Garden Mission: To promote water conservation in the California Central Valley landscape through excellent gardens, exhibits and programs that educate and inspire the public.
Upcoming Events
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Visitor Center to celebrate a new beginning with community supporters of the garden is the only upcoming event planned, but the date is “to be determined” when we have received a building permit from the City of Clovis. So, as anxious as we all are to get started, we must exercise patience until all processes are complete. Stay tuned for the date!
Unless weather or construction activities make the garden unsafe for visitors, it will be open according to the usual schedule. General hours are 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Wednesday through Sunday (closed Mondays and Tuesdays).
2nd Quarter Garden Update
Grass Display Area
The ornamental grass display area was completed on June 15th by John Pape and the Thursday crew. The new garden will demonstrate the variety of ornamental grasses suitable for drought-tolerant gardens. John Pape designed the new “Grass Display Area” and has been instrumental in overseeing all activities to make it a reality. Many thanks to John, as well as Perry & Ree Coy, Anne Clemons, Rodger Pachelbel, Ken Aldrich, Aaron Aldrich, Lorie Hutzler, Elida Oraze, Connor Oakes, Paula Johnson, Vicki Cheney, and Vickie Rotalo-Holbrook for assistance with planning, irrigation installation, planting, weeding, and completing the new garden area!
White Tent Area
The canopy was destroyed by high winds earlier this year. The frame was donated to the Fresno Master Gardeners, who removed it safely for repurposing. Bright new umbrellas now shade picnic tables and benches in the area for visitors to enjoy.
Children’s Garden
Delightful sounds now emerge from recently installed musical flowers! Each Flower features a distinct musical chord. When the petals are struck with the attached mallet, a rich, long-sustaining gong is emitted. The flowers add both a sculptural and aesthetic design to the Children’s Garden that invites users of all ages to create music in an outdoor environment.
Welcome to our New Members!
- Nancy Godwin
- Jodi Gentry
- Donna Sirimarco
- Melissa Church
- Gayle Thornton
- Jacqui Dozier
- Kathleen Gacias
- Helen Kerz
- Doreen Condit
Members of CBG receive a membership card, a monthly newsletter, a digital subscription to Better Homes & Gardens, and free admission to many public gardens in California and around the country through the American Horticulture Association Reciprocal Admissions Program.
See all gardens around the nation and abroad that provide reciprocal
admission.
2nd Quarter Outreach Activities
April 1st
Renowned architect, Arthur Dyson, presented two power-point slide shows of the buildings he has designed, including the new visitor center for the Clovis Botanical Garden. The events, held at the Fresno Art Museum, were enjoyed by all who were lucky enough to secure tickets, as these events were sold-out!
April 12th
Fresno Master Gardeners enjoyed a tour of the garden lead by Rodger Pachelbel and Jeannette Warnert.
April 14th
The Fresno/Clovis Convention and Visitor’s Bureau staff learned about the garden during a tour led by Anne Clemons. Several first-time visitors agreed that CBG is a “hidden gem” in Clovis.
April 22nd
The “Spring Fling on the Kings” was hosted by the Kings River Conservancy at the Lapp River House in Sanger. Anne Clemons and Andrea Reed staffed a table for the Clovis Botanical Garden and enjoyed sharing information about the garden. They also made connections with several artisans who expressed interest in selling their creations in our new visitor center
May 6th
The 2023 Clovis Trail Fest was held, with many from the community walking, jogging, or cycling along the Dry Creek Trail. Anne Clemons and Jeannette Warnert staffed a table for CBG along the trail. They shared CBG basics with participants, offered a water break, and encouraged everyone to visit the garden.
May 18th
The CBG Board attended the Mayor’s Breakfast 2023. This is an annual event held by the Clovis Community Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to making our community a better place to live, work, and raise a family. The foundation supports future and current projects of many organizations, including the Clovis Botanical Garden . It was a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate appreciation for their support throughout the years.
June 14th
The Clovis Community Connections Resource Fair was held in the Clovis Senior Activity Center. Jeannette Warnert and Carole Bence staffed the CBG table and were delighted to share garden activities with all those who attended. Many individuals expressed an interest in volunteering at the garden.
June 19th
A Clovis Botanical Garden Volunteer Recruitment Social was held in the pavilion from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. More than a dozen individuals who expressed interest at the Resource Fair attended for a “sneak-peek” introduction to the garden, the vision for the future, and how they can volunteer to help. Thank you to Anne Clemons, Jeannette Warnert, Andrea Reed, and Carole Bence for making this event successful.
