Ironwood Summer 2018

VOLUME 26, NUMBER 2

SUMMER 2018

ADVENTURES IN RESEARCH

Mapping Rare and Invasive Species in Botanical "Black Holes"

NEW ISLAND SECTION

GARDEN CALENDAR

VOLUNTEER AWARDS

IRONWOOD Volume 26, Number 2 | Summer 2018 ISSN 1068-4026 EDITOR Flannery Hill DESIGNER Paula Schaefer Ironwood is published quarterly by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, a private nonprofit institution founded in 1926. The 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 Alliance of Museums, the California Association of Museums, and the American Horticultural Society. ©2018 Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. All rights reserved.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 1212 Mission Canyon Road Santa Barbara, CA 93105 Tel (805) 682-4726 sbbg.org GARDEN HOURS Mar – Oct: Daily 9am – 6pm Nov – Feb: Daily 9am – 5pm REGISTRATION Ext. 102 Registrar is available: M – F / 9am – 4pm GARDEN SHOP Ext. 112 Hours: Mar – Oct, Daily 9am – 5:30pm Nov – Feb, Daily 9am – 4:30pm GARDEN NURSERY Ext. 127 Selling California native plants to the public with no admission fee.

Hours: Mar – Oct, Daily 9am – 5:30pm Nov – Feb, Daily 9am – 4:30pm DEVELOPMENT Ext. 133 EDUCATION Ext. 160 FACILITY RENTAL Ext. 103 MEMBERSHIP Ext. 110 VOLUNTEER OFFICE Ext. 119 BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR Peter Schuyler VICE-CHAIR Tom Craveiro SECRETARY John Parke TREASURER Edward Roach Samantha Davis Lou Greer Frost Gil Garcia Elaine Gibson Sarah Berkus Gower Valerie Hoffman William Murdoch Gerry Rubin Kathy Scroggs Jesse Smith Susan Spector Susan Van Atta

FOLLOW THE GARDEN!

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Stepping Into Summer Thank you to everyone who purchased plants during our Spring Native Plant Sale. It was one of our most successful spring plant sales ever! Members make so much possible for the Garden and we truly could not promote the power of California native plants without you. To thank you for your on-going support, we will host our fourth annual Members Appreciation Month in July. Events include sunset yoga in the Garden, a full moon hike, behind-the-scenes tours, and many more free activities. Remember, members are welcome to bring a guest to the Garden every day during Member Appreciation Month. This summer is the perfect opportunity to share the Garden with a friend!

On July 26, we will host Tequila Sunset, our free appreciation event to our members at the Ironwood Guild level and above. If you are not already an Ironwood Guild level member, I encourage you to upgrade and join us for this very special event. Members who wish to upgrade can do so at any time. You don’t have to wait for your membership renewal date!

While this year is only half over, we have already accomplished a lot at the Garden. Work has begun on our new Island Section, located on the slopes below the Pritzlaff Conservation Center. A newly constructed trail winds through collections of unique, beautiful, and rare plants from the 16 California Islands - from Natividad (in Baja California) north to San Miguel in the Santa Barbara Channel. Our nurseries are busy growing over 12,000 plants for the grounds, for conservation projects, and for sale to home gardeners.

This summer, we continue work on our largest field season ever, mapping the rare plants and weeds along every road, firebreak, and maintained trail in the area of the Los Padres National Forest burned by the Zaca and Jesusita fires. That is over 318 miles of trails that we are exploring on foot, mule, and horseback!

You can read all about our adventures on our new blog at sbbg.org/blog.

We have classes, field trips, and hands on workshops to fit everyone’s tastes this summer - from investigations into native plant herbal remedies to hikes into the back country Steve and his horse Imperial pause for a break along the Potrero searching for rare plants. This Canyon trail in the San Rafael Wilderness during a rare plant year’s Summer Sips wine and mapping trip. cheese lecture series features talks on the floral diversity of Santa Cruz Island by Research Associate Steve Junak, and tips and tricks on designing native plant gardens from Garden Alumna Carol Bornstein.

Summer ends with our Trails ‘n’ Tails event on Saturday, August 18. As a reminder, well-behaved dogs on leash are always welcome at the Garden, but we hope you’ll consider coming to this special day dedicated to dogs and the people who love them.

FACEBOOK.COM/SBGARDEN YOUTUBE.COM/SBBGORG

See you in the Garden,

@SANTABARBARABOTANICGARDEN

Steve Windhager, Ph.D. Executive Director

On the Cover Denise Knapp, Ph.D., Director of Conservation & Research and Garden trustee Peter Schuyler on a research trip in the Los Padres National Forest. Photo courtesy sbbgphotos.org

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Tequila Sunset Thursday, July 26 • 5:30 - Sunset at the Pritzlaff Conservation Center Ironwood Guild and Circle-level members are invited to a festive evening just in time for Fiesta. Join us for an evening of Mexicaninspired appetizers and cocktails while enjoying a sunset over the Channel Islands.

