Garden tour this weekend

Eriogonum elongatum - long-stemmed buckwheat, growing in the Santa Monica Mountains

If you live in the greater Los Angeles area, and you're interested in gardening - or even just looking at pretty gardens and pleasing homes - check out the Theodore Payne Foundation 7th Annual Native Plant Garden Tour this coming weekend, April 10 & 11.

For a $20 ticket, you can visit some 45 gardens, all over L.A. County. What they all have in common is their use of native plants of our region, in drought-tolerant, sustainable plantings - reduced water consumption, elimination of pesticides, and creating a nurturing environment for butterflies, birds, and wildlife. The Payne Foundation's mission is to educate people about native plant gardening, to propagate and preserve native species, and to promote the use of them for home landscapes. The Foundation maintains a nursery and planted grounds in the San Fernando Valley.

I'll be taking the tour, and will share some sights with you. But if you are in the L.A. region - check it out yourself. For two days, you will get to visit real people's gardens, at your own pace. You'll get to meet other gardeners, talk to them about their work, and you'll get some great ideas you can apply in your own yards. Most of the gardens allow you to photograph them.

If you do decide to go - drop me a line. Maybe we'll meet up at one of the gardens!