Want to add native plants to your own garden? Learn how to do it at the California Native Plant Society’s 2015 Garden Native Tour in San Diego on March 28-29.
First, here are five reasons:
Why Native Plants Are Awesome
- They need very little water.
- They require very little maintenance. No weekly mow-and-blow service.
- They attract wildlife, including songbirds.
- No need for pesticides or fertilizers in a native garden.
- They can help protect your home from wildfire.
Native plants create a natural habitat on your property. Native gardens are less expensive, easier to maintain, and cleaner than a traditional lawn. You save money because native plants need much less water and maintenance, and no fertilizers or pesticides. As a Realtor, I love how a water-wise garden with native plants can improve curb appeal, and increase your property’s value!
Garden Native Tour 2015 – Native Plants in San Diego
Mark your calendar for March 28-29, 2015. Buy your tickets here. Adult tickets are $25 for the entire weekend. Everyone 17 and under is FREE. You will receive a map of the gardens, which you can visit between 9:30 am to 4:30 pm on both days. (Click on the map below for a better view.)
If you are interested in native plants and water-wise gardening, here’s a fantastic opportunity to see examples of successful gardens. This year’s tour features 19 gardens across San Diego and Poway. The gardens were planned and designed by both homeowners, and also skilled professionals, like Kay Stewart, Greg Rubin, and Wes Hudson.
You will see how homeowners have successfully converted sterile lawns into wildlife sanctuaries. This can happen anywhere. The gardens on the tour include a tiny 3,200 square-foot urban lot, a tract home in an HOA community, and a five-acre rural site.
This year’s tour includes:
- A Kumeyaay Village Site in Old Town State Park, designed to recreate early California. The native garden is a joint effort of Kumeyaay elders, State Parks staff, and the California Native Plant Society.
- A native garden in Balboa Park, originally established in the 1950s by the California Native Plant Society.
- A North Park residential garden on a tiny 3,200 square foot lot, that features a rain harvesting system installed beneath the driveway, a greywater system, beekeeping, and solar panels.
- A five-acre former Kumeyaay Village Site in Poway, designed to look like it did 10,000 years ago.
In addition to native plant installations, you will also see examples of:
- Alternative irrigation
- Bioswales/dry creek beds
- Greywater systems
- Solar panel installations
- Water features
- Hardscaping
- Beekeeping
More information about the 2015 Garden Native Tour can be found at www.gardennative.org.
Learn More About Native Plants – Join Us!
To donate or help sponsor the 2015 Garden Native Tour, contact Hei-ock Kim at (858) 344-0315 or e-mail hkim@cnps.org.
You can also become a Garden Native Tour docent. No previous experience required! Volunteering is a great way to learn about native plants, and how to create a beautiful garden in your own space. Docents receive complimentary tickets, hands-on training, and garden previews. For more information, e-mail info@gardennative.org.
The Garden Native Tour also has a Pinterest account, if you want ideas for your own garden: https://www.pinterest.com/gardennativeorg/.
You can also get involved by joining the San Diego Chapter of the California Native Plant Society.
Want to replace your lawn with native plants? Read my article about turf replacement programs. If you live in an HOA, here’s an article by Nancy Lawson. She interviewed me about how native landscaping can increase home values.
