Red Butte Garden Winter 2011 Newsletter

vol. 3, issue 4

Winter 2011 Issue dec • jan • feb Conifers Demystified Holiday Open House Solstice Celebration

Editor

Bryn Ramjoué

Proof Reader

Laurie Engel

Gregory Lee, Jason Baker, Rita Dodge, Meghan Eames, Scott Mower, Neal Dombrowski R E Contributing Writers

Contributing Photographers

Amy Pugsley, Miriam Eriksson, Jason Baker Graphic Designer Amy

Pugsley

IC Group in Salt Lake City

Printed by

Red Butte Garden, a part of the University of Utah, is a nonprofit organization located in Salt Lake City, Utah. With over 100 acres, including display gardens, walking paths, and natural areas with hiking trails, Red Butte Garden is the largest botanical garden in the Intermountain West that tests, displays, and interprets regional horticulture.

300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84108 · 801.585.0556 Copyright © 2011 Red Butte Garden.

All rights reserved.

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Rose House Rendering

We have exciting news! As you read this, construction is underway on the final phase of our Rose Garden project. Where a temporary tent has stood for the last three years, a beautiful Rose House and accompanying all white-flowered elegant Celebration Garden is coming into being.

D

The reception area of the Rose House symbolizes an elegant glass jewel box during the day andG aA lantern at Rnight.

The thin, uplifting roof is a representation of a rose B U T T E R D E N O S E H O U S E petal. An all glass folding door separates the reception area from the Celebration Garden and its outdoor plaza.

We are thrilled to offer this amazing facility to brides who will now have a changing room adjacent to the Rose Garden. A green room will offer artists the space they require and will help Red Butte Garden attract bigger name musicians. This climate-controlled area will also allow expansion of the Garden’s family activities like Garden After Dark, summer camp-outs, and Monday Family Nights.

In this season of giving, won’t you consider a contribution toward the Rose House?

It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays on behalf of a loved one on your list!

All contributions and multi-year pledges of $2,500 and above will be recognized on an outdoor donor wall in the amphitheater. However, any amount will give you the feeling of ownership in this special project that will provide pleasure to so many all year round.

Of course, we have a lot more details available on the Rose House. Kathryn Brussard, the Garden’s Development Director, is available to answer any questions or will send you a brochure on the project. Please call her any time at 801.585.5658.

On page 12 you will also see other ways that you can give an end-of-year donation to Red Butte Garden.

We rely on you to keep the vision and mission of Red Butte Garden alive throughout the seasons and years to come. Thank you for your continuing support.

In this issue you will find many seasonal activities for the whole family. I’ll see you at the Garden!

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Red Butte Garden

- Gregory J. Lee, Executive Director

Paper Bark Maple

table of contents

Oak Branch

features

calendar

2 Executive Director's Message

5

2012 Annual Events Calendar

8

Memorials

6

Workshops & Class Schedule

8

Garden Fresh Recipe

8

Holiday Open House

14

Volunteer Spotlight

12 Activities - Free With Admission

16

Conservation Plant Highlight

13 Art Exhibits 17

Garden Adventures Schedule

18

Winter Calendar

Maiden Grass Plume

articles 4

Container Gardening

7

Music of Bulb Design

10

Conifer Identification

12

Looking for a Tax Break

15 Adding Nature to the Holidays

Garden path

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Container Gardening

By Scott Mower, Greenhouse Assistant

Want to keep your thumb green throughout the fall and winter? Container gardening is an easy way to experiment with plant texture and color in cold seasons.

Choose woody plant material that is hardy to two zones colder than your area; doing this will assure your container will survive both fall and winter.

In addition to mums and asters, considered the classic choices for fall and winter container gardens, there are many other plants that will last through the coming months:

If your container will be exposed to the elements, choose pots that can withstand freezing and thawing, such as fiberglass, metal, concrete or wood. Terra cotta or glazed clay pots crack and break down in winter conditions.

路 Hardy perennials: heuchera, sedum, ornamental grasses, lambs ear, and small smoke bushes will add unexpected elements to your containers.

Additionally, you can decorate your containers with pumpkins and gourds in the fall; and add cut branches of red and yellow dogwood, assorted evergreen boughs, incense cedar, junipers with berries, rose hips, winterberry or privet to accessorize for the holidays.

