Cal Hort is sponsoring one final Coffee Event for the year.  Garden designer and long time member Daxin Liu will host us at his own Mountain View garden at 9 a.m. on Saturday, November 2.  Members of Western Hort and the Bay Area Horticultural Society are also invited to RSVP to this event.

About his garden, Daxin told me “I have a small garden (lot size ~7500 ft^2) but got into the wrong hobby of collecting palms and magnolias.  Some of the specimens are too happy and might just be good for close observation for a few more years before they get way too tall. I also love fragrant plants and foliage plants so there are some examples of those. Also worth mentioning are a few palm-like Araliaceae plants such as Schefflera taiwaniana and Brassaiopsis dumicola (recent purchases from Dan Hinkley) that is uncommon and quite exciting to me. There are a few cycads, some orchids, some bromeliads, many succulents, some fruit trees, and a number of perennials from Annie’s. In terms of design, I am trying to add some classical Chinese flavor to my garden, especially in the backyard, where there is a small pond with five medium-sized koi fish that are quite popular with kids, and some adults hopefully. Overall I think it is a typical Hortisexual’s garden with way too many plants.”  Bathrooms are available directly across the street at Sylvan park.

By 10:30 we’ll be on our way to the U.C. Santa Cruz arboretum where botanist and long time Cal Hort member Martin Grantham will show us around at the garden where he just stepped down as the Nursery Manager and Propagator.  Upon arriving at the arboretum, we should look for parking in the new parking lot and then make our way to Norris’s to show we are a member of that institution or another botanical garden which offers reciprocal privileges, or else pay the $5/person entry fee.  We are asked to share rides as much as possible as there is another tour happening that day as well.  Martin was the featured speaker at Cal Hort’s very well attended August general meeting.  Both Martin and Daxin were enthusiastic about reaching out to interested members of Western Hort as well so we may get a chance to reconnect with friends we see less often.

This being a Coffee Event, Cal Hort will pick up the coffee and have hot water on hand for tea at the first garden, but we depend on your RSVP’s to gauge how much to get.  Attendees are encouraged to bring just a little of something savory or sweet to share with the coffee.  Left overs will be made available at the second garden.  Those of us who RSVP will work out a plan for lunch in subsequent emails.

To RSVP please email Mark Delepine at mdelepine@liacook.com

 

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