Guadalupe River Park Conservancy Monthly Update

Give a Valentine’s gift that can speak volumes without a word ever being said. Traditionally roses are the expected gift, but what about a rose that will bloom the entire year and whose color represents something unique about your special someone? If this gift sounds perfect for your Valentine, look no farther than the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden! This year, your gift will have added cachet. The Great Rosarians of the World recently selected the Heritage Rose Garden as the first inductee into its Rose Garden Hall of Fame! The Heritage Rose Garden is the largest public garden in the US dedicated to the preservation of old roses. Click here for more info!

Save the Date! Saturday, April 25, 2009 Follow Us On   GRPG FlickR Group

Education
For more information, contact our Education Coordinator, Linda McCabe.

Birding Along the Guadalupe!
Saturday, February 28th
8:30 – 10:00am
Free /members, $5/non-members
Guide: Janna Pauser, Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society
Grab your binoculars and walking shoes for an early morning bird walk in the Guadalupe River Park & Gardens.  Hawks, kestrels, egrets and woodpeckers are just some of the feathered varieties we may see along the way. Leaders,  Janna Pauser and Phyllis Swanson have been birding for years, are very active in Santa Clara County Audubon Society and the local birding community.  Every year the Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens lists the numbers and species of birds seen from the Annual Christmas Bird count – this year’s record count included Hooded Merganser, Great Blue Heron and Merlin. We’ll have spotting scopes you just need to bring your own binoculars and see the amazing variety of birds just adjacent to downtown San Jose!

Seeding and Growing Warm Season Veggies!
Saturday, February 28th
11:00 – 12:30pm
$10/ members, $15/ non members
Adults
Ever wonder why, even though you plant your tomatoes early, sometimes it just seems to slow down the whole process? And why would people even bother seeding their own vegetables? Join the Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens and Master Gardener Susan Zaslaw for a fact-filled, fun workshop to kick your garden up a notch!   You will go home with handouts of lists of warm season veggies, recommendations for specific varieties and be inspired by a wide range of variety choices. Even if you don’t want to start your own seeds – you’ll learn how to select the hardiest plants from the nursery and tips for getting the best results with your transplants. Plant a few seeds to take home and start this gardening season with extra ammunition for your most successful garden ever!

And Coming in March:
Beginning Composting Workshop!
Designing, Building and Managing a Native Garden!
Spring Walking Series

Just for Kids!!
Things That Fly!

Volunteering
For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator, Lucy Perez

Free Pruning Lessons in the Heritage Rose Garden!
Rose pruning and care lessons will be offered in the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden every Wednesday, and Saturday through February 14, 2009.  Lessons will begin at 9:00 am and last until 12:00 Noon. 

Participants must arrive by 9:00 AM to be included in the day's training. We will gather in the center of the garden.  Bring leather gloves and bypass shears, if you have them, although loaners are available. We also recommend you bring a hat and water. 

The Heritage Rose Garden is located on West Taylor Street, at Spring Street, within Guadalupe Gardens.  Free parking is available on Taylor Street.  Call the Friends of  Guadalupe River Park & Gardens, Volunteer Coordinator Lucy Perez at 408-298-7657, for further information.

Team Building and Community Involvement Opportunities
Working together to make a difference in the community is a great way to build team spirit and demonstrate the values of your organization. We will work with your group to find the right project (s) for your group. Year-round, outdoor activities provide fresh air and exercise as well as team camaraderie!

Volunteer Profiles

Guadalupe River Park Conservancy Board Member: Megan Doyle Megan serves as a policy aide to Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager, focusing on regional transportation and issues affecting children, seniors, and families.  Her work with Ken goes back to 2003, when she first joined his staff on the San Jose City Council in the Council District 6 office.  A San Jose native, Megan graduated from Notre Dame High School downtown and later attended Fordham University in the Bronx, where she double-majored in American Studies and Theology. In 1999, Megan was awarded a New York City Urban Fellowship and worked for the City of New York during the Giuliani Administration.  Her love of public service was inspired by her time as an Urban Fellow, and she spent the next several years working for the New York City Board of Education, specializing in education policy and politics.

Meet Jeanette Pera Jeanette joined the Heritage Rose Garden volunteer group just over a year ago and has been a steady presence in the rose garden every week. Lucky for us, Jeanette loves gardening. In a short time, she has mastered the care of roses to the degree that we count with her assistance to supervise other volunteers in the rose garden. Jeanette was born in New Jersey, went to college in San Francisco, and has been living in San Jose for 29 years.  In her spare time, she enjoys sewing, quilting, and crocheting.  Together with an alumni group, Jeanette donates blankets, hats, and scarves to hospitals. She also enjoys babysitting her grandchildren.  We so are glad Jeanette joined our organization - we hope to keep her here for a long time.  Thank you Jeanette!