These natural decorations can also provide a snack for feathered friends who stay north for winter.

路 Cold-loving annuals: ornamental cabbage, kale and pepper, and pansy (the allaround-go-to-flower), will liven your spirits on dreary days.

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Red Butte Garden

Annual Calendar Looking Forward to 2012 JAN

Plant Highlight: Paperbark Maple, Lacebark Pine Come up to walk and watch the birds Art Exhibit: Nature of Sustainable Art Jan 6 – Feb 26

FEB

Plant Highlight: Lenten Rose, Witchhazel Art Exhibit: Nature of Sustainable Art Jan 6 – Feb 26 Greenhouse Tour Feb 9, Conifer Tour Feb 11 Visitor Center and Orangerie Tour Feb 23

MAR APRIL

Plant Highlight: Mini bulb: Snowdrop, Crocus, Squill Art Exhibit: Nate Pack March 2-25

MAY

Plant Highlight: Iris, Wisteria, Crabapple, Peony, Lilac Concert Tickets go on sale to general public Annual Fundraiser Plant Sale May 4 and 5 Bonsai Show May 4, 5, 6

JUNE

Plant Highlight: Rose, Penstemon, Delphinium See website for Monday Family Nights Outdoor Concert Series begins Annual Gala June 15

JULY

Plant Highlight: Daylily, Hibiscus, Hollyhock, Rose See website for Camp-outs & Monday Family Nights Pioneer Day, July 24, is a ZAP Free Day

AUG SEPT

Plant Highlight: Rose, Sedum, Boltonia, Rudbeckia See website for Camp-Outs & Monday Family Nights

OCT NOV

Plant Highlight: Native Grass, Fall Foliage Garden After Dark Oct 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27

DEC

Plant Highlight: Conifer Collection Holiday Open House and Art Show Dec 1 – 2 ZAP Free Days for the Holiday Open House Wreath Making Workshops Dec 1 - 2 Winter Solstice Celebration Dec 15

Plant Highlight: 324,000 Spring Bulbs and Blooms Orchid Show April 7, 8 Spring Bulb Show: April 14, 15 Concert Season Packages on sale April 23 Concert tickets on sale to Garden members April 30 Arbor Day, April 27, is a ZAP Free Day

Plant Highlight: Aster, Autumn Crocus, Fall Anemone Labor Day, Sept 3, is a ZAP Free Day Bonsai Show Sept 21, 22, 23 Fall Bulb & Native Plant Fundraiser Sale Sept 28, 29

Plant Highlight: Oak Collection Glass Art Show Nov 2 – Dec 15 Orchid Show Nov 3, 4

www.redbuttegarden.org

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SIGN UP for Winter Workshops & Classes WREATH MAKING WORKSHOPS DECEMBER 3-4 sold out

ADDITIONAL DATES MAY BE ADDED, CHECK WEBSITE FOR UPDATES Start the holiday season by creating a fresh wreath for your front door at our annual wreath-making workshop.

A variety of fresh greens will be used to fill a 16” wreath frame. Workshop materials include fresh greens, cones, fruits, assorted decorations, and ribbon for bows.

Attendees are encouraged to bring unusual greens or your favorite ornaments to include. Bring gloves, scissors, and hand pruners. Each section is limited to 20 participants.

MEMBERS $50/PUBLIC $60 REGISTRATION REQUIRED 801.581.8454 OR ONLINE AT WWW.REDBUTTEGARDEN.ORG

Water Pavilion

MINDFULNESS BASED STRESS REDUCTION

FEBRUARY 6 – MARCH 26 MONDAYS, 7 – 9 PM

Join us in the Garden as we learn to cultivate mindfulness awareness. During this 8-week, highly participatory workshop, we will explore several mindfulness practices, including sitting and walking meditation and mindful movement. These practices can assist us in: coping more effectively with short and long-term stress; relating to our lives and those in our lives with greater awareness; gaining greater self-understanding, energy, and enthusiasm for life; waking up to our surroundings and the power of the present moment; exploring the nature of thoughts, negative thought patterns, and habits of the mind.

Limited to 20 participants.

