HLS Set-up Continues in Earnest

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Today was a beautiful, sunny day with temperatures reaching the low 70 degrees F.  I wonder how many more days we have like this in 2016?  With our set-up window narrowing every day for the Holiday Light Show (HLS) set-up, we continue with an aggressive schedule and are achieving great progress every day.  I was running cords near the arched bridge and caught this photo above of with some nice morning light.  With impending frost likely next week, we are removing some annuals in advance for storage or for the purpose of opening up space for HLS set-up.  There is one late season wedding left on Saturday and we’ll segway entirely in to HLS tasks by the end of the month.  We had a very productive day both inside and outside with staff and volunteers.

Cindy focused primarily on gardening which included lots of watering.  While the season might be ending for some annuals, we have containers and other elements that we’ll continue to maintain.  Cindy also tidied up the front entrance garden by the Parker Education Center.  Larry watered containers and bounced between quite a few different tasks.  Big John and Bobby K. (see below) teamed up to put out more HLS lighting and John continued those efforts this afternoon.  Janice continues to put lights on obelisks and had gardening tasks as well.  I spent a half day running cords and will continue to place cords in areas where they wont conflict with our clean-up efforts over the coming weeks.

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fall color on ‘Aconitifolium’ fullmoon maple (Acer japonicum) above – woody tree (will get even more intense)

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‘All Gold’ Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) – perennial

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horsetail (Equisetum sp.) – perennial (stays green!)

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Little Lemon goldenrod (Solidago hybrida ‘Dansolitlem’) – perennial

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fall color on Tiger Eyes® golden staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina ‘Bailtiger’) – woody shrub

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Firespire™ musclewood (Carpinus caroliniana ‘J.N. Upright’) – woody tree

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Bobby K. (left) and Big John putting up icicle lights

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Our volunteers, like Bob K. and Alan (driving) above, had a busy day.  Kathy, Eva and Dave E. started cutting back and removing perennials from the sunken garden which needs to be done for HLS purposes.  They hauled out many loads of debris.  Alan, Bob K. and Gene also were removing annuals in multiple locations.  Ron R. was on raking duty and cleaned up many paths while Dr. Gredler and Rollie were out mowing.  Steve and Dick P. had a project on the roof of the Horticulture Center which should help with the winter icing problems we were having over the past couple of winters.  Dick H. ran to the dump often and Maury ran errands after picking up pumpkins for the education program.  Dick H. later worked with Jon J. and Steve L. on removing two large trees in the arboretum.  Jim H. had three RECAPPERS and the guys continued to dig up and pot up our Abyssinian bananas (Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’) for winter storage.  Peg was in to work on labels and our woody plant database.  Becky came in to re-letter a memorial bench and Dave T., Vern, Jim and Ron Y. had multiple carpentry projects.  We also saw Gary and many others today.l

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Steve J. (left) and Dick P.

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‘Wallowa Mountains’ sandwort (Arenaria sp.) – perennial

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‘Sentimental Blue’ balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) – perennial

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‘Ozawa’ ornamental onion (Allium thunbergii) – perennial

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fall color is starting on Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) – woody vine

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shredded umbrella leaf (Syneilesis aconitifolia) – perennial

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fall color is looking nice on many sumacs (Rhus sp.) like the one above

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‘Cimmaron’ lettuce (Lactuca sativa) – annual in the Heirloom Garden

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fall color on Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) – woody tree

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seeds forming on saucer magnolia (Magnolia soulangiana) – woody tree

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dahlias are still looking attractive (for visitors and pollinators alike!)

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our garage still has plenty of HLS items in storage but there are less every day!

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