Letter from the Executive Director | |
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Dear Randy,
As my fourth year at the Garden comes to a close, I want to convey how honored I am to have this position and the responsibility to lead the Garden and The John Fairey Conservation Foundation into a sustainable future.
As a nonprofit, and especially as a nonprofit garden in a climate that is becoming ever more uncertain and extreme, we face challenges almost daily. When those challenges feel too daunting, I find it helpful to step outside my office and into the Garden, surrounding myself with countless examples of challenges and recoveries – at both intimate and large scale – to remind me of the inevitability of those challenges and the importance of perseverance. Being physically in the Garden causes me to slow down, settle into presence, and surrender to the sway of “horticultural time,” grounding me in a wider perspective. It turns out a garden is an excellent source for learning forbearance in the face of provocation.
Thank you for all you do to sustain this garden. I hope you will take advantage of all it has to offer you in the coming year.
Best wishes for a lovely holiday and a prosperous, healthy, and meaningful new year.
Warm regards,
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If you have not yet given to our 2024 Annual Appeal, it’s not too late. The Taking Root Luncheon and our year-end Annual Appeal are our two biggest in-house fundraisers and they help cover our operating expenses. I hope you will consider a tax deductible contribution to our Annual Appeal. No amount is too insignifcant to make a difference. Thank you. | |
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If you're looking for a pleasant outdoor activity after Christmas, we're having our last Open Day of 2024 on Saturday, December 28th. Members may walk the Garden at their leisure from 9-3. We will be offering Docent guided tours at 10, 11, and 1. Members free, non-members $15. The Nursery will be open from 9-3.
Please go to the events page on our website to pre-register
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Aviana Kalinec, left, Kara Humphrey, right | |
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We’re disappointed to announce that our wonderful Office Manager, Kara Humphrey, is leaving the Garden at the end of the year. Kara has been with us for almost four years, and everyone who has come in contact with her has experienced her warm hospitality and good humor. Kara writes, ‘After almost 4 years at JFG, I'm moving on to a new adventure. In my time at the garden, I've gained such an understanding of the importance of gardens such as John's and the importance of carrying on his legacy of protecting endangered plant species. I wish nothing but continued recognition to The John Fairey Garden Conservation Foundation and will continue to sing its praises to whomever I can going forward.’
We’ll miss you Kara. The best of luck in your new adventure. The Garden was fortunate to have you.
Our disappointment at Kara’s leaving is softened by our enthusiasm for her replacement, Avian Kalinec. Aviana has spent the last two weeks onboarding with Kara and is a fast learner so we’re confident she’ll have the position under control very soon. Here’s what Aviana has to say about joining the Garden – 'I'm excited to start as the Office Manager for the Garden and I look forward to working with everyone! I heard about the garden position and was immediately curious about this internationally recognized garden that was nestled near my childhood home. I fell in love from the pictures I saw online and loved the idea that this garden was created by an artist. Having worked in admin for many years, I’m excited to bring my expertise to the team and also to learn more about the garden and its leafy inhabitants!'
Kara and Aviana will be in the office on our last Open Day on the 28th, so if you come out, please say goodbye to Kara and introduce yourself to Aviana.
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THE GARDEN
- The weather is the lede again this year in the Garden recap. The May derecho knocked down four trees on the oak berm, including a beautiful Quercus polymorpha, two Q. rysophyllas, and one Q. sp. The rysophyllas and polymorpha were replaced by saplings, the Q. sp. was cut down and the stump has produced some healthy looking suckers we hope will continue to grow.
- We improved drainage in two areas near the greenhouse, adding addition underground flexible pipe to direct the water to our pond. One of these new drain lines was in conjunction with some landscaping we did around our new John Gaston Fairey Signature Plant Collection greenhouse which we are converting from its function as an aloe greenhouse. We are constructing a dry creek bed through which water east of our greenhouses will drain.
- We cleaned up along FM 359, getting rid of a tangle of Yaupons and erecting a fence. We also planted some oaks and Sabal palms in that area, and cleaned up under four big palms.
- We planted over 100 woody plants in the Garden in 2024, some to replace plants, some as new additions.
THE NURSERY
- We had another successful Budding Out this year, and Ashlyn is propagating in preparation for next year.
- Additionally, we had our most successful Trunk Show of rare and difficult to find trees ever.
- Most of our focus toward the end of this year has been in revamping the aloe greenhouse into a greenhouse dedicated to plants in our John Gaston Fairey Signature Plant collection. We will have this new sales area open following our next Budding Out in March of 2025.
TAKING ROOT
- Taking Root is our primary fundraising event for the Garden and this year’s, co-chaired by Betty and Steve Newton, was our most successful ever both in terms of money raised and number of guests attending. This year we honored Antonia Adezio, past Acting Director of the Garden and founding Executive Director of The Garden Conservancy.
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Notes from John Fairey's Mexico plant collecting journals | |
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Trip #69 - December 22, 1996 - January 2, 1997
John and Carl, along with guests John Tally, an architect and former student of John’s, and Martin Grantham from the UC Berkley Botanical Garden, departed for a Christmas plant collection trip on the morning of December 22nd at 7:45 am. They collected a total of 20 different species on the trip, including Polypodium, Bauhinia, Echeveria, Passiflora, Buddleja, Bromeliad, Beschorneria, Begonia, Cestrum, and Hibiscus. They also visited Posada El Castillo, the home of Surrealist Edward James’s “Las Pozas” sculpture garden.
On Christmas day, the journal includes the cryptic entry:
cancel - area too wet, dangerous drug
Police
Botanical Garden
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