MEMBERS $225/PUBLIC $235 REGISTRATION REQUIRED 801.581.8454 OR ONLINE AT WWW.REDBUTTEGARDEN.ORG

FABULOUS FRUIT TREES (LLHG 554)

FEBRUARY 23, 25 & MARCH 1, THURSDAYS, SATURDAY 6:30- 8:30 PM

BOTANY FOR GARDENERS (LLHG 488) JANUARY 31–FEBRUARY 21 TUESDAYS, 6:30-8:30 PM

Don’t go dormant this winter! Join us as we learn basic plant morphology and terminology that will help you take some of the guesswork out of gardening. In this hands-on class you’ll learn why some shrubs are pruned immediately after flowering while others are pruned in late winter or early spring; how to tell a pine from a spruce and why it matters; the reasons behind differing watering practices for turf and trees, and other common gardening questions. Co-sponsored with Lifelong Learning. Limited to 25 participants. (note: no class on Feb 14) MEMBERS $67 (SECT 002) PUBLIC $74 (SECT 001) REGISTRATION REQUIRED 801.587.5433 OR WWW.LIFEFLONG.UTAH.EDU

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Red Butte Garden

Apples, cherries, apricots, pears, plums—how do you get the best production from your fruit trees each year?

Learn to care for your existing trees and give new ones a healthy start as we cover planting, pruning, thinning, pollination needs, and recommended varieties. NOTE: Saturday, February 25th class will be held at an outdoor location; please bring loppers and pruners to this class.

Co-sponsored with Lifelong Learning. Limited to 20 participants.

MEMBERS $47 (SECT 002) PUBLIC $51 (SECT 001) REGISTRATION REQUIRED 801.587.5433 OR WWW.LIFEFLONG.UTAH.EDU

Crab Apple Blossoms

The music

of Bulb Design

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Daffodils

By Neal Dombrowski, Crewleader - Natural Area

Each spring at Red Butte Garden you have the opportunity to see more than a random sampling of flowers, but a carefully composed arrangement of bulbs designed the previous fall by Peter Lassig, former head gardener for Temple Square.

Lassig says, before he plants a single bulb, he first considers the shape of each bed and the surrounding plants and then he focuses on the angle, slope, and aspect of the bed as viewed by visitors.

In fact, he says he begins designing the placement of daffodil, iris, hyacinth, daisy, and rock cress bulbs with musical composition in mind, quoting Mozart: “The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.”

placing the remaining bulbs appropriately.”

Then he suggests I squint my eyes until the bulbs that lie on the ground are all I see. “Now,” he says dramatically, “imagine the bulbs in bloom.” Since this is my first time assisting with the design of a bulb planting, I know I will have to improve my ability to see the brown peeling balls on the ground as the astonishing frothy blooms they will become next spring.

“The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.”

-Mozart

He relates this theory to the eight varieties of Narcissus (daffodil) that we recently placed into a design on the soil in the Garden’s entry planting beds. “Altogether they should be arranged to create a visual symphony,” says Lassig.

Lassig takes on the part of a musical composer, trotting along the curb, calling to each species of Daffodil with conductors’ hands and vocal tones as he considers this future floral melody.

“The design makes sense so far,” he tells me, “but we have to finish the piece by listening to the silence and

Eight of the largest, showiest varieties of daffodils are used in the design with over 8,500 bulbs at the Garden entrance. The entry gives visitors and staff alike a stunning “overture” of the more than 324,000 bulbs that provide a full floral symphony throughout the Garden in early and late spring.

Our earliest daffodils to bloom are the Narcissus varieties ‘February Gold’ with it’s yellow, reflexed petals and Tete-a-Tete, a miniature that blooms in pairs. Gigantic Star is among the largest of our varieties, growing to two feet tall. Late Spring blooms include the varieties ‘After All’ and ‘Cheerfulness.’

Visit the Garden now and again in spring, because, if you squint your eyes, you can picture these abundant blooms. And if you listen closely, you can hear them warming up for their spring symphony.

www.redbuttegarden.org

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The Red Butte Garden Holiday Open House should be on your “must do” holiday traditions list.

