Spring 2017 Newsletter

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outh Coas� Botanic Garde�

SPRING 2017

CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN THE GARDEN

MAR. 4-5

Spring Events pg 3

Development Update pg 10

Shop Local with the Experts pg 11

CEO MESSAGE

Adrienne L. Nakashima, CEO

Spring: A Time �� Renewal

“Lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.”

—Song of Solomon Rainy days at the Garden are magical. Children can enjoy a quick puddle jump and get as muddy as their parents will allow, our thirsty collections dance with delight as they drink up their fill and sway in the wind and the birds hunker down and wait out the storms.

The pitter-patter has made me contemplate the renewal that will soon spring forth. Already bulbs are sprouting, flowers budding and the meadows are a lush green, but before long, we will witness a rainbow of spring color in our glorious South Coast Botanic Garden.

| South Coast Botanic Garden | SPRING IN THE GARDEN

Another important renewal is on the horizon — the renovation of the Rose Garden. I am happy to report that as this newsletter goes to print our temporary construction fencing is going up. Shortly thereafter, we will welcome the equipment and crews that will revitalize the space, and before long, our specialty area will serve as a living, breathing museum of the rose.

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The new Rose Garden is the first in a sequence of planned capital projects intended to attract new audiences and enhance the guest experience. The renovation will provide unparalleled access opportunities for visitors of all abilities and will serve as a place that is contemplative and serene, providing respite from the congestion of city life amid a stunning showcase of rose species, including hybrids, tea, floribunda, grandiflora and English varieties.

Staying true to the spirit of the South Coast Botanic Garden’s history as a landfill, the project employs sustainable horticultural practices. Every inch of the existing garden will be repurposed in the new plantings and architectural elements — fountains will be deconstructed with stones redeployed; paving bricks will be crushed and reused; and diseased plants will be mulched and composted. Water conservation is a major priority, with water reuse systems that will employ smart controllers and water reclamation.

With a letter devoted to spring renewal, I would be remiss if I didn’t remind you that your renewed membership support helps to make our Garden grow. Membership dues, plant purchases, Gift Shop patronage and additional donations are all so vital to our success. If you haven’t already done so, please take a moment to renew your membership and perhaps also consider making a gift in support of the highly anticipated new Rose Garden.

Thanks to the rains, visitors were treated to the rare event of a full lake at SCBG. Photo by: Craig Oda

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS Spring

MARCH 4,5 Cherry Blossoms in the Garden

in the Garden

APRIL 2 Garden Foto Fest

5 Music in the Garden 11 South Coast African Violet Society Show & Sale

8,9 South Coast Cactus & Succulent Society Show & Sale

12 Windy Ridge Bluegrass Band Concert 18 Family Picnic Day Veggie & Herb Beds

30 Grow Workshop: Backyard Composting

25 Spring Plant Sale

MAY 7 South Coast Epiphyllum Society Show & Sale 7 WILD: Wolves - An Ecological Keystone 13 Celebration of Roses & Clematis Show & Sale 14 Palos Verdes Symphonic Band Mother's Day Concert 20, South Bay Geranium 21 Society Show & Sale

What’s in Bloom

MARCH Acacia, African Cornflag, Aloe, Clivia, Flowering Cherry, Flowering Peach, Narcissus, Quince, Saucer Magnolia, Wisteria

APRIL Acacia, Aloe, California Lilac, California Poppy, Calla Lily, Coral Tree, Eucalyptus, Pride of Madeira, Spear Lily, Tabebuia, Wisteria

MAY Buckwheat, California Lilac, California Poppy, Calla Lily, Calliandra, Coral Tree, Eucalyptus, Iris, Jacaranda, Pride of Madeira, Red Crinum Lily, Rose, Tabebuia 3

MARCH Please visit southcoastbotanicgarden.org/event-policies to learn more about event and class policies.

