|
June 2020
Earlier this month, Santa Clara County loosened Shelter-in-Place restrictions for summer camps, outdoor lessons, outdoor ceremonies, and outdoor recreation. As things begin to reopen, our volunteers and staff are hard at work planning upcoming classes and events at Gamble. Potential offerings in July include online children's classes, open-air floral arranging classes, and more, all designed with your health and safety in mind.
In addition, we are delighted to announce that we are once more taking event reservations for outdoor ceremonies and gatherings. Gamble is a wonderful setting for business rental, meetings, parties, or weddings. Booked events will have private use of the historical side of the garden, including reservations. Due to Shelter-in-Place restrictions, rentals must meet the following requirements:
- Events must have a headcount of 25 people or less
- Events must be held outdoors
- No food may be consumed during the event
- Guests must adhere to current social distancing and mask wearing practices.
Rental fee is $100/hour with a two-hour minimum. We offer a non-profit rate of $75/hour. To book an event, email rentals@gamblegarden.orgrentals@gamblegarden.org.
|
|
Virtual Tour
Rose Garden
Our rose garden features over 50 varieties of roses artfully arranged in concentric rings, surrounded by Gamble's iconic green fence. Now in full bloom, it's glorious to behold! Click on the video below to take a virtual tour of Gamble's Rose Garden.
|
|
Gardening Tips
Summer Pruning
Though winter is the most recommended time to prune, tree pruning in the summertime can be beneficial for fruit trees or damaged trees. It can also be advantageous for general tree shaping. Summer pruning maintains a tree's shape and size (keeps them small), encourages fruit on lower branches, allows more sunlight and air circulation into a tree to ripen and color up fruit, prevents branches loaded with fruit from snapping, prevents diseases and pests, and controls fungal problems in apricot and cherry trees.
In this video (courtesy of SF Bay Gardeners), Kathleen and Lisa Putnam, UCCE Master Gardeners for San Mateo and San Francisco Counties, demonstrate how to prune an apricot tree.
|
|
Recipe of the Month
Eton Strawberry Pudding
Strawberries are an essential part of many a classic summer dessert. For a sweet end to your summer barbecues, Gamble’s Luncheon Committee has shared their recipe for a dessert that’s as delicious as it easy to make: Eton Strawberry Pudding.
Also known as Eton Mess, Eton Strawberry Pudding is a classic British dessert made of strawberries, meringue, and whipped cream. The dessert takes its name from Eton College; it is served every year at Eton’s annual cricket match against Harrow School. The recipe below, taken from Gamble’s very own cookbook, “Gamble Garden Treasured Recipes”, makes things even easier by calling for store-bought meringues.
|
|
INGREDIENTS
1 pound fresh strawberries, reserve a few for garnish
½ tablespoon confectioners sugar
|
1 pint heavy cream
4 ounces vanilla meringues, purchased
Sprigs of fresh mint leaves
|
|
DIRECTIONS.
- Wash, hull and chop the strawberries.
- Put two pieces of chopped strawberries aside per serving, for garnish.
- Puree ¼ of the chopped strawberries in a food processor with the confectioners sugar.
- Pass puree through a sieve to remove the seeds.
- Break meringues into small pieces, approximately 4 to 5 pieces per meringue.
- Whip the cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Do not over whip, so it will mix well with other ingredients.
- Wash and dry the mint sprigs.
- All of the above steps can be done in advance.
- When ready to serve, mix meringue pieces and remaining chopped strawberries in a large mixing bowl. Gently fold in the whipped cream.
- Do not mix too far in advance for meringues to stay firm.
- Fold in ½ of strawberry puree to give a marbled effect. Don’t over mix or the cream will turn pink.
- Serve in bowls, garnish with reserved strawberry pieces on top. Drizzle strawberry puree and top with a sprig of mint leaves.
|
|
Around Town
Drive In Movies around the Bay Area
.
California movie theaters were given the go-ahead to reopen on June 12, but the lack of summer blockbuster offerings and reduced capacity requirements (25% capacity or up to 100 moviegoers) have made it cost-prohibitive for most theaters to begin welcoming patrons. If you've missed the full cinema experience, consider going to a drive-in movie theater instead. Drive-ins allow for social-distancing-friendly viewing experiences, and summer nights are perfect for watching movies in the open air. Here's a list of Bay Area drive-in theaters open for business:
- A group of outdoor movie enthusiasts are offering free movie screenings this summer. Park your car outside the Old Hamilton Theater Building in Novato, tune your radio to 88.3, and enjoy classic films from your car. Visit the North Bay Mobile Drive-In meetup page or Facebook Page for showtimes.
