Greg Rubin teaching Native Landscape Class at Mira Costa!

Greg Rubin of California's Own Native Landscape Design will be teaching a non-credit course at Mira Costa college over 3 Monday nights in May.  He will be substituting for Julie Schneider, who is taking a leave of absence. The class will cover design fundamentals, native ecology and its application to the home landscape, plant selection, irrigation, maintenance, installation and include a Saturday field trip to a large scale native landscape and a local native nursery.  Each class will run 2.5 hours.  

 

 

Course name:    "Gardening and Landscaping with California Native Plants"

Course number:    370003

When:                5/9, 5/16, and 5/23 6pm - 8:30 pm

Where:             Oceanside Campus, Mira Costa College, Room 7001

Fee:                   $57

Supplies:           A $5 materials fee will be collected in class.  Please bring paper and pencil with eraser.

How to sign up:    You can call 760-795-6820 to register or sign up on line at http://miracosta.augusoft.net. Go to "Arts" then "Gardening and Floral"

"Save the Majestic Eucalyptus" ..... ??

Another example of how a little information can be a dangerous thing.  Comparing environmentalists to Minutemen and the hunt for invasives to the anti-immigration movement, anthropologist Hugh Raffles' recent New York Times' op-ed piece glorifies eucalyptus and encourages pity for the poor beleaguered iceplant that is only trying to hold up our hillsides:

"Today, a species’s immigration status often makes it a target for eradication, no matter its effect on the environment. Eucalyptus trees, charged with everything from suffocating birds with their resin to elevating fire risk with their peeling bark, are the targets of large-scale felling.
Yet eucalyptuses are not only majestic trees popular with picnickers, they are one of the few sources of nectar available to northern Californian bees in winter and a vital destination for migrating monarch butterflies.
Or take ice plant, a much-vilified Old World succulent that spreads its thick, candy-colored carpet along the California coast. Concerned that it is crowding out native wildflowers, legions of environmental volunteers rip it from the sandy soil and pile it in slowly moldering heaps along the cliffs.
Yet ice plant, introduced to the West Coast at the beginning of the 20th century to stabilize railroad tracks, is an attractive plant that can also deter erosion of the sandstone bluffs on which it grows."

Note the abundance of Iceplant on this failed bluff in Leucadia.

Comparing racism with invasive species may seem like a catchy article subject but in actuality it is insulting and misinformed.  Invasive plants pose a very real threat to both our native flora and fauna, countless acres of freshwater nesting habitat have been destroyed by the steady spread of Pampas Grass, Fairbanks Ranch may as well be located in Australia, and anyone who still thinks Iceplant is good for slopes needs to take a closer look at our coastal bluffs.  To compare the hard work of people trying to preserve what little remaining habitat we have in Southern California with xenophobic anti-immigration groups shows how very little Mr. Raffles knows about the subject he is apparently so passionate about.

Read his full article here.  and please comment or contact Mr. Raffles directly to share with him our first hand experiences of how invasive plants are actually quite a threat to our remaining native areas.

California Native Zen

Who says native gardens have to be southwest style?  This Carlsbad bird enthusiast wanted to create native habitat but loves Asian style gardens and wanted to incorporate some great sculpture pieces she found on a recent trip to China.  Dilemma?  Nope!  Native Strawberries, Pacific Coast Iris, Coral Bells and Red Bud are perfect for creating the clean yet natural forms common in Japanese and Chinese style gardens.

Design by Argia Designs

Native Plants at the Spring Home and Garden Show

At least two gardens at this year's Spring Home and Garden Show featured native plants!

Argia Designs' garden (shown here) featured Western Cottonwood, Ceanothus, Toyon, Howard McMinn Manzanita, Giant Coreopsis, Blue Eyed Grass, and Chalk Dudleya.  The garden next door, designed by Brian Best, featured gorgeous 24" box Manzanitas, Oaks,  and blooming Ceanothus among other drought tolerant plantings!  Both gardens had a slight Asian flair showing that native plants are perfect for not only Southwest style gardens but any garden style!!

Greg Rubin also gave a talk on using California native plants in the garden!

Great to see natives right up there along with the rest!!

New Design from School Garden Program

Check out this fantastic garden designed by California's Own Greg Rubin  (little play on words there! ;)  for Park Village Elementary.  Greg volunteered with our school gardens program to design a native teaching garden for the school and came up with this great design that was based on not only the plant communities but the soil tyoe as well!  What a great teaching tool, can't wait to see how it looks installed!

Visit the chapter website for more information about our school gardens program!

Native Plant Garden Tour April 30 and May 1

We are so excited to be announcing the upcoming Native Plant Garden Tour here in San Diego County. The event is scheduled for April 30 and May 1 and we will have over 20 gardens scattered all over the county. They will vary from large rural settings to commercial spaces to suburban streets.

If you would like to show your garden or be a docent, please let us know. Post a reply and we will give you a call!