Dear Friends, March is the month of new beginnings. For a gardener, the most important occurrence is when the vernal equinox marks the beginning of spring; the first day of spring this year is March 20th. At the Gardens, the Coral tree (Erythrina caffra) located on a knoll in the Italian Terrace Garden, is in full bloom. This magnificent tree with its cone-shaped brilliant orange flowers is one of the highlights of the Gardens. Designated as the largest and oldest tree of this type in California, the Coral tree was placed on the “Big Tree” register by the state arborist some years ago. The tree was planted by the Robinsons in the early 1930s after traveling to South Africa and specifically to the “Cape.” This is where they obtained the start of this magnificent tree. Presumably a seed, or quite possibly a small cutting traveled back with them aboard a steamer