Aug - Oct 2011 Gifts donated in memory of: Mary Jo Reiter Margaret Coombs Betty Jean Bennion Arthea Paulos For memorial information call Wendy Loyning at 801.585.3813

Garden Fresh

Recipe

Winter Root Medley

recipe adapted by Tiffany Comerford

Ingredients:

2 large beets, peeled, cut into half and then quartered 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2” long pieces 2 large parsnips, peeled and cut in 2” long pieces 1 large sweet yellow onion cut into about 8 wedges 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks roughly the same size as beets extra virgin olive oil kosher salt freshly ground pepper 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Toss vegetables with olive oil and seasonings. Spread on cookie sheet. Bake 40-60 minutes at 400 degrees. Stir every 20 minutes until fork tender. **For a variation substitute Olive Oil with Balsamic Dressing.

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Red Butte Garden

If you like the outdoor beauty of winter you will enjoy the snowy garden with an abundance of quail, squirrel, and rabbit tracks. Perhaps you are more fond of warm holiday décor, handmade gifts, and the smells of pine, cedar and apple cider. The Visitor Center and Orangerie are a hive of these holiday happenings. There are wreath-making workshops in the classroom and people enjoying hot cocoa and warm apple cider among the festive decorations designed by Garden staff. The Visitor Center floral displays feature a historic sleigh, pine boughs, and less predictable plants such as red and green bromeliads. The Orangerie is the Garden’s indoor, Mediterranean garden and the location of an artisan bazaar during the Holiday Open House. This Garden is home to orange and olive trees, palms, and tropical flowering plants.

A highlight of this Garden is a living wall planted with ferns, orchids, trailing geranium, false aralia, pothos, variegated carex, and more. The effect is a quilt of textures, layers and colors. It will be a challenge for the show-stopping plants to compete with the artist’s handiwork that is on display during the Holiday Open House. Nearly 18 local artists present their best work for your holiday shopping. You’ll meet artists who work in photography, jewelry, wood, ornaments, knits, pottery and more. There are also two crafts for kids to do while you shop for thoughtful, handmade gifts. One is a wish tree where they can decorate paper and inscribe their hearts desire then hang their wish from a tree branch. The other craft is to make a reindeer using old-fashioned, wooden clothes pins. We hope you’ll bring your friends and family and make this one of your holiday traditions.

Saturday, Dec. 3rd & 4th, 10 am - 5 pm. Free Admission

�ou pick the cake, music, and flowers

� we make sure your day is ma�ical.

www.redbuttegarden.org

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Conifer Identification

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By Jason Baker, Curator of Plant Records

Whether it’s for their attractive colors, unique shapes, or enticing aromas, conifers are a great addition to almost any landscape. Yet choosing a conifer can sometimes be a bit overwhelming considering how many kinds are available. Since most conifers do not lose their needles, wintertime presents a great opportunity to visit Red Butte Garden, see every variety, and discover which ones appeal most to you.

It’s not uncommon to hear conifers referred to as “pines” because of their appearance.

But conifers are much more. They can be pine, juniper, fir, Douglas-Fir, spruce, cedar, cypress, hemlock, larch, redwood, sequoia, or even yew.

How can you distinguish one conifer from another? The four most common are junipers, firs, spruces, and pines, all of which you can tell apart by using the needle test:

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Red Butte Garden

Are the needles long and narrow like sewing needles or flat and scale-like? Is the needle single or are they in a cluster? What shape are the needles? · Juniper needles are either short and needle-like or scale-like and the plants produce a bluish berry-type seed rather than a cone as found with the other three main types of conifers. · Fir needles often curve upward and are flat with a rounded tip. The Douglas-Fir (Pseudotsuga menziseii) can be confused with a true fir because of its flat, fir-like needles, but its cones give it away: they have threetoothed papery scales and can be found on the ground. Other firs have cones that completely fall apart while still on the branches in order to release their seeds, so you won’t find their cones under the tree.

The Gift Shop at

RED BUTTE GARDEN 10% OFF FOR GAR DEN MEMBER S

· Spruce needles are stiff, four-sided, with a sharp tip and poke out in all directions from the branch like a pipe cleaner. · Pine needles are round and emerge from a gray or brown papery sheath in bundles of one to five.

