SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Where passionate gardeners meet to share knowledge and learn from each other. socalhort.org June 2013 Newsletter OUR NEXT MEETING PLANT FORUM NEXT SHARING SECRETS Bring one or more plants, QUESTION Thursday, June 13 flowers, seeds or fruits for IN THIS ISSUE Inspired by this month’s 7:30 pm display and discussion at the program, the Sharing Secrets May Meeting Recap Friendship Auditorium Plant Forum. We will soon have question for June is: by Steven Gerischer ............... 2 3201 Riverside Drive an improved, downloadable Sharing Secrets ......................... 2 Los Angeles CA 90027 PDF version of the plant "Do you preserve any of the information card. Anyone produce you grow, and Coffee in the Garden................2 We meet the second Thursday bringing in material for the how?” Upcoming Field Trips & Coffee In of each month at 7:30 pm Plant Forum table should ______________________________ The Garden ............................... 2 remember to pick up an You can answer on the cards March 2013 Green Sheet by This meeting is free to SCHS exhibitor’s ticket for the Plant we’ll supply at our June 13 James E. Henrich............3, 4 & 5 members and is $5 for non- Raffle, on nights when a raffle meeting, on our MemberLodge members without a guest pass. is conducted. These plants are website or e-mail your Horticultural Happenings also included in our response to by Bettina Gatti ........................6 newsletter’s Green Sheet. [email protected] by Friday, Upcoming 2013 SCHS June 14. Programs ................................... 7 The June Meeting In the 21st century we take food PLANT RAFFLE RETURNS! preservation for granted. Fresh food is The Plant Raffle returns, and now we are available to us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week completely legal. Thanks to the efforts of our and when we want to preserve our food we board member and treasurer, Laura Bauer, simply put it into the refrigerator or freezer. our application cleared the morass of But it wasn't always thus. Less than 100 byzantine regulations imposed by the years ago food preservation (canning, Attorney General’s office and we are clear to pickling, fermenting, etc.) was an important hold a Plant Raffle once more! (With full part of every household's tasks. And, if we financial and record reporting of course.) For go back even farther in history we discover our June meeting we are hoping to have that food preservation is the very foundation interesting or unusual edible plants to raffle for civilization. The presentation addresses off in conjunction with our topic for the the rise, decline and rise of food meeting. preservation with a short introduction to the fermentation of vegetables. Chef/Instructeur Ernest Miller has been PERSONAL ITEMS AT MEETINGS cooking farmers' market fresh produce in Southern California for several years, including two-and-a-half years as the At the May meeting there was an unfor- Executive Chef for the Farmer's Kitchen in tunate incident of theft (the cash was taken Ernest Miller: The Rise, Hollywood. He revived and is the lead from the coffee “kitty”). A man came into the instructor for the Master Food Preserver back of the room, greeting everyone and Decline and Rise of Food program of the University of California Co- circulating in the crowd before pilfering the operative Extension, Los Angeles County. cash. He was not a member, but was also not Preservation (with an He is also a Master Gardener. He teaches behaving suspiciously. Brenda Kano classes throughout Southern California, is a witnessed the theft and confronted the man Introduction to consultant and frequent speaker on topics outside as he prepared to re-enter the Fermentation) such as food preservation, history and building. He promptly left. We are now public policy. calling Brenda “Pitbull” for her fearless act. Ernest Miller will be the featured speaker This is just a reminder to be aware of the for our June meeting, presenting his talk, The Join us for a look into this fascinating location of all valuables at the meetings. Rise, Decline and Rise of Food Preservation subject, where kitchen and garden meet. Many people have handbags and cameras, (with an Introduction to Fermentation.) etc. and should keep an eye out at all times. 