Fiesta attire encouraged.

By invitation only, limited spaces available Reservations are required RSVP by Friday, July 20 to Natalie Wiezel (805) 682-4726, ext. 103 nwiezel@sbbg.org

4th Annual

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MEMBER APPRECIATION MONTH

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this

JULY! It is because of the generosity of our members that we are able to conserve California native plants in our living collection, present engaging educational programs with experts, and inspire the general public to become citizen scientists.

MEMBER ONLY EVENTS ALL JULY LONG!

Free Member Yoga, 6-7pm Find your center at the Garden with this free, sunset yoga class for members to kick off Member Appreciation Month. Bring your own mat, refreshments served.

JULY 6

Behind the Scenes Tour: Pritzlaff Conservation Center, 4-5pm Learn about the Garden’s conservation center on a tour of the labs, herbarium, and work spaces led by Executive Director Steve Windhager, Ph.D. Members Shopping Day Garden members receive 20% off in the Garden Shop and Nursery all day Behind the Scenes Tour: Pritzlaff Conservation Center, 2-3pm Learn about the Garden’s conservation center on a tour of the labs, herbarium, and work spaces led by Executive Director Steve Windhager, Ph.D. JULY 22

Full Moon Hike, 7-9pm Enjoy an after-hours hike through the Garden by the light of the full moon! Hikes for all levels are available.

JULY 26

ShinKanAn Tea Ceremony, 11am, noon, and 1pm Observe a traditional tea ceremony, enjoy a bowl of tea, and learn about the history of the Teahouse.

JULY 28

Not an Ironwood Guild or Circle-level member? Upgrade your membership in time for Tequila Sunset by calling (805) 682-4726, ext. 110.

YOUR FRIENDS BENEFIT from your membership the entire month of July!

BRING A FRIEND! Members get to bring one guest for FREE each day during Member Appreciation Month

BECOME A WILDFLOWER Upgrade your current membership to Wildflowerlevel or higher and receive a free one-of-a-kind California poppy camping mug. To upgrade now, call (805) 682-4726, ext. 110.

RSVP today at sbbg.org/appreciation or call (805) 682-4726, ext. 102. Member Appreciation Month events are free to members. Space is limited and reservations are required for all events.

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ADVENTURES IN RESEARCH

By Stephanie Calloway, Conservation Technician Photos courtesy sbbgphotos.org

In cooperation with the Los Padres National Forest, and with funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), the Garden is embarking on an exciting adventure!

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e’re saddling up our horses, lacing our hiking boots up tight, and hitting the trail to explore hundreds of miles deep into the remote reaches of the Los Padres National Forest. Our goal – to survey for both rare plant and invasive weed species within the boundaries of two recent fires: the 2007 Zaca Fire and the 2009 Jesusita Fire. As large fires become more common, it is essential that we understand how fire-prone ecosystems are recovering. For example, are there weed invasions that need to be addressed by land managers? Where are botanically important areas, and how might they be impacted? NFWF, a nonprofit that works closely with LPNF recently funded $4 million in restoration projects for areas impacted by fire across LPNF, and the Garden was one of the grantees.

Through a combination of day hikes, multi-day backpacking trips, mule trips, and horse-back trips, we hope to fill in major gaps in the botanical knowledge (e.g. Botanical Black Holes) of these remote and unexplored. We hope to help inform management decisions based on these findings.

We’ll accomplish all this through collaboration with our wonderful partners, including the Los Padres

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Forest Association, Santa Barbara City College, the University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, California Native Plant Society, and many wonderful volunteers. We’ll also have help from Garden Trustee John Parke and his award-winning endurance horse, Remington, and the amazing mule team from Los Padres Outfitters.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? Biodiversity, or the diversity of living things, is integral to our existence, yet many species are at risk – roughly, one third of California’s flora is rare, for instance. It is our shared responsibility to protect biodiversity and, in order to protect something, you first have to know that it exists!

The more we know about the irreplaceable treasures that occur in our own backyard, the easier it will be for us to protect them. We will be documenting as much botanical diversity as possible by mapping plant populations, collecting herbarium specimens,

WHAT IS AN HERBARIUM?

An herbarium is a collection of preserved plants that have been organized and cataloged. The information and content of such specimens cannot be duplicated in words, photographs, or other media, and forms the basis for ongoing scientific research in ecology, floristics, taxonomy, and conservation biology.

