Explore Outdoors: A retiree's unique garden for all to enjoy

CHANCE TO SEE AND SMELL THE BLOOMS OF SPRING AND CARMICHAEL IN THIS WEEK’S EXPLORE OUTDOORS. MIKE TESELLE GUIDES US DOWN A UNIQUE PATH CREATED BY ONE MAN THAT COULD BE ENJOYED BY. THIS SPOT BEGINS WITH A WALK ACROSS THIS SHORT BRIDGE TO A SPOT WITH COLOR, TEXTURE AND A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL. THIS IS THE STORY OF CHARLES JENSEN AND WHAT IS TODAY CARMICHAEL CHARLES C JENSEN BOTANICAL GARDEN. BACK IN 1958, JENSEN RETIRED AT AN AGE WHEN THE SIGN READS MOST LEAVE AMBITION TO THE YOUNG, BUT THAT IS WHEN HIS AMBITION CAPTURED IN RED, YELLOW, PURPLE, PINK, BLUE, WHITE AND GREEN, LOTS OF GREEN BEGAN. YOU SEE, JENSEN AND HIS WIFE BEGAN MOVING TRUCK LOADS OF PLANTS AND TREES FROM THEIR OAKLAND HOME TO THEIR NEW PROPERTY IN CARMICHAEL AND BY THE TIME OF HIS DEATH AT 80 YEARS OLD, THE FATE OF ALL THESE MAGNOLIAS, DOGWOOD, WOODS, JAPANESE MAPLES, AND EVEN HEAVENLY BAMBOO WOULD BECOME UNCERTAIN. THAT IS, UNTIL A GROUP OF CITIZENS BANDED TOGETHER TO FUND, RAISE AND SAVE THIS BOTANICAL GEM. IN 1976, THE CARMICHAEL RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT WOULD ASSUME OWNERSHIP. ANOTHER UNIQUE ASPECT TO THIS LOCATION IS THE NATURE PATH FOR THE BLIND, A SPOT WHERE THEY CAN COME TO NOT ONLY SMELL WHAT WE CAN SEE, BUT ALSO FEEL THE TEXTURE OF THE DIFFERENT PLANTS. SO IF YOU GO, REMEMBER BEYOND THE COLOR, THE TEXTURE, THE AROMA IS A UNIQUE STORY OF ONE RETIREES DREAM TO FOLLOW A DREAM AT AN AGE WHEN MOST LEAVE. AMBITION TO THE YOUNG. THE JENSEN BOTANICAL GARDEN IN CARMICHA