4TH Quarter 2023: In the Garden

Garden Mission:

To promote water conservation in the California Central Valley landscape through excellent gardens, exhibits and programs that educate and inspire the public.

General:

Wow! Can you believe that another year at the garden is over, and we’re welcoming 2024 already? The past two decades have brought many wonderful changes to the garden like the pavilion, sensory garden, children’s garden, home demonstration area, cactus garden and many, many more! It’s amazing what a wonderful group of talented, dedicated, and hard-working volunteers in our community have done and continue to do each year, day-after-day!

The garden is maintained 100% by volunteers! All efforts are focused on ensuring a wonderful experience at the garden for everyone from first-time visitors to long-term members and volunteers. The garden is a place where our community grows strong, and we are taking steps to strengthen our roots and cultivate a beautiful water-wise garden.

Of course, all would not be possible without the support of our community, which is sincerely appreciated. Thank you for helping the Clovis Botanical Garden thrive! We are looking forward to another momentous year ahead.

Welcome to our New Members!

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 at http://ahsgardening.org/rap.

Volunteers!

GARDEN MAINTENANCE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! The mild winter weather is wonderful for working in the garden , and CBG has LOTS of volunteer gardening opportunities! Many trees, bushes and plants are in winter mode, 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 9 AM to noon. We weed and trim in the morning to keep the garden looking its’ absolute best.

Interested?You must register on-line at CBG’s website: https://clovisbotanicalgarden.org.
You will be contacted to schedule your participation.

4th Quater Garden Activities

As you know, special events at the garden have been suspended this year in anticipation of construction activity for our new Visitor Center. Planning continues to progress, and a myriad of details have been addressed. We are nearing the finish line for obtaining the building permit, so 2024 will be an exciting year!

Other improvements have been ongoing to make the garden more attractive with additional new features to enjoy.

• Cactus Garden: Gravel mulch has been added to the cactus garden for a new and beautiful look. Thanks to Americorps volunteers joining CBG volunteers to accomplish this upgrade.
• Ethnobotany Area: Planning for the Ethnobotany Area is underway. The existing California Native area will be included in the project. Plant additions for the California Native area will focus on those that attract butterflies and pollinators. We see this area as one of cooperation with tribes native to our area. We hope to maintain and harvest according to tradition. This will be an opportunity to have tribal members come to the garden to share their knowledge with CBG visitors.
• Irrigation System: In the near future, new irrigation controllers will be installed to replace two existing ancient Irritrol Rain Dial controllers. The new Hunter X-Core controllers are equipped with Hunter Solar Sync Sensors, which will sense the local evapotranspiration rate, and precipitation if any, then adjust the program as needed based on those factors, to save water when possible.
• Ornamental Grass Area: We have created a lovely place in the new ornamental grass area for a green metal bench like others strategically placed throughout the garden. This bench requires a $2,500 donation and includes a bronze metal plaque with lettering and wording of your choice. It is a wonderful way to honor someone special in your life. Send inquiries to Clovis Botanical Garden’s email: [email protected].
• Children’s Garden:
  • Musical metal flower chimes have been installed, as well as fencing near the tunnel entrance.
  • ▪ There are still opportunities to add your creations to the Children’s Garden. Amy Wright’s family and neighbors created “Poppy the Rock Snake” that invites visitors to add painted stones they create, so Poppy grows longer and longer. It’s a fun garden feature that the children especially enjoy. Paint a rock and add it to the new “Poppy the Rock Snake” and watch him grow!
  • CBG is currently providing dedication/memory bricks which will be placed near the scarecrow water feature, learning stations, and throughout the Children’s Garden. The bricks are standard-sized building bricks that will be inscribed with one name per brick for $40, available for purchase online. We only have 20 left, so don’t delay!
  • Another fundraising project involves painting decorative pickets to be placed along the fence surrounding the Children’s Garden. Wooden pickets, instructions, brushes, and high-quality paints are provided for a donation of $75, and painters (young and old) are encouraged to get creative with the theme “Connecting People with Nature. For further information: clovisbotanicalgarden.org.
• Special Visitor: On November 8th, an immature male Broad-Billed Hummingbird was found in CBG by Fresno Audubon President, Rachel Clark. A sighting of this species in the Central Valley is very rare (if ever), so Audubon members were thrilled to see it enjoying the Tecoma blooms in the Sensory Garden! Word of its appearance spread quickly, and many Audubon Society members visited for a chance to see it in a natural setting and take photographs. According to Allaboutbirds.org, “The Broad-billed Hummingbird is a beauty in a beautiful family. The male’s vivid red bill, emerald body, and glittering sapphire throat sets it apart from other U.S. hummingbirds. Most of this species’ range lies in Mexico, but it reaches the mountainous canyons of the southwestern U.S. during the breeding season. There it brightens shady, flower-filled ravines and residential gardens, and is a frequent visitor to hummingbird feeders.” Ornithologists who survey, record and report on bird activity will document the sighting of the Broad-Billed Hummingbird in the Clovis Botanical Garden!