They serve as a snapshot of plant distribution in space and time, and are irreplaceable in their value for understanding California's flora.

entering the data we collect into a centralized database, and creating an updated checklist for the plants of Santa Barbara County. All of our data will be given to land managers to help inform land-use decisions.

OUR PROGRESS SO FAR In February, the Garden’s Conservation and Research team started these botanical explorations. As of May 2018, we’ve been able to survey over 130 miles of trail, and have hiked/ridden over 200 miles! We’ve collected 1300 herbarium specimens, halfway to or goal of 2600, which will be housed in our herbarium at the Garden. We have discovered many unrecorded occurrences of rare plants, such as the pale yellow Layia (Layia heterotricha) and Lemmon’s wild cabbage (Caulanthus lemmonii), and we’ve collected important data on the status of weed invasions. We’re about halfway done, and have about three more months to go!

Follow our blog at sbbg.org/blog

Examples of the rare botanical diversity we are in search of are shown in the photos above from left to right: • LAYIA, Layia heterotricha - one way to identify this plant is through its distinct banana smell!

• LATE-FLOWERED MARIPOSA LILY, Calochortus fimbriatus • OJAI FRITILLARY, Fritillaria ojaiensis SUMMER 2 0 1 8 Ironwood

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ADVENTURES IN RESEARCH

Read more and follow our adventure at sbbg.org/blog!

BACKPACKING TRIP HIGHLIGHTS Photos courtesy sbbgphotos.org

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Manzana Creek flowing vigorously.

We found plenty of plants in this area to collect and map.

Chalk lettuce (Dudleya pulverulenta) found along the trail.

Greg Wahlert, a UCSB volunteer carries a plant press.

Icelandic horses Remington and Mocha at the top of Potrero Trail.

Coast horned lizard is a federal and state species of special concern.

Plant pressing at night.

California peony (Paeonia californica) along the trail.

Gypsum spring beauty (Claytonia gypsophiloides) is a Santa Barbara County rare species.

Lemmon’s wild cabbage (Caulanthus lemmonii) is only found in California and is rare throughout its range.

Bigcone Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga macrocarpa) is found only in Southern California, and is one of only two Pseutotsuga species in North America.

Crew headed out of the Nira trailhead in the San Rafael Winderness.

Botanist Steve Junak working on the trail.

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F. LAVOIPIERRE

Become a UC-certified California Naturalist!

The California Naturalist program is an excellent introduction to becoming a citizen scientist, amateur naturalist, restoration volunteer, expert docent, or simply an informed hiker.

GOT TEENS? X-STREAM SCIENCE TEAM The X-Stream Science Team is a teen volunteer program focused on providing teens an opportunity to engage in hands-on science, outreach, restoration and stewardship activities.

free SENIOR DAYS

California Naturalist Open House WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 5:30-7PM Join us for our annual UC California Naturalist Open House to learn more about this certification course.

Mingle with some of our expert instructors and over 100 program graduates, check out past capstone projects and enjoy a short presentation on the program.

for seniors 60 years old and better!

JUNE 20 – Flower Arranging Class AUGUST 15 – Music in the Meadow OCTOBER 17 – Portrait Photography DECEMBER 19 – Make Holiday Wreaths and Swags sbbg.org/seniors

K RABUCK

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sbbg.org/xstream

BEGINS SEPTEMBER 5 10 WEDNESDAYS, + 5 SATURDAY FIELD TRIPS

Hiking With Your Dog Getting out in nature is a great way to unwind for you and your pooch! Make the most of your adventure with these handy tips for a fun and safe hike.

Content courtesy of the Santa Barbara Humane Society

THINGS TO BRING • • • • • • • •

Enough water for you and for your dog Tick removal tool (available at most pet stores) Consider sunscreen for your dog if he or she has white or light-colored fur Collar and six-foot leash Dog tags on your dog’s collar One tag with your contact information Your dog’s current rabies license tag Poop bag(s) to scoop up the poop

Hiking on a trail with other dogs, wildlife and people can be very exciting and distracting for you and your dog. Your dog should have basic obedience training so that he or she can walk on a loose leash.

Physical fitness is important for dogs too! Don’t overdo it on your first hiking trip – ease in to a fitness routine if your dog is a couch potato. Start with shorter hikes initially to stay in check with your pup’s stamina.

Dogs can overheat very quickly since they do not sweat. Remember to give your dog water and a chance to cool down if they seem overheated. Temperatures can rise quickly (up to 20 degrees or more!) as you hike up the trail, due to the lack of shade and water. Dogs can only cool themselves off by panting, so if the air is hot and they are dehydrated, they can easily get heat exhaustion. Pay special attention to your dog on hot days!

