Mary Pat is always so earnest and intense and Joan seems happy; plus,it was a good day for vendors and their customers

 

I had a million things to do this weekend but I couldn't help myself; I went to the 24th Annual Lahr Native Plant Symposium. There were great speakers, good weather, plus the opportunity to take home, for money, many cool native plants. 

Joan Feely, Curator of the Native Plant Collectgions, hosted it, as she has for a few years.Her introduction included a brief history of Fern Valley. This year Fern Valley turns 50 and for a birthday present she (the Valley, not Joan) is receiving an automated irrigation system. Joan, who is fiercely defensive of the Collections and any invasive procedure that could adversely affect the organic or inorganic components thereof, is accepting the system with aplomb and grace. 

For today's event, the sun came out for a day, between rainy yesterday and the forecast rain tomorrow, allowing for a pleasant walk through the garden where a dozen or so differnt taxa are flowering already.