UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA

NEWSLETTER

Grammatophyllum speciosum, the world's largest orchid.(Photos provided by the authors)

Volume 21, Number 2

Published by the FRIENDS of the BOTANICAL GARDEN • Berkeley, California Spring 1996

The Land Below the Winds:Plant Hunting in BorneoEditor's Note: In October 1995 Garden staff members Judith Finn and JerryParsons traveled to the Malaysian provinces of Sarawak and Sabah on theisland Borneo to observe the native vegetation, ascend Mount Kinabalu, andmake a few collections for the Garden. The following account describes somehighlights of their trip; Borneo is sometimes called "the land below thewinds" because of its position south of the usual paths of Pacific typhoons.

I n 1887, The English naturalist F. W. Burbidgedescribed his travels inBorneo in his book The

Gardens of the Sun. He related thatone evening, after a day ofcollecting specimens on MountKinabalu, it was "so cool, indeed,as to make a good camp fire,woolen shirts two or three-fold,and blankets very desirable.... ourMalay followers suffered muchlyfrom what to them was bittercold." We were reminded ofthose words during an eveningwe spent at the house of one ofour Malaysian guides at about5,000 feet on the slopes of MountKinabalu. The interior tempera-ture was (to us) a comfortable 60-65° F, but our host was shiveringwith his sweater on, longing to beat his sea-level house in KotaKinabalu. He did not believe uswhen we told him that weconsidered the temperature inhis house to be similar to thoseoccasional balmy summerevenings in the San Francisco Bayregion. We noticed an illustratedTime/Life book on NorthAmerica on our host's bookshelfand pointed out to him and his

teenage nephews photographs of the deciduous forestsof the eastern United States in their autumnal splendor.They found the idea of tree leaves changing color anddropping annually to be very novel and amusing.While we were surprised at their sketchy knowledgeof temperate climates, we realized we were equallyignorant about the equatorial zone in which we found

ourselves. Here, the daylength varies only by minutesthroughout the year: sunrise isusually at about 6 a.m. andsunset at about 6 p.m. Shortlyafter our arrival, we werehiking a few miles from ourheadquarters and realized thatit was 5:30 p.m. In order toavoid being stranded over-night on the trail, we literallyran to make it back safelybefore it became totally dark.We reached our destination asthe sun sank quickly on thehorizon of the South ChinaSea. We never became accus-tomed to these short days.Temperatures were monoto-nously predictable: daytimehighs were 80-90° F andnighttime temperatures werein the 70s. Rainfall does varyfrom season to season, withthe period November to Junethe wettest. During ourOctober visit, it rained nearlyevery day. While we wel-comed the cooling effect of therains, they also transformedthe forest trails into streams.

Page 2 University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley

A Mind-Boggling Variety of Life

The equatorial rain forests of Borneo support amind-boggling variety of life, a variety of overwhelmingbeauty and richness. One of the most abundant foresttrees there is Dipterocarpus grandiflorus. From a distancethe tree is easily distinguished by the gigantic "broccoli"form of its crown, but if one stands next to its trunk it isdifficult to distinguish it from the numerous other largebuttress-forming species that grow with it. Thornyrattan palms and other woody vines drape themselveson forest trees and the wonderful "shingle" climbingpeperomias and various aroids press their leavesagainst the massive tree trunks. The upper trunks andbranches are covered with epiphytic ferns, orchids,gesneriads, liverworts, and mosses.

In protected Malaysian parks where primary forestsstill exist, the biotic diversity is overwhelming. In them,there are up to 2,000 species of orchids, over 200 speciesof palms (about 100 of which are the climbing rattans),500 species of ferns, and 30 species of the carnivorouspitcher plant Nepenthes (or about half the knownmembers of this genus). Where the forest meets theshores of the South China Sea it forms a wall of vegeta-tion. This wall is composed of a variety of plants, manyof them similar to each other. The soft waxy leaves ofthe palm Arenga undulatifolia are very fern-like, and theerect, entire leaves of the palm, Johannesteijmanniaaltifrons resemble those of the bird-nest fern (Aspleniumnidus). The giant mangrove fern (Acrostichum aureum)could easily be mistaken for a palm. Nipa palm(Nypa fruticans) has its roots in brackish water, and themangroves with which it grows are in areas where theirroots and lower stems are inundated at high tide. Themangroves that we saw at Bako Park include Rhizophoramucronata, with its branching stilt-roots, Sonneratia albaand Avicennia sp. with their cylindrical peg-like roots(pegroots). When the tide recedes, these pegroots form awonderful radial pattern, spiraling out from the trunksof the trees. The intertidal mud and sand are inhabitedby little crabs and mudskippers (small fish with leglikefins) that scurry about from one puddle to another.

Immediately inland from the mangrove forest is thetropical lowland evergreen rain forest, with its layers oftree canopies covered with epiphytes and climbers. Themost amazing tree to us was the strangler fig, whichstarts life as a seedling that germinates somewhere onthe trunk of a large forest tree. The young fig tree sendsdown aerial roots that encircle the host tree and whichgrow together into a netlike structure. In many instancesthe fig grows larger than its host, which may eventuallydie, leaving the fig free-standing.

The large epiphytes also impressed us; it wasdifficult to estimate the size of some of these becausethey were perched so high in the forest canopy. The

common bird's nest fern (Asplenium nidus) was con-spicuous with its whorls of enormous leaves. Somespecimens of stag's horn fern (Platycerium coronarium)had fertile fronds that were over 15 feet long. We alsosaw the odd oak leaf fern (Drynaria quercifolia) withits whorl of sterile leaves shaped like oak leaves andits long, delicate fertile fronds as well as the fernAglaomorpha with its broad leaves extending to 10 feetlong. Because of their large size and distinctive shape,these ferns are sometimes known as "trash basket"plants, since their rosettes trap falling debris and avariety of animal and bird droppings that fertilizethe plants.