FAREWELL, SPRING!! HELLO, SUMMER!! By Ree Coy
The Clovis Botanical Garden is welcoming its summer blooms and has LOTS of Volunteer Gardening Opportunities! Many trees, bushes and plants are now very colorful… along with ongoing, determined weeds. Want to learn more about which plants do the best, thrive locally, and use less water? Learn on the job! You are invited to join the Gardening Crews on Thursdays, Fridays and/or Saturdays in the morning from 8 to 11 AM. We work earlier to beat the heat, weeding and trimming to keep the Garden looking its absolute best.
Interested? You must register on-line at CBG’s website AND contact the respective Supervisor.
https://clovisbotanicalgarden.org
- THURSDAY CREW: Contact Ree Coy – reecoy1@gmail com
- FRIDAY CREW: (1st and 2nd Fridays of the month only): Contact Lorie Hutzler [email protected]
- SATURDAY CREW: Contact Anne Clemons – [email protected]
Featuring our wonderful Garden Crews!
Front L-R: Elida Oraze, Sofia Puentes, Vickie Rotalo Standing L-R: Connor Oakes, Vicki Cheney, Lorie Hutzler, Rodger Pachelbel (Not pictured: Paula Johnson, Kitty Caillau, Georgia Porcella, Ree Coy)
Volunteer Opportunities
Download a flyer with Volunteer Opportunities listed.
TIPS FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY GARDENER: DEADHEADING BLOOMS
by Elinor Teaque
We are seeing an extended spring season this year with some of the most beautiful blooms in many years. Flowering plants, especially California native plants and succulents, responded to last winter’s abundant rainfall by setting more buds, and the bud set continued well into June. Normally, the exceedingly high summer temperatures here in the Central San Joaquin Valley slow or stop flower production in July, and we do not see renewed bud set until late August and early September. Make sure to deadhead or remove spent flowers on your flowering plants this month (July). Deadheading now will prevent the plants from setting seed which slows their growth, and, for many plants, it encourages a rebloom in fall. A rebloom in the fall will provide pollen and nectar for pollinators and beneficial insects. Deadheading also helps reduce leaf and stem scorch during summer heat spikes that have become common during the drought years.
Techniques for deadheading are specific to each plant species and variety. The “New Sunset Western Garden Book” provides deadheading instruction for many flowering plants, and you can also ask the docents and the Fresno County Master Gardeners working in the CBG how to deadhead your flowering plants.
Always take your sharpened pruning shears with you into the garden when you are deadheading, and you might also need your glasses to see the places along stems where you will need to make a clean cut. In some cases (nepeta or catmints, mimulus or monkey flower) you will see clearly defined branching lower down on the stem. Cuts made just above the branching will create multiple stems that will produce flowers. Some flowers(sages, yarrows) are best removed at the base and others (lavenders, Santa Barbara daisies) should be cut or sheared at the base of the flower stem without cutting into the foliage. With careful observation of growing habits and regular, consistent deadheading, your flowering plants will remain productive and look their best throughout our long summer growing season.
A Message from President, Anne Clemons
Thank you to the volunteers for a great job of weed removal, especially those who worked in the cactus area! Also, thanks to all who weeded and planted the new ornamental grass area. With the donation of UC Verde Buffalo Grass from Takao Nursery and irrigation installation by John Pape, the new area is ready for viewing. There is a spot in the Ornamental Grass area under the Mesquite tree (thornless variety ) for a green bench with a bronze plaque. If you are interested in donating, check the website. Lorie Hutzler will be supervising the newly formed Friday morning Garden Crew. Thank you, Lorie!
Engineering plans for the visitor center are nearing approval. We all wish we had a magic wand to make things go faster, but safety and accuracy are more important than speed. The visitor center will have a nice terrace for outdoor lounging. The green canopy currently at the entry will replace the white one which was demolished in the winter rain and wind. That area currently has picnic tables with colorful umbrellas.
Arthur Dyson’s retrospective presentation at the Fresno Art Museum was sold out, so another presentation was scheduled. It sold out too. How fortunate we are to have a nationally renowned architect who is interested in designing the CBG visitor center.
Thanks to all for your support while the garden continues to grow and improve.
Enjoy your Summer!
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