Tips For The Central Valley Gardener: Winter Garden Advice.

by Elinor Teaque

A few observations on a rainy day when there is time to check on the winter garden:

Many varieties of citrus and other fruit trees have set a bumper crop of small fruit this season. Alternate bearing or the setting of fewer fruit every other year or two is normal for fruiting trees, but this year’s bounty of mini fruit is unusual. The cause could be last season’s long cool wet spring weather that delayed blossom set and pollination. Or it could be that the immature heavy crop of fruit should have been thinned early. The fruit is juicy and sweet. Just remember that the best way to store citrus fruit is to leave it on the tree until it falls off.

Rose leaves are still bright green and firmly attached to most bushes. Roses will set flowers all winter long if temperatures do not drop to freezing levels. In the Central Valley with mild, short winters, rose-lovers usually strip browning leaves from their bushes in mid-November to force dormancy by using water from a hose to blast off the dead and drying leaves. But you might need to hand strip green leaves from roses this winter. Do it after you have pruned to minimize the work.

Weed seeds germinate quickly when the soil temperature warms above 50 degrees. That often happens during winter warm spells like those we have had during December. As you are using a wiggle hoe to cut down tiny seeds, you will notice that it is much easier to till the soil in areas that have been kept covered with a three-to four inch layer of mulch. Those of us who have begun spreading the fall leaves into planting beds instead of raking them up, are seeing that the leaf mulch does reduce weed germination. However, because we have not had much rain yet
this winter, the dry fall leaves have barely begun to decompose. Rake or blow the leaves to turn them and encourage faster decomposition.

A Message From President, Anne Clemons

Treat yourself to an early morning walk in the garden to see the grasses and cacti show their best. Pick a sunny day, then start by the Pavilion and walk along the main road. The rising sun shines through the grass inflorescence creating a magical display. Grasses peak at different times during the year, so the display is ever changing. Other grasses show off in the late afternoon as the sun starts to set . Continue the morning walk and notice the Cactus Garden. The sun shines through the golden thorns and colored margins of the cacti to create plants that seem to glow. Notice that the
gravel seems to change color during the day. The bright light of midday creates a gold color, while the softer light of early morning and late afternoon make it look more like beige.

Native California Garden donors Kevin Briggs and family visited the garden. It happened to be the day of a planning meeting for the Ethnobotany area. We were able to share the vision for this area and were happy that he shared our enthusiasm for the project.

Thank you to all the supporters of the garden. Your help is essential for these projects and is greatly appreciated.

Happy New Year!

