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Over 30 volunteers for South Pasadena Beautiful were out bright and early Saturday morning to set about planting what looked to be at least a hundred plants or more all around the South Pasadena Library Community Room. South Pasadena Beautiful put out the call for volunteers so not only did they have their usual suspects, but others from the community simply showed up ready to go to work. You couldn’t have asked for a more perfect, crisp, fall day for planting.
The landscape design was created by South Pasadena Beautiful board member and landscape architect, Anita Williams, and the plan includes new trees and an entire new landscape. The organization donated $6,500 worth of trees and plants for this planting party that took place Saturday Nov. 18. To replenish the nonprofit organization’s funds, SPB will be conducting a fundraising garden tour Dec. 9.
Board member Stephanie Payne Campbell tells us “this project has been in the works for two years because we had to wait until they finished regrading the hill in front of the community room which they did to stop it from getting flooded when it rains.” She goes on to explain “the landscape that was here was also designed by South Pasadena Beautiful in 1992, so we are following in the footsteps of our past members by going through with this project.” They have a 12 member board, all volunteers and operate on donations.
Williams says “I wanted the plants to be drought tolerant and shade loving which is a difficult mix and also they had to be available.” Adds Campbell, “because they film here a lot, the plants also had to be not super Southern California looking.” As anyone who has lived here any amount of time would know, film productions use South Pasadena all the time to stand in for east coast locations due to our east coast architecture and small town streets.
Williams continues, “I wanted it to be a little bit more formal in the design and have a less range-y look and be a bit uniformed. They are all require low water and I chose a lot of natives but the palette is also using a lot of Australian plants.” Among the dozens of varieties are Pink Australian Fuchsia, Kangaroo Island Australian Fucshia, Pink and White Coral Bells, Apricot Monkeyflower, Pacific Wax Myrtle, Apple Blossom Beard Tongue, Jerusalem Sage, Bear’s Breech and more. Stop by the Library Community Room and have a look at their beautiful work.
