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The Garden’s Global Watershed By Frédérique Lavoipierre, Education Program Manager

Among the many special features of the Garden, Mission Creek provides guests with a cool respite from Santa Barbara’s abundant sunshine, as they enjoy a walk through the Redwood Grove and the adjacent paths. This wild area of the Garden supports riparian flora, providing sustenance to the fish, aquatic insects, birds, and other animals that live in or visit the Garden. Watersheds like Mission Creek offer an excellent model for studying conservation in a time of global change.

The Mission Creek WatershedThe area that drains into a common body of water is known as a watershed, and encompasses the local ecosystem which is reliant on the health of the creek. A healthy watershed provides clean water which is essential to all living things, and unites neighborhoods in working together towards common goals in environmental sustainability. The Mission Creek watershed extends from the Santa Ynez Mountains through the Garden, the City of Santa Barbara, and ends just east of Stearns Wharf. It has two main tributaries: Rattlesnake Creek and Mission Creek. At just under 8,000 acres and eight miles from top to bottom, it includes wildland, suburban, and urban environments.

Native Plants and Healthy WatershedsNative plants are fundamental to the healthy watersheds on which we all rely, providing superior habitat for wildlife, and supporting ecosystem services such as pollination, decomposition, and erosion control. The Garden is uniquely

Continued on page 9Photo of Mission Dam: Frédérique Lavoipierre

Volume 21, Number 4 Winter 2013

Quarterly Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic GardenQuarterly Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

IronwoodIronwood

2 Winter 2013Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

tel (805) 682-4726 — fax (805) 563-0352www.sbbg.org

Garden Hours:March — October

Daily 9:00am - 6:00pmNovember — FebruaryDaily 9:00am - 5:00pm

Membership: (Ext. 110)

Garden Shop Hours: (Ext. 112)March — October

Daily 10:00am - 5:30pmNovember — FebruaryDaily 10:00am - 4:30pm

Garden Growers Nursery: (Ext. 127)Open on a self-serve basis during

Garden Shop hours.Staffed by volunteers 10:00am - 3:00pm daily

Class and Event Information: (Ext. 102)Registrar is available Monday — Friday

9:00am - 4:00pm

Volunteer Office: (Ext. 119)

Master Gardener Helpline: (805) 893-3485

IRONWOODVolume 21, Number 4 — Winter 2013

ISSN 1068-4026

The Ironwood is published four times a year by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, a private nonprofit institution founded in 1926.

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden fosters the conservation of California native plants through our gardens, education, and research, and serves as a role model of sustainable practices.

The Garden is a Member of the American Public Gardens Association, the American Association of Museums, and the California Association of Museums.

©2013 Santa Barbara Botanic GardenAll rights reserved.

Board of TrusteesChair John A. Brinker

Vice-Chair Gary RobinsonSecretary Carolyn Kincaid HendersonTreasurer James Koopmans, CPA

Sue AdamsMargaret BakerPatrick ConnellyLou Greer FrostJohn GabbertElizabeth KeateAmy MillerCharles J. Rennie, III, MDEdward RoachPeter SchuylerMs. Susan Van AttaJohn M. Wiemann, Ph.D.

Director’s MessageBuilding A Greener GardenMy apologies to members and neighbors experiencing delays on Mission Canyon Road this winter; I assure you, it is for a good cause! After nearly 20 years of discussion and planning for additional facilities, the Garden finally has all the approvals, permits, and entitlements in place to begin our next phase of development. We start this winter, with the installation of water and sewer lines allowing the Garden to abandon our antiquated septic system. Existing water lines that currently cross Mission Creek—creating both a visual distraction and a barrier to fish passage—will be removed. Both of these steps will significantly improve

the health of the Mission Creek watershed. Because these new lines will be placed in the roadway to minimize damage to trees and other natural resources in the canyon, there will be some road delays while the construction is underway. Work on these utilities should last about 12 weeks.

In spring of 2014, construction begins on the Pritzlaff Conservation Center, named to honor John C. Pritzlaff, a long-serving Garden Trustee and champion of conservation, who passed away in 2005. This 11,500 square foot building will house the Garden’s seed bank and Herbarium in a fire safe vault, and will provide laboratory and work space for our research, conservation, horticulture, and administrative staff. Standing on the former Gane House site, east of Mission Canyon Road, this building is expected to receive a gold rating in the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED system. The Conservation Center will exemplify our mission of conservation and sustainability, capturing all rainwater for use in irrigation, and generating enough solar power to offset our entire energy bill, making it a “net zero” energy use building. This is made possible by the incorporation of sustainable design principles which eliminate the need for conventional heating and cooling systems. Instead, we will use passive ventilation with ceiling fans and an innovative heat pump system to circulate chilled or heated water through radiant panels, making spaces more comfortable at a fraction of the cost and energy demand of conventional systems.

