2150 North Alvernon Way, Tucson, Arizona 85712 326-9686 www.tucsonbotanical.org

Volunteer and Docent Newsletter

April 2013

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—UPCOMING MEETINGS—

MONTHLY

VOLUNTEER MEETINGS Second Thursday of Each Month

10AM-Noon Porter Hall

—Next Meeting: April 11— Curious to know more about the four new “pocket gardens” north of the Pavilion? Come learn about the Gardens’ newest event,

GROWDOWN! The Great Tucson Garden Design Challenge and see the short film created by independent filmmaker and Hanson Film Institute Fellow, Marcus De Leon.

DOCENT MEETINGS

Fourth Thursday of Each Month 10-11:30AM

—Next Meeting: April 25— Speaker TBD

YOUTH EDUCATION

VOLUNTEER MEETINGS Third Tuesday of Each Month

10AM-Noon

—Next Meeting: April 16— Child-Nature Relationship

Speakers: Experimental Educators Suzanne and Eric Dhruv

Spring

Volunteer Appreciation Potluck

Wednesday, May 1

Noon-1:30PM in the Pavilion Please RSVP to Christine Hoekenga

at 326-9686, ext. 39

or by email at

education1@tucsonbotanical.org

and indicate the type of dish you plan

to bring (salad, dessert, etc.)

Hope to see you all there!

DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR FLIGHTS OF

FANCY BIRDHOUSE ENTRIES! Submit your entry by Friday, April 5!

With Southern Arizona

listed as a premiere

destination for amateur and

serious birders alike, the

Gardens has invited its

flighted friends, both

migratory and residents, to

make a home at the

Gardens, in the Backyard

Bird Gardens, during later

spring and early summer.

Single-family abodes, multi-unit dwellings, garrets,

fabricated nests and other residences will be on display

as part of Flights of Fancy:Birds at Home in the

Garden. Join us as we observe who moves in to the

newly installed houses. Most likely to be seen are

Verdin, Ash-throated flycatcher, Pyrrhuloxia, Purple

martin, Lesser goldfinch and Cactus wren. With a little

luck, you may also encounter Lucy’s warbler, Ash-

throated flycatcher and Western kingbird.

If you’d like your work considered for this exhibit,

please download the call for entries from our website:

http://www.tucsonbotanical.org/cms/wp -content/

uploads/2013/01/Call-for-Entries-Flights2013.pdf

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BUTTERFLY MAGIC UPDATE

...desired, volunteer in the afternoon. Shifts run from 9:15 until 12:30 and from 12:15 until (at the latest)

3:30.

PipevineSwallowtail Black SwallowtailCaterpillar

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES As some of our volunteers leave next season, we have new openings arising for new volunteers. This is a

great time for someone to test whether volunteering in the exhibit might be right for them. We have seasoned

volunteers they can work they can work alongside and only a relatively short commitment until we close the

end of April. The exhibit fulfills many functions for many volunteers. We have had emergency room

nurses, doctors, midwives come to recharge; retired teachers who experience renewal by sharing the exhibit

with school children in the mornings; some people temporarily unemployed who volunteer to contribute to the community while they search for new positions;

and, of course, newly retired or long-term retired people who still wish to stay engaged. People who are

new to Tucson; people who have lived here all their lives—we still offer a unique way of interacting with the

community. So, please think of friends and acquaintances who might enjoy and profit from

volunteering in our exhibit.

This month we have the time clearly available. We will

have an opening on Thursday mornings, plus several other slots.

As usual for this time of year, I encourage people who

have never yet volunteered in the exhibit to consider doing so. Word-of-mouth recruiting of other people to

volunteer to see if they’d like it is our best way of getting great volunteers, so please advertise the

opportunity to different people you contact. If working with children is appealing, volunteer in the

morning; if a quieter time is desired, volunteer in the afternoon. Shifts run from 9:15 until 12:30 and from 12:15 until (at the latest) 3:30.

BUTTERFLY UPDATE From Elizabeth Willott

It’s time to feel sorry for all those winter volunteers

who have left for cooler weather. They will miss the current delights of our Tucson spring.

