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2150 North Alvernon Way, Tucson, Arizona 85712 326-9686 www.tucsonbotanical.org
Volunteer and Docent Newsletter
September 2013
1
Update from Executive Director,
Michelle Conklin
Welcome Back! This has been a summer of planning
in anticipation of new programs, exhibits and growth. Here’s a little sneak peek into the future.
—The Capital Campaign— Construction on Phase II of III, the center island
pathway, has begun! The central parking island will be a 16-foot wide garden with a pedestrian path meandering down the center and will feature
passive water harvesting along with large trees and shrubs for shade. According to Philip Van
Wyck, Landscape Architect, grading has been designed to take the runoff from the paved
surface over a sunken concrete curb into the planting area, which is slightly depressed below
the level of the path and curbs on each side of the island. In addition three underground 'French
Drain' cisterns will be installed. The volume of each cistern is 1250 cubic feet. There will be a
total of 300 square feet of soil exposed to the sides of the cisterns from which the roots can get
water. This project will be completed by October 7th.
The Children’s Garden—nearly $110,000 has
been raised toward the construction of a new Children’s Garden. The design is still in the early
stages. The Gardens will be applying for an Angel Charity grant in January to support this project as
well as continue pursuing other private funders.
—New Programs & Events—
**Chickens in the Gardens** By early October you should be hearing the gentle “cluck” of 4-5 chickens near the
composting bins. Keeping chickens in an urban environment is part of a sweeping “Urban
Agriculture Movement.” One of the most economic and politically compelling reasons to
keep hens is to recycle food and yard waste. They also love to eat weeds, and serve as post-harvest
garden bed gleaners, potentially making your work as a gardener very, very easy. The health of our
food is tied directly to the health of our soil and chickens can help turn parts of our yards into
fertile garden patches. —New Programs & Events continued, next page—
WELCOME BACK VOLUNTEERS!
Fall is around the corner, and we are looking
forward to cooler weather, more visitors and
seeing all of your faces at the Gardens. To
celebrate the start of the new season, please join
us for the Welcome Back Volunteer Potluck!
When: Tuesday, September 17 at Noon
Where: The Pavilion How to RSVP: Add your name to the list in the
Volunteer Lounge or Sycamore House or contact
Christine at 326-9686, ext. 39 or
—UPCOMING MEETINGS—
-All Volunteer Meeting-
(2nd Thursday, Monthly) Thursday, October 10, 10AM
(No meeting in September)
Do you know what to do in case of an emergency at
the Gardens or if a visitor needs medical attention?
Join us in October for a refresher on safety
procedures with Director of Operations Marianne
Rothenberg. Educational speaker: TBD
-Horticultural Therapy Docent Meeting-
(1st Wednesday, Monthly)
Wednesday, September 4, 10AM
-Youth Education Volunteer Meeting-
(3rd Tuesday, Monthly)
Tuesday, September 17, 10AM
-Docent Meeting-
(4th Thursday, Monthly)
Thursday, September 26, 10AM
If you completed docent training, but haven’t been
active for a while, this is an excellent time to get back
in the groove. Come join us and hear about what’s
new! Educational Speaker: Dr. Stéphane Herbert-Fort
on the art and science of Aquaponics.
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Fall Docent Training
Starts
September 20th
Want to deepen your knowledge of local flora
and fauna, environmental education, water-
wise gardening, and the cultural connections
between people and plants? Sign up for
docent training this fall, and you’ll be joining a
team of trained educators and interpreters
serving the Tucson community and visitors
from all over the world.
After completing training, docents lead tours,
present educational outreach programs, staff
Discovery Carts, assist with horticultural
therapy programs, teach Gardens Signature
Classes, participate in developing and refining
new educational programs, and help visitors
make lasting memories at the Gardens.
When: Friday mornings, 9AM to NOON,
September 20 through November 22 (ten
weeks)
Cost: To offset costs, this ten-week training
requires a fee of $120, which includes
Gardens membership ($70 for current
members)
Interested in Learning More?
