Spring Planting with the Friends at Picnic Point – May 19

Planting pollinator patches of flowering forbs and grasses along the path to Picnic Point and at the entrance kiosk was quite an honor and much fun. Planters were a group of Friends, including Doris Dubielzig and her house guest, Paul Quinlan and his daughter, Steve Sentoff, Marj Rhine, Gisela Kutzbach, Glenda Denniston, and Gretel Dentine, as well as five cheerful volunteers from Memorial HS school's youth volunteer club, Bryn Scriver, Preserve volunteer coordinator, and her neighbor and son, and Laura Wyatt, Program manager. The group at the Preserve entrance planted good-sized flowers adding color and beauty to this area, purchased with funds provided by the Friends. Just past the giant cone effigy mound, we planted hyssop, columbines, bottlebrush grass, Short's aster, Black-eyed susan, Beak grass and others flowers, most from the 6 flats of greenhouse seedlings that Glenda Denniston had patiently raised all spring in the greenhouse. At the Isthmus, the planters took great care to space the plants evenly on the steep slope toward the bay. Further up the path, past fire circle #4, another group planted a  larger area with flowers where once buckthorn dominated. The day was rather cloudy, and at night a good rain gave the new plantings a head start. After the work was done, the planters relaxed at circle #2 with cake and fruit. The next day after the rain, Marj observed a duck settling down in one of the new planting areas. A great thanks to all the volunteers who helped make the Preserve more beautiful. Photos provided by Glenda Denniston, Gisela Kutzbach and Laura Wyatt.