ENTRANCE GARDEN (1983)
The Ruth Howard Garden was installed at the west entrance of the Howard
Center. Construction of both garden and building was begun in 1981. Charter
member and third president of the Association, Ruth Howard died later
the same year. The garden and building were completed in 1983. This entry
garden became the site of her memorial service and was named in her honor.
Peter Howard, her husband and former mayor of Walnut Creek, named some
of her favorite plants to be added to the garden.
Landscape architect firm Singer and Hodges completed the plan and working
drawings. Contractor Matsutani Co., Inc. graded and prepared the site
for planting. Three large native oaks were installed with the help of
John Chamberlain from the Parks Department of Walnut Creek. A short wall
and bench with wood carvings by Charles Marshal Sayer of Alamo were added
to the front of the entry.
LEARNING
CENTER
Almost as old as the building is the patio area lying to the east. The
Pavilion and Outdoor Classroom are used for horticulture classes. They
also function as a gathering place for social events.
MEADOW
GARDEN (1995)
The relatively level location beside the Allee was prepared in the spring
of 1995 for a site to accommodate festive events, such as weddings. There
is easy access to one side of the fescue lawn where a short paved area
is provided with underground electricity and water. The rose hedge and
background greenery, and the stand of conifers higher on the hill provide
an effective screen for privacy. Also on the upslope are cape plumbago
and pittosporum shrubs. The hedge of Japanese rugosa shrub roses was planted
in the summer of 1995. This rose is disease-free and can be maintained
at any height. In the same year, the magnificent gate of redwood carved
by Thamby Kumaran was installed to add dramatic entry to the garden. Opposite
the gate across the lawn is an impressive wooden bench and a potted Japanese
weeping cherry tree which was given by Aloha Pridmore and Elizabeth Freeman.
The tree is a composite of three scions. Snow Fountain is the cultivar
at the top; the center grafted section is birch bark cherry for its attractive
shiny red trunk; and it was grafted onto hardy root stock. The dry (motarless)
stone wall was constructed by stone mason Phil Johnson.
MOTHER’S
GARDEN (1996)
Completed in 1996, Mother’s Garden honors Alice Fernley Mutz, mother
of member Helen Mortenson. A curved wooden bench is et under one of the
Raywood Ash trees of the Allee at the top of the incline overlooking the
Rose Garden. The bench in this location has made the garden a favored
resting and lunch spot.
Creeping thyme winds around the flagstone stepping stones. Behind the
bench is a row of low-growing Rhaphiolepis, and elsewhere are specimens
of violets, variegated society garlic, dwarf plumbago, sweet alyssum,
a bearded iris from Bancroft Garden,statice, St. Johnswort, and artemisia.
At the corner stands one of the yellow pillar roses. A ground-hugging
hybrid musk rose, propagated at the Lath House, covers the slope leading
down to the Rose Garden. Spring bulbs and bulbinella are being considered
for winter and summer color.
MURAL
GARDEN
Wildflower seeds were scattered over the slope below the Learning Center
Patio during the interval until 1990 when it came into being as a “mural
garden.” Its southeast facing orientation suggested to volunteer
garden builders a setting for heat- and drought-resistant plants like
those found around the Mediterranean. It would be expected to provide
a colorful design, as in a mural.
As
seen from above, the three African sumac trees in the mural garden make
a dramatic background against the Sensory Garden and Learning Patio plants.
The smoke tree adds textural interest. In midsummer the two clusters of
crape myrtles in the south and central portions of the garden provide
bright rose clouds. Towards the Butterfly Garden a red horsechestnut memorial
tree stands in the company of artemisia and verbena. Central to the garden
are several strawberry trees and rockrose. With groundcovers, the so-called
canvas was spread with snow-in-summer white flower and gray foliage with
interspersing colors provided by oleander, rockrose, berberis, verbena,
gazania, thyme, coreopsis, and penstemon.