On the Calendar:
Southern California

2:30 pm

Garden Talk and Plant Sale: Conifers Around the World

Hungarian botanist Zsolt Debreczy will give an illustrated talk about his new book, Conifers Around the World. The sumptuous two-volume publication featuring 3,700 photographs is the culmination of 40 years of research and field work. A reception, book signing, and plant sale follows the program. Free. Friends' Hall

* Tour The Huntington's own conifer collection with the author before the lecture. Meet in the Entrance Pavilion at 1 p.m. Rain cancels.

Huntington Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Rd.
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 405-2100

40th Annual Camellia Show

FEB 11-12, SAT-SUN, 10:30 AM-4:30 PM
Hundreds of gorgeous blooms will compete for top honors at The Huntington's 40th annual Camellia Show, co-sponsored by the Southern California Camellia Society. In addition to the displays of award-winning flowers, a wide selection of camellia plants will be available for purchase.

Huntington Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Rd.
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 405-2100

11:00 am

Backyard Chickens and Bees

Turn your backyard into a mini-farm.  Local expert John Lyons will teach the basics of raising chickens and backyard beekeeping in an urban setting. 

Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Dr.
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011
(818) 949-7980

Fee $15.00

40th Annual Camellia Show

FEB 11-12, SAT-SUN, 10:30 AM-4:30 PM
Hundreds of gorgeous blooms will compete for top honors at The Huntington's 40th annual Camellia Show, co-sponsored by the Southern California Camellia Society. In addition to the displays of award-winning flowers, a wide selection of camellia plants will be available for purchase.

Huntington Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Rd.
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 405-2100

6:00 pm

Robin Rivet on Trees of Ill Repute: Shifting from Maligned to Be

Robin will discuss Trees of Ill
Repute: Shifting From Maligned to Benign. Responding to the question "Can we mend our broken
urban forest?" Rivet will explore how the urban forest impacts a city's sustainability. She will
share some ecological evaluation tools, discuss some lesser-known trees, describe best urban
forestry practices, and talk about San Diego's Urban Mapping Project.

San Diego Horticultural Society
Surfside Race Place, Del Mar Fairgrounds
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd
Del Mar, CA
760-295-7089

10:30 am

Redirecting Rainwater

Learn techniques to preserve rainwater, prevent run-off, and maximize the potential of natural rainfall. Rachel Young leads this hands-on class that includes both lecture and practice in the Gardens. 

Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Dr.
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011
(818) 949-7980

Fee $15.00

10:30 am-4:30 pm

Bonsai-a-Thon

FEB 25-26, SAT-SUN, 10:30 AM-4:30 PM
Internationally recognized bonsai masters share their passion for the art form in this annual event that includes exhibits, demonstrations, prize drawings, a "bonsai bazaar," and a live auction at 3 p.m. each day

Huntington Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Rd.
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 405-2100

1:00 pm

Heritage Oak Walk

Descanso Curator Wen Wang leads this guided walk which provides an introduction to the Coast live oaks native to the Gardens. Through the ages, this species has provided sustenance to many creatures, including native people who relied on the acorns for food. 

Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Dr.
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011
(818) 949-7980

1:30 pm

California Water Regulations

Two experts talk about California's new landscape water regulations and

what they mean to us

Chad Blais

water quality specialist and lecturer, City of Fullerton

Pamela Berstler

 educator, speaker, sustainable exterior designer and

managing member of G3, The Green Gardens Group

After their remarks and a brief business meeting, we will join

native plant curator Greg Pongetti on a

walking tour of the Arboretum

Fullerton Arboretum
1900 Associated Rd.
Fullerton, CA 92831
(714) 278-8347

Fee $20.00; Please RSVP to MedGardenSocietyaol.com

1:30 pm

The Mediterranean Garden Society Fourteenth Annual Meeting

Two experts talk about California's new landscape water regulations and what they mean to us

Chad Blais

water quality specialist and lecturer, City of FullertonPamela Berstler
educator, speaker, sustainable exterior designer and
managing member of G3, The Green Gardens Group

