On Saturday, Jan. 5, about 60 volunteers of all ages came out to help the Sacramento Rose Society with its annual pruning of the McKinley Park Rose Garden in East Sacramento.

Kent Duncan, president of the Sacramento Rose Society, says having that many community volunteers come out to learn how to prune the roses was a big help since it’s a large job. “There’s 1,100 roses there, so it takes a while to prune and having that many people was wonderful,” he adds.

And Ellie Longanecker, a UC Master Gardener and consulting rosarian with the Sacramento Rose Society, had an additional 65 volunteers through the Sacramento Sheriff’s alternative sentencing program help with the pruning on New Year’s Eve as well.

Longanecker says an event like this can help show the community how all their hard work right now will be rewarded in the spring. “One of the reasons this garden can be organic — as in no pesticides or fungicides – is because the winter prune (cleans) out the garden and (gets) all the leaves and debris so it doesn’t over-winter,” she explains. “That really encourages a nice healthy spring.”

Get Growin’

Longanecker is the main contact between the Society and the McKinley Rose Garden, and has been working on improving the garden since 2009. She says the Society was asked to help restore the rose garden as the roses were declining.

After working with neighborhood community organizations such as Friends of East Sacramento and MENA (McKinley East Sacramento Neighborhood Association), and receiving the support of the Sacramento Rose Society’s Board, Longanecker says she took a proposal to the City of Sacramento to improve the garden. Ultimately the City decided to initiate a major restoration of the garden, Longanecker says, and funded $350,000 to pay for a new irrigation system, hardscape and sod.

Once the improvements were finished – including the planting of hundreds of purchased and donated roses – Longanecker says the McKinely Park Rose Garden was reopened in March 2012.

Longanecker says she is continuing to work on the rose garden, such as replacing stakes for “rose trees” she has planted, plus they plan to restore the antique water fountain monument and add another to the garden. And now the garden is also under the care of Friends of East Sacramento, who have hired a professional gardener and is managing renting the garden for weddings and other events.

“How the rose garden has come together has really exceeded any expectation that I had for it,” Longanecker says. “It’s just incredible what’s come together with the Friends of East Sacramento in conjunction with the Sacramento Rose Society, the Parks Department and the community … to make that whole thing happen. It’s really positive and that’s really what a club is all about.”

The 2013 All American Rose Selection winner pink Hybrid Tea, named "Francis Meilland." Five of these roses are on display at the newly-renovated McKinley Park Rose Garden, and some will be available at the Sacramento Rose Society's annual fundraiser and rose auction on February 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the Shepard's Garden & Arts Center at McKinley Park.

Budding In

So just who is the Sacramento Rose Society?

Duncan says the Society, which has been around since the 1940s, is a group of about 80 members who enjoy growing roses and educating the public about growing roses.

He says the group meets the second Thursday of each month at the Shepard Garden & Arts Center at McKinley Park. All meetings are open to the public, and each has a lecturer to talk about specific rose growing topics.

Longanecker says the January lecture will be on pruning, while the February meeting will feature the club’s rose auction. “We have some beautiful roses to auction to the public … it’s stuff that you sometimes can’t get at a nursery,” she says.

In addition to their monthly meetings, the Society also holds annual Rose Show the last weekend of April, also at the Shepard Center. Duncan says it is an exhibition show and anybody who wishes to enter can do so, or they can bring in roses for identification or learn more about rose care and growing. “It’s a great show to go to look for roses that you might be interested in, either in terms of the style of the rose or color, (and) it’s a great place to identify and look for things that you would like to have in your garden,” he adds.

The Society also has a number of volunteer certified rosarians that Duncan says anyone can call for help or advice with their roses. A list of rosarians by area can be found on the Society’s website,  HYPERLINK “http://www.sactorose.org/sacramentorosesociety”www.sactorose.org/sacramentorosesociety. “The consulting rosarians have to pass a test to get that designation so that they have the expertise to answer the questions,” Duncan explains. “They will either help you over the phone or come to your house and help answer questions about roses.”

Make It Blossom

With the Sacramento Rose Society doing so much to help the Sacramento community, what can community members do to help their efforts?

When it comes to the McKinley Park Rose Garden, Longanecker says the community can help support the garden through booking events, the adopt-a-plot program, and financial donations. She adds they will soon be looking for volunteers to help in April with “dead heading” – removing blooms past their prime to encourage the flower to bloom again.