Extremes of plant size and form are common in therain forest. At one locality we saw, within a shortdistance, a Boston fern (Nephrolepis sp.) with pendantfronds reaching 30 feet growing next to a tiny forest ofminiature filmy ferns (Trichomanes sp.) covering a rockwall. The giant orchid Grammatophyllum speciosum oftenperched in the treetops with a diminutive Bulbophyllumscampering up the trunk below it. Gingers, aroids,bamboos, and palms likewise exhibited a range ofgrowth forms and sizes.

Co-author Judith Finn next to Licuala in the Lambir Hills.

Spring 1996 Page 3

The Padang Batu

Another area that fascinated us is called the "padangbatu," where the soils are derived from leached, siliceoussands overlying an hardpan composed of iron oxide. Thisarea, with its dwarfed trees, reminded us of northernCalifornia's own pygmy forests. The dominant treeson these soils are all greatly reduced in size. There wefound many species of Nepenthes, including N. gracilis,N. rafflesiana, N. ampullaria, and N. albo-marginata. Theirpresence probably reflects the poor nutrient status ofthese acid soils. Many of the epiphytes growing on thedwarfed trees were "ant plants," species of Myrmecodiaand Hydnophytum with their gall-like structures that houseant colonies. In return for their housing, the ants providetheir host plants protection from herbivores and fertilizerfrom their droppings.

The inland montane rain forest, with its diverse soilsand elevations, possesses the richest flora we saw on ourtrip. This was exemplified by the forests on the slopes ofMount Kinabalu, a 13,455 foot high peak that is one of thehighest mountains in southeastern Asia. An account ofour adventures on that mountain must wait untilanother time.

We thank the Friends of the Botanical Garden and theGarden for sponsoring this memorable and informativetrip. It was a great thrill to see in the wild plants that wehave grown for years in Garden greenhouses. Ourobservations will help us improve cultural conditions forour tropical holdings, and we gained new insights intothe needs of Nepenthes, a genus well represented in ourcollections. Hopefully, we will now be able to develop

more realisticand successfultropical exhibitsat the Garden.

—Judith Finn andJerry Parsons

FROM THE DIRECTOR

At the risk of preaching to the choir, I commendyour attention to the various colored inserts thataccompany these newsletters. You will see

announcements for forthcoming events at the Garden.These events play a significant role in the life of theGarden. If you have not participated in them youshould give them serious consideration.

I call these events "Town and Gown" programsbecause they provide the wider community—the"Town"—with an invitation to join with the University—the "Gown"—in cheerful events that bring peopleto the Garden and provide a mix of botanical andhorticultural education and socializing. The programsare varied in form and purpose. Some are botanicallectures; some are horticulture workshops; some arelocal garden tours; some have a more social nature.Examples include workshops on rose pruning, gardenirrigation, and wreath making, a lecture series on trees,a summer series of story telling in the Mather Grove,a bus tour of renowned private gardens (generally notopen to the public) in the Napa valley, and the popular"Chocolate Program" involving a lecture on the biologyof chocolate by a Berkeley professor and a tastingsession conducted by an industry representative.

These programs are conceived and staged by theProgram Committee of the Friends of the BotanicalGarden. A few, such as story telling in the Grove, arefree of charge. Most, however, have a nominal charge tocover the costs of providing the programs. They are notintended to be fund raisers. Rather they are interestraisers, serving the purpose of increasing the public'sinterest and enjoyment of the Botanical Garden. Thechoir will testify that the Program Committee hassucceeded admirably in producing an ongoingsuccession of stimulating and enjoyable events. If youare not a member of the choir, pick a forthcoming eventthat catches your attention and join in.

The Program Committee is always open to newsuggestions. Old hands and new are encouraged to letthe committee know about your interests and ideas forprograms in the Garden

—Philip T. Spieth

Correction: The winter issue of the Newsletter should have beenVolume 21, Number 1.

NepenthesnorthianafromMt. Serambuat Bau.

Page 4

University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley

THE DOCTOR SAYS

p resently there is some interest in the use ofcoconut fiber as an organic amendment to soils.According to one report, it can be brought in far

cheaper than Canadian peat moss. Little information isavailable but when more is learned, the information willbe included in future articles.

A gardener in the southeast has developed aninteresting way of applying the weed killer Roundup onselected plants. This is done by putting on a plasticglove and then putting on a cotton glove over it. Thecotton glove is dipped in the weed killer and only theundesirable plants rubbed with the weed killer. Whenusing this weed killer it is important to know that itmost effective when air temperatures are 70° F or higher.

Common Plant Clinic Questions

What are the common problems brought to the plantclinic (held in the Garden the first Saturday of the monthfrom 9 AM to noon)? The most common is that of green-house thrips. The name is misleading in this area for theyrarely are found in greenhouses but are very common onmany outdoor plants. This problem will be discussed inthe next issue by Dr. Nick Mills, the entomologist whohelps with the plant clinic.

However, there are many interesting problemsbrought in each month. In regard to houseplants, a largepercentage of the problems are due to poor culturalconditions. Many times, soil mixes are so dry they can bepoured out of the plant container. Most plants with theexception of succulents and cacti do not do well if allowedto go dry. The planting mix should be kept moist but nottoo moist for that will weaken the roots of many plantsand make them susceptible to root rotting organisms.Unfortunately, what is the first thing many do when aplant appears not to be doing well? Of course, give itmore water.

