Weeds…. they can be overwhelming this time of year due to spring rains and warming weather. Don’t despair! You can win the battle of the weeds without resorting to deadly chemicals or furious digging and yanking. A weed-fighting method called “sheet mulching” works in harmony with nature; weeds disappear while soil improves at the same time.

How does it work? The weeds are literally smothered and not allowed to see the light of day. Layers of compostable materials (such as newspaper or cardboard, compost and wood chips) are piled on top of the weeds. Then the naturally occurring microorganisms and worms in the soil below do the magical job decomposing the weeds.

With time, the mulch layers break down and provide organic material and nutrients to the soil. Thus, sheet mulching not only gets rid of weeds, it also improves the soil fertility and helps a happy community of earthworms keep the soil aerated.

In contrast, digging out weeds disrupts the soil’s natural ecosystem and destroys earthworm tunnels. Spraying with herbicides adds environmentally questionable chemicals to the garden. Sheet mulching works with nature rather than against it. 

Sheet mulching is simple and inexpensive, just follow the steps below:

1. Dampen whole sections of newspaper or flattened cardboard boxes by placing in a large bucket or play pool filled with water. Remove and place directly on weeds, overlapping for complete coverage. Another alternative is to use cardboard sold in rolls, using at least 2 to 3 layers; spray cardboard with water to dampen after rolling out.
2. Spread a  4” to 6” layer of mulch over the newspaper/cardboard.  The mulch can consist of wood chips or a combination of weed-free compost and wood chips. Wood chips can often be found for free from a local tree company.
3. Plant new plants by cutting holes through the newspaper/cardboard.  Replace mulch around plants, but don’t smother them! Hold the mulch a couple of inches away from the base of the plant. If large plants are being used (such as 5 gallon cans and larger), it is best to plant them first, and then sheet mulch around them. Try to keep soil under the sheet mulching so weed seeds will be smothered.
4. The weeds will naturally bio-degrade within a month or two. The wood chips or compost can be replenished annually as needed. Subsequent weeding is much easier as the soil becomes looser and more organic.The sheet mulching technique was used in both the Mediterranean Garden and the Sensory Garden in The Gardens at Lake Merritt with great success:

   

    Before Sheet Mulching: Dense weeds covered the Mediterranean Garden site.

    

    Dampened cardboard was placed in layers over the planting beds.

   Drip irrigation tubing was installed on top of the cardboard.

    

   

   Compost and wood chips were placed over newspaper layers at the Sensory Garden.

    Holes were dug through the layers for new plants.

    

   The completed Mediterranean Garden 1-1/2 years later.Weeds are still suppressed by sheet mulching and the plants are flourishing

   You’ll find Tricia Christopher in the Mediterranean Garden most work party days (the first and third Saturdays of every month). She’s happy to answer your questions about Mediterranean gardening and/or visit her website http://www.tchristopher.com/

Article by Tricia Christopher, Landscape Architect and Designer of the Mediterranean Garden

Enjoy the fragrance, beauty and mysterious enchantment of the exotic Brugmansia (also called Angel’s Trumpet).

What could be more captivating than the idea of a flower looking like an angel’s trumpet? This is the romantic name given to Brugmansia, a plant known for it’s large, bell-shaped pendulous flowers that are mysteriously fragrant at night…perhaps for the fairies’ nighttime orchestra? Or to accompany an angelic choir?

As a young girl, I was taken with the idea of a flower looking like an instrument, and I still feel awe-struck when viewing this plant in full bloom. This large shrub can be decorated with hundreds of 10” long enticing blooms, in colors that range from the original creamy white to the buttery yellows and peachy or orange-sherbet tones of the newer hybrids. The flowers are sweetly fragrant in the evenings because they attract night-flying moths, which get lost in their tubular flowers. Their bumbling about does a fine job of pollinating the flower, thus insuring that seeds develop for the survival of the species.