For the Society itself, Duncan encourages anyone with an interest in roses to consider coming to an upcoming meeting. “That’s where you’re going to learn the most – you’ve got very experienced rosarians at the meetings that can answer questions, plus there’s usually a topic at each meeting that has something to do with the care and culture of roses,” he says. “That’s the best way to truly make sure you’re getting good information and get your questions answered.”

And Duncan says they are hoping to attract young people who are interested in roses to help add energy to the Society. “We’re trying to let people realize roses are not difficult to grow and they don’t have to take a lot of time – there’s a lot of newer roses that are great for in your yard and don’t require a lot of time,” he says.

Longanecker agrees, and says she was pleased to see the number of younger volunteers at the annual pruning, as well as volunteers that come during the year from area schools and groups. “We need to foster a spark and enthusiasm and love of gardening in a younger generation … it’s really important to help encourage them to be the gardeners of our future,” she says. “I don’t want to see the enthusiasm or passion for gardening go by the wayside.”

The Sacramento Rose Society meets the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Shepard Garden & Arts Center, 3330 McKinley Blvd., in East Sacramento. For more information, visit  www.sactorose.org/sacramentorosesociety.

To book a wedding or event, or adopt-a-plot to help with the ongoing expenses for maintenance for McKinley Park Rose Garden, call 916-452-8100.

The volunteer group Friends of Jensen Botanical Garden was asked by the Carmichael Recreation and Park District to restore/rejuvenate Charles C. Jensen Botanical Garden and since January 2004, when FJBG went into action, the volunteers have logged more than 6,051 hours clearing ivy, privets and bramble, replanting existing beds, adding a few new beds, installing 11 new metal benches and two wheelchair accessible picnic tables. Since December 2005, they have planted more than 6,000 tulip bulbs.

In 2013 FJBG will switch from development to maintenance mode, say volunteers. The primary tasks will be mulching, pruning, weeding and always planting more tulips.

Instead of the previous years’ monthly work days, FJBG will host quarterly work days on the second Saturday in March, June, September and December.  A fund raising plant sale will be held on the last Saturday in March.  The annual October plant sale is canceled. All funds raised/donated are used strictly in and for Jensen Garden.

Volunteer Pat Rhine said the reason for the cancellation is because gathering and nurturing plants to sell is a lot of work and the two people providing most of the plants for sale are minimally available beginning in 2013.  Based on previous sales, the spring sale should cover the annual maintenance budget for fertilizer, replacement plants, deer repellent, tulips, and more.

To Rhine, Jensen Garden is “a peaceful, lovely place that many can enjoy.”

Rhine said there are 20 names on the volunteer list and anywhere from four to 12 people show up on a given work day. Several may show up randomly to pull weeds, etc. FJBG has an annual project list to keep things on track, which you can see on www.carmichaelpark.com/jensen.htm

Rhine said plants were chosen to augment what survived from Mr. Jensen’s time and to add to what CRPD has planted over the years. Then there’s the ‘wow’ factor of 6,000 tulips that compliment the design of each bed. Other plants are chosen for their yearlong color and others for their more tactile and fragrant attributes. All, in all, it goes back to keeping with the rustic tradition set by Mr. Jensen.

The History of Charles C. Jensen

According to the website, the  3-and- a-half-acre garden was, from 1958 until 1976, the property and master work of Charles C. Jensen.  Shortly after his retirement as a produce buyer, Mr. and Mrs. Jensen moved from their home in Oakland to their property in Carmichael.

According to the website, they made many trips to Oakland to bring back plants and trees.  The property already had Oaks and Coast Redwoods and blackberry brambles.  He gradually cleared the brambles. Then he began planting the many Magnolias, Azaleas, Dogwoods and Japanese Maples, which were some of the first plants brought from Oakland.  Hybridizing, grafting and acquiring new varieties of plants, he built a garden that caught the eye of passersby.  He especially enjoyed showing visitors around his garden and opened it to parties and weddings.  He also sold plants from his lath house that was located near the Coast Redwoods.  Many of his neighbors built their gardens with plants from Mr. Jensen.

After his death, a group of friends and fellow garden club members formed the Charles C. Jensen Botanical Garden, Inc. Committee to preserve the garden.  Their fund raising efforts were successful and the garden became the property of the Carmichael Recreation and Park District in 1976.

In January, 2004, the Carmichael Recreation and Park District called for volunteers to restore/rejuvenate the botanical garden.  First that required removing knee deep ivy and unwanted tree seedlings. Each December, the Friends of Jensen Botanical Garden develops a project list for the coming year and works one Saturday a month to complete the projects.  Every year one of the projects is to plant more tulips around the large Valley Oak at the entrance to the garden. Since most of the garden’s 19 beds are completed and will only require ongoing maintenance, future projects will focus on developing formal beds of California native plants in the undeveloped area immediately behind Jensen Garden.