Many of the plants brought in have broken pots orgravel in the bottoms of the planting containers. This doesnot improve drainage but impedes it. Nothing should beput in the bottoms of the planting containers except theplanting mix. If slugs or sowbugs are a problem, a piece ofscreen will prevent them from entering but use onlycoarse screen. People say that if you don't put somethingthere, the soil will run out. In planting, moisten theplanting mix and firm it in the bottom of the container.If it runs out, too much water is being added even for theplant to grow.

Many feel that plants need to be transplanted to largerpots to prevent plants from being pot bound. All plantsin pots are pot bound but as long as the roots get the

moisture, air, nutrients and support they need, the size ofthe container is of little consequence. Many bring in a tinyplant in a huge container and wonder why the plant is notdoing well. This results from the mix around the root ballbecoming very wet and as there are no roots to pump outthe water, it remains wetter than the mix around the rootball. Eventually, this leads to trouble.

Other problems have to do with growing plants inglazed containers, particularly with little air space at thesoil line and some bring plants in containers that have nodrainage hole in the bottom. Terrible! Many grow plantsin a good container but then immerse them in glazedcontainers and forget to look at what is happening in thebottoms of those containers. The best containers are claypots but economically, plastic may be the winner.

One last comment has to do with watering plants incontainers. Occasionally, enough water should be put inthe pot so that water runs through the planting mix. Thisis to leach the salts. If not leached, plants will showmarginal burn on the older leaves or, in monocots, on theleaf tips. Salts may accumulate around the bottoms ofpots, on the top of the planting mix or if clay pots areused, on their outsides. Frequency of leaching depends onthe plant—most plants should be leached once every twoor three weeks. Some plants such as prayer plant, spiderplant, most ferns and particularly bird nest fern should beleached every time they are watered. It is most importantnot to let the plants stand in the water that drains throughthe container. It contains the salts and if allowed to stand,some will evaporate. This will increase the salt contentand if the planting mix goes dry, this water will be carriedup into the pot and aggravate the salt problem.

You may think that people don't treat plants like thisbut these are problems frequently brought to the clinic.

—Bob Raabe

The Visitor Center is a delightful place where

volunteers can meet plantophiles and other visitors from

throughout the US and the world. The volunteers give

information about the Garden and sell the fabulous as-

sortment of books and garden-oriented gifts and fabulous

plants we offer. Visitor Center sales revenue is an impor-

tant source of funds for the Garden. We desperately need

volunteers who would be willing to work a couple of 272

hour shifts on Saturdays or Sundays, and we will train

you! Please call 510-642-3352 to join our crew.

ho.

THE 3,000MILE GARDEN

AN EXCHANGE Or LE ONGARDENING, FOOD. N THE GOOD LI

Spring 1996 Page 5

BOOK REVIEWS

The 3,000 Mile Garden, An Exchange of Letters onGardening, Food, and the Good Life. Leslie Land andRoger Phillips; Viking Penguin, New York, NY, 1996.Drawings, color photos, plant lists, US nursery sources,recipes; 330 pp., Hardcover. $24.95.

B y the time this bookreview appears inthe Newsletter most

readers are likely to have seenthe six-part public televisionseries based on these letters.Don't let the televisedprograms keep you fromreading the book. The visualstory of the two gardens, one inthe heart of London and one inthe wilds of rural Maine, is acolorful reinforcement of theamusing and delightful mental image the book evokes.Readers and viewers in England have already read thebook and seen the series. Now, with the beginning of theNew Year, it is our turn on this side of the Atlantic to enjoythis record of a cross-ocean friendship. Leslie Land andRoger Phillips first met on a mushroom hunting foray inNew Hampshire and from that time on their friendshiphas been based on their shared interest in gardening, foodand what they describe as 'the good life.' Their lettersmirror which side of the Atlantic they come from and howthey earn their livings. Leslie is the author of severalcookbooks and is the home and food editor for YANKEEmagazine. She lives and gardens in all but the verycoldest months of the year in Cushing, Maine where she ischallenged by drought, temperature extremes, porcupines,woodchucks and deer. Her garden is filled with trees,shrubs, ornamentals and countless vegetables intended forher creative kitchen. Her letters speak of the best tomatoes('Brandywine'), heirloom vegetables, foods originating inthe Americas (with their scientific names), and her com-post privy (familiar to all the East Bay residents whovisited the Integral Urban House in Berkeley).

Roger is a garden writer and photographer whosebeautifully illustrated books on perennials, roses, bulbs,shrubs and trees are known worldwide. His garden inLondon's Eccleston Square, where he is head of theneighborhood garden committee, is a perfect foil forLeslie's frontier-like (albeit eastern) garden conditions inMaine. He writes to her of his delight in winning secondprize in a camellia exhibit, a real achievement when hehas been competing with camellias grown under glass

in wintertime England. He throws himself into conserva-tion efforts for his Square and all the other historic Londonsquares threatened by the changes which would comewith underground parking built beneath them. He givesLeslie advice on how to take a perfect flower picture. Backand forth across the ocean these two writers send oneanother advice and encouragement.

Over 15 years ago there was another notable trans-Atlantic correspondence, 84 Charing Cross Road, whichthese letters bring to mind. 84 Charing Cross Road wasabout books and literature, and The 3,000 Mile Garden isabout gardens, but they share with us the warmlyunfolding friendships between the writers, a friendshipin which we can second-handedly take part. This corre-spondence is a contemporary example of earlier lettersexchanged by explorers, settlers, plant collectors, botanists,scientists, authors and friends through the centuries. Letus hope that in the age of electronic mail in which we livethat this long tradition will continue.