However, all humans (and deer) beware: do not eat any part of a Brugmansia! All parts of the plant are poisonous, especially the seeds and leaves.

Be enchanted by the beautiful Brugmansia in the Mediterranean Garden.

“Come, Thirsty Ones, to the Fountain Set Out in the Open for You.  Let the Joyous Multitudes Come” – Easterbrook Fountain inscription translated from Latin

Many famous Italian gardens are noted for their cool wells and delightful fountains, just as the recently restored Easterbrook Fountain, an antique Italian bird fountain, is now the centerpiece of the Mediterranean Garden. The fountain, created from pure white Carrara marble by distinguished Florentine sculptor Petrelli, was shipped to the United States in the early 1900s by East Bay philanthropists, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Easterbrook.

In 1914, Mrs. Daniel E. Easterbrook, world traveler, noted East Bay philanthropist and bird lover, donated the lovely bird fountain to the “little park” adjacent to Lake Merritt (now the Gardens at Lake Merritt).

Mrs. Easterbrook long pleaded with park gardeners to turn down the nearby McElroy fountain at certain times of the day so wild birds could have brief opportunities to drink and bathe.  Her love of birds later led to her presenting the delightful “Easterbrook”  bird fountain to Oakland through former Mayor Frank Howard.

Special thanks to Bruce Cobbledick, President of the Friends of the Gardens at Lake Merritt, for his dedication to restoring this beautiful treasure for the enjoyment of all Oaklanders . . . and the birds.

Top photo by Robert Dorsey III; Bottom photo by Bruce Cobbledick

Article by Tricia Christopher, Landscape Architect and Designer of the Mediterranean Garden.

 The Mediterranean Garden is designed to showcase the color combinations possible with plants originating from climates with dry summers and mild winters. This column will feature seasonally noteworthy plants in the garden. Plant Shown: Ceanothus “Concha“

Two of the first spring bloomers in the Mediterranean Garden are bursting with splendid masses of intense blue flowers. While blue is normally considered a “cool” or subtle color that doesn’t shout out its presence, this is not the case with the show-stopper displays put on by Ceanothus ‘Concha’ and Rosmarinus ‘Ken Taylor’.

Both plants are blanketed with brilliant true-blue flowers this time of year. And, they’re not only admired by humans; numerous bees, butterflies, and other insects also appreciate the one-stop shopping provided by all the blooms. On a recent visit to the gardens, I noticed several types of bees intent on their mission.

The Ceanothus ‘Concha’are covered with an enchanting combination of magenta flower buds and deep cobalt blue flower clusters. As the flowers continue to open, they will nearly obscure the narrow, dark green leaves. Ceanothus grow quickly, and these plants are already 4 or 5 ft. high after only three years (we originally planted 1 gallon can plants). They should reach an eventual height and width of 6 to 8 ft., with graceful arching branches forming a tall mound. The Ceanothus are already accomplishing the intended task of providing an evergreen backdrop to the garden, screening the fencing and utilities behind them.

An evergreen backdrop in the Med Garden

Although some types of ceanothus are difficult to grow in our local clay soils, ‘Concha’ is considered a more adaptable variety able to tolerate some summer irrigation. We also took the added precaution of mounding the soil before planting for better drainage, plus we keep the summer watering to a minimum.

The Rosmarinus ‘Ken Taylor’have been blooming for several months. This rosemary variety gives the punch of a vivid dark blue, as opposed to its meeker brethren, which only bloom in paler shades of blue or lavender blue. It has grown very quickly from 1 gallon-size plants into a 1 to 2 ft. height ground cover, spreading horizontally to least 4 ft. wide.

Rosemary 'Ken Taylor'

In addition to enjoying the bright, happy blue color and the busy humming of the bees hovering over the flowers, pluck a leaf or two and breathe in the natural perfume smell. I’ve had the pleasant experience of “wearing” the rosemary fragrance all day after pruning or weeding in the garden. Rosemary is quite easy to grow in full sun, needs little water and tolerates most soils. Good drainage helps, so we mounded these beds prior to planting.