Registration Opens: FEBRUARY 17

Family � Kids

Events SOUTH COAST AFRICAN VIOLET SOCIETY SHOW AND SALE

Saturday, Mar. 11 Class: 10:30am, Sales: 11:00am – 4:00pm, Show: 11:30am – 4:00pm Included with Garden admission Leonard Re will give the culture session at 10:30 am with a presentation and demonstration on the care and culture of the African Violet. Learn how to put down a leaf, repot a mature plant, rejuvenate a plant with a long neck and remove a sucker. At 11:00 am the sales area will open with many beautiful African Violets for sale. At 11:30 am the show will open.

No registration required.

| South Coast Botanic Garden | SPRING IN THE GARDEN

CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL

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Saturday, Mar. 4 12:00pm – 4:00pm Included with Garden admission Cherry blossoms are the richly symbolic national flower of Japan. With a short blooming season, many believe Cherry Blossoms symbolize the fleeting beauty of life. Join us for a "hanami" or Cherry Blossom viewing as you stroll through the Garden, and stop by the Upper Meadow for live performances

by Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute (GVJCI) Tomo no Kai Chika's Ukulele and Harriet's Hula, Bando Hidesomi, Michael Murata, Southern California Naginata Federation and more. Feel free to bring blankets and/or beach chairs, and food will be available for purchase from Okamoto Kitchen Food Truck.

Please see our website for more details.

No registration required.

Music in the Garden:

SHOWCASING YOUNG MUSICIANS OF THE PENINSULA AND SOUTH BAY

Sunday, Mar. 5 12:00pm – 4:00pm Included with Garden admission Presented by the Peninsula Committee Los Angeles Philharmonic. Young musicians from the Peninsula and other South Bay schools will be performing in the Hall, Koi Pond Patio and Garden Grounds. Visit www.pclaphil.org for more information and to purchase tickets. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.

WINDY RIDGE BLUEGRASS BAND – THE BLUEGRASS VOICE OF THE SOUTH BAY

Sunday, Mar. 12 3:00pm – 5:00pm Included with Garden admission Bring a picnic and enjoy the band as they play traditional, contemporary and original bluegrass songs.

Acoustic instruments blend with vocals in lead and harmony. Concert will be held in the Amphitheater.

No registration required.

Family Picnic Day

CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN THE GARDEN

Saturday and Sunday, Mar. 4 and 5 9:00am – 5:00pm Included with Garden admission Join us at the Garden as the showy, ornamental cherry trees bring forth their spectacular blooms in drifts of soft pink. In Japanese culture, the cherry blossom represents the fragility and beauty of life.

Visit Guest Services or the Gift Shop for additional information about the Cherry Blossom Festival. Enjoy your visit. Picnics are not provided; however feel free to bring your own.

Family Picnic Day

VEGGIE AND HERB BEDS

Saturday, Mar. 18 9:00am – 5:00pm Included with Garden admission The veggie and herb beds are bursting with abundance! Our volunteers tend and care for several ‘demonstration’ beds of vegetables and herbs. This will give you a good idea of what will thrive in your veggie beds!

Visit Guest Services or the Gift Shop for additional information about the veggie and herb beds for your self-guided tour and enjoy your visit. Picnics are not provided; however feel free to bring your own.

Photo by: Jeff Staton

SPRING PLANT SALE

Saturday, Mar. 25 9:00am – 4:00pm Sponsored by Propagation Workshop and South Coast Botanic Garden Foundation. This annual Plant Sale is an important fundraiser for the Foundation and a popular community event. Shop early for best selection. Additional vendors will participate including MB Landscaping & Nursery, Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, Ricardo's Nursery, Palos Verdes Begonia Society, South Coast Rose Society, The Tomato Whisperer and Back 40. Donated plants from Native Sons will also be available for purchase. Please check our website for an updated list of vendors.

No registration required.

Photo by: Jeff Staton

i n th e G a rd e n

Wildli�e AUDUBON BIRD WALKS

Sundays, Mar. 12, Apr. 9, May. 14 8:00am – 11:00am No fees associated with this course Are you interested in birds? Join Steve Dexter, Ed Griffin and Manuel Duran of the Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society as we tour the Garden in search of birds. Bird Walks are a great way to learn to identify birds and appreciate nature. No experience required, but binoculars are recommended. The group meets in the Courtyard and then heads out into the Garden.