According to the park’s website, the Carmichael Recreation and Park District recently opened a new feature to the garden. The Nature Path for the blind and visually impaired is open to the public. “By feeling the different textures and experiencing the unique fragrances of the various plants the pathway appeals to the visually impaired and those with physical challenges,” states the site. The project was inspired by a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Jacqueline Coffroth.

Planning meetings for the Friends of Jensen Botanical Garden take place the first Thursday of each month at 8516 Fair Oaks Boulevard, 7 pm.  Anyone interested in participating in the care of this community resource is welcome to attend.  Work days are held the Saturday following the planning meeting each month from 9 am to 1 pm.

Donations for the restoration of the garden may be made to CRPD, Attn: Jensen Garden.  Funds donated for the garden will be limited to use at the garden and will not be used for other District programs or facilities.  Donations of plants may be brought to any work day.

Here are a few basic rules for visitors:  Stay on pathways, no amplified music, no bikes or sports activities allowed.

Jensen Garden is open from 8 a.m. to dusk, weather permitting, since the parking lot can flood. The garden is located at 8520 Fair Oaks Blvd., Carmichael. Photographers are required to buy a $15 photo permit at the District Office, 5750 Grant Ave., Carmichael.

For more information, visit www.carmichaelpark.com/jensen.htm

Carmichael residents came together Saturday, October 13 to improve a neighbor’s front yard while learning sustainable landscaping during a free hands-on workshop and “Garden Party.”

Part of the Blue Thumb Neighbors program, landscape designer Cheryl Buckwalter and irrigation specialist Don Smith taught participants how to replace water-wasting lawn sprinklers with more efficient ones, install in-line irrigation and plant beautiful, low-water use flowers and plants.

After the instruction, participants dug in to create a beautiful result–new irrigation, flowers and plants that are both attractive and water smart.

The hands-on Garden Party was the final element of Blue Thumb Neighbors,  a free program that teaches participants how to create beautiful, River-Friendly landscapes. River-Friendly landscaping is a holistic approach to sustainable landscaping that uses resources, like water, efficiently and incorporates practices that foster soil health, reduce waste and prevent pollution of the air and waterways.

Each of Carmichael’s 58 participating households received a free at-home consultation on efficient watering sponsored by the Carmichael Water District, as well as resource kits and education during three September workshops on sustainable landscape design, efficient watering and selecting beautiful low-water use plants. Two participants won weather-based “smart” irrigation controllers donated by Rain Bird and Hunter for completing all program components.

During the program participants learned that more than 60 percent of a household’s water use occurs in the landscape. Of that, it’s estimated that more than 30 percent is wasted due to overwatering and evaporation. They learned how to program their sprinkler systems to deliver just the amount of water plants need and about low-water use plants that are especially suited to thrive in the Sacramento region. Volunteer instructors included Buckwalter of design firm Landscape Liaisons, Smith of the City of Folsom and Ellen Zagory of the U.S. Davis Arboretum.

“Carmichael Water District is thrilled by the number of participants who embraced this truly valuable program,” said CWD Public Information Officer Chris Nelson. “Our water use affects the beautiful American River and our local streams that help make Carmichael unique. When we use more water in our landscape, we leave less in our waterways to support fish, plants, wildlife and recreation.  Blue Thumb Neighbors teaches us how to be good stewards so there is enough water for all.”

Blue Thumb Neighbors is sponsored by the Regional Water Authority, which includes 22 water providers in the Sacramento region, including Carmichael Water District. The program was offered in partnership with the Carmichael Creek Neighborhood Association.

For information about bringing Blue Thumb Neighbors to your community, contact your local water provider or Blue Thumb Neighbors Program Coordinator Christine Kohn at 916-944-1631.