Again, I hope you will pardon any inconvenience for a little while as we make improvements to better achieve our mission, and improve the Mission Canyon community as well.

Sincerely,

Steve Windhager, Ph.D.Executive Director

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Follow the Garden

ON WEB T H E from the Santa Barbara Botanic GardenHappy Holidays!

facebook.com/sbgardenyoutube.com/sbbotanicgardenhttp://www.facebook.com/sbgardenhttp://www.youtube.com/sbbotanicgarden

Ironwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 3

iCAN, the Garden, and Adams Elementary… the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship

By Frédérique Lavoipierre

O n a recent morning, 78 excited second grade students gathered under the Meadow Oaks with teachers, Garden volunteers, and staff, seeking inspiration for art projects. Rotating through

stations stocked with bird nests, oak galls, monarch caterpillars, porcupine quills, and more, students began by creating a keepsake nature journal in which to sketch. Between stations, Garden docents fielded questions as the inquisitive artists collected fallen leaves, acorns, and even a few rocks to serve as models for further art exploration in the classroom.

A new collaboration is in the works: the Garden is participating in a native plant-inspired art project with the Incredible Children’s Art Network (iCAN). In our pilot project, Adams Elementary School incorporated native plants into the fall 2013 visual arts curriculum, culminating in a public art exhibit at the Garden’s Blaksley Library in December and January.

This collaboration provides the Garden with a unique opportunity to engage children and their families in a fun, innovative, and non-traditional avenue to spread the message of the beauty and importance of California’s native plants. “This is precisely the type of experiential education we hope to offer for students who visit the Garden,” said Dr. Steve Windhager, Executive Director of the Garden.

iCAN is a local nonprofit organization providing in-school visual arts and after-school music programming to 3,200 children a year. iCAN’s programs focus on bringing high quality arts instruction to those children least likely to receive it. The iCAN Visual Arts Program is presently offered at six underserved schools in the Santa Barbara Unified School District, with a professional art teacher and assistant at each campus. The curriculum is based on

California Visual Arts Standards and is revised annually to ensure the most advanced and innovative learning methods are implemented in the classroom.

The exciting highlight of this semester-long project will be a grand-opening reception for the Adams families and the community at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s Blaksley Library, where the students’ interpretive garden art will be on view from Saturday, December 7 through Friday, Jan 31, 2014. The cost is free with paid Garden admission, and no advance registration is required. Please visit sbbg.org for hours.

Introducing children like the students at Adams School to the wonders of our natural environment—and the need to protect it—is just one of the many ways the Garden works to fulfill its mission. Garden visits, class attendance, and memberships are rising—all are vital to our success, but this income only represents a fraction of the actual costs needed to maintain the Garden each year.

Donations support 36% of the Garden’s operating income. Your gift to the Annual Fund pays for everything from cultivating our vibrant wildflower displays to protecting California’s most endangered plant species.

Help us grow our Garden displays and our community of supporters at the same time. A generous donor has issued a challenge: Your 2013 gift will be matched dollar for dollar if...

• You are increasing your Annual Fund gift amount; or:

• You are a new Annual Fund donor

At left: Children’s Native Plant Alphabet Mural and above: Ethan with his letter “I” for Island Snapdragon

Mural Dedication CelebrationSaturday, December 7th ~ 2:00pm

Join us for the unveiling of our new California Native Plant Alphabet Mural with a ribbon-cutting outside of the Arroyo Classroom. Meet lead artist Laura Denny and some of the children who helped create each letter tile. Play in the adjoining Discovery Garden and enjoy refreshments and activities in the Arroyo Room. Free with Garden admission.

Phot

o: J

oni

Kell

y

Make your gift to the Garden go twice as far this year!

JOIN THE CHALLENGE!Make your contribution to the Annual Fund on or before December 31 to qualify. To learn more about your giving history with the Garden, call Development at (805) 682-4726, ext. 151.

http://www.sbbg.org//classes-events/events/ican-childrens-native-plant-art-exhibit

4 Winter 2013

The Beginning of the Beginning Water and Sewer Project Starting SoonBy Betsy Collins, Director of Horticulture

After 18 years of planning, and many fits and starts, the building project—formerly known as the Vital Mission Plan—is finally ready to break ground! In December 2013, we begin the first phase of the project which entails bringing new water and sewer lines to the Garden. The new water line will run up Mission Canyon Road from its junction with Tunnel Road, and tie into the existing City water line near the junction of Las Canoas Road.

