Photo: Paula Schaefer

Docents Path of Discovery By Rebecca Mordini, Communications Coordinator

“I'm here to do penance,” the big man wearing the Patagonia sun hat informed me. I gave a small laugh, but Patrick Murphy didn't smile. He looked down at me with some intensity and said, “No. I am serious.” And so began his tale of how he came to be in the Arroyo Room at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden during this first day of school tour docent training.

Volume 22, Number 4 Winter 2014

Quarterly Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

IronwoodIronwood

2 Winter 2014

Santa Barbara Botanic Gardentel (805) 682-4726 — fax (805) 563-0352

www.sbbg.org

Garden Winter Hours November — February:Daily 9:00am - 5:00pm

Membership: (Ext. 110)

Garden Shop Winter Hours (Ext. 112)November — FebruaryDaily 10:00am - 4:30pm

Garden Growers Nursery: (Ext. 127)Selling California native plants to the public

with no admission fee.Staffed 10:00am - 3:00pm daily

Class and Event Information: (Ext. 102)Registrar is available Monday — Friday

9:00am - 4:00pm

Volunteer Office: (Ext. 119)

Master Gardener Helpline: (805) 893-3485

IRONWOODVolume 22, Number 4 — Winter 2014

ISSN 1068-4026

The Ironwood is published four times a year as a member benefit of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, a private nonprofit institution founded in 1926.

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden fosters the conservation of California native plants through our gardens, education, and research, and serves as a role model of sustainable practices.

The Garden is a Member of the American Public Gardens Association, the American Association of Museums, the California Association of Museums, and the American Horticultural Society.

©2014 Santa Barbara Botanic GardenAll rights reserved.

Board of TrusteesChair John A. Brinker

Vice-Chair James O. Koopmans, CPASecretary Peter SchuylerTreasurer Carolyn Kincaid Henderson

Sue AdamsMargaret BakerPatrick ConnellyMarc FisherLou FrostJohn GabbertElizabeth KeateAmy MillerJohn ParkeCharles J. Rennie, III, MDEdward RoachSusan SpectorSusan Van AttaJohn M. Wiemann, Ph.D.

Follow the Garden

facebook.com/sbgardenyoutube.com/sbbotanicgarden

ON WEB T H E

Director’s MessageMany ThanksAs I celebrate my fourth anniversary as the Garden’s executive director this month, there is really a much bigger celebration to acknowledge—the successful completion of our $14,000,000 Seed the Future campaign. Thanks to more than 400 generous supporters and volunteers, we have raised the funds needed to strengthen the Garden for a more impactful future. Campaign funds are enabling us to implement wonderful changes here in the Garden and they are helping secure our financial future with a growing endowment. Many of these changes are underway now.

The Seed the Future campaign is supporting five new or renewed gardens, including the Meadow Revival. The Meadow completed its last round of weed control and has now been planted with the native grass and wildflowers which will lead to years of beautiful displays of that historic view. Construction is also underway on the new John C. Pritzlaff Conservation Center east of Mission Canyon Road. Once complete, this new building will house our herbarium and rare plant seed bank, as well as the staff from our conservation, research, horticulture and administrative departments.

And because of the generous gifts of people like Ken and Shirley Tucker, Connie Harvie, and others, the Seed the Future campaign raised nearly $3,500,000 toward our long term endowment, helping us ensure the long term financial stability of the Garden.

The cover story of this Ironwood is about our docents, a dedicated core of individuals within a larger army of volunteers who are all indispensable to this organization. Our Seed the Future campaign was carried out by a team of 50 volunteers. In 2014, volunteers in all Garden departments donated more than 14,000 hours of time—the equivalent of seven full time employees. This is the season of giving thanks and I can never give enough to these supporters.

In closing, I would like to offer a huge thank you to our members—another loyal and indispensable support group of the Garden. Many are also donors and volunteers. Together you have made all of the successes of this year possible. Thank you all for your support.

Sincerely,

Steve Windhager, Ph.D.Executive Director

Thanks to more than 400 generous supporters and volunteers, we have raised the funds needed to strengthen the Garden for a more impactful future.

“

”

From all of us at the Garden

Happy holidays!

Ironwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 3

Meadow Revival Nearing CompletionBy Betsy Collins, Director of Horticulture

GARDENERS JASON NELSON AND RILEY KRIEBEL have worked diligently over the past 20 months to return the

Meadow to its historic condition. The project will finish with a flurry of activities this fall and winter. In mid-September, after a summer of grow-kill cycles, the entire Meadow interior was covered with black plastic. This solarization effort was the last step in our war on the weeds. The plastic traps heat which kills seeds and seedlings in the upper 1-2 inches of soil. The record hot weather we suffered through in October was actually a good thing for our project!

