91107 to fold your own origami birds with experts! All ages welcome. 45-minute Garden Tours. Meet at bench outside 818-398-5420 www.lacnps.org No experience necessary, and all materials provided. The event entrance to tour the Central Garden, designed by is free, but RSVPs are appreciated. artist Robert Irwin - an evolving work of art, with Thursday, 5/24, 7:30 pm. Lessons learned from 12 tree-lined walkways through extraordinary sights, years of local stewardship in an urban nature park in Saturday, May 26 1:30-3:30pm. Four Seasons of Color with sounds, and scents. California Natives with Lili Singer, TPF’s Director of Special Southern California, with Barbara Eisenstein. For 12 d years, volunteers have been caring for a nature park in Projects and Adult Education. Through vivid images and a the city of South Pasadena to prevent it from reverting detailed plant list, this multi-hued program reveals a vibrant J PAUL GETTY MUSEUM - GETTY VILLA to its formerly degraded state. Prior to the creation of array of trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, groundcovers and 17985 Pacific Coast Hwy., Pacific Palisades 90272 the park, the site along the Arroyo Seco Flood Control grasses that will ensure year-round interest and color. $20 TPF members, $30 non-members. 310-440-7300 www.getty.edu/museum Channel was used for illegal dumping, homeless encampments and passive recreation including walking d Thursdays & Saturdays, 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, and horseback riding. Within six months of the opening 1:30pm, 3:30pm, 40-minute Garden Tours meet outside in 2004, recently extirpated weeds were making a SAN DIEGO BOTANIC GARDEN the entrance. Discover rich mythological and cultural comeback on the 3-acre parcel. In response, Eisenstein 230 Quail Gardens Dr., Encinitas 92024 connections of four ancient Roman gardens. initiated a volunteer park stewardship program, Friends d of South Pasadena Nature Park. Over the years, they 760-436-3036 sdbgarden.org have developed strategies for replacing noxious weeds Saturday, 5/26, 9am-3pm. Palm, Cycad, Bamboo and SOUTH COAST BOTANIC GARDEN with locally appropriate native plants, and conditions Tropical Plant Sale. This one-of-a-kind event features 26300 Crenshaw Blvd., Palos Verdes 90274 are gradually improving. Many of these practices would rare and exotic species of palms, cycads and other work in other newly designated urban habitat parks. tropical plants, and is co-hosted by the Palm Society of 310.544.1948 southcoastbotanicgarden.org Southern California and San Diego Botanic Garden. For Eisenstein is a native plant gardener, writer and blogger. more info. go to: www.sdbgarden.org/tropical-sale.htm Saturday, 5/12, 10am-4pm. South Coast Rose Society Show & Her book, “Wild Suburbia – Learning to Garden with Sale. Rose and clematis enthusiasts are encouraged to enter Native Plants”, guides new and experienced gardeners d flowering blooms in our community show between 6:30 am on a journey toward sustainable, habitat gardening. She FULLERTON ARBORETUM to 10 am. Vases will be provided for blooms, but please bring is also a research associate at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic flower arrangements in personal containers. The SCRS will Garden and Plant Sale Chair of the CNPS San Gabriel 1900 Associated Road, Fullerton 92831 have roses, tools and our famous rose cocktail for sale. Mountains Chapter. 657.278.3407 fullertonarboretum.org d d Thursday, 5/10, 9-11am. Oak Hall Classroom. Beginner LOS ANGELES COUNTY ARBORETUM HUNTINGTON BOTANICAL GARDENS Bonsai with instructor Jim Pierce, curator of the current 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia 91007 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino 91108 bonsai exhibit at the Arboretum. In this class for 626.405.2100 huntington.org beginners, you will receive a bonsai tree, basic plastic 626.821.4623 arboretum.org pot, soil, plus instructions on care and maintenance. Every Saturday, 10am-1pm. Ranch Open House. Stop by Saturday, 5/19, 10am-12noon. Crescent Farm: Meadow Topics include survivability, soil, transplanting, this urban agriculture site (open weekly) and pick up fresh Planting & Care. Learn how easy it is to make meadow magic appropriate pots, fertilizers and styles of bonsai. ideas for sustainable gardening. happen using native and compatible flowers from seed. We’ll be making seed balls for everyone to enjoy and launch! Thursday, 5/10, 2:30pm. Ahmanson Room. Garden Talk Saturdays, 5/12 & 5/26 10am. Free Nature Tour. Meet at & Sale: Remarkable Lichen: Biodiversity and Ecology in Nature Center to join with a knowledgeable docent to Saturday, 5/26, 10-11am. Greywater 101: Grow Fruit at Home Southern California. Lichens are organisms composed of be guided through the beautiful garden. with Your Bath and Laundry Water. Learn how to save water w d Yvonne Savio x UPCOMING SCHS PROGRAMS d BOARD OF DIRECTORS d Unless otherwise noted, meetings are regularly held at Steven Gerischer - President, Oral History Committee, PR, Friendship Auditorium, 3201 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles, 90027 Pacific Horticulture representative, Tech Support for meetings Laura Bauer - Treasurer, Finance Committee, Website Committee d May 10 - Tom Glavich, author and lecturer, speaking Pat Steen - Membership Secretary, Recording Secretary, on South African and Mediterranean bulbs Coffee-in-the-Garden, Greeter Carol Bornstein - Program Committee d June 14 - Saxon Holt, garden photographer & author, Yoav Paskowitz - Finance Committee, Oral History Committee, presents a slide program on garden photography Website Committee Yvonne Savio - Horticultural Happenings, Coffee-in-the-Garden, PR VENUE CHANGE This event will be held at the L.A. Zoo. John Schoustra -Vice President, Field Trips, Finance Committee, Plant Raffle, Plant Sales at meetings d July 12 - Rebecca Burgess, founder of Fibershed, Lili Singer - Book of the Month, Nomination Committee, speaking on restoration ecology fiber systems Program Committee, PR, Archives, Social Media Committee Jill Vig - Coffee-in-the-Garden, Oral History Committee, Pacific Horticulture representative, Special Projects GARDEN QUOTE OF THE MONTH Sabine Steinmetz - Newsletter, Sharing Secrets Steven Ormenyi - Finance Committee Marilee Kuhlmann - Hospitality Committee, Program Committee “A leaf fluttered in the window Carol Aronson - Coffee-in-the-Garden Aprille Curtis - Social Media Committee, Plant Forum supplies this morning, Fleur Nooyen as if supported by the rays of the sun...” 818-567-1496 / socalhort.org / Join us on Facebook Newsletter Editor: Sabine Steinmetz - Anais Nin Contributors to this issue: Yvonne Savio

Next deadline: Monday, May 14 (for June newsletter) MAY Please contribute an article or information of interest.

Southern California Horticultural Society P.O. Box 94476 Pasadena CA 91109-4476 NEWSLETTER May 2018