Join us for coffee at 9:30AM on Friday,
September 6, and learn more about what it
means to become a docent at the Gardens.
Call or email Christine Hoekenga at
5 2 0 - 3 2 6 - 9 6 8 6 , e x t . 3 9 o r
[email protected] to sign up or
for additional information.
For more information check our website at:
http://www.tucsonbotanical.org/involved/
become-a-docent/
Update from Executive Director,
Michelle Conklin -continued-
—New Programs & Events—
**Frogs in the Greenhouse** This season the Gardens may be adding dart
frogs ( fami l ies , Aromobat idae and Dendrobatidae) to the Cox Butterfly & Orchid
Pavilion. Dart frogs are a diverse group of small, diurnal frogs known for their bright
coloration. Butterfly houses throughout the country, such as the Atlanta Botanic Garden
and the Mackinac Island Butterfly House, have successfully added these beautiful little frogs to
their exhibit.
Will our visitors be at risk of being poisoned? No,
absolutely not. Not all poison dart frogs are deadly, and only three species of dart frogs are
very dangerous to humans.
Where will we get the frogs? Dart frogs are captive bred at AZ Dendrobate Ranch – just up
the road in Mesa, Arizona.
How big are the frogs? Their size varies from ½
to 2 inches long.
SAVOR: Southern Arizona Food and Wine Festival
February 1, 2014
Savor the flavors of Southern Arizona’s culinary arts during this inaugural event held in the Gardens. Featuring up to 40 of the regions finest chefs and local restaurants highlighting exceptional menu tastings, this foodie festival will showcase the diversity of the tasty talents throughout the region and conscious cooking, present fine wine, spirits and craft beer tastings.
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— BE A BUTTERFLY VOLUNTEER —
Volunteers have a lot of fun and learn a lot—about butterflies, yes, but so much more. It is rewarding
work. We are now finalizing dates and content of the orientation sessions for this year’s Butterfly Magic.
Contact us at [email protected] if you are not on the mailing list already and would
like to be.
There are many ways to be involved, including:
In the Greenhouse: Volunteers rotate greeting the visitors, interpreting the exhibit, and thanking
visitors, while monitoring for potentially escaping butterflies.
In the Chrysalis Exhibit: A small number of openings are available to work in the Chrysalis Exhibit,
assisting in processing the pupae we import.
Outreach for events like Earth Day, Health Fairs, Open Houses, Volunteer Fairs, and more.
Other tasks: Preparing food, caring for the nectar plants, assembling kits for the schools, caring for
our Gulf Fritillary caterpillars, and much more. Talk to us about what you can contribute and we’ll
do our best to work with you for mutual benefit.
Typically volunteers for the greenhouse work a minimum of one shift every two weeks, with many
choosing one shift a week. Standard shifts run 9:15-12:30 and 12:15-3:30 PM every day of the week. When
we have school groups it’s great to have an extra person from 9:30-11 AM.
Chrysalis volunteers for the morning can start anywhere from 8-9 AM and finish from 10 AM-12:30,
depending on the day and the work needed. Although the time is more flexible, the work is more
demanding, and more personalized. For example, if you don’t wish to interact much with the public, it may
be an opportunity to be involved; if you do want to interact, there are plenty of ways to do that!
We try to accommodate your schedule and your skills when we can. The key things we require are
dependability and the desire to become better at doing what you do. We provide educational resources
and continually develop new ones. Also, your co-volunteers are often very knowledgeable and happy to
share.
Who can volunteer? We have opportunities for many different ages. Mature high school students can
volunteer independently, younger volunteers must be accompanied by a guardian when they volunteer (we
have had several successful guardian-child pairs). We also have an internship program for high school
students and college students (or anyone else interested). This program requires approximately a 120-
hour commitment and we will provide more extensive volunteer experiences and educational
opportunities. It is designed for high school or college students who may wish to have a substantial
volunteer component on applications for work or higher education. Anyone participating in it will work
closely enough with us (Sarah and me, Assistant and Butterfly Curator, respectively) that we will be able
to act as a good reference.