When my husband Adam and I first moved into our home last summer, we had grand ideas about what we should do with our front and back yards. He is an intern architect, so he has access to computer programs that facilitate all of our planning. But planning is just the beginning and now I feel overwhelmed after visiting the garden tended by Sacramento resident, David Roberts.
Roberts is an environmentalist who draws on nature for inspiration. He is a professional landscaper by trade, so I shouldn’t be too hard on myself when I look at the Bermuda grass that blankets my front yard. I’ve heard time and again that lawns suck up so much water, so I’d like to get rid of that one day and plant an orchard of fruit trees, which is easier said than done, I know.
When I found out that Roberts used Round-Up to get rid of his Bermuda grass back in 1987, I realized even the most environmentally friendly people use that stuff I’ve heard called many bad names.
Even though our hottest days are probably gone for the year, Roberts said there’s still some opportunity to get to “ground zero” if I want to get rid of my crummy lawn. He added that it’s actually a good time if you want to get started. “Planning as you get into the cooler season is great, because the soil is warm still, but the temperatures begin to moderate and the plants are able to be under less stress.”
This is good news because as I learned from Dave Tamayo, environmental specialist for Sacramento County, no matter what kind of plant you get, if you put it in a place not too healthy, it will be stressed and won’t be able to fight off chemicals such as the Round-Up I’m about to purchase.
Tamayo is an entomologist, or as I’d like to say a bug expert, who explained that most bugs in your garden aren’t necessarily bad bugs. And, Roberts teaches a Green Gardener course in West Sacramento (which is now underway). He’s trying to change the minds of professionals.
“(They) think they know the industry, which from their perspective, they do, but we’re trying to bend their minds into new practices and change the way things are done a bit,” he said. That is, he’s trying to get people to be more environmentally friendly.
Tamayo and Roberts are both advocates for River Friendly Landscaping guidelines. There are seven of them that I need to remember as we undergo this major landscaping transformation.
One includes water conservation – which by getting rid of my lawn will eventually get me there. That is the foot in the door, as Roberts says, but it’s still just one piece of the pie.
Another is to create a healthy soil. Roberts said native plants don’t always need a lot of fancy nutrients, but when you have an old garden that may have been doused with fertilizers, you will have to rebuild the health of the garden.
“We’re taking a lesson from nature, instead of from man,” he said. “We invented fertilizers, which helped us with our crops, but on the other hand, we also ignored the natural systems, and, in some cases, helped to deteriorate them through chemical use.”
Roberts explained that the soil food web is all the microorganisms: fungi, bacteria, bugs, that all create soil structure. Just by having organic matter as mulching, he said, begins the process because the mulch gets deteriorated and it’s taken into the ground by certain organisms.
OK, but how can you differentiate between good bugs and bad bugs? That was my question for Tamayo, who chuckled a little before simply stating if you see bugs damaging your plants, those are the bad ones. Then he threw a wrench into the logic and said if your plant is having a problem, you need to be sure you know what’s causing it. I guess you could think bugs are killing your plants when something else is.
Tamayo said people apply insecticides to lawns, even though in California insects are rarely the problem to them. There are a bunch of tests you can try on your lawn if you think bugs are ruining it. (See http://ucipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/parasitesinsectcard.html for more on that.)
Fortunately when you do have lawn insects, a lot are susceptible to nematodes, or micro worms, that can harm the insects that are damaging your lawn. I understand you have to be good at following directions if that’s the route you go as they are susceptible to drying out, not to mention, expensive. Tamayo said rather than killing the insects, the nematodes give the insects a bacterial disease, turning some insects red.
I feel like I’ve learned a lot about environmentally friendly gardening, but am nowhere closer than I was before. Well, Roberts did at one point during an interview call his plants his children and, at another, said that not all his clients want to tend a garden — they want a landscape.
Maybe that’s more my style. I’d love to be all Zen and take the 10 minutes a day to unwind by tending the garden, but shoot, it’s going to be dark by the time I get home.
If I ever get to that point of Zen gardening, I plan on incorporating all of the river friendly landscape guidelines: Water conservation, soil health, water and air quality, landscape locally, wildlife habitat, less to the landfill, and conserve energy. Read more: http://www.msa.saccounty.net/sactostormwater/RFL/
And I’ll remember to water only between the hours 4 p.m. and 7 a.m. For spring through fall, odd number addresses water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Even number addresses water on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. During winter, watering is only allowed on Saturdays or Sundays.

editor@valcomnews.com

How many times have you walked past a home garden overflowing with ripe fruits, luscious berries and leafy vegetables, wishing you could sink your teeth into just about everything?
Soroptimist International of Sacramento, Inc. (SIS) is giving you the chance with the 2nd annual Edible Gardens Tour. The tour will take visitors through six different edible gardens in East Sacramento.