Please be punctual should you wish to join the group.

No registration required.

Health � Wellness MORNING BLISS YOGA

Wednesdays, Mar. 8, 15, 22, 29, Apr. 5, 12, 19, 26 9:30am – 10:30am Cost: $80 members / $95 non-members Drop-in: $12 members / $15 non-members Join us for “A Path to Abundance” series for a weekday escape as Nicole leads us through yoga sets to energize, strengthen and rejuvenate the body and soul. A wonderful benefit for the body and mind whether taken in the series or separately. Sound healing and optional aromatherapy are a part of the experience. All levels encouraged. This class meets in the Courtyard promptly before going into the Garden.

Please bring your yoga mat, wear comfortable clothing and bring a small towel or blanket. Registration required. Online registration is recommended.

TAI CHI IN THE GARDEN

Photo by: Lauren Nishihira

Gardenin� GROW SERIES: GARDENING FOR A CHANGING CLIMATE

Fridays, Mar. 24, 31, Apr. 14, 21 9:30am – 11:00am Cost: $35 members / $50 non-members Drop-in: $12 members / $15 non-members The ‘rules’ of gardening are changing fast, forcing many gardeners back to the basics. It is the perfect time to start your gardening journey or to brush up on the gardening breakthroughs in recent years.

Certified UC Master Gardener, Liza Go, will take beginners and seasoned gardeners alike through a comprehensive four-part series to give you the greenest thumb possible with hands-on demonstrations in the Garden. Registration required. Online registration is recommended.

Saturdays, Mar. 18, 25, Apr. 1, 8, 15, (skip 22), 29, May 6, 13 8:00am – 9:00am Cost: $65 members / $80 non-members Drop-in: $10 members / $12 non-members Let’s come together, release tension, increase balance and feel completely relaxed with Tai Chi in the Garden. Tai Chi is a graceful series of ancient Chinese meditative movements that help maintain physical health, well-being and spiritual essence. Anyone can learn Tai Chi – any age, all levels of fitness. Come join us in this beautiful practice, and let’s celebrate your health! Registration required. Online pre-registration is highly recommended.

Photo by: Jeff Staton

Art ORIENTAL IMPRESSIONISTIC WATERCOLOR

Fridays, Mar. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, Apr. (skip 7), 14, 21, 28 9:00am – 12:00pm Cost: $70 members / $85 non-members Instructor Hisako Asano will teach you how to create paintings of nature that capture the soft-colored art form that is expressed in her techniques. You will learn to mix and blend colors and manipulate 3-D values with a single stroke. Materials required. Please see website for additional details. Class is limited to 20 students maximum by lottery registration.

Lottery registration required. Information available at www.southcoastbotanicgarden.org.

IKEBANA FLORAL DESIGN

Tuesdays, Mar. 7, (skip 14), 21, 28, Apr. 4, 11, (skip 18), 25, May 2, (skip 9), 16 12:30pm – 2:30pm Cost: $100 members / $115 non-members Materials Fee: $40 beginners / $80 advanced Ikebana is the ancient Japanese art of floral arranging. Yumiko Kikkawa teaches the mechanics of manipulation and the observation of materials for their best usage in gaining an oriental view on floral arrangement. Class is limited to 20 students maximum on a first come, first served basis. Materials required. Please see website for additional details. Registration required.

YOGA IN THE GARDEN

Saturdays, Mar. 11, 18, (skip 25), Apr. 1, 8, 15, (skip 22, 29), May 6, 13, (skip 20), 27 9:30am – 10:30am Cost: $80 members / $95 non-members Drop-in: $12 members / $15 non-members Join us for the “A Path to Abundance” series as we deepen our gratitude for life, nature and self through yogic breath, movement and meditation. A wonderful benefit for the body and mind whether taken in the series or separately. Live music, sound healing and optional aromatherapy are a part of the experience. All levels encouraged. This class meets in the Courtyard promptly before going into the Garden.

Please bring your yoga mat, wear comfortable clothing and bring a small towel or blanket. Registration required. Online registration is recommended.