Butterfly Volunteers in
action!
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The Invasion is Coming!
Could it be real? Are we really under attack by
alien plants? Where are they coming from?
Mars, the Moon, Montana?
These questions may sound like the plot of a
vintage sci-fi film, but not all alien invaders are
from outer space. And the problem of invading
plants is not just one of imagination gone wild,
relegated to late night television and the movie
theater screen. Invasive plants—those that have
been transported here on purpose or by
accident and taken hold in our local
ecosystem—are causing real trouble right here
in Arizona.
This fall, prepare to meet the invaders face-to-
face in our new exhibit Alien Invasion: Of the
Plant Kind. Discover the intergalactic and
imaginary plant invaders featured in sci-fi
movies, literature, and comic books from The
Day of the Triffids to Little Shop of Horrors. Then
consider how real Earth’s real plants and
animals can invade new territory (often with
our help!) and the very real problems this can
cause. From bufflegrass to tamarisk, learn how
invasive plants threaten our native species, local
community, and economy—and what you can
do about it.
Alien Invasion: Of the Plant Kind will open its
doors Friday, Nov. 8th and welcome visitors
through the end of April 2014. It will take the
place of the Indications exhibit in the Friends
House. For those of you who remember
Wicked Plants with Dr. Ergot Ratbane, this
exhibit will also be inhabited (part-time) by a
live interpretive character who helps families
and children enjoy the exhibit. Stay tuned for
more details…
Plant to Watch For:
Cycad with a Pollen Cone
Have a look at the large cycad
(Dioon edule) in a pot located in
the breezeway near the Cactus
Garden. Cycads are a group of
ancient plants. Many cycads are
rare, and most are expensive and
slow-growing. The best known
cycad is the Sago palm (Cycas
revoluta) many of which can be
found in landscaping around the
Gardens. Although somewhat palm-like in appearance,
these cycads are not related to palms. True palms are
flowering plants. Cycads produce cones, rather than
flowers, and this is the reason to look closely at our
Dioon edule.
Our plant is producing a pollen cone. Unlike most
plants, which are hermaphroditic (having both male and
female parts) cycad plants have only one gender. Our
pollen cone plant is a male, and will only make pollen
cones. We also have an equally large female Dioon
edule, located near the tropical greenhouse. This one
has been shy to make its cones, called seed cones, and
we’ve only seen it once. We’ve started now to save
pollen, since the two plants may not cone at the same
time, or even during the same year. Although they are
called seed cones, the plant will not actually make
seeds unless it is pollinated with pollen from the same
species.
There are hundreds of different species of cycads, from
arid and tropical regions of the world. While many are
arid-adapted, relatively few can be grown in Tucson
due to our cold winters. Our big Dioon edule plants
were given no special protection during our recent
winter freezes, and they suffered no damage. Small
plants of this species however, could be damaged by
cold. This species originates from Sonora, Mexico,
though it is not found in the Sonoran Desert itself. The
plant has a wide range through Mexico and several
forms or subspecies of Dioon edule have been
described. These may have differing cold tolerances.
As always with cold sensitive plants, it is best to
provide some protection during cold events. Small
potted plants should be brought indoors. A cloth
covering is all that is needed to protect some of the
hardier cycads outdoors. With attentive covering, at
least a half-dozen different cycads can be grown
outside in Tucson. —Michael Chamberland
PLANT NEWS!
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—Fall Seasonal Classes—
Register on line at http://www.tucsonbotanical.org/education/adult-classes-trips/ or call
520-326-9686, ext. 18. Remember that butterfly classes taught by Elizabeth Willott are open free-of-charge to any
volunteer interested in volunteering with butterflies. The time also counts in continuing education hours!
