by Maryann Ridini Spencer (@MaryannRidiniSpencer)

Many people love keeping their garden maintained and seeing all their different plants and flowers bloom in the summer months. It can take some time but with the right equipment, it can be something everyone can do. If you’re wanting to take up gardening then going to your local garden center will help you find all the equipment you need. And as for electric mowers – greengrassmower has got you covered with a great comparison of all the best mowers on the market. Be sure you take a look before you buy anything! However, when you live in hotter regions, it can be hard to create a garden that fits in with the water-use regulations.

“When most people think of a stunning landscape, they tend to think of expansive, sprawling green lawns. However, these types of landscapes also consume a lot of water, negatively impacting our low reserves during the ongoing drought,” said Cari Vega, owner of A Smart Garden in Downtown Ventura. Vega taught the well-attended July 14th free gardening class, “Plant Selection for Water Wise Landscapes,” presented in partnership with Ventura Water. Gardening is beautiful as people can digest the fresh air and admire the beauty of the flowers, if you want some help with your gardening then you can check out some affordable landscape construction in Geelong, if this is where you require gardening services.

“Our city falls into the Mediterranean climate and enjoys a similar eco-climate to the West Coasts of Australia, Europe, the West tip of South Africa, and the West Coast of Chile,” continued Vega. “We’re fortunate that the variety of low-water Mediterranean and California native-plants that thrive in this environment offer quite a beautiful, bold and lush color palette.”

During the class, Vega stressed that one of the first things a homeowner should identify is their yard’s soil type. “In Ventura, we’ve got clay, sand or the ideal loam,” said Vega. “What works in mid-town Ventura, might not work closer to the ocean. Knowing what kind of soil you’re working with will help you determine the best plants to use and may even influence design elements in the garden like raised beds.”

Vega suggested that homeowners study up on the many varieties of low-water plants and “what plant goes where” at VenturaCountyGardening.com, talk to a local landscape design professional. Additionally, if anyone is looking to redesign their whole garden, after consulting with a landscape designer, they may have to look at what equipment services are available to make the dream garden come true. If the garden is going to have lots of trees or deep-rooted plants, perhaps heavy machinery should be used to create the space required for said plants.

Vega stresses creating a plan starting with the tallest planting – trees, followed by shrubs, perennials, and ground cover to ensure proper spacing so that the landscape can thrive.

To help direct water where it will be of most use, Vega suggests digging a small trench around the perimeter of the landscape as well as digging 4″ trenches around trees and filling them with mulch. If at any point, you find that you have trees that are getting in your way, or you would just like someone to take better care of the trees in your garden, then you might want to consider getting a tree surgeon to help you maintain your garden so that it looks perfect all year round.

Some suggested low-water trees that work well in Ventura: Peppermint Willow, Pink Melaleuca, Australian Willow, and Pink Mimosa.

Examples of low-water shrubs that provide a colorful backdrop include Texas Ranger, Neon Pink Callistemon, Pink Breath of Heaven, Buddleia, Protea & Grevillea.

Perennials: “Dusty Miller is a member of the daisy family and has silvery gray leaves that make for a dynamic backdrop. Everything looks terrific in front of it. Other colorful choices include Monkey Flower, Penstemon, Yarrow, Salvia, Lavender, Ivy Geranium, even herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and oregano.

Ground cover: “To get the green lushness without the maintenance and water required, opt for green varieties like Korean Grass or Thyme; neither requires mowing.”

Find out about other gardening classes, visit: venturawater.net and asmartgarden.com

As a reminder that there have been times when modesty, humility and the idea that the power of the patriarch must be limited both by the written and the oral law, Congregation Am HaYam has selected for its Book Club discussion Rabbi Akiva, Sage of the Talmud, by Barry W. Holtz

The book recounts the life and teachings of Judaism’s first great rabbi who lived during the time of the destruction of the Second Temple and fought the Romans in 135 CE. Even those who have not read the book are invited to the discussion which will occur at the conclusion of the regular Sabbath Service Saturday, August 4t,h which begins at 10 am.