Books Recently Reviewed

ba, A Flora of Santa Cruz Island. Steve Junak, TinaAyers, Randy Scott, Dieter Wilken, and David Young;illus. by Linda Vorobik; Santa Barbara Botanic Garden,Santa Barbara, CA, 1995. Keys, map, 397 pp. Softcover.$24.95.Nt' A Manual of California Vegetation. John Sawyerand Todd Keeler-Wolf; CNPS Press, Sacramento, CA,1995. Color photos, literature citations, 412 pp. Softcover$39.00. (Hardcover available from CNPS, $55.00)el, A Revised Flora of Santa Barbara Island. SteveJunak, Ralph Philbrick, and Charles Drost; Santa BarbaraBotanic Garden, Santa Barbara, CA, 1993. 112 pp.Softcover, $12.95.al, In Full View: Three Ways of Seeing CaliforniaPlants. Glenn Keator, Linda Yamane, and Ann Lewis;Headland Center For The Arts, Heyday Press, Berkeley,CA, 1995. Illus., 91 pp. Softcover, $12.95.

The Visitor Center stocks a few gardening videos,one of which is reviewed below.4- Growing Good Roses, by Rayford Reddell, run-ning time 56 mins. $19.95. Bay Area author and rosarianRay Reddell has written and narrated this video to helpthose of us coping with the same problems he faces inhis garden. His is a friendly, down-to-earth discussion.

—Elly Bade

Page 6 University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley

California Native Bulb Collection

The California Native Area occupies approximatelyone-third of the Garden; plants there are grouped by plantcommunities, with the sole exception of the bulb collection.The California native bulb (and corm) collection has beendeveloping for many decades, but was not broughttogether into a single planting until the 1960s by then-staffmember Wayne Roderick. The current "bulb bed" displayconsists of two curved raised beds on the oak knoll in thesouthwest part of the Garden. This display, maintainedand expanded by horticulturists Roger Raiche and KurtZadnik, includes 234 accessions of 14 genera and 118taxa (including some natural hybrids). These aretaxonomically arranged for comparative purposes,showing the variety of amaryllids and lilies of Califor-nia. Researchers and visitors can compare severalaccessions of the same taxon and others from differentparts of the state, noting the remarkable diversity inflower color, shape, and size. The genera include Allium,Bloomeria, Brodiaea, Calochortus, Chlorogalum,Dichelostemma, Erythronium, Fritillaria, Lilium, Muilla,

Fritillaria recurva, from Lake Almanor. (Photocourtesy of the Jepson Herbarium)

Odontostomum, Schoenolirion,Triteleia, and Zigadenus.There is even a Calochortus named for Roger Raiche,Calochortus raichei (Cedars Fairy Lantern). In additionto this nearly complete collection, we have manyaccessions of native California bulbs planted inother beds or in propagation in the nursery.

Many of these species are rare and/or endangeredin California, such as Brodiaea pallida, the Chinese CampBrodiaea from the Sierra Nevada foothills, where itgrows on private property and on adjacent land leasedby the California Native Plant Society (CNPS).Additional endangered taxa (as designated by CNPS)include Allium hoffmanii (Beegum onion), Bloomeriahumilis (dwarf goldenstar), Brodiaea coronaria ssp. rosea(Indian Valley brodiaea), B. filifolia (thread-leavedbrodiaea), B. insignis (Kaweah brodiaea), B. kinkiensis(San Clemente Island brodiaea), B. orcuttii (Orcutt'sbrodiaea), Calochortus obispoensis (San Luis MariposaLily), Chlorogalum grandiflorum (red hills soaproot),C. purpureum var. purpureum (purple amole),C. purpureum var. reductum (Camatta Canyon amole),Fritillaria agrestis (stinkbells), F. liliacea (fragrantfritillary), F. pluriflora (adobe-lily), Lilium pardalinum ssp.pitkinense (Pitkin Marsh lily), and Triteleia ixioides ssp.cookii (Cook's triteleia). Two of these taxa are beingstudied with support from the Center for PlantConservation, Brodiaea pallida at UCBG and Liliumpardalinum ssp. pitkinense at Berry Botanic Garden inPortland, Oregon.

This collection was greatly utilized in 1995 bytwo graduate students at the University of Wisconsin,Madison. One is studying the Brodiaea group to eluci-date their evolutionary history and another is studyingthe genus Calochortus. We were able to provide leafmaterial for chloroplast DNA analysis for many speciesin their research programs.

One of the more recent additions to the collection isthe pale yellow-flowered Cook's triteleia, Triteleia ixioidesssp. cookii, from the Santa Lucia Mountains in San LuisObispo County. It grows on serpentine near cypresstrees below 500 meters elevation. This was collected byRoger Raiche and has been successfully maintained inthe bulb beds. The experience gained in growing thisspecies in horticulture may assist future conservationefforts. Cook's triteleia is a California endemic (naturallyoccurring only in California) and is on the CaliforniaNative Plant Society's watch list.

