Spring is HERE....









April 28, 2007 - all day
Native Cultures: The Paipai, Kumiai and Kiliwa of Baja California
Workshop: Native Crafts

You are invited to participate in a very special workshop as Tree of Life hosts three Native American craftswomen from Baja California. The workshop is an all-day event and participants will have the opportunity to learn a craft from one of our special guests. Space is limited, please call to reserve your place. Look for more information here.

Workshop Cost: $115/person; $190/couple. Includes all materials.

May 12, 2007 - all day
Native Cultures: The Seri Indians of Sonora Mexico
Meet the Artisans

Join us for the second in our series of events featuring Native American guests at Casa La Paz. Seri craftswomen will be at Tree of Life Nursery creating and selling handmade woven baskets. This very special gathering is a great opportunity to learn more about the rich and unique culture of the Seri Indians.


May 26, 2007-11:00 am
Talk - Obsession with Butterflies!

Learn about one of the most whimsical visitors of the garden: butterflies! Kristen D'Angelo, from ObsessionWithButterflies.com, will teach participants all about our local butterflies and the native plants they love. Free event.

April 27 and 28, 2007

Tree of Life Nursery and the Native Cultures Institute (CUNA) are pleased to present an introductory evening program and a day of special workshops in indigenous culture led by outstanding traditional Kumiai, Kiliwa, and Paipai artists of Baja California. Classes are highly interactive, emphasizing hands-on learning, cooperation and fun. Participants will have the opportunity to make a basket, pot or doll, learning directly from indigenous artists in small classes. Tools and materials will be provided. A slide presentation on Native Peoples of Baja California will also be included.

Native Arts of Baja California

-Basketry (juncos, rush): finely woven traditional basket trays used for cooking, cleaning and winnowing, and vessel shapes for storage. Designs can be woven in reddish brown or black. Smaller earring or necklace shapes can be made in one day.

-Pottery: traditional paddle and anvil coil method pottery. Learn basics of clay gathering and preparation, forming, burnishing and firing pots.

-Doll making: Cloth dolls as made by our native grandmothers, each with their own special regalia.

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Friday, April 27, 2007
Casa Romantica, San Clemente
6:30pm - 8:00pm
Free admission workshop participants.
$5.00 admission for general public

Presentation - Sponsored by Tree of Life and Casa Romantica

6:30pm - Reception
Welcoming ceremony by Tushmalum Heleqatum (Hummingbird Singers) from the Juaneno Band of Mission Indians/Acjachemen Nation. Introduction, meet the artists.

7:00pm - Slide Presentation
Michael Wilken, founder, Native Cultures Institute (CUNA)
"Traditional Arts of the Kumiai, Paipai and Kiliwa of Northern Baja California"

Question and answer period and time to view and purchase artwork.
Registration and confirmation (for those pre-registered) for Saturday workshop.

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Saturday, April 28, 2007
Tree of Life Nursery, San Juan Capistrano
9:00am - 4:00pm
Cost: $115.00/person or $190/couple
Space is limited. Please reserve early.

Workshop - Sponsored by Tree of Life Nursery

A day of special workshops featuring traditional artists of Baja California:
-Kumiai juncus basketry
-Paipai pottery
-Kiliwa Indian Dollmaking

Traditional artwork and craft will be on display for sale all day to the public.
Contact: info@treeoflifenursery.com

For additional information on the people:
http://www.kumeyaay.info
http://www.kumeyaay.com/reservations/baja.html

For more details about this and other Tree of Life Spring Events, please visit our other post.

Tree of Life Nursery
33201 Ortega Highway
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
p. 949-728-0685
f. 949-728-0509

There is no doubt that this year's winter in Southern California has been particularly harsh. We "enjoyed" the coldest frost in recent memory and one of the driest years in the record books! While naturalized native plants are adapted to our arid conditions and the occasional record-breaking drought, native plants in the garden, particularly newer installations, might need a little extra care this spring.

Here are some tasks to recover from winter, prepare for summer, and enjoy that premier season in the California wildlife garden: Spring!

• Pruning. Now that nights are warmer and growth has resumed following our record cold, you may want to remove frost-damaged tips on shrubs. Resist the urge to do an extreme "spring cleaning" if you want to encourage wildlife. Nesting season is underway, and your dense shrubs and vines may already be providing safe nesting sites. Likewise, deadheading after spring flowering will make the garden look tidy, but deprive birds of fruit and seed later in the year.
  
  
• Weeding. Spring is prime time for weeds; so allot some time to pull them, preferably before they go to seed and spark the next generation.
  
  
• Mulching. After weeding, thoroughly water the ground, and place or renew mulch. Keep the mulch away from the collar of the plant. Mulch will keep the root zones cooler and conserve water.
  
  
• Fertilizing. Use slow release or half-strength fertilizer in containers. Plants in the ground may not require any supplemental feeding, but at your option a once per year feeding at half-strength may increase the flowering and vigor of your perennials.
  
  
• Watering. Know your garden and your plants' requirements. For new plantings, supplemental moisture throughout the spring will help with establishment before summer heat. For established plantings, a deep, thorough soaking every month should improve the appearance of your garden. Please take a moment to read our Sage Advice: "How to Water Your Native Plants" for additional guidance. For drip irrigation, now is the time to check the placement of your emitters on the outskirts of the root ball, to make sure they are functioning properly.
  
  
• Planting. Although fall is the best time to plant a native garden, spring is second best. It's not too late to replace that section of lawn or accent a corner with a well-chosen native beauty. Also, annual wildflowers planted from containers will provide immediate color, and may also reseed themselves for next year.

We are always available to answer questions here at Tree of Life, so don't hesitate to stop by or call us. In addition, all native plant gardeners should be aware of an outstanding resource available through the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden: The Native Plant Garden Hotline at (909) 624-0838.

Tree of Life Nursery is honored to have been presented with the Horticultural Award from the California Native Plant Society. On March 10, 2007 the State-level award was given to Mike Evans and Jeff Bohn at a CNPS meeting of chapter delegates, held at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden.

The award recognizes the Nursery's contribution to native plant horticulture for over 25 years and mentions by name a few of the plant cultivars introduced by Tree of Life. The award also cites the Nursery's active role in many conservation organizations, our appreciation for native plants in their wild homes and their appropriate uses in the landscape, our respect for other horticulturalists past and present, and our support and active membership in CNPS. The award also recognizes our contribution in educating and inspiring an ever-expanding number of native plant enthusiasts.

All of us at Tree of Life feel truly honored to have been selected to receive this award.

Image: California Native Plant Society, 2007 Horticultural Award Presentation
Dan Songster, Mike Evans, Jeff Bohn, Peigi Duvall, and Bart O'Brien, (reading the text of the award)