Planting Blue GrammaWe planted over 7000 plugs of blue gramma (Bouteloua gracilis), grown in our Plant Propagation Nursery, in the ‘weed free’ soil the first week of November. Planting was done with a minimum of soil disturbance to keep any live seeds buried by the layer of clean soil. The grasses were placed two

feet apart to leave space for them to grow as well as to leave plenty of bare ground for wildflower germination. The blue gramma will be given at least a month to become established before sowing California poppies, lupines, goldfields, and other wildflower seed in mid-December. Tidy tips, the predominate flower in 2014, will probably be omitted from our 2015 seed mix because we found they out-competed the poppies.

New Meadow BordersReplanting the Meadow borders will be the last part of the project. The tall grasses that were removed from the Meadow interior will be replanted in large swaths along the east side where their beauty can be used to tell the story of California’s vanishing grasslands. On the west side, the traditional border of flowering perennials mixed with ornamental grasses and small shrubs will be reestablished. This work should be completed by April 2015.

Lessons LearnedTo be completely effective, multiple grow-kill cycles should be carried out in every season. Because we did not want to forego a spring wildflower show in 2014, we lost the opportunity to target winter weeds with our grow-kill efforts. A small trial in the summer of 2013 showed that black plastic was more effective at killing weeds than the clear plastic usually used for solarization.

The composition of the weed population kept changing in response to our work. Species that had been present in low numbers exploded once more prevalent species were eliminated. It seemed an endless task, and clearly weeds will always be an issue in the Meadow. But through hand-weeding, shallow hoeing, and good management, we intend to keep weeds from overwhelming the Meadow again.

Black plastic covering the Meadow; volunteers and staff planting blue gramma plugs.

Photo: Rebecca MordiniPhoto: Rebecca Mordini

Visit http://bit.ly/meadowrevival for more about the Meadow Revival Project.

Photo: Betsy Collins

The Flora of Santa Catalina Island: A partnership between the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and the Catalina Island Conservancy

By Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Staff

THE SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN'S CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH DEPARTMENT is working in partnership with the Catalina Island Conservancy to prepare southern California's

next major botanical work, The Flora of Santa Catalina Island. Santa Catalina Island supports a diverse and unique assemblage of plant species, with over 600 different kinds of plants. Six of these plants are endemic to the island—found nowhere else on earth.

Floras are produced in order to help us understand the plants we want to protect and conserve. This will be the third flora of Channel Island plants produced by the Garden. The Garden has also prepared A Flora of Santa Cruz Island in 1995 by S. Junak et al., and A Flora of San Nicolas Island in 2008 by S. Junak.

The Garden's Legacy of Channel Islands Plant ResearchThe Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Conservation and Research Department has long had a scientific interest in the plants of the Channel Islands, a focus that dates back to the founding of the institution in 1926. Garden staff and affiliates such as Ralph Hoffmann, Jim Blakley, Ralph Philbrick, Michael Benedict, Clifton Smith, Steve Junak, and Dieter Wilken have all been instrumental

in documenting the plant biodiversity of the Islands through active botanical fieldwork. Many of the specimens and associated collection data resulting from this fieldwork are preserved and catalogued in the Clifton Smith Herbarium at the Garden. A number of important scientific articles have resulted from this field and herbarium work, as well as nearly all of the recent Island plant checklists.

Documenting and Publishing FlorasScientific documentation of an area’s flora begins with researchers taking their plant presses out into the field to make observations and collect plant samples. These samples are identified, catalogued, and preserved in an herbarium. With this information a botanical checklist may be produced which could include for each documented plant the botanical name, the common name, and often additional information such as whether the plant is native to the region or if it is considered to be a rare plant.

Book-length botanical treatises, or "floras," include much more detailed information designed to make it possible to identify any plant found in the region. Floras generally include some of the following elements: identification keys, detailed physical

Photo courtesy SBBG Image Library

Ironwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 5

descriptions of each plant species, illustrations, and information pertaining to where the plants occur in the region. Introductory material is often given in a flora to provide the reader with a broader view of the study region, and may include information pertaining to regional climate, soils, vegetation communities, and history. Floras may also include appendices such as background on collecting trips and doubtful or excluded taxa. Plant species may appear on this latter list if they were reported in a previously published work without reference to an herbarium collection and are otherwise unknown from the island.

taxonnoun1. a taxonomic category, such as a genus, species, or variety

taxanoun1. plural of taxon

The Garden's Channel Island Floras are DistinctWhile floras usually contain some of these elements, the Garden’s Channel Island floras, including the new Flora of Santa Catalina Island, are exemplary in that they include all of them. Extensive front matter will include several sections with topics ranging from regional geology and topography to a history of fires and land use. Of particular scientific importance, these Garden floras include as an appendix a list of herbarium specimens for each plant in the flora. This list of herbarium specimens demonstrates the scientific rigor of the flora and allows other researchers to independently validate flora information.