Congregation Am HaYam is located at 4839 Market Street, Suite C, Ventura. There is no fee, but visitors are asked to call 805 644-2899 to make a reservation.

The residents living on Vista Del Mar wish to thank the City for the tremendous tree trimming that has been done. Trees hanging over the street and dead ones have been removed by WCA contracted by the City.

Marla Daily, President of the Santa Cruz Island Foundation, will share images and stories of the history of Anacapa Island from her new book, Images of America: Anacapa Island, during a special lecture on Thursday, August 23.

Beginning in the mid-1800s, the island served as a home for transient otter and seal hunters, Chinese and Japanese abalone fishermen and a series of ranchers. The buildings seen today on the island were built in 1932, part of the last light station constructed on the West Coast. In 1938, President Roosevelt declared Anacapa Island a national monument and in 1980, it became one of the five islands in Channel Islands National Park.

Only eleven nautical miles from the mainland, Anacapa Island consists of three rocky islets that support essential breeding and roosting habitat for seabirds, land birds, harbor seals, and California sea lions. The island serves as habitat for only one land mammal, the endemic island deer mouse, two species of reptiles, one species of amphibian, and 265 species of plants.

Daily, a University of California at Santa Barbara graduate in cultural anthropology, has spent nearly 40 years researching the history of all eight of the Channel Islands. For the past 30 years she has served as president of the nonprofit Santa Cruz Island Foundation. Her efforts in preserving Channel Islands history earned her the California Historical Society’s Distinguished Service Award.

The talk is sponsored by Channel Islands National Park to further the understanding of current research on the Channel Islands and surrounding marine waters. The lecture will take place at 7:00 pm at the Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center, 1901 Spinnaker Drive, in Ventura Harbor. The program is free and open to the public.

To learn more about Anacapa (in words and historical photos) attend the lecture and read “Anacapa Island” by Marla Daily. ISBN: 978-1-4671-2901-5 $23.99| 128 pp. | paperback

To editor:

With regard to the fire dept. response to the fire, the local fire trucks have no mechanism ie. pumps to replenish their trucks with water other than to fill the trucks from fire hydrants. Multiple trucks left the fire when their water tanks were empty, driving by multiple swimming pools that they could have used to fill the trucks if they had had proper pumps to fill the trucks. Apparently the County fire trucks have this capability. This should certainly be corrected before the next fire.

John Edison

Mr. Edison:

You are correct that the Ventura City Fire Department does not readily have the ability to “draft” or suction water from remote water sources including swimming pools. Certainly during the devastating Thomas Fire this would have seemed like a tragic shortcoming by the fire department. Unfortunately we are only able to carry so much equipment on our fire engines and for over 30 years the decision has been that the option of drafting from remote water sources did not outweigh the benefit of carrying other equipment aboard the truck.

There are many factors that weighed in on the decision including the availability of appropriate water sources, the ability to actually even access those sources and the risk vs. gain factor regarding human safety and structure defense. That being said and in light of the increasing frequency of significant wildfires in our area such as the Thomas fire, our department is actively evaluating the situation and looking into purchasing portable pump systems that can be placed at remote water sources such as a reservoir or swimming pool if available, and help supply water to fire engines during emergency firefighting operations.

As always all homeowners are encourages to maintain required brush clearance and fire resistive landscaping and building materials at their home to help combat the threat of wildfire. Additionally here are some recommended websites to help homeowners get more information to help.

http://www.readyforwildfire.org/.

http://vcfd.org/Ready-Set-Go

https://www.vcemergency.com/

Matt Brock – Assistant Fire Chief, Ventura City Fire Department

1425 Dowell Dr.805-797-8828

Do you have a question? Send it to [email protected] and we will try to get an answer.