As I write this, the Lady Banks rose is a mass of

yellow, pink penstemon charms us in so many spots, the bold green and red of the Clivia contrast

wonderfully with the Education Building, and there is bright green new growth almost everywhere. A potpourri arises from the mix of viburnum, rose,

citrus and many other plants, separating only as you walk close enough to one plant and then another.

Birds strive to outdo each other in song, lizards scurry in the leaves, the train chugs along, and happy

voices are found throughout.

Flitting through this amazing world are our native butterflies. On any day you are likely to see Giant

Swallowtails, Pipevine Swallowtails, Gulf Fritillaries, and several different Sulphurs. Enjoy them all and

enjoy what’s continuing to happen indoors at Butterfly Magic.

We have roughly one month left of Butterfly Magic.

Between Sunday and Tuesday last week, the greenhouse was transformed by the emergence of

so many of our last week’s shipment of butterflies from the Tropical Entomological House in Malaysia.

We have Asian Cruisers, Asian Tigers, Common Leopards, Paper Kites, Blue Clippers and more from

Malaysia. We also continue to have butterflies emerge from the chrysalises we received from

Kenya back in January: this morning we had an African Citrus Swallowtail, an Emperor Swallowtail,

and a Constantine’s Swallowtail emerge. We are now at peak species diversity with probably over 45

different species.

Our close date is April 30. We will do our butterfly round-up on Thursday, May 2, so the butterflies will be in their new home at the Butterfly Pavilion in

Westminster, CO (just outside Denver) on Friday, May 3.

As usual for this time of year, I encourage people who have never yet volunteered in the exhibit to consider doing so. Word-of-mouth recruiting of

other people to volunteer to see if they’d like it is our best way of getting great volunteers, so please

advertise the opportunity to different people you contact. If working with children is appealing,

volunteer in the morning; if a quieter time is ....

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—HELP NEEDED—

Spring is in the air, and there are scores of volunteer opportunities on the horizon

from special events to regular shifts of Butterfly Magic. Here are some of the ways

you can get involved this April.

BLOOMS AND BITES Katherine Hougland is still looking for a small group of volunteers to assist with set-up for this

year’s Blooms and Bites event. Help is needed starting at 10AM on Friday, April 12. Please

contact Katherine directly by coming to the Development Office or emailing

development@tucsonbotanical.org.

YOUTH EDUCATION We have a variety of Youth Ed volunteer opportunities available in April. There is something

for everyone. You are invited to consider the following opportunities:

Welcoming groups and orienting students to Butterfly Magic: 9:30-10:30AM almost every

weekday

Teaching and assisting with our new and expanding “Grow, Grow, Grow” program about the

life cycle of plants and “Desert Plants, Desert People” program.

Dates/times: variable

Co-leading Bookworm Club (reading a seasonal story and co-leading a simple craft)

Saturday, April 6, 10-11AM

Saturday, May 4, 10-11AM

Coming Soon: Teaching and otherwise assisting with our summer Garden Nature Camps:

June 3-7, June 24-28, and July 15-19.

To reserve your place or find out more information, contact Alyson Greene at ext. 31 or at

education2@tucsonbotanical.org. Thank you for your support of youth programs at the

Gardens.

BUTTERFLY MAGIC The end of the season is a great time to start volunteering with the Butterfly Office. Not sure if

this opportunity is for you? Come try it out and see! New volunteers can be teamed up with

experienced volunteers to test-run volunteering in the Butterfly Exhibit in April. This does not

have to be a long-term commitment. Please mention this opportunity to friends and

acquaintances, too! Please see the Butterfly Update on page 2 for more details or contact the

Butterfly Office: ext. 38 or butterflyexhibit@tucsonbotanical.org .

—ITEMS WE NEED—

TIN CANS Thank you all so much for the donations of tin and aluminum cans for Education and

Horticultural Therapy programs. We now have all of the soda cans we can use! But please keep

the tin cans coming. You can bring clean cans with labels removed to Juliet Niehaus or Christine

Hoekenga.