Most floras have only a limited number of illustrations, relying primarily on written keys for plant identification. However, the floras produced by the Garden include illustrations of all the plants found on each island. We are excited to have as a project partner well-known botanical illustrator Dr. Linda Vorobik, who will create detailed drawings of each plant in the flora.

The Garden began work on the flora with the Catalina Island Conservancy in July of 2014. The Conservancy has provided access to the island, logistical support, assistance with field work, and funding for the flora. The first installment of the flora was completed in October and we anticipate having a draft version of the entire flora by the end of 2015.

All plants included in The Flora of Santa Catalina Island will be illustrated by Dr. Linda Vorobik. The illustration above shows a stem, leaf, flower, and fruit, all of which may be useful for distinguishing this species from others in the island flora.

Coming June 2015

Botanical Illustration with Dr. Linda VorobikWe are excited to announce two fabulous botanical illustration workshops and an accompanying art exhibit, lecture, and Channel Islands field trip. For more information on Dr. Vorobik’s classes please visit http://vorobikbotanicalart.com. Watch gardENotes and the next Ironwood for more information.

©Vorobik

©Vorobik; see VorobikBotanicalArt.com

Work on the Flora of Catalina Island is being led by Matt Guilliams, the Ken and Shirley Tucker Plant Systematist. This article is dedicated to the memory of Ken Tucker who passed away on October 17.

6 Winter 2014

Garden People (and Dogs)

Trails 'n' TailsThe dog days of summer are long gone but memories of last August’s Trails 'n' Tails still make us smile. For five years, the Garden has been celebrating National Dog Day with a fun day of canine-centric activities and vendors for our four-legged friends and their guardians. Best in Show sponsor, Advanced Veterinary Specialists helped make the day a success along with other sponsors and volunteers. This event and our 105 Doggie level memberships help support the Garden all year-round for dogs and their two-legged friends. Bow-wow!

SAVE THE DATE Trails ‘n’ Tails Saturday, August 15, 2015

Fall Native Plant Sale Member's Preview PartyThe Fall Native Plant Sale Member’s Preview Party just keeps getting better every year. More than 70 guests gathered on the last Friday in September to shop for plants while listening to the sounds of Mission Canyon Trio. Mission Canyon resident and winemaker, Nick Morello supplied the evening's wines and Garden Horticulturist Bruce Reed recommended choice finds for guests. Garden Grower Nursery volunteers helped facilitate the evening’s robust sales that continued throughout the month making this the best sale on record for our retail Nursery. Bravo!

Santa Barbara BeautifulSanta Barbara Beautiful and the Garden share a commitment to preserving and enriching our uniquely beautiful environment, so a collaboration between the two seemed natural for the Santa Barbara Beautiful Annual Awards Presentation in September. Steve Windhager had the pleasure of giving the Garden’s first Native Choice Award to the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation for its leadership in using California native plants in its designed landscape. The Bowl’s landscape architect and Garden trustee Susan Van Atta was on hand to accept the award with Guillermo Gonzalez from her office and Eric Lassen, Santa Barbara Bowl board member. For other great award winners this year, visit www.sbbeautiful.org.

Annual Fund Giving Begins with YouFrom its creation almost 90 years ago with a gift from Anna Dorinda Blaksley Bliss to its ongoing work as a research institution, historic landmark, and living museum dedicated to the display and conservation of California native plants, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is the product of generous, private philanthropy.

Annual Fund contributions are a core source of support that impacts the Garden’s work every day—from cultivating brilliant wildflower displays each spring and training our essential volunteers and docents, to monitoring and protecting our state’s most endangered plant species.

Phot

o: B

ob H

alle

r

Photo: Elizabeth Collins©Photos by PriscillaPhoto: Randy Wright

Help keep the Garden a vibrant natural resource in our community. Please give to the

Annual Fund and visit often.

www.sbbg.org/get-involved/donate

7 Winter 2014 Ironwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 7

CALENDAR OF CLASSES AND EVENTS AT THE GARDENRegister for classes at sbbg.org, call 682-4726 x 102, or email registrations@sbbg.org

Classes held at the Garden include admission.