Lilium washingtonianum. (Photo courtesy of the Jepson Herbarium)

Spring 1996

Page 7

Some History

In the 1960s Roderick developed a system ofunderground cages to protect the bulbs fromgopher appetites. Eventually the collection becameovergrown and invaded by the noxious exotic bulb,Nothoscordum inodorum. Garden annual reports ofthe '60s include large numbers of wooden boxesconstructed each year for the purpose of growingbulb plants, especially lilies. These older boxes haverotted and within the last five years have beenreplaced (with funds provided by the Center forPlant Conservation) with 72 new redwood boxes inwhich we grow endangered species and other taxatoo difficult to maintain in the open ground. Bulbsin the nursery are now grown in large clay pots. Inthe 1980s, Raiche and Zadnik re-built the safety netaround the bulb display by using basement screensseveral feet deep, filling in the area with gravel, andsinking pots to their rims in the gravel. The gravelprovides insulation against temperature and moistureextremes; the pots keep the different accessions segre-gated. Rainfall is supplemented by hand-watering forthose taxa needing additional moisture.

Each year the accession in each pot is evaluated forvigor. We have been very successful growing Brodiaea,Chlorogalum, Zigadenus, and Schoenolirion in thisdisplay, while Lilium, Fritillaria, and Calochortus areproblematic and tend to be short-lived. During an

intensive two-week process, half of the collection is dugand re-potted each fall. A special soil mix is created fornearly every taxon, depending on its precise needs.Nursery material grown to sufficient size may replacedisplay material in decline or be used simply to enlarge

the display. It is during this process thatlimited excess vegetative bulbs and

corms are distributed to other gardensTriteleia ixioides ssp. cookii. (Photo by Holly Forbes) upon request. The Garden distributed a

large number of bulbs in 1995 to theUniversity of California Arboreta atDavis and Santa Cruz, the RegionalParks Botanic Garden in Berkeley,Strybing Arboretum in San Francisco,and the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

Future plans include filling in anygaps in the collection and learning fromexperience how best to maintain thesemyriad taxa in cultivation. Visitors tothe Garden are encouraged to visit thisdisplay, with peak flowering in March,April and May.

(Note: This is a revision of an article that appeared inthe AABGA publication, Public Garden, January1994).

—Holly Forbes

Page 8

University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley

GARDEN NOTES

The December 4th, 1995 Holiday Plant Sale was arousing success in the Garden Conference Center.Plant sales were brisk, featuring orchids, bromeliads,tropicals, and bulbs. Many thanks to all the volunteerswho participated!

Volunteers Willy Adam and Jim Jones setting up for theHoliday Plant Sale.

Garden Manager Daniel Campbell gave a talk onthe trees of the Garden for a Merritt College LandscapeHorticulture class on arboriculture on December 4th.

Curator Bob Ornduff gave talks in early January1996 to the Friends of the UC Davis Aboretum on"Plants of Chile for Northern California Gardens" andto the Cactus and Succulent Society of America,Oakland chapter, on "Succulents of the Cape FloralRegion."

Assistant Manager Judith Finn and HorticulturistsJerry Parsons and Martin Grantham attended a one-dayUC Cooperative Extension program on "OptimalWoody Plant Care Practices to Save Energy for Combat-ing Pests and Diseases" on December 14, 1995. JudithFinn also attended the UC Davis 3rd Annual PesticideConference featuring new research in the field.

Horticulturist Roger Raiche gave a lecture for theCalifornia Horticultural Society on January 15th, titled"The Planet Horticulture: Fantasies and Variations onThemes of Man on Nature," to a large audience at theCalifornia Academy of Sciences' Morrison Auditorium.

Roger was also the recipient of three prestigious awardsfrom this Society. He was recognized with their 1995Annual Award "for outstanding and meritoriouscontribution to horticulture in California." He was givenan Education Award for the collection of tall easternNorth American Asteraceae he displayed at the July1995 membership meeting. A Special Garden Awardwas made to Roger and partner Tom Chakas "forcreating, maintaining, and sharing a garden of Out-standing Horticultural Merit." (This garden is at 1Maybeck Twin Drive, Berkeley and was featured in theSeptember/October issue of Garden Design.)

Horticulturist Peter Klement gave a Garden work-shop on rose pruning on January 20th to a sell-outcrowd. This has become a very popular annual event,usually held in early January. For those who missed it,plan to sign up early next time!

Horticulturist/Building Maintenance staffer GeraldFord co-lead a workshop on "Essentials of Good Garden-ing" with volunteer Sarah Wikander, which includedinformation on irrigation and tool selection and mainte-nance for an appreciative audience on January 20th.

Horticulturist Martin Grantham taught a well-attended UC Santa Cruz Extension course on seedgermination at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum onFebruary 3rd.

Visitors to the Garden should know that weekdayparking at the Garden is exclusively in the terracedparking lot across from the Garden entrance.Discounted parking coupons are available at theVisitor Center.

We note, with much sadness, the passing of three Gardensupporters in recent weeks. Bernard Witkin, featured inthis column in the last Newsletter and a Life Member ofthe Friends, died shortly before Christmas. Bernie and hiswife Alba have been very important supporters of theGarden for many years. In January Betty Rollins andin February her husband, Fitz Rollins, died. Betty wasan expert gardener and was instrumental in establishingthe Garden's herb garden in the 1940s. She and Fitz werestrong supporters of the Friends' group in its formativeyears and were both Honorary Trustees.

Allison Elliot

Spring 1996 Page 9

STAFF PROFILE

Roger Raiche is the verytalented horticulturist who hasbeen in charge of the CaliforniaNative section of the Gardensince 1980. His knowledge of,and sensitivity to the hugevariety of California nativeplants are prodigious, andsomewhat amazing, since Rogerhails from Newport, RhodeIsland, and did not arrive inCalifornia until 1978! Hemodestly says that the Garden'sCalifornia collection was splendid, if neglected, when hecame to the Garden, and that much of what he hasaccomplished here was to shape it up. However, he wasintimately involved in the design and execution of theAlpine Fell-Field display and the Serpentine area, andhere his artistry is evident.