The Garden will also extend the sewer line up Mission Canyon Road from its current terminus, just south of Las Canoas Road. The line will come up the road to the point of the driveway that services the east side of the Garden. From there, it will branch and continue up the driveway to the new Pritzlaff Conservation Center. We will also bring a branch of the sewer line into the west

side of the Garden, just above the Teahouse. This branch line will run up the main trail in the Arroyo and enable us to finally eliminate the Garden’s aging septic system.

We anticipate the project will take 3-4 months to complete. Mission Canyon, Tunnel, and Las Canoas Roads will remain open during that time, but some traffic control will be necessary. The Garden is taking appropriate steps to minimize potential damage to tree roots and archeological resources within the project boundaries. Once these essential utilities are in place, we can break ground on the greatly anticipated Pritzlaff Conservation Center itself. Look for an update on the project in our next Ironwood.

More than 50 volunteers, working for the past two years, are making the Garden’s comprehensive expansion project possible. By hosting events, leading tours, and engaging friends in the work of the Garden, they have raised over $8 million which is more than 60% of the campaign goal. You’ve already seen the beginning of the project with the Meadow Revival restoration work, which will continue over the next year or so. This fundraising effort, entitled Seed the Future, will kick into high gear this spring when the first shovelful of dirt is turned at the former Gane House site to make room for the new 11,500 square foot John C. Pritzlaff Conservation Center. Watch the website and gardENotes for the Groundbreaking Celebration date. If you would like to see the detailed plans and take a behind-the-scenes tour, please contact Gina Benesh at (805) 690-1697.

The Garden Welcomes Kathy Castaneda as Volunteer ManagerKathy comes to us from San Marcos High School where she helped students utilize their 60-hour community service graduation requirement in career exploration, and connected them with local non-profit organizations. Her enthusiasm, outreach experience, and appreciation of volunteers are just a few of the qualities she brings to the Garden.

A product of local public schools including Goleta Valley Jr. HS, Dos Pueblos HS, SBCC, and UCSB, Kathy has lived in Santa Barbara most of her life and considers herself a lifelong learner. A dedicated volunteer, Kathy participates in monthly clean-ups at Arroyo Burro Beach, manages a water station for the Santa Barbara Marathon, and is part of the Southern California Sea Otter Project.

To learn more about the diverse volunteer opportunities at the Garden, including those in the horticulture, education, and development departments, please contact Kathy at [email protected] or stop by the Volunteer Office.

It Takes a Village to Seed the Future

mailto:kcastaneda%40sbbg.org?subject=Volunteer%20Opportunities%20at%20the%20Garden

5 Winter 2013 Ironwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 5

CALENDAR OF CLASSES, EVENTS, AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT THE GARDENRegister for classes at www.sbbg.org, call 682-4726 x 102, or email [email protected]. Classes held at the Garden include admission.

Leaves of Learning

DECEMBER

JANUARY

Docent-led Specialty TourNative Conifers Saturday, December 7, at 2:00pm, Entrance Kiosk

Join expert docent John Carson for this special tour of the Garden’s conifers. John’s stories enliven this adventure as he takes you around the Garden, using our new Conifers of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden map as a guide. No reservations needed. Free with paid Garden admission. Tour lasts approximately one hour.

Holiday Nature Craft WorkshopSaturday, December 7, 10:00am—Noon

Gather your family, friends, and neighbors for this fun annual event! Enjoy creating holiday craft items using an abundance of materials gathered from nature. Sip hot cider and enjoy some treats while creating unique wreaths, ornaments, wrapping paper, and more! Stay to enjoy the opening of our iCAN art exhibit in the Blaksley Library and the ribbon-cutting for our new Children’s Alphabet Mural. See story on page 3.

Fee: $10 members adult / $5 member child up to 12 years old $15 non-members adult / $7 non-member child up to 12 years old

Rising Terraces and Flowing Waters: the Geology of La Mesa, Santa BarbaraSaturday, January 4, 2:00pm—5:00pm

Geologist Susie Bartz will lead us from Leadbetter Beach west on the sand below the coastal cliffs toward the Santa Barbara Lighthouse. We’ll consider the rising of the Mesa, coastal erosion, and the dynamics—natural and human-induced—that contribute to each. We’ll also observe how water forms features like dissolution caverns and wave-cut terraces, and learn how geology has influenced our town’s history. We will return along Shoreline Park to see ongoing cliff erosion from the top, ending with a beautiful winter sunset. An easy walk of about 3 miles round trip.

Fee: $30 members / $45 non-members

A Naturalist’s Guide to the Santa Barbara RegionSaturday, December 14, 2:00pm—3:30pm

Join us for this very special presentation and signing of this long-anticipated book by local author Joan Easton Lentz. She will be joined by Stuart Wilson, photographer for the book. The Naturalist’s Guide to the Santa Barbara Region is available for purchase in the Garden Gift Shop. Refreshments included.