Get growing
Susann Hadler, who has lived in East Sacramento for more than 30 years and chairs the Fund Development Committee and Edible Gardens Tour for SIS, said an edible garden is balanced landscape that combines edible plants, such as fruits and vegetables, with purely ornamental plants.
“You’re incorporating plants that you can actually eat into your landscaping,” she said.
For example, one of the gardens on this year’s tour is the home garden of interior designer Amanda Fossum.
Fossum was inspired by the Edible Gardens Tour last year to not only do more with her garden, but also become part of the tour this year.
“I thought if we could show what we’ve done in just two years of owning our house, it would encourage other people to start their own gardens or even be on the tour themselves next year,” Fossum said.
Fossum’s garden includes a covered patio, fire pit and raised beds made from recycled cedar and redwood. It also extends from the backyard to the front.
For the second year of their garden, Fossum said she and her husband decided to “double down” and plant as much as they can. The garden’s bounty includes four different fruit trees, zucchini squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, two different varieties of tomatoes, lettuce, herbs, peppers and cucumbers.
Another garden on the tour this year will feature what Hadler called a “sustainable English cottage garden.”
Hadler said the home itself looks like an English cottage with gardens in both the front and backyards featuring sunflowers, artichokes, tomatoes, beans, strawberries and blueberries. And then there’s a more whimsical garden that features a two-story chicken coop and raised beds for growing vegetables and herbs.
Also on the tour for 2012 is the Science Alive garden at Theodore Judah Elementary School, which features edible gardens, native plant gardens and a butterfly pavilion.
“What they have done is amazing – they’ve really taken science out of the classroom and put it in what you could call a living laboratory,” Hadler said. “They’re excited about being one of the featured (gardens).”

Coming up green
Although edible gardens are the focus of this event, the main purpose is for SIS to raise money for its philanthropic endeavors. SIS is a service club for professional business women whose mission is to improve the lives of women and children.
Last year, Hadler said their first-ever Edible Gardens Tour saw about 600 attendees and raised almost $10,000 for the Guardian Scholars Program at California State University Sacramento.
The program provides a campus-based program to support current and former foster youth successfully complete a college degree. The funds raised also went toward scholarships SIS gives out each year to high school and college students.
This year, funds raised through the Edible Gardens Tour will again go toward scholarships, as well as two main charities, Hadler said.
The first is the Children’s Receiving Home Independent Living Program for Foster Youth, which Hadler said focuses on helping foster youth become independent members of the community once they become young adults.
“There are programs that they go through that guide them on such things as renting an apartment, how to go to the DMV to get your driver’s license, and how to make sure you’re getting the right cell phone contract,” Hadler said.
The second charity is the Lilliput Children’s Services Emergency Kinnect Program.
Hadler said this program provides clothing, toys, formula and diapers to children to have been removed from a home due to an emergency situation until they can be placed in a stable environment.
Fossum said she is proud to be a part of this year’s Edible Gardens Tour to help support SIS in its fundraising efforts for others, and she benefits as well.
“I’m considering opening my own small business right now, so in terms of having other women in the community as a support network, I think it’s a great organization,” she said.

corrie@valcomnews.com

About 60 percent of the world’s population does not have access to fresh drinking water. By making simple changes, everyone can make a big impact on water consumption.
This concept was conveyed at a water conservation workshop presented by the city of Sacramento Department of Utilities Water Conservation Office on July 14 at 2260 Glen Ellen Circle.

Vincent Smelser, water conservation specialist for the city of Sacramento, began the morning by explaining the city ordinances in effect to save water. Smelser let folks know there are many ways to save on their water bill. He pointed out enforcement comes in the form of citations and fines can get up to $500.
Water use around the home
Smelser suggested when washing the car, use a shut-off nozzle. Running hoses are no longer allowed, he said.
Another way to save on water is sweeping the patio or sidewalk instead of hosing it down.