COFFEE MUGS The Horticultural Therapy program is collecting coffee mugs to repurpose and use as planters

for programs. Please bring mugs to Juliet Niehaus.

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—UPCOMING CLASSES— Most classes require pre-registration and are subject to cancellation due to low enrollment.

You can register online at

http://www.tucsonbotanical.org/education/adult-classes-trips/ or by calling our class registration line at 326-9686, ext. 19.

POETRY IN THE GARDENS First Saturday of the Month:

March 2, April 6, May 4, 10-11:30AM Art and literature have always reflected the natural

world. In this new monthly series, hosted by the Tucson Botanical Gardens and the University of Arizona Poetry Center, lovers of nature and poetry

are invited to visit a different garden space each month and explore those connections. Poetry

Center docents will provide participants with a packet of poems focusing on the natural world and

invite all to join a light and informal conversation of how literature and nature “work” together. No

prior knowledge of poetry is needed, but a pen and notebook are recommended. Free with Gardens

admission. No pre-registration required. Saturday, April 6: Iris Garden

Saturday, May 4: Cactus and Succulent Garden

BUTTERFLY BASICS Tuesday, April 16, 4:30-6PM

Join Elizabeth Willott, Curator of Butterfly Magic, for this basic introduction to butterflies. Along with

some great shots of butterflies from the Gardens and Butterfly Magic, we’ll introduce you to butterfly

biology and the inner workings of our tropical butterfly exhibit. Includes entrance to Butterfly Magic

after hours. $12, $7 members

DESIGNING SUSTAINABLE, COLORFUL

DESERT LANDSCAPES Saturday, April 20, 10-11:30AM

Shelly Ann Abbott, an award-winning landscape

designer and Master of Landscape Architecture

(MLA), sees designing for sustainable, colorful

desert landscapes as one of the best ways to enjoy

our Sonoran Desert. Her wonderful landscapes are

low water and provide beautiful color and interest

all year. Learn sustainability in the Sonoran Desert

through designs meant to share the landscape with

hummingbirds, butterflies, moths and native bees.

Learn how to achieve an intimate, colorful, outdoor

living space. Class includes a visual presentation and

a plant materials handout. Bring your landscaping

questions and challenges. $17, $12 members

KEEP THEM ALIVE! SMART WATERING

FOR DESERT POTTED PLANTS Saturday, April 20, 1-3PM

Ninety-five percent of plant failure in the desert is due to inappropriate watering. Learn the tricks and techniques for keeping your potted plants alive and thriving

throughout the summer with Marylee Pangman, Tucson’s Potted Garden Expert. In this demonstration class you

will learn efficient watering techniques, how to select appropriate low water plants and how to set up

a simple automatic drip system so that your potted gardens will thrive even when you aren’t there. Price

includes watering accessories and a take-home guide. $60, $50 members

W O R L D P O P U L A T I O N A N D

DEVELOPMENT Sunday, April 21, 3-4:30PM On the eve of Earth Day 2013, join us for a class that

explores what has happened with world population and wealth (financial and quality of living) since The

Population Bomb was published in the 1960s. Instead of worldwide famine, we are now seeing obesity exceed

under-nutrition as a worldwide problem. How did that happen? What are the current trends? Free with

Gardens admission. No pre-registration required.

BUTTERFLY GARDENING 101 Saturday, April 27, 9:30-11:30AM

If you are interested in luring butterflies to your garden, no matter how much space you have, this is the class for

you! Learn which plants are needed for larval food as well as those needed for nectar. Find out which butterflies you are likely to attract. Discover ways to

provide space for butterfly-friendly plants, from simple ideas like planting one pot on your patio, to rethinking

the plantings in your entire garden. Take a guided stroll through the butterfly garden at the Tucson Botanical

Gardens for inspiration. Plant an resource lists provided. $12, $7 members

More classes, next page!

