Sensory GardenThird Fridays. Next: Friday, Sep 21, 2018 9:00 am to Noon5353 Sunol Blvd., Pleasanton; Across from Raley's. Adjacent to the Pleasanton Senior Center on Sunol BlvdThe purpose of the monthly work party is to maintain the Sensory Garden in a presentable condition for public viewing. Our work parties are usually on the third Friday of the month. We weed the garden, cut back any dead growth, deadhead spent flowers and generally tidy up the plantings. We ask you to bring your own hand tools, such as pruners, trowels, soil knives, etc. plus kneeling pads and work gloves; larger tools will be provided. As the Sensory Garden consists of 2 ground-level beds and 3 raised beds, we have chores that require sitting, kneeling or standing, so please let your preference be known. Restrooms are located in the nearby Senior Center Building. After the work party, for those interested, we adjourn to a close-by eatery for lunch. We invite all of the club members to participate. We will be happy to show less experienced members how to do the tasks. Even if you can't spend the full three hours working in the garden, any time that you can participate is welcomed, so please come early or come late. Even if you cannot attend the work party, feel free to visit the garden on any day to relax and enjoy yourself. If you come on a calm sunny day, bees, butterflies, humming birds and other pollinators will be actively working their rounds for you added enjoyment. Please signup at the monthly LAVGC meeting or RSVP Daniel McCright. See the LAVGC Yearbook for Dan's contact information. For more information, please contact Daniel McCright. See the LAVGC Yearbook for Dan's contact information. FEATURED PLANTS for SEPTEMBERThe featured plants in the Sensory Garden this month are three different species of Salvias. The genus Salvia is one of the largest in the plant world, comprising almost 1000 species native to all the inhabited continents in the world, except Australia. The genus is therefore incredibly diverse. From a gardener's prospective, there are salvias for many different purposes and positions. A garden dominated by just salvias would not be boring. One trait by many salvias is aromatic foliage. Three kinds of Salvias are featured this month. Salvia microphylla, variety Hot LipsThis type of salvia is widely planted in our area because of its attractive flowers and form. Flowering occurs over most months of the warm season. Flowers attract bees and humming birds. The foliage is slightly pungent like many other salvias. The flowers of Hot Lips are usually a bi-color red and white, but the color varies during the season, sometimes all red, sometimes nearly all white. Salvia microphylla, along with closely-related Salvia greggii and Salvia jamensis are all native to our southwestern states (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas) and adjacent Mexican states. As such, they tolerate weather and rainfall extremes. These species of Salvia hybridize readily with one another with the results of a wide variety of colors - white, all shades of pink and red, salmon, orange, all shades of lavender and purple to almost blue. In the Sensory Garden, they receive some summer watering but not much. They bloom in "waves" and when one wave is finished blooming, we shear them back to encourage another. They are beautiful and accommodating plants. We keep their heights to 2-3 feet.
Salvia uliginosaSalvia uliginosa, commonly called Bog Sage, is a species of salvia that grows well in moist to wet soil, in contrast to most salvias that prefer drier conditions. It is native to low-lying areas of South America. It has bright blue and white flowers, appropriately the colors of the national soccer teams of Argentina and Uruguay. Bog sage forms large clumps that can be divided. It grows about 4 feet tall. In the Sensory Garden, it is planted in an area that receives run-off water from lawn irrigation so that the soil is moist to wet all year long. The flowers attract bees. The plant seems immune to insect pests and is not attacked by snails, despite its need for moist locations.
Salvia clevelandii, variety Pozo BlueThis type of salvia has incredibly fragrant foliage that is sometimes burned to freshen a household. It is a California native plant that has been "improved" by horticulture to produce a variety that blooms over a long period and has more colorful flowers than the original species. Pozo Blue is quite drought resistant once established. In the Sensory Garden, it is planted in an area that receives little summer irrigation. The plant grows about 3-4 feet in height. We shear it back after the blooming period to keep an attractive appearance. The flowers are tubular and are borne in whirls. They attract bees galore.
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Camp ArroyoFriday, Sep 28, 2018 9:00 am to Noon5535 Arroyo Road, Livermore, CA 94550Camp Arroyo is a 138-acre park owned and maintained by the East Bay Regional Park District since 1995. It is used by the YMCA for outdoor education during the school year and by the Taylor Family Foundation during the summer for children with serious illnesses. Camp Arroyo is a pesticide free garden with an emphasis on vegetables. There will be planting of seeds for winter crops, weeding, deadheading, trimming, and harvesting. Help for the whole time or any portion of that time is very, very, very appreciated! Camp Arroyo is a gated area and I will have the gate open from 8:45-9:45. If you are arriving after 9:45 please let me know and I'll have the gate open for you. Lunch will be available after at our camp dining hall - if you have not joined us for lunch it's always great - with options for all dietary needs. Thanks one and all for your help and support. Please sign up at the monthly LAVGC meeting or RSVP to Kim Billingsley. See the LAVGC Yearbook for Kim's contact information. For more information or if you would like to be on the notification list, contact Kim Billingsley. See the LAVGC Yearbook for Kim's contact information. DirectionsThe address is 5535 Arroyo Road in Livermore. Once you are on Arroyo Road, continue past Wente Winery on the left. Camp Arroyo is a short distance from Wente and is located on the right hand side. The first gate is for the Taylor Family Foundation, you want the second gate and you will recognize it by the stone walls either side of the gate and of course, the sign! Once inside Camp, you can park in the lot on the left and the garden will be across the road on the right. If you're not sure where it is, ask to ride with someone. 
