| UK volunteer group tills 'Bible Path' at Jerusalem's Botanical Gardens
A group of mostly Christians from the United Kingdom on Wednesday completed a two-week "working vacation" at Jerusalem's Botanical Gardens, where they tilled the land and planted trees in the garden's "Bible Path." The unusual Israel trip, which is sponsored by the Jewish National Fund-UK in coordination with the British Friends of the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, brought a group of 14 people - ranging in age from early 30s to 70s - to work the gardens for two weeks in March, in the 20th annual delegation the group has organized over the past quarter century. The group included five professional gardeners and a mix of young and old avid amateur horticulturists whose love of gardening was mixed with a love for Israel. "I felt God told me to come," said Keith Berkley, 67, a pensioner from Worthing who is a member of the UK-based Christian Friends of Israel, an evangelical organization.
Say it with gardens, read it in books
One way Portlanders express themselves is through their gardens. The Pacific Northwest is home to a stunning variety of plants -- wild and domestic, edible and ornamental. We're even pushing the boundaries by growing things we never thought would survive here, let alone thrive -- like bananas, and other tropical plants. Multnomah County Library provides resources for growers of all levels and interests. Two books on kitchen gardening caught my eye this year: "Designing the New Kitchen Garden: An American Potager Handbook" by Jennifer R. Bartley is a stunning book, complete with garden plans, and information on integrating a vegetable garden into your landscape. It is a little more challenging than "The Art of the Kitchen Garden" by Jan and Michael Gertley, which may be a little better for the beginner.
PLAINFIELD: School receives grant for gardening program
PLAINFIELD-- The King's Daughters Day School has received a grant from the New Jersey School Age Care Coalition to continue a student gardening program for children ages 5 to 12 enrolled in the school's after-school and summer camp programs. Last summer, through a partnership among the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, the Union County Master Gardeners, 4-H and Bartells Garden Center, the Day School children had an agricultural experience raising tomatoes, cilantro and squash right on the grounds of the school on Front Street. The choice of vegetables was in response to the children's desire to grow a "pizza garden."
Jim Nichnadowicz, a 4-H agent with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension program, has agreed to mentor the group again this year and help the children grow a variety of vegetables and herbs.
Sharing his park
Terry Cone, 68, sits within a gazebo he built on land he owns next to his property. The area is casually known to neighbors as Cone Park, as it is a gathering hub for all who live on Skyland Circle. The grassy area includes a swing, rotating flower arrangements and light pole. .
Give your lawn a checkup
A new service of Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, CSU Lawncheck, is available in several counties this year. The service includes a site visit by a member of the Cooperative Extension horticulture staff and a written report with recommendations for treatment and care of the lawn. "Lawn problems are the No. 1 concern brought to Cooperative Extension offices in the counties along the Front Range and we believe CSU Lawncheck will allow us to better serve this need," said Carl Wilson, CSU Cooperative Extension horticulturist in Denver. Initially, CSU Lawncheck will be available in Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, El Paso and Jefferson counties in the Front Range, and in Mesa, Delta, Montrose and Ouray on the Western Slope. Homeowners should call the Cooperative Extension office in their county to make an appointment and then must be onsite to assist in the lawn assessment.
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