ARBORETA & BOTANIC GARDENS

prepared by the public services division

DESCANSO DIVISION

The American Daffodil Society put on an outstanding show at Descanso March 20 and 21. Exhibitors came from northern Califor- nia, Oregon, and Washington. There were many unusual flower forms and variations, and the quality of the flowers was superb. Polly Anderson, local grower and hybridizer, won the coveted Patricia Reynold's per- petual trophy. Over 10,000 people attended the show in ideal weather both days.

The grosbeaks returned two weeks earlier this year. The first ones were spotted

March 29, and as a rule they never come

until the second week in April.

Fifteen flowering trees of six different genera were recently planted in the parking lot area, and within a few years they will be very colorful.

Our thanks to members of the Camellia Coun- cil who came to Descanso to assist Super- intendent George Lewis in a camellia prun- ing project.

SOUTH COAST DIVISION

The administrative complex is almost ready to be occupied except for the installation of the phones and keying the locks. Land- scaping has begun and should be completed

by mid-April. The dedication date is set

for 10 a.m., Friday, the 7th of May.

One week after the buildings are dedicated the annual Fiesta de Flores will take place, the first event to utilize the new facil- ities. Appropriately, the ere theme

this year is "A Dream Come True

April is a peak month for plants in bloom. Many of the flowering fruit trees are at their best, add the yellows of the acacias, blues of wisteria and paulownia, reds of our native fuchsia, flowering gooseberry, and non-native coral trees. Many hillsides are masses of yellow arctotheca, and white and purple osteospermum.

Publication notes:

Late March is too early for spring migration so many waterbirds are still on the lake -

5 cinnamon teal, ruddy ducks, American widegeon, and our rare hooded-merganser. A very rare and endangered species was sighted this month, a peregrine falcon, which flew low over the garden, circled and flew off.

Any sighting of this bird should be consid- ered a rare treat

RESEARCH DIVISION

The Queen of the Show award for the best of the named irises entered in the Iris Specialty Show held at the Arboretum last March 27 and 28, was won by Jack McCaskill. Jack won the award with his single entry, "Alma Abell."

He also won the Perpetual Trophy for the best California native iris seedling with one of the eight seedlings he entered.

ARBORETUM DIVISION

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of the staff who worked to make the Baldwin Bonanza a success.

Friday, April 9th, will be Kay Conway's last working day with us. In four years here, she has worked in the Information Center, the Nursery, and other key areas of the Arboretum. Kay will be leaving to finish her degree in Recreational Administration at Cal Poly University. Good luck Kay - we will all

miss you.

PUBLIC SERVICES DIVISION

Press runs have been completed on three new one-page leaflets which are now available to the public at the Information Center. They are: Horti- culture Bulletins #5, Azaleas in Southern California, and #6, Growing Bulbs and Bulb- Like Plants in Containers; the third is

| Colorful Plants of the Arboretum, which com- .

bines a location and ete map on one side. a ae

In case you might be curious, following

is our "best-sellers" list of publications, with the number of brochures given to organizations and the public since Jan. 1 after each title:

Poisonous Plants of Southern California (1,520) Home Vegetable Gardening (1,200)

Green Belts For Brush Fire Protection (950) Oriental Vegetable Gardening (700)

FOOTNOTE TO THE BONANZA

Despite the rain, 1,800 people attended

the Saturday evening preview, 800 more than last year when it also rained. 12,062 came on Sunday, about 900 less than last year, but considering how hard it rained, a remarkable figure. Lots of plant tables were wiped out by people hungry for our goodies!