The Sun Sets on Rainbows at Dry Creek: Part II

 By Jeff Bennett

In a previous post, I described planting guest irises at the Dry Creek Garden in Union City, California for the 2019 American Iris Society (AIS) National Convention and installation of the fence enclosure in late 2017. By early 2018, the winter rains brought the winter weeds. This area—having never been cultivated before—had a seed bank to die for . . .literally.

Weeds (mostly grasses) started to sprout during November and December of 2017, but they were too small to start pulling. By mid-January of 2018 they were tall enough to work with. Unfortunately, I soon discovered it took me about 8 hours to weed just one bed and the garden had 25 guest beds that all needed this attention at the same time. I reached out to the local iris societies for help.

Volunteers from the Mount Diablo and Sydney B. Mitchell Iris Societies started coming on a bi-weekly basis to get weeds under control. Needless to say, this was a daunting task. Irises were competing with weeds for light and nutrients, making a rocky start to their first growing season. Little by little, our efforts revealed irises growing in the beds and gave them room to breathe and expand.

Weeds at the Dry Creek Garden

Meanwhile, weather was warming. Irrigation lines were connected and fine-tuned to provide water as our long dry spell started. In California, rain stops falling in mid-May and often doesn’t start up again until late October or November or even later. I continued to trap gophers all summer and planned the next stage of improvements to the maze of pathways.

The planting site was plagued by Convolvuls arvensis, a horrible wild morning glory, better known as field bindweed. This herbaceous perennial has roots that go down more than 12 inches and cannot be removed completely by pulling. But, we pulled anyway to help control it. In pathways, however, we tried different materials to suppress growth: paper, cardboard and woven fabric. Of course, all three options cost money, so I decided to do three pathways with fabric. We laid it out, used ground staples to hold it in place and put a layer of compost on top to hide it. It looked fantastic afterwards. Unfortunately, the ever-persistent bindweed would come up through that staple hole: and we learned not to use fabric staples.

Woven fabric before and after adding compost

The next (and cheaper) experiment was cardboard and paper. I found a company in Colorado selling 3x500-foot rolls of recycled paper as weed block for organic gardening. They cost $99 each, but only last one growing season. The paper was bio-degradable and worked temporarily for our purpose. This was used for the remaining pathways and compost was spread evenly on top. We used over 90 yards of compost to complete the task and finished in March, 2019.

Biodegradable paper and compost installed in pathways between iris beds.

In the meantime, another winter rainy season sprouted another round of weeds to be pulled. We reached out to the societies for help again in pulling weeds among the now larger clumps and now about 37 beds. A larger task indeed, four months before the convention. I reached out to Clara B. Rees Iris Society for additional help. They wholeheartedly stepped up and joined the project. It was great to have three societies working together for a common goal. We all got to meet new people that shared our love of growing irises. 

Volunteers from three different iris societies helped reduce weed pressure at the Dry Creek Garden

 Along with continuous weeding, signage needed to be determined and placed. Since everything was new, we had no existing permanent signage for each iris. Just those little plastic tags that break or blow away. Planting lists are essential, especially when others are helping and might put a tag back in the wrong place. At this point we had about 1,200 irises in the ground and ALL of them needed a sign. I wanted something unique and easy to read. I did a mock-up of a sign, showed it to a few people, and ran with it. I used wide mouth canning jar lids purchased in bulk. I spray painted them different colors for the different classes of iris. White was for tall bearded, yellow for intermediate bearded, etc. I even did them for the beardless irises too. Then I started handwriting each one with the required details: Iris name, hybridizer’s name, year and type or seedling. Then I rigged up 36” irrigation flags and taped the signs on with extreme-hold tape. Amazing, the tape really held up well.

Iris labels made from metal, wide-mouth canning jar lids.

It was now April, 2019, and the national convention was only four weeks away. Placing the signs, coordinating table and chair rentals, tents, music, restrooms, and maintenance weeding kept me focused during the crunch time. It was also a very wet spring which was great for the irises and their growth. Excitement and hope were building. Would they be at peak bloom on time? Would there be some bad wind or hail event to ruin things? Would we be ready? All these things crossed my mind daily as we got closer . . .and closer.

Stay tuned . . . for the next installment.

Orange California poppies blooming among bearded irises.

The Sun Sets on Rainbows at Dry Creek: Part I

By Jeff Bennett

Jeff at the Dry Creek Garden establishing the iris beds

 

As you may know, it takes years to prepare for an American Iris Society (AIS) national convention. In this post, I share the story of how the Dry Creek Garden in Union City, California became a place where “The Sun Sets on Rainbows.”