Roger recalls that as a child, growing up in Newportprovided all kinds of fuel for the imagination. He, ofcourse, visited the renowned summer "cottages," withtheir formal and well-manicured gardens, but spentmuch more time exploring the ruins of mansions andgardens that had been abandoned which he and hisfriends found much more interesting.

Roger has always been involved with plants. Heremembers the thrill of germinating seeds in a coldframe, and learned early that it was easy to grow things.His family encouraged him to build his own littlegarden on the edge of their lot. He planted all kinds ofscrounged things, including a small hedge of forsythia,which he kept sheared at 6 inches. He had no exposureto "formal horticulture," and he was pleased withwhatever worked. He didn't even visit a nursery untilhe was a teenager.

By the late 80s, Roger had filled all the availablespace in the Garden's California section, and found thatmaintenance, much as he loves it, didn't provide muchof a challenge. About the same time, he found a cottagein Berkeley and negotiated with the landlady to allowhim to build a garden. He is an avid plant collector, andrevels in the challenge of bringing together hundreds ofplants and making it look like they belong there. Hisefforts have attracted considerable attention. You mayhave seen the articles on his garden in Horticulture or inGarden Design, or you may have caught it on TV,where it was featured on "Victory Garden" and on"The Guerrilla Gardener" (a Canadian production), oryou may have been fortunate enough to have seen itin person, since it is a frequent highlight on localgarden tours.

In his spare time, Roger enjoys hiking and exploringremote areas throughout California. Even at leisure, hisattention focuses on plants, and he is always looking fornew things, especially unusual variants of known species,using his love of the wild to supplement people's options,both for the Botanical Garden and the nursery trade.Some of his favorite discoveries are Arctostaphylospajaroensis 'Warren Roberts', a great landscape shrub withbrilliant scarlet new growth, and the Ceanothus hybrid'Joan Mirov', a very floriferous, mid-height, spreadinglandscape shrub.

Roger thinks that a lot of people get very uptightabout "rules" and "boundaries" they perceive aboutgardening. Many of the books and periodicals availableto the public seem to impose standards that are notrealistic or even desirable for western gardeners. Justgetting things to grow is a great measure of success, hesays. You can bring a lot more than color into yourgarden, and you should feel free to make horticultureanything you want it to be.

—Nancy Swearengen

NEW STAFF

We are sad to say goodbyeto Deborah Darnell, Friends'Assistant since 1987. Deborah'shusband was transferred toGaithersburg, Maryland, inFebruary, and unfortunately forus she has chosen to accompanyhim. It was Deborah whocomputerized the Friends'records, followed up onmemberships, kept the variouscommittees in line, made sure

Newsletter publication andevents flyers were on time, made

many of the behind-the-scenes arrangements for Friends'programs and events, and was responsible for the gradualbut vast improvement you have seen over the years inmembership services. Her departure leaves a big hole,but we wish her all the best in her new adventure on theEast Coast!

Welcome to Allison Elliot, who has assumed theposition of Friends' Assistant. Allison brings a wide rangeof skills and interests to the Garden. She has workedmost recently as a landscaper, but also has a wealth ofexperience in administration, research and planning. Sheworks one night a week at the Exploratorium, and looksforward to summer, when she spends her vacationworking as a cook on various Sierra Club wildernesstrips. With her knowledge and energy, the Friends arein good hands!

—Nancy Swearengen

UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA

Oo _AN :CAR,.ADENBERKELEY • CALIFORNIA 94720

The Newsletter is published by the Friends of the BotanicalGarden, a nonprofit organization that provides support for theU.C. Botanical Garden. Articles may be reprinted with credit tothe authors and the U.C. Botanical Garden.

Friends' Board of DirectorsErrol W. Mauchlan, President

Dr. William Weeden, Vice PresidentPamela D. Canales, Treasurer

Ad Brugger, Secretary

Mai ArbegastEleanor CraryKim EllisDr. Lewis J. Feldman

Tamra C. HegeKrishen LaetschDr. Richard Lee

Tanya Muschietti

Leta H. NelsonJames E. Ratcliff, Jr.Dr. Philip T. Spieth

Dr. Robert Steidel

StaffDr. Philip T. Spieth, Acting DirectorDr. Robert Raabe, Garden Pathologist

Daniel Campbell, ManagerJudith Finn, Assistant ManagerDr. Robert Ornduff, Curator

Holly Forbes, Assistant CuratorSarah Wenning, Management Services Officer

Toni Kafton, Administrative AssistantNancy Swearengen, Education Assistant

Allison Elliot, Friends' AssistantDavid O'Brien, Security Guard

HorticulturistsJohn Domzalski

Peter Klement

Roger RaicheGerald Ford

Jerry Parsons Elaine SedlackMartin Grantham Kurt Zadnik

NewsletterRobert Ornduff, Editor

Academic Arts, Production Printed by TechniPrint

(510) 642-3343 Visitor Center • 642-0849 Administration643-8999 Director's Office • 642-3352 Education • 643-7265 Friends

FAX • (510) 642-5045e-mail: botgard@nature.Berkeley.edu

Page 10 University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley

New MembersThe Friends of the Botanical Garden welcome the followingnew members.