Can’t see if the needles are flat, round or square? Pick one off the branch and try to roll it with your thumb and forefinger. If it rolls easily, it’s round, and therefore, a pine.

But if it rolls and feels bumpy, it’s the square needle of a spruce. If it doesn’t roll at all, but is flat, it’s a true fir or Douglas-Fir. Now you’re ready to take a tour of Red Butte Garden and see how many conifers you can identify – and which ones are your favorites.

Take the Evergreen Tour on February 11 from 11 am - 12:30 pm with Program Director Patrick Newman - see page 12 for details.

Garden inspired gifts

GIFT

MEMBERSHIPS The perfect gift, just call 801.585.7172 www.redbuttegarden.org

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MAXIMIZE Your Membership Benefits This

Winter!

These activities are FREE for Garden members and are included with the price of admission for the general public.

To become a Garden member call 801.585.7172 or visit www.redbuttegarden.org RED BUTTE GARDEN GREENHOUSE TOUR

FEBRUARY 9 THURSDAY, NOON – 1:30 PM

Step out of the cold and into the warmth of Red Butte Garden’s greenhouses. Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of our state-of-the-art greenhouses where we grow 100% of the Gardens annuals, basket and container plants, and Orangerie plants. Get a sneak peak at what is to come in spring. Limited to 25 participants.

Location: Red Butte Garden Greenhouses.

REGULAR GARDEN ADMISSION/MEMBERS FREE REGISTRATION REQUIRED (801) 581-8454 OR ONLINE AT WWW.REDBUTTEGARDEN.ORG

EVERGREEN TOUR

FEBRUARY 11 SATURDAY, 11 AM – 12:30 PM

Evergreens are an important component to a welldesigned and balanced landscape. They provide year round interest and great backdrops for perennials and ornamental grasses. We’ll walk the garden and see the wide variety of evergreens that will grow in our area.

Limit 20 participants.

REGULAR GARDEN ADMISSION/MEMBERS FREE REGISTRATION REQUIRED (801) 581-8454 OR ONLINE AT WWW.REDBUTTEGARDEN.ORG

Looking for a Tax Break?

The bad news is, it’s almost tax time. The good news is that you can make a charitable donation to support Red Butte Garden!

Here are a few suggestions:

General Garden Donation Gifts toward general garden maintenance and operating expenses are essential to sustain the beauty of Red Butte Garden. Your gift will go a long way to care for nearly 100 acres of land and over 5,000 types of plants by helping our horticultural staff maintain and enhance the beauty of the Garden for many years to come.

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Red Butte Garden

Hibiscus

RED BUTTE GARDEN VISITOR CENTER & ORANGERIE TOUR FEBRUARY 23 THURSDAY, NOON – 1:30 PM

Join us for a guided tour of the Garden’s Orangerie and Visitor Center for an up-close look at dramatic container combinations, stunning succulents, unique exotics, and peek at our recently-installed living wall. Limited to 25 participants.

REGULAR GARDEN ADMISSION/MEMBERS FREE REGISTRATION REQUIRED (801) 581-8454 OR ONLINE AT WWW.REDBUTTEGARDEN.ORG

Education Programs Donation Red Butte Garden welcomes over 14,000 school children each year to participate in our acclaimed educational outreach programs. During the summer, students can attend youth camps where they learn about bugs, cooking in the Garden, and much more! Students also visit Red Butte Garden through on-site field trips. In addition, the Garden offers over 50 classes each year for adults and families. Your gift of support will allow Red Butte Garden to continue to teach people about the important role plants play in our lives.

Rose House Donation Construction on the long awaited Rose House has begun. This will be the green room our concert program has badly needed, the changing room and reception center for weddings in the Rose Garden, a program space for summer camps, school groups, garden societies, and others. The temporary tent is going away and the new build-

ART EXHIBITS

2011 Holiday Open House & Art Fair December 3 & 4, 10 AM-5 PM

FREE Garden admission both days.

Come enjoy local artisans and the wintry Garden.

Glass Art Show

November 4 - December 20, 2011 The Art Glass Guild of Utah returns to Red Butte Garden for another stunning show of kiln work and blown glass. Large and small pieces including garden art, decorative boxes, sculptural works, and jewelry pieces will display the brilliant colors of this delightful medium.