2 MAY MEETING & MORE May Meeting Recap SHARING SECRETS COFFEE IN THE GARDEN In May, we asked you to answer “What is Our May meeting of the Southern California your favorite succulent?” and here are some Our most recent Coffee in the Garden event Horticultural Society featured Scott of your responses. Read more on our SCHS took place on May 19 at the charming Calhoun presenting his talk, The Graphical MemberLodge website, schs.memberlodge.org. garden of Sharon and Alvin Milder. Sharon Garden: A Bold Approach to Succulent told us that twenty or so years ago she Gardening. Scott took us on a personal started to expand her garden from the journey that charted the development of a Aeoniums and echiverias. The rosette form standard suburban landscape of lawn and garden designer specializing in creating of the foliage and the ease of cultivation as ivy. She widened the borders and planted landscapes for an arid climate. He showed well as the amazing array of colors are so roses and perennials, claiming more and us how he has been influenced by the striking in the garden or in containers. more of the yard with each passing year. spectacular and sometimes bizarre aspects -Steven Gerischer Her love of roses is evident, as is the care of the flora and natural landscapes of the with which they have been chosen. Her high desert. It has to be agave. I have been educated by collection is dominated by small-flowered Scott showed us how many of the plants reading Scott Calhoun that the history of the shrubs from the polyantha and rambler type that have adapted to survival in the high agave--chockablock with passion, greed, roses as well as musk roses, miniatures and desert regions of the west resemble the lust, murder and mayhem--is the history of antique varieties. The star attraction among whimsical creations of Dr. Seuss. The the human being at its worst. But the agave the roses is a beautiful shrub, Bermuda’s artwork, cartoons and woodcuts of artists has another history--human nature at its Kathleen that produces delicate single to Paul Landacre and George Harriman were best. The Native peoples of the Cahuilla semi-double flowers of pink, peach and also sited as influences on how Scott tribes of Southern California respected, cerise--changing as they age. A number of perceives his surroundings and works his loved, and honored the agave. In spring interesting perennials were blooming during landscape designs to capture the they harvested the agave "hearts" and our visit, including a spectacular specimen “otherworldly” feeling of the southwest. roasted them on site, following an ancient of Aristea major. The desert planet of Tatooine, from Star and revered ritual. These delicious hearts Wars was wrapped into the discussion, were a great treat in the annual food cycle of showing us how a fictionalized world can the Cahuilla. At other times, the Cahuilla bring the details of our own world into finer people tended to their wild gardens of focus. agave--planting the pups in the agave habitat, taking care of their wild crop. This Scott showed us a few select views of gentle interface--human and crops in the gardens he had designed with his company, wild--deeply moves me. The gathering Zona, and a number of gardens designed by during traditional times was carried on by people he considers his mentors. It is always men and boys, accompanied by storytelling fascinating to see the arc of development a and the singing of religious songs associated skilled designer takes in their chosen field, with agave. Certain agave-gathering areas and Scott’s talk covered that process with Rosa Bermuda’s Kathleen were associated with specific tribal humor and passion. He has authored six Sharon provided many of the delicious lineages.The Maki Museum in Banning books on various subjects relating to baked goods we enjoyed with our coffee in carries on this tradition. One weekend in gardening in the arid southwest (all of the garden. Both Alvin and Sharon were April people gather the agave; on another, which he had brought to the meeting for delightful hosts and welcomed everyone. the agave is roasted in traditional pits in the sale and signing). We would like to extend a hearty “Thank old way. You” to the Milders for opening their lovely We would like to extend our thanks to Scott -Anonymous garden and hosting our SCHS members. Calhoun for showing us how a desert gardener comes to be, and how various and unlikely influences can have a lasting So many are wonderful - how to choose? I UPCOMING FIELD TRIPS & impact on the creative endeavor. think my current favorites are epiphyllum cacti, just because my two plants are COFFEE IN THE GARDEN John Schoustra and Matt-Dell Tufenkian covered in outsized flowers right now and I We are working on Chavez Ravine offered plants for sale. Thanks to everyone never have to do anything to them to Arboretum III: The Eucalyptus Collection who brought plants for the forum table. promote this miracle. Later in the summer, I for October. This would be another session Thank you as well to all of the people who will be thrilled when my stapeliads bloom-- with our tree experts at the beautiful Chavez helped set up the meeting, sign in our yeah for weird, stinky flowers! Ravine Arboretum, followed by a picnic guests, run the AV equipment and help -Anonymous lunch.