Monthly Archives: JANUARY 2010Tuesday, January 26, 2010 FLOCKING TO THE GARDENS
Our Feathered Friends Many of you have enjoyed watching and observing the different birds at Oxbow. One of the species of unusual geese that can usually be found at Oxbow is the Egyptian Geese. As you might suspect the Egyptian Geese is a nonnative species for the Americas. They are quite regal in appearance.The swan living at Oxbow is a species called Mute Swan. According to the website Charming Fare the description and habitat of the mute swan is: "They are a large white bird in size about 58-60 inches with a long neck held in distinctive "S" curve at rest. A distinguishing feature of the Mute Swan is the orange bill with black base and knob above their bill. Mute swans where introduced from Europe into North America, where they are a widespread species and permanent residents in many areas in the Northeast. They can be found in lakes, ponds, ... full
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 THE WINTER GARDEN
As I put the finishing touches on this month's newsletter it is midday and the temperature is 70 degrees. Was it really in the lower 10’s just two weeks ago? Gee Whiz!
 I enjoyed a walk around the garden yesterday and took some photographs. Too often we think of our winter gardens as absent of color but that’s simply not true. It is truly a great time to come visit the gardens. We have many different types of evergreen trees and shrubbery which provide a beautiful backdrop of greenery. One of the smaller evergreen shrubs is the Mahonia bealei, commonly called the leather leaf mahonia. It is a member of the barberry family. It grows to be about 4-6 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide. It has large, pinnately compound leaves with erect, unbranched, stiff stems. It is a native of China and is hardy in USDA Zones 6-9. It grows ... full
Monday, January 11, 2010 OUTDOOR AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION LEGISLATION
Hello All,
The U.S. Department of Education is working RIGHT NOW on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (aka No Child Left Behind), and they need to hear from you about the need to include provisions for pre-K through grade 12 environmental and outdoor education as outlined in the No Child Left Inside Act, sponsored by Senator Reed and Congressman Sarbanes.
It is essential that DOE hear from every one of us about the value of environmental ... full
Friday, January 1, 2010 HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010
To All the Clark Gardens Family and Friends--I wish each and every one of you a Happy New Year.
As we start this new year and decade I can't help but reflect on the past. I don't believe either Max or Billie anticipated the long term effort involved with opening up their "backyard" to the public. But they were generous enough to want to share their love of gardening and the outdoors with others. For their generosity, I know I speak for all of us by saying "thank you". Max continues to work daily in the gardens. His newest endeavor involves the development of the front 25 acres where he is building new iris beds and planting 300 new trees. His vision continues to be the guiding force for the future of the gardens. The staff, our family and our friends miss the presence of my Mother. Her grace, style and ... full
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