In 2014, I was a fairly new Gardener at Dry Creek Garden and wanted to add to the existing irises already growing there. I remembered purchasing rhizomes from an iris society booth in Benicia in the late 1990s and thought it might be just the place to get more irises at good prices. On the second Saturday in August I returned, hoping they would again have a booth. Sure enough, some very nice ladies from the Mt. Diablo Iris Society had traveled from Walnut Creek, and I was able to purchase 25 different named varieties from their booth. While I was there, a few former horticulture classmates of mine introduced me to Shirley Trio-Probst. Shirley was preparing for a proposed convention in California’s Bay Area and was looking for a garden with room to plant up to 1,000 irises for the 2018 AIS National Convention. She gave me more details than I could absorb in 38 minutes, but I shared my thought that the Dry Creek Garden might have an area. I told Shirley I would have to ask my supervisor for permission after explaining the details to him and would get back to her.

Upon looking for places in the garden to plant these irises, my supervisor and I agreed on a good location if the convention committee thought so too. After some time had elapsed, Shirley arranged for the movers and shakers of the local iris scene to come check out the garden. None of them had been to the Dry Creek Garden before; not even then AIS Regional Vice President John Pesek or his wife Barbara who only lived a few miles away. Our meeting went well, and I was told Dry Creek would be considered (along with other locations) to become one of five display gardens for convention tours. Many more months passed without word, until we found out that Northern California would not host the 2018 convention, but the 2019 convention instead. After two other locations under consideration had trouble committing to the rules of the convention and other logistics, in fall 2015 the committee offered Dry Creek the gig.

During the 2015 Region 14 Fall Meeting, a meeting for all convention garden hosts was held. Names, phone numbers and emails were exchanged along with the planting bed rules. Beds were to be 4 feet wide and no longer than 40 feet long. Pathways were to be 6 feet wide so two people could be bent over facing each bed and taking pictures at the same time. Irises also needed to be planted in alphabetical order by name from each hybridizer. So I ran with these rules and started designing the layout of the beds on paper to best use the terrain we were dealing with.

In fall 2016, the first irises were to arrive. These were the beardless ones: Louisianas, Siberians, spurias, species hybrids and Pacific Coast hybrids. September 2016 saw the first three beds made in a patch of soil that had never been cultivated before. Lots of rototilling, adding compost, measuring bed boundaries and irrigation installation was done prior to planting the first beardless irises. Beardless irises need to be planted a year earlier than bearded irises for a convention to help get them established for a better display. This was completed and I now had about a year to get the bearded iris beds made before their arrival in fall 2017.

Preparing soil with a rear-tined rototiller for new iris beds

Installing irrigation for beardless iris beds at Dry Creek Garden

                    

The area where the bearded iris beds were planned to go was an open field. It needed a fence to enclose the area and protect it from wildlife and the public. Being a public agency, we had to get our board of directors’ approval to appropriate funds to install an 8-foot-tall cyclone fence around the area. The soil had also never been cultivated before. It was just a sloping hill of non-native grasses (weeds, to be frank) and a few California poppies poking through the smothering grasses. In April 2017, I prepared and delivered a PowerPoint® presentation to the board to show where we would be planting the irises. The presentation included fabulous pictures of irises in bloom so there was no way they could say no. When all was done, they approved the $15,000 fence.

A tractor with bucket and box blade helped us break ground for the bearded iris beds.

We broke ground for the planting in mid-July 2017, which was before fencing was installed. I couldn’t wait for the fence any longer as the bearded irises would be arriving over the next two months. First by mowing the weeds, then plowing the soil with a tractor. It was a hot and dry time of year in California, so I had to pre-wet the area to rototill for 21 beds and pathways. Damp soil made this easier but it still took days to complete.

Wooden stakes and orange flags marked the future locations of iris beds and pathways.

 

Once the area was satisfactorily loosened up, a volunteer and I went to work measuring out the bed and path perimeters. This done, we shoveled soil from planned pathways into the planned beds to raise them 6-8 inches above the path. This was back-breaking work to say the least, but two months later the beds were built. About 3-4 inches of compost was added to the top of each bed and rototilled in. Next, the initial dripline irrigation was laid onto the top of each bed, but it could not be hooked up to water until the water line was brought in and this was not completed until spring 2018. Once the dripline was installed, we were ready to plant!

