ID Signs Installed

Great News!
Will Mellor, an Eagle Scout Candidate from Point Loma Troop 500, along with several of his fellow troop members spent many hours on Sunday 1/18 installing over 30 plant I.D. signs. Thanks to a grant from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) that was applied for by the California Native Plant Society, the Garden was able to purchase the nicely engraved stone signs that list the plants Latin name, common name as well as the plants attributes such as water usage, fire resistance and other information. Now garden visitors and regular volunteers can learn about the plants or do self guided tours and learn about the plants in our collection.
With the balance of the grant money we were able to purchase 35 more signs. Many are duplicates of the first round and ID plants that we have more than one of. Some of the new signs will ID plants that were left out of the first round...Confused yet?

On another note, we will soon have another informational kiosk installed by the scouts near the Garden tool shed and a second phase of the MWD grant wil soon come through to help us design and pay for some larger storyboards. Also be on the lookout for a new picnic area and benches soon to be completed by another scout as well as a long awaited plant nursery.

If you have an interest in gardening or California native flora, visit the garden or drop by during one of our regularly scheduled work parties that occur the 1st saturday and 3rd Sunday of each month from 9am-11am. No experience ncessary and we will provide all of the tools. Community service hours can be verified for those that need them.
For more info call Richard at 619.297.7380 or email richard@sandiegoriver.org

Power Tools Stolen!

Has anyone seen our our gas powered post hole auger, weed-whacker and water pump?
Our tool storage area at the garden was broken into last week. Someone cut a hole in the chain-link fence and helped themselves to our power tools as well as several cases of water we give to our volunteers during work parties.
I certainly hope whomever did this dastardly deed was thirsty, or at the very least looking to go to work with their new tools.
The Boy Scouts will now have to pay to rent a post hole auger to continue with installing the ID signs. Looks like we'll be weeding by hand too since we no longer have a powered weed-whacker.
Aside from this news, the garden is looking great and coming back to life after the long dry spell.
We will be working there this Sunday, 2/18 from 9am-noon. Feel free to drop by and see what we have going on! We'll save a pair of gloves for you!
Call Richard at 619.758.5807 if you need directions to the garden or have any questions. He'd be glad to hear from you.
PL Gardener

A Tecate Cypress for Aspen

On December 21st Joanna and Wayne gave their daughter Aspen a gift that she will be able to appreciate for a lifetime. On a warm winter morning the family, joined by several friends, came to the Point Loma Native Plant Garden to plant a tree in celebration of their daughter’s first birthday. Wayne shoveled out a spot and together the family planted an endangered Tecate Cypress. They took a picture of Aspen with the tree planted in her honor, and intend to come back every year to document the growth of both their daughter and the tree.
The Tecate Cypress that the family planted is a native tree that is endangered due to habitat destruction. This is why purchasing a tree from the San Diego River Park Foundation and planting it in the Point Loma Native Plant Garden is not only a wonderful gift, but a significant way to protect the environment by saving our native flora. Anyone is eligible to participate in this n program offered by the San Diego River Park Foundation.
For a small donation you will receive a hand selected native tree which you can then plant with family and friends. You will be provided all the instruction in what to do and you will be provided all the tools to do it yourself. It is a great way to enjoy a special part of our city while contributing to its beauty at the same time. For more information about this program, please contact Richard at 619.297.7380 or via email at richard@sandiegoriver.org.
You can also join the Friends of the Point Loma Native Plant Garden and the San Diego River Park Foundation on the 1st Saturday and 3rd Sunday of every month from 9am to 11am for two good hours caring for the garden. It’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors while helping to sustain them.