Docents Visit San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) Notes: 1/30/17 Trip A visit to two children’s gardens and the bamboo garden Who came •Joan •Ellen •Patti •Carol •Yoko Our SDBG docent guide was Mary Friestedt – EXCELLENT Mary began with history (fascinating, formerly Quail Gardens) Land Gift to county, SDBG leases about 37 acres – of original 40+ First Stop: “Seeds of Wonder” • The original children’s garden at SDBG: 2003 • Now used as area for children six and under • About 1/2 acre Highlights • Trees (shade) including bamboo; tree trunks to climb on • Crafts area – table and benches • Water trough with hand pump • Animal sculpture and topiaries, (idea for us? frog – kaeru) • Annual festival very popular: Fairies and Gnomes • Chimes (made of bamboo or ?) • Shed with a green roof • Small house – could walk through • Vegetable growing area (we could have mizumi?) • Fig tree - now bare and pruned: when in season fruit to share • Patio for story telling – benches made of tree trunks Seeds of Wonder benefits to SDBG • Very popular with families and schools • Attracts New Members • »More income! Second stop: Bamboo Garden • Famous, largest in USA, origin of Bamboo Society • 125 species of this GRASS • Signs tell of Clumping versus Running – “Runners have ridges” – the ridges are vertical – Even with barriers 2.5’ deep, roots run • Smaller signs identify origin (didn’t happen to spot any from Japan) • How many acres? • Includes a small pond, where Joan saw big turtles basking • Zoo harvests bamboo every week for pandas • Dead leaves are good mulch whole area • Shime – means BINDING, a wonderful big sculpture made of bamboo, loops tied together by thin strips of bamboo. •The binding is redone 2nd week of September. By The Way • Fairly long walk to Hamilton Children’s Garden • Many other SDBG features pointed out, such as a Waterfall and stream (Our JFG ears pricked up); a Hubbell sculpture; other sculptures – special exhibit until April x • Most of SDBG (besides a fabulous Activity Center –originally for Boy Scouts, given by Ecke ) is organized by geographic area of origin (examples: Mexico, Madagascar, South Africa) • Southern California Native Plants (and there is a Kumeyay Indian Village – lots of school trips there) Third Stop: Hamilton Children’s Garden • Created 8-10 years ago. • Big sign tells origin, donors, and that land is long-term leased by County to SDBG. • Designed for children 7 and above (but we saw little ones in the water!) • Maybe 5 acres List 1: Features and areas probably not relevant for ideas for JFG • Tree house – 3 stories – VERY popular, made of concrete trunk with epiphytes; thus very shady • Labyrinth of tall grass with sundial center • California Quail habitat and info: caged (some of us saw one, quite hidden up hill) Favorite Feature • A little stream, maybe 35 feet long, less than 2 feet wide, and about 2 Inches deep. • Almost level, but moving and making stream sounds • SO pre-school KIDS HAVING SUCH FUN WALKING IN IT! • Stone wall adjacent, where happy parents sitting List 2: Interactive features that may inspire ideas for a JFG Children’s Garden • The Spell and Smell Garden: The Alphabet in circle of pots: all the plants can be touched. Example of Pot Sign: A-Aloe • Rock Hoppers: flat rocks in small area with sign challenging youth to hop from one to another • Pot a Plant table (plants were succulents, all materials handy) • Craft area: Shaded gazebo Table with paper and chalk, chalkboard • Music area (Joan’s favorite: bamboo chimes, stone xylophone, drum) • Amphitheater near tree house for parents and teachers to sit • Soft artificial ground near Tree House On way back to parking lot • California Natives – of great interest to our gardening docents • Important to know some of these flowers and shrubs if leading Canyon Tours as East Side of Canyon, above Cherry Grove, is designed for Natives. (This could be a short lesson during one of our Docent Meetings.) Now what, if anything? • What is best way to share ideas for a possible future interactive Children’s Garden with JFG staff and Board? Especially now that we know what a money-maker it could be. • More of you go on your own, or set up a second docent-led tour with Stephanie Wilson, Education Director Appendix: SDBG Docent Training and Commitments • Docent training - 4 hours every other week for four months, 9 a.m. to 1 or 2 pm. (8 total sessions) • •Trainees pay $80 for the training. • •Botany Boot Camp. Easy take home tests. Presentation of one of geographic area gardens, and describe one plant. • SDBG has about 300 volunteers, and 150 docents • Commitment – 80 hours a year. • SURPRISE: DOCENT TOURS ARE AVAILABLE ONLY ON SATURDAYS – 1.5 HR – 10:30-NOON • School trips and other group of course in addition .