Nan ArensJudith BakerVernon BalmesRachel BlauWayne BlanchardElizabeth BloomerAndrew BridgesAnna BergAnne BodelChrista BurgoyneBarbara H. CadwalderTerry CamicciaKathleen ChapekM.E. ColwellPamela ConnellTim Cooke

Robert CoxJan CoyleJack & Jamie DaviesKathryn De La GarzaSuki Dewey-WhiteJanet Haden EdwardsLinda FisherJudith FlandersArlene GarfinkleLinda Gallaher-BrownJane GehringBarbara GeorgeDiane GoloffNorman & Mary GrahamSaskia GroomsAnn W. Hale

Nancy HannaTrudis HeinekeJanet HerbanDorwin Buck JonesSusan KinlochHelene LecarKevin LeichnerR. Kent LookPeter LymanLouise MassiePaul R. & Raque McJonesThe D.M. Merideth FamilyJoseph Patrick MullenKinberly C. O'LearyPatrick D. O'RourkeNorma ParrRobert PrestegaardRichard QuirozPaul & Inge RobertsClaire S. Roth

Doris RothGordon & Marcia RoweVirginia SchrockJohn & Julia SerencesNora G. SmirigaDeanne StoneJean ThomasVolborg ThomasGreg UntiMargarito ValezoSusan & Brad WaitGary WalterRichard WardMelissa WashburnIrene A. WattMark & Shauna WeiderGretchen WhitakerLinda WittPenelope WongBarbara & Chuck Woodward

Grateful ThanksThe Friends wish to thank these donors who have made asubstantial gift over and above membership:

Willy D.H. AdamBayard W. Allmond, Jr.Joan Rock BailardHenry 0. & Lorene B. BenningLawrence & Katharine BrookesJean BrownR. J. BerteroMr. & Mrs. Earl CheitMichael & Judith A. CiraoloW.A. & Dorothy ClemensMary Ann CobbThomas A. Delfino &

Cythia X.F. DongJean & Klaus DehlingerJ.A. de MariaSusana Cox FousekisMrs. Adolfus E. Graupner, Jr.Anne & Charles GoetschMitchell HarveyElizabeth L. & A. Carl HelmholzTrudis HeineckeMr. & Mrs. Jack HigsonElizabeth HookMr. & Mrs. Preston B. HotchkisGerda IsenbergMr. & Mrs. David Shaw KingWatson & Sita LaetschMrs. M.H. Lar RieuLaVerne & Douglas Leach

Estelle & Vincent Clemens fromW.A. & Dorothy Clemens

Mr. Manual A. Coronado fromSuzanne M. Crowder

Mrs. Annamae Miskel fromMr. & Mrs. Jonathan Dixon

Joanne Harlan fromMichele Montesano

Helene LecarAnn K. LenwayArthur D. LevySteven J. Malmuth, Ph.D.Tim & Cam McCalmontMelva & Stuart McDonaldNancy J. McLaughlinDick & Peg McPartlandRobert M. Newhouse, M.D.Leta H. NelsonPeter L. NewtonDr. Robert OrnduffJanet & Carl PerlmanMr. & Mrs. Richard H. PetersonPhilip & Mary PierpontMrs. Victor ReiterBillie & Daemeon ReiydelleLarry & Susan RicksenBob & Kay RiddellDr. & Mrs. John W. SchieffelinRuth & Alan ScottProf. Han-Dong SunTed TawshunskyRoy & Janet TaylorJames & Irma UrenJames Van SicklenAnne G. WardKathryn Welch

In MemoryThe Friends offer appreciation and thanks for gifts from thesedonors in memory of:

Spring 1996 Page 11

Britt Lofgren fromElly & Bill Bade

Rawlison W. Reade fromMr. & Mrs. Heath Angelo

Ann Riley fromJoseph & Rosemary Campos

Betty Rollins fromElly & Bill Bade

Fred SeulburgerMr. & Mrs. Heath AngeloMrs. Edward PetersonMr. & Mrs. Kingston McKee

Winifred Van Sicklen fromGertrude & Robert AllenElly & Bill BadeGladys EatonDeborah & Jack DarnellWilliam & Barbara DonaldRobert & Kathryn RiddellEdward & Patricia RoweDr. & Mrs. William Weeden

Bernard E. WitkinGladys EatonJack & Deborah DarnellRobert & Kathryn RiddellMr. & Mrs. John W. Higson Jr.

In HonorThe Friends offer appreciation and thanks for gifts from these donorsin honor of:

Diana Jones and Ted Kipping fromElly & Bill Bade

Dr. Bob Raabe for his help at the Plant Clinic fromJoyce R. Helsel

Kathryn Welch for her work in the Docent Program fromLaVerne Leach

Gifts in KindThe Friends offer appreciation and thanks for gifts in kind.

Peggy BlatchfordTom ChakasThomas W. LivingstonJim JonesDr. Robert OrnduffMary Schroter

Special ProjectsThe Friends offer appreciation and thanks for gifts from these donorsto support the special projects noted.

California Area EndowmentElly & Bill BadeFlorence Henderson

21st Century Endowment FundElly & Bill BadeJames & Irma Uren (their gift will be matched)Myrtle Wolf

Entrance ProjectRobert & Evelyn Ratcliff

Friends Directors' EndowmentTamra C. HegeJames Van Sicklen

Rose Garden ImprovemetsJoan Rock BailardLizzie & Dick Lee

California ALIVE!Marion E. Greene

Children's Art Poster ContestAnonymous donor

Join Friends of the Botanical Garden or Give a Gift Membership

MEMBERSHIP Yes, I would like to support the U.C. Botanical Garden at Berkeley as a member:

The Friends of the Botanical Garden offers q Student* $10 ITI Sponsor $250public education programs and provides q Basic $35 q Patron $500independent funding to support the many q Family/Dual $50 q Benefactor $1000needs of the Garden. You can enjoy and l=1 Supporting $100support the Botanical Garden year-round bybecoming a member of the Friends of the

LI New El Renewal

NameBotanical Garden.

