Yesterday, the cold and clouds brought relief to this gardener after days and days of hot, bright sun!
Whatever the weather, July offers a wonderful opportunity to visit the Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden. Hot days will often lead me along a shady creekside path and also into the aromatic plant collections that love the heat! Cool, overcast days are my favorite to meditate on the various vistas in the garden, or carefully examine the details of a sculptural plant….
Please consider joining us on one of the following July 2013 tours of the Botanic Garden. Find directions at http://nativeplants.org/directions.html. Parking and admission are always free. We will meet at the Visitor Center at the scheduled start time and begin our garden walk from there. There is no charge for tours, but please sign-up in advance by calling (510) 395-1670 or emailing Alya@BerkeleyGardens.com.
Design Inspiration from the Garden Sunday, July 21, 3pm-4pm
The Botanic Garden is a pleasing garden to visit on any day of the year. This tour will highlight appealing plant combinations, seasonal considerations for garden design, shaping the garden with pruning and placement, and creating naturalistic and wonderful garden scenes in every microclimate and setting. Come enjoy our treasured garden and share your own observations and delights as we walk through this beautifully designed garden together!
Garden History and Significance Saturday, July 27, 10am-11am
Since the Botanic Garden opened on January 1, 1940, it has been more than a collection of plants. It is a museum and research lab; a haunt for many original thinkers and unconventional characters; a storied spot where people, land, plants, and animals meet in so many fascinating ways. Come learn of botanical adventures that brought rare plants to the garden as well as the horticultural adventures to grow them; meet the eccentric souls who contributed so much vision and so much of themselves to the garden’s existence; and discover the garden’s continuing role in increasing knowledge, protection, and enjoyment of California’s flora.
Plant Picks: Top 5 California Plant Groups Sunday, July 28, 3pm-4pm
To be revealed on this tour are Alya’s selection of the top five plant genera (groups) among California’s extensive flora. Come learn about these five wonderful plant groups! We will enjoy a sensory exploration of the plants and discuss their seasonal changes, propagation, culinary uses, environmental adaptations and much more. They are garden-worthy, wildlife-attracting, drought-happy, and simply beautiful representatives of California’s unique plant life!