A Destination for Plants and Animals

by LSMP editor Larry Shield

Sea World, a world-class adventure park, has become famous as being the house of Shamu the killer whale. But this San Diego getaway has more than its share of landscapes over the 189-acre park, with six shows, six ride adventures and 11 adventures.

On Nov. 14, 2005 I met with Sea World director of landscape Stephanie Shigematsu and senior representative public relations Susie Campbell in order to find out about the maintenance of the grounds at the amusement park. Shigematsu estimated that about 20 to 25 percent of the park is covered by landscapes and has more than 4,000 taxa of plant materials.

Canary Island palm welcomes visitors at the front entrance bench seat planters with large hanging baskets of Primula obconica, Scaevola, snap dragons, violas and nemesia.

From the Skytower Ride, a view of Sea World, which covers 189 acres and has more than 4,000 different taxa. Sea World pays to dispose of its green waste, but also receives a discount for buying back compost. Shigematsu said Sea World has won awards for its green waste recycling program.

At Sea World every area has it own theme such as Wild Arctic, Shamu Stadium, Forbidden Reef or Flamingo Cove. The Dolphins exhibit has a Pacific Northwest feel with pinus eldurica junipers and Bishop pines. Some of the trees such as the Canary pines, have been on the site since the park opened more than four decades ago. With all the plant materials, turf and trees at Sea World, Shigematsu said it?EUR??,,????'???s almost like a botanical garden. The adventure park doesn?EUR??,,????'???t fall under those guidelines because the garden has to be certified non-profit.

?EUR??,,????'??With a botanical garden, the main objective is that people learn about plants,?EUR??,,????'?? told Shigematsu to LASN, ?EUR??,,????'??Our main objective at Sea World is that the visitors learn about the sea. We have specialty gardens that tie into that objective. The Manatee Garden has several native and endangered species.?EUR??,,????'??

Trina Baquera, lead gardener, deadheading yellow pansies at the circle of Flags, entrance to the Hospitality Center.

At the Garden of Discovery, visitors get a close-up view of some of the tools, including water wand, trowel, weeder, sod knife, folding handsaw, hedge shears, pruning shears, hand tiller and lop shears.

Sea World director of landscape Stephanie Shigematsu with large hanging baskets at our front entrance plaza (Primula obconica, Scaevola, snap dragons, violas and nemesia)

Her crew consists of 55 full time workers who maintain the grounds roughly every day from sunrise (around 6 a.m.) until 2 or 2:30 p.m. The workforce grows in numbers with part-timers during the summers, when the amusement park gets about 60 percent of its yearly visitors. Prior to the park opening up at 10 a.m. the crew drives around in trucks and tractors, mowing lawns twice a week, fertilizing the turf or beds. These tasks are done before the guests arrive. Each morning the operations department sweeps up debris with a ride on sweeper on the pavement and washes it away with a high powered hose.

At the Entry Plaza a big stage hosts bands during the summer, but is converted to a flower bed in the fall. People like to see the crew work on the plants, said Shigematsu. They come specifically to Sea World to learn about the plants. On Terrific Tuesdays the amusement park hosts garden tours for those 55 and older. Different programs highlight different areas of the park. You can often find gardeners to answer some of horticulture questions.

Terrific Tuesday weekly walking tour (55 and older club) start at the entrance to our Anheuser-Busch Hospitality Center. The planter contains a large Mediterranean fan palm, Aeonium arboreum Zwartkop (dark purple succulent), calendulas and blue sage to name a few.

A gerber daisy is removed due to crown rot. One of the challenges in dealing with so many visitors each day is how the base of the mulch may get kicked around. This may cause different plants to suffer diseases that rot the plant.

Shigematsu said Sea World uses few chemicals and those that are used have the lowest toxicity rating. The exception would be using Round Up to get rid of persistent weeds in the back areas. Insects don?EUR??,,????'???t seem to be much of a nuisance at the park, but snails persist.

As far as the noise issues go, Shigematsu said the staff tries to limit use of load equipment when the visitors arrive at the park. Lawn mowers, split seeders, extended edgers, leaf blowers and six-tine rototillers are used early in the mornings. Other equipment includes four utility trucks, one backhoe loader, six electric carts, several rotary mowers, one walk behind mower and one reel mower for Bermuda grass. Rototillers turn compost in the amendments to change the color of the soil and aerate it, which is good for the plants?EUR??,,????'??? roots. Shigematsu said there?EUR??,,????'???s nothing worse for plants than compacted soil. In the past to alleviate that problem, worms have helped aerate the soil.

Fine bark mulch is used mainly at entrances and show areas. Recycled composted mulch is used throughout the park. Sea World tests the soils to find out nutrients the plants need.

?EUR??,,????'??We try not to allow the annuals to go to seed because we want to increase the potential for the flowers to bloom.?EUR??,,????'???EUR??,,????'??+Stephanie Shigematsu, Sea World director of landscape

Compost made from green waste gives a lot of nutrients and doesn?EUR??,,????'???t have the pungent smell that fertilizers with animal wastes would have. Sulphur coated urea gives the plants that needed nitrogen boost. Some of the palm trees may need some special palm foods not found in most commercial blends. The park won some grounds maintenance awards in the 1980s. Its Garden of Discovery won the most educational garden for San Diego Home and Garden Magazine.