Fee: members $10 / non-members $15

SBBG Environmental Book ClubMonday, December 16, 4:00pm—6:00pm Blaksley Library

Everyone is welcome to join in these lively and interesting discussions centering around a non-fiction book on an environmental topic. To reserve a spot or get more information, contact facilitator Betsy Green at [email protected].

Free for members and non-members

Winter Morning Bird Walk Wednesday, December 18, 8:30am—10:00am Entrance Kiosk

Be the first morning visitors in the Garden and enjoy watching the diverse and beautiful bird species that make the Meadow, woodlands, and creekside their home! Join our expert naturalist leader Rebecca Coulter as she looks and listens for woodpeckers and quail, wrens and raptors, and many more.


Are you giving a Garden trip or class as a gift this holiday season?

Request our beautiful personalized gift certificate. For more information on gift certificates, or any of the classes in Leaves of Learning, contact the Education Program Manager, Frédérique Lavoipierre, at [email protected] or call (805) 682-4726 ext. 111

www.sbbg.org/classes-events/classesmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

6 Winter 2013


Leaves of Learning6 Winter 2013

SBBG Environmental Book ClubMonday, January 20, 4:00pm—6:00pm Blaksley Library



Natural History of Coronado Butterfly PreserveSaturday, January 25, 9:00am—11:30am

Join wildlife biologist Fred Emerson for an excursion to learn about wintering monarch butterflies, and other features of the Ellwood Grove environs. Bring binoculars as we’ll see many birds, too! Fred’s very popular classes are limited to 20 participants, so reserve your spot early!


Introduction to the genus CeanothusThree Fridays, January 31, February 7, and 14, 1:00pm—3:00pm, Arroyo Room

Join botanist Mary Carroll for this hands-on introduction to the genus Ceanothus. Two classes will be in the lab, and one will be a Garden field trip. Honing observational skills and discovering the surprising details of plants under magnification are among the many joys of ‘keying’ plants. Bring a 10x hand lens and the 2nd edition of the Jepson manual (available in the Shop). We have limited copies available for those who need them. Limited to 15 participants.


Docent-led Specialty TourMeadow Revival Project Saturday, February 1, 2:00pm, Entrance Kiosk

This new tour has an emphasis on the design and renovation of our iconic Meadow. Meet at the entrance to the Garden. No reservations needed. Free with paid Garden admission. Tour lasts approximately one hour.

San Marcos Foothills Preserve: a Foray on the FanglomerateSaturday, February 8, 9:00am—Noon

Walk along the top of a huge alluvial fan that tumbled from Santa Barbara’s rising cliffs during the glacial age storms with geologist Susie Bartz. Then descend to Atascadero Creek which cuts through the fan, to appreciate the restoration of a riparian corridor. Five different rock formations give clues to the amazing geologic history of our region, from 50 million years ago to the present. Spectacular views of coast and mountains grace this beautiful natural area. The hike is about 3 miles along mostly easy terrain with some gentle slopes.


FEBRUARY

Docent-led Specialty TourWinter Color in the Garden Saturday, January 4, 2:00pm

Join our expert docent and explore the colors and subtle beauty of native plants in the winter at the Garden. No reservations needed. Free with paid Garden admission. Tour lasts approximately one hour.

Winter Morning Bird Walk Wednesday, January 15, 8:30am—10:00am Entrance Kiosk



California Native Plant Society Thursday, January 16, 6:30pm—8:00pm Blaksley Library

Please join us in welcoming the local Channel Islands chapter of the California Native Plant Society to the Garden as we host their Santa Barbara area meetings in the Blaksley Library every other month. The lecture begins at 7:00pm, but come early to enjoy social time and a chance to bring plants to ID, or exchange native plants from your garden.

Free to members / non-members

Fungi of the ForestsLecture: Friday, January 17, 6:00pm—8:00pm Field Trip: Saturday, January 18, 9:00am—Noon (may be rescheduled if conditions aren’t suitable)

Join Dr. Bob Cummings to learn about the fascinating world of fungi. Bring examples of fungi to the lecture for discussion. The field trip is to the Los Padres National Forest, where we will go on a mushroom foray and explore what the rains have produced.