If blue is for you, these plants are worth a visit to the Mediterranean Garden!

You’ll find Tricia Christopher in the Mediterranean Garden most work party days (the first and third Saturdays of every month). She’s happy to answer your questions about Mediterranean gardening and/or visit her website http://www.tchristopher.com/

Sunday, June 5

GARDEN EXHIBITORS

• Aesthetic Pruners Association
• Alameda County Master Gardeners
• American Rhododendron Society
• The Bellevue Club
• Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt
• City Slicker Farms
• Farm Fresh to You
• Friends of Oakland Parks and Recreation
• Garden Hortica
• Japanese Garden Club
• Junior Center of Art & Science
• Lake Merritt Breakfast Club and Foundation
• Malibu Compost
• Mediterranean Garden Society
• Merritt College Aesthetic Pruning Club
• Merritt College Horticulture
• Oakland Fukuoka Sister City Association
• Oakland Heritage Alliance
• Oakland Parks Coalition
• Oakland Parks and Recreation
• OBUGS
• Palm Society – Northern California Chapter
• Pueblo
• Studio One Art Center
• West County Oasis Bamboo Garden

A Special Thank you to the Lake Merritt Breakfast Club Charitable Foundation for their support of Art & Music in the Gardens

•  A’s Tickets
•  Accent Aesthetic Pruning and Garden Care
•  ACE Arts
•  Anonymous (weekend at Inverness)
•  Art & Soul Oakland
•  Bacheesos
•  Blue Oak inside the Oakland Museum of California
•  Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt
•  Cactus Jungle
•  California Shakespeare Festival
•  Children’s Fairyland
•. Classic Catering
•  Coffee with a Beat
•  Douglas Parking
•  East Bay Nursery
•  Friends of the Gardens
•  Giant Tickets
•  Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa
•  Grand Lake ACE Garden Center
•  Grand Tavern
•  Hawks Hill Orchids
•  Karen Arlen
•  Helen Krayenhoff of Kassenhoff Growers
•  Lake Merritt Boating Center
•  Lin Jia Asian Kitchen
•  Mezze Restaurant & Bar
•  Mountain Yoga
•  Oakland Fire Fighters
•  Oakland Fukuoka Sister City Association
•  Oakland Lawn Bowling Club
•  Oakland Museum of California
•  Oakland City Councilmember Libby Schaaf – District #4
•  Pacific Horticulture
•  Peet’s Coffee and Tea, Lakeshore
•  Pete Chrugel “Pete the Pruner”
•  Quilley Powers Jewelry
•  Shining Star Yoga
•  Side Bar Restaurant
•  Snapshot Mosaics
•  Someone’s In The Kitchen
•  Starbucks, Lakeshore
•  The Bellevue Club
•  The Dry Garden
•  Trader Joe’s, Lakeshore
•  U. C. Botanical Gardens
•  Vinapa Foundation for Cross Cultural Studies
•  VIP Florist

Judith Offer, Emcee

• 12:10  Kokomon Clottey  KICK-OFF
• 12:30  Tobey Kaplan   MILLSMONT
• 12:50  Leanne Grossman  GLENVIEW
• 1:10  Antoinette Constable  LAUREL DISTRICT
• 1:30  Adam Cornford  MILLSMONT
• 1:50  Ruth Schwartz   HILLMONT
• 2:10  Analeah Rosen   DOWNTOWN
• 2:30  Judith Offer   CROCKER HIGHLANDS
• 2:40  Christopher Kerr  ROCKRIDGE
• 3:10  Linda Watanabe McFerrin CLINTON VILLAGE
• 3:30  Wanda Sabir   HAVENSCOURT
• Sandra Hooper Mayfield HAVENSCOURT
• 3:50  Elana Dykewomon  OAK KNOLL
• 4:10  Eve Buckner   LAUREL DISTRICT
• 4:30  Kerry Krouse   ROCKRIDGE