Items displayed will also be available for sale.


The Nature of Sustainable Art ing will enhance the experience for everyone participating in events at the Garden!

Conservation Donation At Red Butte Garden, our

conservation team works to protect the rare flora of Utah and the Intermountain West. Your gift to conservation will help the Garden continue its efforts to protect endangered plants.

Red Butte Garden accepts donations online! Just go to www. redbuttegarden.org, click the donate button and follow the instructions. Or simply mail a check to Red Butte Garden, Development Department, 300 Wakara Way, SLC, UT 84108. For questions, please contact Kathryn Brussard, Development Director, at 801.585.5658.

January 6 – February 26, 2012 This indoor art exhibit showcases imaginative works from Utah artists as they celebrate the beauty of nature through the use of sustainable and recycled materials. Come see how these local artists have creatively transformed everyday items into unique works of art. All pieces will be available for sale through the Garden Gift Shop.

Regular Garden Admission/Members Free

www.redbuttegarden.org

13

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

I

By Meghan Eames, Volunteer Coordinator

In my first year as the Volunteer Coordinator at Red Butte Garden, I have had the pleasure to meet and get to know many of the Garden’s wonderful volunteers. I am constantly amazed at the variety of people that choose to give their time to the Garden: people of every size and shape, color and creed, young, old, experienced and not; in my job I have encountered people from all backgrounds and in all stages of life. With such a diverse group of people, it comes as no surprise that the possible conversation topics are endless, but having covered everything from new life to life lost, and history to Harry Potter, my favorite subject to discuss with the volunteers is Red Butte Garden.

I love telling my own story of why the Garden means so much to me, and volunteers regularly make my day by telling me theirs. I have heard many stories of people turning to the Garden for comfort in times of hardship, peace in times of chaos, and new friends in times of loneliness.

Volunteers tell stories about times in the Garden that make them laugh so hard they cry and of times so personally poignant that they lose the words.

Everyday I am reminded what the volunteers give to the Garden, and with every volunteer I meet I am

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Red Butte Garden

reminded of what the Garden gives to them.

Our Garden relies on love and labor, that the volunteers enthusiastically provide. Though it may be different for each volunteer, those who find our organization and stay, do so because they are finding their own needs met. Whether they desire peace or excitement, friendship or solitude, people or plants, they always seem to find it here in our 100-acre oasis.

We’re glad they do. The symbiotic relationship they maintain with the Garden is one of the many things that make our volunteers such an exceptional group of people. Red Butte Garden would not be what it is without volunteers, and with such an incredible group, it is often impossible to select one individual to spotlight. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to spotlight every volunteer who has taken root at Red Butte Garden and grown with and alongside it.

Thank you for your remarkable service and spirit.

To learn more about planting your own roots in the Garden with our volunteer program, please contact Meghan Eames, 801.585.5688, volunteers@ redbuttegarden.org.

Staff share ideas of how they add nature to the holidays: I always wrap my presents in brown butcher paper with a festive wired ribbon, with pine and berries tied into the bow, simple but, oh so fabulous! Another great idea is to spruce up outdoor containers with branches, pinecones, and lights.

- Scott Mower, Greenhouse Assistant I love to get a real Christmas tree!

- Maddie Keyes, Administrative Assistant I like to put festive bird feeders in the yard, like strings of popcorn and berries with peanut butter and seeds.

-Yasmine Jarvis, Administrative Assistant Last year I made a wreath of grasses and added berries and dark red twigs, it lasted all season and was so pretty!

- Wendy Loyning, Development Officer

Hang real mistletoe and get a kiss.

- Pierce McConnell, Front Desk Staff I like to fashion fresh wreaths from my own garden.

I use red twig dogwood, climbing vines, and blue spruce branches then hang it on my door.

- Denise Charles, Assistant Event Coordinator I am new at the Garden and can’t wait to take a wreath making class so that I can hang my handiwork on my front door and perhaps give one as a gift too!

- Kathryn Brussard, Development Director I like to collect the unique shaped seed stalks and leaves of ornamental grasses and gather them into a vase or wreath. Mixed with a few dogwood or willow sprigs to add color, the display will last all winter without needing water! I do the same with colored maple and aspen leaves in a glass bowl.