Sea World?EUR??,,????'???s turf consists mostly of dwarf tall fescue. Shigematsu and her staff like to use Marathon II Light soilless sod. The staff overseeds its Bermuda grass with perennial rye, once in the middle of autumn, to keep it green throughout the year. Shigematsu said most of the soils don?EUR??,,????'???t need any phosphorus or potassium. Sea World imports most of its pre-amended topsoils, as the park was built on sandy, salty marshes.

East Calypso patio potted plant display with vinca, Cobbity daisies and phlox. Because snail bait can be toxic the gardeners have discovered other means of getting rid of snails. On occasion gardeners have been known to set out small trays of beer (after all, Sea World is owned by Anheuser Busch), which seems to get rid of the snails.

The Forbidden Reef flamingo exhibit, is one of only two places in the park with artificial turf. Sea water and bird droppings would kill natural turf.

?EUR??,,????'??We use as little pesticide as possible,?EUR??,,????'?? said Shigematsu. ?EUR??,,????'??If we keep the plants healthy, they will push out the weeds. If the weeds get really bad, then we can cut out the sod and replace it. But that?EUR??,,????'???s pretty rare. It only happens once or twice a year.?EUR??,,????'??

Some of the biggest pests for the grounds are Nutsedge and pennywort. Shigematsu said if these weeds are pulled, their entire root systems need to be eradicated with pesticides. The flower beds are changed out so often that weeds aren?EUR??,,????'???t typically a problem. Occasionally the park has some hairy pests such as gophers and ground squirrels. Sea World contracts an outside company to deal with the rodents, and may set out bait traps.

Treesa Southfox, senior gardener, plants shrubs amidst the yellow blooming gaillardia and violas. ?EUR??,,????'??We found that drip irrigation requires high maintenance and doesn?EUR??,,????'???t cover root systems,?EUR??,,????'?? said Shigematsu. ?EUR??,,????'??Drip irrigation suffers a lot of damage and vandalism. We use mostly pop up and rotors made by the Toro Company.?EUR??,,????'??

Seth Weese, groundskeeper, assists in planting Ballot pseudodictamnus (Grecian Horehound), a drought-resistant Mediterranean plant.

Shigematsu said she follows a monthly schedule for fertilizer application for trees, shrubs and lawns. The park is divided into three separate areas, with a landscape supervisor in charge of each area.

Each area of the park has its own theme. Journey to Atlantis, a water adventure ride, has a Mediterranean theme with Papyrus and reeds connecting the Nile River. Shigematsu said she helps select the plants for the new exhibits, each one having its own feeling and experience. Rosemary, olive, Cyprus and dusty miller were chosen to augment that theme. The Caribbean area, on the other hand, has a tropical look with pygmy palms, black-eyed susans and bird of paradise.

Victor Moreno, senior gardener, one of Sea World?EUR??,,????'???s tractor operators, goes en route to removing a huge boulder.

Located at the east end of the amusement park a nursery houses plants, fertilizers and pesticides. Each of the three landscape crews has its own storage shed with tools.

Sea World uses a computerized irrigation system. A flow meter stops excess flow at a specific point, such as when a sprinkler head comes off. Set up on a timer, the irrigation controller reads the evapotranspiration rate in the park twice per day. This data is analyzed against the historic data for weather in San Diego County, so if it rains the system will adjust its irrigation accordingly.

Adjacent to Wild Artic, multi-truck Mexican fan palms tower over with hedges of boxwood, Rhaphiolepis umbellata minor and violas. Sea World hires a tree service to trim the taller trees, especially the palm trees over 20 feet. Staff has some long handled pruners that have grab and hold functions.

?EUR??,,????'??You can plug in which days you want the system to irrigate and how frequently,?EUR??,,????'?? said Shigematsu. ?EUR??,,????'??Take the ET and calculate whatever percentage you want. The coefficient is based on the amount of water required for tall fescue.?EUR??,,????'??

?EUR??,,????'??I had a business management degree and started taking botany and horticulture classes,?EUR??,,????'?? said Shigematsu, who started working for Sea World 25 years ago as a gardener. ?EUR??,,????'??I got to learn on the job. I love the variety of plants we have here. This gives me the chance to try new things and create a beautiful environment for the guests. We?EUR??,,????'???re always introducing new species and designs with color.?EUR??,,????'??

North view of Mama Stella’s restaurant and Dolphin stadium from the Skytower Ride: pines, Mexican fan palms, Callistemon and Bougainvillea decorate the landscape. Sea World has formed a partnership with the San Diego County Agriculture Department to help gardeners look for new pests and be able to find beneficial insects. If a particular taxa of plants isn?EUR??,,????'???t thriving a new species of insects may try to take over. That?EUR??,,????'???s when it?EUR??,,????'???s important to introduce other insects or birds to strike a balance.

Sea World imports new plants all the time, said Shigematsu. Most of the park?EUR??,,????'???s cultivars come from seeds. The hot colors and tropical plants can be used anywhere in the park.

Now her job has many administrative responsibilities including budgeting, hiring decisions, tools, safety and letter writing. Shigematsu said she seeks out her employee?EUR??,,????'???s strengths, which may change the dynamics of how the landscape department is organized.