Firstly, I have to recount the activities for April 6th. Salinas Tree Service was on site and cleaned up all the winter storm damage, dead wooded the walnuts (and other trees), removed some of the dead oak trees on the north side of the hill top, and completed many other tree maintenance activities. Equally important was the replenishment of the mulch pile. They came with a full truck load of chips and refilled it with another full load from the CVBG job, both of which were dumped in the usual spot at the beginning of the Trail of Trees. That should keep us in the chips for some time to come!
Today, Bill Dobner was on site tending the compost and checking on the shade house. Steve Davis was also on site and pointed out a couple of chaparral mallows that he wants planted in the Native Section. (John Allday, please note.)
I was joined by Monica Barton, Beverly Kemmerling and Nancy Taylor Walker in the unenviable task of weeding (or starting to weed) the S. African Section. Jim Cyr joined us, and we just put a dent in the drifts of Euphorbia peplus resulting from the winter rains. Below are before and after shots looking up at the edge of the garden along the service road:
Before with Beverly working from the top, and
After.
Nancy captured the rest of us intent on our work:
In the picture are Beverly, me, Jim and Monica. I have to say, Monica had the worst of it. She tackled the weeds on the service road itself so had to dig all the plants up through rocks. The rest of us pretty much could just pull them up without trowels. Given what is left to do, we’ll probably be facing this task for at least another week!
Enjoy the garden once it’s open! KMM