SPRING PLANT SALE: MEMBERS-ONLY PREVIEW SALE

Saturday, Mar. 25 7:00am – 9:00am Skip the lines and get VIP access to our Annual Spring Plant Sale – one of the largest fundraisers for South Coast Botanic Garden. Members will receive 10% off all plant sales. No registration required.

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APRIL

Photo by: Jeff Staton

Events

| South Coast Botanic Garden | SPRING IN THE GARDEN

GARDEN FOTO FEST

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Sunday, Apr. 2 9:00am – 4:00pm Cost: $129; Teen Photographer with Adult Ticket: $49 Join us for a spring day of exploration and creativity thru your lens. The Garden Foto Fest Presented by PAUL’S PHOTO, Creative Photo Academy and the South Coast Botanic Garden Foundation is a fantastic opportunity for photographers of all ages, skill levels and interests to learn and have fun making pictures!

The South Coast Botanic Garden offers photographers the opportunity to capture gorgeous images of plant and wildlife right here in the city. The Garden will also serve as an amazing background to create superb portraits. All photographers are welcome, from the novice who desires to learn the basics to the accomplished shutterbugs who are excited to explore new horizons while focusing on the art and science of outdoor photography.

Garden Foto Fest features hands-on workshops, staffed stations and dynamic presentations that will not only teach participants the techniques behind stunning outdoor and portrait photography but will also inspire creativity in applying those techniques to each photographer’s unique artistic vision.

Experts from PAUL’S PHOTO, Creative Photo Academy and your favorite photo reps will guide you through the tips and techniques needed to make the pictures you desire. A supply of camera and lenses will be available for you to try and use. Special offers will be available. Register online at creativephotoacademy.com/events/garden-foto-fest/ or by phone at (310) 375-7014.

Photo by: Lauren Nishihira

Wildli�e AUDUBON BIRD WALKS

Sundays, Apr. 9, May. 14 8:00am – 11:00am No fees associated with this course Full details listed on page 5.

Photo by: Laurie Selik

SOUTH COAST CACTUS AND SUCCULENT SOCIETY SHOW AND SALE

Saturday and Sunday, Apr. 8 and 9 9:00am – 4:00pm Included with Garden admission Want more succulent colors and patterns in your garden? Looking for sculpturally attractive plants and handmade pots? The South Coast Cactus and Succulent Society’s 45th Annual Show and Sale will have thousands of rare and beautiful plants and many beautiful pots at inexpensive prices. Artistic and educational displays will provide new ideas on varieties of plants and how to display them. Expert Society members will be on hand to answer your questions about selection and growing. Interested in becoming a member? Joining is easy at the show. And while at the show, you can tour the Botanic Garden.

No registration required.

Photo by: Jeff Staton

i n th e G a rd e n

Gardenin� GROW WORKSHOP: BACKYARD COMPOSTING

Sunday, April 30 2:00pm – 3:30pm Cost: $10 members / $20 non-members As a former landfill, the Garden is a wonderful example of the importance of reducing waste in our daily lives.

While eliminating waste may not be very easy for many of us, using food waste is a sustainable way to help our plants thrive and is easy enough for anyone.

Join UC Master Gardener, Liza Go, for an introductory look at composting and the impact it can make on your garden. Students will take a hands-on approach to learning the recipes of composting, the things to watch out for and how to turn one person’s trash into another person’s treasure. Registration required.

Online registration is recommended.

Health � Wellness TAI CHI IN THE GARDEN

Saturdays, Apr. 1, 8, 15, (skip 22), 29, May 6, 13 8:00am – 9:00am Drop-in: $10 members / $12 non-members Full series details listed on page 5.

YOGA IN THE GARDEN

Saturdays, Apr. 1, 8, 15, (skip 22, 29), May 6, 13, (skip 20), 27 9:30am – 10:30am Drop-in: $12 members / $15 non-members Full series details listed on page 5.

MORNING BLISS YOGA

Wednesdays, Apr. 5, 12, 19, 26 9:30am – 10:30am Drop-in: $12 members / $15 non-members Full series details listed on page 5.