Stay on the trail for your dog’s safety as well as yours – you won’t know what you might encounter in the vegetation or under rocks – be aware of rattlesnakes, scorpions, and foxtails.

Provide your dog with year-round protection from fleas and ticks. Use a safe topical medication once a month or as advised by your veterinarian. It can take up to 24 hours for the medication to fully absorb; for large dogs, you may want to put the medication on several places along his or her spine for faster absorption.

Be polite on the trail to fellow hikers. Pull your dog to the side when passing other hikers.

Always ask a dog owner first if your dog wants to meet an approaching dog. Not everyone will be ready to meet a strange dog; asking first and walking up slowly to the other dog usually allows for a friendly greeting.

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DOG HIKING SAFETY

Have fun!

Bring your furry friend & join us for

Trails 'N' Tails A dog's perfect day in the Garden!

AUGUST 18, 9am - 3pm 8

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Explore the Garden, enjoy demonstrations, meet dog specialists, and more!

PLUS one dog = one free admission

sbbg.org/trailsntails

CALENDAR

ADDITIONAL CLASSES MAY BE ADDED Find up-to-date information and register at sbbg.org/classes-events or call (805) 682-4726, ext. 102

THE SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN

Free Public Docent Tours every Saturday and Sunday at 11am & 2pm and Mondays at 2pm / Discovery Station Saturdays 10:30am-1:30pm Pricing: member / non-member / volunteer

JUNE JUN

Native Plant Palette: Buckwheats

Walk the Garden grounds and take an in-depth look at the various species of Eriogonum. Learn their role in our ecosystem, buckwheat identification and how to use them in a home landscape. 10am-12pm. $20/$35/$15

JUN

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HERBAL FIRST AID: Lecture

Emily covers some easy to use herbal allies for first aid situations. This introductory course covers 7 useful native California herbs for cuts, scrapes, burns, bites & stings.

10am-1pm. $30/$45/$20 HERBAL FIRST AID: Medicine-Making

Create herbal remedies using California native plants with Emily, and take home your own herbal aid kit of salves, oils, and extracts. 2-5pm. $65/$85 R. WRIGHT

SBBGPHOTOS.ORG

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HERBAL FIRST AID

Join local herbalist Emily Sanders for this 2-part course on making herbal first aid kits of remedies to treat cuts, scrapes, burns, bites & stings using local plant allies.

Members only series of two classes: $80

JUN

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JUN

Volunteer Orientation

SUMMER SIPS SERIES

Explore our diverse volunteer opportunities. Bring a friend and get a behind-the-scenes tour. 5pm-6:30pm in the Volunteer Cottage. Free R. WRIGHT

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Meditation with Sound

Experience soothing meditation with sound in the beautiful Pritzlaff Conservation Center Art Gallery through the vibrations of various instruments such as Tibetan and Crystal singing bowls, voices, bells and rattles. 5-6:15pm. $10/$15

Enjoy a leisurely afternoon with friends, tasting some of Santa Barbara’s delicious wines and appetizers, and then adjourn to the beautiful Blaksley Library for a presentation. 2nd Saturday of the month (June-August), 4pm-6pm.

Members series price (tickets transferable): $60 JUN

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SUMMER SIPS: Topic to be Announced

Join the Garden for its first of three Summer Sips Lectures.

Please see sbbg.org/classes--events for the speaker and topic. 4pm-6pm. $25/$35 Morning Bird Walk

Expert naturalist Rebecca Coulter leads a morning group in watching and listening for the diverse and beautiful birds that make the meadow, woodlands, and creek side their home. 8:30am-10am. $10/$15/$5

Teahouse Open

Visitors and members are invited to experience our ShinKanAn Teahouse and Garden and witness the rich traditions of the Japanese tea ceremony. 11am-1pm. Free with admission.

JUN

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Cultivating Intimacy with Nature

The Garden invites you to an experiential presentation on plant wisdom and plant spirit healing. Discover the significance they have in ecology, environmentalism, and inter-species healing. This course includes both indoor

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CALENDAR

THE SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN

Free Public Docent Tours every Saturday and Sunday at 11am & 2pm and Mondays at 2pm / Discovery Station Saturdays 10:30am-1:30pm

J U LY

and outdoor meditation-based practices to facilitate curiosity and intimacy with the natural world. 6-7:45pm. $20/$30/$15 SBBGPHOTOS.ORG

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Trails Less Traveled: Rattlesnake Canyon

