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 at the Garden
| Date/Time | Title | Participants | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 11 10-11:30 AM | Master Gardeners: “Five Senses in the Garden” – Free Workshop | Scarecrow Garden – Display your Scarecrow in the Garden for 4 weeks with a $20 donation. Start planning now! More information soon. | Sue Bohigian |
| April 25 | Tree Fresno 40th Anniversary Morning and Evening Celebrations | Families | Barbara Davidson |
| September 12 10-11:30 AM | Master Gardener: “Composing/Recycling” Free Garden Workshop | Adults | Randy Thomson |
| September 19 10-11:30 AM | “Pruning Trees” Free Garden Workshop | Adults | John Pape |
| October 10 10-11:30 AM | Master Gardener: “Soils” Free Garden Workshop | Adults | Tim Sullivan |
| Mid-October – mid-November | Scarecrow Garden – Display your Scarecrow in the Garden for 4 weeks with a $20 donation. Start Planning now! More information soon. | All ages |
Community Events of Interest
| Saturday, April 18 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM | Earth Day Fresno – Outdoor Festival Fresno City College |
| Saturday, April 25 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM | Spring Garden Tour -Master Gardener Association of Fresno County: Garden of the Sun |
| April 25 8:30 -10:30 AM | Tree Fresno 40th Anniversary Morning Celebration & 5K Run Clovis Botanical Garden |
| April 25 5:30 PM | Tree Fresno 40th Anniversary Celebration – Evening Music Celebration Simonian Farms |
| May 1-July 31 | Become a Master Gardener! Class of 2027 Applications open May 1 to July 31, 2026 |
| May 2 10-11:30 | Master Gardener Program: Woodward Park Library “Meet & Greet” Information Session for those interested in becoming a Master Gardener |
First Quarter Garden Activities
| Home & Garden Show | CBG had a booth at the Home and Garden Show again this year from March 7-9. Visitors were excited to hear about the new Visitor Center and the garden’s beautiful spring blooms! |
| Science Saturday | The Science Saturday workshop on March 21st focused on “Rooting for You: A Seed-to-Sprout Story.” Children and their parents had an exciting time! Many thanks to Barbara Davidson for coordinating and teaching this workshop! |
| Garden Maintenance | The diligent work of our garden teams continued to make our garden a delightful place to visit. Raking, pruning, watering, weed-pulling, planting, and irrigation repairs are on-going accomplishments that are greatly appreciated! |
| Intermountain Nursery Donation and Volunteer Assistance | A big “Thank You” to Intermountain Nursery in Prather, California for their sponsorship of the California Native Garden area. Intermountain Nursery is a reliable source for California native plant species and other drought-tolerant plants. The nursery has provided new California native plants, as well as volunteers, to assist in the revitalization of the California Native Garden within CBG. These plants were chosen specifically for their ability to adapt to Valley conditions. Visit the garden to see how the new plants develop and learn more about growing California natives in a Central Valley landscape. |
| Visitor Center Gift Shop | Stunning custom cabinetry has been installed in the Gift Shop and unique new items are added daily for visitors of all ages. We strive to support local artisans, so stop by and check it out, Wednesday through Sunday from 9AM to 4PM. Remember, Mother’s Day is May 10th! |
| Noble Credit Union Donation | Noble Credit Union’s generous donation was used for landscaping the area surrounding the new Visitor Center, including the “Walkable Meadow” near the garden’s entrance. Thank you for your support, Noble Credit Union! |
| KVPR Public Radio | KVPR on-air messages about the garden were broadcast throughout the days from February 19th to March 9th to increase awareness, promote new volunteers, and highlight our new Visitor Center. Thank you, KVPR! |
First Quarter Activities Pictures
has been installed.
Just a few of the gorgeous March blooms at the garden!
“PERRY COY, Thanks a Million!”
Recently, one of our valued and respected Board Members, Perry Coy, retired from the Clovis Botanical Garden Board of Directors. His wisdom, experience, and mountain of knowledge about the natural world are missed in that position. Perry has given not just knowledge and wisdom to the Garden in that role, but he and his wife, Ree, have also been stalwart volunteers in every way. They have given for many years, and continue to give, a ton of time, hard work, sweat, and financial support.