Smelser said per city ordinance, the only time water is allowed for cleaning a sidewalk is if there is an unsanitary event, but to be careful not to wash animal excrement or chemicals into the gutter, that also constitutes a fine.
When to water
Watering is allowed between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. For spring through fall, odd number addresses water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Even number addresses water on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
During winter, (when daylight saving time ends) folks are allowed to water only one day a week, either Saturday or Sunday.
Smelser said often times improperly functioning sprinklers waste a lot of water.
Another water waster are older toilets. The city has a rebate program up to $100 for toilets installed prior to 1992. The city also offers free showerheads and aerators for the sink.
On average a person saves 25 gallons of water the first 10 minutes of their shower using a water saving showerhead, he said.“The courthouse on Bicentennial Circle saved 300,000 gallons of water a year just by replacing the aerators,” Smelser said. “Just by using a water efficient toilet, one can save 12,000 gallons of water a year.”
City services
The city of Sacramento makes water-wise house calls for folks within city limits. A trained water conservation specialist will visit the home or office to identify potential water savings both inside the home and outside. If needed, the city will analyze and make suggestions on how to improve the soil, keeping water costs down.
Smelser said the city is able to identify leaks through smart meter technology. The water department is able to tell by looking at a residential water bill online where the leaks are located. Consumer’s now have the option of looking at their bill online to see where their water is being used most frequently.
Watering methods
Smelser demonstrated various methods used for watering; spray, hose and drip. The city provides information on the best watering system for different types of landscapes.
Smelser said to keep sprinklers in good repair. There are proper designs to keep sprinkler heads from breaking. Pop ups should be even with the ground. A good timer is essential to saving water.
“Seventy percent of water goes to landscaping in the summer, and switches to bathrooms in winter” Smelser said. “27 to a 1,000 gallons of water per irrigation is used for a typical landscape.”
A water-efficient yard
David Campbell, Siegfried Engineering and designer of the city of Sacramento’s water efficient demonstration garden, gave a presentation discussing drought tolerant plants, shrubs and grasses used for landscaping. He also discussed efficient ways to design yards and water saving irrigation systems.
Campbell, a licensed landscape architect, said when designing a landscape around saving water, there are specific things to think about.
The function and design of outdoor landscaping, turf alternatives and how efficiently the water is delivered are important in designing a water saving landscape.
“When thinking about what your yard is used for, turf is not the only answer,” Campbell said. “Grass is the cheapest, but not the most water efficient way to landscape a yard.”
Landscapes may include gardens, a place to escape to, or a place to attract birds and butterflies. Campbell said often yards are used for screening or buffering the home from busy streets and noise.
Types of plants
Campbell discussed a variety of plants, ornamental grasses, shrubs and groundcovers that are drought tolerant. He said some landscapes change throughout the year with the seasons and some folks enjoy seeing their landscape change.
There are many types of grasses that do not need constant mowing, watering, aerating, or fertilizing. He said ornamental grasses are not meant for foot traffic.
“A group called WUCOS (Water Use Classification of Landscape Species) now has empirical data on how much water certain types of landscapes use,” Campbell said. “The information can be accessed online through the University of California Extension.”
The irrigation system
Campbell explained there are different types of conversions kits people can use to update and improve their irrigation system. In general, overhead sprays are 30 to 55 percent efficient, rotators and rotors are 65 to 75 percent efficient, bubbles and micro sprays are 80 to 85 percent efficient and drip is 85 to 90 percent efficient.
All who came to the meeting left with buckets full of free goodies to improve water use in the home and information on how to conserve water with an efficient landscape.
For more information on water savings, visit www.cityofsacramento.org/utilities or call 311.
sally@valcomnews.com

City of Sacramento Councilmember Sandy Sheedy invites the public to the grand re-opening of Jack Rea Park on Saturday, Oct. 23 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. A dedication will be held at 1:30 p.m.

Rea Park in North Sacramento bears the name of the late Police Officer Francis “Jack” Rea, who served his community well until his untimely death in the line of duty in 1954.

The Jack Rea Park was transformed from a small, sterile grassy area into a children’s colorful bug themed playground with lady bug sculpture, and other bug spring riders, and a vivid butterfly shaped shade canopy.

The park includes a butterfly garden with a butterfly medallion centerpiece and educational interpretive panels, and is planted with low water-use flowering perennials, shrubs, ornamental grasses and flowering trees which attract butterflies. In addition to durable picnic tables, benches, and park signs, there is a memorial dedication plaque to Officer Jack Rea.

The park’s makeover was made possible by funds from SHRA and a grant from First 5.

Jack Rea Park is located at 355 Redwood Avenue, corner of El Camino and Grove, in Sacramento.

The Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church, a church with roots dating back to the 19th century in the capital city, will be holding its 40th annual Asian Food and Cultural Bazaar on Saturday, Oct. 2.

Rich in flavor, tradition

The event, which begins at 11 a.m. and continues until 3 p.m., will feature a variety of Asian food cooked on site such as teriyaki chicken, sesame chicken, udon, Korean short ribs, kahlua pork, chow mein, sushi, and manju (Japanese confections).

Additionally, the event will include children’s games and free entertainment, including performances by the ukulele group, ACC Pocket Pickers, Sacramento Taiko, guitarist Mark McLean, and the hula group, the Ohana Dance Group.

Guests of the bazaar will also have the opportunity to purchase nursery items and handmade crafts created by the church’s Boutique Committee.

The bazaar is undoubtedly one of the church’s richest traditions, since the church, which is located at 6929 Franklin Blvd., was founded in June 1968 and the bazaar was first held in 1970.