Bearded iris beds in progress at Dry Creek Garden

 

Starting on October 1, 2017, the members of the Mt. Diablo Iris Society helped plant 740 bearded irises at the Dry Creek Garden. These were hand watered for the first six weeks until the period of regular, seasonal rainfall began. We also planted 46 bearded seedlings near the 37 beardless seedlings planted in 2016 as part of a unique event for the 2019 AIS National Convention. Bearded seedlings would compete for the prestigious name ‘Centennial Celebration’, and beardless for the equally prestigious name ‘Centennial Anniversary’, which would commemorate the 100^th Anniversary of AIS happening in 2020. Each attendee would cast their vote for their favorite bearded and beardless seedling during the convention. Winning the competition would be tricky as the seedling would have to be blooming on the day of the garden tour, planned five years ahead of time, between 8am and 3pm in late April at a convention host garden in Northern California. The winning bearded entry and beardless entry would be announced at the final banquet of the convention. What are the odds of it all working out?

Volunteers from the Mt. Diablo Iris Society at Dry Creek in October 2017

Mary Sindicic organizing bearded guest irises for planting.

Park Ranger Sandy carefully arranged bearded iris rhizomes along irrigation lines.

I was also carefully spacing out guest irises to ensure each had room to grow and thrive.

Riley Probst planting a rhizome in a delightfully well-prepared raised bed.

Shirley Trio-Probst hand-watering one of the 740 newly planted rhizomes.

 

During the planting, I had already begun to trap gophers. Three the first day, three the second day, then nothing. That was the beginning of over 100 gophers dispatched from the iris area over the next two years. Not a single iris was lost to gophers during that period. (I use Victor Black Box® traps, in case you’re wondering.) Once gophers were trapped, they were put out for the wildlife to eat which they gladly did. Not a gopher wasted!

For three long months after planting, there was no fence. The company that won the bid to do the work had to complete their fence project at the Oakland Zoo before they could start ours. I had many restless nights wondering if someone was pilfering irises from the Dry Creek Garden. Luckily, none were taken. Deer tasted some of them, but rhizomes were left on the ground near their planting hole and I could quickly put them back in their spot. Only one, ‘Miles of Smiles’ by Mike Sutton, was never found. The fencing company arrived to start our project on December 31, 2017; and I could finally stop worrying. Three days later, the irises were safe in their cyclonic enclosure.

Stay tuned for Part II describing the next sixteen months leading up to the 2019 AIS Convention, “The Sun Sets on Rainbows.”

Dry Creek Garden, Union City, California

by Jeff Bennett

I have been writing a series of articles about the Dry Greek Garden. In my first article, I introduced myself and my history with irises. In the second, I introduced readers to the land that encompasses Dry Creek Garden and its acquisition by the May family and then passed down to become a part of the Meyers’ estate. The third described the transition from cattle ranch to a summer retreat. In this fourth installment, I will share some of the parties that were held at Dry Creek Garden commencing in 1952 and ending in the final summertime bash in 1972.

The gatherings at Dry Creek were held to benefit the Alameda Welfare Council, which raised money for the needy in the Alameda area and still exists to this day. The Meyers sisters were very generous to local causes and loaned their ranch for the annual events for the Council which brought in thousands of dollars to help families with physical, psychological and monetary needs. They were well known not only for their kindness in helping the disadvantaged, but also for giving generously of their resources and time.

Themed parties at the Dry Creek Garden were planned well in advance of their August date. The themes varied from things like national origin, Gold Rush Days, Colonial, Victorian and the color pink. Yes, pink! For the pink party, they planted the grounds with all kinds pink flowers available at the time. I’m guessing they may have even found a pink iris or two to plant. Everything was pink, even the clothing to wear was to be pink. This made for fun times for the ladies who gathered.

During these events, a box lunch was provided with soft drinks. Booths were set up with items for sale, and many of them were hand made. Jams, pastries, fruit, clothing, and crafts were offered for sale. A nursery area sold plants nurtured by Council members. Most items were sold out at the annual events. With 400 to 700 women attending, there’s no reason why there should not be a sell out of the items.

The pictures in this article are from published newspaper periodicals in the Oakland Tribune under the sections of Women’s World and Feminine Sphere. The Alameda Times-Star also published reviews of the events under Social Whir. According to newspaper reviews, some party goers drove over 50 miles to attend the annual event and the line of cars parked down Mission Boulevard was over a half mile long. No tickets were sold at the gate—tickets had be purchased in advance. The pictures show that all the ladies wore dresses and fancy shoes. This was the highlight social event of the area every summer.

Gardens were planted and full of summer blooming flowers: dahlias, roses, zinnias, daylilies, hydrangeas, daisies, begonias, fuchsias, hollyhocks, snapdragons, petunias, and others. Events started at 11 am and ended at 3 pm. Some years, it actually rained and thundered during the event. These days, it would be quite rare for it to rain in August. During parties at Dry Creek, visitors were free to roam the approximately 4 acre site, see the fruit trees of citrus, apples, plums, almonds, avocado, peaches and persimmons. They would also play bridge or other card games. A dip in the swimming pool was also allowed for any that wanted to.