Sunday, June 5th

Cyrus Armajani, Emcee

• 12:30  Glori Simmons   FOOTHILL
• 12:50  Lenore Weiss   KNOWLAND PARK
• 1:10  Ralph Dranow   CHINA HILL
• 1:30  Giovanna Capone  WEST OAKLAND
• 1:50  Cyrus Armajani  NORTH OAKLAND/BUSHROD PARK
• 2:10  Andrena Zawinski  LANEY COLLEGE
• 2:30  Susan Gubernat  ROSE GARDEN
• 2:50  Alexandra Teague  TEMESCAL
• 3:10  Grace Grafton   MONTCLAIR
• 3:30  Prentice Powell  DOWNTOWN
• 3:50  Bev Jo    DIMOND DISTRICT
• 4:10  Alison Luterman  ALLENDALE PARK
• 4:30  Lucille Lang  Day  GRAND LAKE

Sunday, June 5

*Sponsored by Vinapa Foundation for Cross Cultural Studies
**Sponsored by Friends of the Gardens at Lake Merritt

• Aline Dargie  (37) sculpture textile
• Andy Fuller  (32) sculpture
• Asual Aswad  (25) photography
• Becky Jaffe  (05) photography
• Ben Stonberg   (43) bronze sculpture
• Bonnie Bonner  (07) watercolor
• Brittany Noelle  (38) sculpture textile
• Bronton Cheja  (04) sculpture
• Carmen Barefield (24) painting
• Chris Rummell  (08) sculpture
• Christian Moffat (30) ceramics
• Dalia Alehua  (03) pastels & jewelry
• Damien Jones  (33) sculpture
• Danny King  (28) paintings for fence
• Desi Wome  (11) painting
• Devon Kelley-Yurdin (31) paper sculpture
• Elwyn Crawford  (42) planter installation
• Francene Holland (02) pastel & watercolor
• Gina Zupo  (16) painting
• Hiroko To  (10) photography
• Hugh Livingston (39) birdcages w/ sound
• Ines Kramer  (13) painting
• Jack Friar  (21) watercolor
• James Monge  (29) paintings for fence
• James Viada  (35) sculpture
• Janine Hudak  (18) painting
• Katherine Canton (22) posters & photos
• Kathryn Muhs  (44) photography
• Kevan Miller  (20) acrylic on canvas
• Kevin Woodson  (40) painting
• Kira Del Mar  (17) painting
• Lori Pino  (41) painting
• Margaret Niles   (01) watercolor & jewelry
• Margarita Herrera (34) loom nests in tree
• Marie Switkes  (19) painting & photos
• Mary Ann Nardos (12) painting & print
• Mary Helene Wagner (14) sculpture
• Melissa Martin  (45) painting
• Mercy Calman  (06) photography
• Michelle Ng  (36) sculpture
• Momoko Sudo  (46) painting
• Patti Beadles  (23) photography
• Stephan Gerstman (15) painting
• Susan Weston  (27) jewelry

• 45 artists displaying and selling their work in the Garden Center and in the Gardens, 10:00-6:00
• Musical Performances under the redwood trees, 12:00-5:00
• Poetry Readings in Poet’s Grove (Bay Friendly Garden),12:00-5:00
• Event Sponsors / Silent Auction on Garden Center patio, next to the Rose Garden, all day; highest bidders announced at 4:00
• Special Garden Events and Demonstrations Join experts in Sustainable Gardening, Pruning,  Landscaping, and Woodworking
• Food by Blue Oak Oakland Museum of California. Firescape Memorial Garden -11:00-5:00
• Zine Exchange – Poetry pamphlets for exchange facilitated by Analeah Rosen, all day
• Exphrase –  All welcome, poetry inspired by art on display – 10:00-12:00
• Children’s Activites- All day throughout the Gardens.  Look for the paper balloons!