Leaves of Learning

Environmental Book ClubMonday, December 15 4:00pm – 6:00pm Blaksley Library

Everyone is welcome to join in these lively and interesting discussions centering around a non-fiction book on an environmental topic. To reserve a spot or get more information, contact facilitator Betsy Green at bjgreen07@gmail.com.

Fee: Free

Winter Morning Bird Walk Wednesday, December 17 8:30am – 10:00am Entrance Kiosk

Be the first morning visitors in the Garden and enjoy watching the diverse and beautiful bird species that make the Meadow, woodlands, and creek side their home! Join our expert naturalist leader Rebecca Coulter as she looks and listens for woodpeckers and quail, wrens and raptors, and many more.

Fee: $5 members / $10 non-members

California Native Plant Society Thursday, January 8 6:30pm – 8:30pm Blaksley Library

Note change from usual date due to CNPS conference the following week.

The Channel Islands chapter meeting of the California Native Plant Society welcomes Dylan Burge. His presentation, Ceanothus of the Channel Islands, begins at 7:15pm. Meeting starts at 6:00pm with board meeting. General announcements at 7:00pm; lecture begins at 7:15pm. Refreshments served.

Fee: Free

Docent Training: Public ToursSaturday, January 10, 17, 24, 31, February 14 9:30-12:30

See page 10 for more information

Fee: Free

DECEMBER

JANUARY

Bird walk

Class or lecture

Book discussion and/or signing

Trip

Walk or hike

HORT ‘N HOPS WORKSHOPSWhere can you learn more about gardening successfully with California native plants than with our Garden experts in these hands-on workshops? All workshops include a related Garden tour. Enjoy a beer with chips and salsa during the last 30 minutes of each class.

Sign up for all three Hort ‘n Hops Workshops for a discount!Fee: $90 members / $135 non-members

Close Encounters with the Insect World Saturday, January 10, 2:00pm – 5:00pm Arroyo Room

Learn to recognize the good, the bad, and the ugly garden bugs in this hands-on lab with Frederique Lavoipierre, author of Pacific Horticulture Garden Allies series, and the Garden’s Education Program Manager. Includes a PowerPoint lecture, microscope lab, Garden bug hunt, and handouts.

Fee: $35 members / $50 non-members

Manzanitas in the GardenSaturday, January 17, 2:00pm – 5:00pm Blaksley Library

The Garden’s head horticulturist and certified arborist, Bruce Reed will lead a discussion of Manzanita species and cultivars for landscape use. The amazing diversity of Manzanitas is showcased in the Garden, and especially in our Manzanita section, featuring many mature specimens. Bring your camera and take photos of your favorites!

Fee: $35 members / $50 non-members

Habitat Gardens: Native plants for Beneficial Insects, Birds, and Other AnimalsSaturday, January 24, 2:00pm – 5:00pm Blaksley Library

Learn how to develop native plant habitat for beneficial insects, birds, and other animals that keep pests in check, and pollinate our crops. A hands-on class with Frédérique Lavoipierre, author of Pacific Horticulture Garden Allies series, and the Garden’s Education Program Manager. Includes a PowerPoint lecture, Garden tour, and handouts.

Fee: $35 members / $50 non-members

8 Winter 2014

CALENDAR OF CLASSES AND EVENTS AT THE GARDENRegister for classes at sbbg.org, call 682-4726 x 102, or email registrations@sbbg.org

Classes held at the Garden include admission.

Leaves of Learning8 Winter 2014

Environmental Book ClubMonday, January 19 4:00pm – 6:00pm Blaksley Library

Everyone is welcome to join in these lively and interesting discussions centering around a non-fiction book on an environmental topic. To reserve a spot or get more information, contact facilitator Betsy Green at bjgreen07@gmail.com.

Fee: Free

Winter Morning Bird Walk Wednesday, January 21 8:30am – 10:00am Entrance Kiosk

Be the first morning visitors in the Garden and enjoy watching the diverse and beautiful bird species that make the Meadow, woodlands, and creek side their home. Join our expert naturalist leader Rebecca Coulter as she looks and listens for woodpeckers and quail, wrens and raptors, and many more.

Fee: $10 members / $15 non-members

Ericaceae in the GardenFriday, January 30 1:00pm – 3:00pm Arroyo Room

Botanist Mary Carroll leads a walk through the Garden to explore the diversity of the heather family in the Garden. Learn to recognize summer holly, manzanita species, and more in this natural history class.

