Speakers

Jim Salyards is the Director of Horticulture at Filoli and is celebrating 25 years at Filoli in 2020.  He first joined the horticulture team in 1995, and has risen up the ranks starting out as Sunken Garden lead and serving as Greenhouse Manager for 13 years. As head of the department, he oversees Filoli’s thirteen horticulturists, garden interns and apprentices, plant collections, and designs a rotation of seasonal displays at the garden, including the famed spring bulb program. Jim holds a B.S. and M.S. degrees from UC Davis in plant science and horticulture, respectively. He is passionate about public gardens and all things related to plants and the natural world.

Paul Watermulder (YES! Our Pastor Paul was a cop.)

When we asked Paul about his program, we go a very different “abstract” than we usually get. It’s just fantastic, so we decided to share it unedited. We hope you’ll join us for this special program.

From Paul: For me, becoming a cop in an active urban department was like throwing a child into the swimming pool to see if it is sink or swim. I knew next to nothing about crime and criminals, or dysfunctional families, or mental illness, or addiction, or really about people who could not be trusted. Baptism by fire! And the best life lessons I could possibly have had alongside men who became closer to me in three years than most people get in 33 years. For my program, I will talk about making mistakes, the thin blue line, the effects of poverty, the formation of loyalty and trust, the pathos of suicide, the role of mercy alongside justice, and so forth.  I’m excited; can’t wait!