But as previously mentioned, the church has roots dating back to the 19th century, thus in many ways, it is much older than the 42 years that it has operated on Franklin Boulevard.

A tale of two churches

The formation of the Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church occurred as a result of a merger between the Pioneer Methodist Church of Sacramento and the Florin Japanese Methodist Church.

Pioneer Methodist Church 

The older of these two churches is the Pioneer Methodist Church, which according to the book, “A Centennial Legacy: Historyof the Japanese Christian Missions in North America,” was the third oldest Japanese Methodist church in the United States.

The roots of the Pioneer Methodist Church, which was originally known as the Japanese Methodist Church of Sacramento, date back to about 1891, when ministers from the Japanese Methodist Church in San Francisco traveled by riverboats to Sacramento, where they conducted worship services and roadside preaching for local Japanese residents.

The congregation gathered in a house at 510 L St. with its first appointed minister, the Rev. Sotohichi Kihara, in February 1892.

The following year, under the direction of Superintendent Harris, the church was formally organized.

According to an historic, translated record of the church, which at the time was referred to as the Japanese Methodist Mission, its members began meeting at 903 D St. in December 1893.

In 1895, the church relocated to 310 M St., where it remained until 1908.

The church held its services at 417 P St. for the following decade and in 1918 moved to its longtime site at 331 O St. A new church building was dedicated at the O Street site on March 4, 1951.

In 1954, the former Japanese Methodist Church of Sacramento was renamed Pioneer Methodist Church.

Florin Japanese Methodist Church

Although it was not as old as the Pioneer church, the Florin Japanese Methodist Church had a long history of its own.

The history of this Florin church began in 1913, when Dr. H.B. Johnson worked with Japanese community leaders to establish Christian work and a Japanese language school in the town of Florin.

In 1915, the Florin church’s first appointed minister, the Rev. Raiichi Minabe, was appointed and a two-story building was designated for the church and school.

The following year, a sanctuary was constructed for the Florin church, which began with seven members and seven children. A multi-purpose hall was added in 1927.

Despite the Japanese internment as a result of Executive Order 9066 in 1942, both churches resumed their operations in 1945.

These churches continued their services and other activities for the following two decades.

WWII internment contributed to merger

In the 1960s, efforts to merge this pair of churches began, as the Pioneer church was being forced to relocate due to city redevelopment and the Florin church’s membership numbers had dwindled.

Tom Kushi, who was born in Florin in 1924 and graduated from Elk Grove High School in 1942, three days prior to the internment, said that a contributing factor to the Florin church’s attendance woes was due to the internment.

“Most of the membership didn’t come back to Florin (following the internment),” said Tom, who was raised on his father Shonosuke Kushi’s farm at Stockton Boulevard and Gerber Road.

Tom said that less than a dozen former Florin church members are living today.

Among these former members is Sam Kashiwagi, who was raised on Stockton Boulevard, along the former Highway 99, about a mile south of Florin Road.

Kashiwagi said that the Florin church originally met in a structure at Florin and Pritchard roads – across the street from today’s Buddhist Church of Florin – that was connected to a parsonage. He added that a community hall was built on the site about 10 or 15 years later and by about 1958, a new parsonage was built just south of the hall.

Efforts to locate a home for a new church ended when the Merwin Memorial United Methodist Church at 6929 Franklin Blvd. dispersed and the Merwin church’s four acres of property and its small building was obtained by the Pioneer and Florin churches for $1, plus the payment of the Merwin church’s debts.

The acquisition of the Merwin church and property was aided by a recommendation by Merwin church pioneer members, Eugene and Marion Drown.

Bill Taketa, who managed the Bank of America at 1515 Broadway and served as the church’s treasurer, said that a considerably large cost of the new church was the addition of a $20,000 parking lot.

The Japanese United Methodist Church

The merger, which occurred in June 1968, allowed the Pioneer and Florin churches to officially meet together as the Japanese United Methodist Church.

Initially, the then-new church met in the sanctuary within the site’s small building, but through the assistance of many of its members who helped to lower costs, a new sanctuary and multi-purpose social hall was completed in 1970 at a cost of $250,000.

Roy Sato was among the members who helped lower the cost of the project, as he provided free heating and air conditioning labor.

Charles Kobayashi, a member of the church’s history committee and a former member of the Pioneer church, said that the preservation of the church’s history is an important endeavor, which includes a current project to translate about 12 volumes of handwritten Pioneer church journals. The journals were written from about 1892 to about 1940.

