Larner Seeds Events 2009
Fifth Annual Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour
Companion Event: Native Plant Sale Extravaganza
Sunday, May 3, 2009, 10am - 5pm
Kathy@KathyKramerConsulting.net, or call (510) 236-9558 between 9am and 9pm
Digital photographs available at BringingBackTheNatives.net
Registration for the Fifth Annual Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, which will take place on Sunday, May 3, 2009, is now open. This free, award-winning tour features 50 pesticide-free gardens that conserve water, provide habitat for wildlife, and contain 50% or more native plants. This self-drive tour showcases a variety of Alameda and Contra Costa county gardens, from large parcels in the hills, to small lots in the flats. Space is limited and registration is required; register early to ensure a place. Volunteers are needed. Please register or volunteer at BringingBackTheNatives.net.
A companion event, the Native Plant Sale Extravaganza, will take place throughout the weekend of May 2 and 3. Please go here here for details.
Press Release
Registration is now open for the free Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, which will take place Sunday, May 3, 2009, from 10am to 5pm at various locations throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Participants on the fifth annual, free, self-guided Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour can choose from fifty showcase native plant gardens. They will have the opportunity to learn how select and care for California native plants, lower their water bills, design a low-maintenance garden, attract butterflies, birds, and bees, and garden without using pesticides. More than 40 talks will be offered throughout the day. More than 5,000 people are expected to register for this annual event; early registration is suggested to ensure a place.
The delightful collection of gardens offered this year range from Jenny and Scott Fleming’s 50-year-old collector's garden to several that are newly installed, and from five-acre lots to small front gardens in the flats. Garden styles run the gamut—from restoration gardens containing local native plants to the horticulturally available suite of natives from throughout California, and from gardens designed and installed by owners to those designed and installed by professionals.
In the Preview the Gardens section are photographs of each garden, extensive garden descriptions, and plant lists, as well as a list of nurseries that sell natives. Landscape designers familiar with designing with natives can also be located on the website; many of these landscape designers are offering discount consultations to tour participants.
A companion feature, the Native Plant Sale Extravaganza, will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 2 and 3. This exclusive sale features a number of native plant nurseries—many not normally open to the general public—which carry large quantities of hard-to-find California natives. This two-day shopping opportunity will offer native plant fans a good selection of native plants and provide a relaxed shopping experience. Knowledgeable staff will be on hand to help shoppers select the right plants for their gardens, and Saturday shoppers will have time to visit more showcase native plant gardens on Sunday, May 3, during the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour. Go here for more information.
What’s special about California native plants? They are adapted to our soil and climate and are easy to care for. Native plants are naturally drought tolerant. They attract native birds, butterflies, and other forms of wildlife. And, as the gardens on the Tour show, California native plants are beautiful; these lovely gardens display a sense of place that is uniquely Californian.
Admission to the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour is free. Registration prior to April 20 is required and can be completed here. While registering, a visit to the Carpools and Gardeners Match section of the website will help registrants find neighbors to share gardening skills, native plants, or tools; to plan work parties; or carpool, either on the day of the Tour, or to the Select Tours.
For more information, email Kathy Kramer or call (510) 236-9558 between 9am and 9pm.
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