Fee: $20 members / $35 non-members

Citizen Scientist TrainingSaturday, January 31 1:00pm – 5:00pm Blaksey Library

Phenology is the study of the relationship between climate and seasonal phenomena such as the timing of bird migrations and flowering. Join UCSB professor, and field director of the California Phenology Project Susan Mazer, and learn how to participate in this important citizen science project, as the Garden becomes an official site for gathering data. For more information, visit the CPP website www.usanpn.org/cpp

Fee: Free

FEBRUARY

Santa Barbara Naturalist Classes with Joan LentzSaturday, February 7 and 21, and March 7 10:00am – Noon Blaksley Library

We are excited to launch this new series of classes with naturalist Joan Lentz, based on her popular book A Naturalist’s Guide to the Santa Barbara Region. Join us for this PowerPoint tour of Santa Barbara’s diverse landscapes, featuring Stuart Wilson’s gorgeous photos. Each class will be preceded by an optional Garden tour led by staff.

Fee: $60 members / $80 non-members

La Cumbre Peak: Sunset on the SandstoneSaturday, February 14 2:30pm to Sunset

Experience the stunning beauty of our regional landscape, as seen from the crags around La Cumbre Peak. From our vantage point high on Camino Cielo, we observe the Channel Islands, the coastal plain, the Santa Ynez fault and its river-course, and the vastness of the Santa Barbara backcountry – all in the context of their amazing geologic story. We’ll watch for alpenglow and enjoy a romantic winter sunset before returning home. Bring hat, warm coat, sturdy shoes, water, snack, camera, binoculars, and a sense of wonder. Instructor Susie Bartz

Fee: $30 members / $45 non-members

Winter Morning Bird Walk Wednesday, February 18 8:30am – 10:00am Entrance Kiosk

Be the first morning visitors in the Garden and enjoy watching the diverse and beautiful bird species that make the Meadow, woodlands, and creek side their home! Join our expert naturalist leader Rebecca Coulter as she looks and listens for woodpeckers and quail, wrens and raptors, and many more.

Fee: $10 members / $15 non-members

9 Winter 2014 Ironwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 9Ironwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 9

Oh Those Fabulous Fungi!Saturday, February 28 10:00am – noon Scofield Park

Join expert Bob Cummings for this fun field trip, in search of fungi. Bring sturdy sturdy shoes, water, and snack. Meet at Scofield Park.

Fee: $10 members / $15 non-members

Private Dome Car Botanical Train TripSaturday, March 7 10:00am – 5:00pm

Join botanist and story teller Steve Junak for a rare glimpse of some of the last original native coastal landscapes in southern California. The day-long trip begins at the Santa Barbara train depot, where you will ride in style aboard a beautifully restored Vista Dome Lounge-Dining Car on a narrated scenic journey along an inaccessible and spectacular part of the coast and through several historic ranchos. Learn about the area’s rich human and natural history before stopping in San Luis Obispo. Enjoy a catered buffet lunch onboard (including beer, wine, and soft drinks), and change levels and sides for a new and different view on the way back home. Trips go rain or shine.

Fee: $160 members / $185 non-members (groups of 4 or more qualify for our member rate)

MARCH

San Marcos Foothills Preserve: a Stroll to the Sespe Saturday, March 14 9:00am – Noon

We enter the Preserve from the east and walk along Cieneguitas Creek’s beautiful restoration area, then hike uphill to the top of the Preserve. We’ll observe how geology controls some sharp changes in topography and vegetation, and enjoy some stunning views of our coast and mountain front. Total distance about 3 miles, mostly easy, but steeper at top. Bring hat, boots or sturdy shoes with good treads, water, camera, binoculars, snack, sun protection, and a jacket in case of fog or wind. A hiking pole is advised for steeper areas.

Fee: $30 members / $45 non-members

Environmental Book ClubMonday, March 16 4:00pm – 6:00pm Blaksley Library

Everyone is welcome to join in these lively and interesting discussions centering around a non-fiction book on an environmental topic. To reserve a spot or get more information, contact facilitator Betsy Green at bjgreen07@gmail.com.

Fee: Free

Winter Morning Bird Walk Wednesday, March 18 8:30am – 10:00am Entrance Kiosk

Be the first morning visitors in the Garden and enjoy watching the diverse and beautiful bird species that make the Meadow, woodlands, and creek side their home! Join our expert naturalist leader Rebecca Coulter as she looks and listens for woodpeckers and quail, wrens and raptors, and many more.