Family � Kids

Family Picnic Day EL RINCON

Sunday, Apr. 9 9:00am – 5:00pm Included with Garden admission El Rincon, located near the maintenance yard at the back of the Garden, can be found at the halfway mark around the main Tram Road. It offers a shady spot to stop and check out the various California native plants which provide nectar, seeds and fruits for the many birds, bees and butterflies that call the Garden home.

Visit Guest Services or the Gift Shop for additional information about El Rincon for your self-guided tour and enjoy your visit. Picnics are not provided; however feel free to bring your own.

Photo by: Shirley Kell

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M AY

Photo by: Jeff Staton

Events SOUTH COAST EPIPHYLLUM SOCIETY SHOW AND SALE Sunday, May 7 9:00am – 4:00pm Included with Garden admission No registration required.

| South Coast Botanic Garden | SPRING IN THE GARDEN

CELEBRATION OF ROSES AND CLEMATIS SHOW AND SALE

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Saturday, May 13 10:00am – 4:00pm Included with Garden admission All rose lovers and clematis enthusiasts are encouraged to enter their flowering blooms in our community show. Entries are accepted between 6:30 am and 10:00 am. Please come early if you are showing flowers; the Rose Society will provide vases for all blooms. Please bring flower arrangements in personal containers. Stop by and talk to our consulting rosarians and knowledgeable members. SCRS will also have clematis, roses, tools and our famous rose cocktail for sale. The show is open to the general public for viewing and enjoyment.

No registration required.

PALOS VERDES SYMPHONIC BAND MOTHER’S DAY CONCERT

Sunday, May 14 5:00pm – 7:00pm Cost: $10 per person at the door, children 12 and under free Bring Mom to the Garden to hear the band as they perform this very popular Mother’s Day Concert entitled, “Take Mom to the Movies,” along with featured guest Rena Urso-Trapani on flute. This 60-person symphonic band is under the direction of Christine Hayes and consists of local musicians who wish to bring you the best of concert band music. Tickets required and may be purchased at the door.

Proceeds from ticket sales support the Palos Verdes Symphonic Band and South Coast Botanic Garden Foundation.

SOUTH BAY GERANIUM SOCIETY SHOW AND SALE

Saturday and Sunday, May 20 and 21 9:00am – 4:00pm In the show see a variety of Geraniums seldom seen in nurseries. Visit our sales area. See what you can find!

No registration required.

MEMBERS ONLY GARDEN WALK – BIRDING IN THE GARDEN GROVES

Thursday, May 18 5:00pm – 7:00pm Limited to 25 participants – Members only.

Members may invite one (1) non-member guest.

Our first walk of the year will be a wildlife walk with a focus on Birds in the Garden. Guest tour leader, Jess Morton from the Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society, will introduce those new to birding with tips and tools for bird watching in the Garden. We will be visiting the Garden groves and best spots for bird watching in the Garden. A refreshment stop will be included. Dress accordingly for the weather, and bring water and binoculars if you have them. No fees associated with this course. Registration required for each participant. Registration can be accomplished by calling the Guest Services Center at (310) 544-1948.

Photo by: Sarah Chah

Family � Kids

Family Picnic Day

PERENNIALS AND ANNUALS

Sunday, May 7 and 28 9:00am – 5:00pm Included with Garden admission Come spring, the Garden is at its showiest! Prepare to be delighted as you wander the Garden during this bountiful time!

Visit Guest Services or the Gift Shop for additional information about the perennials and annuals for your self-guided tour and enjoy your visit. Picnics are not provided; however feel free to bring your own.

STORYTIME IN THE GARDEN

Sunday, May 14 3:00pm – 4:00pm Included with Garden admission Join local authors as they read from nature-themed children’s books in the serenity of our Koi Pond Patio.

Children will make themselves comfortable with bean bag chairs and blankets as we learn about the natural world from locally-inspired stories. A fun and engaging activity will follow the story. More information on stories and themes will be updated on our website.

No registration required.

