Don't Miss the Theodore Payne Foundation's 3rd Annual Native Garden Tour on April 1st & 2nd

Here are the details, straight from the Foundation:

"31 gardens show how easy & satisfying it is to garden
with California native plants

- Native plants use less water
- They attract birds, hummingbirds and butterflies
- Require no pesticides or chemicals

(Los Angeles) – Interest in gardening with California
native plants is growing every day. More and more
Californians are learning how to garden with natives
to reduce their outdoor water use, create a backyard
habitat for wildlife such as birds and butterflies,
and reduce the use of pesticides and chemicals in
their lives, among other goals. In the process,
Californians are discovering that native plants are
beautiful, breaking the stereotypes they may have
about them.

Los Angeles and Southern California residents will
have a chance to explore their growing interest in
natives at 31 private and public gardens during the
third annual Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour
on Saturday and Sunday, April 1 and 2, from 10 a.m. to
4 p.m. Gardens throughout the Los Angeles Basin will
be featured, from Monrovia to Santa Monica, from
Madrona Marsh in Torrance to Quail Hollow in Tujunga.

Tickets are $10 per person. Ticket and garden
information, including plant lists and photos of
gardens, can be found at the Theodore Payne website. Tickets may also be purchased
by calling (818) 768-1802.

One of the key and unique features of the tour is that
gardens will be hosted by garden owners and docents
who share their passion and knowledge of gardening
with natives with tour attendees. Most garden tours do
not include the people who actually create and take
care of the garden.

The gardens reflect a range of styles and ages. Some
gardens on the tour follow a traditional or formal
design, while others allow their natives to reach
their wild potential. Some of the landscapes are
mature and reflect years of experience in gardening
with natives, while a few are developing gardens two
or three years old. Garden owners and docents at each
location will offer unique advice to gardeners of all
skill levels and interests.

“The tour gives attendees a unique opportunity to talk
with garden owners and see firsthand how they dealt
with particular garden conditions, like shade or
erosion or a lack of water,” said Keith Malone, garden
tour coordinator. “If you were thinking about
gardening with natives and not sure where to begin,
this is a great way to start.”

The gardens are located throughout the Los Angeles
Basin, including Downey, Culver City, Beverly Hills,
Mid-Wilshire, Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach Torrance,
Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Sun Valley, Tujunga,
Granada Hills, La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena, South
Pasadena, Altadena, Monrovia, Highland Park, Echo Park
and Atwater Village.

For more than 40 years, the Theodore Payne Foundation
for Wild Flowers and Native Plants, Inc. has dedicated
itself to helping Californians discover the beauty of
California native plants. The Foundation operates the
Theodore Payne Nursery in Sun Valley, which offers
more than 400 native plant species for sale to the
general public. It is the only nursery in Los Angeles
County devoted exclusively to native plants. In
addition to the nursery, the Foundation has gardening
classes and operates a wildflower hotline every March
through May. The Foundation and nursery honor the
legacy of Theodore Payne, who opened his first nursery
in 1903 in Los Angeles. In his lifetime, Mr. Payne
introduced more than 400 species of native plants into
cultivation for public use."