Garden Activities: June 10, 2025

Today it was a small but mighty crew volunteering at the garden. The group comprised Steve Davis, Julie Moffat, Daryl Stutley, Nancy Taylor Walker and Ann Wright. Board President Monica Barton introduced Ann to the locations for housing garden brochures. Ann has graciously agreed to be responsible for keeping those receptacles filled. Steve took on the task of pruning the escalonia hedge designed to screen the dumpster and port-o-potty from the Chilean Garden. Just to remind volunteers, Steve wants to do or supervise any work on this hedge.

The group worked in the Butterfly Garden, the Bird Habitat above the waterfall, and the South African Garden trimming, and weeding mustard and horehound.

Julie and Daryl trimming what looks to me to be a native honeysuckle in the Buttefly garden.

There are 3 areas of interest today, and the crew took some great photos.

First are a couple of plants native to Australia. The first is a hybrid grevillea that Steve donated 5 years ago and that Nancy and volunteer Tanya Roberts Smith planted. Like some other plants in the Australian section it has not thrived, but has managed to produce at least one amazing flower this season, below.

The other Australian plant putting out a dramatic show is the flame tree or Brachychiton  acerifolius in the Trail of Trees below.

The second category of interest is the insect population in the garden two individuals of which each eat milkweed. Below respectively are a monarch butterfly caterpillar feasting on a stem of milkweed (I can’t tell the species as it has eaten all the identifying leaves!), and a couple of cobalt milkweed beetles feasting on what appears to be native narrow leaf milkweed.

Finally as everyone knows by now I can't resist the ever-changing cairnes in the Tranquility Garden. Below is one such cairn seen today.

Many thanks to Daryl and Nancy for their images!

Enjoy the garden!   KMM