The new and long-awaited Interpretive Signs have been installed in the Botanical Gardens.  The four, full color laminated signs give information on the geological context of the Gardens, the Crevice Rock Garden, the flora and fauna of the river setting and the native plants endemic to the Gardens.  The signs are placed in different locations throughout the Gardens so visitors can enjoy them as they stroll throughout the beds.

Brian Wilson, Jerry Totten and Candace Miller, Gardens’ Horticulturalist

This project was made possible through funding from the Union Pacific Foundation, Shasta Regional Community Foundation, the Don and Florence Bottega family and the many private donors to the Botanical Gardens.  This commitment to the mission of the Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens, to provide horticultural education to the members of the Dunsmuir Community and the people who visit here, is greatly appreciated.

Brian and Jerry making sure the sign is level and straight

The Gardens’ Board of Directors also wishes to thank Dunsmuir Recreation and Parks Board members, Jerry Totten and Brian Wilson, for installing the signs, Bowen Saunders who worked so hard digging the eight post holes, Linda Price of LP Designs for her design and layout of the signs, the experts in their fields who contributed the specific information for the individual signs and Gardens’ Horticulturalist, Candace Miller.

Brian adds cement to ensure a sturdy and permanent installation

The Road Scholars made their annual stop at the Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens for an evening meal hosted by the Botanical Gardens Board of Directors during their inter-generational tour of northern California on June 24th.  The Botanical Gardens Board will host another group of Road Scholars visiting the Gardens on July 22, 2014.

The children, ages 6-10, and their grandparents came from Michigan, Ohio, British Columbia, Washington and California to experience life in a true railroad town and the fun and “can-do” attitude of the “Boxcar Children” in the book series written by Gertrude Chandler. The group stayed in the cabooses at Railroad Park.  During their 3 day stay in Dunsmuir, they visited Hedge Creek Falls, Mt. Shasta City Park and the headwaters of the Sacramento River, the Mt. Shasta Fish Hatchery, Turtle Bay Exploration Park, the Dunsmuir Railroad Museum and Shasta Caverns.

After a home cooked meal of gazpacho, lasagna, rice and vegetable casserole, salad, garlic bread, ice cream and brownies, the 26 Road Scholars toured the Botanical Gardens with Gardens’ horticulturalist, Candace Miller, or played in the Children’s playground.

Road Scholar is the name of the program developed and offered by Elderhostel, Inc., the not-for-profit world leader in life-long learning. Road Scholar has enrolled more than 5 million participants in its educational adventures world-wide since its founding in 1975.

Click each photo for larger view.

Save the date for the Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens’ 25th anniversary celebration on June 21, 2015. You won’t want to to miss this very special Tribute to the Trees!

Click each photo below to view full size.

Photo by Sue Lang.

Photo by Sue Lang.

Photo by Linda Price.

Update your calendars and devices now. One of Siskiyou County’s most long-standing events celebrates its 25th Anniversary on June 20, 2015. The Board of the Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens requests your company as the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra presents its annual Tribute to the Trees concert. The meadow will be decked out in style for this very special Silver Serenade and catered supper. Only 300 dinner tickets will be available, so be sure to reserve your spot as soon as they go on sale in the spring. Grab some glam and let your silver shine for this gala summer tradition.

The Gate opens at 3:30 PM with an al fresco supper served at 5:00 PM followed by a concert at 6:30 PM featuring the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra.

Tickets for the event may be purchased soon.

Each year, our horticulturalist, Cadace Miller, updates her Wish List of special specimen plants she would like to add to the Gardens for our visitors’ enjoyment and the enrichment of our plant collection.  The plants range from a tricolor dogwood in the McHenry Bed, to a yellow rhododendron at the entrance to the Spider Azalea Bed, to a dwarf hydrangea at the corner of the Children’s Garden.  Many other special plants (native and ornamental) and their proposed locations are included on the DBG 2014 Wish List.  Prices range from $10 to $100.

If you would like to purchase a special plant and donate it to the Gardens, please contact Candace at 530-261-1371. Candace will be glad to discuss the possibilities with you!

Posted by Candace, Gardens’ Horticulturalist