Fee: $10 members / $15 non-members

Photos: Brandon Davis

10 Winter 2014

CALENDAR OF CLASSES AND EVENTS AT THE GARDENRegister for classes at sbbg.org, call 682-4726 x 102, or email registrations@sbbg.org

Classes held at the Garden include admission.

Leaves of Learning10 Winter 2014

Teahouse and GardenSecond Saturday of each month

Noon - 2:00pm

Visitors and members are welcome to experience our ShinKanAn Teahouse and Garden. Trained Teahouse volunteers are available to share their skills and answer questions about the rich traditions of the Japanese tea ceremony.

To learn more about SkinKanAn, please visit http://shinkanan.wordpress.com/about/For more information about private lessons, please contact Mrs. Sokyo Kasai at shinkanan@hotmail.com

Don

Mat

sum

oto

Docent Training: Public ToursSaturday, January 10, 17, 24, 31 and

February 14 9:30am – 12:30pm in the Arroyo Room

Share your passion for native plants, natural history, and foster the conservation of California’s flora by serving as a guide to the Garden.

• Training includes basic classes in botany, horticulture, ecology and Garden history, with an emphasis on environmental interpretation

• Continue learning with docent-led walks, workshops, field trips, and discounted classes.

• Training and tours take place on weekends; new docents are paired with an experienced mentor.

Betsy Lape

Visit Costa Rica with the GardenApril 6 - 13, 2015

Experience the pristine beauty of Costa Rica on an unforgettable expedition hosted by Holbrook Travel. Discover its botanical treasures on this guided trip accompanied by expert botanist Steve Junak.

$2570/per person double occupancy (based on $725 est. airfare from Los Angeles)

For more information, contact Debbie Sturdivant Jordan (866) 748-6146 or visit http://holbrook.travel/sbbgcostarica

Mik

e M

alle

n

NEW

Landscape for Life Certificate ProgramSaturday, July 11, 18, and 25

9:30 am – 4 pm in the Arroyo Room

• Learn how to conduct a site analysis

• Understand how soil, exposure, weather, and other factors affect plant choice

• Explore which California native plants will thrive in your garden

• Design your own a sustainable landscape

Taught by expert staff and guest instructors. Course includes Landscape for Life manual, and uses our native plant Garden as a living classroom. For more information contact Education Program Manager Frédérique Lavoipierre, flavoipierre@sbbg.org

Fee: $150 members / $175 non-members

Join our community of enthusiastic and knowledgeable docents. For more information on public or school tours, contact Kate Davis at kdavis@sbbg.org.

Fréd

ériq

ue L

avoi

pier

re

Ironwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 11

Photo: Eric Isaacs

SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDENBEER

Zach Rosen, our cicerone and brew pilot is back! Join us for a new drinking tour of the Garden featuring beers uniquely paired with our horticultural displays.

For our second annual mini-brew fest, expect new beers and new Garden locations to explore. Watch gardENotes for updates. Interested in volunteering for this event? Contact Kathy Castanaeda at kcastanada@sbbg.org.

Tickets on sale beginning January 19, 2015

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 20141:00pm – 4:30pm

There's still time to shop for special, seasonal giftsLet us help you find the perfect items in the Garden Shop including:

• Garden gift cards for every plant and nature lover on your list• Fun and festive last-minute gifts for teachers, friends, and family• One bird song card FREE with purchase of $40.00 or more

(available while supplies last) Shop open daily 10am – 5pm

In the Garden Shop Winter SaleDecember 15 – January 31

Enjoy great bargains while helping us make room for new spring merchandise!

12 Winter 2014

I was sitting in on this training because I wanted to find out what it meant to be a docent today and how the program had grown into its present role. The Arroyo Room, the hub of the Garden's educational activities, is more like Merlin's study than a classroom, full of odds and ends like bird nests, fish tanks, dried flowers, models of insects and flower parts. A group of fourteen adults of all ages gathered around the tables in the room and looked through the stack of charts and printouts in front of them.

Carolyn Pidduck, a docent of two years, started right off explaining the way the geology and ocean currents affect the plants in our area. When a question came up about sediment deposits from 2 million years ago versus 11,000 years ago, several people chimed in with clarifications and ideas. This tradition of docents learning from each other goes back to the beginning of the docent program 44 years ago.

After the first docent training in 1970, docents continued studying and produced reference materials on subjects such as Indian uses of native plants and a Garden index showing when different plants flowered. As a 1988 board report concluded, “In this way docents learned from one another and gave tours to their peers.” Today docents continue to create new tours, such as the recently completed Fire in the Garden tour.