- Rita Dodge, Conservation Director

We like to put fresh pine boughs on our mantle.

- Derrek Hanson, Director of Events & Visitor Services You can use branches, berries, pumpkins, and gourds to make beautiful, natural centerpieces for Thanksgiving.

- Hanifa Aadil, Front Desk Staff

Pine cones

www.redbuttegarden.org

15

Conservation Plant Highlight: Dwarf Bear-claw Poppy

By Rita Dodge, Director of Conservation

Arctomecon humilis, commonly known as the Dwarf Bear-claw poppy, is a gorgeous, short-lived perennial forb. With snow-white tissue paper petals and a bright yellow center, this flower can resemble a freshly opened egg. Located in the heart of southwestern Utah’s booming Washington County, its future may be just as fragile.

This unique poppy species is found only in Washington County and it may be the most endangered species of poppy in North America. Though federally protected as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1979 on publicly-owned lands, plants occurring on private property can be protected solely by the good will of the property owner. One of the largest populations, is located on Bureau of Land Management land within a designated Desert Habitat Preserve; also a popular recreation area for mountain biking.

It makes its home on the soft, white gypsum soil hills which are derived from outcrops of the Moenkopi Formation. During flowering, the clusters of white flowers stand out as they dot the tops and sides of the hills contrasted against the gray – white soil. The name Bear-claw poppy is named for the claw-like leaf tips. Their short stature in comparison to other poppy species lends it the dwarf designation. Despite their size, individual plants may display as many as 200 delicate white flowers in late spring and early summer.

Threats to the Bear-claw poppy include housing and highway developments, mountain biking, and off-road vehicle use. When designated recreation trails are not used; ORV’s, bikers and hikers can harm the few remaining plants and disturb the cryptogamic soil, critical to harboring the long-term seed bank and providing germination sites for seeds.

For a decade or more, Red Butte Garden, The Nature Conservancy, the BLM, and Brigham Young University have collaborated to provide protection, education, and research for the preservation of poppy habitat. Most recently, some permanent protection for this species has come from the purchase of critical poppy habitat by The Nature Conservancy of Utah with the specific aim to protect one of the seven remaining populations. This area will be used as both a preserve and education center about the Dwarf Bear-claw poppy and another endangered species also found in the same habitat: Siler Pincushion cactus, Pediocactus sileri.

Red Butte Garden contributes to the conservation of the Dwarf Bear-claw poppy through ex-situ seed collection and conservation and propagation research. Our work with the Bear-claw poppy highlights the Garden’s continuing commitment to developing methods for conserving the rare and endangered plant species of Utah.

2011 Advisory Board: Laurie Eastwood, Chair Carter Livingston, Vice Chair Olivia Agraz Peter Ashdown Jane Barker Marilyn Clark Fred Esplin Kelly Fisher David E. Gee Kathie Horman Gregory Lee Vickie Long Nancy Martin Rob McFarland Manny C. Martinez Michele Mattsson Judy Moreton Michael Perez Tom Ramsey Bob Rose Ann Scott Sonnie Swindle Joyce P. Valdez

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Red Butte Garden

Garden Information

Hours:

Admission:

October 1 - December 23* Daily 9:00AM - 5:00PM

Adults (18-64) $8 Children (3-17) $6 Children under 3 Free Seniors (65+) & Military $6 University of Utah Faculty & Staff with ID $6 University of Utah Students with ID Free

January 2 - February 29 Daily 9:00AM - 5:00PM * Closed Thanksgiving Day and December 24 through January 1

Location:

Groups of 12 or more receive $1 off regular admission price for each person.

Full group payment is due at time of Garden entry.

Visitor Center, Gift Shop, & Mailing Address: 300 Wakara Way - Salt Lake City, UT 84108 Phone: 801.585.0556 Fax: 801.587.5887 Web site: www.redbuttegarden.org Comments: 801.581.4938 or e-mail bryn.ramjoue@redbutte.utah.edu

Product group from well-managed forests and other controlled sources

www.fsc.org Cert no. SCS-COC-001216 1996 Forest Stewardship Council

FEB JAN

Children’s Garden

Just for Kids Garden Adventures 7

Animal Snowshoes 10-11:30am

Winter is in the air and animal tracks are everywhere! Would you rather run like a quail or stalk like a bobcat? Create your own cardboard snowshoes to take home and make your own animal tracks. Which Red Butte resident will you represent?