WILD: KIDS CLUB

Sunday, May 21 3:00pm – 4:00pm Included with Garden admission Kids Club now includes WILDLY fun activities from Project WILD to engage children (ages 5 – 10) in wildlife and environmental education. Featuring a culminating activity to finish up each Kids Club, children will take home a special Garden souvenir.

Kids Club is included with Garden admission, but a $5 donation is greatly appreciated. Activities may run longer than anticipated. Registration is required.

Kids Club is limited to 20 children on a first come, first served basis.

i n th e G a rd e n

Wildli�e

Gardenin�

Health � Wellness

GROW WORKSHOP: RAINWATER HARVESTING

WILD: WOLVES – AN ECOLOGICAL KEYSTONE

Sunday, May 7 2:00pm – 4:00pm Cost: $6 adult members (ages 13+) / $3 child members (ages 5-12) $12 adult non-members (ages 13+) / $5 child non-members (ages 5-12) Ages 4 and under are free ‘Wolves – An Ecological Keystone’ will educate guests on predator-prey relationships, define what a keystone species is and examine the dynamics of trophic cascade with this exciting second installment of Project Wildsong’s interactive presentation.

Yellowstone National Park is an unrivaled example which demonstrates how an ecosystem’s vitality and inhabitants become imperiled due to the loss of a pivotally critical component. Wolves are an important species which supports the existence of both flora and fauna. Feel free to bring blankets or lawn chairs to sit on. Registration required. Online pre-registration is highly recommended.

Sunday, May 21 2:00pm – 3:30pm Cost: $10 members / $20 non-members California’s drought is not going anywhere, anytime soon. After a season of a few great showers of rain, we often forget about the need to conserve one of our most precious commodities in southern California.

Learn the best tips and tricks to harvest rain and conserve water from UC Master Gardener, Liza Go. Students will tour the Garden and take an in-depth look at inventive methods employed here at the Garden to capture more water from the sky rather than the faucet. Registration required. Online registration is recommended.

TAI CHI IN THE GARDEN

Saturday, May 6, 13 8:00am – 9:00am Drop-in: $10 members / $12 non-members Full series details listed on page 5.

YOGA IN THE GARDEN

Saturdays, May 6, 13, (skip 20), 27 9:30am – 10:30am Drop-in: $12 members / $15 non-members Full series details listed on page 5.

AUDUBON BIRD WALKS

Sunday, May. 14 8:00am – 11:00am No fees associated with this course Full details listed on page 5.

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DEVELOPMENT Your Support Matters

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our donation to the Garden can make a big difference in the lives of our visitors, especially children who come for free programs and field trips.

As a touching reminder, we recently received this note from Nalani, a first-grade student from Oxnard St. Elementary School in North Hollywood. As part of our partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District, Nalani’s class participated in our Nature Explorer’s Passport Program. The free pilot program connects students to natural science concepts through grade-specific walking adventures in the Garden. Nalani’s school is classified as “Title 1,” which means it is eligible for subsidized nutrition programs and that their students are particularly in need.

If you’d like to make a donation to support our school visits program, please contact Audra Platz at (310) 544-1948 or audra@scbgf.org.

On behalf of Nalani, and the other 1,200 students who visit the Garden each year, thank you for your generous support.

Kindergarten students and teachers from Oxnard St. Elementary School, North Hollywood

| South Coast Botanic Garden | SPRING IN THE GARDEN

A Gift of Stock Ensures the Future

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Hoping to inspire others, long-time friend and champion of the Garden, Susie Norton, recently made a $25,000 gift for the new Rose Garden Renovation with a donation of stock.

“My husband John was a member, and after he introduced me to the Garden, I became a volunteer for many years, including as a former trustee. While I don’t personally like to plant and tend to a garden, I do love to enjoy the vibrant colors and sweeping vistas that the South Coast Botanic Garden provides. I cannot think of a more suitable way to honor John’s memory while also supporting an important cultural destination.”

Susie explained, “A gift of stock is an advantageous way to give, and it can be very simple.”