Perry, who has always been a kind friend, has been one of a special breed of volunteers who always knew, or found a way to make, the things that needed to happen in the Garden, actually happen! Make sure to say hello and give Perry a “Thank you and well done” if you see him in the Garden or anywhere else!
Download Upcoming Event Flyers
- Science Saturday – The Big World of Tiny Insects
- Fresno Master Gardeners – Children’s Activity: Five Senses in the Garden
- Fortieth Anniversary – Arbor Day
- Share Your Love of Gardening – Become a master Gardener!
Tips for the Central Valley Gardener: “Soil pH Levels” – By Elinor Teague
Nearly 80 percent of the average rainfall amount for the entire annual rainfall season fell in the Central Valley this winter. One of the good things about receiving so much rain is that heavy rainfall washes out excess alkaline salts from our desert-climate soil. Alkaline salts build up over time in low rain areas. If you have noticed a whitish crust on the soil surface in your garden, it may signify high levels of alkaline salts in your soil.
The soils in the Central Valley have high soil pH levels, as does the water that is piped to our homes. Neutral soil pH ranges from 6 to 7; acid soils have soil pH of 6 and below; and alkaline soils have pH levels from 7 to 14. Most plants grow best in neutral pH soils. Mediterranean herbs and California native plants can tolerate some alkalinity. However, shade-loving plants and some succulents do not thrive in alkaline soils. They can become stunted, weakened, and susceptible to insect and fungal problems.
High soil pH levels interfere with plants’ roots taking up important minerals including iron, manganese, zinc, and copper. Low levels of iron cause chlorosis, a lack of chlorophyl, which causes leaves to turn yellow with green veining. Chlorosis is a common problem with acid-loving shade plants like gardenias here in the Central Valley. Citrus and some drought-tolerant plants like redbuds, are also prone to chlorosis.
High soil pH levels can be reduced with heavy watering or flushing of the soil annually or when salt crusts are noticed. The addition of sulfur to the soil also lowers soil pH levels, allowing roots to draw up the necessary iron. Sulfur granules can be added to the soil at planting time and scratched into the soil when nutrient deficiencies are noticed. Sulfur granules are available at most nurseries.
Shade-type fertilizers usually contain additional sulfur, as do lawn foods and citrus foods. High quality lawn and citrus foods also contain higher percentages of iron, as well as trace minerals and nutrients. Leaves usually turn green again within two to three weeks of application.
A Message from John Pape, President
I am excited about all the great activities at the Garden. Clovis Botanical Garden has been blessed with a great group of regular volunteers, including new volunteers who are bringing invigoration to the Garden. The more dedicated people who show up, the easier and more rewarding the work, and the better the Garden is maintained. If you don’t have enough garden puttering at your place, and you need a good excuse to get outside and get some earth on your hands while hanging out with like-minded people, you can volunteer at the Garden.
A good portion of the plant material to be planted around the new Visitor Center has been installed, with more arriving in the fall. We are still working out the last details of the drip irrigation system, and we will be applying mulch soon. One of the next projects is to update the signage in the Garden, which indicates the common and botanical names of all the plant material. This is an ongoing task and will take some time. The high flower season is just coming upon us! Come and peruse or sit on the patio with a cup of coffee and escape the rat race.
If you haven’t seen the displays inside the Visitor’s Center in recent weeks, please come by, check them out, and say hello to the volunteer staff. With the new building now available, we are putting together educational and fun events for all ages. If you think the Visitor’s Center or the Pavilion could be of use to you for a get-together, educational event, or training session, check our website for more information.
We continue to engage with other horticultural and community organizations in the local area to bring useful information and fun events to our community, such as the Tree Fresno’s 40th-anniversary Arbor Day Run/Walk that begins and ends at the garden on Saturday, April 25th at 8:00 AM. See https://treefresno.org for details.
Board Members
- John Pape, President
- Andrea Reed, Treasurer
- Leticia Ramirez
- Anne Clemons, Vice President
- Carole Bence, Secretary
- Rodger Pachelbel
Advisory Committee
- Eric Aller
- Dwight Kroll
- Karin Chao Bushoven
- John Bushoven, Ph.D.
Garden Consultant
- John Pape
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