Join naturalist Alan Prichard on an exploration of lower Rattlesnake Canyon. Discover some of the side trails that reveal the geology (and archeology!) of one of Santa Barbara’s most popular hiking spots, and witness firsthand how debris flows have shaped the local landscape. 9am-1pm. $50/$65/$40

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See June 3. 5-6:15pm. $10/$15 Herbal Medicine of Sage Scrub

Join herbalist Emily Sanders and learn about some of the medicinal uses of native plants in the sage scrub chaparral plant community. These herbal medicine walks are offered on the first Saturday of every odd month. 10am-12pm. $25/$35 Healing with Flower and Plant Essences

Join Erin McKeever, M.A., for an introduction on the foundational aspects of healing with plant and flower essences. Discover the powerful affects essences have on overall health and the implications this has on spiritual ecology, the healing arts, and western medicine. 6-7:15pm. $15/$20/$10 Teahouse Open

See June 9. 11am-1pm. Free with paid Garden admission M. GEE

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Meditation with Sound

SPECIALTY GARDEN TOURS

D. MATSUMOTO

The Garden offers special topic Garden tours monthly from March through October. Tours are typically on the fourth Saturday each month from 4-5pm, and begin at our Entrance Kiosk. These rambles provide unique experiences for visitors and an opportunity to dig deeper for those with long familiarity with the Garden. Pre-registration is required. Members free.

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SPECIALTY TOUR: Family Exploration

Learn activities you can do to keep your children engaged in nature. Discover the wildlife that lives in or passes through our grounds, exercise keen powers of observation, and have a powerful good time! 4-5pm. Free with Garden admission.

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SUMMER SIPS: Botanical Treasures of Santa Cruz Island

Santa Cruz Island, the largest and most diverse of the Northern Channel Islands in terms of its climate, geology, and topography, is a botanical wonder - with nearly 500 species of native taxa alone. Join us for the second of three Summer Sips Lectures, as island expert Steve Junak takes us on a historical and botanical tour of this amazing island. 4pm-6pm. $25/$35 California Native Plant Society Meeting

The Garden hosts the California Native Plant Society, Channel Islands Chapter for their monthly meeting. See cnpsci.org for further information. 7pm-8:30pm. Free CALIFORNIA NATURALIST: Open House

Join us for our annual UC California Naturalist Open House to learn more about this certification course.

Mingle with some of our expert instructors and over 100

ADDITIONAL CLASSES MAY BE ADDED Find up-to-date information and register at sbbg.org/classes-events or call (805) 682-4726, ext. 102 Pricing: member / non-member / volunteer

program graduates, check out past capstone projects and enjoy a short presentation on the program. 5:30-7pm. Free JUL

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SPECIALTY TOUR: Oaks of the Garden

Join us for this special docent-led tour of California’s remarkable diversity of native oak trees. 4-5pm. Free with Garden Admission.

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Walking through the Seasons (at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden)

Don’t miss the last day of Patti Jacquemain’s exhibition in the Pritzlaff Conservation Center Gallery. 9am-6pm. Free with Garden admission.

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Poetry in the Garden

Families are invited to explore the garden through the eyes of the poet. Listen to poems about nature and experience the Garden using your senses as we discover plants, flowers, and a variety of creatures. Finish the day by writing and illustrating your own poems. Recommended for ages 6 and up. 10-11:30am. Free with admission, reservations required.

Teahouse Open

See June 9. 11am-1pm. Free with paid Garden admission SUMMER SIPS: Designing Native Gardens

For our final lecture in our Summer Sips Lecture Series, join author and Director of the Nature Gardens at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Carol Bornstein as she offers tips on designing native gardens.

4-6pm. $25/$35 Meditation with Sound

See June 3. 5-6:15pm. $10/$15 Bring the Wild Inside

Create a beautiful floral arrangements to take home using California Native Plants. Perfect for beginner to advanced floral designers. 1-4pm. $25/$40 T. KLEIN

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Cynthia James – The Secret Life of Flowers

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Santa Barbara Botanic Garden  Pritzlaff Conservation Center Gallery  August 6th – November 26th  805.682.4726  www.sbbg.org

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Secret Life of Flowers

Cynthia James paints in oil on wood panels and copper playing with reality in a magical style combining techniques used by Bosch and Audubon with a fantastical contemporary edge. Experience the magic in her new exhibition in the Pritzlaff Conservation Center Gallery.