There are also financial advantages to making a gift of stock: ►► You can donate appreciated stocks, bonds or mutual funds ►► The total value of the stock upon transfer is tax-deductible ►► There is no obligation to pay any capital gains taxes on the appreciation To learn more about making a gift of stock, please contact Audra Platz at (310) 544-1948 or audra@scbgf.org.

Susie Norton, Garden supporter, enjoying the roses

To give online visit www.southcoastbotanicgarden.org/shop/donations/make-donation/

SUPERINTENDENT MESSAGE While walking the Garden recently, I was reminded of one of the things that makes our plant collection unique, our many mature trees and shrubs. This includes our magical Banyan Grove and our Bronze Loquat tree, notable for its listing in the California Registry of Big Trees. Some of these trees are plants you may be familiar with and others are hidden gems. I’d like to introduce you to a couple of them and welcome you to check out our mature specimens on your next visit.

A spectacular example is the Floss Silk Tree (Ceiba (=Chorisia) insignis and C. speciosa). While both are common species in parks and large landscapes, the Garden’s specimens are unusual in their size and natural forms. One of the oldest trees in the Garden is the White Floss Silk Tree located on the Tram Road near the Redwood Grove. This tree is so large that it gets lost in the surrounding canopy, but if you are looking up from the Tram Road in the spring you will be treated to an amazing show with the tree canopy covered in white blooms. And if you miss the flowers, you definitely won’t miss the large conical spines when you check out its swollen trunk. Related to this is the Pink Floss Silk Tree that greets you at the circle when you step through the gates and, when in bloom, stops visitors in their tracks!

Schinus lentiscifolius tree form

Last year we uncovered another hidden gem. Just beyond the Banyan Grove a tangle of cape honeysuckle had overgrown surrounding trees. When the crews completed clearing overgrowth, in addition to highlighting the Ficus trees, we were delighted to discover an unusual tree related to the Brazilian Pepper. Native to South America, Schinus lentiscifolius, Uruguayan Pepper Tree, forms a swollen caudex-like trunk with a canopy of lacy leaves. This is an unusual

species in cultivation and our specimen is an unusually mature form.

In a Garden of 87 acres there are many hidden gems, some are hidden right in front of us. Look for the Chilean Wine Palm, Bottle Trees, Bronze Loquat and Ponytail Palm; all can be found if you take a walk along the Tram Road. When you visit the Garden next, I hope you’ll take some time to visit some of the mature plants of our collections.

Ponytail Palm

SHOP LOCAL WITH THE EXPERTS The Gift Shop and our volunteers from Propagation Workshop have come up with a new and exciting shopping experience. Each month we will be offering a special day where you can shop local with the experts. You can bring in any questions you may have about plants and your garden. Here are the dates and times we will have the experts available.

Saturday, Mar. 25 9:00am – 4:00pm Annual Spring Plant Sale

Sunday, Apr. 9 12:00pm – 1:30pm Clivia

Sunday, May 14 12:00pm – 1:30pm Perennials

Please see page 4 for more details.

Bring your Clivia questions and shop for these showy bloomers.

Let us help you shop for colorful and easy summer perennials.

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NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 234 TORRANCE, CA

SOUTH COAST BOTANIC GARDEN FOUNDATION 26300 Crenshaw Blvd.

Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274

CONTACT US

26300 Crenshaw Boulevard Palos Verdes Peninsula California, 90274 (310) 544-1948 feedback@southcoastbotanicgarden.org www.facebook.com/scbgarden COVER PHOTO CREDIT: Jeff Staton

Photo by: Paula & Tom Zimmerman

Give the Gift of

Membership Give the experience with year-round Garden access, special discounts, exclusive Members-only events and more!

GARDEN HOURS

9:00am to 5:00pm (last ticket sales at 4:30pm) The Garden is open to the public 364 days a year, closed on Christmas Day

GIFT SHOP HOURS

10:00am to 5:00pm Subject to change seasonally

PHOTO SUBMISSIONS

We are currently accepting photos for the Summer 2017 edition of the newsletter. Submissions are due by April 1. All photos should be sent to marketing@southcoastbotanicgarden.org.

By submitting your photos, you agree to give SCBGF permission to use the photos in publications and other marketing materials.

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