WELCOME ...A new resident ? Love the desert? Gardening a passion? Live in Borrego Springs? Thought you could not have a garden in the low desert desert? Ever wonder what desert living is like? READ ON !

Raised Vegetable Beds

Raised Vegetable Beds
Raised Vegetable Beds Resting Until Fall Planting Season

Palo Verde

Palo Verde
Desert Native, Blue Palo Verde

A River Runs Through It

A River Runs Through It
View Through A Wet Window

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

The Desert Gardeners, Club History

WOW ! Here we are, on a BLOG ! Our low desert garden club was started about seven years ago in the sleepy village of Borrego Springs, California (92004 ). People move here for many reasons - mostly to escape the frenzied activities on the other side of the mountains. Our tranquil small town, surrounded by the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, is inhabited by people who love the solitude, the inky star- studded night sky, golf courses which often require no starting times, and often by people who love to garden but don't have a clue as to gardening in this arid low desert area ( zone 13 ).

Several of us were discussing this over lunch one noon at Kendall's...laughing at our first attempts at gardening here. We kicked around the idea of forming a club to help new residents and others who wanted to learn about proven techniques that worked in the desert region. Each of the four of us had been active in some of the many volunteer groups found in Borrego and really didn't like the idea of any oranizational structure...so we just went ahead and formed a club without any dues, officers, minutes or any other formal structure! Each year, the four of us talk things over and, decide, with input from the other gardeners, and put together the agenda for the next season. We have one meeting, October thru March on the second Friday of the month at 10 a.m. People bring their own chairs, dress for the outside, bring their own water and are sure the meeting will end by 11:30 a.m. - just in time to get home for lunch! People are notified of the meetings by e-mail and the local paper. Our e-mail list now includes over 150 names!

We have had several field trips...to a worm farm, to the Living Desert, to the Dry Land Gardens, to other places of interest, but most of our meetings have been held at local private gardens, local nurseries and growing grounds, citrus groves, golf courses, the Nature Store, vegetable patches or any place else we can think of. Professionals have talked to us about irrigation, landscaping, pruning, native plants, mulching, fertilizing, water conservation, water requirement of plants, use of native plants and many other topics.

Last year, our first meeing was a joint luncheon, show-and-tell meeting with the Art Guild showing off how creative gardeners and artists are thinking up gifts for the holidays. It was a lot of fun and well attended. I guess it is now a tradition and a good one, too, because summer in the desert gives everyone time to be creative and plan great things! In fact, during summer, you can often look down the length of Palm Canyon Drive, ( our main street ) and not see another car! Like the desert animals and plants, summer is a time to hunker down, read, write, reflect on great things or enjoy doing exaclty what you want to do.


As you might guess, members of both sexes are equally interested in our club. If you live here or near-by and want to learn something about gardening in the desert, plan to attend one of our meetings - but DON'T FORGET YOUR CHAIR!

1 comment:

Pat McArron said...

This is a wonderful club to have in Borrego Springs. Keep up the excellent job. I have linked the Chamber website to yours.

A New Borrego Garden Path

A New Borrego Garden Path
New Path Under Construction, Indian Head Ranch

Pathway

Pathway
Easy to Maintain Garden Path

It's a Boojum...

It's a Boojum...
Not an Ocotillo

Boojum

Boojum
Captivating Top Knot

Colorful Vine

Colorful Vine
In a Hidden Niche

Bees and Flowers

Bees and Flowers
Mexican Lime- Bees at Work

Citrus Blossoms

Citrus Blossoms
Exotic Aroma

Ocotillo

Ocotillo
On a Cloudy Day

Four Raised Beds, October

Four Raised Beds, October
Vegetable Garden

Desert Gardening

Desert gardening...what a pastime. Natives anxious to attack with thorns, stickers or burrs - earth always thirsty - critters always a step ahead of you - dainty moths turn into hungry caterpillars - coyote eats up part of the irrigation system - birds sample one fruit at a time - gopher pops up unexpected . Yet the first carrot, pea or tender piece of lettuce, the first lime or lemon of the season, the first cactus bloom , the first bright green mesquite sprig, the first bud on a plant...all give such a feeling of delight and satisfaction. Not to be traded for anything else! (JGP)





Super Addiction

When I started the blog, I thought a few words now and then would suffice...WRONG!

A strange pattern is emerging. Seems that guilt has stepped up to bat. Now, if I don't post every few days I FEEL THAT I HAVEN'T HAD MY FIX! I wonder if other bloggers have noticed this same phenomenom.

Beavertail

Beavertail
Close-up

Borrego Dragon

Borrego Dragon
Huge New Sculpture

The Borrego Dragon Fable

IN THE EARLY DAYS, coyote walked many paths. One day, as he was pursuing his travels, he came to a very wide valley. Others warned him as he approached the valley, " You must not enter this place...NO ONE who has entered has ever returned. It is a bad place, guarded by a giant dragon, who kills all who try to pass through. To continue your journey safely, we strongly advise you to go the long way...around this evil place." Well, coyote listened, for he was very smart and often heeded good advice. However, coyote was also lazy and was often prone to use shortcuts. He figured the valley would save him a lot of time on this particular journey. He looked carefully and saw nothing much to alarm him. He decided to enter and pass through the valley. At first, he noticed nothing amiss. However, as he traveled deeper into that still, quiet place, he thought to himself, "This IS an unusual valley, for sure...I see no movement of any type and I am getting to feel a bit strange about this place." He did notice, however, some tall straight trees which had lost all their leaves and made the place look barren, indeed. OH,NO...he also noticed, under the trees, piles of old BONES... and the more he looked, the more bones he saw. He said, " I sure see a lot of bones, but I don't see any dragon...I'll bet he no longer lives here." And, with that, he heard a thunderous voice which echoed over the valley..." HAH, COYOTE! You should have listened to the advice...You are in my mouth, which IS the entrance to the valley!" Oh,oh, caught in a trap. But coyote is smart and moves quickly...as he heard Dragon's first words, he raced to one of the dead trees and, with a mighty yank, pulled it from the earth. He wedged the tree between the Dragon's jaws and as he did this, many animals of all kinds came running forth...pumas, bears, mountain sheep and more...even the smallest animals, gnats, flies, tics, bees and more...lizards, snakes, toads, salamanders and more...all ran from the Dragon's depths to freedom. Coyote watched as Dragon's jaws closed upon the sharp tree stake. He soon died and from that time to this, many of those same animals live here, in this place...and from time to time, many of the old bones and pieces of the dead trees are found here, in this very valley!

Senita Cactus

Senita Cactus
Plump and Happy

Outlaws

Outlaws
Riders View Borrego's Wilderness (photo by Jeff Divine )