The last of these parties was held at Dry Creek Garden in 1972. Dr. Edith Meyers became ill and passed away in 1971 at 70 years of age. With Edith gone, the remaining sisters, Mildred and Jeanette, decided to donate the 1,200-acre ranch to the East Bay Regional Park District. They kept the cottage and garden as their summer home. Mildred, the architect, passed away in 1986 at age 88. In the later years, Jeanette no longer traveled to the garden as often. Jeanette, the gardener, passed away in November of 1993. In their will, the final 60-acre parcel of Dry Creek Garden was passed to East Bay Regional Park in 1995 to be preserved for the public to enjoy.

It took until 2007 to get repairs done to the cottage and property to open to the public. Thirty-five years after the last party in 1972, Dry Creek Garden was once again open to the public for all to enjoy. Today, both parcels of land are enjoyed  by hundreds of people on a daily basis. To this day, the 1,260 acres that Mildred, Edith and Jeanette donated is the largest piece of land ever donated to the 121,000+ acre park system called the East Bay Regional Park District.

In my next and final article, I will bring you to the development of the iris gardens at Dry Creek that were established for the 2019 American Iris Society Convention, “The Sun Sets on Rainbows”, headquartered in San Ramon, California

 

 

 

Dry Creek Garden, Union City, California

By Jeff Bennett

In my first article, I introduced myself and my history with irises. In this next article, I will introduce you to the land that encompasses Dry Creek Garden and its acquisition by the May family and then passed down to become a part of the Meyer’s estate.

Prior to the California Gold Rush, for approximately 2,000 years ago, Costanoan Tribes occupied the area now known as Alameda County. In 1770, there were an estimated 2,000 Natives living there. The Dry Creek Garden site was an important seasonal gathering site used by the Ohlone Village due west of Dry Creek. Here they gathered acorns from the numerous oak trees that were in the canyons.

An expedition by DeAnza, in 1776, is probably the first description of the Dry Creek area--a description of a small village without people.

Mission San Jose was established just South of Dry Creek in 1797. The Native population was in quick decline after settlement of the area. In 1840, The Dry Creek Ranch was part of a grant from Governor Alvarado of 17,754 acres to Jose de Jesus Vallejo. He was the brother of Mariano G. Vallejo of Sonoma. He grew many crops on the land surrounding the Mission including wheat, potatoes and tobacco, along with cattle, horses, oxen and pigs. Two miles south of Dry Creek, he built a brick adobe, one of six he built in the area. This one still stands today in the California Nursery Historic Park. In the 1850’s, Jose de Jesus Vallejo was forced to sell 10,000 plus acres to Jonas G. Clark for $35 per acre to meet his rising lawsuit bills. 

In approximately 1855, Dry Creek became a destination for social gatherings. A pleasure resort and picnic grounds was established.  With a growing population, Mr. Clark donated some land near Dry Creek for a school. The school was built on the road leading to Dry Creek. This is now May Road. Once a train station was established in the town of Decoto nearby, the picnic grounds were used for May Day events. With the May Day event, often lasting more than one day, planning for entertainment and food was made beforehand to handle the crowds of people that would attend.

A dance floor was constructed and the best entertainment was hired. Between the years 1870 and 1884, the Decoto Land Company sponsored these events to attract people to buy parcels of their land in the Decoto township. There were also Fourth of July events held at Dry Creek during this time.

In 1884, August May Sr., from Germany who owned a butcher shop in San Francisco, purchased approximately 1,200 acres from Mr. Clark.  His land became known as Dry Creek Ranch. He traveled each day from his home in Alvarado to tend to the ranch. At Dry Creek he planted a 10 acre fruit orchard. With this land now privately owned, the public festivities at Dry Creek came to an end, for now.

August May Sr. And his wife Sofia raised four children. George, August Jr., Henry and Bertha. In 1900, after August’s passing, Henry Meyers, Bertha’s husband, an architect, designed and built the Cottage at Dry Creek for Sofia.

This cottage became the summer retreat for the May’s family and then the Meyers’ family. Sofia deeded the entire ranch property to her daughter Bertha in 1900.

Bertha and Henry were the parent of three daughters. Mildred, Edith and Jeanette. They lived in the city of Alameda just southwest of Oakland. Dry Creek was where they spent their summers, playing on the grounds and ranch property.

Their father, Henry Meyers, worked in San Francisco during the week. During the summer residence at Dry Creek, he would travel everyday by ferry and train to be with his family.

My next article will bring forth the Meyers sisters and the establishment of the gardens at Dry Creek.....this is where some irises show up!

Information gathered here from the: Historic Landscape Report by Russell A. Beatty ASLA Landscape Architect 1996 for EBRPD.