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RECYCLED METAL FLOWERS Sunday, May 12, Mother’s Day, 11AM-1:30PM After a visit to the DeGrazia Gallery, instructors

Rich and Ann Bates were inspired to re-create the colorful metal flowers that graced its gates and

fences. Spend the afternoon with them learning how to create these easy-to-make flowers from

recycled soda and tin cans. A variety of empty cans, glue guns, scissors and spray paint will be provided.

Please bring your own found objects—seed pods, beads, pictures, strings, coins—to personalize your flowers. Let your imagination soar.

$15, $10 members

YOGA IN THE GARDENS Thursday, May 2, 16, 23, 30, 8-9AM (four-class series; no class May 9)
 Start your day off on the right foot with weekly sessions of invigorating and centering yoga practice

in our beautiful garden setting. Led by Laura Greenlaw, a certified yoga instructor with nine

years of teaching experience, each one-hour class will include centering hatha yoga poses taught using

good alignment and breath work. Students will learn to create both flexibility and strength in their bodies.

One month $40, $30 members

—UPCOMING CLASSES— (Continued from previous page)

Most classes require pre-registration and are subject to cancellation due to low enrollment.

You can register online at

http://www.tucsonbotanical.org/education/adult-classes-trips/ or by calling our class registration line at 326-9686, ext. 19.

Register online or by calling 326-9686, ext. 19. or call 326/9686, x 19.

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Some of the many blooms you’re likely to see in the Gardens this month include: The hedgehog cactus in

the Cactus Garden, the annual rainbow of colors in the Iris Garden, and the Star Jasmine in the Children’s

Garden.

Hedgehog cactus Star Jasmine Iris Garden in Bloom

WILDFLOWER REPORTS

Want to know which flowers are popping, not only at the Gardens, but around the state? Visit the

Desert Botanical Gardens Wildflower Info Site at:

http://www.dbg.org/gardening-horticulture/wildflower-infosite

Emily and Darlene send updates each week, so you’ll find out what is blooming on the grounds as

well!

NEW COLUMN!

An Ear to the Ground

Plant talk and other ponderings

By: Massimo Boscolo March 14, 2013

Today, with a daytime temperature of 91degrees, it is easy to believe that spring has

finally arrived, and on time, considering that traditionally, the 15th of March is the day

indicated in Tucson when danger of frost is past. So even if the mesquite trees haven’t

gotten any new leaves (which is another indicator of an undeniable change of season)

we feel reasonably safe in bringing out of shelter our most tender potted plants.

Hopefully, all the frost cloths can finally be stored in some remote corner of Sycamore

yard and forgotten about, at least until the end of the year.

Many plants around the garden have already embraced the warmth and the extra dose

of daylight.

The leaves of the pomegranate (Punica granatum) are a welcome spectacle in spring

especially the ones in full sun where the translucent quality of the new growth is more

evident, showing all of its delicate reddish hues.

Along the Ironwood path, the little clumps of Bulbina frutescens are flowering above a

mass of healthy succulent leaves. This South African native resembles a diminutive Aloe

and carries stalks of orange flower spikes with rich yellow stamens.

The Sophora formosa by the butterfly garden is in full flower, and earlier than the

more common species widely planted along the streets of Tucson. Don’t miss

the scent of grape kool-aid from the wisteria-like flowers.

Also, new growth is appearing everywhere from the base of almost all the perennials

and tender shrubs that took a severe beating from the hard freeze we experienced this

winter. Some of the Penstemons are about to flower and more are emerging all around

the garden.

Of course, among this wealth of primeval green we are getting a lot of unwanted

weeds too, as the volunteers who work in the grounds know all too well. This year,

the species of Filaree are particularly active. (Thanks to Connie for pointing out their

details to me.)

This relative of the Geranium are low-growing annuals with clusters of tiny pretty pink

flowers held on the top of the short stalks. The pointy seed-heads have a thin handle

attached to the body which coils when dried, ingeniously drilling itself firmly into the

soil.

Changes are happening fast in the garden these days and the next few weeks are going

to be full of vibrant colors and special events. We invite all of you to visit during this

long awaited period of growth and regeneration.

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2150 North Alvernon Way

Tucson, Arizona 85712