November 21st, 2010 The Benches Garden

Thomas Jefferson Quote, 1811

"No occupation is so delightful as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden."

Before and After Pictures

Before (January 30th, 2010):

After (May 18th, 2010):

New Bench at The Benches Garden

Our next meeting- How about some BBQ?

It was suggested that we have our next meeting when the temps are slightly cooler.
Does 10:30 am April 24th work for most people? We have offers of potato salad and burgers and Fernando and Quin have offered their propane BBQ to us. We can beat the heat and have our lunch too! Please feel free to bring a pot luck item. I will furnish the hamburger and buns and a few Coronas too. Also a few new plants available- high card wins! There are some amarylis (pink lady) bulbs and some large 15 gallon shrubs available to anyone who wants them.

PLEASE SUPPORT ANNE SHAW'S PENNSYLVANIA GARDEN PLANT SALE MAY 1ST (12-4)AT 18TH AND PENNSYLVANIA STS. GOOD DEALS ON GREAT PLANTS FOR A GOOD CAUSE.

Joe Treinen
Garden Coordinator

It's looking Marvelous!!

Defining our borders with stones really made a huge difference in the look of our garden. It also helps keep the watering hose in place when watering. It's very exciting to watch the new plants get planted and the landscape gradually changing. Thanks to everyone for all your efforts!

Off with their heads!

Not just a quote from "Alice In Wonderland", but also a real good idea for all those Algerian ivy seedlings popping up in the garden with the rains and warmer weather. It's the easiest time to contain the big leafed ivy that was prevalent in the area before we turned it into our new garden. It's a battle that will be continuous unfortunately, because ivy surrounds the property.

Latest Garden View as of April 11th

The Benches Garden Storage Bench

We can't have The Benches Garden without a bench. I purchased the lumber and the hardware at Home Depot today for a grand total of $214.20. This purchase is mainly for the the 2x6x8 redwood lumber used for the construction of our storage bench to begin this week. I hope to have the bench completed and installed under the pine tree by next weekend.
Joe

April showers bring more flowers!

Thanks to Mother Nature we won't have to do much watering this week. The rain will give those new plantings a good soaking. It was great to see everyone pitching in and working in the garden this weekend. We almost have that stone border finished on the west side. According to Carlos Aguilar, the state may be planting a few small shrubs and trees right outside the back gate of our garden. My discussion on trying to get a water hook up has gone full circle and now I'm talking to Carlos of Caltrans to get permission to lay the pipe for the water hookup in The Benches Garden. Caltrans may aid us in cutting the trench for the pipe line through the concrete in front of the bridge. Carlos needs to get this plan approved by Raul Herrera, the regional manager of Caltrans in this area. In the meantime, keep gardening! The garden is really starting to come together. Thanks everybody for all your hard work.
Joe Treinen
Garden coordinator- The Benches Garden

Spring is almost here!

It was a terrific day, Saturday, Feb. 27th, working in the garden with our members. The garden is looking good and I really enjoyed conversing and working with all of you. Be creative and keep on planting. Now is the time to weed (get that Algerian Ivy) and also a good time to plant. Get those new plants firmly established before the heat and currently free irrigation supplied by mother nature. Remember, that donated plants, up for grabs by all, are under the pine tree.

A good carefree groundcover "Sunset" magazine recommends is Anemone coronaria or the poppy flowered anemone. This is a tuberous plant with many flowers of red, blue or white. One of the outstanding perenial plants at Anne Shaw's Pennsylvania Garden, is a variegated Echium which she received from Flora Grubb nursery. This drought tolerant native plant (Echium variegata) is a stand out with or without it's beautiful blooms.

A big welcome to The Benches Garden's newest members- Fumiko and David Didomizio. They will tend to plot #3.

Our next meeting will be March 27th at 1 pm. Items to discuss include water installation progress, bench/tool storage construction and replacing gates in the front of the garden.

Thanks to all!
Joe Treinen
Garden Coordinator

Neighborly Angel!!!

Thank-you so much Teresa Morris (579 San Bruno)for your very generous donation towards our bougainvillea purchase. It is so appreciated by all the members of the Benches Garden. You are an angel!

Cynthia Talmadge plants bougainvillea with garden group actively working in background.

Joe, David, Fernando, Quin and babies

The Benches Garden Sign

The Benches Garden now has an official sign!

Progress as of Feb 19th, 2010!

All Plots are spoken for

Good news! All plots have been spoken for and the gardens keep growing. I have a bird of paradise plant that needs a new home if anyone can use it in their space. There are plant donations coming in. These plants generally will be in the common area under the Pine tree. There are also crocosmia available in plot 8 that a neighbor donated to us. For our next garden meeting we will have 11 5 gallon bougainvillea to plant against the western fence. I'm thinking "Tahitti Dawn" a bicolor. Starts out orange and turns pink. A two for one effect. Soil in pots near the front is up for grabs, but I've been pleasantly surprised where I'm planting under the pine. The black clay breaks up rather easily from the years and years of acidic pine needles breaking it down. Hope the rest of the garden is this easy.
Joe

The Current Garden Plot Map

Plot 3, 7, and 13 are still available! Contact Joe Treinen at TheBenchesGarden@gmail.com if interested in maintaining an available plot.

Pictures of Benches Garden Opening

Moving 30 cubic yards of wood chips.

Virginia Sustrich and Babette Drefke being honored at the opening.

Before

(Click picture to view in full size)

After?...

Welcome to The Benches Garden Blogspot

Fantastic news! We now have a website or rather a Blogspot. Please check out TheBenchesGarden.blogspot.com. I will post important information to this website. I was also going to list all of our new garden member’s names to this page. If anyone objects to this, please let me know. Be sure to sign into our new google email group because this will be our main communication forum. Our next meeting will be held on the last Saturday of Feb (Feb 27^th) at 1 pm. Be sure to check out the Potrero View newspaper on page 3 for a picture of our garden coming together on opening day. I have already received positive comments from neighbors on San Bruno Avenue about the recent planting in our garden space. Start collecting those natural rocks for our boundaries. I will also be collecting plant donations (offers are coming in) from donors and these will be available to anyone who wants them. Please remember to try to plant more drought-tolerant plants. A water installation meeting with DPW and San Francisco Parks Trust is scheduled soon.