After their remarks and a brief business meeting, we will join native plant curator Greg Pongetti on a
walking tour of the Arboretum

Refreshments

Requested donation -- $15 for members / $20 for others
Please RSVP to MedGardenSocietyaol.com

Mediterranean Garden Society, Southern California Branch
Fullerton Arboretum
1900 Associated Road,
Fullerton, CA
626-441-6567
hartertslgaol.com

Fee $20.00; Please RSVP to MedGardenSocietyaol.com

6:00 pm

SUSAN HEEGER and JIMMY WILLIAMS on From Seed to Skillet

Jimmy and Susan will share the "From Seed to Skillet" approach to gardening, which is based on the idea
that gardening begins with the miracle and magic of a seed, progresses through the process
of planting, tending and harvesting, and ends with the satisfactions of friends and family around a table,
sharing a fresh garden meal together.

San Diego Horticultural Society
Surfside Race Place, Del Mar Fairgrounds
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd
Del Mar, CA
760-295-7089

Monster Tomato and Pepper Sale

The Fullerton Arboretum hosts its annual "Monster Tomato and Pepper Sale" at our Potting Shed, March 15-18, 2012. A special "Members Only" sale day is scheduled for Thursday March 15, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. The sale is open to the general public on March 16, 17 & 18 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. This is the largest annual plant sale in the region that focuses exclusively on tomato and pepper plants.

Over 230 varieties of tomato plants will be for sale this year, including every size from currant to beefsteak and every color from white to black.

Over 100 varieties of hot and sweet peppers will be for sale. Back by popular demand is the Bhut Jolokia. Our plants are the pure strain. Also known as Naga Jolokia or Ghost Chili, the Bhut Jolokia is one of the hottest chilies in the world.  Bhut Jolokia is a deadly hot pepper that boasts an official Scoville heat rating of 1,001,304, blasting the previous record holder, the Red Savina Chili. This fiercely hot chili pepper grows primarily in Bangladesh and also in northeastern India.

Fullerton Arboretum
1900 Associated Rd.
Fullerton, CA 92831
(714) 278-8347

Monster Tomato and Pepper Sale

The Fullerton Arboretum hosts its annual "Monster Tomato and Pepper Sale" at our Potting Shed, March 15-18, 2012. A special "Members Only" sale day is scheduled for Thursday March 15, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. The sale is open to the general public on March 16, 17 & 18 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. This is the largest annual plant sale in the region that focuses exclusively on tomato and pepper plants.

Over 230 varieties of tomato plants will be for sale this year, including every size from currant to beefsteak and every color from white to black.

Over 100 varieties of hot and sweet peppers will be for sale. Back by popular demand is the Bhut Jolokia. Our plants are the pure strain. Also known as Naga Jolokia or Ghost Chili, the Bhut Jolokia is one of the hottest chilies in the world.  Bhut Jolokia is a deadly hot pepper that boasts an official Scoville heat rating of 1,001,304, blasting the previous record holder, the Red Savina Chili. This fiercely hot chili pepper grows primarily in Bangladesh and also in northeastern India.

Fullerton Arboretum
1900 Associated Rd.
Fullerton, CA 92831
(714) 278-8347

Monster Tomato and Pepper Sale

The Fullerton Arboretum hosts its annual "Monster Tomato and Pepper Sale" at our Potting Shed, March 15-18, 2012. A special "Members Only" sale day is scheduled for Thursday March 15, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. The sale is open to the general public on March 16, 17 & 18 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. This is the largest annual plant sale in the region that focuses exclusively on tomato and pepper plants.

Over 230 varieties of tomato plants will be for sale this year, including every size from currant to beefsteak and every color from white to black.

Over 100 varieties of hot and sweet peppers will be for sale. Back by popular demand is the Bhut Jolokia. Our plants are the pure strain. Also known as Naga Jolokia or Ghost Chili, the Bhut Jolokia is one of the hottest chilies in the world.  Bhut Jolokia is a deadly hot pepper that boasts an official Scoville heat rating of 1,001,304, blasting the previous record holder, the Red Savina Chili. This fiercely hot chili pepper grows primarily in Bangladesh and also in northeastern India.