In order to understand just what docents do, I joined a school tour of third grade students lead by Carolyn Kincaid Henderson, Kathie

McClure, Don Gillies and Juanita Carney. Each docent led a group of students to stations around the Garden, with hands-on activities that show how the Chumash use native plants. Afterwards, the docents agreed that it was rewarding to help children connect with

nature. The children’s wonder and openness to discovery also sparked a similar excitement in the docents, inspiring

them to see the everyday magic of the Garden with fresh eyes.

The docents did not have any prior knowledge of botany and initially they were worried about having to learn so much information. Over the years docent training had become more and more rigorous with the subject matter growing

from mostly botany to include geology, zoology and climatology. Kathie and Carolyn remember

months of training and courses taught by UCSB botany professor, Dr. Bob Haller. While this was intimidating,

the rigor of the training brought them together as a team, which grew into a family. Mentors became lifelong friends and docent classes and teams still take care of each other.

Education Program Manager, Frederique Lavoipierre, makes sure that docent training keeps up with changes in the Garden and changes in educational standards. Katelin Davis, the Education Assistant, who is working on her M.S. in Free-Choice Learning, Science Education, will be teaching techniques for inquiry based learning, STEMS (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Sustainability) and new Common Core requirements, making the Garden an even more relevant resource for the educational community.

Continued from cover: Docents Path of Discovery

Photo: Randy Wright Photos of docents and tours: Rebecca Mordini

Ironwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 13

Pritzlaff Conservation Center Construction Update

The plans are done, the permits are in hand, the sewer and water lines are in, and the rocks have all been sorted. The sound of construction can now be heard as work on the Pritzlaff Conservation Center officially got underway on November 6, 2014. The first order of business is to dig the basement where the new herbarium vault will be located. The mountain of soil produced from this task will be spread in strategic places in the landscape to create new paths and gardens. Installation of the earth tubes and rainwater cisterns will come next. Cultural Resource Monitors are on site daily to look for any Native American artifacts or sites that might be unearthed during construction.

Today's group of new docents will complete six weeks of training before moving on to shadowing school tours until their mentors approve them to lead their own tours. If they are anything like the more experienced docents at the table, this is just the beginning of their education. They will be engaged in classes and trainings for a lifetime of learning about the natural world.

During the snack break Patrick continued his story, “Back when I was in high school, I needed a job. I was told I could make $1.25 an hour pumping gas, or $4.50 a flat selling plants. It seemed like an obvious choice and that summer my buddy and I sold enough flats of ice plant to line the highways.” He shudders to think of all the invasive species he planted and all the natives he tore out in the many years since.

Patrick looked out over the Garden from the doorway. “Those are two of my favorite plants in the Garden,” he said, pointing to a redwood. “See how that redwood has wide leaves turning colors with the season?” he asked. Indeed, almost 30 feet up the tree I could just make out big yellow leaves, which was very odd for an evergreen. “It is a grapevine growing up the trunk; they have been friends like that for years.”

The Garden volunteer program includes nearly 200 volunteers, 44 of whom are docents. The next time you are enjoying a glass of wine or beer at a Garden event, I hope you run into a volunteer. If you do, be sure to ask them to tell you their story. I guarantee you will be inspired.

Cultural Resource Monitors: Isa Folkes, Chumash observer (at left) and Yesenia Garcia, archeologist

Excavation at the construction site

Clockwise from bottom left; California grape growing up the trunk of a redwood; Docents attend school tour training in the Arroyo Room; native plant mats and various items used for school tours at the Garden; Ann Brinker, Garden Docent, leads children from Brandon Elementary School on a tour of the Garden

Photos of docents and tours: Rebecca Mordini

Photos: Paula Schaefer

14 Winter 2014

Michele Lingiardi (at left) is assisting in the Membership Department. Michele is a native-born Californian who has traveled far and wide before landing in Santa Barbara about nine years ago. She enjoys travel and lived in Italy for seven years and speaks fluent Italian. History and tradition are important to Michele, which is one of the reasons she likes working at the Garden. “I feel the Garden is such an important part of the history and essence of Santa Barbara, and I like being part of that.” Michele brings to the Garden an excellent attention to detail and unstoppable organizational skills that enhance the smooth running of Membership.