YOGA IN THE GARDENS
Thursday, Sept. 5, 12, 19 and 26 (four-class series)
Thursday, Oct. 3, 10, 17 and 24 (four-class series)
Thursday, Oct. 31, Nov. 7, 14. 21
(four-class series)
8-9AM Start your day off on the right foot with weekly
sessions of invigorating and centering yoga practice
overlooking 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. No
previous experience necessary. After class, take time
to wander the Gardens (class price includes admission
on each class day).
Each 4-class series: $40, $30 members
KEEP THEM ALIVE!
SMART WATERING FOR DESERT POTTED
PLANTS
Saturday, Sept. 7, 9-11AM Ninety five percent of plant failure in the desert is due
to inappropriate watering. Learn the tricks and
techniques of keeping potted plants alive and thriving
throughout the year with Marylee, Tucson’s Potted
Garden Expert. In this demonstration class, learn how
to select appropriate low water plants, use efficient
watering techniques and how to set up a simple
automatic drip system where your potted gardens will
thrive even when you are not home! Watering
accessories and a take home guide are included in the
class fee.
$70, $60 members
BUTTERFLY BASICS
Tuesday, Sept. 17, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 4:30-6PM Join Elizabeth Willott, Curator of Butterfly Magic, for
this basic introduction to butterflies. She’ll show some
great shots of butterflies from the Gardens and
Butterfly Magic, introduce you to butterfly biology and
explore the inner workings of our tropical butterfly
exhibit. Includes an after-hours visit in the Cox
Butterfly and Orchid Pavilion.
$12, $7 members
HOME ENERGIZER WORKSHOP
Saturday, Sept. 21, 1-3PM Learn how to save energy (and money) at home by
implementing low and no-cost energy efficiency
measures. Each workshop attendee will receive a
comprehensive Energy Efficiency Kit, featuring six
compact fluorescent light bulbs, a low-flow shower hear,
an LED night light, and much more. The Energy
Efficiency Kits are provided by Tucson Electric Power
for free (a $40 value). Free with regular Gardens
admission, but preregistration is required. Call 520-326
-9686, ext. 18, to register.
YEAR-ROUND GARDEN MAINTENANCE
Thursday, Sept. 26, 6-8PM Good design and the right plant in the right place will
minimize garden maintenance. Learn how to maintain
your Tucson garden without back-breaking work. In this
class, horticulturist Solveig Palanek will cover when and
how to prune, pest management, fertilizing, tool care,
mulching, weeding, irrigation checks and more. Learn
how to develop a yearly maintenance plan and what to
do this fall to make sure your garden thrives.
$14, $10 members
POTTED GARDEN DESIGN FOR PROBLEM
AREAS IN YOUR YARD
Saturday, Sept. 28, 9-11AM In this hands-on class with Marylee, Tucson’s Potted
Garden Expert, learn how to render a great potted
garden design. Discover the many ways that container
gardens not only provide color and beauty, but are also
used as camouflage, to overcome planting issues in hard
to grow areas, act as room dividers and more. Bring
photos (printed or on your tablet) of the particular area
you wish to improve.
$45, $35 members
AMERICAN BUTTERFLIES
Thursday, Oct. 3, 11-2PM In October and November, Butterfly Magic focuses on
American butterflies. Come learn about the tropical
butterflies that grace our exhibit during this time. Class
concludes with a visit to the Cox Butterfly and Orchid
Pavilion to see these beauties up close.
$12, $7 members
More classes, next page...
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—Fall Seasonal Classes (con’t)—
BUTTERFLIES OF TUCSON
Sunday, Oct. 20, 2:30-4PM Which butterflies can you find in Tucson?
Southeast Arizona is a butterfly watcher’s dream
with diversity surpassing most areas of the
country. Learn more about q subset of our native
species and what attracts and promotes them.
$12, $7 members
AMERICAN BUTTERFLIES
Thursday, Oct. 31, 10:30AM-Noon In October and November, Butterfly Magic focuses
on American butterflies. Come learn about the
tropical butterflies that grace our exhibit during this
time. Class concludes with a visit to the Cox
Butterfly and Orchid Pavilion to see these beauties
up close.
