After arriving in Tucson for the Garden Writers Association Symposium, I was ready to see new gardens and new plants. I participated in a panel Saturday morning after breakfast and a wonderful keynote from Petey Mesquitey. The panel was great. Kirk Brown, who played the part of Merlin the wizard, moderated our session on the future of sustainability for consumers. He placed me with Rosalind Creasy and Casey Sclar. Ros is undoubtedly the foremost expert in edible landscaping and Casey has lead the vanguard of the sustainability movement at public gardens. I was really flattered to be able to speak with them. By all accounts it was a success.
After picking up a box lunch, we set off for our first tour. The first stop was the Benedictine Sisters Monastery. The Sisters have several cottage industries and they cultivate citrus and dates. The citrus trunks are painted white to help them avoid sunscald. We all wanted to buy date products, but the dates are not yet ripe.
The clusters of ripening fruits against the deep blue sky was enchanting. I'd love to have a taste when they are ripe. I know that dates are typically pollinated by hand. I wonder if the Sisters do the pollinating.
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