Fee: Lecture: $25 members / $35 non-members Field Trip: $10 members/ $15 non-members

Gardening Under OaksSaturday, January 18, 1:00pm—5:00pm

Do you have a garden under or next to a large ancient oak? Are you planning a new garden space incorporating planted oaks? Horticulturist Bruce Reed will lead a discussion of the do’s and don’ts of gardening alongside the Central Coast’s premiere shade tree. Ideas for successful planting under the canopy will be suggested with many pictures and handouts.


www.sbbg.org/classes-events/classesmailto:[email protected]:bjgreen07%40gmail.com?subject=SBBG%20Environmental%20Book%20Club

7 Winter 2013 Ironwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 7

JANUARY


Leaves of LearningIronwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 7

SBBG Environmental Book ClubMonday, February 17, 4:00pm—6:00pm Blaksley Library



Winter Morning Bird Walk Wednesday, February 19, 8:30am—10:00am Entrance Kiosk



California Naturalist Program and SBBG Docent Training10 Saturdays, February 22, March 1, 8, 22, and 29, April 5, 12 and 26, May 3 and 10

Blaksley Library, Garden grounds, and off site locations

Become a certified California Naturalist. The Garden teams with Sedgwick Reserve to present this University of California Cooperative Extension program intended to foster a committed corps of volunteer naturalists and citizen scientists trained and ready to take an active role in local natural resource conservation, education, and restoration. Classes are led by local experts in each topic. The program focuses on the Santa Barbara region, and will provide the core curriculum to become a SBBG or Sedgwick docent, with additional training. For more information, see our website www.sbbg.org and look under classes, or contact the Education Program Manager at [email protected].

Fee: $160 for current and future SBBG and Sedgwick Volunteers; $320 for others

Botanical Illustration Workshop March 22 and 23, 2014

Learn the basics of creating botanical illustrations from professional botanist, botanical illustrator, and teacher, Dr. Linda Ann Vorobik. Linda, through demonstrations and lectures, introduces participants to drawing skills, parts of the plant, and watercolor techniques as used for painting plant portraits. All skill levels are welcome: accomplished artists can increase their knowledge of botany and skilled botanists can learn drawing and painting techniques. Many repeat this workshop as there is ample opportunity for one-on-one instruction with Dr. Vorobik. A list of required supplies will be mailed to participants.

Join us the Friday preceding the weekend workshop for a casual reception, where Dr. Vorobik will showcase some of her works and techniques.

Visit sbbg.org for information on the following spring 2014 opportunities:

Anacapa Island Day TripsLimited to 15 participants, Wednesday, March 26 April date to be announced soon

Santa Cruz Island 4-day TripLimited to 12 participants, May dates to be announced soon

Time Travelers Train TripsMarch 29, April 26, and May 10

Garden Allies Beneficial Insect WorkshopMay 24, 9:00am—1:00pm

Landscape for Life Certificate Program5 Thursdays 2:00pm—5:00pm, March 6, 13, 20, 27, 7 & April 3

Wildflower ForaysJoin our popular spring wildflower forays, late March through May

Save the Date

Teahouse and GardenEvery second Saturday of the Month from Noon—2:00pm

Visitors and members are welcome to experience our ShinKanAn Teahouse and Garden. Trained Teahouse volunteers will be available to share their skills and answer questions about the rich traditions of the Japanese tea ceremony. Our teahouse garden or roji was created in the traditions of the Japanese style using California native plants. The authentic Teahouse was originally built in Kyoto in 1949, and is still used for chanoyu tea ceremonies. We are honored to share this beautiful and tranquil roji with our community.

To learn more about SkinKanAn, please visit http://shinkanan.wordpress.com/about/For more information about private lessons, please contact Mrs. Sokyo Kasai at [email protected]

www.sbbg.org/classes-events/classesmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]/classes-events/classesmailto:[email protected]://www.sbbg.org/classes-eventshttp://shinkanan.wordpress.com/aboutmailto:[email protected]

8 Winter 2013


Leaves of Learning8 Winter 2013

International Travel Opportunity Exclusively for the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Experience the pristine beauty of Costa Rica during this unforgettable expedition to explore the botanical treasures of this country. Costa Rica boasts more than 9,000 different types of flowering plants and 1,200 species of its national flower, the orchid. This nine-day adventure includes visits to Else Kientzler Botanical Gardens, Lankester Botanical Garden, Heliconia Island Botanical Garden, and Los Quetzales National Park. While exploring the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica, keep an eye out for more than 800 species of birds, including the rare Resplendent Quetzal. Limited to 12 people.

Fee: $2,625 per person double occupancy (includes $675 estimated airfare from LAX and a tax-deductible donation to SBBG). For more information visit www.sbbg.org under trips and travel. See article about Steve Junak on page 11.

Ostracods at the GardenUCSB Students Research CrustaceansOstracods are tiny crustaceans that exist in nearly every marine and many freshwater environments. Their diversity as a taxonomic class makes them model organisms for experimentation. UCSB student Abigail Chua is examining whether or not the presence of eyes influences how these ostracods select their habitat. Fellow UCSB student Alexandra Wen is analyzing the genome sizes of various species in order to determine whether or not there is a correlation between the size of the nuclear genome and the environment in which the ostracod exists. Both students are working under the mentorship of Emily Ellis, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology at UCSB.