9am-6pm. Free with Garden admission Opening Reception: Secret Life of Flowers

Meet the artist and enjoy light refreshments. 5-7pm. Free, registration required

SPECIALTY TOUR: California Conifers

Experience the Garden’s magnificent trees on this free specialty tour focusing on some of California’s conifer species. 4-5pm. Free with Garden Admission

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Herbal Medicine of Riparian Plants

Learn the medicinal and edible effects of herbs in the riparian plant community while on a Garden walk with herbalist Emily Sanders. 10am-12pm. $25/$35

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CALENDAR

ADDITIONAL CLASSES MAY BE ADDED Find up-to-date information and register at sbbg.org/classes-events or call (805) 682-4726, ext. 102

THE SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN

Free Public Docent Tours every Saturday and Sunday at 11am & 2pm and Mondays at 2pm / Discovery Station Saturdays 10:30am-1:30pm Pricing: member / non-member / volunteer

SEP

C O M I N G S O O N! M. GEE

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Gardening Under the Oaks

The Garden’s head horticulturist and certified arborist Bruce Reed leads a discussion of the dos and don’ts of gardening alongside the Central Coast’s premier shade tree. 1-5pm. $30/$45/$20

Sign up for Garden Gazette, the Garden’s biweekly e-newsletter, at sbbg.org and be the first to know about our popular Channel Islands trips in 2018 and further details on upcoming classes and other events at the Garden. Also check sbbg.org/classes for up-to-date class information.

Guide to the Jepson Manual Fridays, October 19, 26, November 2, 9 & CALIFORNIA NATURALIST: Certification Course

B. COLLINS

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Pruning Natives De-Mystified

Take some of the mystery out of pruning and maintaining your natives with this informative workshop led by Garden Horticulturist Bruce Reed. 10am-12pm. $20/$35/$15 Morning Bird Walk

See June 20. 8:30am-10am. $10/$15/$5 Designing with Water Wise Natives

California's native plants offer nearly limitless uses in your residential garden, from creating wildlife-attracting, naturalistic landscapes to cottage, contemporary or traditional style spaces. Learn the steps professional designers use to assure that the finished garden is beautiful, useful & sustainable. 9am-12pm. $30/$45/$20

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16, 10 1-3pm, Join botanist Mary Carroll for this hands-on introduction to the mysteries of the Jepson Manual and the basic terminology used in plant identification. $85/$100/$70 S. JUNAK

SEP

5, 12 The Garden offers this UC extension certificate program, 19,26 intended to foster a committed corps of volunteer naturalists and citizen scientists trained and ready to take an OCT 3,10 active role in local natural resource conservation, educa17,24 tion, and restoration. Each class and field trip features NOV local expert instructors. plus 5 Saturday field trips (dates 7, 14 TBA). 4:00 -7:00pm. $300 early bird special until August 1. $360 after August 1.

Santa Cruz Willows Anchorage Day Trip

Saturday, October 27, 8am-5:30pm, The Garden invites you to join us on a special day trip to Willows Anchorage on the south side of Santa Cruz Island.

Participants will explore one of the largest canyons on the island along with a secluded beach and pristine coastal slopes with island expert Steve Junak. $150/$195

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CONGRATULATIONS! 2018 Volunteer Awards

S. LEWIS

R. WRIGHT

R. WRIGHT

Every year the Garden staff is humbled by the tremendous amount of time and energy given by our volunteers. Garden volunteers’ dedication is driven by their love of nature and a desire to understand, protect, and restore it for generations to come. On a windy, but beautiful May evening we celebrated our volunteers with the annual volunteer appreciation celebration at the Pritzlaff Conservation Center.

Volunteer of the Year Don Jack with Kathy Castaneda, Manager of Volunteer Programs, and Steve Windhager, Ph.D.

And the winners are...

Volunteer of the Year: Don Jack Seedling Award: Christine Pang and Tim Sisneros Da Vinci Award: John Cookson and Erika Fischer-Corners Unsung Hero Award: Garden Shop Team Blaksley Bliss Lifetime Achievement: Deedy King

Annual Service Awards 5 years: Sam Babcock, Valerie Halverson, Mary Henry, Pat Kelly, Steven Lewis, Marie Jessup, Elena Riskind, and Rob Romzick 10 years: Mary Sadeghian 15 years: Alice Burke-Ebenshade, Elaine Gibson, Jeanne Mudrick, and Carol Weingartner

Photos from top: (Left to right) Allena Donati, Regan Hale, Pamme Mickelson, Bruce Reed, and Arthur Lindo Stacy Bloodworth, Kathy Castaneda, Steve Windhager, Ph.D., Katie Krier, Linnie Meskimen, and Steve Lewis Alisa Varney, Marie Jessup, and Charles King

Volunteers who contributed over 200 hours of service in 2017 and earned a gift membership: Henry Adams, Tom Craveiro, Corrinne Gallagher, Pam Hasler, Don Jack, Deedy King, Katie Krier, Dorothy Manzarek, Jeanne Mudrick, Alice Payne, Carolyn Pidduck, and Kathy Rindlaub

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GARDEN People

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and pets!

PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Denise Knapp, Ph.D., Heather Schneider, Ph.D. and Stephanie Calloway, Research Assistant on a botanical black holes mapping trip Photo by S. Calloway

RĂŠmy the puppy on a walk in the Garden Photo by F. Hill

Santa Barbara Beer Garden Committee member Robert Lewis and Brittney Burrows enjoy a cold brew at the Santa Barbara Beer Garden Photo by K. Hehnke

Wesley Wilson, Randy Modos, Michele Maverick, and Jeremy Bassan, Santa Barbara Beer Garden committee member, raises a glass at the Beer Garden Photo by K. Hehnke

Plein air artists painting the springtime Meadow blooms Photo by F. Hill

Earth Day volunteers pause for a photo while planting California native plants at the entrance to Refugio State Beach Photo by K. Castaneda

Pamme Mickelson, John and Anne Brinker and Steve Windhager, Ph.D. at the Members Picnic Photo by S. Bloodworth

Heidi Whitman, Director of Development & Communications with docent Alan Scholl and his wife Jeanne Payne at the Members Picnic Photo by S. Bloodworth

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New Island Section Baja California Story & Photos by Betsy Collins, Director of Horticulture

Plants of the Channel Islands have been a major focus of the Garden’s research, collections and displays since our very beginning in 1926.

As one of the eight original Garden sections conceived by the Garden’s founders, the Island Section was first located where the present day entrance and lower parking lot now occur. The Section was relocated to the Canyon in 1966 where it struggled until the 2009 Jesusita Fire destroyed it. However, the heavy soils and cool canyon location proved inhospitable for many island species and plantings often performed poorly. Staff have long planned to move the section to the ridgetop east of Mission Canyon Road where growing conditions are perfect and a visual connection to the islands themselves is apparent. Well, that long dreamed for day is finally here!

We broke ground on a new Island Section this spring that is situated on the slopes below the Island View Garden at the Pritzlaff Conservation Center.

These plantings differ from those in the Island View Garden in that their goal is to contain the full diversity of species found on the 16 California Islands.

The plantings in all our displays comprise the Living Collections which is an accredited scientific collection.

We keep extensive records on where specimens were obtained, their history of storage, propagation and planting in the Garden, and the reasons and timing of death. An accession number, which functions as a sort of social security number, is attached to specimens through every phase of their life. The value of these collections is enormous: they serve to delight

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and educate our visitors, are used in various avenues of research, and help to conserve some of the rarest plants in California.

Because our collections are so old and so diverse (we began keeping records in 1934), they contain plants that are now very rare or extinct in the wild. A greater genetic diversity currently exists in gardens (including ours) than in the wild of species like the island barberry (Berberis pinnata ssp. insularis). These documented Garden specimens are now being propagated to help recover wild populations. We unfortunately lost some very valuable plants to the Jesusita Fire and are now actively working with the National Park Service, Nature Conservancy, Navy, and the Catalina Conservancy to rebuild our collections.

We are currently planting the area on the south toe of the ridge with plants from the Baja California islands. Although it may seem strange to grow plants from Mexico in our Garden dedicated to California native plants, these species are included in Living Collections because they occur within the California Floristic Province (CFP). The CFP, which includes parts of southern Oregon and northern Baja, is the strip of Mediterranean-type climate found along the Pacific coast of North America. Characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, it is a global biodiversity hotspot. The eight Baja islands within the CFP are: Los Coronados, Todos Santos, San Martin, San Geronimo, San Benitos, Cedros, Natividad and Guadalupe. Many of the accessions collected on a March 2016 expedition Garden staff took to six of these islands are now ready to plant.

The new section is laid out in a roughly south to north arrangement around the ridge - beginning with the Baja islands on the south slopes and ending with Santa Rosa and San Miguel islands to the northwest. A lovely new footpath that runs through the collections has been created mid-slope by volunteer-ofthe-year Don Jack. 28 species have been planted so far including plants found nowhere else in the Garden: Acmipson strigogsus, Atriplex barclayana, Bahiopsis lanata, Eriogonum molle, Malva pacifica, Sphaeralcea sulphurea, and Teucrium glandulosum. Growing conditions are proving all we hoped for as these precious plants are performing beautifully. We will be working over the next several years to develop the rest of the displays and create the finest collection of California Islands plants in the world.

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Although it may seem strange to grow plants from Mexico in our Garden dedicated to California native plants, these species are included in Living Collections because they occur within the California Floristic Province.