- The Alameda County Fairgrounds has turned itself into a drive-in movie theater, screening classic movies each weekend until August 1. Admission includes parking for 1 vehicle and one general admission ticket to the 2021 Alameda County Fair next summer. A portion of the proceeds benefit various organizations. Visit the Alameda County Fairgrounds website for showtimes and to purchase admission.
- The San Mateo County Fair has been cancelled for 2020, but the fairground has been converted into a drive-in movie theater for the month of June. Drive up on Friday, June 26, to munch on traditional fairground treats and watch the final movie of the series, "Independence Day". Visit the San Mateo County Fair website for rules and restrictions.
- West Wind drive-in movie theaters in San Jose and Concord have reopened for business. Cars must be parked 10 feet apart and snack concessions are closed. Go online to see showtimes for West Wind Solano in Concord and West Wind Capitol in San Jose.
|
|
Kids' Corner
Now that school is out for the summer, gardening is a great way to keep kids' minds and bodies engaged. Depending on age, they can help with watering, weeding, fertilizing, or pruning. Parents can even give kids their own special spot in the garden to grow their own vegetables or flowers. Get your kids excited to start gardening with this adorable coloring page, and use the images as a starting point for planning a summer gardening project.
If you're starting to get cabin fever, put the spade in the toolshed and get out of the house for a day! Spending time outdoors is a great way to get exercise and relieve stress in the midst of a pandemic. There is more space outdoors to spread out and maintain a safe distance from one another, and the COVID-19 virus quickly dissipates in open air. So pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the best of summer in the open air. Here are some activities to enjoy while you're out and about:
|
|
Handmade Potting Bench
Store your tools, save your back, and help Gamble by purchasing a custom-made potting bench. Gamble Garden potting benches ($500 each) are custom-built by our Gamble Garden volunteers and feature a 51" x 25" workspace plus a lower shelf to store supplies. Order online and arrange for pickup or delivery. |
|
Support Our Community
Many businesses have had to close due to California’s Shelter-In-Place orders, but we can help our community by patronizing locally owned business whenever we can. Until California's Shelter-In-Place order is lifted, we will feature businesses that would be grateful for your support.
 Palo Alto Fire Fighters Pepper Sauce
Nothing goes better with your 4th of July barbecue or chili than a dollop of Palo Alto Firefighters Pepper Sauce. This award-winning sauce comes in three flavors: Original, XXX Habanero, and XXX Ghost Pepper. Created by Palo Alto Firefighter Lee Taylor, this sauce is complex and full-flavored and oh-so-hot. Sprinkle it on your favorite foods or use it in your own marinades, barbecue sauces, or chilis. What's more, it's a hot sauce with a cool purpose: 100% of proceeds go to the Palo Alto Firefighters Charitable Fund, which funds scholarships to local youth and other community organizations.
Available online or locally at high-end grocery stores such as Mollie Stone's, Draeger's, Whole Foods, and Piazza's. |
|
Join Gamble Garden
Support Gamble Garden! Become a Member to help us continue to offer events like our free Second Saturdays and many more. Membership benefits include:
- Invitations to member-only events
- Member pricing on Spring Tour tickets, luncheons, classes, and programs
- Free entry to select gardens with the American Horticultural Society reciprocal program
- Priority registration for our popular Gamble luncheons
- Discounts at Gamble's online plant shop
- Discounts at nursery partners
- Monthly Member Newsletter with members-only content
- As a member, you are also supporting a treasured community resource, a beautiful public property open to everyone and offering year-round activities - and a haven - for all ages.
|
|
Gamble Visitation Policies
To minimize the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and help “flatten the curve”, Gamble Garden has instituted the following Visitation Policies:
- The Gamble House, restrooms, and offices are temporarily closed.
- Benches are closed/not to be used until further notice and the picnic area is closed
- Throughout the day, portions of the garden may temporarily close in order to allow our staff to work safely.
- Any visitors to Gamble Garden are asked to follow social distancing guidelines (stay at least six feet apart) and wear masks.
- All June classes and events have been cancelled. This includes luncheons, pop up shops, and Second Saturday events. Stay tuned regarding Gamble events and classes scheduled for later in the year.
|
|
|
|