The students visited the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and collected two species of Podocopid ostracods of the genus Heterocypris and Cytheridella living in sympatry (together). They measured the genome size to be 1.4 picograms and 0.28 picograms, respectively. This data will add to a larger study looking at the diversity of genome sizes across Ostracoda with Ph.D. candidate Nick Jeffery at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.

Photos: (top) Stuart Wilson (bottom) Emily Ellis

The Natural Beauty of Costa Rica with Steve JunakApril 5—13, 2014

*Rain Date: TBD

**Beer Factoid: What is a Cicerone?The word cicerone is an old Italian term for a “guide,” and is now commonly used to mean “beer sommelier,” with cicerones trained through a certification program.

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Hosts Tasting Tour

Saturday, February 8th, 1:00pm—5:00pm*Garden Members: $35; Non-members & Guests: $50

What does beer have to do with native plants? Put on your walking shoes and find out! Join us for Santa Barbara Beer Garden, a tasting tour of beers, chosen specifically to reflect the spirit (and flavor) of some of the Garden’s living displays.

Cicerone** and Santa Barbara Sentinel columnist Zachary Rosen designed this mini-festival of beer and food pairings. Both Zach, and the Garden’s plant experts, will be on-hand to guide guests through each selection, tour the Garden, and meet the brewmasters.

Tickets and information at sbbg.org

BEER

Volunteer Orientations

The first Monday of every month: December 2, January 6, February 3, and March 3

5:00pm—7:00pm, Blaksley Library

Come learn about the diverse volunteer opportunities at the Garden. For more information or to sign up please contact Kathy Castaneda at [email protected] or call (805) 682-4726 x119

http://www.sbbg.org/classes-events/trips-travel/natural-beauty-costa-ricahttp://www.sbbg.org/classes-events/events/santa-barbara-beer-garden-tasting-tourmailto:[email protected]


Winter is the prolific growing season in California. Many plants begin new growth in winter as moisture becomes available. New shoots and leaves abound soon after the first rains, but what about good bloom?

Some of the earliest plants to bloom, coastal sunflower (Encelia californica) and chaparral nightshade (Solanum xantii) are lovely December accents for your garden. Pink-flowered currant (Ribes sanguineum) is a great bloomer beginning in January, with individuals still blooming as late as March. Of course, even in October, buckwheats (Eriogonum) and California fuchsias (Zauschneria) are often still pushing bloom.

Nevin’s barberry (Berberis nevinii)An impressive show often overlooked by gardeners is Nevin’s barberry (Berberis nevinii). A medium-to-tall shrub with very spiny, stiff leaves, Nevin’s barberry gives an impressive color display in many months of the year. Its gray evergreen leaves have a slightly blue tint which sets off well against other greens in the garden. The leaves provide a beautiful matte backdrop for the small, lovely, bright yellow flowers held in copious clusters along the branches. Plants can begin to bloom as early as January. Blooming for months, it is common to see new blooms and ripening berries on the plant at the same time. The fruit is every bit as colorful as the flowers. Turning from green to an almost-white, to pink, they finish a bright scarlet red.

Nevin’s barberry is not extinct in the wild, but nearly so. It was brought to cultivation by renowned plantsman Theodore Payne from the chaparral of the Los Angeles basin. Populations are few, but not immediately threatened in Riverside County. Nevin’s barberry is sometimes available in very limited quantities at the Garden Grower’s Nursery, and can be seen here at the Garden growing around the Meadow and on the Porter Trail.

What is a reliable bloom during the winter?Q:

A:

The Garden’s Global Watershed ~ Continued from page 1

Photo of flooded Mission Dam circa 1978 by Steve Junak

Ask the ExpertBy Bruce Reed, Horticulturist and Nursery Manager

Photo: Berberis nevinii by Carol Bornstein

placed to practice watershed education and outreach in an effort to engage the public in understanding the connections between wildlands and urban environments, and the role of native plants in ecosystem health.

Watershed as a Framework for EducationCollaborations with several local organizations help us build exciting programs using the watershed as a conceptual framework for education at the Garden. One long-standing partnership is our work with the Santa Barbara Watershed Educators Team (SBWET). In October, we participated in the SBWET Open House held at the Ty Warner Sea Center. In addition, Santa Barbara Channelkeepers provides hands-on stream monitoring opportunities for Garden education, including for our summertime Camp Wildflower program, and most recently for the California Naturalist Program. We collaborate with several other organizations on watershed-related projects, among them Community Environmental Council (CEC), Channel Islands Restoration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the local branch of the Department of Fish and Game.