AddressMembership benefits include:

• NewsletterNCity/State/Zip

• Workshops, lectures, and tours Telephone• Discount on Visitor Center purchases

• Discount on educational classes q This is a gift from .

• Early admission to Spring Plant Sale q My employer has a matching gifts program. I have enclosed the appropriate forms.• Discount on subscription to Contributions are tax deductible. Please make checks payable to Friends of the

Pacific Horticulture Botanical Garden and mail to:• Reciprocal admission to more than Friends of the Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive, Berkeley, CA 94720-5250

120 gardens nationwide *Full-time only.

Calendar of EventsAPRIL

CARE & CULTURE OF ORCHIDS Sat, APRIL 6Jerry Parsons, Garden horticulturist, past President of the San FranciscoOrchid Society and a judge for the American Orchid Society, will give ademonstration class to include: culture and care of warm and cool growingorchids, some suitable for growing outside in the Bay Area; potting andmounting of different types of orchids; and, how to increase yourcollection. Divisions of plants from the Botanical Garden will be availablefor purchase. Members $10, non-members $15, Conference Center, 1-4 pm.

MAY

CALIFORNIA GARDENS, 1769 TO 1915 Wed, MAY 1The Friends of the University of California Botanical Garden and of theBancroft Library invite you to the first collaborative program hosted byUC Berkeley's oldest organized support groups. Enjoy a program thatincludes a viewing of books and art on topics related to California gardensand a slide lecture by the well-known landscape architect Thomas Brown,who has taught at UC Berkeley, Merritt College and other regionalcampuses. Coffee and dessert will be served following the lecture.Members $5, non-members $10, Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley Campus,6:30-9 pm.

TODAY ON THE TERRACE Sun, MAY 26The Docents of the UC Botanical Garden invite you to join them for thefirst in a series of programs highlighting the many and varied uses ofplants throughout the world. The first program will be Plants that give usFibers & Dyes. There will be demonstrations of spinning and dying, anintroduction to silk production from the silkworm to exquisite cloth.There will also be displays of fiber and dyes from around the world and aself-guided tour to see many of the plants used in our demonstrations.These programs are designed for people of all ages. Admission free.12-4 pm.

All ENTION CREATIVE MINDS

The Program Committee is expanding and needs your help!

The Program Committee works with all affiliate committees of theFriends, Garden staff, university and community groups, andindividuals to plan and present entertaining, informative, andeducational pograms for children and adults.

The current Committee members are doing a fantastic job, but wewould like to expand, and we need volunteers who have ideas andan interest in educational program: Tours, Lectures, Symposia,Workshops. If you would like to attend a meeting, please callKrishen Laetsch at 510-548-8150. The Program Committee meetingsare held at the Garden the first Thursday of each month from 11:30-12:30.

GARDEN TOURS

GARDENS OF NAPA VALLEY Thurs,APRIL 25

This year's Spring tour to the Napa Valley will feature two gardens createdby Roger Warner, a well known garden designer, and the gardens atShramberg Winery. Our first stop will be at the Eden Rock garden. Secondwe will venture into a true plant collector's garden, featuring old roses andan unusual perennial border. The final garden of the day is the ShrambergWinery in Calistoga, where you will enjoy a woodsy setting for thisVictorian Gem. Roger Warner, garden designer and Victor Yool, Manager ofBerkeley Horticultural Nursery will be accompanying us on this tour.Members $65, non-members $85, 510-643-7265 for more information.

WILDFLOWERS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRAAUG 10 - 13

We will find wildflowers from the high alpine desert to the rock scree of thealpine situations and every where in between. Meadows provide especiallylush settings for a great diversity if flowers. Glen Keator, Ph.D., is a free-lance botanist, teacher, and writer. He teaches widely in the Bay area,specializing in native trees and wildflowers; his latest book is a field guideto plants of the East Bay Parks. For more information call 642-3343.

NEW ZEALAND SPRING GARDEN TOUROCT. 28 - NOV. 13

Daniel Campbell will be leading this tour designed by New Zealand GardenTour Specialist, Jan Coyle. Included in the tour will be native plant gardens,private gardens and museum gardens. Call KiwiPac Tours at 415-595-2090.

THE NATURAL HISTORY OF COSTA RICAMARCH 7 - 21, 1997

Join us for a tour that will feature numerous sites of great botanical interestsuch as Corcovado National Park, Isla Del Cano, Wilson Botanical Gardenand Lomas de Barbudal Biological Reserve. Call Geostar Travel, 800-624-6633, for more information.

For further information on classes and events, call the Visitor Center,510-642-3343. To register for classes, send checks to UC BotanicalGarden. Two weeks advance notice is necessary to accommodateindividuals with special needs. No refunds the week before the classdate unless class is cancelled. Pre-registration is suggested, as classesfill early.The Garden is open every day of the year except Christmasfrom 9:00am to 4:45pm. Free public tours led by docents are given onSaturdays and Sundays at 1:30pm. Admission to the Garden is free.

Friends of the Botanical GardenUniversity of California200 Centennial Drive, #5250Berkeley, California 94720-5250

Address Correction Requested

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage Paid

Berkeley, CAPermit No. 1061

Plants are for sale at the Visitor Center all year ea, 510-642-3343