Park visitors have probably noticed some changes in the oak grove in the southwest corner of Bush’s Pasture Park over the past year. More leaves have been allowed to remain on the ground in the fall and, now, many oaks are surrounded by larger and more deeply-mulched “tree circles.” What’s going on? Under the leadership…
Do trees talk? Trees do not seem to “talk” as we know it, by sending specific sound waves into the air. But scientists are convinced that trees communicate through a system of underground connections that rely upon fungi. Scientists say that these connections can influence how trees grow and whether they defend themselves from disease.…
What a crazy year! Now I know 2020 is not over yet, but for me, I began my first year as Volunteer Coordinator for Mission Streets Parks Conservancy (MSPC) in September 2019. And here it is September 2020. When I joined the Tuesday Gardeners in June of 2019, I didn’t realize that by September, Michael…
You may have seen Chet Zenone if you have been in Bush’s Pasture Park on a Tuesday morning. Chet’s the guy with the glasses, making jokes, and chatting with his fellow Tuesday gardeners. He’ll help anywhere, but woodworking projects are his passion. He has volunteered at the park for about five years. Chet and his…
Jim Schomaker gives us a visual tour of Bush’s Pasture Park at its spring peak in this special photo album. He captures lush scenics from the Rhododendron Hillside and around the Bush House Museum and Conservatory. While there’s always something in bloom throughout the year, spring is the park’s standout season. Jim’s photographs show you…
The recent CARES Act, passed to provide relief during the coronavirus outbreak, changes the way charitable deductions will work during the 2020 tax year: Taxpayers who do not itemize deductions when filing will be able to deduct charitable contributions of up to $300 when calculating their adjusted gross income. Taxpayers who do itemize deductions will be…
Today brings to a close the 2019 gardening season for Mission Street Parks Conservancy. Our hardy, talented and good looking band of volunteer gardeners contributed 1,545 hours to the care of the park’s 50 plus landscape beds and greenhouse plants. Over the course of this year, they planted over 100 trees and shrubs, hundred of…
The plants in this bed include: Camellia sasanqua cv. (Winter Camellia) Enkianthus campanulatus Forsythia cv. Camellia sasanqua ‘Apple Blossom’ Hamamelis vernalis ‘Lombart’s Weeping’ (‘Lombart’s Weeping’ Witch Hazel Vaccinium parvifolium (Red Huckleberry) Fragaria vesca (Woodland Strawberry) Tiarella trifoliata (Foamflower) Polytstichum munitum (Sword Fern) Maianthemum stellatum (Starry False Solomon Seal) Cyclamen coum (Persian Violet)
The volunteer gardeners with the Mission Street Parks Conservancy returned today to the corner of Church and Bellevue, where we’ve been working to improve the landscape. Last year, the team came in to weed and mulch. We returned today to remove any remaining weeds and plant some shrubs and native ground cover. Plants include an…