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T. WARDLAW

Garden Wish List Small investments directly support our efforts in conservation, horticulture, education and research. If you would like to fund a wish list item, please contact Heidi Whitman, Director of Development & Communications at hwhitman@sbbg.org or (805) 682-4726, ext. 133.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Gardening tools and equipment

$50 and up

12 Boat trips to the Channel Islands for plant conservation work

$90-150 each

Spotting scope for K-12 classes

$150

4 pairs of Snake Gators

$180

Bench vise for creating plant labels

$200

Binoculars (8) for the Education program

$240

Precision paper cutter

$300

Bottle filling water station

$800

4 Flights to San Miguel Island

$1200 each

3 Microsoft Surface Pro laptop computers

$1200 each

Electric work carts for horticulture staff

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$4500 each

Help the Garden Thrive Give to the Spring Appeal and help the Horticulture Department continue their vital work! sbbg.org/donate

Have an unwanted car you would like to donate to support the Garden?

The process is easy! Our partner, CARS, handles the pick-up and sale of your vehicle, plus all the associated paperwork. You receive a tax deduction for your donation, and the Garden receives a check for 80% of the net sale proceeds.

For more information and to schedule a pick-up that's convenient for you, call (855) 500-RIDE (7433) or visit sbbg.org/car.

2017

IMPAC T REPORT

Learn about the Garden's achievements in the 2017 Impact Report at sbbg.org

THE SECRET LIFE OF FLOWERS PRITZLAFF CONSERVATION CENTER GALLERY AUG 6 – NOV 26, 2018 RECEPTION: AUG 9, 5–7pm ABOUT THE ARTIST

CYNTHIA JAMES paints in oil on wood panels and copper playing with reality in a magical style combining techniques used by Bosch and Audubon with a fantastical contemporary edge. Her botanical themes explore changes in our environment due to genetically modified plants, pesticides, and other dangers to earth’s pollinators.

Rare Plant Treasure Hunt The Rare Plant Treasure Hunt is a citizen science program with the goal of updating information of our state’s rare plants. Many of California’s rare plant populations have not been seen in decades. In coordination with a project to map rare plants within the Zaca and Jesusita fire scars, the Garden will offer two Rare Plant Treasure Hunts in the Los Padres National Forest this summer.

SEARCH FOR THE RARE CARMEL VALLEY CLIFF ASTER

SEARCH FOR THE RARE LATE-FLOWERED MARIPOSA LILY

Friday, June 22 Carmel valley cliff aster (Malacothrix saxatalis var. arachnoidea) is a rare perennial wildflower in the sunflower family. It primarily grows in Monterey County, with just a few occurrences in the Santa Barbara area.

Saturday, July 14 Late-flowered mariposa lily (Calochortus fimbriatus) is a rare perennial bulb that is found in the front country in Santa Barbara, as well as along parts of Camino Cielo. This vibrantly colored wildflower is true to its name and blooms in the heat of summer.

Difficulty: moderate/difficult

Difficulty: easy/moderate

K HEHNKE

The Secret Life of Flowers

Cynthia James was born in Santa Monica and spent her childhood immersed in nature scrambling up and down the canyons and beaches of that area and Malibu. She attended UCSB in the ‘70s, worked as an illustrator and muralist in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

A major move to the Yucatan to design and build a boutique hotel in Tulum, she and her husband and daughter learned how to live in the remote tropics. After 14 years they returned to Santa Barbara.

Cynthia continued painting and carried back the influences of Mexico, especially the tropical setting and an awareness of the fragile ecosystem.

Picture your next event at the Garden Weddings Corporate meetings Conferences Lectures Special events

CONTACT Natalie Wiezel, Event Coordinator nwiezel@sbbg.org (805) 682-4726, ext. 103

Learn more or to RSVP, visit sbbg.org/classes-events

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ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

1212 Mission Canyon Road Santa Barbara, CA 93105-2126 sbbg.org • (805) 682-4726

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID SANTA BARBARA, CA PERMIT NO. 451

SummerS ips

WINE & CHEESE LECTURE WINE LECTURE SERIES SERIES Where fascinating native plant stories fill the evening, and local wineries fill your glass with delicious wines.

JUNE 9 JULY 14 AUGUST 11

Visit

S B B G.O R G /S I P S

for tickets and more information

COLORFUL VASES for YOUR FLOWERS T. WARDLAW

the

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GARDEN SHOP

GAR DEN S HOP HOU RS: MAR – OCT: 10 a m – 5 : 3 0 p m N OV – F E B: 10 a m – 4 : 3 0 p m (805) 682-4726,

ext.

I N FO@S B BG.ORG

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