Landscape for LifeThe Water Conservation Branch of the City of Santa Barbara Creeks Department is working with Garden staff in multiple ways to provide watershed-related education to the public. An information rack located near the Garden’s Gift Shop is stocked with literature about watershed health and information on drought-tolerant landscaping and sustainable irrigation practices. This information can also be found online at www.sbprojectcleanwater.org and www.waterwisesb.org. As we launch our new Landscape for Life certificate program, Waterwise Santa Barbara will provide training to those participants, as well as for Garden docents.

Watershed education and outreach at the Garden provides local residents with a way to define the place in which they live, and effectively illustrates the fundamental role of native plants in healthy ecosystems. A significant advantage of a watershed approach to education is that it presents global environmental issues such as climate change and water pollution on a local scale, and approaches sustainability as a personal imperative.

Watershed education reaches far beyond our regional borders to Garden visitors from around the world, who can apply the same ecosystem perspective to their own neighborhood watersheds and native flora, thereby making the connections between wildlands and their own gardens.

www.sbprojectcleanwater.orgwww.waterwisesb.org

10 Winter 2013

Honoring Someone You Love The passing of someone close to you is rightfully a time for remembrance, reflection, and recognition. The holidays also present a time of deep reflection about what the people in our lives mean to us today. Holidays and special occasions are excellent opportunities to commemorate and make lasting statements about our close relationships.

You can make a gift to recognize a loved one, and at the same time advance the Garden’s mission in a meaningful way. Many people prefer simply writing a check in honor of a family member or friend. Experienced donors know, however, that contributing appreciated stocks, bonds, or shares in mutual funds enables them to accomplish much more with their giving. Exceptional tax savings are available when contributing investment assets held more than one year. For example:

Ron was planning to write a check in the amount of $500 to honor his wife’s birthday. He instead contributed $1,000 worth of stock he originally purchased for $200. His $1,000 tax deduction saved him $280 in income taxes avoided, and $120 of capital gains taxes. The final cost to Ron was $600 to make a $1,000 stock gift.

There are many other ways to make gifts honoring or memorializing loved ones, including bequests or trusts, and other gifts which provide lifetime benefits. Please contact Gina Benesh for more information (805) 690-1697.

The Public Good IRA Rollover ActDid you know the IRA charitable rollover allows individual taxpayers older than 70½ years to donate up to $100,000 from their individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and Roth IRAs to charitable nonprofits without having to treat the withdrawals as taxable income?

This giving incentive is of particular value to donors who are required to take a minimum distribution and who do not claim itemized deductions on their tax return because the funds are sent directly to nonprofits from IRA accounts and are never counted as income and thus without tax penalties.

• Maximum allowable charitable distribution: $100,000

• Allowed in 2013? YES!

• Allowed beyond 2013? This has not yet been taken up in Congress. Read more and take action at http://www.councilofnonprofits.org/public-policy/federal-policy-issues/incentives-giving/ira-rollover

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DecemberBotanical Serigraphs—The Gene Bauer Collection only $20.00 (a $40.00 value) with a $100.00—$299.00 purchase, or FREE with $300 purchase

After Christmas Sale! Selected holiday and regular merchandise—up to 50% off!

JanuaryCare and Maintenance of Southern California Native Plant Gardens (book available in Spanish & English)—FREE with purchase of any book on California native plants

One bird song card from Wild-Card (shown at left), for just $4.00 (a $12.00 value) with any purchase of $40.00 or more

All specials are for purchases of Garden Shop merchandise only, and are available while supplies last. No additional discounts may be applied to these specials.

We would like to see vintage photos and hear personal stories of how you and your loved ones enjoyed the Garden’s beautiful Meadow way back when… We absolutely love this photo of Susan Ramser and her mother Elizabeth strolling through the Garden in 1964, and appreciate the family sending it to us!

Help the Garden celebrate the revival of our historic wildflower Meadow by sharing your family photos with us. If you have photos you would like to contribute to www.SBBGPhotos.org, please email Tricia Wardlaw at [email protected] or call (805) 682-4726 ext. 103.

Call for Photos... and Memories!

Photo: James Ramser

Winter Specials in the Garden Shop

http://www.councilofnonprofits.org/public-policy/federal-policy-issues/incentives-giving/ira-rollover http://www.councilofnonprofits.org/public-policy/federal-policy-issues/incentives-giving/ira-rollover www.SBBGPhotos.orgmailto:[email protected]


Beginning a New ChapterBy Steve Junak, Herbarium Curator and Botanical Instructor

As some of you know, I’m planning to retire from my positions at the Garden at the end of the year. As the day of my retirement approaches, I’ve been thinking a lot about how fortunate I have been to work at an institution devoted to the preservation of California’s botanical riches. As part of my work duties, I’ve been able to spend many days exploring the wildlands of California, studying our diverse flora, and leading field trips for Garden members and plant enthusiasts from around the world. Trips to our offshore islands, including those off the west coast of Baja California, have been especially rewarding. I really appreciate the amazing wildlife, deserted coastlines, and stunning landscapes found on the islands, as well as their remoteness and invigorating maritime climate.

