9:30am - 12:00pm

Thursday Garden Talks With Lili Singer

Classes  

Spring 2010: 8 Thursdays, March 11 – May 6
9:30am–Noon / Palm Room
(Please note special times for field trips, which are self-driven and require pre-registration)
$100 for the series, $20 per class / Reservations or you may pay at the door
Information and registration: 626.821.4623 or jill.berry@arboretum.org

March 11    The American Meadow Garden with John Greenlee 
Our spring series opens with an eye-opening, beautifully illustrated talk by one of California’s finest! John will explain how to turn a traditional time-, water- and chemical-sucking lawn into a bird- and butterfly-filled meadow, a shimmering mini-ecosystem of regionally appropriate grasses and flowering perennials, a safe place for kids and pets. John is an ornamental grass expert and owner of Greenlee Nursery, (www.greenleenursery.com ). He will sign copies of his latest book The American Meadow Garden: Creating a Natural Alternative to the Traditional Lawn.

March 18    Field Trip: Weeks Roses and Agriscapes, Cal Poly Pomona, 10:00am-12:30pm 
Celebrate spring on this plant-lovers’ trip to Cal Poly Pomona. First, we explore Weeks Roses’ new facility, guided by none other than celebrated rose breeder Tom Carruth. A short tour of the adjacent Agriscapes complex ends in the pick-your-own strawberry field! We wrap the morning with a shopping spree in the Farm Store and nursery. Preregistration required.

March 25    From Vineyard to Botanical Garden: The History of Agriculture at Rancho Santa Anita with                 Mitchell Hearns Bishop 
The Arboretum, the surviving remnant of the Santa Anita land grant, has encompassed all phases of Southern California’s agricultural history. The property was one of the area’s earliest sites for introduction of new crops and ornamental plants, some of which still survive. Curator of historic collections, Mitchell will describe the succession of crops and livestock raised on the grounds, discuss notable plants and share historic photographs and agricultural equipment.

April 1        Mosaic Sphere Workshop with Leigh Adams 
Create a pique assiette sphere – a ball encrusted with tile, broken pottery and found objects – to embellish a special corner of your garden. Most materials provided. Bring your own ceramic or porcelain plates, buttons and flat-sided marbles (“globs”) or other fun items for your artwork. A neat way to recycle collectibles! No experience necessary! Leigh is a glass, fiber and textile artist and The Arboretum’s artist-in-residence. 

April 8        Aussies You Should Know, Part Two with Jan Smithen
Join us for a second session on gardening with beautiful plants from Down Under (plus a few from South Africa). After the talk: a plant sale provided by Australian Native Plants Nursery (australianplants.com). Jan is the author of Sun Drenched Gardens: The Mediterranean Style. For two decades, she taught the popular Fanatic Gardeners classes at The Arboretum.

April 15    Gardening in Containers with Mike Brown
Learn all about growing plants in pots: types of containers; choosing the right container; soil and watering requirements; when and how to transplant; and how to revive a root-bound plant. Class includes an illustrated lecture and potting demonstration, featuring a range of edible, flowering and ornamental plants for sun and shade. Mike is a landscape horticulturist with a special love for travel and insects. He blogs about all things green at www.projectgreenscaping.com .

April 22    Field Trip: Nursery Hopping to Magic Growers and Worldwide Exotics 9:30am-12:30pm
Expect a riot of spring color on this expedition to two of the region’s most exciting nurseries! Magic Growers is a Pasadena-based wholesale grower of flowering perennials and water-wise shrubs for mediterranean-climate gardens. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to tour the nursery with its horticultural expert, Joe Brosius. Ken and Shelly Jennings’ Worldwide Exotics Nursery in Lakeview Terrace is a gardener’s goldmine of flowering perennials, vines, succulents and bulbs. Preregistration required.
 
April 29    No Class – LA Garden Show preparation

May 6        Landscapes of Vision and Experience with Bob Perry 
The spring series ends with a tribute to Southern California gardens that enhance the environments they occupy. Examples of private and public projects will be shown and discussed. Bob’s influence on the art and science of regionally appropriate, sustainable landscaping cannot be overstated. He is professor emeritus of landscape architecture at Cal Poly Pomona and author of several recognized references: Trees and Shrubs for Dry California Landscapes, Landscape Plants for Western Regions and Landscape Plants for California Gardens.

• March 11, 2010

  Thursday

  9:30AM - 12:00PM

  March 18, 2010

  Thursday

  9:30AM - 12:00PM

  March 25, 2010

  Thursday

  9:30AM - 12:00PM

  April 01, 2010

  Thursday

  9:30AM - 12:00PM

  April 08, 2010

  Thursday

  9:30AM - 12:00PM

  April 15, 2010

  Thursday

  9:30AM - 12:00PM

  April 22, 2010

  Thursday

  9:30AM - 12:00PM

  May 06, 2010

  Thursday

  9:30AM - 12:00PM