Garden Activities: September 8, 2026

We welcomed a new volunteer to the Tuesday Crew: Denis Luna. On hand to orient her to the garden were: Krystyna Bacik, Dale Harshberger, Susanna Mac, Katie Shank, Daryl Stutley, Nancy Taylor Walker, Janet Wall, Marna Wensil, Anna Wiktor-Becker, Ann Wright, and myself. Krystyna thoughtfully brought along a tasty breakfast baked item to share.

Me, Marna, Dale, Ann, Krystyna and Denis.  

Ann suggested, and the rest of us agreed, to reverse our usual trek and start at the top and work our way down. It is difficult passing by tasks that look like they need to be done and are easily accomplished, so we did stop along the way to do some of those.

One of the first things was to check on the pondless water feature. It was working as advertised.

Daryl, Katie and Dale photographing the photographer.

It’s not easily seen from this angle, but you can make out lines of cobbles up and down the length of the falls. Jim Cyr created these terraces to prevent erosion and serve as planting boxes for whatever we decide will enhance a bird-friendly landscape. Luckily they were in place before this week’s rains. 

While at the water feature, Daryl trimmed some of the rushes that were dead and/or impinging on the path.

From there we went up the service road but not before doing some work in the S. African section.

Denis removing some of the dead older leaves of the honey bush.

Susanna tackled some weeds growing up in the path on the back side of the S. African Garden.

Janet and I deadheading in the S. African Garden.

Daryl introducing Denis and Krystyna to the edible mild fruit of the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) at the top of the service road.

We finally got to the honey bush (Melianthus major) that is looking particularly ragged this year.

The ‘before’ picture.

The crew broke off the dried leaves, rubbed them between their hands and returned the resulting fragments to the ground to serve as mulch.

The ‘after’ picture. The taller stems will be cut next spring just as new growth is starting.

Finally, one of the jobs Daryl took on was to clear the SE facing bench near the honey bush of plumbago stems that tend to encroach on it.

Sadly this meant sacrificing some blooms, but there are plenty more on either side of the bench and on plants elsewhere in the garden.

An ‘alba’ form in the S. African Garden.

Many thanks to Dale, Nancy, Janet, and Marna for their images.

Enjoy the garden!  KMM