Week 3, Project Log #1
Date: Monday, January 22
Time Spent: 10:00 - 1:00, 3 hours
Activities: Sitting with the site; journaling, taking photos, and exploring.
Learning: This is going to be a big job. I have so many questions that I hope that my partner and classmates can help answer: How do we procure plants? How do we obtain new signage? Who pays for everything? Do we need to have approval from Marja before moving, pruning, or placing plants?
Date: Thursday, January 25
Time Spent: Noon - 3:00, 3 hours
Activities: Took notes on plants in the upper and lower sites, soil conditions, and shade/light conditions. I quickly looked through other sites and took note of what plants they contained. Went to the TESC Library to research native plants that would do well in the site.
Learning: That the soil in both sites is fairly loamy for the first 6 inches, but is very rocky and or compacted clay underneath. Both site are quite shady, and will receive less light when more foliage appears in spring. There needs to be aggressive ground-cover-like plants in the lower area to take over where the sod is (which must be removed). Some plants that I think would work include wood sorrel and self-heal.
Total Cumulative Hours: 6
Week 4, Project Log #2
Date: Wednesday, January 31
Time Spent: 2:30 - 4:30 pm, 2 hours
Activity: Weeding invasive grass while salvaging strawberries with Alisa. Discussing our plans and hopes for our site - medicinal plants, stepping stones, informational map, camouflage garbage can, ground cover to prevent grass.
Learning: Getting to know the site better, getting to know my partner.
Total Cumulative Hours: 8
Week 5, Project Log #3
Date: Saturday, February 3
Time Spent: Noon - 3 pm, 3 hours
Activities: Went to the Olympia and Tumwater (with Alisa) Libraries and researched native medicinal plants to incorporate into the garden.
Learning: Understanding more of the ethnobotany of Western Washington. Discovering what native plants will and will not grow in our site.
Date: Tuesday, February 6
Time Spent: 1 - 4 pm, 3 hours
Activities: Measured the garden areas to develop a garden design plan. Identified the native plants at the site, and plotted some of those on the plan.
Learning: Garden/landscape design, and winter plant identification.
Date: Wednesday, February 7
Time Spent: 2:30 - 4:30 pm, 2 hours
Activities: Writing with Alisa our Habitat/Theme Introduction.
Learning: Collaborative writing. More importantly discovering what we really want our site to do for the community.
Total Cumulative Hours: 16
Week 6, Project Log #4
No Hours
Total Cumulative Hours: 16
Week 7, Project Log #5
No Hours
Total Cumulative Hours: 16
Week 8, Project Log #6
Date: Monday, February 26
Time Spent: 2:30 - 4:30, 2 hours
Activities: Met with Alisa to finalize Proposed Plant List.
Learning: Understanding what the site needs/is asking for us to do.
Total Cumulative Hours: 18
Week 9, Project Log #7
Date: Monday, March 5
Time Spent: 1:00 - 6:00, 5 hours
Activities: Working on PowerPoint for site presentation.
Learning: It is difficult to really try to finalize and put into words that other people will understand what my vision is for the Decorative Areas. I researched basket making in a great book by Allen Lobb, Indian Baskets of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska - I hope to use some of this information in the presentation.
Date: Tuesday, March 5
Time Spent: 10:00 - Noon, 2 hours
Activities: Weeding and raking leaves in the upper area.
Learning: The upper area is in so much better shape than the lower. However, I cannot stand all of the exposed utilities that are present in the upper area - I need to place plant that will hide them, but will not interfere with their use. I am amazed at the progress that Sherry has made with the compost area - its wonderful.
Date: Wednesday, March 6
Time Spent: 11:00 - 3:00, 4 hours
Activities: Working on PowerPoint for site presentation.
Learning: I am finding more difficult to complete the signage for the presentation since the Decorative Areas consist of the two different areas and that it is not a true habitat. I think that the signage is somewhat repetitive, but if I think about the greater context and layout of the garden I would assume that the signage is fitting.
Date: Sunday, March 11
Time Spent: 9:30 - 3:30, 6 hours
Activities: Lower area: Weeding, sod removal, pruned the cascaras, vine maples, salmonberries, and twinberries, took photos, and moved signs. Upper area: Took photos.
Learning: I feel wonderful. The lower site looks so much healthier. I cannot wait to finish what little sod removal needs to be done before I plant. I was really hesitant to prune the vine maples and cascaras because I like to watch the trees through an entire year of seasons - but I won't be here next year. I think that when I finished pruning all the trees and shrubs they took a big breath and enjoyed their new found openness.
Total Cumulative Hours: 35
Week 10, Project Log #8
Date: Wednesday, March 14
Time Spent: 1:00 - 3:00, 2 hours
Activities: Working on PowerPoint for site presentation.
Learning: Added some of the drawings that I had in my journal and photos that I took last week to the presentation. I also have been learning how to reformat my presentation so that is both PC and Mac friendly. I think that from now on I will not do any more PowerPoint-type presentations on my Mac at home - I'll just make the time to work on them at school on a PC.
Total Cumulative Hours: 37