The Orinda Garden Club’s plantings of Narcissus ‘Golden Dawn and Earlicheer’ bring springtime to the median bordering Camino Pablo.
In 1557, Thomas Tusser wrote, “Sweet April showers / Do spring May flower,” and it’s still true.
The Orinda Garden Club (OGC), never afraid to dig in and get to work, has created a four-seasons triangle filled with sun-thirsty, drought-tolerant plants visible to drivers waiting for traffic to move on or off Camino Pablo to Highway 24.
Currently glorious yellow and white blossoms of Narcissus species, ‘Golden Dawn’ and ‘Earlicheer’ peek out from deep green leaves. Most people enjoy springtime daffodils but did you know they are not just a pretty face? They deter moles, gophers and rabbits. Even better, they thrive on our existing climate preferring no summer water and proliferate, well, like rabbits.
Completing this carefully planted triangular median was no mean feat as it is owned by Cal Trans and came with some tough provisos. According to OGC President Cathleen Sodos and Past President Margie Murphy, Cal Trans informed them that since no irrigation was possible the plantings had to be chosen with great care for drought tolerance. Water trucks will be used while the plants are becoming established over the hot summer months. After the first season they will need little supplemental water.
Garden Club member Shari Bashin-Sullivan and her husband, Richard, conceived the plan and Enchanting Planting, Inc. installed the plantings. All this was made possible because of the foresight of Louse Diracles and Marlene Hallenberger, co-chairs of the 2017 “Tea in the Garden” tour. They ensured that some of the tour proceeds went to this project.
This year’s tour – “Spring Garden Stroll” – takes place May 9, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features five gardens. Tickets are $50. For details, go to https://orindagc.org/tour/. To learn more about the Orinda Garden Club go to https://orindagc.org/.
