Last weekend in March

It's the last weekend in March. We're going to have beautiful spring weather, so why not catch some park stewardship/habitat restoration on Saturday, at one of the dozens of projects happening around the Bay Area. Then, on Sunday, join NoPa Velo for a neighborhood bike ride on Sunday!

Coming up in just two weeks is our next Panhandle Park Second Saturday Work Day. Send me an email with your suggestions about what we need to work on!

In bloom near the basketball courts

Leafing out on the west end of the park

It's Spring!

Spring started with a bang and with warm, sunny weather leading up to yesterday's vernal equinox. Here are some park developments of the past week:


First shave of the year: mowing the grass. Watering, too: it's drying out fast

More maintenance by park staff on the multi-use path. THANK YOU!

New plantings, by and courtesy of the Belvedere School, at the Children's Garden around the playground

Know a cheesewood when you see one

Our work in the Panhandle yesterday centered on a thicket of trees, and with the help of McClintock's book, I identify them as pittosporum, a.k.a. cheesewoods. These trees aren't instantly all that impressive, but on closer inspection, their flowers are unique and beautiful. And they are one of the more common trees in the Panhandle - I spotted them all over today once I knew what to look for.

Different species of cheesewood produce different color flowers. Here are two of the different flowers in bloom today. Watch for thicker blooms on the cheesewoods in the Panhandle this spring and summer. And search Flickr for Cheesewood or Pittosporum for better pictures, including shots of the gooey seeds that erupt from pittosporum fruits in the summer. 

 

March vernation of our Aesculus

While many trees in the Panhandle still have their winter form (above), others are quickly leafing out. Below is the vernation (fun new word) of the leaves on the grand old tree between Shrader and Cole - I believe its genus Aesculus, of which several species, including this, are called Horse Chestnuts. Same genus as the much-loved species California Buckeye.