11:36 AM CLOVIS BOTANICAL GARDEN COMMITTEE, INC

12/31/23 Statement of Financial Position

Accrual Basis As of October 31, 2023

Assets

Current Assets

Checking/Savings

Account Description	Oct 31, 23	Oct 31, 22	$ Change	% Change
10100 • Checking	9,577.25	29,716.31	(20,139.06)	(67.8)%
10200 • Money Market Savings	380,211.13	279,531 .48	100,679.65	36.0%
10300 • CD – General Acct #1-441770	10,316.96	10,313.91	3.05	0.0%
10400 ·CD-Building 1 Acct#1-441501	47,432.37	47,418.33	14.04	0.0%
10500 • CD – Building 2 Acct #1-441633	20,810.75	20,804.60	6.15	0.0%
10600 • CD – Building 3 Acct #1-441872	60,527.40	60,509.49	17.91	0.0%
Total Checking/Savings	528,875.86	448,294.12	80,581.74	18.0%

Other Current Assets

Account Description	Oct 31, 23	Oct 31, 22	$ Change	% Change
10700 • Prepaid expenses	2,290.17	2,290.17	0.00	0.0%
1499 • Undeposited Funds	3,330.00	92.58	3,237.42	3,496.9%
Total Other Current Assets	5,620.17	2,382.75	3,237.42	135.9%

Account Description	Oct 31, 23	Oct 31, 22	$ Change	% Change
Total Current Assets	534,496.03	450,676.87	83,819.16	18.6%

Fixed Assets

Account Description	Oct 31, 23	Oct 31, 22	$ Change	% Change
11500 • Land Improvements	145,446.24	145,446.24	0.00	0.0%

11600 • Amenities

Account Description	Oct 31, 23	Oct 31, 22	$ Change	% Change
11610 • 10 year	9,750.67	9,750.67	0.00	0.0%
11620 • 5 year	33,579.70	33,579.70	0.00	0.0%
Total 11600 • Amenities	43,330.37	43,330.37	0.00	0.0%

Account Description	Oct 31, 23	Oct 31, 22	$ Change	% Change
11700 • Equipment	9,255.60	9,255.60	0.00	0.0%
12500 • Structures	192,378.97	192,378.97	0.00	0.0%
13500 • Accumulated Deprecation	(233,599.99)	(233,599.99)	0.00	0.0%
Total Fixed Assets	156,811.19	156,811.19	0.00	0.0%

Account Description	Oct 31, 23	Oct 31, 22	$ Change	% Change
Total Assets	691,307.22	607,488.06	83,819.16	13.8%

Liabilities & Equity

Liabilities

Current Liabilities

Accounts Payable

Account Description	Oct 31, 23	Oct 31, 22	$ Change	% Change
20100 • Accounts Payable	(705.86)	0.00	(705.86)	(100.0)%
Total Accounts Payable	(705.86)	0.00	(705.86)	(100.0)%

Other Current Liabilities

Account Description	Oct 31, 23	Oct 31, 22	$ Change	% Change
22700 • Sales Tax Payable	163.06	84.00	79.06	94.1%
22900 • Facility Security Deposit	(356.50)	(356.50)	0.00	0.0%
Total Other Current Liabilities	(193.44)	(272.50)	79.06	29.0%

Account Description	Oct 31, 23	Oct 31, 22	$ Change	% Change
Total Current Liabilities	(899.30)	(272.50)	(626.80)	(230.0)%

Account Description	Oct 31, 23	Oct 31, 22	$ Change	% Change
Total Liabilities	(899.30)	(272.50)	(626.80)	(230.0)%

Equity

Account Description	Oct 31, 23	Oct 31, 22	$ Change	% Change
30200 • Retained Earnings	607,760.56	425,805.14	181 ,955.42	42.7%
Net Income	84,445.96	181 ,955.42	(97,509.46)	(53.6)%
Total Equity	692,206.52	607,760.56	84,445.96	13.9%

Account Description	Oct 31, 23	Oct 31, 22	$ Change	% Change
Total Liabilities & Equity	691,307.22	607,488.06	83,819.16	13.8%

Download PDF version of the Financial Statements