New Faces in the Garden

Garden Begins Research on our Region’s Newest Endangered Species

By Denise Knapp, Director of Conservation and Research

The tiny Vandenberg monkeyflower (Diplacus vandenbergensis) was declared a federally endangered species as of August 25, 2014. The total number of plants is estimated at fewer than 1,500 annually. It occurs in only 20 spots in the world, all within the Lompoc area.

This annual herb in the lopseed (Phrymaceae) family grows only up to 10 inches in height. Its fuzzy leaves are reduced in size upwards to its lemon-yellow flowers, which have red-brown spots at the base. It occupies open sandy areas in Burton Mesa chaparral, oak woodland, and dune scrub in the vicinity of Lompoc.

Aside from development, the primary threat is believed to be non-native plants such as veldt grass (Ehrharta calycina). All known populations of the Vandenberg monkeyflower were first surveyed and counted in 2006.

This spring, the Garden began a research and monitoring program to investigate population trends, threats, and pollinators. We have also collected representative seed for our long-term conservation collection, as both an insurance policy against extinction and future resource for restoration efforts.

At left: Diplacus vandenbergensis with a variable checkerspot butterfly by Morgan Ball

Ironwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 15

Gardener, Drew Wolter, grew up in Costa Rica where he developed his love of nature and commitment to conservation. He has lived in Santa Barbara since he was eight years old. Drew has an associate degree from Santa Barbara City College in Ecological Restoration and Management and will finish his second associate degree in Biology this year. He was the winner of the Horticulture Student of the Year award. Drew enjoys teaching and has been a teaching assistant for the past four years, including teaching an adult education class to non-native English speakers in horticulture. He has also managed the Santa Barbara City College Lifescape Garden, which models sustainable horticulture in different garden settings from agriculture to native plants.

Ask the ExpertBy Bruce Reed, Horticulturist

What will attract birds to your yard during fall and winter?

Fruits, seeds, and insects are by and large the primary food for many birds throughout the year. This is a good reminder to let fruit develop and seeds fall to feed this network of wildlife constantly looking for nourishment.

Winter is a time of new and rapid growth and it is not uncommon for birds to nip new growing tips of plants for their nutrient value. But a handful of plants, like the sturdy, yet glorious toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) produce fruit during this time. Berries and other fruit are attractive to larger, showier birds, like thrashers, jays, waxwings, and towhees.

Both toyon and snowberry (Symphoricarpos) fruit in the midst of winter. Birds seem to barely wait for ripening. Other plants will produce flowers and fruit nearly year-round (though much less at the height of summer) such as coffeeberries (Frangula) and chaparral nightshade (Solanum xantii). These may push fruit ready for late winter food.

Some summer-bearing fruit, like California grape (Vitis californica) seems to stay on the plant un-eaten, and dries into raisin-like fruit. Some change takes place as the fruit is ‘cured’, sweetening it and distilling its nutrients into a potent snack. This dried-on-the-vine fruit, such as redberry (Rhamnus crocea), laurel sumac (Malosma laurina), honeysuckle (Lonicera) or the rosehips of wild rose (Rosa) become an important winter food for birds and mammals both.

Q:A:

Rebecca Mordini is our new Communications Coordinator. Originally from Northern Virginia, Rebecca moved to the Santa Ynez Valley five years ago. She has worked in nonprofit management and communications for over 20 years, serving organizations that protect immigrant farm workers, educate children in a whole-child environment, and preserve trails for multiple uses. Most recently, she was the Director of Marketing and Development at The Family School, in Los Olivos, where she updated branding, redesigned the website, and created a social media presence.

New Faces in the Garden

Photo: Bruce Reed

16 Ironwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Fall 2014

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden1212 Mission Canyon RoadSanta Barbara, CA 93105-2126www.sbbg.org(805) 682-4726

Address Service Requested

NonprofitOrganization

U.S. Postage PaidSanta Barbara, CA

Permit No. 451

16 Winter 2014

Give a gift that never grows old!

For the plant lover who has everything, give the gift of membership this holiday season and add a beautiful book of Santa Barbara’s stunning sunsets for free! Give the book as a gift or keep it for yourself.

Santa Barbara Sunset by Lori M. Geraghty is valued at $13.99 and is available while supplies last. Made possible by the generosity of John and Tricia Wardlaw.

GIFTMEMBERSHIP Share the beauty of the Garden and support our mission of California native

plant education, research, and conservation by giving the gift of membership today. Membership prices increase January 1, 2015 so don’t delay.

Memberships purchased by December 15 will be received before December 22.

GIVE A GIFT OF MEMBERSHIP online at sbbg.org, or call (805) 682 4726 ext. 110, or visit the Garden to purchase today.