Follow trail through forest

Good morning. This is the fourth of our garden walk series. We'll give those folks who just drove in a little time to park their car and join us. Once we leave this area and go to the Children's Garden, latecomers may not be able to see us.

We'll just enjoy sitting here in the large gazebo a few more minutes as there are no benches in the Children's Garden. We hope to get at least one up there soon.

You may have noticed a couple of piles of gravel over there by the curb - it is waiting to be put at appropriate places in the garden. There is always more to do in a garden, isn't there? We usually meet on Tuesday mornings. Perhaps you'll be able to join us when the weather cools off.

One Saturday a month, we do get help from the adult probation team. I think most of them really enjoy working here, too.

All here now and ready to walk? We'll start out much the same as we did last week, but we will follow the flagstone path to the right and past the sign for the Children's Garden and then turn left. Here we go now onto the dirt path that will wind up. Yes, I did say up! We'll gain a little elevation here as we follow the trail through the forest. These trees in the forest were planted in October 2003.

You'll notice a recent addition on your right as we turn: the four mushrooms. Aren't they cute? We have the little gems from Gary Knox School to thank for them.

Now we come out of the forest onto a bridge. Come on, it is a good strong bridge. We can all stand on it and look down to the dry river bed.

This bridge was a one-day project for Tim Gilliland, Marlena Parrott and Sandy Gullickson. This was right before the dedication (April 2004) and I knew they were working on it but I was anxious late that afternoon to see how much they accomplished. I came down 28th Street and the trees were not so grown as they are now and I could see four small pennants flying atop each post. I just laughed out loud! It was finished.

We walk on across the bridge now but look, on the right is the garden telephone. Sure enough, you can talk to someone at the other end of this garden. When they first installed this, you could see the person at the other telephone, but not anymore.

That year, Marlena brought one of the classes here to plant peanuts. The plants came up and were so nice and green all summer. The little gems from the Gary Knox School came and helped us harvest them in the fall. They met at the large gazebo and Marlena gave them each a trowel. Off they started, single file, up through the forest to harvest peanuts.

Jimmy Vance was here to help them harvest. First, he asked if they liked peanut butter and then showed them how to dig up the plant. They would pick the peanut, put it on their trowel and carry it over to the pile of peanuts. The teachers made sure each child had a peanut in their pocket to take home and show their family.

Now, on the left is our snail vine teepee. It was covered but had to be cleaned off recently. We will have new snail vines growing up again soon. On your right is the tic-tac-toe game.

Of course, the big attraction here for the children is Bob Moody's tractor. Perhaps some of you remember in the paper on Christmas Day of 2003, a picture of the tractor flying through the air on a crane as they placed it in the garden. We are so pleased to have it!

One more fun thing in the garden is the popcorn bush. Oh my goodness, we are talking about a plant. I was going to save that for later. As long as it is right here, let me just show you how to rub the leaves and smell your hands. Yum, buttered popcorn!

Now our walk for today is about to end. We will just go past the tractor and between the bushes and down the flagstone steps to the main sidewalk and turn left and return to the large gazebo where we will meet again next Thursday for a tour of the Healing Garden. Have a good week!

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Ellen Gardner, a Master Gardener who writes this column for the Federated Garden Clubs of Yuma, can be reached at 343-4020 or at gardner3028@netzero .com. For information about the Robert J. Moody Demonstration Garden, visit cals.arizona.edu/yuma/horticulture/moody _garden/index.html, or for information about the Federated Garden Clubs of Yuma, see them at gardencentral.org/azgarden club/westerndistrict.