Fullerton Arboretum
1900 Associated Rd.
Fullerton, CA 92831
(714) 278-8347

4:30 pm

Sustainable Green Gardening for Home Landscapes

 tips for a "greener" yard.

South Bay Botanic Garden
Southwestern College
900 Otay Lakes Road
Chula Vista, CA 91910
619-421-6700

Fee $3.00

Monster Tomato and Pepper Sale

The Fullerton Arboretum hosts its annual "Monster Tomato and Pepper Sale" at our Potting Shed, March 15-18, 2012. A special "Members Only" sale day is scheduled for Thursday March 15, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. The sale is open to the general public on March 16, 17 & 18 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. This is the largest annual plant sale in the region that focuses exclusively on tomato and pepper plants.

Over 230 varieties of tomato plants will be for sale this year, including every size from currant to beefsteak and every color from white to black.

Over 100 varieties of hot and sweet peppers will be for sale. Back by popular demand is the Bhut Jolokia. Our plants are the pure strain. Also known as Naga Jolokia or Ghost Chili, the Bhut Jolokia is one of the hottest chilies in the world.  Bhut Jolokia is a deadly hot pepper that boasts an official Scoville heat rating of 1,001,304, blasting the previous record holder, the Red Savina Chili. This fiercely hot chili pepper grows primarily in Bangladesh and also in northeastern India.

Fullerton Arboretum
1900 Associated Rd.
Fullerton, CA 92831
(714) 278-8347

11:00 am-4:00 pm

Hortense Miller Garden Open House

The Hortense Miller Garden in Laguna Beach will hold its annual open house Saturday, March 24, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free event will feature tours of Miller's classic 1950's house and 2.5 acre garden, with its sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and Boat Canyon. The day's activities also include special musical entertainment, art exhibits, refreshments and a plant sale.

Free shuttle service to the gardens will be provided from the parking lot of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, 635 High Drive, Laguna Beach.  Families are welcome. Attendees are encouraged to bring their cameras.  Walking shoes are recommended and donations are gratefully accepted.  For directions and more information on parking and access, visit www.hortensemillergarden.org. To confirm your attendance, email hortensemillergarden@cox.net.  

About Hortense Miller

 Miller was a self-taught botanist, original thinker, prolific writer, dynamic artist and attentive gardener. She created a lush and personal world in her garden, home to more than 1200 species of exotic plants she acquired during her worldwide travels. This world-class vertical garden is a major living resource for the Mediterranean climate plants suited to Southern California weather.

She donated the house and garden to the City of Laguna Beach in 1976 and continued to live on the property well into her nineties. Since her death in 2008, the Friends of Hortense Miller Garden have maintained the garden and the house--including its original furnishings and art. The group also plans the garden's special events, including the annual open house.

Hortense Miller Garden

SDHS Spring Garden Tour

A Garden tour for the Senses! Nine stunning Private Gardens in the Mt. Helix area of La Mesa will excite your every garden fantasy. How does a garden touch you? Through sight, sound, smell, touch, texture, taste? There is an abundance of sensory stimuli in these gardens that also boast sculptures, mosaics, water features, wind chimes, whimsical creations, and so much more.

Registration is in Briercrest Park with artistic installations by world-renown artist James Hubbell. Find time during the tour to visit Perennial Adventure Display Garden & Nursery, where you can purchase rare and unusual shrubs, perennials and trees.

In January check our website for a registration link and look for our email invitation to purchase advance tickets.