$12, $7 members
College Internship Available in Youth Education
Please invite your interested relatives, friends, and neighbors to apply! We are seeking an intern
to lead our Grow, Grow, Grow program (about plant life cycles) and help with other youth
education offerings this semester (September through December). Contact Alyson at
[email protected] for more information.
Volunteers Needed in the Grove Shop
Our wonderful Gardens Grove Shop will be opening on October 1st and the Gift Shop
Department is looking for a few great volunteers. The Grove Shop is a great a place to meet new
people from different states and beyond. The Grove Shop is a fun environment which benefits
from your experience and support. If you’re interested, please email Jennifer Hampson at:
[email protected] with any question.
—Reminder to All Volunteers—
A couple of things for volunteers to keep in mind as the fall season begins:
Please remember to record your hours on the timesheets in the Volunteer
Lounge. Knowing how many hours our volunteers put in is not only inspiring, but also helps
us recognize you for milestones of service, such as 500 or 1,000 hours. We also use this
information in applying for and reporting on grants that support the Gardens programs and
facilities. Thanks!
When recording hours, include those spent traveling to and from the
Gardens for your shift and in continuing education. Attending volunteer and
docent meetings, classes relevant to your area of service, and training sessions offered by
departments count as volunteer hours! So does time spent reading and studying butterfly
updates, ID sheets, curricula and background materials for education programs, etc. Please
record them under Training/Continuing Education on your timesheets.
If you forget to record hours immediately after a shift, please record them the next time you are at the Gardens.
An Ear to the Ground
Massimo Boscolo
August 21, 2013
At this late date, the monsoons have proven to be very shy and elusive, discharging all
their power on the mountains and leaving the town and its dwellers, plants, people and
animals alike, parched and wanting. With the temperature consistently reaching three
digits and winds hot like a hair dryer, many plants around town and here at the Tucson
Botanical Gardens have been suffering. Some are coping thanks only to careful and
timely irrigation, others are teetering on the edge between under and overwatering. It’s
surprisingly easy to overcompensate with watering in the Sonoran desert, which might
seem counterintuitive, but humidity plays a key role throughout the summer, changing
dramatically the day-to-day requirement of many plants. Misjudging this basic task often
puts my patience (and pride) on the line. Only native or well-adapted plants have been
thriving, seemingly unaffected by these harsh conditions.
One of these is Poliomintha maderensis, a small and unpretentious Mexican aromatic
belonging to the mint family. This is one of many plants used in Mexican cuisine as
oregano and it is often sold as Mexican oregano and sometimes referred to as Lavender
spice. This plant deserves a place in a Tucson garden because of its generous and elegant
flowering through the relentless heat. When some plants are dormant or under stress and
others are blooming boldly in full sun, it is a refreshing pleasure to witness such a soft
display of whites and mauves.
In the low desert, this is a plant that grows best in filtered shade and develops with time
into a brittle woody sub-shrub with small, simple evergreen green leaves, releasing a
strong oregano essence when rubbed.
The delicate tubular flowers bloom abundantly from spring to fall and all through the
summer months they perform what is called a reverse fade–going from white to lavender
as they age. The curved funnel shaped flowers are held high at the tip of each stem, which
often arc gracefully under their own weight and that of the butterflies and hummingbirds
that visit them.
In the gardens we grow Poliomintha maderensis in the beds opposite the kitchen garden
and in the xeriscape area.
There are some studies showing that at least one species of this plant contains unhealthy
compounds. Because of the high variability among this group of plants, their use as a
culinary spice is not considered completely safe if not clearly identified. The traditional
use in Mexico is of the dried leaves and while this may help to break down the harmful
contents, studies have been scarce and so the use of the fresh leaves in the kitchen might
not be appropriate.
That doesn’t stop me from petting the plant every time I go past it, taking a moment for
myself to inhale the mildly tranquilizing volatile oils and its appetizing oregano fragrance
always reminding me of pizza.
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