When I first started working at the Garden 37 years ago, feral animals were decimating the populations of many rare and unique plants that grow on the islands. Since then, sheep, goats, pigs, and other feral animals have been removed by island owners and/or land managers (e.g., The Nature Conservancy, Catalina Island Conservancy, National Park Service, U.S. Navy, Island Conservation, Conservacion de Islas, and several agencies of the Mexican government). The results have been astounding! Populations of plant taxa that were on the verge of extinction (or were thought to have gone extinct) have recovered dramatically, especially on San Clemente and Guadalupe Islands. I am so happy the ecological situation has improved so much during my time on the islands! If I had been born a couple of decades earlier, the ecology on the islands—and their prospects for the future—would have been far different.

As for the future, I plan to continue leading Garden field trips and working on specific projects like island floras and botanical surveys that benefit our local flora. I also hope to increase my efforts to preserve open space for future generations. The older I get, the more I realize just how important our natural areas are for the mental and physical health of our human population, and how critical they are for the survival of our native plants and animals. The Garden plays an important role in the appreciation and preservation of our wild surroundings, and I hope you will continue to support it!

Give a green gift this holiday and share your favorite place with friends and family!

*BAGGU purchases are only eligible with the purchase of a gift membership to the Garden. One BAGGU purchase per gift membership. While supplies last. Mint Green Forest

Purchase a Gift of Membership through December 31 and add an exclusive reusable Garden BAGGU for only $10*. Give a BAGGU as a gift or keep it to use for your holiday shopping! Choose from 3 fashionable colors: Mint, Green, or Forest. For more information on giving the gift of membership, email [email protected].

Give a BAGGU as a gift or keep it to use for your

holiday shopping!

“Steve Junak, ‘The Island Man’ is not only one of the very best botanists our County has to offer, but he is also one of the best general naturalists and local historians one can meet in these parts. Well known as the ultimate resource person on the nature of the Channel Islands, Steve’s inquiring mind is always delving deeper into knowledge about our local natural history and the history of our area. To go on a field trip with Steve is a treat and an honor for all. With retirement from SBBG we can only hope that Steve leads even more trips during which we can learn by hanging on his every word.”

Sally Isaacson former SBBG Director of Education

“The most observant and knowledgeable field botanist I have ever had the pleasure to know.”Dieter WilkenResearch AssociateSanta Barbara Botanic Garden

...and Speaking of Steve Junak...

From left: Steve Junak in the 1980s by Mary Carroll, and in the 1990s, SBBG Library Collection

mailto:[email protected]

12 Ironwood – Publication of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Winter 2013

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden1212 Mission Canyon RoadSanta Barbara, CA 93105-2126(805) 682-4726www.sbbg.org

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Permit No. 451

The Three “R”s at the Garden… Reduce, Renew, RejuvenateBy Laura Muasher, Membership Coordinator

Reduce (stress); Renew (yourself); and Rejuvenate (your garden).

Fall is the time to rejuvenate your garden with new plants. Autumn also brings a change in the air—fresh and crisp—with clear, calm skies. The natural world is an ecosystem where birth, death, reproduction, and relationships between species are present. Connecting with the cycle of life by strolling through a tranquil woodland or garden awakens the senses, heightening our engagement with the natural world.

Nature is the best healer. In a study in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, researchers found that those who live in areas with the most amount of green space have lower levels of cortisol (known as the stress hormone), and their self-reported feelings of stress were lower than those who spent more time in urban settings.

Interaction with the healing elements of the outdoors reduces stress, increases physical exercise, and provides endless learning through contact with nature. The sounds of birds, the feeling of fresh air through the trees, the aroma of juniper, and the colors of blooming wildflowers all create positive human emotions. Even the soothing sounds from Mission Creek provide a calm oasis for respite and reflection.

Nature offers a distraction from illness, technology, and busy schedules. Local non-profits like Alpha Resource Center and Hospice

of Santa Barbara know this, and hold current Garden memberships for participants to enjoy the Garden frequently as a place of renewal—to learn from each other, and to cope with loss.

This winter, go outside, enjoy plants and trees, and feel better—mentally, physically, and emotionally!

Photo: Martin Corral, monarch butterfly on Aesculus inflorescence

www.sbbg.org

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