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Eden Garden - an organic project3rd Saturdays. Next: Sep 15, 2018 9:00 am - NoonMost Fridays (except September 14), 8:30 am - 10:30 am.1660 Freisman Road, Livermore. Pleasanton if you are using GPS! Although it is actually in Livermore!'Eden Garden - an organic project', located on the grounds of Crosswinds Church, has 2 simple goals: to provide fresh, organic food for those in need and to give people a hands on opportunity to learn about growing their own food. Eden Garden is located near the barn on the Crosswinds Church property in Livermore, on the frontage road just beyond the Outlet Mall. Volunteers come from the garden club, Crosswinds Church, and the community. Come join us at the Eden Garden on September 15 for our monthly work party. We will be harvesting produce for the food bank and doing a variety of garden maintenance tasks. Our tasks range from heavy tasks that require some heft to lighter tasks, such as sowing seeds while standing at the greenhouse bench. No gardening experience is required. Our Eden Garden team members and other volunteers are happy to share their knowledge. We also welcome volunteers to help with harvesting, which is every Friday morning in September except for September 14 (the day before the work party). We start at 8:30 and work until the produce is loaded up to go to the food bank, typically a couple of hours. Please note we will not be working on the Friday morning prior to the third Saturday work parties. Come for an hour or three, no experience required, just a willingness to help out. We will break for a snack. We are also willing to answer any garden questions we can. For planning purposes, it is really helpful to know if you will be joining us but please feel free to just show up. If you would like more information or want to join us, please signup at the monthly club meeting or contact Barbara Stott, Karen Abbuscato or Beth Clark. Conversely if you wish to no longer receive emails, please let Barbara know and we will remove you from the list. Thank you for your support of the Eden Garden - an organic project and helping us meet our goal of getting fresh, clean produce to those in need. Happy Gardening! We are famous! A video has been made about the Eden Garden - an organic project. Here is a link to the video which not only features the Garden but an insight into the South Hayward Outreach Center where much of produce is delivered.
DirectionsFrom Dublin, take 580 east towards Livermore. Get off at El Charro/Fallon Road and turn right on to El Charro. Turn left at the Outlet Mall and then left again at the end of the Outlet Mall block. Keep to the right and turn right at the end of the road (onto the frontage road). Drive past the golf driving range to the end of Freisman Road. Freisman dead ends at the property. Turn right on to the property. Once on the property take the first left. Follow the road around, across the bridge and you will see a large metal barn. The garden is behind the barn. From Livermore, you can take 580 west and exit at El Charro/Fallon Road or you can access the property from Jack London Blvd (via Isabel/84). Turn right at the outlet mall. Keep to the right and turn right at the end of the road (onto the frontage road). Drive past the golf driving range to the end of Freisman Road. Freisman dead ends at the property. Turn right on to the property. Once on the property take the first left. Follow the road around, across the bridge and you will see a large metal barn. The garden is behind the barn.
Livermore 1st Street PotsNo workparties are currently scheduledPlease contact Mary Davis for more information.See the LAVGC Yearbook for additional contact information.
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Pleasanton Gardens251 Kottinger Drive, PleasantonThe Pleasanton Gardens project, which the LAVGC initiated in 1987, closed in 2016 due to construction of the new housing for seniors called Kottinger Gardens. The role of the garden club with the new residential development is in discussion.
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Garden AngelsWe have a group of members willing and eager to go out and help any garden club member that is not able to keep up their garden temporarily possibly because of illness, chemo, etc. We can deadhead, sweep, plant annuals, and generally tidy up the garden. Do you need this kind of help or know someone who does? If so, please use the signup sheet at the monthly club meeting or contact Peggy Despotakis. Looking for Garden Angels. Periodically club members need some help in their gardens due to illness. If you would like to be on the Angel call list for a workparty, contact Peggy Despotakis.
Penny PinesThe Penny Pines program, which is a joint partnership of the National Garden Club (NGC) and the USDA Forest Service sustaining our national and urban forests through this reforestation/forest education program. Have you wondered what that cute green box that is passed around at the meeting and people are putting money inside is for? Each $68 that we collect is used to plant an acre of burned out national forest land. Since 1999, our club has donated money to help plant 109 acres of trees for a total donation of over $8,000. In addition to donations made by the club, you can make private donations as Jeri Stark did this Christmas. She felt her children have everything they need and so she gave them each a certificate honoring them in the forests near Yosemite where they have spent many years at their grandparent's home. Giving back a bit for all the years of enjoyment for the many happy and fun filled days spent in the area. How it works:
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