There is still plenty of time to sign up for one of the five fantastic garden tours that showcase some of the finest gardens in Southern California. Four day-long tours are offered Aug. 22, and one half-day tour is scheduled the morning of Aug. 23 which concludes in time to attend the welcome and enjoy the engaging key note speakers. The UC Master Gardener Conference tours were designed to give participants a behind-the-scenes look at how these gardens operate and have the opportunity to meet garden curators and UC Master Gardeners who are involved with these gardens. Come and learn a little about the history of these beautiful locations in both Los Angeles County and Orange County.
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Explore the Huntington Botanical Gardens Spend the day at this 120-acre estate, home to more than a dozen world-class gardens. While the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens is closed to the public on Tuesdays, they will open the gardens especially for UC Master Gardeners. Participants will meet with garden curators, visit the Huntington Ranch where UC Master Gardeners share information on edible gardening, and explore the Huntington's fabulous Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Australian Garden, Herb Garden, Desert Garden, and more. |
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Go California Native! Visit Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens (RSABG), the largest botanic garden dedicated to California native plants. Spread across 86 acres in Claremont, the Garden displays about 2000 taxa of California plants and includes those native to the California Floristic Province as a whole. Enjoy a docent-led tour of the gardens and time to explore on your own, plus lunch at the outdoor classroom with a presentation by Peter Evans, director of horticulture at RSABG. |
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Community Engagement with Gardens and Nature Spend the morning visiting school and community gardens that showcase Los Angeles County UC Master Gardener activities. In the afternoon, visit the gardens at the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum, meet UC Master Gardeners and museum staff who bring the garden education programs to life. The 3.5 acre garden was designed with an eye towards attracting wildlife and studying nature in the city, including plants that offer food and shelter for wild animals. |
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Dramatic Gardens from the Desert to the Sea Tour the the South Coast Research and Extension Center and experience a variety of activities from demo landscapes to youth gardens, fruit tree field research projects to chickens and beekeeping topped off by a special luncheon. Travel next to the coast for a personalized tour of Sherman Library and Gardens. This 2.2 acre horticultural retreat offers a museum of living plants, displayed in a setting of gardens, patios and conservatories blooming with seasonal flowers and bubbling tile fountains. Finish the day at nearby Roger's Gardens, a destination home, garden and landscape design center. Shop to your heart's content! |
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Los Angeles Farm and Garden History Did you know that the roots of California's abundant agriculture can be found in Los Angeles County? Explore our surprising farm and garden heritage with a morning visit to the Rancho Los Cerritos in Long Beach. Tour the gardens, which include specimen trees that date back to the mid-19th century, as well as lush 1930s-era landscaping designed by well-known landscape architect Ralph Cornell. Learn about California's farm and garden history from UC Cooperative Extension Advisor Rachel Surls and Los Angeles County UC Master Gardener Judith Gerber, co-authors of the recently published book “From Cows to Concrete: the Rise and Fall of Farming in Los Angeles.” |
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