San Diego Horticultural Society
Surfside Race Place, Del Mar Fairgrounds
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd
Del Mar, CA
760-295-7089

Garden Tour for the Senses

Garden Tour for the Senses
Nine Private Gardens in La Mesa

--- Purchase Online ---
www.sdhortsoc.org/events.htm
--- Questions ---
tours@sdhortsoc.org or 619.296.9215

San Diego Horticultural Society
Surfside Race Place, Del Mar Fairgrounds
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd
Del Mar, CA
760-295-7089

Fee $25.00; www.sdhortsoc.org/events.htm

6:00 pm

Fitting California Natives into California-Style Gardens

San Diego Horticultural Society welcomes a leading authority on California native plants, Susan Krzywicki. Susan will discuss Fitting California Natives into
California-Style Gardens. California native plants have an exciting place in our gardens if we understand which plants perform well in which conditions. They bring a sense of heritage and they look to the future. They offer an ecologically sound way of blending the requirements for a highly cultivated place with a need to conserve resources and minimize exposure to chemicals.

San Diego Horticultural Society
Surfside Race Place, Del Mar Fairgrounds
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd
Del Mar, CA
760-295-7089

Historic Japanese Garden Reopens

The historic Japanese Garden at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens reopens Wednesday, April 11, 2012, in time to celebrate its centennial after undergoing a complete year-long, $6.8 million renovation. Among the new features visitors will see is an authentic Japanese ceremonial teahouse set within a traditionally landscaped tea garden, situated on a southwest ridge above the existing Japanese house that has served as an iconic backdrop at The Huntington for the last hundred years.

Huntington Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Rd.
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 405-2100

10:00 am-5:00 pm

9th annual theodore payne native plant garden tour

Featuring 35+ Los Angeles County
gardens that celebrate the nature
of Southern California

Theodore Payne Foundation
10459 Tuxford Street
Sun Valley, CA 91352
818-768-1802

Fee $20.00; Tickets available at theodorepayne.org or 818 768-1802

4:30 pm

California Native Garden Grand Opening

come see our brand new California Native Plant garden and discover some great plants for your yard.  4:00 pm-5:30pm

South Bay Botanic Garden
Southwestern College
900 Otay Lakes Road
Chula Vista, CA 91910
619-421-6700

Fee $3.00

9:00 am-4:00 pm

Native Plant Week Symposium Wildflower Show and Plant Sale

Native Plant Week Symposium Wildflower Show and Plant Sale
Sat. April 21, 2012, 9 am - 4 pm
Sepulveda Garden Center, 16633 Magnolia, Blvd., Encino, CA 91436
Free; California Native Plant Society & Theodore Payne Foundation co-sponsors
Contact: 818-881-3706, kacnpslacnps.org
Speakers, wildlflower show, native plants and books for sale, exhibits and demos

California Native Plant Society, Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mounta
Sepulveda Garden Center
16633 Magnolia Blvd
Encino, CA
818-881-3706

4:30 pm

Attracting Butterflies and Hummingbirds

South Bay Botanic Garden
Southwestern College
900 Otay Lakes Road
Chula Vista, CA 91910
619-421-6700

Fee $3.00

LA Arboretum 2012 Festival

Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden
301 North Baldwin Ave.
Events Lawn and Ayres Hall
Arcadia, CA 91007
(626) 821-4623

4:30 pm

Composting 101

- your soil will love you for it!

South Bay Botanic Garden
Southwestern College
900 Otay Lakes Road
Chula Vista, CA 91910
619-421-6700

Fee $3.00

6:00 pm

Small is the New BIG: 3 Big Rules (& 4 Small Ones) for Designing

San Diego Horticultural Society welcomes author, speaker and avid gardener/cook, Lorene Edwards Forkner. With her keen designer's eye and effervescent wit, Lorene will discuss Small is the New BIG: 3 Big Rules (& 4 Small Ones) for Designing Small Gardens with Impact.
City-sized gardens, high density urban housing, fewer hours for leisure (and even fewer for slaving in the
garden) - you have to be a master of invention or mistress of ingenuity when it comes to fitting a garden
into a busy 21st century life. Lorene offers us a lively evening illustrated with slides and stories of gardens infused with personality and passion, structure and changing seasonal interest. You can have a landscape that lives large regardless of the size of its footprint and still have time left over to enjoy it.

San Diego Horticultural Society
Surfside Race Place, Del Mar Fairgrounds
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd
Del Mar, CA
760-295-7089