The church’s pastor, the Rev. Motoe Yamada, who was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, was the daughter of a Buddhist monk and became a Christian in the 1990s, said that it is important to remember the church’s history and its early members.

“I think it’s wonderful that we have such a rich history,” said Yamada, who attended the University of Toledo in Ohio. “We don’t want to forget that, because of the Isseis and what they went through and their experiences coming over all the way from Japan and being Christians and of course, second generation (Japanese) born here who experienced internment camps. Now we have third, fourth, fifth generation (Japanese) and we are becoming more mixed. I always want to make sure we learn from the history, so we will never forget how faithful those first and second generation (Japanese church members) were and the legacy they have.”

In honor of the Issei Japanese, church members created a memorial garden between the old Merwin building and the 1970 structure. Last year, a fountain was placed within the garden, which is cared for by a church group, known as the “Garden Angels.” The “Angels” are led by Ed Kubo and Bob Sasaki.

Yamada said that in appreciation of members of the former Merwin church, a special ceremony will be held at the recently renovated Merwin sanctuary on Sunday, Nov. 7 at about 11:45 a.m., following the 10:30 a.m. worship service in the larger sanctuary.

Yamada emphasized that in addition to the importance of remembering the roots of the church and its early members, it is also important to stress that despite its name, the Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church is very much a multicultural church.

“We are becoming more and more multicultural,” Yamada said. “We have a Japanese-speaking ministry, but almost everything is done in English. And regardless of a person’s age, race, gender or ethnic background, everyone is invited.”

And like the church’s Sunday services, the community is also invited to attend the Asian Food and Cultural Bazaar on Saturday, Oct. 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For additional information regarding the Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church and its upcoming events, call (916) 421-1017.

lance@valcomnews.com

The Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association is hosting its 24th annual Curtis Park Home and Garden Tour on Saturday, April 24 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Curtis Park Neighborhood.

Curtis Park reflects a remarkable collection of period houses built between 1910 and 1925 that at the peak of popularity for Bungalow and Craftsman styles. Six residences will be featured with a focus on these styles including a two-story Craftsman featured on the cover of Sacramento’s Curtis Park book by local author Dan Murphy, and a very unique home and former residence of local artist and Sacramento State University art professor Jack Ogden.

The annual tour is a showcase of each homeowner’s own creativity and enjoyment of a fine older home. Tour goers will enjoy beautiful original interiors balanced with recently updated kitchens, baths and master suites. Enjoy patios and gardens including one crowned by a massive oak tree surrounded by wood seating, decking, and used brick pathways.

Known as the “happiest day in the neighborhood”, tour goers will enjoy a lovely Spring day walking or bicycling from home to home in the shade of mature tree canopies. Relax and enjoy live music, refreshments including lunch, vintage cars, self-guided residential walking tour brochures and history displays at the north end of Curtis Park at Donner Way and 26th Street.

There will be a price break for those purchasing tickets in advance; tickets can be purchased on-line at www.Sierra2.org, or at the Sierra 2 Center, The Fringe, The Ivy House, The French Hen or Collected Works. Advance General Admission tickets are $20 ($15 for SCNA members), and day of the tour tickets are $25 ($20 for SCNA members).

The event is a fundraiser for the Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association and benefits the Sierra 2 Community Center and SCNA programs. Refreshment sales benefit the Sacramento Children’s Home, a Curtis Park neighbor on Sutterville Road.

Cook Realty returns as major sponsor. Their continued support of this fundraising event is appreciated.

For more information, call Sierra 2 at 452-3005 or visit www.Sierra2.org.

“The Home and Garden Guide” Special Advertising Section is a new publication of the Valley Community Newspapers (publishers of the Arden-Carmichael News, the East Sacramento News, The Land Park News, The Pocket News, California Kids and The Valley Shopper). This section is the landscape and home design resource in the Sacramento area.  Inside, find articles ranging from home, design, decor, architecture, garden, events, and the local community.

 

Download the April edition of “The Home and Garden Guide” here. Download the May edition of “The Home and Garden Guide” here.

 

This publication was inserted into our four community newspapers. The first publication of the section was April; the second was published in May. The April and May editions have different editorial content and were marketed as unique publications.

For information on advertising in the May edition of “The Home and Garden Guide” or any of our future special editions, call (916) 429-9901 or contact an advertising representative directly, please e-mail them at (listed alphabetically):

Melissa Andrews: melissa@valcomnews.com

Patty Colmer: patty@valcomnews.com

Marc Harris: marc@valcomnews.com

Linda Pohl: linda@valcomnews.com