4 Make Your Don’t forget all the fun you’ve had this winter! Create your own snow

Own Snow Globe

globe to commemorate your favorite winter activity or re-create a favorite winter spot in the Garden.

10-11:30am

Garden Adventures are Saturday kids’ classes held semi-monthly. Classes start promptly at 10AM in Em’s Sprout House and registration is required. Ages 4-12 are welcome with a caregiver. Limit one caregiver per participant (registration not required for caregiver). No infants please. Space is limited to 20 participants.

MEMBERS:

$5

PUBLIC:

$7

REGISTER AT WWW.REDBUTTEGARDEN.ORG OR CALL 801.581.8454.

Winter Solstice Celebration December 17 Saturday, 10 AM - 1 PM

Join us in the Children’s Garden to celebrate the return of the light! As you wander through the Garden warm your hands at our fire barrels, enjoy a hot drink and make a wish at our yule log.

Participants can also create wonderful winter candles and their very own solstice head wreath.

Free with garden admission

www.redbuttegarden.org

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Winter 2011 Events at Red Butte Garden Want more information?

Classes & Workshops, page 6 Activities that are Free for Garden Members, page 12 General Garden information (hours), page 16 Kids Activities, page 17

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DECEMBER

HOLIDAY OPEN 4 HOUSE FREE ADMISSION WREATH WORKSHOPS 9-NOON & 1-4 pm

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S OPEN 3HOLIDAY HOUSE

FREE ADMISSION WREATH WORKSHOPS 9-NOON & 1-4 pm

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10 Full moon

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17 winter solstice celebration 10 am - 1 pm

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END glass art show nov 4 - dec 20

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Christmas

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Red Butte Garden

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garden closed to public dec 24 - jan 1

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NATURE OF SUSTAINABLE ART SHOW JAN 6 - FEB 26

New Years day

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S 7 Garden Adventure 10 am

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Full moon

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16 Martin Luther King JR. Day

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JANUARY

BOTANY FOR GARDNERS (1/3) 6:30-8:30 pm

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Come up for snowshoeing or a walk in the wintry Garden 5

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STRESS REDUCTION (1/8) 7-9 pm

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STRESS REDUCTION (2/8) 7-9 pm

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groundhog Day

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Full moon

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4 Garden Adventure 10 am

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BOTANY FOR GARDNERS (2/3) 6:30-8:30 pm

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greenhouse tour noon - 1:30pm

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evergreen tour 11am - 12:30pm

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valentines Day

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STRESS REDUCTION (3/8) 7-9 pm presidents Day

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END NATURE OF STRESS REDUCTION (4/8) SUSTAINABLE 7-9 pm ART SHOW JAN 6 - FEB 26 Oak Tunnel

BOTANY FOR GARDNERS (3/3) 6:30-8:30 pm

spring solstice

leap year

Visitor center & orangerie tour noon - 1:30pm fabulous fruit trees (1/3) 6:30-8:30 pm

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fabulous fruit trees (2/3) 6:30-8:30 pm

FEBRUARY

www.redbuttegarden.org

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Non Profit org.

US Postage PAID Salt Lake City Permit #1529

300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108

The Garden in Winter Frosty-white and cold it lies Underneath the fretful skies; Snowflakes flutter where the red Banners of the poppies spread, And the drifts are wide and deep Where the lilies fell asleep.

But the sunsets o’er it throw Flame-like splendor, lucent glow, And the moonshine makes it gleam Like a wonderland of dream, And the sharp winds all the day Pipe and whistle shrilly gay.

Safe beneath the snowdrifts lie Rainbow buds of by-and-by; In the long, sweet days of spring Music of bluebells shall ring, And its faintly golden cup Many a primrose will hold up.

Though the winds are keen and chill Roses’ hearts are beating still, And the garden tranquilly Dreams of happy hours to be– In the summer days of blue All its dreamings will come true.

Oak Leaf

-Lucy Maud Montgomery